No. 31

I pass through Caulfield Station several times per week and I see the bulldozers are currently out in force at Caulfield Racecourse! I sincerely hope the MFC Board are not napping and day dreaming of a quality facility in the shadows of the MCG that will probably never see the sunshine. The more I think about it, this Caulfield Racecourse opportunity is potentially a real gift horse [pun intended] 🐴

I also live in the City of Glen Eira and the redevelopment of Caulfield Racecourse has been in the local media for years, it is not something new, it is definitely worthy of consideration because the land inside the track area is large and is not currently used, it really is dead space. There would be room for the Demons training base and also other community facilities/hospitality venues. In terms of location, it is near Caulfield Station which serves the Frankston, Pakenham and Cranbourne Lines (and the currently being rebuilt Glen Hunty Station on the Frankston Line is also just to the south of the racecourse). Also the area is really well served by Trams (64, 67 etc...) and buses. Community use aspects could easily be incorporated with different initiatives from Glen Eira LGA and also Glen Eira Secondary College to the south and Monash University (Caulfield Campus) to the north, border on the racecourse precinct. It wouldn't take much creativity to come up with development proposals with a community use angle that could attract substantial government funding. Also, Glen Eira LGA is a major area of Demons fan support and in the old MFC historic recruitment zone. If there was one LGA in Greater Melbourne where the Demons had a demographic core, Glen Eira is probably it. This could be a once in a generation opportunity for the Dees, it must be closely examined!

I too like her commentary! Hopefully she returns in some capacity to MFC down the track.

Wow, now I feel I can 'come out' too 😁 Actually, I am the flipside ... a Carlton supporter whose second team are the Dees! [Maybe even a minority of one?!? 🤔😆]. I supported Carlton since I was a young kid but grew up in one of MFC's old suburban recruiting zones. Demons players used to come to our primary school footy clinics. Robert Flower taught me how to handball. Am a Carlton member but still watch many Dees games on tv and occasionally even catch a live game at the MCG. There ... I am out of the closet now 😊

I found out about the "secret" TISM shows via some TISM fan pages on FB. The info was with short notice and I have a toddler in the home so I wasn't able to duck out to see them on short notice but am really looking forward to catching them tomorrow as well as Regurgitator (missed their gig in Moorabbin earlier this year) and the Cosmic Psychos (who I have caught live a few times recently, they are always great value) 🤘🍺😎

They may well be ethnic compatriots by ancestry, Jakovich's ancestry is Croatian and Sestan is a common surname in Croatia (well a friend of mine shares that surname). Looks like a decent rookie pick, worth a shot 👍

Has any thought ever been given to Elsternwick Park (where Elwood, Brighton and Elsternwick intersect)? On Brighton Rd/Nepean Highway (good road transport), near 67 tram (Carnegie to Melb Uni tram) and Elsternwick train station (good public transport links), spacious location (can easily have two ovals) and close to MFC's traditional supporter base in the inner Sth & inner Sth East ...

Well Naughton was #9 in his draft and Curnow was #12 in his draft, not that far off the pace (at the draft stage at least). Now its all about mindset, work ethic and a bit of luck as well.

78% of an incident by JDG before Round 1 I say 😁

$200 is a bit steep to catch TISM live again after two decades but I wasn't sure if they would do any side gigs so when extra tickets were announced, went for it and told my better half that it can be my Christmas gift 😁 Regurgitator and the Cosmic Psychos in the lineup helped sway it in my mind 😎

I too was a bit reticent about going to the Good Things festival given I am middle aged now (I do go to gigs occasionally but haven't been to a festival for a very long time). I finally decided to get a ticket after they released new tickets and then 2 days later they had the first of their 'secret gigs' (D'oh). Did anyone catch the Croxton, Prince of Wales or 170 Russell gigs? Looking forward to seeing them live next Friday arvo ... its been a while 😆

Agreed save that actually Cripps has plenty of internal competition from Sam Walsh (an even Charlie Curnow who polled well as a forward in a medal count heavily weighted to midfielders). Fortunate for Cripps that Walsh had an injury at the start of the season, missed the first month of the season and took him sometime to play himself back into form. If Walsh was available for the whole season and played like he did in 2021, Cripps probably would have fallen short in the Browlow count 2022. My tip for 2023 is that Sam Walsh will have a stellar season, he is ready for his breakout season as an elite footballer. He should poll highly in next years Brownlow count.

Fair points and Nick Daicos is top quality. But they will need more than just him to build a Premiership side. The question will be is how they will fare without Pendlebury and Sidebottom who possess both quality and experience?

I really don't rate McStay that highly, has the occasional good game but is just an average, run of the mill forward in my books. I think Collingwood will came back down to the middle of the ladder in the next season or two. Some of their key players are 30+ with no ready made heirs apparent. They really missed their shot at a smash and grab Flag this year where they had some really positive momentum happening.

Oliver should win a Brownlow at some stage in his career (I hope, it woukd be deserved). It is tough as Petracca (internally verbalising the correct pronunciation 😁) and even Gawn perenially compete in the votes so it is difficult to get the critical mass of votes. It is easier for a Neale from Brisbane or a Touk Miller from Gold Coast to stand out in their respective teams as they don't have the same intense internal club competion for Brownlow votes that the Dees (or the Blues as well with Sam Walsh) face. Cripps is indeed a deserving winner. Sure he came before the MRO and the tribunal for the Ah Chee concussion incident but CFC went the appeal route which was a legitimate and available avenue to take and were successful. An appeal process mechanism exists for good reason. Some were surprised that Cripps picked up 3 in the Adelaide away loss for Carlton but in the second half of the season when Carlton had a seversl poor outings as a team Cripps was one of the few that actually stood up and lead from the front and played exceptionally well. A true leader on the ground. Cripps has two years on Oliver and one area that Cripps has really improved upon is his goal scoring. Cripps kicked 20 goals this season. When Oliver improves on his goal kicking he will get his Brownlow.

Dees by 30+ points. I am tipping a Melbourne v Sydney GF.

Yes, was mentioned on SEN just before.

Greetings all, Long time reader, first time poster. I come in peace ✌️ The Swans are a very good side but still beatable. There have been some positive signs of improvement up forward for the Dees so I am tipping a 16 point win for MFC. Pickett is in great form, Fritsch is getting there as well and I have a feeling Ben Brown will step up a notch like last year. Carn the Dees! 🤘