Deemania since 56

Drew Morphett was hard to beat. Always liked Beitzel, as well.

Nice post, pf. Here's to the hope at the start of another new year - at least there seems to be just that fraction of depth available which may make us happy through another season. Best wishes to all.

Graeme Osborne ( The Racehorse) - he was given games with Prahran in recovery from injury. Fastest bloke on the field, I'd reckon.

Absolute ripper backman, Yeats. Usually fronted in the pocket; virtually never beaten by his opponent(s) and a great linking clearance machine. One of the best, as good as Frank Davis.

Some of White's rucking performances were so completely dominant across a whole game - I've have seen many highlights reels on DL over the past couple of years where our greatest players reaped the benefits of White's mobility, tapping-thumping skills and sheer nouse as a linkman. Check out the game he played when The Wizard kicked his 9 goals ... perfect example...

Clean, talented footballer, no staging, no appeals to the rabbits. Some of his goals were remarkable - even by the standards of today.

It is - to say the least - phantastique to have so many younger players (and types of players) to develop at Casey - the scramble is not yet on for positions in the big league, that will come later; at this point, I am just very happy that the ranks up and down are thickening with talent and room for growth and development. Augers well for this year and a handful of subsequent years to come.

As a young footballer, his improvement was very noticeable. He became a team driver and team target from one season to the next. His passing was such a tragedy for all. Betcha' he is still cheering for the Dees...

Thanks for that. Greater chance of recovery?

Terrible news, terrible injury, how sad to lose an upcoming player like this young fella. I am not optimistic that he will play again - twice injured, same ACL, long road to recovery and a bumpy one, at that - so we must wish him a good recovery and hope that it is the best possible, and that the MFC support him all the way through. However, his playing days sadly seem to be over.

This is of great interest. It is a testament to drear itself that the MFC Web site is so slow with news/views, under-performing for supporters and deficient of imaginative content. Whereas the Three Votes has great memories inbuilt, a recanting of moments of supporter pride and familiarity with the past, and underpins hopes and aspirations of supporters coming into the next season. Well done.

Gil - no doubt as a host for the AFL for many hordes of patrons at possibly every game he attends - must have found the drinks prices in the bar were excessive and thus, has reduced the drinking time, not exercising care for the players and general public at all.

Very nicely posited. Viney is one to get scrambled with the fans (probably because he regularly had membership of the 'long bomb' society) yet in every other regard, gave his all, always. Some effort to get the ball, dispose of it quickly and effectively, and not take on opponents (singularly or in huddle) with the 'try to tackle me, syndrome' has been exercised. This has in fact improved his game enormously and his contribution to the MFC teammates. He has been plagued by a long-standing and debilitating injury that affected more that his game and attributes - this seems to have also waned; so, a fit Viney should be 'ready to go' for 2020 and if so, we will be the beneficiaries of these changes. He has more than adequate character to continue as a co-captain of the MFC - but Gawn must be the other.

I am going to hit Seaspray beach for a few days this summer. Miss it!

Suspected that was the player with the new 'Nieta' name - but was not sure. He is a pretty good footballer on a long path to regular games in the bigtime - but shows potential with his attributes and a mindset after his long incapacity through last season. Hope he makes it this time. Could be a very handy intercept-type player. Thanks again for clearing up my recognition of the new 'Neita'. ?

Who is Neita? Not sure about this current nickname.

Good report!

Reminds me of the story of a merchant navy sailor just getting off the ship in Port Melbourne, with eight months of pay in his pocket, heading for the pub across the road. He passes a lady of the night leaning against the pub entrance, who asks: 'Hi, Big Boy, lookin' for something different?' To which he asks in return: 'Why, what have you got, leprosy?'

In the parlance of footballing purity of thought, AVB is an agent of indecision within the competitive moment. I really liked the reference to a B-double truck, because that is what I am waiting to see. Such an anticipation is not a blood lust, it is its effect that it has on the rest of the game - and you summed it up perfectly as '... indecision which in turn creates opportunity for our guys...' .

POTENTIAL! Bradtke has it. Sparrow has it. The team wears it.

The Melk at the front, I think(?)

Cannot get that out of my memory. What he offers is remarkably good, so let's all light a candle to his immediate recovery. How frustrated must he feel? In a crowd striding independently around the Northern Stand last season, he looked as impressive as a young Ditterich caught in a world of midgets and I was glad that I did not have to play on him - or his ilk - in my day. AVB, May, Petracca, tough nuts and hungry ... can't wait. I get these chills about having another Rod Grinter (or three) back into the MFC team - ready to wreak carnage with grace, poise, footballing nouse and intent.

There was something strange about his goal kicking; too indifferent to analyse it, though - after all, it was the Tigers in the days of Esso petrol stations. Stickers everywhere - 'Carna Tiges, Put a Tiger in Ya Tank', etc. Paddy had a presence, though. My mates in those days were largely all Tiger supporters and the first person that they ever mentioned was Paddy - a hero-like status, and he could do no wrong. He actually did a good deal wrong, come to think of it ... but in a charming way(?) and the apple of that monotonous Richmond supporter throng. An untidy footballer, at best; strangely this was largely due to those enormous ankle boots with the up-turned toe that he wore (White Diamond brand I suspect). These were great footy boots - wore them myself - but no-one else's toes turned up like Paddy's. He had this larrikin image at all times - and the 'Paddy' instead of the 'Patrick' gave him a leprechaun status but very much larger than the traditional Irish pixie - amid the very deepest jest and jangle of the Irish and thus, widely celebrated, loved and tolerated despite (let's say 'occasional') flaws in technique. As stated before, he still gave his heart and soul to the RFC, and never stopped trying for team success. He attracted large crowds to the Richmond matches, and was rightly and boisterously applauded by his fans, particularly when something onfield went correctly for him. A great past icon of the game we all love.

Thank you for this separate report, Saty; it is difficult to amass news of the Dees from Adelaide - even though this site is far better than the MFC site, there are gaps in information, naturally, from time to time. I appreciate your efforts and reports - and this specific missive. Keep up the good work on our behalf.

There are many words quietly expressed about Bradtke, his ability and his developmental progress as a senior footballer. It may be opportune this pre-season to include reports on him and one or two others in similar circumstances. B-rookie is the hard route so I guess we all hope that he emerges well.