Whispering_Jack

With Heppel’s demise and Ambrose and Fantasia not selected, I’m more confident that Melbourne will win. I originally tipped us to win by a point but now, it’s 2 points.

There’s definitely something in this Little Goffy. The inconsistency from game to game, within the course of a game and from so many players is a real puzzle. It can’t just be the change to a 666 structure or the fact that other coaches have worked us out. Hopefully, our coaches will work it out and, as the great John Kennedy put it, do something!

Ricciuto's comments are somewhat embarrassing for a football club director and they’ve already been disputed by the manager of two of the players he criticized in Charlie Cameron and Mitch McGovern. Colin Young pointed to the club’s infamous 2018 training camp, which was ‘cult-like’ and left several players distraught, as a key reason for the departures. The problem is that the Crows haven’t been setting the world on fire on the field so Ricciuto would be better advised to keep his trap shut and not try to emulate Jeff Kennett who at least runs a club that’s tasted some success in recent years. He should be doing his job as football director and concentrate on the task of getting his mob off the bottom of the ladder or thereabouts.

Ralphy in the Herald Sun reporting that Simon Goodwin has indicated Kysaiah Pickett will return to the Melbourne side immediately after serving his one match penalty for a COVID-19 protocol breach. He played in Saturday’s scratch match against Carlton and “showed his electric speed in an impressive display”. Also in the article (sorry no link available):- * Medium forwards Mitch Hannan and Aaron vanden-Berg also played, * Sam Weideman kicked five goals, and * Harley Bennell pulled up well after his 14-possession display in the 50 minutes he played.

The Queens Birthday holiday of 1964 happened on the third Monday of the month. Round 9, 1964 Melbourne vs Collingwood Monday 15 June Venue: MCG Attendance: 86,664 B Crompton Massey Miller HB Williams Tas Johnson Leahy C Dixon H Mann Watson HF Vagg Jacobs Kenneally F Lord Bourke Townsend Foll Wise Barassi Rov Emselle 19/20 McLean Robbie The Queen's Birthday holiday in 1964 was celebrated on 15 June before a crowd of 86,664 people at the MCG in what was to be a prelude of the year’s grand final. The spectacle was affected by windy conditions but it was a tough bruising battle that was controlled by the home team despite the narrow margin at the finish. As was common for big games, skipper Ron Barassi was dominant on the ball and that was in spite of the fact that he was playing under an injury cloud. He was assisted by forwards Bryan Kenneally and Barrie Vagg as the team held a two goal lead at half time. The Magpie surge early in the third term was brushed aside despite some wasteful kicking for goal and the Demon defence held firm when the Pies threatened in the last quarter. Despite a few players carrying minor injuries, coach Norm Smith declined the use of his reserves leaving Peter McLean and David Robbie on the bench for the entire game. Melbourne 3.2.20 5.4.34 8.10.58 10.13.73 Collingwood 2.1.13 3.4.22 5.9.39 8.15.63 Goals Bourke Jacobs Townsend Vagg 2 Emselle Kenneally Best Barassi Vagg H Mann Kenneally Williams Dixon Reserves Collingwood 16.13.109 defeated Melbourne 8.5.53 Goals Carroll Vearing 2 Bartlett Beaton Matthews Zinko Best Davis Leitch Hill Report M Bartlett (striking - 2 week suspension) Under 19s (played Saturday 13 June) Melbourne 8.10.58 defeated North Melbourne 7.9.51 Goals McNab 3 Schultz 2 Marr Stone 1 (one unknown) Best Reinholdt Russell Griffiths

Given the number of times in recent years that others have done to us what we did to Carlton, I’ll take the money and run. They’re a better team than what they’re being credit for and I think we’ve lost the fitness edge we had earlier in the season. It’s already clear that this is going to be a different year - one that’s going to involve changes from weeks to week, experimentation and creativity. We don’t look like we’re in the race based on the first two rounds but history tells us that you can’t judge your fortunes on one or two games. I remember us in 2018 suffering a bad loss early against Hawthorn and thinking we were no hope for the season ahead. But we turned it around, won a couple of games and gathered momentum to finish in a prelim final. We have 15 rounds left and there’s still time to do the same again.

Excellent first up game but snookered for the rising star this week by Rowell of GCS. Should get a nomination at some stage this year.

How on earth did the Hawks think they could get away with playing three rejects from the MFC? ?

It’s been a long time coming.

Cats kick a goal in the first 25 seconds tonight - that’s more than Richmond and Collingwood did in the last quarter yesterday.

As we start our return to football, what better than a touch of Robbie?

‘The Project’ Is Under Fire Over An “Unethical & Dishonest” 2017 Segment On Racism In The AFL The Project copping some flak too. Hellier came to fame with his characterisation based on a dumb Collingwood player. Perhaps it was a case of art imitating life?

Is that his punishment?

Melbourne’s next game was played on Queens Birthday which in 1964 was on 15 June. Not sure when they changed the holiday to the second Monday of the month but the next report will follow the 1964 calendar.

I believe that one of our prominent track watchers was spied at the demo on Saturday which means quarantine for two weeks and is an automatic out for training over the next fortnight.

Yes, and who would have thought that would be the case at the halfway mark of the season?

