Jumping Jack Clennett

Every time Collingwood had a kick in , there was a range of options, usually leading to the ball ending up in their forward 50. In contrast, when we kicked in, no one moved to offer options. We ended up in desperate , and usually Coll had another shot for goal. This has been going on since Steve Febey , who was our last effective kicker-in. Is it the coaching, or the lack of skill or thought of our players? One basic principle to which we rarely adhere ,but the top teams never fail to do, is KICK IT IN QUICKLY, before the opposition organise their zone. I know Demonlanders think I'm ludicrously obsessed by this, but I'm convinced it's a vital and basic aspect of modern football tactics.

Aha!! Essendon and Carlton have both lost. That only leaves a Collingwood loss to create the perfect long weekend! It's up to us! ps....I don't mind Richmond losing,either!

Eddie Everywhere is trying to recruit Usain Bolt fora game for the Melb Stars in the Big Bash. I hope it doesn't come off. It would ruin the already tenuous appeal of this comp as serious cricket.

quoting Range Rover "He's a quality first ruck Jamar, in good nick physically and will provide three seasons of decent service." -_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How I hope and pray you're right and I'm wrong. I fear they've re-signed him in haste after one decent game this year against the Bombers, and one good year in ten at the Club. Deep down I feel we're trapped with a slow, too short ruckman who can't kick, can't mark, and has less than 20% efficiency with his many hit outs. It often happens that low profile rucks show their quality when given the chance(eg Mumford, Maric, Bell-Chambers,Jacobs....and others. ) I reckon it could happen with Spencer and/or Gawn if given the chance. Martin himself looked the goods while Jamar was out injured last season...a really good example.With Martin as back-up, we could have risked relying on the dubious long term fitness of Gawn, and to a lesser extent, Spencer(who hasn't had a knee reconstruction, to my knowledge) However, we've committed ourselves, and I do like the principle of the Club rewarding long term servants . So I'll just hope for the best(and get off his case!)

KC, what did you think of Sundberg's game for Collingwood? I played cricket with his Dad, who was a top bat for Hawthorn-East Melbourne and a good footy player at He told me Melbourne showed a lot of interest in Tom last draft but chose Magner ahead of him at the last moment. Apparently his stats were better than Magner's as an "in and under" mid. He's just back playing after a broken bone in his foot. I'll be watching his progress with interest. Apparently, Lockear keeps encouraging him to keep trying to crack it at AFL level.

Thanks a lot KC. Well done, Scorps!

If only he'd resigned instead of re-signed! I can't help feeling we'e making the same error with Jamar as we made with White, ending up losing Jolly and Simmonds. In Spencer,Gawn and Martin, we have promising talls. We'll lose them if they don't get senior experience. We have the perfect opportunity this season. By the way, did anyone else see the great bump by Spencer on Bateman(something I've wanted for years!) in the Box Hill game ?For once we have a really tall guy who likes to throw his weight around. He just needs to keep on learning the art of ruck play. It's not in Jamar's interests to teach him. He's building his body up andMUST be kept!

---------------------- ____________________________________________________________________ I find it objectionable that a " supporter" could have such disdain for a guy who has given his guts , beyond the call of duty,to our club despite chronic injury.

Glad to see Essendon are being taken to task for staging. I used to get infuriated by Wanganeen throwing his head back, then Lloyd, Monfries, and now Jetta. All clubs have occasional offenders, but these guys cheated repeatedly.

I don't understand the results of your assiduous research, Tim.We were the reigning premiers in 1965. We were undefeated the next season for the first 6 or 7 rounds, from memory. AH! Perhaps you meant 1985!

Also...after our flogging by Fitzroy in ?1979 when they kicked the (then )record score, we played the Bombers next week at the MCG, and beat them by about 5 goals. Quite a turn-around! We only lost by 58 points last week, so I'm pretty hopeful!

Interesting to see JW given kicking in duties several times. I thought he did it well with some beautifully pinpointed 50 m passes. He stuffed one, but got away with it.

Two great events!!!!! Hammers back to EPL. MU don't win League!!!

