Jumping Jack Clennett

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.

Thanks a lot, KC. It was really interesting and infgormative to read your input.

Interesting to see George Giampaolo playing for N Ballarat. I wonder if he's related to early 70s Demon Frank Giampaolo(?no. 43)

He's not up to the standard at present, but must be given as much experience as possible this year. It's a huge opportunity for us this season(where the less wins we get the better) to give young big men(likeTom MacDonald,Spencer,Davis and Fitzpatrick) as much game time as possible.

Oh dear!!!!

Same again against Bulldogs. Official stats accredit Jamar with over 40 hit outs(only against Minson and Roughead). Watching the game it was obvious that his tap outs were of no benefit to Melbourne. In fact, the opposition roved his knockouts better than we did, they were so predictable. Even when favoured by the bounce he would do the soft tap down to the ground near his left foot, resulting in a 2 minute scrimmage. Only once did he tap it away from the pack.("tap", never THUMP!) Marking was difficult with the slippery ball, but he didn't do that either. We have very little hope of wins for two months now. Let's try to give Fitzpatrick some senior experience. He's definitely not up to it, but we're going to lose anyway,so let's get the games into him.

I was really proud of the absolute tenacious endeavour of our team today. They absolutely threw themselves in. That's how we managed to only lose by 20 -odd points despite being overwhelmed in possesssion of the footy. In fact, if we'd kicked straight early, and they'd been twice penalised in the forward line for failing to dispose legally,resulting in goals, we'd have beaten them. Somehow we stayed in touch despite them having the ball 100 more times. I think it reflects the way our guys gave their all. If our supporters didn't notice how hard and fearlessly our platyers went in, I reckon they weren't watching very closely. Also, I reckon the sombre pre-match function would not have helped our players to be in a positive state of mind. It had to be done, and was well done, but I felt it left us with a "flat" feeling.

I'm interested that very few Demonlandrs think this is worth consideration.

I wish I could just be erroneous, and not "self- serving",too. That' s a reprehensible fault. But I feel Jamar's slowness is not just his foot-speed, which has always been glacial. Perhaps there' s another explanation for his failure to find team-mates with his taps than his height disadvantage and lack of spring. Fast reflexes and hand-eye coordination are crucial in the hurley-burley chaos at the centre bounce. Mark doesn't fill me with confidence with respect to either of those features . I do try to watch closely both at the game, and on the Foxtel replays, because I really want to understand why we have so much trouble gaining clearances. Everyone blames the non-ruck midfielders. I'm offering an alternative suggestion.

We rarely clear the ball from the centre bounce. This failure is important in our poor results. One of the four Demons in the centre square is low-skilled, slow, and has no spring. He is invariably shorter and slower than his direct opponent. We blame the midfielders for their inability to clear the ball. Perhaps they receive less assistance than their peers. We are too much influenced by the hit- out statistics, though against Richmond they did highlight the lamentably low efficiency of ours. Forget the hit-out stats. Watch the game closely. We are rarely hitting the ball to our advantage. Perhaps Spencer or Gawn will one day be able to knock the ball to our advantage.