Monbon

The Demonland judges are so discerning: all year they've poo-pooed Sparrow and Spargo. Tonight is their comeuppance.

Mainly cos most had no legs...

Hindsight, JNM. We wouldn't have finished second had we not won three crucial games: Geelong had the benefit of games up their sleeve, plus many games at Geelong. They also had a dream run with injuries. When injuries hit us like a tempest, life ain't ever going to be easy for selectors or game plan strategists.

I predicted the Geelong slaughter of the Lions, and in my heart of hearts, though I wanted Sydney to win, the wilderness voice said, No Way, it will be another slaughter.

And, in passing, I just saw the ladder at the end of the home and away games: crocks and all, heavily weighted Draw, we still finished second with a Percentage of 130.5. Sure, the crocks couldn't get us over the line in the last 2 games: I'd rather praise their valour than veil myself with woe and misery.

Geelong had a different draw though, and many games at Geelong...

Metinks, as dey might say in Ireland, dat we are talking at cross purposes. I was speaking - in a manner - to those who believe we should have not played the 11 players in question and replaced them with the Casey names I mentioned. There were also the consistent calls throughout the year to replace the players I also mentioned with Casey players. I was implying it wasn't as simple as simply 'blooding' the newbies.

I wasn't talking about 'managing': I was referring to the many calls on this site to drop Spargo, Neale Bullen, Melkasham etc to 'blood' new players.

Agree, however, please confirm when you would have replaced who with whom, if you get my drift. We won the first 10 games, then were placed in the Draw from Hell, and as I recall, every time there was the possibility of 'blooding', it would have been unfair to drop the player the newbie would have replaced. Go through it week by week, compare the relative performances at Casey. For example, Dunstan had 5 chances, Bedford a few, Chandler only limited. Van R was still groping around, showing plenty but not quite enough to be thrown to the wolves - recall all of the last 12 games were against Top 8 contenders, and the days of Queens Birthday Watts sacrifice were over...

Why blame 'Goody' for this? Recall, if you may, that 2021 was a year when, whoever the gods of football are, granted us a virtual free pass. Some on this site believe god was called Burgo. I'd rather believe the god was called Serendipity, the same god who spins the wheels of fate and the result has absolutely zero to with Burgo, Goody, or the fact that Melbourne played with 11 injured players. From what I've read, those 11 players should, according to some, been replaced by 11 fit and able Casey players. Yeah, sure. We lose and Goody gets the buckets of poo poured over him for playing Turner, Van R, Brown, Howes, Baker, Tomlinson, Chandler, Bedford, Moniz-W, Weideman, Laurie, Dunstan and Woewoddin. I rest my case.

Given that 'The big Fella from SP' was carrying a belly or two extra to requirements - like a lot of us, no doubt. Not to detract from The Weid.

Does anyone have any news or inkling of who will stay and who will be pork copped?

A good pre-season may alter that...

Yep, the hidden injury list has not been taken into account by a lot of gloomers and doomers on this site.

There were many more than 7...

Surely the 'May Issue' has been overblown. No matter what the sport, what the circumstances, if you get a bunch of blokes together, when alcohol is involved, there is and always will be a potential for fireworks. It's hard enough to get a man and his wife to not niggle the bejesus out of each other during their 'team' internment, let alone a room full of Catholic Bishops from different diocese's, let alone a bunch of young blokes, all from different backgrounds and cultures. You imply that all 'Happy' teams contain no friction or personality clashes. May and Melksham are mates again, from what I gather.

I was on the Northern wing. What annoyed me was that Matthews - as usual- got away with it. I'll never forget standing on Camberwell Station listening to the Geelong Hawthorn game on my Trannie - a Trannie was a Transistor in those days - on the famous day Matthews got his comeuppance. After the fireworks began, all of the commentators blamed one man - a certain ex Demon, Mr Jackson. Years later I watched the build up to the Bews hit on Matthews. Geelong had kept bombing the ball towards their forward line,, Jackson kept flying, Ayres or anyone else, repeatedly punched the back of Jackson's head, Jackson kept looking at the umpires, it went on like this until Job Jackson blew up. It was all Jackson's fault, see...

Wayne Gordon (RIP), Henry Coles were about the only 2 ex Collingwood players who arrived at Melbourne who did us proud. Dawes and Lumumba tried their butts off, but Dawes was simply a one-dimensional footballer, Lumumba's attention drifted elsewhere. You can add Phil Carman to the list of ex Colly Wobbler duds. Long may the Colly Wobbler curse span tonight.

Keep drinking: you'll feel better soon.

Some 'Facts' re 2022 Draw: First 10 games: North Melbourne: Played Interstate 3 times. * Against 8 Teams vying for the 8. Geelong: Played 2 Teams Interstate * Against teams vying for 8: 5 Collingwood: Same as Geelong.

Upon deaf ears...

Also, what hasn't been mentioned, is that Melbourne had THE toughest draw in the second half of the season. All the games were against top 8 sides. They led most of the games, including the finals at half time. That, plus the ongoing bruising from injuries would sap most teams. In the end, the Draw needs to be universally homogenized. The same question always arises: How many Interstate games do Geelong and the E Coli Wobblers play, year in, year out???????

Sauce? (sic)

We should always keep in mind that 2021 was Dreamtime in regard to Injuries. We began 2022 with 2 of the 6 Backline available. McDonald departed in round 10. Max, Salem, Lever Langdon etc all played under niggled stress. That surely played a part.

And Brussel Sprouts and vegemite sandwiches, not to mention Bex. Whatever happened to the good ole Bex?