I think 2 different matters a being confused here. I am referring to the tactic of the player in possession diving head first into the opponent's body, in the hope of being awarded a free for a head high tackle. This is being confused with the far less dangerous, and more difficult to adjudicate, skill, of dropping the body when tackled so that the tacklers arms touch the shoulders, resulting in a free. It is the former tactic(diving head first) that MUST be stamped out as a matter of urgency. I have heard several experts in the media( esp. Roos) discussing this and suggesting that the umps should be aware and not pay frees against the "tackler"for this. I think a much more proactive attitude should be taken. The "diver" should be penalized, for dangerous play( even though the danger is to himself). I'm really worried someone's going to break their neck if something's not done quickly.

I was pretty impressed with Troy's work at Box Hill last Saturday,so I thought I'd look up the "Locker Room" to see what comments other people have made. To my surprise,he seems to have flown under the radar. I liked his fierce determination when he was once caught out against 3 opponents, and managed to get the ball out of defence against odds. I know he's played back mainly, but could he be tried as a tall inside midfielder? Is he still a rookie? How tall is he?What's his ball use like?

I thought I saw some extremely promising signs in Troy Davis on Saturday. I thought I saw the sort of fierce determination that could make him a bit out of the ordinary.

I'm forever blowing bubbles!!!! The Hammers have a better than even chance of returning to 1st div in the Promotion final v. Black pool or Birmingham at Wembley on May 19th. Apparently this annual promotion match is for the biggest financial reward in the game...reputedly it's worth $140 million to return to Premier League!!!!!!!!!!

Have you watched Melbourne play at Geelong or at AAMI? Both are extremely hostile environments, especially Geelong, which holds only 25000(less at present due to renovs), when the their club has 40000-odd members. There's no room for opposition supporters . This lack of support must affect the players. It also affects the umpires.

Clark's game yesterday was a fantastic tribute to his desire to perform at the level his enormous salary demands. Geelong supporters near me at the game yesterday started the game deriding him yelling" is that worth 3.2 million?" etc. Soon they had to shut up. ( apart from booing as he ran in to kick for goal after that sensational mark running back with the flight). If he had been playing for Geelong and marked the way he did for us, he'd have kicked a dozen goals. I was absolutely filled with admiration for his efforts yesterday, and proudly clapped his efforts amongst the silence.

When are the Melbourne players taking the kick in going to realize it's a waste of time kicking it to the Russian in the hope he'll take the mark? The guy doesn't take marks. His commitment and effort are beyond question. Unfortunately he lacks talent. Spencer and Fitzpatrick both looked promising for the Scorps yesterday, and should be given as much senior experience as possible. I see Jamar as a classic"list-clogger". So many Demonland posters see him as beyond reproach.

Mark got even more hit outs against St Kilda, but with a lamentable efficiency. I hope some of his suitors had a superficial look at the stats, and said "we want this guy!" Apparently Fitzpatrick held his own for a half against Goldstein last week. Let's get him in to gain more experience against AFL ruckmen.

Why can Bugg of GWS play Afl at age 17, but Jack isn't allowed to? Obviously I've got my facts wrong. Please can someone fill me in.

I managed to get a ticket when they went on sale last Thursday. Couldn't get two together though I was on the phone the minute they went on sale. So I'm going by myself. I think it's completely wrong that AFL matches involving two Vic clubs can be held at a stadium that holds only 20000 people(so they say, but I doubt it). Geelong have an unfair advantage having so many games with no opposition supporters. Any other Demonlanders going?

The Wee and Pooh colours certainly have nothing to do with Hawthorn. They're the "Tassie-Waverley Hawks". So if you live in Hawthorn, for heavens sake don't feel any affinity to them . The've deserted the area for(understandable) financial gain. Biut they've abandoned their roots. Stuff 'em.

I reckon there's no way " The Statue"(Jamar), will be in our next premiership team. Fitzpatrick and Gawn could be. It's well known that big guys need bulk experience before they play well at AFL level. It doesn't matter about winning,now, this season. It's gone!! Let's get Fitzpatrick as much AFL experience as possible this year, because Big Max will be back next year, and if we're stuck with Jamar, the'll both find it hard to get opportunities then. Is there any way we can get some compensation for "losing" an All-Australian ruckman due to free agency? I'm really sticking my neck out here, BUT....... if we didn't ever have the Russian............ we would have given Jolly chances, and realised he was better, and kept him.