Jumping Jack Clennett

I don't think it's silly to praciSe anything you do badly. But each to his own opinion.

40 sec. to go in the first half. We've fought back to within 16 points, and are starting to look confident. The TV commentators said that Melb. must be satisfied with the 16 pt. margin at half time , so they've pushed everyone back into the back half. Oh no! I thought. Just when we're on a high, with a chance of reducing the margin to 10 points, and Freo. beginning to look shaky, we go defensive. We get the centre break, there's no-one to kick to, lose possession, turnover , 9 pointer to Freo with a millisecond to go. Heartbreaking, avoidable morale-buster. What a lesson! Once you go ultra-defensive, you open it up for the opposition, esp. on a big ground like Subi or the G., where there's lots of space despite flooding the backline. The opposition can take risks going forward,with "long bombs", or early "corridor" entrance, knowing a turnover won't be costly.

WE MUST stop dropping chest marks!!!! 5 were dropped in this game by talented players. It seems ridiculous, but we need to practise this basic fundamental repeatedly until we're confident that NO-ONE will drop an uncontested chest mark again this season. When a chest mark goes down, it not only catches all the players out of position( as they move into attacking mode, assuming we're about to gain possession), but it makes us look untalented and amateurish. Confidence drops.Morale drops. Overall performance worsens as a consequence.

I suspect it's the rain washing the colours out! We want a drought like yours! Gale one day, deluge the next!

Thanks, Jack. It's amazing how one's memory plays tricks. Come to think of it......I think he also played some good games as a "ruck-rover" as we desperately sought to replace RDB. Do you remember his funny kicking style?

I'm hesitant to challenge your profound knowledge, Jack, but I 'm pretty sure I remember Ray as mainly a CHF, with an awkward, but effective, kicking style.Wasn't Bob Miller usually our CHB in Ray's time? Can anyone else confirm or deny Ray's main position?

'Steamin Demon' date='Jan 19 2010, 08:44 AM' post='299558'] I drive past that place all the time and it is only hung out after Melbourne win, Thats probably why you don't see it that much anymore."

Yahoo Bushrangers! Great effort to beat Qld on the Gabba in the 'Big Bash", after being 3/5(should have been 4/5). Absolutely zero from Huss and Hodgey, too! Lucky with the weather and the Duckworth/Lewis, but we deserved to win!

As a committed devotee of Australian Football,I really hope we don't host the World Soccer Cup,especially in Melb(where we're v. unlikely to be primary hosts), but also in Sydney. The reason?? It will DEFINITELY be detrimental to our game in the longterm. Just imagine our media in the lead-up to, and after, the games....nothing but soccer, soccer, soccer. Even now young Aussie kids' favourite hero tends to be Ronaldino or Maradonna (or other soccer stars) rather than Ablett or J Brown. Kids will take up soccer instead of our own game. The weaker Clubs will be the first to notice the extra sponsorship competition from soccer(I hope that won't include the Demons by then!). Not just the game , but the Clubs will be threatened. Just think if Australia did well....reached the final or nearly so, the hysteria would be immense. Australian football would lose potential fans to soccer. You may say that if our game isn't strong enough to withstand the competition, so be it. I say let's do everything in our power to protect the game we Australians(probably excluding Sydney and Brisbanites) have been brought up on. I wonder how long it will be before Sydney Rugby League(with its, in my opinion, inferior product) realises the huge threat it faces. I hope the ARL resists our bid, which will make FIFA even more aware of disquiet within Australia about hosting the Cup.

So you DIDN'T think we'd lose, HG. You have phenomenal prescience. Your statistics on choosing to bowl then winning matches would be heavily weighted by pitches which have been affected adversely one way or another in preparation, making it obviously preferable to bowl first. On a normal pitch(as was the MCG's for the Vic/SA match), you must bat when you win the toss. SA's 6/517 shows that this premise was correct on this occasion. I contend it's always wise to bat first in cricket matches if possible. The fact that we won does not in any way prove what you say is correct.

Well done Vics.!!! But next time don't waste 2 points by giving up the advantage of winning the toss. It doesn't often happen that you have 6/500 scored against you in the first inns. and still win! I wouldn't hope for such a miracle to be repeated! HG you are the only one playing "I told you so"! Surely it's more meaningful to give an opinion while the match is on , rather than waiting for the final result to "prove" you're wrong or right. I re-iterate my opinion that it is always wise to bat first if you have the chance in cricket matches(of any duration).

Hey Hotgod! What did you think of Cameron White's decision to bowl first against S.A. on Thurs. ? I rolled up at 5 past 11, watched one over , and said...."I hope we didn't send them in on this batting paradise!" I later learned, to my dismay, we DID!!!! The pitch is looking worn now. We've got a test leg-spinner, and they've got Aaron O'Brien, who has about 30 first class wickets to his name! We'll lose. When you captain a side, it's SO tempting to send the opposition in after inspecting the wicket. It's a gutless option to bowl first. There ALWAYS seems to be a bit of moisture that you hope will make it hard for the openers against the quicks. But there's nothing like runs on the board. I think the following scenario encapsulates it..... Batting first, in a one-day game, you EXPECT at least 10 from the last over , and usually get it. Batting second....10 to win from the last over?? Sometimes, but not often.

