Vagg

Gerard Whately, by a country mile. I believe this guy cut his teeth on horse racing, and it shows. His description of the action is precise and first class. He gets a heap of description into a few, well chosen words. Heard him recently on radio broadcasting the cricket. He actually described what was happening. These days, so many of the comentators are so full of themselves that they just prattle on with whatever's on their mind, and totally ignore the action on the field.

Guess who got outa the wrong side of the bed this morning! I simply thought it was a funny comment from Max. Excuse me for living...!

Anyone else get a laugh out of Big Max's tweet posted on the MFC website...? gawndog37 For those @gawndog37 fans that are shattered with the news of captaincy! No need to worry i just got appointed skipper of my mums dream team Good to see he still has a sense of humour, especially given his latest set-back. Gotta love the kid!

I just watched the video of Mark's speech. Frankly, I reckon the negative comments about it are very unfair. Personally, I thought it was a well crafted and well delivered speech. Well considered, and lot's of dry humour. Well done, Mark!

Very happy with the appointments. Interesting that we have announced a new record holder for "youngest Captain" just days after the appointment of Greg Healey as Footy Director. Didn't he hold that record at the Club until today? Also really feel for Beamer and Greeny. I fear Brad may be paying the price for events of the 2011 Season. But, rather baffled as to why Beamer would be left out.

Had a read of the Foxtel TV Guide for Feb over the weekend, and noticed "AFL 360" will be airing 5 nights a week. Sure hope Gerard Whately is still at the helm. Will be worth watching, if he is...

Agree 100%, Big Kev. If you don't want it, fine. It's a free Country. Your choice. But, I reckon it's a wonderful option for those who do want it. And, in my case, I get the new channel completely free of charge, being included in the package I'm already paying for. I, for one, couldn't be happier! Well done, Foxtel!

Hi Rhett. Really appreciate you coming on board and giving us the scoop on what's happening. I've been a Foxtel subsciber for many years. Living in the GC Hinterland, our free to air reception was worse than crap. Hence, the day they strung Foxtel cables past our door was a day of rejoicing in my household! It meant being able to actually see the ball! (Something I could rarely do in the midst of the very snowy picture!) In recent years, I have looked in anticipation for the Melb games that were televised on Fox, as it meant we'd get a pre-game show AND no ads after every goal is kicked. Great stuff! So, Rhett, I'd just appreciate clarification re your "siren to siren" comment. Presumably, you mean the sirens that start and end each quarter, meaning there will still be ads during the breaks between the quarters? (I don't suppose you could prevail on the powers at be to make it completely ad-free and uninterupted from the start of the game to the very end, could you? LOL) Anyway, I for one, am thrilled to see the return of Fox Footy! We get ALL of Melbourne's games!! Just a pity Glinton Grybas won't be a part of it! Bring on the 2012 Season! And, Go Dees!

Aint that the truth!!! Which makes it even more amazing to me that Foxtel gets to show all the games next year (live and ad free)...

Seems Channel 7 will have the scoop on team selections next year, with no-one allowed to breath a word re the team selections until after Channel 7 News on the Thursday night. Personally, I think this sucks! Really enjoyed being able to get the teams at 5pm. So much for "progress..."!!

Thanks for clearing that up, Jack. Yes, seems Luke was one of those guys who teased us with the "will he ever step up and deliver" questions. If my memory serves my correctly, think Scott Thompson was also causing frustration around the same period. Both Williams & Thompson were thereabouts, but not quite. Finally, Thompson came good, just before he ran home to Momma, but Luke never quite got there.

I'm glad he'll still be on FOX. I enjoy him in "On The Couch".

He probably took his surf board, hoping for a few big waves...!

For me it was Anzac Day sometime in the mid 60s. Took a trip from Sale to the Big Smoke with the old man. Don't remember who we played. But, do remember being upset that, it being Anzac day, there was no Reserves game before the main game!

Yes, much appreciated, Gents. Sitting here, in my office on the Gold Coast, it's great to get such exceelent insight into what's going on with pre-season. Well done, and keep it coming!

The ugly duckling that grows into a swan... Gotta admit, that's one fairy tale I would LOVE to come true...! LOL

Crumbs! I always forget about that other forum. Sure wish all the threads were together, here...!

Just saw the following on the AFL website... "Tom Couch, son of 1989 Brownlow medallist Paul, has been invited to train with Melbourne after playing the past two seasons for Bell Park in the Geelong football league. Couch was a VFL top-up player for Collingwood's VFL team this season and played 12 games for the seniors." Anyone know anything about him? If he's anything like his old man, should be a reasonable player.

"Jones trained well..." LOL

I have to agree. All seemed just a little strange how fast they were out the door after all the new appointments. There certainly wasn't much time for any "get to know you" sessions.

Thanks for that insight. Just looked at their website. Another former Dee, Jace Bode, is also involved. Sounds like a worthy venture. Good luck to them!

That's good to hear. He's definitely my favourite commenatator at the moment. I guess it's because he more like the old-fashioned radio commentators who used to work hard to paint a picture for the radio audience of what is happening on the field, as distinct from most of today's commentators who tend to spend most of every game big noting themselves and waffling on about anything and everything other than what's actually happening in the game. I reckon Gerard's horse racing commentary experience probably helps his footy calling, given the need with horse races to get a lot of accurate info out in a short time. Anyway, whatever the cause, he's a rare gem in the industry!

Agreed. Gerard is a breath of fresh air among the current crop of footy commentators. Although, not sure he will definitely be with Fox Footy next year. Think there was some talk that he was "considering his options". Sure hope he stays!

The second game will be on Fox Sports 1...

Yep! How sweet it is!