Deemania since 56

Brings back memories for me, too - in those pre-freeway times - giving up a morning of yabbying in Gardiners Creek for a good two-hour session of kicking practice and then on to Central Park for some distance running. My bike got a flogging in those days ' 50s - 65 ' . Wills Street fish & chips were the ideal nourishment for a budding footballer - as testified by Kevin Bartlett - but my debut was with the Chadstone footy team, and we were lousey! Just an aside, now back to the real stuff ... Carna Dees!

That is a resolute statement, PF; it is also quite reassuring and as such, relieving, so it will be - perhaps - a lesser load for us to bear as the game progresses. All we need now is for Jeffo to get appropriate gametime and he flings himself into the fray like never before. That would not be fumblingly reassuring, that would be plainly fabulous for the MFC. Your vote of confidence is working already!

Agreed, depends on the intensity our slightly 'lesser' rucks deploy across the ground and the related physicality that they may apply in Draper's direction. It must be remembered, Draper can be a reliable 'grab' across the ground, racking up possessions, so a little bit of 'mongrel' from our enthusiastic youth may well assist in his durational demise.

Mesmerising, at this point ... already unsettling to what we might have fielded with Max fit. Zonal responsibilities will surely unsettle Essendrug wherein their ruck (perhaps 'two-some') will hopefully struggle to keep up with fitter younger blokes with area responsibilities, including TMac applying defensive wisdoms and his excellent reading of the play. Going to be interesting.

Yes, we have a challenge ahead this week but we can make the most of it - and we could take home the bickies.

Bare necessities are sometimes best - peanut butter is heaven-sent.

It is most likely to be rainy. Tall timbers' effectiveness will be down, considerably. One in from us is enough most likely, the game will be determined by the runners - who can run all day - suggesting mobile smalls to do the fleet-footed stuff and swarm at the ball for opportunities. Just a thought, 'tapping' wins will be less than effective, anyway.

Agreed. Plus, the run of youth, all game. Fiddling will be necessary due to the loss of Big Max, but I'd reckon we can knock Essendrug into a 2025 rebuild.

Keep Turner in the team - he is approaching full 'usefulness', his form has been quite contributory.

For all of the positives including the best 'mongrel' ever, Jack V does concentrate on the long bomb, sadly. He can use his great eyes to sight, sign and deliver passes to teammates, yet seldom shows this quality attribute; in other words, it would be good (if we are going to further generate a running stampede as we did against the Weagles) to encourage Jack to have a whisper to his flankers to make/find/exploit space for some higher-percentage passing in Jack's trot forward with the ball.

TMac played a terrific game - more than just experience, he led the way, so often. His reading of the play was an absolute bonus. Great to see him confidently moving us forward.

Big one for Clarry makes sense. Rivers and he should talk nothing but clearances this week, feeding detonators to Viney and possibly Kozzie to get the running breaks. Nice chance for the Kolt to set a few records in forward defence to prevent turnovers.

Calcium, skim milk by the gallon, vitamin D for bonding, elevation, rest, anger - and don't forget the fish oil, Max.

Ken oath. Our game against the Weagles, if it can be duplicated with a step-up by the mids, will annihilate the Bombers.

best wishes Max, hope it is only a short-term rest.

Windsor and Kolt, McVie and Bowser ... get Tracca back in when ready and we are away!

Similes with the above for The Kolt are terrific; I particularly like the Dean Chiron comparison. Fingers crossed for the future as quite a few of us can see longer-term workhorse in his inauguration.

Fully agree. That entrée of '...a bit of mongrel...' will be very handy in each match that he plays (it would be great if it was contagious amongst teammates, as well). He has a variety of rapid-action skills - for example, his successful snap for a goal against Weagles, his line of contact with opponents and a developing ability to last-second tackle (neutralising those in his way - or those of a teammate). Like the lad; experience at that level is going to do freakish things for him as time rolls by. He shapes as a prescription addition to our team and it will be sheer delight to watch that ongoing development.

We have to maximise the in-game rest that big Max needs, these days. At centre bounces, he is great; he is now even greater dropping back for (so many) intercept marks and additionally, the occasional forward hot-spot opportunities to put another six points on the scoreboard. JVR is the best choice in these interim moments to have a run in the ruck, producing some good tap wins over a variety of opposition pelican droppings who normally conduct a licence to maim big Max in abject ways to challenge his authority - without umpire interference in such acts (umpires must think Max is fair game for illegal contact simply because he is so effective over other ruckmen in relative terms). Fullerton, or even an occasional pirouette by Turner may well assist in the ruck production line to ease the bruising that Max encounters across a whole game, and free him to play more minutes in the '...no-one can outmark me, legally...' targeted and defensive intercept roles. Turner, additionally, uses his body and frame well - very well - in the blocking 'stop the bastard' intercept, entanglement or hindrance. With our new-blood theme, it is probably time to insert Fullerton into the fray to release the beast that Max's overall game contains, including the appropriate recuperation considerations that mount across a game to alleviate the slogging commitment that he contributes to the mighty MFC.

The Petty/Melk duopoly leading in the forward line could be very interesting, alongside/including JVR, with Chandler, Kozzie and Fritta sweeping up between the dead Essendrug detritus. There may be one other position trialled - that of a tall, thin, yet-to-be actioned marking and goal-kicking machine lingering at Casey?

He (Turner) has great hands on most occasions, and seems to read the play effectively. He can kick, and importantly, he can footpass well - both short and longer distances - again, reading the play (and providing excellent 'body spoils') for the best team advantage. It is obvious that he is learning the game but producing leaps and bounds in form as he so does. I'd offer an opinion on his possible future as a key backman with these attributes. Many great backmen have learned their craft as forwards, and vice versa. The important consideration for a soon-to-be key position player is that he is prepared to 'learn' the game he needs to play and matching/developing skills to achieve such needs. Looks like Turner is on the arterial road to the next stage, to me. Well played, lad.

Blind Freddie knew that ... Melksham added so much ... a blind man could see ... not just Goodie.

JVR moved today, and it served him well to find space, act as a lone target or otherwise, remain ahead of his chasing opponent, using his hands in unison to claim the ball. He still needs to work on his approach with set shots but he will get there - a real talent.

Eagle chicks are ugly, scrawny, lice-ridden, snotty, greasey, windblown and smelly. Even they grow up to be very close to perfection. We still have a way to go; it just happens that we are closer to that eventual point than the WCE...

Hard to argue against this selection, Demon Jack. 6. Rivers 5. JVR 4. Windsor 3. TMac 2. Langdon 1. Pickett