Demonland

WJ delving back into his own past? A HIGHWAY OF DEMONS by Whispering Jack CHAPTER TEN - SEMPER FIDELIS They were huddled together inside their winter coats on the Saturday afternoon tram that rattled up St. Kilda Road in the direction of the Junction. The two small children listened attentively as the old man in front of them rehearsed his lines, the words bursting out loudly with graceful eloquence and in a strange tongue. The few passengers in the almost empty carriage looked away sheepishly as if they were in the presence of a madman. Had they been equipped with the knowledge that the old man was a famous actor, renowned worldwide as the doyen of the Yiddish language theatre, it would have made little difference. Nor that he was saved from horrors of the Holocaust by an accident that stranded him in this far away land, half a world away from home when the hostilities of war broke out. The war was now a thing of the past for the travellers as the carriage wended its way through the cold mist of a grim wintery day. The American sitting by the door was reading an edition of that day's Sun News Pictorial bearing the date, Saturday 4th July, 1953. The pain of the smashed shoulder, the migraine headaches and the long sleepless nights were almost gone. He stared, then smiled at the actor who looked back at him to answer the question that was asked only through his dark eyes. The explanation that he was minding his granddaughter and a neighbour's son was followed by a nodding of heads and both of them returned to their roles, the American reflecting on the news of the day and the old man losing himself in a world of ancient folk tales and fire and evil spirits from distant lands. They piled on in their numbers at the Junction. The majority were men, most of them half or fully drunk and some of them angry. They were the football crowd coming from nearby Junction Oval where 12,000 had witnessed a close contest. The old actor rolled his eyes when he heard one of the newcomers cursing and swearing to the effect that the Saints had just beaten the Demons by four points. Apparently, errant kicking for goal, weak coaching and poor umpiring were offered as the causes of the defeat but it would all have been different if "that effing young 'un' Barassi would have kicked truly at the end". "Fair go mate. It was really only his first game and he's going to be a player so bugger off you drongo. Fair dinkum, when they were handing out brains, you must have been outside taking a p ..." They were fighting on a crowded tram, fists flying, bodies heaving and the old man grabbing hold of the two small children to keep them out of harm's way. By the time they made their way out of the carriage, he almost wished he would have listened to his daughter-in-law's suggestion about taking them to the afternoon matinee but he was a dramatic actor of quality and didn't want to be involved with "drek like those old Errol Flynn movies or with people dancing around and Singin' In The Rain." As they stood at the tram stop, the old man saw the American who had also alighted, thumbing through a road map and looking confused. The offer of help to find his destination was accepted and, as fate would have it, he was looking for an address in Carre Street, Elsternwick right next door to where the families of the two children lived together in shared accommodation. They walked home and the old man remembered it was American Independence Day. Congratulations were followed by shared wartime experiences. The American had fought with the Marines at Bougainville and then drifted back to the South Pacific and finally to Australia. He was bemused at the fracas they had witnessed on the tram between two supporters of the same football team. "The motto of the United States Marine Corps is 'Semper Fi' and it means 'Always Faithful' or 'Always Loyal'. We succeeded in the end because we were loyal to each other. Those guys should be on the same side. When they learn that, only then will they win." It was a simple philosophy for a time less complex than today. The last they saw of him was when he turned to salute as he took the path towards the door of number 4 while the old man and the two children moved on to number 6. TO BE CONTINUED For the record, Melbourne did play St. Kilda on Saturday, 4 July, 1953 at the Junction Oval and the Demons did lose by 4 points. St. Kilda 6.2.38 7.4.46 9.6.60 11.7.73 Melbourne 2.2.14 4.10.34 5.14.44 8.21.69 Melbourne Goalkickers: Bob McKenzie 3 Ken Albiston 2 Geoff McGivern Maurie Reeves Peter Schofield Ronald Dale Barassi made his real debut after having sat on the bench for four quarters in his 'first' game earlier in the season and had the chance to make a hero of himself in the last quarter but missed a clutch goal. He went on to become the greatest Demon ever and played in six premierships in a decade culminating in a famous victory in his last game for the club on 19 September, 1964. The hallmark of that successful team was the loyalty instilled into the club by the late Norm Smith but things changed in the following year. All that is a story for another time given that WJ has yet to make it to 1964 ...

