Deemania since 56

Codswallop stuff to re-merchandise our children and youth.

Absolutely pointless and the MFC should take a stand. The 'reserves' competition was once more meaningful as a pre-game updater for fans and as a better competition where cyclic changes were minimal but included transfers and injury returns for players normally in the firsts. What is more - fans coming to the MCG, in particular, arrived far earlier in the day to specifically take-in the reserves comp players' progress and potentials for upgrading to the firsts. I'd follow the progress of Brett Bailey, Rod Grinter and many others across over 20 years of fanatical interest, for example. From 12 noon until 5:00 pm the tide, swell and level of football action was HOT>boiling and fans really thought that they got their money's worth for the day (around $1.80 entrance fee, plus drinks :-)....

...and quite often, not much thinking goes into so much....

Yeah, Macca, things are getting a little bit too speculative, too insignificant. Just want a fill of training and remediation updates, progress reports and 'deeper' prognostications for the coming season. Form guides are more important than mastheads ...

Happy to sit this one out, too - just to remove the unnecessary differentials implied. End of story.

That is a neat time for anyone. Interestingly, about 7 year olds: One of the US' top Sports Science universities in the '80s came up with a novel way to train their athletes - but moreso, to test a selection of their male Olympic decathletes and heptathlons prior to selection. Within a large, indoor training facility all 'kitted out' and padded for the untrained 7 year old kids to run wild, each athlete had to team up with one of them and then, mirror and perform each movement and activity that their 'little one' partner performed. It exhausted the athletes in very short time. The best athlete's time recording was to endure 23 minutes of continuous activity at the level performed by his 7 year old partner who was by no means the most energetic of the kids. All of the kids were stopped from this almost riotous, continuous exercise free-wheeling at the 30-minute mark. None were physically spent, at all. All of the kids had so much fun that they attempted to 'carry on' like madmen as they would in their own backyards. No sheet!

The sudden rise in Bernie's form across the season was a standout net result of the theory in practice. We may tend to overlook the real values associated with Neil Craig and his methods, and vision. We surely all know that Bernie retained his skills set with only minor fluctuations for the consecutive years and it was the MFC that benefited most from this transformation. Thus, I'd like to say a 'sunset' "thank you" to Neil for actualising our pick-up of Bernie the Beast, as fondly remembered by the said Partreek Dangermouse.

That (mature minded underage player) is one factor that would be difficult to emerge from most of the young brigade, today. Peter Knights, I think, was the only stand-out underage player to absolutely excel; but then again, there have been quite a few who did continue to mature in their football minds. The lines are blurred today in terms of 'rights of passage' that no longer exist in this very modern era and in society in general - let's hope that the MFC can evolve one or two in quick-step timing.

Nailed it! From most accounts, he does it with mongrel, too. He is an allegedly great kick but unlike Todd, very accurate in passing to other teammates - and makes allowances for 'receivers' to run into near space.

Lever is going to be critical in the strong backline for 2019; we need a rapid feeder approach from several backs across the ground, instead of a one-prong, one-sided attempt; possession by the outside mids is going to be critical to this type of success when our goal-to-goal line is shaping so strongly as well - such a line is going to occupy an immense effort from all opposition teams to counteract or rebound. This is going to be a colossal season for the MFC. Lever, Stretch, possibly Gus and a few others need 'get well' cards sent from us, the manic supporters, immediately and followed up, fortnightly until the season starts.

I'd reckon 16 wins for 2019/

I like Fritsch's performances so far that also have a bit of a way to go in terms of improving onfield presence. He is very capable of these positive outcomes as he continues to 'settle' as a team regular. At the same time, I really like Hannan's efforts when his confidence is high - he does some magic at times and is close to being highly reliable before goal. Vanders is a gutsy player who contributes well to our needs for attack and defensive pressure in the forward line. Thus, for me: 1. Fritsch 2. Hannan 3. Vanders. I would also like to state that Joel Smith gives me much confidence as a developing player of major impact to our game in the relatively near future.

Justice can be ironic; 'carna Dees.

Does Frosty break a leg in the early rounds? Otherwise, no way!

