tiers

How the lexicon of football evolves. In 1964 we would scream "C'arn the demons" or shortened to "C'arn the dees" or even "C'arn Melbourne". C'arn was the contraction of the expression "come on" and everyone "barracked" for a team. These days people "go" for a team as in "I go for Melbourne". Go dees is the contraction of that. In the end, it doesn't matter so long as we can share the delight in our team's performance with anyone in red and blue. Go dees. C'arn the demons. And to stick it up the nitwit commentators, let's show 'em our class with a resounding "come on Melbourne". Go dees.

It's just lazy journalism. Pick a cliche and run with it or make another trite comment because that's all you know. Perception, insight and understanding are the missing elements and it seems that articles are written to ensure that a juvenile sub editor can create an infantile headline. Think about the past two weeks. Melbourne supporters and colours dominated even though the dorks claim to have a much larger membership. The puny little gaps in the crowd after the final siren was telling - the overwhelming number of Melbourne supporters was a joy to be part of. And then the CHANT. Ignore them and save your breath to scream Go dees.

How about Rhino Richards run, Davey's "candy show", Farmer's give and get, Charles's run, and the list keeps growing. Imagine the commentators wetting themselves over any of the goals.

The commentators raved about dusty's goal from the boundary this year. Compared to Travis, Clarrie, Robbo and others and especially Yze's left foot from the boundary, dusty's was just run of the mill. Shows how quickly we forget. Go dees

Bobby and Dee got the special moments right. Three stand out. 1. The dees' determination and desperation in the chases, tackles and hunts. 2. Spargo's footy smarts and silky skills in a first year player. A true rover for the ages. 3. The CHANT. It was thrilling. Go dees.

My memories of 1964. They start at Glenferrie Oval in round 17. Hassa Mann kicked a goal from the boundary, we won by 4 points and we secured top spot. A loss would have placed us in real jeopardy. The following week we lost badly to the dogs but it did not affect first place. In those days, the finals were civilised. One final each week for four weeks. First semi, second semi, prelim and grand final. I had bought the cheapest standing room series tickets (yes, all four matches) in the open stand under the old scoreboard (now I believe at Manuka Oval - much more interesting but couldn't handle instant score reviews or obnoxious ads and interviews). Catters beat bombers in first semi then dees thrashed filth by 89 points in second semi. Filth beat catters by 4 points in a low scoring match in prelim. Then it was our turn. Not unexpectedly, after a 89 point flogging, we were deserved favourites. Torrid, hard contest all game and we were behind by 2 points at half time. 2.3 to 0.2 in the third gave us an 11 point lead at 3QT. Up until then the match had been an non momentous blur. Gabbo's run changed that. Ray Gabelich was a man mountain (listed as 6 foot 3 1/2 inches and 18 stone 10 pounds which translate to 192 cm and 120 kg) who, in those days, could take a whole season to get match fit because of his size and the slower pace of the game,. Until this day he had never run more than to the toilet but, when he gathered the ball and took off with no one between him and the goals, the ground shook. Step by step, crooked bounce by crooked bounce, he ran to the goal square and kicked a goal. Tony Anderson ran his guts out to reach him but was too late. I became a despondent, depressed, despairing demon and couldn't watch. I cannot recall watching Hassa miss but I came alive when i saw the ball sailing through the goals to where I was standing. Neil Crompton, the average rover who became a sensation in the back pocket, will live forever. We had reclaimed our rightful position as premiers and so the excitement and celebration was muted. If I had known what was to come, I might have celebrated harder. The following year, we won the first eight games straight (albeit some by small margins) until the day the world changed on Queen';s Birthday v sainters. Alan Jeans, their then coach, made the move of the century and swapped Bob Murray to FB and Verdun Howell to FF. They were on the road to success, we had tasted almost too much and we were thrashed by, I think, 63 points. We had started our long losing streak and didn't see finals again until 1987. This year's outcome is still to be revealed but I am heartened by the quality of the boys who represent our club. I believe that they are as good as any group we have had in 54 years and still have enormous potential. 2020 is the year when they should emerge as the beat. Fifty years later, I had the great thrill to attend a lunch at the Bentleigh Club to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premiership. In attendance that day were 14 of the 20 premiership heroes. The team: Crompton Massey Johnson Davis Roet Anderson Adams Williams Dixon Vagg Jacobs Kenneally Lord Bourke Townsend McLean Emselle Goalkickers: Townsend 3 Lord 2 Bourke Mann CROMPTON 1 Scores: Q1 2.6.18 2.5.17 Q2 5.7.37 5.9.39 Q3 7.10.52 5.11.41 Q4 8.16.64 8.12.60 Go dees.

To MT64 - Steve Stevens was later Mayor of Moorabbin. Remember how goal umpires would always get it right without score reviews and conferences on the filed and were generally more mature, non athletic types.

To Prodee Whether or not you were at the match was not questioned and is irrelevant to this discussion. Whether or not I am happy is for me alone to decide and also irrelevant to this discussion. Whether or not if our first half is replicated next week will cause me to cease to be happy and/or whether or not I'll have a clue about next week's match will only be determined during and after the match. I do attempt to foretell the future. Being a longstanding demon supporter, I prefer to always live in hope. Go dees.

To Prodee Whilst we may have been down on contested ball at half time and we were playing the dorks game, we were still in front even though we had wasted as many opportunities as the dorks had missed shots from wide angles. It's not the number of possessions that count, it's how they are used. Winning contested possession counts does not win matches. I prefer to count the score. We were wasteful and even with fewer possessions were should have been further in front.