This time last year I predicted Hawthorn would win the premiership and Melbourne would take a giant step forward by making the finals and finishing in eighth place. I was wrong on both counts but that is the way of things in the life of a new age oracle. Like most people these days, we rely far too heavily on modern technology and the result is that it's so easy to make mistakes. It wasn't until well into the 2012 AFL season that I discovered I had overset the forward drive on my reconditioned crystal ball so that all of my predictions were one year ahead of time. This came as a great relief to me on a number of counts, not the least of which was the knowledge that Stella (the name by which my crystal ball is affectionately known) is once again fully operational and I'm able to provide my fearless predictions for the future with some measure of confidence. I was also relieved when I looked through the swirling snow encased in Stella's glass orb into 2013 and beyond that those moronic Mayans got it all wrong about the world ending on 21 December, 2012. Of course, if you knew anything about what those blokes used to smoke back in their day, you wouldn't be surprised that none of their predictions ever worked out right on the button. Not that my own track record has been all that flash lately, but at least when I make my forecasts on big ticket items like the end of the world, I make sure that my research is impeccable and my prognostications are accurate enough to ensure that people listen to me the next time I open my mouth. So much for the Mayans! So looking into my crystal ball recently, I was somewhat taken aback to see Jared Rivers in horizontal navy and white stripes at Simmons Stadium and Ricky Petterd looking positively strange in yeller and black high-fiving a bunch of ferals after booting one through his backside from a pocket. While I'm at it, congratulations to James Frawley, Jeremy Howe and Lynden Dunn for taking their former teammates to Bay 13 to give them an insight into the mindset of the yobbos who will be following them for the remainder of their careers. On the other hand, when I looked to the west, I was truly gobsmacked at the sight of an overblown Cale Morton (fair dinkum, he was well over 105kg) checking into a Perth Weight Watchers clinic after what surely must have been an experiment gone wrong from the chemist who coaches the Weagles. I say it every year but it's a fact. Final eight predictions are always fraught with danger. There are always surprises with some teams unexpectedly dropping out of contention and others rising to the occasion and surprising everybody. This my top eight for 2013:- 1. Hawthorn - Clarkson and the Hawks are smarting about their lost opportunity in the 2012 grand final. They had the Swans on the ropes but some poor kicking for goal let them off the hook and Malceski and Morton (Mitch) turned out to be the unlikely heroes. I still rate Clarkson as the AFL's top coach even if he loses the plot in the coaches box and at under 9 games, and rate the Hawks a shoe in for next year's flag. Stella confirms my opinion. 2. Collingwood - the Pies have managed their list beautifully throughout the free agency/trade and draft period. They managed to trade well to get good draft picks and gained some handy replacements on the cheap through free agency. Having worked the system to perfection, they now have the added depth to make up the leeway between them and last year's grand finalists and I reckon they are going to give the flag a bit of a shake before doing what they always do best. Yes, that's play in losing grand finals. 3. Geelong - the fat lady is far from done with the Cats who utilised 2012 to bring several new faces into the game with good effect. Some critics believe they might struggle but they've still got the hunger and have recruited reasonably strongly in areas where their football department perceived they might have had some weaknesses. Geelong will remain hard to beat in 2013. 4. Fremantle - Ross Lyon managed to rejuvenate the Dockers in his first season out west. He added new steel into the team and whilst the emphasis remained on defence, his team also demonstrated some fantastic attacking capabilities when called upon to do so in the latter stages of the season. 5. Sydney - the reigning premiers didn't exactly slip under the radar in 2012 but they will come under more intense scrutiny from opposition coaches and teams determined to knock of the competition's tallest poppy. Kurt Tippett will add something to the forward division but it will be well into the season before he even appears in the colours at AFL level. I see them slipping because that's what the crystal ball's telling me. 6. West Coast - the Eagles have a classy list but I'm not satisfied that they've done enough to improve their list to the point where they can take the next step up into the top four. I worry about Wellingham and wonder what Morton and Bennell are doing on their list. 7. Carlton - they've really blown it in the past couple of years with a talented but underachieving list. Malthouse comes in with a new/old philosophy that should lift them a few notches and back into the finals but salary cap restrictions as a result of the AFL's ruling on Chris Judd's financial package, have restricted their recruiting. With Judd in his declining years and giving up the captaincy and the likes of Kreuzer and Gibbs looking decidedly shaky, this is probably the Blues last chance of reaping the dividends of their three year tanking spree (2005-7) which the AFL has curiously chosen to pretend never existed. 8. Melbourne - the Demon overhaul is now virtually complete. It's a changed list with a new attitude and every player is prepared to give his all. The squad might be young but with the massive turnover of players, a new work ethic, a high level of motivation and a reasonable draw, they should improve. Mark Neeld wants to have the hardest team to play against and while I don't think they're quite there at the moment, I think they'll be the most surprising team as well as the most unpredictable. My rough guess then is that they will get to eighth spot on the ladder. Finally, I'm sure you all want to find out about the outcome of the AFL tanking enquiry. Well, I can't say much but looking into the swirling drifts of snow, I can just detect the outline of a single object - the scales of justice. Make of that what you will but I can assure you all that whatever happens, it won't be the end of the world. I'll see you all in the future!

