the fork

In the past she has been spot on. She announced Mc Donalds appointment three weeks before he club did. What's your basis for such a bad view of Dee Girls info? I think people are just excited for a young prospect to get an opportunity.

In my opinion occo should have been banned after giving Sylvia 5 votes last week.

Cheers Wakadji. Always good to hear of new talent coming through. We will continue to see more and more players being drafted from the remote indigenous areas of Australia in the coming years. It is important to realise that the Melbourne Football Club is at the centre of this drive. The flowering of Wonaeamirri as a player and a person speaks volumes of the way the club is assisting these players settle. The article on Liam Jurra recently further highlighted this important role the club has assumed. Whilst other clubs are searching far and wide (Ireland, Fiji, Africa etc.) for players, the Demons are doing a far more sensible recruitment drive that will see intuitive, gifted players enter the club, who will step all over the athletes and basketballers who seem to be in vogue with recruiters at the moment (nothing against Stef Martin, who will be a champion, or Jack Watts for that matter). Would be great to see this young talent at the Dees in the future, worth an email to the club Wakadji.

As much as I am frustrated by Newton, he needs a run of games to show if he has anything. Up until now players have been given opportunities when they deserve them, an approach I agree with, but maybe he just needs a run of games to give him an opportunity to find his way. Just a thought.

Thank you 1858 for your sensible comments on Sylvia's position. He needs to prove to his teammates that he is there as one of them.

I'm willing to give him the entire season to improve, but if he does not, he should go. The Sylvia bandwagon has been rolling for a while and I have been one asking for patience, but after seeing his laugh and smug little smile yesterday and his eagerness to dispatch high fives with any Hawthorn player in reach, made my stomach turn. Fevola copped a serve for a similar incident last year and Sylvia deserves the same from the Demons faithful.

Mate, not having a go, just trying to stimulate conversation, hence my comments offered as a question for debate. I am sick of Sylvia's typical days, sick of them. He must improve this season or he should justifiably loose his spot. I'm not bothered with where on the table he was drafted. The expectation however, when he was drafted, was that he would develop into a capable midfielder/small forward, which after five seasons, he has not.

So a typical Sylvia day is good enough to deny someone like Spencer a spot in the list or Strauss an opportunity? I am so sick an tired of people suggesting that certain players don't have to live up to expectations, it's an attitude that does not exist at top clubs.

..... and still managed to appeal so much more than Colin.

Occo, surely this is an oversight? Sylvia...? Not in your wildest one-eyed dreams mate. In fact any of these lists that do not include Garland are ridiculous IMO.

Excuse the dot points and the cliches, but I'm tired and a little disappointed. Spencer, Spencer, Spencer. Bail showed signs. Frawley looked as though he belonged. We moved the ball well. Cheney was aggressive, despite a couple of average disposals. Grimes looked good. Garland is poised, skilled and versitile. We can now be convinced that Sylvia is just nowhere near AFL standard, he can't settle into the pace and skill required. We were robbed by a few bad decisions if you want to get picky.

Marked x2 Happy to accept that he's just not up to it, CAC got it wrong, no big deal. This is all under the priviso that the club gives his spot in the side to someone a young player.

This is a great idea and one I've already acted on in a small way. I contacted the club a little while ago, letting them know that there has been a visible surge in interest in the Demons just within Alice Springs, (remembering the Yuendumu is 300kms away). There are a few jumpers, hats and even a flag getting around town at the moment, make no mistake this is all about Liam Jurrah. Here is an extract from my letter, which outlines my idea: "My idea relies on the assumption that the club may have a stock plie of old club merchandise, given our loss of Primus as a major sponsor. The club may well be wondering what avenues it has for the proper disposal of this merchandise, particularly clothing. My idea is that this merchandise be offered to people in and around Liam Jurrah's home community of Yuendumu at a significantly reduced rate. This would go some way to raising some money for the club, whilst also continuing the increased visual presence the club is building in this region where football is a way of life. Now is an excellent time to capitalise on this local excitement." Anyway it turns out that there is no old merchandise to speak of. But the very helpful, Martin Cox, who is the Marketing Coordinator, has sent me some posters, stickers etc (I haven't received it yet) to distribute out at Yuendumu. If there is anything that others want to donate, old jumpers, hats, footys, I am more than willing to see that it arrives out there and is distributed properly. Contact me if you have any ideas, please note however that I may not be on Demonland for a while as I am going OS for a fortnight.

A great article by Flanagan who continues to illuminate the parts of the game that make it so great. He has provided us all with a rough outline of how far this young man has come and how far there is yet to go. Patience is required, so is understanding. But with blokes like CC and our solid indigenous mob at the club, anything is possible.

Maric Legend Love the name, hope you're right. Welcome to Demonland.

Yes I agree. Will be interesting to see how he goes, best of luck to him, happy with our final selections however. Myself though I'll be interested to see how Ryan Schoenmakers shapes up. I thought he would have been a perfect partner for Watts up forward and have often wondered if the Hawks didn't snaffle him from us. Of the 08 draftees I think we have three players who will contribute significantly this year: Grimes, Maric and Morton. Also looking forward to seeing Cheney in the NAB Cup.

Fantastic Flash, I've said it many times before I value these training reports greatly and want to pass on my thanks for the effort involved. Cheers.

3 words: They will now.

For sure, send it on I reckon. It all helps, as would letters of support to Tourism NT, from members of the club.

Considering the fact that we have a great number of players from a variety of regions within the NT, all of whom have a strong presence here and others, particularly Davey having such a good profile in Victoria. Tourism in the NT suffers from a lack of indigenous input. It's what visitors want when they come here. What a great team of indigenous ambassadors they would have at they're disposal if they sponsored us!

Sorry I can't seem to find the thread, but remember someone mentioning the idea of the Tourism NT (Northern Territory) being a possible sponsor for the Mfc. I have done some quick research and discovered the following: "Tourism NT has been allocated $39.4 million in 2008-09 – a 45% increase since 2001." Their Campaign program has a budget of $21.2 million. Now surely a couple of those million over 3 years would be well spent trying to lure our supposedly monied supporters up to the beautiful Territory. Somebody suggested forwarding this idea to the club via the ideas email, has anyone done it?

Without reading too much into things, I think this is a really good reflection upon the club and players also. They have obviously provided Wona with a comfortable, supportive environment which has enabled him to progress as an individual within the group and as a player professionally. Hopefully this same environment and support will draw the same benefits from our new recruits.

Just renewed my fathers membership for 09 and asked about numbers. As of yesterday morning, thats 6th of January: "Just over 17000". !!

No different to you presenting "facts" about Messen's contract.

This is my problem mate, almost everyone on the board is saying he's on a three year contract. It is my opinion that he is on two. I'm not satisfied with the evidence supplied thus far by people claiming he's on three. That said, no-one, myself included, can provide any evidence either way.