DemonDave

Clearly the Hawthorn plan was to niggle and annoy Davey all day. McGlynn did that job in the 2nd half, always prodding and pushing him even when the ball was 100 meters away, and also if Davey got a kick/handball, a Hawks player would always come up and needlessly hit/bump him, Roughhead did it at least 3 times in the 2nd half alone. Historically, Davey has not handled a super-hard tag at all well, one has to only go back to the game against the Hawks a few years ago when Osborne niggled him all day, and Davey ended up punching him and getting weeks. While he wasnt terrible today, Daveys output was fairly well restricted by the Hawks gameplan on him...

Great thread HT! For Mine: Camry Crows: Walker Brisvegas: Rich Carltank: Betts Colliwobbles: Anthony Essendon: Hocking Freo: Hill Geelong: Varcoe Dawks: Shoenmakers or Moss Kangas: Ziebell Melbourne: Chip Frawley closely followed by Davey Port: Krakouer Terrys Tigers: Nahas Saints: Zac the Gorilla Swans: Mcveigh Wet Toast: Josh Kennedy Dogs: Aker (thought he was finished)

Is there a chance that Grimes could be the Norwich Rising Star Nominee for this week? I cant think of too many other youngsters who had blinders. Grimes wasnt outstanding, but if you have a couple of good ones in a row they tend to reward you with a nom nowadays...

6. Johnson 5. Morton 4. Moloney 3. Davey 2. Bate 1. McLean

Given the opposition the need to not rush a tall defender in is understandable. Very surprised Jamar has gone straight upto Emergency after zero game time at all. Is this the shortest side we've ever fielded? Bartram, Maric,Valenti, Davey, Whelan etc etc...

It's only one rookie per team though...

Rivers rolled his left ankle in the preseason game: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsart...px?newsid=72118 and yes it was the same ankle yesterday.

This to me is the most amazing thing. How many Melbourne players over the past 10 years have stepped in and looked as comfortable as Cale has in their first 27 games. Sure, he still resembles a garden rake, but in 2 years time will be a really classy match-winner.

I think what was meant was, why has Spencer not been playing the last two weeks? He's not on any injured list (same deal with Jurrah).

Probably the biggest thing that I get out of every game this year is the continual improvement in Frawley and Stef Martin, probably Chip is taking bigger strides than Stef but you can just see the football ability that both of them have. We were all told how great a pre-season he had and that he'd put on muscle, but seeing some of his games last year I had my doubts that Frawley would take the next step. It seems all the pre-season predictions have come to fruition, and he now looks very comfortable at this level. Those first couple of steps he takes, and usually a quick jink to the right to avoid his man, his presence to then take 6 or 7 steps and ability to look up and hit a target, despite his ungainly kicking style, augurs very well for a bright future.

So from that team, Outs would be: Whelan, Carroll, C Johnson, Wheatley, Buckley, Green, Jamar, Valenti, Wonaeamirri Thats 9 in total, 12 if you count the emergencies. Ins would be: Moloney, Davey, Rivers, Petterd, Mclean, Robertson, Miller, Meesen and take your pick from the bench from (assuming Jones, Morton and Johnson play there'd be one other) That's a heck of a lot of changes, and much for the better!

Great point Rhino. The sole reason the Dorks are leading that ladder is because of the Tassie members option they provide for the 4 or 5 games down there. Similarly our figures are artificially inflated by the MCC memberships on offer.

Well I got it from the horses mouth at the aftermatch on Sunday that he'll be playing seniors this week. And might I say he was a mighty impressively spoken, polite and respectful young man.

I thought Meesen was good today. The play that summed up his day for me? The contest in the goal square right before the half time siren where he had the smarts to rather than mark the ball in the contest palm it forwards to Miller to snap the goal. Very clever. He's still got a way to go, and yes does try to handball to a guy beside him whenever he wins the ball, but encouraging signs...