It was eight years ago that hundreds of thousands of people from across the rim of the Indian Ocean, some Australians and one of them our very dear Troy Broadbridge, lost their lives as a result of earthquakes and the tsunami that followed. This Boxing Day is again a day on which we reflect and remember Troy and all the victims of this tragedy. Your tributes are invited tonight, tomorrow and in fact, at any time. Troy Broadbridge: No. 20 Born: 5 October 1980 Recruited from Port Adelaide Magpies (SANFL) Died: 26 December 2004, Thailand Playing Career: Debut Round 8, May 20, 2001, Melbourne vs. Essendon, at Melbourne Cricket Ground Team: Melbourne (2001-2004) 40 games, 2 goals Melbourne Most Improved Player 2001 Sandringham Premiership Team 2000 & 2004

I think this was changed in a past software update. Nothing I can do about it. Not sure why they did it.

Try pressing Function (bottom left of keyboard) and F5. Also try clearing your Browser Cache. When in the Reply to this topic box at the bottom of the page click the icon in the top left of the box (it looks like a light switch). That will ungrey the font changing icons. This post was posted on a Mac.

Wandsworth Demons

... and this one thanks to Bush Demon who originally posted it a while ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_EmqTDHVA&context=C3115d19ADOEgsToPDskJPYogbbwEvU4fYUq9hJ7Wz'>

Wishing all Demonlanders our thanks for supporting this site and our club in 2012. It's been a tough year but we believe happy days are just around the corner. So please accept our best wishes and seasons greetings. Have a happy and safe new year! This is one of our favourites and a good way to celebrate the season * http://youtu.be/MnBW3vCJMc8 * perhaps someone who knows how could update the vision to include 2012 highlights, our new recruits and even vision from Kakadu?

You need to go into your personal settings and change it to QLD time (+9 instead of +10).

