Bay Riffin

interesting morning...great facilites... Chris Connolly mentioned on the loud speaker Watts and Blease are on a seperate summer training program and won't start playing until round 3 of the proper season. It was hard to keep an eye on 40 plus players so kept an eye on the ruckmen and also Martin and Frawley in defence. Firstly thought Spencer looked the most dominant tap ruckman with Johnson showing usual around the skills. Meeson was surprisingly good, with great second efforts and skills were good on the day. Who knows there may be hope. Spencer will be a monster but didn't do much else after getting the tap. Martin to me seems like the academic footballer, contemplative, quiet but with huge ability. He did ok but felt he doesn't feel confident enough to dominate the contest like he should. He looks to just do a job, and that he did ok in. Frawley looks really good, second efforts were fantastic. Last quarter on Bate he outpointed him 3 or 4 times, then backed up for handpasses etc, although Bate got a dinky little pass from a turnover which he easily drilled from about 45 metres. Others that impressed were Aussie, Morton and Valenti. Valenti and Brock have the best vision but feel Valenti may lack penetration in his kicking along with obvious pace issues. He is a natural footballer though. Look forward to seeing Spencer again and see if Meeson improves as he appeared more confident today. p.s Newton looked very ordinary and Garland on him early was like chalk and cheese in confidence and ability. He may end up with Shaun Smiths epitaph as a good honest mark, occasional high flyer but not much else.

Hey I should clarify - I do like a good argument, but not playing the man, where two guys just sarcastically try and pull apart the wording of their argument. It's only satisfying peoples egos

more and more threads are becoming arguments betwen posters. can you two blokes, Belze and Rhino, progress the topic or someone shut it down. If I wanted to listen to an argument I could go to my neighbours for that. I know its the off season with little news, but please.

Yes watched him closely and he is a natural ball getter. It seemed like the first quarter he just kept racking up possessions. He did appear hesitant to kick the ball and hand passed on almost every time I saw him. I think everyone knows how good he is, as he is a ball magnet. The thing is, the opinion appears to be around his 'loose' knees which may not go the distance. We must have thought long and hard over that one, because if he survives, he may make us regret the choice more than Naitanui in my opinion. He looks a natural ball magnet to me. only time will answer this one.

just got home from my first AGM and here is some updates. Firstly, it was encouraging as I arrived right on 7 pm and they had to get a few hundred extra chairs to cater for the bigger than anticipated audience. Jimmy began by saying it was surprising the show of support tonight and ran through the following: -Stated a meeting last year with Demetriou was BRUTAL in his words - we were poor financially and we stood for nothing. He accepted that. -one member asked given we have (I think) 12-13 Sunday games and just one Friday night game, can we ask the AFL for compensation. His reply was 'yeah nice try' but that won't happen. He went onto say the $1 mill exceeded the $250,000 original promise and probably included some of that thinking. -New sponsor - we have a list and my impression is we are negotiating over dollars with a few companies but we won't reduce our offer like some would like. With less 'other sponsors' on board he feels the primary sponsor is getting a bloody good deal. I have no doubt we could bow and get a major sponsor at a reduced rate, but they are standing firm. I have faith we will get someone. -Cameron Schwab - IMO not the most dynamic speaker but seems to be very savvy on how to lead us out of the mire - said on the ladder we are last in financials, in facilities (up to now), supporter base but first in Heritage and Hope. - The Heritage and Hope made a strong impression as people seemed to respond to that. He seemed to hit the mark even though it can not be calculated. - Red and Blue Print looked impressive but god only knows what a presentation means in those circumstances. - said Bailey, the trainers and the board were working in sub-standard circumstances (am para-phrasing there) compared to the rest of the league. That was surprising as well as depressing. Dean Bailey -started by saying at the end of round 22 he said to the players we must now create a new direction for the club -he said everyone had improved from the skipped down in terms of fitness and building up. Joked that Junior had put on 2.5 kilo of muscle and was now able to train in a singlet. good laughs -mentioned all teams would say they are 'improving' and training the house down, but given our low base, we had to improve and were since October 13th (start of the pre-season) Chris Connolly - very entertaining, funny and held court very well. -interviewed the players - Jack Watts spoke like a leader, very confident and spoke of the 'young players coming though' who were below the podium. You could think for a minute he was 25 years old introducing the new recruits. Someone should remind him he is still in school. Well maybe they shouldn't really. -Jamie Bennel was just selected for the seniors all stars team to play Saturday night but our manager up in Darwin (I think it was) has said we shouldn't as he is not ready. A nice reflection that he is deemed already good enough to play up there. Nothing was said whether he will play. - Neville Jetta's mum rang him and said they will move to Melbourne to stay so he (Connolly) better prepare his front lawn for their family to camp down. This got one of the big laughs of the night. I hope I got that right and it wasn't Jamie Bennels mum. -very entertaining interviews and summed up by saying Bail and James Strauss were impressing to perhaps put on Dees jumper this year. Most new recruits would spend time during 2009 at casey. Ron Barrassi - last but not least got up in question time. - Stood up in his chair whilst waiting for a roaming mike to be delivered, but while he waited an impromptu standing ovation developed, clapping him before he spoke. You had to be there to experience it. - firstly thanked all the supporters for the well wishes since the new years eve incident so well documented in the papers. - also asked Jimmy to govern the board not like a business, but like a football club. He was very emphatic on that. - Jimmy got up on the podium and said he would try his best but if all else failed he would also have to accept the blame, as Barrassi brought him over in 1984 and told his mum it would be 2 years, and he is still here!!. Barrassi laughed and sat down content with that. Anyway, overall an interesting night, the first one I have been to. It was a sobering presentation of our reality, but also inspiring to give us real hope. The board and key personnel are definitely passionate and confident we can move forward with this great club.