Which begs the question, do our young and fringe players learn more in an inexperienced struggling side that loses every week as Casey have been this year, or in a strong experienced side with a winning culture such as Sandringham. There's plusses and minusses for both sides of the argument I'd say...

*Sigh* Its at matchup time when I realise how much we'll miss Garland for his versatility in that he could play on someone as big as Richo or as small as Brown I'd guess Rivers will take Reiwoldt for his ability to lead up the ground, and Martin will get Morton closer to the square leaving Warnock to again follow Richo wherever he goes. Frawley would be left to match up on Brown by default almost.

Out: Tambling In: Oakley-Nicholls Things are really looking up for the Toigs....

This is the most common sensical thread of a match review I've read on here in ages! Well done cards, some great measured observations there. No kids on here screaming to drop Bate, Bruce and co and bring in more teenagers and expect us to win next week. It is always good, taking away the emotion of the day when watching a full replay of the game a few days later. Sure, you miss a lot of the periphary things that go on that the TV doesnt capture, but you also see a lot of the little things in the packs in close you cant see live. And I think rpfc's prognosis on McLean is fairly accurate, he may well become a very good player in the Hayes or Simpson or even Mitchell mode, but he'll never be a Dal Santo or the like. But clubs need great workers like that to succeed, now all we need is some polish. As for Bruce, he's as good as he is frustrating. He's still one of our best 3 players as much as some of the ignoramuses on here would like to think otherwise. And yes he has many major flaws. But he also has an innate ability to find the footy and work really hard when he doesnt have it, something a lot of the supposed young saviours on our list could learn from. If they all had Bruce's endeavour and workrate we wouldnt be on the bottom of the ladder right now... DD

Of the interchange: Int (from): Jamie Bennell, Kyle Cheney, Nathan Jones , Neville Jetta , Stefan Martin , Lynden Dunn, John Meesen Jones and Dunn pick themselves. The Coach has already said Meesen, Spencer and Johnson will never play together, so that rules Meesen out. Which leaves 2 of Bennell, Cheney, Jetta and Martin. I'd go Bennell and Jetta, with Martin only missing out as there's already enough tall defenders, and Cheney loses out to Bennell for pace. Good luck to the first gamers whomever they end up being, and to Jared Rivers on his 'comeback' game!

No Sylvia. No Newton.

Do you have plenty of spare time at the moment Cranky Franky? :D

There was an email sent to all members sometime not long after 11. Here it is in full: Melbourne Football Club boosts its defensive stocks with Kaspersky Kaspersky Lab has signed a three year, multi-million dollar sponsorship with the Melbourne Football Club. In a nod to the company's global leading role as an IT protector, Melbourne's defensive players – Jared Rivers, Colin Garland, Jack Grimes and James Frawley - were in attendance, along with Club President Jim Stynes, CEO Cameron Schwab and coach Dean Bailey. The deal between Kaspersky and the Melbourne Football Club includes signage, coaches' sponsorship, website advertising, corporate hospitality and other match day benefits. The Kaspersky logo will most prominently be seen on the back of the guernsey. Kaspersky is joining with the Melbourne Football Club in order to establish its presence in Australia as a trusted IT security brand. Kaspersky has recently established a local office in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne. As Melbourne Football Club CEO Cameron Schwab said on signing Kaspersky, 'They are the fastest growing internet security company in the world, they are number one in China, top two in the US market, and expect to be number one in Australia in the not too distant future – not unlike the ambitions of the Melbourne Football Club.'

Well you certainly cant question hankook1 one's sources on this one, spot on!

Kaspersky are a Russian Company. Hence the Mark Jamar reference....