The long period allocated for AFL clubs in which to recruit players has brought 14 new players to the club but it has also unearthed some old names and since I'm a great believer that any co-incidence might bring better times for the Demons, what could be better than to link new with old in the search for a bigger and better club? In its entire history, the Melbourne Football Club has had only one player whose surname is Hogan and that player managed only one game for club. He was Joe Hogan and his sole game in the red and blue came against Carlton in Round 6, 1932 at a ground that no longer exists - the Motordrome which was situated in what is now known as the Olympic Park precinct. Very little is known of Joe Hogan who was born on 27 March, 1909, wore the number 13 and came to the club from Ballarat Imperial. He played under legendary captain-coach Ivor Warne Smith. The Demons had a poor season in 1932 finishing ninth with only four wins and they were no match for the Blues who were premiership favourites and ultimately finished minor premiers only to be knocked off their perch by the Tigers in the grand final. The game was played at the Motordome because the MCG had undergone resurfacing works and the fertiliser used on the ground was a hazard to players. A crowd of 12,500 turned up to witness the game and the Fuchsias made a good fist of things in the first half to hold a five-point lead against the inaccurate Blues at the main break. The visitors overpowered them to win by four goals and I know absolutely nothing of how Hogan went other than that he never played again. The team finally broke through for a win in Round 9 against St. Kilda and made it three in a row with wins over Fitzroy and Essendon. The only other win came against wooden spooner Hawthorn. Although we heard no more of Joe, the club's next J. Hogan is due to pull on the boots next year. I'm betting that big 17 year old key position player Jesse, has a much longer and more celebrated career than the last. A number of players who carry the more common name of Jones, including current club champion Nathan, have represented Melbourne over the years so recruit Matt Jones should feel quite at home at the club. I could write a book about all of the Jones' but, at the time of writing the end of the world was about to arrive and I was restricted for time and space, so I will simply list their names and records in brief form:- ■ Alfred E Jones 24 games, 18 goals (1908-9) from Port Rovers; ■ Brent Jones 45 games, 5 goals (1966-71) from MFC reserves. At 191cm, 85.5kg, Jones played in the ruck and as a key defender in an unsuccessful era for the club; ■ Carlyle T Jones 11 games, 14 goals (1925-6, 1929). Played one game for St. Kilda in 1931; ■ Dennis Jones 62 games, 4 goals (1956-60, 1962). The strongly built 183cm, 90kg defender who could take a mark, played in the club's 1959 premiership team and later came back for a brief and unsuccessful stint as coach in 1978; ■ Gordon A Jones 61 games, 2 goals (1935-40). A dashing defender from Maryborough, Jones represented the state and played at centre half back in Melbourne's 1939 and 1940 premiership team despite the fact he was only 179cm tall; ■ Les Jones 121 games, 88 goals (1933-41). A dasher who played at half forward and kicked three goals in the 1939 premiership team; ■ Nathan Jones 135 games, 68 goals (2006 -) from Mount Eliza. The nuggety midfielder is one of the club favourites and is current best and fairest; ■ Raymond Jones 1 game (1949) from Collingwood. Now we extend the welcome mat to the latest Jones - Matt, who is already creating an impression in early training sessions. The other old/new name to grace the Melbourne playing list is "Viney" but, in this case, it's no co-incidence. Jack Viney is the son of Demon great Todd and the nephew of lesser known Jay who represented the club in the 80s and 90s. I've always considered Round 1, 1987 as one of the turning points in the club's history. The Demons beat Fitzroy comfortably in that game but things weren't shaping all that spectacularly until a late run at the end of the season saw the Demons in the finals for the first time since 1964. Much of the credit for that goes to the development work commenced under Ron Barassi's coaching earlier in the decade and to the recruiting of interstate talent at the end of John Northey's first season as coach in 1986. Three newcomers, Warren Dean and Earl Spalding (WA) and Todd Viney (Sturt) all made their debuts in the opening round of 1987. They were recruited by a young Cameron Schwab and their infusion into the team brought new life to the Melbourne Football Club. Todd was a tough as nails midfielder who didn't take long to make an impression. In just his second season, he was elevated to the vice captaincy (at age 21) and was a member of the club's losing grand final team in the same year. He remained an important cog in the Demon line up for several years, winning best and fairest honours in 1993 and 1998, the latter being his first year as captain when he led the team to a preliminary final. He retired at the end of the following season still at the height of his ability but succumbing to a sciatic nerve problem. Viney was a regular member of the SA State of Origin team through the 90s including his last season, achieved All Australian honours in 1998 and played 233 games (the most by a Demon wearing the number 12) and kicked 92 goals. In mid career, he had a brief stint to join the coaching staff for tennis player Mark Phillipousis but that didn't quite work out and he was soon back playing football for the Demons. Todd Viney is also a member of Melbourne's team of the 20th century. After his retirement, he coached in the country, worked with the Hawks during their 2008 Premiership season, moving to Adelaide in 2009. He returned to the Demons in 2010 as General Manager of Player Development, filled in as coach after the sacking of Dean Bailey and is currently National Recruiting Manager. Todd's brother, Jay made his debut late in the 1988 season wearing number 26 against West Coast at Subiaco and finished up at the club at the end of 1991 after 23 games (4 goals). Like Todd, he was recruited from Sturt. He was reserves best and fairest in 1990 and despite having his best season in 1991, he was lured home and captained the Two Blues in 1993 and 1994 before moving to North Adelaide where he was skipper in 1997 and 1998. A younger Viney brother, Ryan, trained with the Demons after the 2000 season but was not drafted. That may not auger well for Jack's younger brother Max but in true AFL fashion, I've decided for the time being to take things one Viney at a time!

Sorry. It was my fault.

Once that has been heard it cannot be unheard. What a terrible song. It is literally just a mash up of two separate songs bastardised into one.

Don't thank me. Thank the geeks on the internet.

I've found a fix to this.

I'll look into it but when you click on a thread doesn't it go to the first unread post eliminating the need to find your place in a thread?

I've been corresponding with a guy who customises the software and he couldn't find a way to do it and he tried so I'm afraid the answer for the time being is no it can't be done.

Unfortunately this kind of mod is way out of my expertise level. I agree with you though. I'll look into it but I wouldn't hold your breath.

There are currently no plans for this. We offer the mobile skin and removal of ads as an enticement to take out a subscription. The money from subscriptions pay for all the costs associated with running, hosting and maintaining the site.

I'll be doing that in the new year.

I've made some updates to the mobile skin homepage. Let me know what you think.

I have merged all Trade/Draft topics into the main board and deleted the forum. I It will return at 2013 season's end. Start thinking of a clever name for the board now.

I think that I read somewhere on the message board software site forum that there was a bug re: notifications in the mobile skin. I will check it out but if there is it will likely be fixed in a future software update.

Done. Scoll to the bottom of the page on the Mobile Skin. This was the best I could do.

This is a photo of a Demonland Admin committee meeting: L-R: Nasher, Andy, Whispering Jack & Finks

I'll look into that.