Last night ,on the SEN "World Sport Overnight", after midnight, a caller named "Ben" ( I suspect a Demonland contributor), rang in. He is a contributor to the"Inside Football"magazine.

He says he's been to training at a lot of the Vic clubs recently, and Melbourne's has been by far the most impressive.

He's particularly impressed with Brock, and reckons we're a premiership chance this year! He reckons`Robbo will be tried down the backline this season. I remember that it was a trial down the backline in a preseason Cup match about 6 or seven years ago that helped Robbo to "arrive".

He really sounded like he knew what he was talking about, so I hope he's not just another unrealistically optimistic supporter like myself!

Robbo in defence?! That's new.

Actually that's up there with the last things I thought I'd ever hear. I'll have to think about that one, but I'm sceptical JJC.

We won't win a premiership unless Jeff White (and Jamar) can at least break even with Dean Cox, Spider Everitt, Aaron Sandilands, Steven King (if fit) and even Matthew Clarke who has owned White in the tap department every time the two have come up against each other when we've played Adelaide.

When our rucks gets butchered, as they regularly do by the comp's top big ruckmen, we get butchered. Sadly, we don't have the luxury of playing against the likes of Ackland every week.

We won't win a premiership unless Jeff White (and Jamar) can at least break even with Dean Cox, Spider Everitt, Aaron Sandilands, Steven King (if fit) and even Matthew Clarke who has owned White in the tap department every time the two have come up against each other when we've played Adelaide.

When our rucks gets butchered, as they regularly do by the comp's top big ruckmen, we get butchered. Sadly, we don't have the luxury of playing against the likes of Ackland every week.

I agree our ruck division is now second tier but I think this has been magnified in recent seasons by the fact that we had primarily an "outside" midfield.

With the maturation of the inside young guns, most notably McLean and Jones, we should be able to improve our clearance stats even if our hit out stats stay the same. I also think the addition of Paul Williams as mids coach should have a really positive impact this year.

I agree our ruck division is now second tier but I think this has been magnified in recent seasons by the fact that we had primarily an "outside" midfield.

With the maturation of the inside young guns, most notably McLean and Jones, we should be able to improve our clearance stats even if our hit out stats stay the same. I also think the addition of Paul Williams as mids coach should have a really positive impact this year.

Yeah, fair points, Strange, some increased grunt from the youngsters would be most welcome, but I would prefer our on ball division to be pro-active rather than re-active. I would also like our rucks to be better able to impose themselves on the game when it's tough. White is a very good flat track bully and Jamar a bit of a stop-gap. When they give us first use of the agate we are very hard to beat. Conversely, when they are being thumped, we border on awful. The differential in performance is too great, and if that gap's going to be reduced it needs an increased contribution from both the rucks and the runners.

Our ruck situation is near dire. The rules commitee has effectively removed the possibility of anyone of Whiteys height being a ruckman, no matter how talented. With the way things are going even Jamar, PJ and even Neaves are still too short. The centre hit-out is becoming a basketball type tip-off; Height is the major criteria.

I heard ND on the morning show on SEN this morning. A real lightweight affair, in keeping with the tone of the morning show; If you want substance, wait until after 9. It was very positive and upbeat; Looking forward to the NAB cup to try out they new players, looking for big seasons from Bate, Dunne, Mclean, Sylvia et all. Miller is completely over the OP that inhibited the pre-season for him last year, Moloney training well and looking for a big year. All good, standard stuff, captain to be named before the NAB cup.

They thing that got my attention was the opening gambit where it was stated that he had been very low profile this year after being out and about everywhere stumping up Melbourne in the last few years. He replied, somewhat jokingly, that only the clubs that aren't doing well get on the front foot at this time of year and that you don't hear from clubs that are doing well, and we are.

That is all well and good, but, I loved the 'new' ND. I liked seeing him in the papers, hearing him on radio, watching him on TV, pumping up MFC. I know that things were crook and am glad that we are, seemingly, back on track. That doesn't mean that things that worked during those times should be shelved. Something that worked so well and got our profile out into the marketplace will be appreciated as much in the good times as the bad and attract new supporters.

ND was also introduced as a former Essendon Best and Fairest. He didn't play for us, and didn't play for long, but, we sometimes forget - The guy could play!

That is all well and good, but, I loved the 'new' ND. I liked seeing him in the papers, hearing him on radio, watching him on TV, pumping up MFC.

Like just talking on SEN? You speak strangely in past tense.

Our ruck situation is near dire. The rules commitee has effectively removed the possibility of anyone of Whiteys height being a ruckman, no matter how talented. With the way things are going even Jamar, PJ and even Neaves are still too short. The centre hit-out is becoming a basketball type tip-off; Height is the major criteria.

People need to get over this fixation with height.

Being a ruckman in AFL is more than just the centre bounce. Height is only one requirement. Mobility, football brains and skill are critical to play the additional midfielder as well as centre bounce.

There are very few big good ruckman out there over 200cm. Unless someone can stack their bowls of morning weet bix, most of the current crop of giants just dont cut the mustard.

Hell, if I was that fixated just with height then Peter Street would be the top of our shopping list.

Our situation is not dire but we do need to be more competitive to at least nuillify the impact of the one or two good ruckman out there and beat the rest.

If you want dire have a look at Carlton's rucks. Wow Jones should have been drafted.

Like just talking on SEN? You speak strangely in past tense.

It makes perfect sense. The paragraph before was speaking about the present. I went into a new paragraph to speak about the past. Grammar and syntax are more important to me than most posters, and I don't hold anything against anybody for that. The fact that this has caused me umbrage is illuminating!

It makes perfect sense. The paragraph before was speaking about the present. I went into a new paragraph to speak about the past. Grammar and syntax are more important to me than most posters, and I don't hold anything against anybody for that. The fact that this has caused me umbrage is illuminating!

No, I meant you talk as if ND's spruiking days are over (past tense). Yet you've just listened to him on SEN, and I'm sure there'll be a lot more appearances in the future all over the media. We're not up with a lot of clubs for membership yet. We still need the "Reverend".