I left the game half way through that last qtr as well, the rain coming in sideways seemingly underneath the umbrella no matter which angle it was on. Add to that the wind almost blowing us over, and the ball seemingly entrenched deep in the dogs forward line, we decided to leave (and try and negotiate the mud plains back to the car). But what I saw in the 3 quarters was very pleasing. This was the first game I've been able to get to or see all year, and of the new players Spencer certainly looked a much more accomplished ruckman than Meesen. He was better able to win the ball from the centre ruck and also contributed around the grounds presenting well. Meesen wasnt terrible, but really had minimal impact. The standout draftee for mine on the day was Bennell. There's very little of him, but he seems tenacious in his attack on the footy. He got absolutely crunched a couple of times as he waited for the ball to come to him for a mark rather than attacking it, but he'll learn from this. I certainly think he looks good enough to play senior footy this year at some stage, especially given Whelans continued absence through injury and Bartrams continuing displays of lack of efficiency, smarts and poise. Jetta is also a wisp, and I think has further to go than Bennell in terms of being good enough at this level, but there were still plenty of encouraging signs. In the backline, Garland is a leader of that division now. His poise and composure belies his age and games played. he had another very good game. Warnock was fairly solid, although a period in the 3rd quarter where Hill broke away from him and scored 3 goals was crucial in the outcome of the match. Stefan Martin on Minson was relatively quiet, conditions were not favorable for big forwards. Rivers was OK without doing terribly much, but he got through the game without any signs of discomfort, so thats his goal achieved (I seem to remember saying the same thing 12 months ago when he and Bartram played their first games for a long time for Sandy at Casey too though). Bartram was as frustrating and errant as usual, there's really no place for me for him in our best 22, he just lacks class. Cheney continues to develop and again showed a nice ability to be able to read the play well. Frawley is another who continues to get better, he'll be pushing for selection come round 1. Bell had a fairly atypical game, at times his awareness was awful, but other times his 2nd and 3rd efforts of pressure were outstanding. So another season of more of the same seemingly awaits for him. Brad Green absolutely controlled this game, wether it be patrolling the half back line as the libero, or winning the ball through the middle and switching play, or kicking goals up forward. He really is a completely rounded player nowadays, and along with Jones, my best on ground. In the middle, Jones and the newly nude-nutted McLean dominated, and importantly both pushed forward to score goals, Mcleans in particular along the ground was a pearler. McDonald wasnt sighted that often but still was busy as usual, he'll be the quietest and most unobtrusive captain in the league this year, but that doesn't mean he wont be a good one. Some of his desparate lunges at packs today are what makes him an inspiration. Moloney got a bit of the footy in a strong (for him, particularly in pre-season) hitout, and luckily for him the conditions suited his route 1, kick it long to whoever, style of play. Buckley made a few of his customary strong run and carrys, and from what I understand if this was his first game for the year, then it would have been pretty pleasing for him. Morton was fairly anonymous, and is still a stick figure, he does have seemingly more time than most when caught in heavy traffic though. Bruce played fairly consistently all day, but still leads far too wide at times. A tough day for forwards, but I though the endeavours of the group, if not the scoreboard reflections, were admirable. Miller in particular was bullish, and continually worked hard to present and make life tough for the defenders. Bate had a forgettable day stats wise, but the kicking to him was pretty ordinary, and he had Harris and others continually punching the ball away all day. He tried hard when it hit the deck, but the ball at his feet is not one of his strong suits. Newton was great in the first half, kicking goals, presenting himself and pressuring all the way up the field into his own defensive half. He seemed to disappear more as the game went on, but certainly seems to have done enough to earn a Round 1 berth. Petterd was another revelation up forward in the first half, his enthusiasm for the contest was a treat to watch. I hadnt seen Ricky so energised since he burst onto the scene 2 years ago. Dunn seemed to float in and out of the game, be it up forward or on ball all day, I couldnt see that he had a specific tagging role. So all in all a cold, wet but strangely satisfying day, despite the last quarter fadeout. The crowd were, as mentioned, about 75% Melbourne, which was great. It was also fantastic to see President Stynes walking around the ground (in short sleeves! Must've thought he was back in Dublin) and taking the time to stop for a minute or two to stop and talk to groups of demons fans, including our motley crew. Well done Jimmy, its the little things like that the fans love! Bring on the Kangaroos! (who were all there in attendance today). DD