Zebras v Willi - the only game in town

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Heaven forbid I am excited 5 days before the season starts

You need to stop posting so much. You're going to catch my total posts if I'm not careful... And we can't have that can we?

[Guest dee'viator]

You need to stop posting so much. You're going to catch my total posts if I'm not careful... And we can't have that can we?

Now I know where Yze caught the 'bug'.

[Guest dee'viator]

melboune football club should seriously look at shane valenti this year! gun!!

Were you there 'Dazzler'?

[Slartibartfast 17,187]

OP was still a huge factor today I thought.

Well done DD. Being able to spot OP from the sidelines is a pretty good effort. Which side do you think he was favouring? Did you notice a problem with his kicking, that's one of the places to look for it.

Look, sorry to be sarcastic but really, unless your a health professional or an insider at the club how could you tell. The players train outdoors about 3 times a week in practice drills and yet BB has them in once a week for OP testing. If he can't tell when if someone has OP in training how could we know?

Sylvia was fine today. Rusty but fine. The reports of his late start to the season seem to be wrong. He'll be back week 3 or 4 I'd say.

On Bartram. His game seems to have be damned with faint praise, particularly compared to last week. I didn't see last week but he was good today, getting possessions at will and using the ball pretty well. He did get caught a couple of times but I doubt he'd try the things he did today at AFL level. Really promising game with the big difference from last year his possession count. Barty may well develop into a high possession midfielder later in his career.

Warnock struggled to get the ball. That's a worry for an AFL player in todays company.

Oh, and YM, get excited if that is what you want to do!

[Yze_Magic 3]

Now I know where Yze caught the 'bug'.

Thailand

[mordja 187]

YM, you caught that in Thailand too...... you.....me....and the cat.

Go Dees!

Bring on Friday F$#k it. I'm sick of this praccy crap.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Look, sorry to be sarcastic but really, unless your a health professional or an insider at the club how could you tell.

Sylvia was fine today. Rusty but fine.

On Bartram. I didn't see last week but he was good today, getting possessions at will and using the ball pretty well.

Barty may well develop into a high possession midfielder later in his career.

Warnock struggled to get the ball. That's a worry for an AFL player in todays company.

Oh, and YM, get excited if that is what you want to do!

- I can tell because that's the report I recall seeing. Sadly it was some time ago so I can't recall where or when for a quote, but I distinctly remember reading that shortly after his operation was completed early this pre-season his OP returned. From many reports I've heard he's had an enormously interrupted pre-season and has been in recovery along with PJ, Bartram and various others for bulk time. Add to that the fact that he's been listed as having a "groin" injury for the entire pre-season and I'd say I'm satisfied to say his OP has at least been a factor. If you can offer proof I'm wrong then I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd be delighted to hear it.

- All the above aside, Sylvia was NOT fine today. He was rusty, yes. He was slow compared with what he can do. He didn't jump high or often. He had a grimace on his face for an ENTIRE quarter (I was watching him very intently as you can tell). He has starred at this level a hell of a lot more in the past than he did in his half today. Lack of match practice and fitness was not the ONLY factor for him today, but keep in mind that was just how I read his game. Now you've got me sounding like I'm stringing the guy up. If Bell can return from these problems to have the impact he did last year, then I'll give Col every chance to come back soon, and come back well. I reckon your idea of 4 rounds or so is about right assuming nothing else derails him...

- Yeah Bartram was good today, and if he was better last week, it wasn't by all that much, if by anything at all. The only difference was, as you say, he got caught a few times. Nothing to worry about. I said about round 4 I think for him last week, now I reckon that might be a touch pessimistic. Round 4 would probably be the latest he'd return going on the last 2 weeks viewing.

- I couldn't help thinking this too. My group of friends all agreed too. He seemed to play like a Robert Harvey-type ball magnet. My one problem with how he played last year was that I didn't see any footy from him that another team would characterise as dangerous. Seems to me he could be exactly that, given the room and the role. Having said that, it's early days.

- Warnock looked ok I thought, but I'm still far from convinced for exactly the reason you highlight. Seems solid at this level, and lost at the top level. One thing though... he has very good pace for a guy his height. If I had to guess I'd say that would be one of the major reasons for his retention and promotion.

- Too right.

Oh, and I had a look at Stefan Martin today, and he looked so good in the ruck and up forward, until the ball met his foot. I didn't feel so bad about not picking him up when it came to his shots on goal.