[quote name='Adelaide Demon' . "Really? That's what you have to say in response? Dear me." It's pretty hard to have a more intelligent response than "shut up idiot". You should apologise for that. It's not acceptable on this forum.

[quote name='Adelaide Demon' " stating that a sport is 'far superior' to another; hoping that your national team (regardless of the sport) performs poorly; and trying to denigrate a sport by likening it to a game for toddlers." Diddums. I bet you're one of those guys who gave up playing Australian Football to play indoor soccer, because there's no danger of any nasty boy bumping you with his hard body. All the best in your year 10 exam results.

[quote name='High Tower' "You can't just send it to Sydney. FIFA stipulates they require 12 venues for the host nation to hold the World Cup. The bid will fail if FFA/FIFA can't have Melbourne." Good!

[quote name='Adelaide Demon' "Shut up idiot." I take exception to this reply, which I think lowers the tone of this forum . I think I have put forward some reasonable points, and do not deserve the reply "shut up idiot". Where are you, moderators? I presume you're a soccer lover who can't understand that there are Australians who value our local game. But I won't tell you to "shut up, moron".

I agree with Beelzebub on this topic. In fact I'd extend his argument to say that Soccer in general is a threat to our far superior, and older , and more traditional game of Australian Football. "The world game" is like a cancer spreading through world sport and stifling local codes. One reason it catches on so quickly is that it's so simple! 2year olds can have fun kicking a big soft round ball along the ground long before they can catch a moving ball, let alone hold it, drop it, and kick it in the air. Mothers like it since there's no body contact, and little Johnnie won't get hurt.Games don't take much time , and can be played on a small ground, or even inside. Villagers in Africa can play in a rough old clearing in the jungle. But these factors don't make it the best game! The fact that only one player can touch the ball limits its potential as a spectacle. And only foot skills, not ball handling , are on display. How ridiculous to have to use your HEAD to propel the ball in the air! The low scoring makes Referees' decisions on penalties so crucial. The lack of scores makes the crowds restless and angry.Violence is much worse in soccer crowds than other sports. In South America, the crowds are separated from the players by barbed wire, moats, armed police, and water cannon are aimed at the crowd ready to fire! I reckon our game, Australian Football(cf "Australian Rules", or "AFL"), is a much better game, and I don't care that it's not played overseas. I perceive soccer as a threat, and I oppose us getting the World Cup here, even if it doesn't interfere with one of our local seasons. This debate has crystallised a few things in my mind. I hope Melb Victory lose every week!(they snubbed the MFC in the Olympic Park devt.) I hope we don't make the next stage of the World cup in South Africa(ie we miss the final 16) I hope we don't get a World Cup in Australia. If we must, send it to Sydney. They're less concerned about their rugby than we are about our game. Call me a hide-bound red-necked traditionalist if you like, but that's what I think. Go Hammers!

What about "Gizzards" for Gysberts?! What about "Wags" for Scully ("scullywag")

Interesting to note the ex-Scotch and Oakleigh Chargers boy, Ben Sinclair has been snapped up low in the draft by Collingwood. He's the son of 1960's Demon, Peter "Porky" Sinclair, now an eminent dermatologist. Interestingly, he's a half brother to ex-cat Will Slade, so has connections to League footy on both his Dad and Mum's sides. Apparently he's a real goer. Dammit that's two blokes I'll be hope do well for that mob,Simon Buckley and Ben Sinclair. I hope the rest of them suffocate on their Malgaigne's bulges.

[quote name='titan_uranus' You were right, Titan!! The guys did well! Luckily, I didn't put my money where my mouth was. If we'd batted when we won the toss, I contend that we'd have got all the points. Did you hear the rumour on 3AW this AM that Hodgey and Victoria are set to part ways by Christmas? I hope that's not right! I find the Sheffield Shield fascinating. I really care how we go. I know it's function is as a breeding ground for Test players, but the over-riding strength is the competitive nature of the games. I want us to gradually catch up on NSW in Shields. This will take till at least 2100!, so I may not see it,but at least I'll see the Demons overtake Carlton, Coll. and Ess for Flags, and clear out on the Tassie Waverley Hawks!

I went to the first session of days one and two. It looks like a bloody good cricket wicket. Something in it for the quicks and McGain. Hope it doesn't break up on day 4.

This is a great game! We've knocked off 60 of the 250 without loss. BUT, chasing in the 4th innings is always tough, even after great opening stands. You lose 3 wickets, then suddenly you realise there's only one specialist batsman left and you still need 100 odd. The pressure builds. My money's on W.A. I hope I'm wrong. So glad to see someone else CARES about the Bushies, Titan!