dworship

Perhaps you should ask Big Jim? The McLardy fellow seems to have had something to do with supporting the MFC over the last 4 years. You thinking of making a run at the top job Disco?

Thanks for your work DL7. Very happy to be part of the Barassi league, now all I need is some idea how to improve on last year.

Didn't join in time last year, so, YES please. 48064

Now I've been wrong before, but doesn't Dan Nicholson need to be elevated off the rookie list before he can be in anyones best 22.

Very insightful, are you a journo?

Anyone got details of Radio coverage for this game? Need a fix, had to work last night and missed the Brisbane game last night

And the answer is? Get a life! Why are you worried about what some long retired, "well credentialed", ex coach, with strong ties to a team we will be piting our youngs Vs theirs, for the next 8 years, has to say about a our number one draft pick. I think young Mr Watts has shown a MASSIVE amount of POSITIVE attitude in putting up with weak minded doomsayers looking to give negative support to any Journo in the land trying to sell whatever they're putting out. Oh, but just keep posting garbage like this so it gives the issue traction. What's the follow up ? "Demon Fans Worried about Watts attitude" The only ATTITUDE I ever wonder about is some of our fan base.

Was at the Casey game today and heard about Bail being out. Apparently has a wrist injury but wasn't able to find out how bad.

Newton did some good things a shame kicking lots of goals wasn't one of them. Not making the distance because he was kicking the ball 20m before the mark was very frustrating to watch. Jamar and Cheney played well, the rest I thought were servicable and nothing else. I didn't think Jack Watts worked hard enough. Had a chat to Spencer at halftime nice fella. Didn't see the Resies but they won by about 50. Wheatly played in the first half and was pretty good by all accounts.

Great report, thanks Jack. It's great to see so many diverse groups really getting involved and getting behind the MFC. The reward is, you get great access to the players, staff and administration, which helps in understanding where the Club is headed and what the players and coaches are working on. A lot to like about how quickly the Club stuff has turned around, the team improvement will come.

I have just been informed that Chris Connolly (Manager Football Dept.) and Mark Williams (Assistant Coach) will be attending our day at the Blue Pyrenees Winery Avoca. I believe Mark Williams is still the development coach, so it will be interesting getting his opinion of the big improvers for this year and any likely candidates for a Senior game in their first year. Dont forget to RSVP no later than the 8th Feb

The Ballarat Demons are having a Pleasant Sunday at the Blue Pyrenees Winery, in conjunction with the Melbourne Football Club. FAMILY DAY BBQ/PICNIC ON SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2009. Activities will commence at 11.00am and will include:- Football activities & games supervised by MFC players BBQ meals provided at minimal cost Tours of the Winery Wine tastings and sales Sale of MFC Memrobilia & Merchandise Purchase of Ballarat Demons & MFC memberships Raffles This will be a great day to kick off the 2009 season, meet MFC personalities and renew friendships with Ballarat Demons members. Players that will be in attendance are: James McDonald (Captain), James Frawley, Kyle Cheney and Rhys Healey. Working on some of the coaching staff too. If Blue Pyrenees Winery doesn't sound familiar, it is also the home of Remy (Remy Martin Brandy) and is a lovely little spot. Avoca is approx 25 minutes from Ballarat. You can also take the Calder from Melbourne and travel through the picturesque Castlemain and Marybourgh. A bus is planned from Ballarat for any locals. Please RSVP no later than Sunday the 8th of February, 2009 to; "Denis Costigan" [email protected] for catering purposes. Full details of the day's activities, map location etc will be provided soon. Hope to see many of you on the 15th of February, bring your family and friends and enjoy a great day, and remember the Ballarat Demons raised over $14000 last year for the Club via events such as this.