[CHAMP 347]

Heaven forbid I am excited 5 days before the season starts

This sort of thing can now be controlled by nasal spray.

[CHAMP 347]

One of my favourite movies but...

The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true.

But then someone broke the vessel, so the pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!

You mean of course that someone broke the chalice. Let's not get confused.

[Whispering_Jack 29,764]

All the above aside, Sylvia was NOT fine today. He was rusty, yes. He was slow compared with what he can do. He didn't jump high or often. He had a grimace on his face for an ENTIRE quarter (I was watching him very intently as you can tell).

This was Colin Sylvia's first game after a severely restricted pre season. The official cause of his delayed start was his shoulder injury and osteitis pubis. I don't know at this stage whether it matters much but, as long as he pulls up well enough, you would have to regard yesterday's exercise as satisfactory even if he was blowing a bit at the end. You couldn't expect him to come up sharp as a tack in the circumstances and his three goals plus one poster for half a game should be enough to make us all reasonably happy even if he was, in reality, a light heavyweight fighting well above his division against a flyweight.

I've seen both of Clint Bartram's comeback games and I'm very much impressed. What we saw last year was an athletic young kid used mainly in run with roles and although he's been used mainly at half back in the past two weeks, he's shown signs that he can be a very creative and exciting footballer when let off the leash. Playing in that position in the VFL where he's virtually a sweeper has allowed him to gather plenty of possessions and play a more attacking role. His disposal skills have improved at this level as well although that could have something to do with the fact that there's less pressure involved when you're playing at what is a standard somewhere between the normal VFL seniors and reserves levels. In any event. He's shown a lot more for the future than he did last year and we could be in for a surprise with Clint further down the track.

Matthew Warnock - he's athletic but I didn't see all that much in his game yesterday but that's the type of game it was.

One other player who impressed me was Isaac Weetra who has already become a favourite of the Demonlanders who were at the game. He talked to us for about five minutes and he explained how he came to re-injure his hammy and was almost apologetic for letting us down when we said that one of the reasons we were there was to see him play (we'd chatted the previous week as well). He seems like a great kid and we look forward to the day when he is out there on the track.

Stefan Martin - DD, you are so right about his kicking. It was very ordinary and his first shot at goal from 10 metres out was very inventive. Taking, a leaf out of the cricket handbook, I think the best way to describe it is a "reverse banana kick" where the ball ends us further away from the goals and travels on a totally different trajectory than anyone would believe in their wildest imagination.

[DV8 2,271]

Matthew Warnock - he's athletic but I didn't see all that much in his game yesterday but that's the type of game it was.

Stefan Martin's shot at goal from 10 metres out was very inventive. Taking, a leaf out of the cricket handbook, I think the best way to describe it is a "reverse banana kick" where the ball ends us further away from the goals and travels on a totally different trajectory than anyone would believe in their wildest imagination.

I think I saw you there 'WJ', who were the demonlanders you were with.

Matthew Warnock - he's athletic & can kick nicely. He took time to develope at sandy & no doubt he'll take a little time to do the same in the AFL, as expected.

Stefan Martin I've now seen play 2 or 3 times & he can kick better than he looked yesterday, that kick from directly below me was tightish in the pocket with that strong wind blowing strongly across him would be enough to give any young 6'-8" beanpole the yips...

[old55 23,360]

I've seen both of Clint Bartram's comeback games and I'm very much impressed.

Very pleased to hear this - I was worried his ankle injury may have hurt his pace which is one of his key assets.

I agree with Fan that his ball winning attributes have been under-exposed and that he will be a very good midfielder, not just stopper for years to come.

[Melbourne_777 0]

What about P Johnson, anyone know why he didn't play??

[Whispering_Jack 29,764]

I think I saw you there 'WJ', who were the demonlanders you were with.

There were about half a dozen of us there this week and the only one I can positively identify is Isaac Weetra. The others might like to retain their privacy rights or alternatively not want their wives and/or girlfriends and parole officers to know where they were (I'll leave it to them to fess up who they are). Please come up and say hello next time you see us.

[old55 23,360]

What about P Johnson, anyone know why he didn't play??

Part of the agreement with the AFLPA is that AFL listed players get the weekend off prior to the AFL season. Clubs have to get special permission to play listed players who have had limited pre-seasons due to injury. PJ does not fit this criterion. Anyone can play for Sandy next week.

