demonwithin

I thought it was quite good today. His goal after the gut busting run was all class as he was in the pocket (near the Sandy changerooms) with the wind blowing into his face. Not sure if it was just the jumper that made him look different but he did seem to have a slightly different kicking action. Could be just hope rather then fact though !

No

Yes

I was down there today in the very hot conditions and anyone would have struggled today. For what it means here is my observation of the demon players today. Bruce - Thought early he was just going to jog around and show the same amount of interest the rest of our senior players have over the pre season. But to his credit his efforts got better and better and was as good as anyone on the park. His third quarter goal where he set the play up in the middle and then gut busted run into the forward pocket to receive back was one of the two major highlights of the day. From reports it looks like DB has a softly softly approach to returning players but he has to play round one. Rivers - Saw a half of his game at Cranbourne where I thought he returned super but today was much tougher conditions Still did pretty well and ditto round one as Bruce. Whelan - Started on the bench and looks a little way from senior football. When he goes in he goes hard and when he returns to our backline things will look better Bartram - Look better then last week and I thought today was real encouraging. Ran fast (there is a novelty for Melb outside of Flash!) and his vertical leap when he was caught under a centre bounce and had to ruck was great. Was pleasing today. Johnson - Chris I am sorry I dont think is a best 22 footballer. He didn't play bad today but he certainly didn't stand out either. Wheatley - Got plenty of it but sometime his decision making was poor. I just don't know about Wheats anymore. Dunn - I echo others on the site that he does look an impressive type who could be a hard match up for other teams. Strong runs all day and reasonably tall he will definitely play a number of positions. I think 2008 is the year he could be our match up for the the taller stronger midfielders who dominate us - Cornes, Goodes etc. Hope he plays Round 1 Zomer - Played full forward and tried real hard but didn't get near it. Didnt help for a lot time it came to him he was two or three on one but development is the key there. Frawley - Was good in patches but I am not sure where he fits in. Too short for key position I think but still only young. Was ok today but does add to our list of poor users of the ball though. Morton - Second highlight of the day. He is skinny and made some mistakes (who didnt today) but gee does he excite you. Played on the wing, clean hands great pickups, thought his way through traffic brilliantly and kicked a goal which had class stamped all over it. I know he is our highest draft pick since Col and Brock but he is the one I most excited about. Quite tall so depending on how he fills out could be a KPP who plays like a midfielder (have we ever had one of those ?) No pressure but here comes number 10 !. Seen the Geelong and Kangaroos pre season games and shattered after both (particularly Kangas) but seeing Bruce, Morton, Rivers and Dunn just made the light at the end of the tunnel a shade brighter For those that couldn't make it today you didn't miss much as the game was shorten by 30 mins in the second half and conditions made it very tough. Roll on next Sunday and me with all my wisdom and footy knowledge would play Rivers, Bruce, Dunn, Morton and possibly Bartram from today.

Craig Hutchinson just announced on Footy Classified that the CEO search is down to two. Stuart Fox who is marginally ahead of Paul Macnamee. fox is currently second in charge at Geelong under Brian Cook. This was just after Caroline Wilson said we have a shocker off season with all sorts of worries and Garry agreed claiming this was one of the most important years in the clubs history (150 notwithstanding)

I agree and thats why I am happy to play with a team resembling the one outlined. I thought Martin looked ok at Geelong and the thing with him is that he is big enough to be KPP ! If it was up to me I would bring Macnamra, Cheney, Valenti all in at some time early in the season.

Went to Geelong and Casey fields through the pre season and on what I saw on Saturday at Casey the Geelong result would have been the same regardless of playing a more senior side like what we did on Saturday. So this begs the question - Do we play a future side rather then a current side as I have a feeling the results will be the same maybe just the margins different. So on this angle I think we should look at the following side for Round 1 Bell Frawley Martin Batram Rivers Morton Wheatley Jones Buckley Davey Newton Bruce Neitz Sylvia Maric White Mclean McDonald Pettard Moloney Meesen Dunn On putting this team together I havent included Bate because of injury. When going through the playing list besides the well known fact that our tall defenders stocks are shaky I noticed two alarming things we dont have that every good side does. That is pace and half back flankers who have great disposal (hence Morton on a back flank) I know this wont be the side but I could put up with the losses and not get despondent if it was a side like above rather then have Yze, Green, Carroll, Robertson etc out there dropping their bundles at the first opportunity. The other one I would have on notice is Mclean - great kick and hard at it but he is injury prone and not quick and I hoping the body language on Saturday was practice match body language because for a future leader it was not good. Now saying all that I will be there 4.40pm Sunday 23rd March barracking loud and annoying all the Hawthorn people around me hoping I am worst judge in football and the Demons prove to me I know nothing about the greatest game in the world and the greatest club in the world

Sorry mo64 Miller was another mentioned in the forward line marking. Maybe it was me sub consciously hoping he wouldnt be down there

Dean Bailey gave an interview tonight with Gerard and Dwayne on 3AW Summary points for those interested - Colin Sylvia on a modified program this year due to OP in the past but nowhere near as modified as years past. Was able to be involved in some punishing endurance work - When asked to do you teach a new game plan or provide a plan around the players strengths suggested the latter - Big strength he believes will be our marking strength up forward - Neitz, Robbo, Newton, Sylvia, Bate and Yze. must have a game plan that allows for this to be our strength - Said our four ruckman have done amazing amounts of endurance stuff and are really motoring. - Really looking forward to Saturday - Then some humour about Meesen having a really large family down Geelong way and if all were members we would have record numbers easily - Dwayne then suggested it maybe a full house on Saturday and tickets may all ready be limited. Dean thought that would be brillant - Dead batted any comments about the Prez - Gerard went on to mention a name he had heard around the traps as a replacement but I cant quite recall who it was - new name anyway If I remember anymore will post accordingly