Deemania since 56

Partially agree with that 'balance' perception with Viney in there, all the time. Often, it appears that Viney is 'anti-team-play', perferring to do more (or attempting to do more) with the ball than what his talents allow. Again, frequently, this results in a stoppage at best or worse - a turnover. His attitude seems to be '...I have the ball, take from me if you dare...' and this runs him into consecutive brick walls of opponents. (ie: it is a good bet that in such circumstances the opposition players are justly confident that Viney will not 'pass off' to another teammate, will not run in possession towards a teammate safety/shielding zone, will continue to progress with the ball until he is trapped - often the case.) Love his enthusiasm, his desire but shudder at its execution and the frequency of negative outcomes.

Critical issue, this happens to be. There is work to be done and it is all before the successful candidates. Are we to have another 'term' of homelessness and sub-standard self-identification?

Hear, hear! One of our most dangerous players from inside centre.

These are good ideas .. where A leads to B, leads to C. Provides manning up by the opposition and hopefully, also provides an abundance of opportunities for our smaller fleet.

ANB, Gus, Hunt and Harmes - if these players lifted this season coming, we are in for a stellar year. These guys are the feeders ... each has very good upsides in the game. I'd expect Yze and Chocko to work hard on bringing this out in this foursome.

He is a valued player in my book - gets in there and gets the ball, improving in disposal and team distribution. He can kick a needed goal, as well.

That ruck relief for Max is critical for our success this season. It will allow Max to be somewhere else on the ground dominating the play and requiring significant and courageous matching. Daw can also do a thing or two at the goal mouth and in defence.

I'd suggest that he could be the 'cake' as a c How close are we to having that degree of reliability in the midfield? Gosh! It could be something phenomenal! The supports seem to be there now; 'hurting teams' and 'mongrel' from Oliver and Tracca combined might be a revelation.

Jonesy in his prime did just that - and had to develop the 'long bomb' to get these teams up into the forward line, and that quantum leap to be in two places at once just cannot be done. With a slightly stronger team array, Jones could have been 'something particularly special' back then and into the 'now' at his sunset, rather than be seen as a mere 'special' player across the past couple of seasons. Jones' sacrifices have been enormous for the MFC.

Interesting and valid array, RJ. I'd add Greg Wells and Hassa Mann to this list of Demon midfielders - both displayed exceptional skills over long intervals for the mighty Dees. Denis Clarke was another-ee who showed great talent.

Agreed; public comments need to be utilised with caution. Eddie has presented our own 'Donald J. Trump' clone over many years of self-serving comment, acquired but unfounded credibility, insult, attention and media focus (for what may come next). His history at The Filth has good points and less than noble points - regardless, the footballing public benefitted from his endeavours.

Exquisitively posited point of view - it leaves all other comments on this topic just that little bit inferior and certainly, less meaningful. The emphases are astounding, too; hence, no need for punctuation. SWYL, you do expressive language proud!

He was a prolific goal kicker with the Doggies but was cruelled by two knee injuries from what I can remember, just before being acquired by the Dees. Nothing much was wrong with him with his ability to score goals for the MFC, however, the amount of goals that he had consistently kicked for the Doggies was not replicated at the Dees due to those severe and recurring injuries. Most of us, in the day, were jumping backward somersaults of delight at his acquisition; many of us were saddened by his debilitating knee and mobility problems that hampered a continuity of the many, many goals across many, many games that he was once able to achieve with Foot-is-cry. He truly was an absolute star forward - one of the best of all time - and largely unstoppable; his ability was observable from time to time in the red'n'blue - but was also short-lived and cut short a brilliant career. Up one week, down the next few, back in the team again, in recuperation. He was significantly handicapped by the longitudinal effects of the aforementioned injuries (the Doggies realised that he would struggle and traded him - otherwise, if he had not been so hampered in the legs, the MFC would have no chance of ever recruiting him off Footscray, and neither would any other team in the former VFL.) Templeton was one of the absolute greats who fell off the shelf in a time when knee injuries and subsequent surgeries were a very risky business.

Templeton was a CHForward more than a FFwd. However, most games, he starred in both positions as he was a great wanderer and moving target for the Doggies, all game. And boy, could he clunk them all around the forward line, no distance too difficult with his kicking for goal.

Reminds me of recruiting Kelvin Templeton, perhaps the most potent full forward imaginable. It was not a good season and / or outcome.

Serviceable, yes. I still see him as a winger opposite Langdon as he finds space that has so far been unseen by panicky players.

Unusual for me, but I do not remember Osborne's Brownlow votes. I do remember that each of Alves, Flower and Wells, including Hardeman, were robbed of Brownlows, each and every one of them on separate occasions and more than once, for each. They were such good players that they dragged umpires' votes from each other in any specific season. Greg Wells, what a great footballer! Flower, perhaps the best footballer ever. Alves, one hell of a Captain in a long-suffering period of individual effort due to team weaknesses, requiring his exceptional ball and running skills (not a bad kick, either).

I cannot dispute that one, dieter!

No I do not remember that ... and yes, he was clumsy as they could possibly come; he'd run so fast, think so fast that he couldn't keep up with himself. Still, he was a big bloke, a good spoiler of opponents and at least, he tried really hard for a couple of seasons. Wonder if there is some footage of him, somewhere ... he truly was an exceptional sprinter across considerable onfield distances?

That was trialled during last season to some effect but appeared to be incomplete and unsustainable, sadly. The long bombs from some of the seasoned hands did not help. Another pre-season, some more concentrated planning a familiarisation, and we are off with another alternative to add potency to our ball movement and forward attack. Love the concept.

This is most probably very correct - the covid-19 complications. It may well be that the Dees and the renewed coaching team and footy department in general have a few surprises up their sleeves now that our recruiting for the upcoming season has strengthened and our newbies in general are starting to rock'n'roll, according to reports. There are certainly many things that other clubs and their FDs would want to know, so keep the spies out of the ground, to some extent. I have a feeling that we are going to start off the new season very successfully, surprisingly (for some) and potently. Here's hoping ....

Ahhh, the memories! Noted earlier note about The Racehorse, Graeme Osborne. He was so fast, I still reckon he was the fastest man I had ever seen on the footy field.

Hunt is a racey guy. When on the move, I cannot recall him being caught by an opponent. Field kicking is at times erratic but we have Yze back again, so he will make a difference there, I'm sure. Hunt's abilities earmark him as a flanker and a space-finder up forward. Like the re-signing - heaps.

It's good thinking - looking to the needs but do we have the resources?

The apparent competition for mobile smalls is a very healthy circumstance for the MFC and if these players are hungry little mongrels raring for a trot on the park with blood, they are most welcome in my mind to live that dream. Each will have to step up a rung or two, toughen up and double their commitment along the way. It does please me that internally, such competition exists in the struggle to find the best two or three of the throng.