It was a great night and considering it was a Wednesday night in the middle of winter and in Ballarat, the people who came out ( about 120 of them) need to be applauded. At this stage we believe the Ballarat Demons will write a cheque for about $7500 which will take us to about $12000 raised for the club this year. Chris Connolly continues to impress with his energy, commitment and faith. The MFC continues to re-engage with past players and supporters and Connolly and VP Don McLardy were big on this throughout the night. Some of Don's comments during the night were interesting. He was recruited by Jimmy because Jim wanted people who breathed Red and Blue, people who were passionate about the Club and where it was heading. Chris Connolly started the night by showing us the presentation they made to Robbie Warnock last week. He talked about the youth policy and what’s required to get a premiership. The club sees its window of opportunity 2010 - 2014. They showed a possible team of the future with players currently on our list. It wasn't shown for long so I cannot be sure but it looked like Jamar and Meesan weren't the preferred options although they may well be in the mix for depth and long term development. There was also info on Casey going ahead and building relationships in that area and still going ahead with the new stadium at Olympic Park and training at Gosch's Paddock. It was terrific to hear Robbie Flower and John Northey reminisce about the 1987 season. Swooper was asked about what he said to Stynes after stepping over the mark but was very diplomatic. He did say that Grinter didn't help by giving away the first free. He went on to talk about the Footscray game leading up to the finals that year and said for him, that was one of the greatest victories of his career. Down a couple of goals at half time at the Whitten Oval, he told the players they could play finals if they toppled the Dogs. He told them Hawthorn was flogging Geelong which was a fib, it was close all day and Hawks only got up by 3 points. But it worked. You might remember Gary Lyon broke his leg in that game. There were many other highlights for the night including Brock Mclean (spoke very well about his earlier troubles this year and how he had addressed that behavior) Briefly, some other snippets; the DEMON is definitely here to stay. Confident a major sponsor will be found. Brock on tanking, said no way from the players and they want to win as many as they can but there were obviously other ways to influence the outcome. The other great thing for the Ballarat Demons coming out of the night was our developing relationship with John Northey and his Ballarat Swans (which coincidently is the third oldest club in the land )

I don't know if this has been mentioned anywhere previously, but Bruce has played most of the year with shin splints and has at times been on crutches after a game. Anyone who has ever had this affliction knows how painfull it is. If you don't believe me, checkout the footage in the rooms at the end of a few games. It speaks volumes about his character and perhaps the other players and the coaches may take a bit more notice of that, rather than the characters on websites.

Thanks Jack. I shall follow that up.

The event will take the form of a BBQ Tea followed by an evening with ROBERT FLOWER. The night will be hosted by Chris Connolly with MFC players, Brock McLean and Isaac Weetra. Vice president Don McLardy and Board member Andrew Leoncelli will also be in attendance. It is also hoped to have other players (such as Shane Valenti and Brent Moloney) in attendance, but this is subject to availability. This event will be an informative and fun night, with plenty of opportunities to donate via auctions, raffles, competitions and pledges. Some of the Auction items will include; a jumper signed by the whole team, a jumper signed by Robbie Flower, a framed, signed print of young Austin doing that celebration and much more. We look forward to seeing some of you on the evening of the 20th August 2008. Could an administrator please pin this event thread to the top of the board for the next couple of weeks?

The Ballarat Demons are honored to host an evening with; ROBBIE FLOWER WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20 Hosted By CHRIS CONNOLLY With Brock McLean, Isaac Weetra Vice-President, Don McLardy and other Melbourne personalities VENUE - DAHLSEN PARK SPORTS COMPLEX CUTHBERTS ROAD, ALFREDTON (Ballarat) Managed BY John Northey ADMISSION- ADULTS $20- Includes 2 Food Items CHILDREN $5- Includes 1 Food Items Food available 6-7pm FUNCTION 7-10pm Bookings/enquiries- 54612980. email- [email protected]

I wonder how many people saw a little clip of Robert Harvey 20 years ago, shown on Before the Game last night, and thought, "gee, I don't reckon he'll be much, StKilda should trade him!" Sure had skinny little legs back then.

