10 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

Why would you just play the same 24 players or so for three practice games? 

He didn't say the same.

In any case, there are still only 18 of them on the ground at any one time, so there's going to be a lot of resting and sitting out.

Clubs which have already high memberships, good form over successive years, in the home and away and have no trouble getting positive media coverage - we all know who they are -  are not particularly concerned about NAB challenge, other than seeing it as 'glorified practice' matches.

Clubs like us though need it for the reasons listed above, but of course conversely.  Even with the risk of injury, we need to show something in this series to sure up our position.  With it being Roos' last year as head - I'm sure Goody will do a good job after hand over - a rising sense of realistic hope, some young kids, which for a change, our recruiters seemed to have nailed at draft selection and the trade table, a good showing in this mickey mouse competition is vital for the MFC in 2016 in my view

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by iv'a worn smith

Jones and Vince will sit out against power while Oliver is set to debut!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/nathan-jones-bernie-vince-unlikely-to-play-nab-challenge-match-v-port-adelaide-clayton-oliver-to-debut/news-story/c8e420d3f5a5245051bd6f183eff103e

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Jones and Vince will sit out against power while Oliver is set to debut!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/nathan-jones-bernie-vince-unlikely-to-play-nab-challenge-match-v-port-adelaide-clayton-oliver-to-debut/news-story/c8e420d3f5a5245051bd6f183eff103e

Article lists Oliver 188cm tall and a very, very slender 68kg.

A typo surely?!?!

48 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Article lists Oliver 188cm tall and a very, very slender 68kg.

A typo surely?!?!

Yep, they've just reversed the 6 and 8..

4. Melbourne (via trade) – Clayton Oliver (VIC – MID)
Height: 187cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 22/07/1997
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Range: 3-10
Profile: Powerful inside midfielder who improved rapidly and had a big second half to the season.

 

But he has grown a bit, which is great.
 

Am I the only one who is really excited for Saturday? It seems a lot of people (perhaps not from this site) don't care about nab challenge. 

10 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Jones and Vince will sit out against power while Oliver is set to debut!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/nathan-jones-bernie-vince-unlikely-to-play-nab-challenge-match-v-port-adelaide-clayton-oliver-to-debut/news-story/c8e420d3f5a5245051bd6f183eff103e

Say no more! Are you excited Dazzle Man??

Just now, Moneider96 said:

Am I the only one who is really excited for Saturday? It seems a lot of people (perhaps not from this site) don't care about nab challenge. 

I'm really excited to watch us play, but not overly fussed about the result.  There will be different rotations, players being rested for longer etc.  But I am pumped to see us playing footy again, Saturday can't come around quick enough!

Also excited, of course, - which I'll need to be, as I'll be getting up at 4 a.m. - but not expecting too much. First hit out, a few key players missing, Port supposed to be bringing their A-team etc. etc.

Most interest to me will be to see how the likes of Hunt, Harmes, Oliver, Wagner, and a few of the other newer/younger players go. But without Vince and Jones, our midfield is going to be pushing it uphill, especially when you look at what they'll be up against.

Still ... bring it on!

Anyone know what colour of jumpers we wear?

Just now, willmoy said:

Anyone know what colour of jumpers we wear?

Something that clashes with theirs and the umps of course !

2 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Something that clashes with theirs and the umps of course !

Lucky I didn't put down the words "sort of jumpers" wasn't it

11 hours ago, willmoy said:

Anyone know what colour of jumpers we wear?

It is easier to pick the tattslotto numbers on Saturday night.

11 hours ago, willmoy said:

Anyone know what colour of jumpers we wear?

Skins vs shirts??

▶ 5:06

 

Or shirts vs. blouses.

Edited February 23, 20169 yr by Devil is in the Detail

11 hours ago, bing181 said:

Also excited, of course, - which I'll need to be, as I'll be getting up at 4 a.m. - but not expecting too much. First hit out, a few key players missing, Port supposed to be bringing their A-team etc. etc.

Most interest to me will be to see how the likes of Hunt, Harmes, Oliver, Wagner, and a few of the other newer/younger players go. But without Vince and Jones, our midfield is going to be pushing it uphill, especially when you look at what they'll be up against.

Still ... bring it on!

I think we also need to take into account that this will be Port's second NAB game so they have already had a competitive hit out to 'dust off the cobwebs'. Hate to start the year with excuses but we all need to be realistic as well.

Clayton Oliver Wines to debut

finally....!

The NAB Challenge is hotting up if last nights second round opener is anything to go by but the big game is tonight and then the close to full strength Demons get their chance to strut the stage. Meanwhile, the ladder looks like this:

Adelaide 1 - - 148 48 307.3 4

Fremantle 1 - - 90 30 300.0 4

Hawthorn 1 - - 53 32 165.6 4

North Melbourne 1 - - 117 73 160.3 4

Gold Coast Suns 1 - - 68 43 158.1 4

Western Bulldogs 1 - - 104 73 142.5 4

Sydney 1 - - 81 60 135.00 4

Port Adelaide - 1 - 60 81 74.1 0

GWS Giants - 1 - 73 104 70.2 0

Brisbane Lions - 1 - 43 68 63.2 0

St Kilda - 1 - 73 117 62.4 0

Carlton - 1 - 32 53 60.4 0

Richmond - 1 - 30 90 33.3 0

West Coast - 1 - 48 148 32.4 0

 

Richmond - big following everywhere including the outer south east to play against Hawthorn - huge following in the East and set to move to Dingley, in a game at Beaconsfield on Saturday....whilst we travel to Adelaide then the Northern Suburbs.

Not a good sign for our Casey relationship.

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The NAB Challenge is hotting up if last nights 

Not only that, it's exceptionally popular.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/nab-challenge-cup-early-ratings-win-for-afl-20160225-gn3vjx.html

54 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

Not only that, it's exceptionally popular.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/nab-challenge-cup-early-ratings-win-for-afl-20160225-gn3vjx.html

Yes but look at what it's up against. Shane Warne and a bevy of wanna be celebrities doing silly stuff. That would be enough to drive anyone to watch a soulless and meaningless game of what passes for footy.

Heaven help us all.

No, it's up against everything on Foxtel.  Cut it whichever way you like, it's popular.

You just don't like it which is fair enough.  Others do.

More popular than reruns of M*A*S*H, the rugby, Fox and Friends, old movies, the History Channel and Judge Judy.

I would never have guessed.

6 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Richmond - big following everywhere including the outer south east to play against Hawthorn - huge following in the East and set to move to Dingley, in a game at Beaconsfield on Saturday....whilst we travel to Adelaide then the Northern Suburbs.

Not a good sign for our Casey relationship.

Let's not pretend that our Casey relationship has even helped the club establish any sort of sustainable support growth in that area. It's a nice secondary base to have I guess, but it was always a bit of a misplaced initiative. Just because it's a growth area doesn't mean its ripe for the taking. Working class, typically low income area that probably already has high density of AFL support before Melbourne decided to jump it.

Being a [censored] club from the time of the relationship's inception to now probably hasn't helped, either.

13 minutes ago, praha said:

Let's not pretend that our Casey relationship has even helped the club establish any sort of sustainable support growth in that area. It's a nice secondary base to have I guess, but it was always a bit of a misplaced initiative. Just because it's a growth area doesn't mean its ripe for the taking. Working class, typically low income area that probably already has high density of AFL support before Melbourne decided to jump it.

Being a [censored] club from the time of the relationship's inception to now probably hasn't helped, either.

90% of the problem IMO