Must admit, I certainly thought that TMac would be a great forward - in the backline, despite all of his marking, mobility and kicking skills, he continuously heralded and exposed his kicking intentions. This is not such an issue in the deep forward line where he is poised to kick 80 goals a season (!). As for Frosty, well, having seen a few early highlight reels from his early days interstate, he could have been everything, given time and opportunity. He is proving that now - a guaranteed hot onion clearance machine with enchilada habanero chilli wheels to run, carry, dodge and lead a pack of defenders into hopeless chasing - and to enter the marking contests successfully from the side like Neitz used to - hot as hell as a CHB movement machine and feeder (his kicking is greatly improved both for passing and clearance distances) - particularly now that May is going to be the fullback, Hibberd and Jetta are going to feed-run as well, as will Salem with Lewis' backline steerage, and OMac is playing at Casey.

Viney's tackling was awesome. It is a great benchmark for the likes of Lever, in particular. When his leg is fixed, Lever needs to get into the gym to workout on his upper body strength so that he can hold on, with effect, like Viney and Clarrie have shown.

That was a great play and Hannan was reliably superb. However, with the footage so far, it is nearly impossible to separate any of the 'best plays'. Go Dees.

I really think that the MFC has more top players than indicated; however, conservatism rules and keeps us just a little bit less exposed. Maybe this is a strength - surprise thrashings that we can dish out from time to time are satisfying - yet I feel were are truly on the cusp of dishing out a few more and fully losing the tendency to be an 'easybeat' anomaly with lesser opposition from time to time.

I'd heard that he was born in Scotland, but clung to an Irish identity for some reason, or lived in a mix of the two. Uncertain; however, in terms of his arrival at the MFC, he seemed to be content with being attached to '...the Irish experiment...' and unlike us down under, it really was only a matter of a ferry ride of a few miles to live Irish/Scottish/Irish/Scottish. He did explain to the press once that he was Scottish, for what it is worth. Hey, we got a novice Aussie Rules Scotsman with a penchant for Gaelic football from Ireland and we cannot discount the historical genome of Gaelic being a major part of both Ireland and Scotland, for centuries.He turned out to be a champion player in our game, getting better and better every year. He played like an Aussie, had the brain for the sport of 'football' like a Scotsman, and revelled on the field like a possessed Irishman on a holy mission. Great mix!

Sean Wight was no footballing mug, either. 'Champion' is the only word to describe him.

It seems that although he was involved in the winning of 4 premierships at Whoreform, and is working away at getting another gong as a leader and participant at the MFC, Jordan does appear to be a total Demon convert who ignores his historically glorious past for a very enthusiastic dip with our new Club, young players and the whole MFC experience - and culture; this reminds me of the sentiments and supporting behaviours of Paul Roos. It is about time that we had broader commitment of this nature - we must be doing something correct in the eyes of several past champions.

Alternatively, the rediscovery of the joys of 'cherry picking' do loom against Whoreform in many ways with so many out of contract. Again, you'd reckon that we got in early and got one of the best - big, ripe and ready - in football superlative terms - in the Hawks gerontological array of players - in Jordan the Lewis. It is still proving that somewhat, Whoreform picked the wrong one to clear at the time.

Just remember folks, the 'chunder' was once a standard footy training regimen in days past, reserved for only the very best of coaches and it looks like young Spargo (and of course, his time-appropriate father and footy mentor) can impress by letting it all spew out at the feet of FD personnel. No self-respecting football coach above Under 16s level would ever omit the advisory mantra to his players from the centre of the training ground: 'Run until ya spew!' Ah, Spargs, well done - not forgetting to include the classics of Aussie Rules seasonal preparation. For a clever young player in the 'olden days', if you had a spew on Tuesday night training followed up by a spew or two at Thursday night training the same week, you were virtually guaranteed a team selection spot for Saturday arvo's game against Manangatang Fifths!

Excellent ear protection for Frosty!

Height is merely one component of a range of attributes that make a great footballer, but it helps those without some of those attributes to make a specific contribution to the team, if they are given a handful of the many attributes that a stand-out footballer may possess. Gee whiz, I was happy that Leigh Matthews was not over 190cms!