[Melbourne_777 0]

Thanks for that Old55

[DV8 2,271]

There were about half a dozen of us there this week and the only one I can positively identify is Isaac Weetra. The others might like to retain their privacy rights or alternatively not want their wives and/or girlfriends and parole officers to know where they were (I'll leave it to them to fess up who they are). Please come up and say hello next time you see us.

I wasn't feeling well, with the dreaded lurgie thats gettin' about, so I wasn't feeling really social & prefer not to spread it where our players may inadvertantly be exposed.

[dazzledavey36 54,220]

just for some who went to the game but has Clint Bartram bulked up?

[Beach Road Bazza 0]

The Sandringham Football Club's final list for 2007:-

1 Gilchrist Rennie

2 Paterakis Tom

3 Martyn Guy

4 Evans Vaughn

5 Monaghan Sam

6 Ott Stephen

7 Valenti Shane

8 Crowe Rod

9 Johnson Paul

10 Summers Peter

11 Sautner Nick

12 Poyas Ezra

13 Martin Stefan

14 Johnston Marc

15 Johnston Tomi

16 Biddlecombe Andy

17 Gallagher David

18 Hall Kenton

19 Mentiplay Tom

20 Lamb Chris

21 Roberts Spencer

22 McKenzie Ewen

23 McGettigan Peter

24 Gibb Mark

25 Liddell Brett

26 Neville Heath

27 Johnson Chris A.

28 Weetra Isaac

29 Newton Michael

30 Godfrey Simon

31 Wheatley Paul

32 Ward Daniel

33 Liddell Chad

34 Dunn Lynden

35 Ferguson Ryan

36 Bate Matthew

37 Warnock Matthew

38 Hughes Daniel

39 Bartram Clint

40 Jamar Mark

41 Buckley Simon

42 Jones Nathan

43 Bizzell Clint

44 Garland Colin

45 Petterd Ricky

46 Frawley James

47 Hayes Daniel

48 Bode Jace

49 Neaves Shane

50 Dean Tom

51 Turcarelli Daniel

52 Paule Thomas

53 Cleeve Stuart

54 Goold Adrian

55 Martin Adam

56 Gribbin Daniel

57 Tregear Shane

58 Born Daniel

59 Williams Jake

60 Richards Chris

61 Richards Simon

62 Collyer Daniel

63 Dunne Dominic

64 Newton Brent

65 Henry Nicholas

66 Zarra Phillip

67 Gileno Adrian

68 Curcio Michael

69 Lyall Nick

70 Yze Adem

71 Bell Daniel

72 Sylvia Colin

73 Pickett Byron

74 Holland Ben

75 Brown Nathan D.

76 Moloney Brent

77 Miller Brad

78 Rivers Jared

79 Whelan Matthew

MFC players not allocated jumper numbers:-

Bruce Cameron

Carroll Nathan

Davey Aaron

Green Brad

Johnstone Travis

McDonald James

McLean Brock

Neitz David

Robertson Russell

White Jeff

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

just for some who went to the game but has Clint Bartram bulked up?

I wouldn't say that. I dunno. According to reports he didn't exactly have the opportunity to hit the weights this pre-season. In an interview he said he'd been doing a lot of aerobic stuff. Like swimming.

[John Dee 445]

A late report from someone who also attended the game; I was on the scoreboard wing; soaking up the sun.

I thought that, particularly in the first half, Bartram struggled to get into the game. He got a run in the midfield in the third quarter and did a lot better. I was looking forward to a big last quarter from him, but, he took his boots off at three-quarter-time. Sylvia moved well and was a class above his opponents. He put the cue in the rack at half-time.

I thought that Sandy were going to get overun in the last quarter owing to many players missing and general lackadaisicalness. However, after Willy got to within a point, Sandy, without any Melbourne players, piled on six unanswered goals to lead by thirty-five points, before a late Willy goal.

I say that no Melbourne players played the last quarter although I thought I saw Warnock at full-forward; obviously that was a mirage.

[Slartibartfast 17,187]

I say that no Melbourne players played the last quarter although I thought I saw Warnock at full-forward; obviously that was a mirage.

Warnock played the last half at FF replacing Col after he went off.

[dazzledavey36 54,220]

hey my mates there! brent newton who is also micheal newtons brother! played for bushies and is like micheal.. a goalkicker. good bloke Brent and wish him all the best!

[MO FINE 166]

Let's hope the brother fills Michael's spot in the Zebra reserves with distinction this year while Juice goes on to bigger and better things.

It sounds like a good idea to have the brothers together and could help Michael become a more settled player in 2007 and beyond to have a member of his family with him.