Jumping Jack Clennett

Did Jordie McKenzie play? How'd he go?

Dammit!!! Richmond have said they're keeping Wallace for the time being. If you want your team to challenge the Demons for the coveted 16th spot, then who better to coach than a coach the players all hate??!! For our sake, the sooner they get a caretaker(or better still, a prospective permanent)coach, the more likely they are to win a few games.

A Hurstbridge contact assures me that Dylan has all Jack's poise and skills(and character, AND loves the Demons too). AND he's about 5cm taller than Jack.Youngest brother Aaron looks the goods, too. If ONLY we could keep them under wraps. Incidentally, it's so poignant that the reason their Dad, Steve is a die-hard Demon, because Dr Don Cordner was their local doctor, in fact he even delivered members of their family(presumably the generation before Jack). Oh for a brother-brother rule to add to the father-son. Jack's poise during his three games is a portent of great things.

Watching Rich. v. Port(barracking like mad for the Tigers)today, I noted what I consider to be a mistaken tactic by Mark Williams. Tredrea was absolutely dominating with 4.2 at the 20 min mark of Q.1(should have been 6.0). He was unstoppable and was going to get a goal every time they entered forward 50. Williams took him off. There was a close-up on TV and he WASN'T EVEN PANTING!!! I thought at the time.....that's cost you at least a goal. If you lose by less than a goal, that's the reason. They bloody nearly did! The lesson.....never take a player off the ground when his confidence is on a big high! At present, coaches' conventional wisdom is,.....when a player kicks a goal.....take him off! This needs to be reviewed.

With half-decent kick-ins, we'd have beaten the Dogs today. Thank heavens we didn't! We MUST improve this next season.

Couldn't agree more, Clint. I reckon Buckley's a likely "Bluey" winner in the near future. Either"Strawbs" or I, am a shocking judge.

We were so naively honourable v. Carlton in rnd. 22 2007, despite advice from this forum as early as May that year. We MUST NOT make that blunder again!

Exactly the point I was trying to make in this thread, Titan!

Once on Sunday I noticed one of our players, after a free against, when the ball was on the ground at his feet, actually pick it up, and throw it briskly to the free recipient. He gave off the quick handball to a guy running past who shot it downfield, resulting in a goal It was OUR quick pass that set it up!!! If you haven't got the ball in your possession, I'm sure the laws don't force you to pick it up and throw it back. Perhaps the Ump. can order you to hand it back straight away. If so, they should enforce it every time. But the player doesn't have to do a bullet-like pass to the opponent! If the Ump. is not allowed by the laws to tell players to pick up the ball and throw it back, players should NEVER, EVER DO IT.

One avoidable error that we repeatedly make is this:- After a point one Melbourne player who isn't going to kick in(eg Warnock) often decides to fetch the ball from wherever it ends up behind the goals. Meanwhile the actual kicker in comes to the goalsquare waiting to receive the ball. Our backline is therefore one short, making the opposition zone significantly easier to set up. Perhaps the idea is to give the kicker-in more time to weigh up his options, but it never seems to help. Perhaps we could get the best of both worlds by allocating a volunteer(I'd do it!!!!) to be stationed behind the opp. goal,and collect the ball as fast as possible, and quickly pass it on to the kicker. When the ball's in the crowd, the volunteer would quickly hand over the spare ball, then do his best to collect the other ball from the crowd without it going on the ground.(obviously this isn't always possible). Do other Demonlanders think this is too pedantic a point? I also wanted us to lose on Sunday, but I'd like to see us work on thoughtful strategies for next year, when every win is crucial.

I thought they cost us the game today. I think we underestimate the importance of this facet of the game. I think we need to use some creative thinking on this point. This year's the ideal opportunity to try some innovations. Sides with a chance of making the finals don't have this luxury. 20m. kicks to the back pocket are not innovative.....or effective(but better than Rivo's short pass to an opponent 25m. out, straight in front.) Am I insanely obsessed with this failing in our tactics?

[quote name='Geddy Lee' date='May 5 2009, ). " one of the glaciers " Very droll!

Very well said, "Why you little....".

I'm still desperately trying to detect what we're supposed to notice. I suspect it's to do with our midfield, which has barely changed(apart from Godfrey, the hardest in-and-under midfielder during our years of relative success). This is worrying, since it seems that in 2 seasons we haven't progressed much in the midfield, which is now considered to be one of our glaring weaknesses.

McLean.... MUST HOLD CHESTMARKS!!!!

Thanks a lot for alerting us to this, KC. There's no way I would have known it was on without your info. And what an important game it was for Melb supporters to see! Watts' first intro to senior footy. The emergence of McKenzie, McNamara , Valenti and Hughes. Also the chance to see Cousins coming back. Plus we won (in stark contrast to the likely outcome this arvo!)

I agree with those picks, Freak. Pretty encouraging that the two Macs are beginning to look like good prospects, I suppose with Sam Blease going down, the Rookies see an opportunity. Jordie McKenzie reminds me of that young Carlton guy, Mitch Robinson, who's surprised everyone this year. I'd promote him on that effort. Valenti was good, too. We must avoid closed minds on Valenti...."good VFL player" etc. While Hughes lacks key position height, I reckon he's got midfield aggression plus a goal sense, We must keep our eye on him. Let's not forget that the opposition had Cousins, Cotchin and Simmonds.