My brother has rung the club and the receptionist doesn't know if you can sign up for tonight to attend the AGM. She put him through to membership, but the service was unavailable. Another attempt got the same result. Yet another attempt had him put through to the Manager of memberships and got a voice mail. How hard is it to give them your money ? Does anyone know if you can sign up tonight, rather than spend all day hitting brick walls ?

I keep reading he is running laps whilst the others train. Proof is in the pudding as they say. We will see.

I swear this was being talked up this time last year.

I like that idea to help bond us with the MCC. Hoopla, that was one of the best posts I have read. I totally agree thats our viability is at stake right now, and we need to voice strongly the MCC may regret not bailing us out. At least Gough has not ruled out the assistance point blank and is still talking. Lets wait and see but it's a shame this is seen as basically a commercial decision, because the Melbourne F C have no leverage in those terms. we have little to offer the MCC that they do not already have. We just need someone to get the big dollars out of them. Maybe the AFL just only know the bullying way to get things done.

Have a feeling Strauss might go alright this year and get quite a few games. not a bad size, excellent balnce, speed and kicking skills. Blease will be the excitement machine thouh. We are developing the fastest side in the competition here.

Valenti certainly deserves a chance given his form at VFL level and what he has shown in his first season for the Dees. He is slow but has great hands. Another year will start to tell the real story. I watched Garland play against the doggies I think in one of the early games this year, and though this bloke was just shocking, I mean really shocking and look at him now!! Now everyone is all over Garland. Might be the same people who will become turncoats from this thread and support Valenti if he makes the grade. Give the boy a chance.

so we still want the quick and agile Davey to be pushed off the ball, to play a 'sweep up the ball' role and receiver type, which does little to help us win, when we are getting beaten. It would be handy if he could hold his own in a physical contest at least, otherwise he can be a liability. I think the fastest bloke in the league won't be lacking pace even with a few extra kilos. I somehow feel Davey will be twice as valuable when we get back up the ladder, and the team is flying along. Remember he was playing well in his first couple of years when we were playing well.

Yes the game against West Coast, who looked like they were trying as hard as Carlton in round 22 the year before.

Apparently he is training the house down... http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/D...px?newsid=70764

I think its pretty clear from those pics he will be in the top 10 possesion getters in the league next year and get 10 plus brownlow votes. If we had three photos I could tell you more.

my brother had told me Yze was nominating for the draft, and it looks as though it is true. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...7-23211,00.html

it has to be a rouse doesn't it? it's a lose-lose if we get him. We look weak going back on our word and also force a player to stay who doesn't want to be there. Plus he is a soft outside runner with overrated kicking skills.

I thought Akermanis straight away as I can remember him when young. looks a real game breaker. I don't know why some people are unhappy with the draft choices because we didn't get two key forwards. It takes a few drafts and this was our second really good draft. We are loading up on fast players who can kick well. imagine the doggies with much better key position players. I think people compare us to Hawthorn already but you can only draft whats available at the time. I have high hopes for this kid in particular as he is an outside runner but doesn't mind the contact side of things at all. One more gun midfielder and perhaps key position forward and we can have a premiership side in the making!!

These two look very promising but have not seen a lot of Spencer. Both big units and could really take the Dees to another level. What do people think of both and will Martin make a great full back? are his disposal skills up to it ? What do people think?

can he kick? whenever I watched him I thought his kickics looked a bit dodgy. mind you didn't see a lot.

This is why Carlton have such a sh1te recruiting record. "I'd certainly rather be picking at six than one – it's a pretty good field this year." Possibly the dopiest comment of all time. Ever since they cheated and got number 1 pick last year + stopped us from getting pick 2 this year, they are in the gun. a Few injuries to that team, and they will be tanking before you know it.

Apparently when Barassi came back to coach Melbourne, Baker thought his days were numbered. Barassi announced he wanted all Melbourne players clean shaven and working outside of football. Garry said he had a full length beard and was unemployed at the time.

Guy guys, have a think here. Melbourne have had talent in the last 20 years, but have only rarely showed a team unity and professional in brief glimpses when we have had good seasons. We need to recruit with character in mind. I like the sounds of our freshest recruits who sound more discilplined, blokes like Morton, Grimes, and if we get him, Watts looks a great role model. As we get rid of Nathan Carroll, why bring in blokes who don't turn up to training ? I say stuff him. he is not a gun like Kerr. forget him. we must see the bigger picture.

Biff was the greatest, hence my username. He once threw Robbie Muir over the fence, so they don't get much tougher than Ray. Was almost the perfect footballer, and devilishly handsome.