The free kick against Jetta showed a complete inability to understand the game. A fair contest by two players both holding the ball should have been a ball up. No wonder Shocking Hocking wants to reduce the rule book. The game is getting overly technical. The frees against Angus and Lewis were egregious errors and the umpire involved should serve a four week penalty and attend rule revision classes for 6 months. Where was the protection to the head? How else does a player on the ground attack the ball? The dork against Lewis seemed to fall over himself, not Lewis. Disgraceful and Shocking Hocking should lose his job if this is not fixed immediately. Carey, Ling and Richo on tv all condemned the interpretation of the rule and stated that it should be examined. Could not agree more.

Viney - never stopped creating gems Oliver - single handedly (literally) controlled the centre and his deft touches and disposals kept us moving Spargo - kicked goals and created so many opportunities for others with seven score involvements Petracca - wins one-on-one contests and converts to opportunities T Mac - best mark on the ground and four goals Frost - a weapon when unleashed

Oh, woe is me, the poor dorks were hurt by bad kicking for goal? So big deal? 1.10 in two quarters nearly cost us against catters but we were good enough to overcome that phase. We monstered the dorks but still nearly succumbed to our worst failing - gifting the ball to the opposition by easy turnovers. Too many to recount. Too often our kicks were intercepted due to overly ambitious passes to poor options or poorly executed passes to good options. If only half of these lost opportunities had not been lost, the win would have been closer to 10 goals not six and kingy would have to find another whinge. We are our own worst enemies. BT talks a lot about "chaos balls" (only because he tries to impress by his infantile insight and perception of the game). They are not "chaos balls" but are intended to force a contest that we expect to win by weight of numbers and by sheer skill and brilliance. Think of Tracca, Viney, Spargo, Clarrie, Angus, Salem and others who can turn a heavily contested ball into a clear path to goal. Retaining possession through short dinky passes and slow movement is no match for real class, skill and power. Go dees.

So long as the team does not drink it and take too seriously the base opinions that seem to populate the bath water, who cares? Go dees.

When Hannan did not miss the goal. The sign from above that there was not to be any further misfortune in 2018 against the scratchies..

Very easy line to draw. No feet up with studs exposed to an oncoming player. Immediate free kick and suspension. A gutless act. If it was so acceptable then why is he the only one who does it repeatedly. No one else does it because they understand the game's morality.

It's spooky to think that if not for Maxie's miss and poor selection by the coaches against sainters we would have finished SECOND on percentage. We had it in our hands but let it slip through our fingers. Does anyone believe that we were possibly the second best team over the year? If you do, then the Walls' prediction is not so far fetched. We have settled the team at the right end of the season, we are in form, if results go by rankings we play the first 2 weeks at home (having passed through the MCG curse), we are young, keen and determined and have nearly full squad. So why not? Notwithstanding that I have secured grand final tickets in the ballot and have strong memories of watching Froggy Crompton's kick sailing towards me behind the goals 54 years ago, I am more than ready. But I will still be taking it one game at a time.

Can only be the last premiership captain - RDB.

He is a classic rover. Performs in bursts, runs hard low to the ground, picks up opportunistic possessions, smart footy brain under pressure and delivers well. Just because he doesn't rack up possessions doesn't mean he is not a revelation. Give him to McCartney for the summer and lets build his vision and skills. Strength and a tank can come later. Watch how Tracca seeks him out after the goal. Great leadership. He is fast becoming the "papa bear" of the forward line - the one who pats them on the head for good efforts.

How good was Weed when he took a long line of backward steps to mark near the boundary. Most players either turn around and mark it over their shoulder or trip/stumble getting back. His backward motion was safe and steady and he judged the drop of the ball perfectly. His marking skills such as judgement of the drop of the ball and timing for the leap are excellent and if left to develop over time his marking ability will become a weapon. He should also develop as a mobile ruckman who can do more than just negate. A candidate for the McCartney development school. Its been a long time since we had a follower (as they were once called) with strong marking and rucking ability to cruise around the ground and influence contests. He is potentially too valuable to be just a forward.

In round 1 they had a field day dealing with our long bombs to the goal square. They set up so well that the ball comes out as fast as it goes in. As hard as it is to say, without Jesse there should be fewer long bombs and more deliberate passing. It has been a perennial problem but without Jesse at full forward it should stop. Jesse should never play inside 50 as his real talent is let free when in the midfield/chf position.

AVB and Harmes - never stop competing Together they add a harder dimension to our game.

Frosty's speed and direct running are a weapon. Think his run and direct pass to TMac in Q1 today. Can't wait for a hb line of Frost, Lever and Hunt. Catch us if you can.

Its not just his ability in the contest that sets him apart it it his tank and gut running to get to so many contests. Watch how he roves on the ground, disposes to advantage and then he still chases them on the wing. The most complete and dominant ruckman of his time.

Just think. We are a St Kilda debacle away from third. On the other hand, 3 of the 4 teams that smashed us are in the four so perhaps were are where we deserve to be. We learnt from 2017 that percentage counts and to score as much as possible and deny them easy goals. Today we learnt that to be a top team, we cannot concede losses to inferior teams.

Re Travis's kicking. Travis had the rare skill of being able to place the ball to best advantage and to drag his team mates to the ball. When on song, he was unbeatable. He understood that moving the ball to best advantage was vital to success. In this day of reverence for contested possessions and tackles, exquisite ball movement is denigrated. There were two reasons for his bloopers. One, he was often too ambitious and adventurous and so took risks. The second was that his vision was far superior to his team mates who were often unable to anticipate his moves. It was a failing of his coaches that they never coached the team around him so that there was some anticipation of his kicking. Other clubs would have built a game plan around hims unique skills but not us. Think back to the number of times Travis would be suspended in time and space, hold on to the ball and frantically motion to his team mates to lead. For all the criticism of Travis on 'Land he was too good for the team. At a strong team with good coaching, he would have been a champion.