VFL season ‘looks like it’s a goer’ as clubs and AFL crunch numbers For the benefit of those who might be blocked by a paywall, the theme of the article is that despite a number of unresolved issues, clubs are becoming increasingly confident a VFL season will go ahead. The competition will involve stand-alones Coburg, Frankston, Port Melbourne, Werribee and Williamstown alongside aligned sides Casey Demons, Sandringham and Box Hill Hawks. The season could be as short as 7 weeks starting in August with players foregoing match payments. The finals would be played in October. Elsewhere, it’s been mooted that Casey might even use Shepley Oval (the old Dandenong VFA ground) to train because sharing facilities would make it difficult to adhere to Covid19 protocols.

Round 8, 1964 Fitzroy vs Melbourne Saturday 6 June Venue: Brunswick Street Attendance: 12,727 B Crompton Massey Miller HB Williams Tas Johnson Leahy C Dixon Watson Robbie HF Vagg Jacobs McLean F Lord Bourke Townsend Foll Wise Kenneally Rov Emselle 19/20 Carroll Matthews Skipper Ron Barassi made his coaching debut while Norm Smith was in Adelaide coaching the Victorian team. Barassi himself was out with injury so Bryan Kenneally led the side onto the Brunswick Street Oval for what turned out to be an easy victory. The team had a sluggish start but was well in control at the main break and held an 18 point lead which would have been more but for inaccuracy in front of goal. With veteran wingman Brian Dixon and rovers John Townsend and Ken Emselle creating havoc, the Demons kicked 10.4 to nothing before taking the foot off the accelerator in the final term to record a 67 point victory. The game provided a taste of what was to come in Barassi’s long, illustrious and fiery coaching career as the Lions accused him of him of trying to strike ruckman Max Miers in the heat of the second quarter. Fitzroy 1.2.8 2.4.16 2.4.16 7.9.51 Melbourne 3.6.24 4.10.34 14.14.98 17.16.118 Goals Townsend 4 Emselle Jacobs 3 Kenneally Lord 2 Bourke McLean Vagg Best Dixon Jacobs Emselle Robbie Tas Johnson Townsend Reserves Melbourne 14.10.94 defeated Fitzroy 9.11.65 Goals Carroll 3 Andrew Slade Vearing 2 Leitch Stone Winter Witsomki Zinko Best Foster Carroll Slade Under 19s Melbourne 13.27.105 defeated Fitzroy 8.6.54 Goals Russell 3 Pritchard Wight 2 Jones Lockwood McNab J Osborne K Osborne Schultz Best Reinholdt Bird Russell

Possibly a matter of maturity. He’s married, a father and has family responsibilities. This is possibly his last chance at making the grade and resurrecting his career.

'Early Christmas present': MCG tenant clubs get multi-million-dollar windfall “Collingwood, Melbourne, Richmond, Hawthorn, Carlton and Essendon will each receive home game payments estimated at between $150,000 and $200,000 per match for the remainder of the shortened season.” Of course, the AFL has to include a fair share of home games for the MFC at the MCG. I’ve argued that means 9 MCG home games this year would be appropriate (given we finished last year in the bottom half) and that means 8 of the last 12 games should be played there.

The first thing I noticed when watching the Alan Jakovich game from 1991 was just how much more exciting the game was back then. Unfortunately, the game has progressed, rules have changed, players are trained differently and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever go back to the old days.

Ok so no Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. We have to wait for next year for that elusive flag. However, way back in 1919 when there was a big pandemic, we finished last. Gulp.

The idea appears to be that he won’t be quite ready for the restart but without a VFL competition, that means another week or two of training. I wonder however, if he continues to impress at training and the AFL allows two extra interchange players, whether he might be given a limited run against Carlton.

Round 7, 1964 Melbourne vs Footscray Saturday 30 May Venue: MCG Attendance: 33,129 B Crompton Tas Johnson Williams HB Anderson Roet Leahy C Dixon H Mann Adams HF Vagg Groom Kenneally F Jacobs Bourke Townsend Foll Wise Barassi Rov Emselle 19/20 Lord Robbie The determined Doggies faced an in-form Demon outfit at the MCG and the visitors gave them a scare for the first half of the game. Melbourne trailed by a point when the siren sounded but Tony Anderson’s goal put the side in front at the main break. From there, the Demons asserted their domination scoring 5.9.39 to a single goal in the third quarter before they coasted home for a comfortable immediately ended any speculation about the result by kicking five goals to one to lead by 42 point victory to securely place them in the top four. The old guard of Dixon, Adams and Barassi were dominant while full forward Barry Bourke was on fire with five goals. Melbourne 2.3.15 4.5.29 9.14.68 12.14.86 Footscray 2.3.15 3.6.24 4.6.30 6.8.44 Goals Bourke 5 Barassi 3 Emselle 2 Lord Townsend Best Dixon Groom Mann Barassi Tas Johnson Bourke Reserves Melbourne 12.9.81 defeated Footscray 8.12.60 Goals Bartlett 4 Leitch Watson 2 Carroll Lynch Matthews Wood Best Watson Leitch Davis Under 19s Melbourne 12.6.78 defeated Footscray 10.17.77 Goals McNab Russell Schultz Wight 2 Bird Jones Marr Minton-Connell Best Millard McNamee Russell

Sadly, Michael Graham was a player that Melbourne was chasing in the early 1970s but we couldn’t persuade him to cross the border to Victoria. He had a long and successful career in Adelaide but (from my perspective at least), it was a tragedy that he didn’t play at the highest level at the time. There was another player at the time who would have come in very handy and he was Glenelg ruckman Peter Carey who Melbourne was associated with at the time. Carey became a games record player with the SA Tigers playing well over 400 games. Having those two in the side at the time in the mid-70s might have made a big difference to the club.