I think I get it now, but it wasn't my intent. I meant there are ways of finding out more, get involved!! I'll watch that if I ever post again

Thanks, I think I will attempt to clarify some things. I wrote the report late Sunday as I had promised Jack. I had to go to Mildura early Monday I got back tonight. The caps used in the report are for emphasis. Had no time to go into great depth to explain some of my reasoning. I really, really, really like Cheney. He was clear, concise, had a very good understanding of where he was headed and what was required. I have also watched him play a couple of times now and like the way he plays. A bit early yet, but there is a bit of Grinter about him. Three years ago I got the same opportunity to chat to Mathew Bate and REALLY liked him. As to Newton, I've had a bit more time to think about what I was trying to convey. The lesson? If you don't think the coaches past and present haven't been trying to send some messages to him then thats your opinion. The WANT to part is about observing others body language and talk around him. Who leads and who follows, who encourages and supports and who doesn't. This area is the stuff thats the hardest to get and I need to watch and observe some more, but what I see is an unconscious behavior by others towards him. I think he is an enormous talent and WANT to see him do well for him and the club. I don't think he works hard enough for his team or team mates. That might be harsh and some will say he still kicked 4. When the going gets tough will his team mates go looking for him? As to boasting, I didn't put the "not sharing" part in bold, although I see someone has. There are a number of supporter groups around, I think they might be able to do more. I'm happy with what our little group has been able to contribute this year and it does allow a little extra access. I don't post about everything I hear or see because in some cases it could be skewed by others and could potentially compromise someone. Most of what I say is my opinion based on what I've heard and seen and I'm fortunate to see and hear more than the average, but it is still opinion. Yes, I encourage everyone to be more involved. Jack helped promote our little gathering so I posted a report as my contribution.

[slight hiccup with the Luncheon resulted in; a cheaper meal, more food and not having to listen to any speakers. Knew I was off to a good start. During the course of the day had Kyle Cheney, Ben Holland, Issac Weetra, Jack Grimes, Kelly O'Donnell join us. Went down to the rooms with Kyle a couple of times, spoke to more players and as it's VFL, listened to both Qtr time addresses. Things to report outside individual game performances. The 2s played with only 2 on the bench and lost a player during the game. Yep, that's right, they started with 20 and one was a promotion from the under 18s. Sandy has 15 players (includes MFC) currently unavailable. Kyle Cheney has a broken knuckle in his hand, sustained when he tried to punch a ball last week, missed, & punched the back of an opponents head. He Doesn't think the guy needs stiches & says he REALLY was trying to punch the ball. I payed close attention to him during the day and asked a lot of questions regarding coaches, players, training etc. I REALLY like the kid. No, I'm not going to share, you want to really know stuff, get involved like our supporter group. Last week, all the Ist year players (11, I think) went to Warrnambool with Brent Moloney and the boxing coach and trained. Apparently, Auzzie thought the water temp was a bit colder than the islands up Nth. Again, not saying any more, our group sponsors Auzzie. Adem Yze didn't come up, injury undetermined. Ben Holland, shoulder injury and doesn't sound promising. Liked Andy Lovells approach/ handling of the players and instructions. Player report Arrived at 12 so didn't see all of the 2s Jack Grimes - Oh yeah, he can play, second game, limited opportunities, he still stood out. Reads it well, delivers it well. Isaac Weetra - Great young bloke, just needs to believe. (I'm a Dennis Pagen believer, "its played between the ears") The ones ( they lost, but watchout if they get the other 15 back) 38 Maric, Addam - Impressed with limited opportunity and not just kicking goals. 41 McNamara, Tom - for me a standout, someone I had not seen, liked his work ethic, 1%ers, going to check his stats. 42 Spencer, Jake - he is big 49 Meesen, John - he is flat footed (serious, I saw 10 sec of what he might be ie, clearing handball and great tackle) Jamar may be safe. 67 Carroll, Nathan - As good as Frawley, but lots of years older. He didn't drift down for a goal in the last, Chopper sent him down there. 68 Newton, Michael - an older man with some Nous sat next to Juice before the game and engaged him in conversation. The statement that lingers is; "I'll be able to kick'em from the square today". That prompted me to look at and probe. "Show pony" is appropriate. Alan Jaka (where is JakA)comes to mind. For all those who bag Sandy and say Newton is being held back by Sautner et al, The LESSON hasn't sunk in. Nick puts the CLUB first! yes! he struts around and thinks he can do it all, but his teammates WANT to kick it to him. When Juice plays with him they WANT to kick it to Sautner. Newton has enormous talent. I hope Bailey takes him head on, coz that's what's needed and if he fails I don't want him. He will be another "Talent" without an ethic. 69 Frawley, James - One of the best 71 Petterd, Ricky - on the way back, he can play and we know it. 75 Bell, Daniel - I was surprised last year Disclaimer: I can be out of step with mainstream observation and have a "half full" approach to things and I like it that way. Oh, and shoot me if I'm not 100% accurate all the time.

