Vagg

Agreed. I very rarely bothered to go there for that very reason. I much prefer to see all the new threads in a single location. Thanks, Nasher!

AMEN! The VFL is a joke! They have more byes than games!

Thanks for that Dee Dee. Nice to hear about such happenings, and to see a couple of our greats honoured in this way. Also nice to hear Steve Smith is a VP of the MCC. If I recall correctly, he was originally groomed as a CHF, and showed incredible promise that didn't seem to want to blossom. Then, someone had the bright idea of sticking him at Full Back and the rest is, as they say, history. Became one of our very best in that position. Paul Salmon in his heyday ar Full Forward for Essendon was quoted on one occasion as saying Steve was the hardest Full Back he played on.

Personally, I'm thrilled to see this. Beamer may not be the sharpest tool in the shed. But, he has always been passionate about the MFC, and given his all. No doubt he was devastated at losing the VC and leadership group. But, clearly he has gotten over it. (And, has probably been over it for longer than we realise or give him credit for.) Neeld didn't see him as part of the official leadership group. That's his call. But, he also clearly sees in Beamer an important part of our set-up. If he has also identified a position on the field that better suits Beamer's strengths, then all the better. I have to say I was both surprised and heartened to see Beamer sitting with Neeld at the after match press conference on Sat night after our first win. I took from that a particular message Neeldy was sending to all and sundry. Something akin to "not only have we shown the naysayers that we CAN win a footy match, but we are all (including the senior players) a unified footy club, so pull your heads in, you so-called experts..." I'm looking forward to a BIG performance by all the boys against our arch enemies this coming Monday. Go Dees!

Seems to me that, when MFC took him, the comment was made that he was taken with the intention of using him in precisely that role -- as a second big, strong tall to stand beside Frawley and take the gorilla forwards. I reckon the only reason he has been played forward prior to today was due to Neeld's desperation to find a tall who could help out Clark up forward. He failed in that role, and last night showed he should be played in the position for which he was drafted. Besides, looks like Garland could be part of the answer up forward.

Yes, Jimmy Magner's story is ALL inspiration. A guy who has always given 100% effort in evry Club he's been at. Had a dream of playing AFL footy, and was overlooked something like SIX times. Yet, he never gave up. Is it any coincidence that this Jimmy is also an Irish boy? His parents moved to Australia from Ireland, and the following year Jimmy was born -- the same year "coincidentally" That our other famous Irish Jimmy was just starting out at the MFC. Some of the same special traits we saw in Stynesy are also evident in this kid. I'm just so happy for him, seeing him living his dream. And, better still, he's living it at my beloved Dees! Well done Jimmy, and Go Dees!!

Hey guys! As good as the win was last night, it was only the Entree! Main course comes tomorrow week, and it's my favourite meal of all -- Magpie Stew! I can taste it already!! (Where DID all those scoffers disappear to all of a sudden...?? LOL)

Thanks, Oucher. Inspiration doesn't come easy on a cold & wet Friday arvo here on the Gold Coast!

Maybe not so strange. Col seems to be one of those players endowed with heaps of talent, but lacking in the required self-motivation. Such individuals tend to need a little "help" with their motivation -- like via a cattle prod up the backside. Being dropped from the team may have done the job of the cattle prod. Hence, hopefully Col will be suitable fired up and ready to finally put in a performance we all know he is capable of. We can but hope!

No gunfire from my direction! I'm firmly with you, Lamb! Just a little more patience (well, maybe a LOT more...), and all will be revealed. A glorious new Demon Empire to rival our great days of the 1950's! So, Scoffers, scoff on! Your days are numbered...! Go Dees!

Where's Bennell??

While I agree totally with the sentiments expressed about Essendon, and I am a passionate hater of Collingwood, I have to make the point that no-one should have an issue with Collingwood's clash jumper. While their traditional jumper is primarily black, their clash jumper is primarily white, and definitely conforms with the requirements of reducing clashes. But, Essendon are a case on their own. They should be forced to come up with an ACCEPTABLE clash jumper for those occasions when needed, and stripped of 4 premiership points every time they don't!

Just watched the Matt Burgin interview. I, for one, am pleased with what I see in the man. I believe he has the team on the right track. No quick, easy fixes. But, if they stay true to the vision, success WILL come...

Yeah? You mean they expect to collect zero premiership points from the game?!! Love it!

Yep, nice looking team. With no second ruck, presumably Clark will do more ruck work this week...

He said he has been spending some time acting as a personal mentor to Aaron Davey.

Really? Maybe he, like me, was just so relieved that the last Quarter wasn't a repeat of the third Quarter 9 goal to 1 drubbing...!

I'm baffled as to why this thread does not have more comments. It was a great story BEFORE the game. And, as it turns out, it's about the only good story to come out of the match. For those looking for a positive out of yesterday's disappointment, surely this is it! His first kick in the big time was a goal. Then, to have the composure to go back and calmly slot the second one (whether or not he deserved to get the shot is irrelevant!) was the mark of one cool dude! He then played out his first game with distinction, to be our best player. So, an Irishman named Jimmy, again doing it for the MFC. And, that on the day when our beloved Jimmy Stynes was supposed to be the team's inspiration! I, for one, am very proud of the lad!

What is it about the remarkable story of Irishmen and the MFC? There was Stynes. There was Wight. And now there's the remarkable story unfolding about yet another one. James ("Jimmy") Magner was born here in Australia in 1987 (the same year our beloved Jimmy Stynes debuted with the MFC) to Irish immigrants. Our new Jimmy also had a steely determination to succeed, not unlike the Stynes boy. He's put himself up for the AFL draft no less than six times, only to be ignored on every occasion, before being picked up by the MFC as a mature aged rookie. The new Jimmy is as tough as nails. And, he makes his debut the same week that we farewelled our other Jimmy. As one chapter closes, another opens. It's a wonderful story. And I, for one, hope that our new Jimmy carves for himself his own piece of MFC history! (For those of you who have not yet done so, take the time to read the article "Irish Pride" on the MFC website. It's a great read.)

It was kind of ironic that the last official club function that Jimmy attended included the Blazer presentations, and the first public use of the Blazers was at his funeral. I recorded the funeral and watched it last night. Very moving, and very fitting.

I'm in, as vagg111

I'm with you, Robbie. Never have tipped against the Dees, and never will. Guess I'm just stupid enough to think the boys can win every time they go on to the park. Call it naive, if you will. But, I cannot believe Jimmy ever ran out on to the ground with anything less than total belief in a win...

The more I hear of Gerard Whately, the more I like. I'm pretty sure the words of this article are almost word for word the same as what he used as the introduction to Footy 360 last night. Indeed, a very moving Eulogy. Well done, Gerard!

As the words of the song say, "Only the good die young". Never have those words been truer than when applied to this very special human being. A giant of a man who came to us from the land of the leprachaun. A VERY sad day! Condolences to his family.

Where's Ron Casey (the Melb version!!) and Tony Charlton when you need 'em??