Call Me What You Will

Dunstall has just said it all - nearly half the team out, and most of our best players. No panics yet. Of course Dermie tries to intellectualise an opposite view. Absolutely no idea what he said or what he meant?

Cripps is a gun. Francis is becoming a gun. Walsh will be a gun. The rest are just the same recycled hacks running around with sun tans.

Great to see they are getting the ordinary games out of the way early.

May have been mentioned already, but today provided a complete stitch up of Gil’s Absurd AFLX. A fantastic “practice match” match, organised by the clubs - great weather, great footy for February. When will Gil’s clowns realise that trying to recreate an American “game day experience” will slowly extinguish our great game. Give the girls in the AFLW some air and just let the clubs do what they have done for over 100 years build for the real season in March/April. Rant over! Whatever happens, always nice to beat the filth!

87, then daylight. Interestingly earlier in that year we lost against Norf at the G with a goal after the siren by none other than Alastair Clarkson. Season over (again!!!) we all thought.......

Full MCC member. 30+year MFC member (2 adults and 3 kids for the last 20). Reserved seat in M51 and Red Seats prior to that. Only sit in MCC members for “away” games.

What’s Baba doing these days?? Ha ha!

Simple homage to those wonderful “MCC Match Day” officials - the “Blue Coats” in another time. No matter how hard you would argue at the gate that your dress was appropriate, the stock response was always “call them what you will sir, those shoes are ‘runners’ or those trousers are ‘jeans’.” The Cleese “Upper Class Twit” imagery goes without saying.

At least my little girl will be going to the footy - her package arrived on Saturday. The rest of my family of 5 are still waiting!

Coping with the Grand Final itself will be half the battle. Having lived through 88 and 2000 live, part of me still has trouble with the trauma of those fateful days. Having embraced our wonderful 2018 journey, and putting aside the huge let down of Preliminary Final Day over there, I watched this year’s Grand Final with a strong “what if” mindset. When Darling took that mark in the 3rd quarter, I made the comment “the filth will lose this”. I backed it up with - “this is the sort of game that Melbourne would find a way to lose.....” Clearly, I still need my therapy, but my god, these are exciting times......

I thought Charlie was still only in Year 8!

Quite simply, what a wonderful extended family we all belong to - so much diversity, yet united by a common love of all things and people red and blue.

How on earth can a multi-dollar organisation delay its announcement because the feedback was not positive......Ah, sorry, I forgot, we are talking AFL here! Beggars belief.

Every game will be a danger game as we become the hunted. To be honest, I don’t care who we play, when or where - as long as we win lots and lots of them. The commercial side will look after itself if we do that. Quite possibly, an opener in March against Port will draw a lot more people than a cold afternoon or evening in the middle of winter against the same mob.

The “squad” approach is an interesting one. Yes, in the world game where teams play 40 to 50 games a season, astute managers will do just that - manage the squad. Key players will be rotated and rested. In our game, with less games and less margin for error, the mantra of “don’t flirt with your form” has always resonated. Interesting times.

Wow! Just wow! Circus ! Now we embrace Jessie - map a very clear pre-season plan for him at Centre Half Back. Engage David Neitz as a personal mentor - Neitz’s transition from Forward to Back and then Forward again should be the template for a Jessie Hogan 5 year plan at the Dees. we should all embrace this new opportunity.

Money had nothing to do with the May conversation - it was more about accessing draft picks to get the deal done. Gaff is a free agent I believe.

As an aside, I was born in January 1958 - my mum was a long standing Demon fan and had grown in the 30’s 40’s and 50’s and had literally seen them all!!! In 1958, she organised tickets and a baby sitter for her first born so she and dad could go to see us equal the filth’s record. We know what happened next, and I have felt that jinx ever since!! In 64, mum was inside with my 2 younger siblings who had come along and dad and I were outside “doing some gardening” with the radio blaring across the back lawn. When the siren went dad (who is a kiwi and only a token Aussie rules supporter) grabbed my little footy and threw it so high into the air that I thought it would land on the roof!! I remember great excitement and joy and sitting listening to older Melbourne cousins and uncles when they returned from the game and who re-lived Gabo’s run and Froggie’s goal over and over again. I love this club - despite all the bad times since - go Dees on Saturday in the West and may we again dare to dream!! Go lads!

Wow! A bit harsh I would have thought.

From memory I think it’s about $220 per adult for the 11 Home Games (its about $1000+ for two adults and a variety of 3 kids/concession. (I am a good dad! Ha!)

Interesting ideas here. I have been a red seat attender for donkeys years and turned that into a home game reserved membership when the new northern stand was built. Always sit with the same Melbourne people in M51. There is always plenty of space to spread out (even on Q’s Birthday) and we always look down our noses at “opposition”supporters who have unfortunately been sold single game day tickets into “our space”. Now, for the first time in all those donkey’s years, I prepare for the ANZAC Eve game, relaxed in the knowledge that me and my family have the luxury of a walk up start and reserved seat. Worth every penny! If the crowd is to be 80-90K as some are suggesting it will be interesting to see how the spare non membership seats in our area are allocated. Nice problem to have. Go Dees.

Ahhhh! HSC English - 1975! What a night for reflection!!

That last game in 1976 was when Laurie Fowler was knocked out by Wearmouth in the first quarter in front of the outer ground. I remember he was carried around the boundary line on a stretcher to a tumultuous ovation from the demon faithful down the outer wing. Clearly inspired the fans and the team on the ground as our victory guaranteed the filths first wooden spoon. Collingwood coach? - Murray Weideman!! Also I remember that it was reported that our Bobby Skilton was hammered by meat pies as he walked around the boundary line in front of the "social" club at the end of the game. In terms of "match day" experience, I reckon this one was up there with 1987 at the western Oval.

Hi all - First time post for me - inspired by the 70s retro conversation. I was a young teenager in the early 70s and I remember John Hartman well. Always felt "safe" knowing John, the Animal and his other mates were pitched behind the goals at the away grounds. The other name I remember was Steve Hartung (I think). A great spoken memory of Steve was at Collingwood in the last round of 1976, when he came up to me during the last quarter and said 'if we win this and get into the finals, we'll arrange for tickets at the end of the game' - alas not to be. Great memories, great times!