OK Jack, here we go, I have already had a few things to say on other threads and may copy some of that into this report for continuity. Slight hiccup with the Luncheon resulted in; a cheaper meal, more food and not having to listen to any speakers. Knew I was off to a good start. During the course of the day had Kyle Cheney, Ben Holland, Issac Weetra, Jack Grimes, Kelly O'Donnell join us. Went down to the rooms with Kyle a couple of times, spoke to more players and as it's VFL, listened to both Qtr time addresses. Things to report outside individual game performances. The 2s played with only 2 on the bench and lost a player during the game. Yep, that's right, they started with 20 and one was a promotion from the under 18s. Sandy has 15 players (includes MFC) currently unavailable. Kyle Cheney has a broken knuckle in his hand, sustained when he tried to punch a ball last week, missed, & punched the back of an opponents head. He Doesn't think the guy needs stiches & says he REALLY was trying to punch the ball. I payed close attention to him during the day and asked a lot of questions regarding coaches, players, training etc. I REALLY like the kid. No, I'm not going to share, you want to really know stuff, get involved like our supporter group. Last week, all the Ist year players (11, I think) went to Warrnambool with Brent Moloney and the boxing coach and trained. Apparently, Auzzie thought the water temp was a bit colder than the islands up Nth. Again, not saying any more, our group sponsors Auzzie. Adem Yze didn't come up, injury undetermined. Ben Holland, shoulder injury and doesn't sound promising. Liked Andy Lovells approach/ handling of the players and instructions. Player report Arrived at 12 so didn't see all of the 2s Jack Grimes - Oh yeah, he can play, second game, limited opportunities, he still stood out. Reads it well, delivers it well. Isaac Weetra - Great young bloke, just needs to believe. (I'm a Dennis Pagen believer, "its played between the ears") The ones ( they lost, but watchout if they get the other 15 back) 38 Maric, Addam - Impressed with limited opportunity and not just kicking goals. 41 McNamara, Tom - for me a standout, someone I had not seen, liked his work ethic, 1%ers, going to check his stats. 42 Spencer, Jake - he is big 49 Meesen, John - he is flat footed (serious, I saw 10 sec of what he might be ie, clearing handball and great tackle) Jamar may be safe. 67 Carroll, Nathan - As good as Frawley, but lots of years older. He didn't drift down for a goal in the last, Chopper sent him down there. 68 Newton, Michael - an older man with some Nous sat next to Juice before the game and engaged him in conversation. The statement that lingers is; "I'll be able to kick'em from the square today". That prompted me to look at and probe. "Show pony" is appropriate. Alan Jaka (where is JakA)comes to mind. For all those who bag Sandy and say Newton is being held back by Sautner et al, The LESSON hasn't sunk in. Nick puts the CLUB first! yes! he struts around and thinks he can do it all, but his teammates WANT to kick it to him. When Juice plays with him they WANT to kick it to Sautner. Newton has enormous talent. I hope Bailey takes him head on, coz that's what's needed and if he fails I don't want him. He will be another "Talent" without an ethic. 69 Frawley, James - One of the best 71 Petterd, Ricky - on the way back, he can play and we know it. 75 Bell, Daniel - I was surprised last year Disclaimer: I can be out of step with mainstream observation and have a "half full" approach to things and I like it that way. Oh, and shoot me if I'm not 100% accurate all the time.

Re Newton, he still doesn't get it. Sorry, too obtuse for some, he gets the ball.

Agree but have a few insights to share, report to come. Sorry, everything is a bit disorganized at the moment, poping in and out of office, wife and two kids and tea to contend with.

G'day BRB, did you go to the game? Where did you watch it from? There were a number of D supporters with the Zeb ones sitting/standing close to the Zebs interchange. It is going to be difficult for me next year, I have a long time association/ support of the Zebs, have adopted the Roosters since moving 18 yrs ago (got some strange looks when I applauded the Roosters first goal) and am passionate about the Ds (think Casey next year). Shall give a report of my obs of the game shortly.