Whispering_Jack

The teams for this weekend’s games -

And so its starts ...

FWIW. I just saw Jayden Hunt in the stand on crutches.

I opened my law office in Murrumbeena Road, Murrumbeena in April 1974 and the first visitor I had on my first day was Jim Flower who was randomly collecting money from local businesses for the local football club. I gave a donation mainly because of the fact that he was Robbie’s brother but it meant that on day one, my practice was making a net loss of $5.00 (it was worth more than that in those days). The next day somebody came in who was a supporter of the club and asked me to act for him on his house purchase. It was my first new file. That’s how things worked in those days. The Flowers were a fantastic family - great people.

The problem with overturning a field umpire’s call of “touched, play on” is that upsets the concept of consistency in umpiring. It’s not possible to overturn or challenge a call of touched in 99.9% of situations in a game so in the very rare situation that occurred yesterday, the call of the umpire on the spot should not have been questioned.

After the Melbourne Football Club was bundled out of last year’s finals with their Round 23 loss at the hands of Collingwood, Nathan Jones declared that the team would not forget the bitterness of that defeat. Today is the day to atone.

Vic Metro has beaten Western Australia by 18 points in its opening NAB U18 Championships game today. Two sons of former AFL players Noah Anderson and Rhylee West along Sandringham Dragons midfielder Bailey Smith were among the best. Smith’s teammate Ben King booted five goals. U18: No.1 hopeful, son of Dog stars for Metro Western Australia 2.1 5.2 7.3 12.4 (76) Vic Metro 3.2 7.5 10.7 14.10 (94) Goals Western Australia: O'Reilly 3, Hill 2, Oldfield 2, Foley, English, Cameron, Sharp, Hansen Vic Metro: King 5, Anderson 4, Mahony 2, West, O'Halloran, McKenzie Best Western Australia: Sharp, Foley, Oldfield, Stack, Hill, O'Reilly Vic Metro: King, Anderson, West, Smith, Rowbottom, Quaynor

The only exciting thing I’ve seen since tuning in to the game is the calm, blue waters of Hobson’s Bay in the background.

Agree with what Nasher and you about the content of what was quoted but I’m more concerned about the attitude which is far more fair and realistic than the run of the mill supporters who are ready to jump out of buildings as soon as something goes wrong.

Correct. Unless one is a certified member of MENSA, everything on this thread is likely to be way over one’s comprehensive capabilities. I’m glad you understand the sub text of the conversation we’re having here. It’s vital for the national interest as well as the MFC that people understand this.

Could someone please tell me who is responsible for giving this man an MFC tie?

Petty just signed an extension on his contract so that’s definitely not in his thinking at the moment. In addition, it’s now recognised that the way to go with a player’s development is that it’s not always the right thing to rush him into the senior team immediately but to invest some time in getting him ready. We’re fortunate at Melbourne that we can do this whereas in the past we pushed players into the ones to the overall detriment of their careers. Look at the examples of Toumpas and others at Melbourne and even Weitering at Carlton. If we look after our players well enough and create the right environment for them, it reduces the likelihood of them wanting to leave further down the track.

They still have some thoughtful posters who won’t allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the desperation of the moment. Like this post from We’re on Track “I think we're on track. Not the same track that the club spruiked in regards to 'top 4 by 2018' etc. etc., but on track in terms of improving naturally. People have made two mistakes: 1) Believing the club's blueprint for success 2) Comparing our development to Melbourne's Melbourne started building back in about 2010. They have added steadily since, and have only come good now. We didn't really get going with our rebuild until 2013. To be any good, you need good old guys, really good middle age guys, and some good kids. Putting it simply. In my opinion, we can't expect to be any good, until the Stevens, Ross', Bruces, Carlisles, Hickeys, etc are our old guys. We have such a void in the 'good old guys' space that it renders us useless. We had Dempster, Gilbert, Roo and Joey - now we don't. When we had those guys, we had a huge void in the 'really good middle age guys' space, and no good kids at all. The way we're building, in 2-3 years these guys will be an outstanding senior core - and Billings, Gresham, Acres, Dunstan, Long, Steele, Marshall, Webster, Goddard, McCartin and co. will be a really good core of middle aged dudes. Coffield, Hunter-Clark and anyone drafted since then (including a top 3 pick this year) will be a really good crop of youngsters. We will be a very good side in 2 years. Forget this year, we're playing like a team with no good senior players and heaps of injuries. Which guess what? We are. Next year we will improve, and the year after we'll be really good. If we can add a ready made player or two on top of this, we will be a very, very good team in 2 years. Bookmark it!” Hopefully, we at Melbourne have nothing but blue skies ahead but if not, the above is a better attitude to have than the naysayers who want the coach, players and committee sacked, hung, drawn and quartered immediately.

Billings is a fair way behind Tyson. I wouldn’t do that trade.

You watched TV on your sabbath?

It's just as well that you resisted the temptation - my view is that it's bad karma to kick them when they're down, especially so soon after we've been there ourselves. I'm happy to savour our team's current vein of form and not have to worry about the woes of other clubs. That said, the growing gap between the haves and the have nots remains a serious concern for all football followers. Apart from the damage being caused to the look of the competition by lopsided games, the uneven fixture could have an impact on the make up of the finals and the top four with Richmond and North being the beneficiaries of easy draws. Last year, Essendon snuck into the 8 on the back of a soft run late in the season and look what happened in their elimination final? We have a fairly tough run towards the end of the season - it could make us or break us.

There were times when you watched Robbie play his sublime brand of football, it was almost as if time stopped dead in its tracks whether he was flying high for a mark, baulking and weaving around opponents, changing direction while bouncing the ball on either side and effortlessly kicking long goals. He mesmerized his opponents and did likewise to fans of every club, not just ours, and I only wish that he could be there in the stands tomorrow proudly watching the team of 2018 that is so much better than it was in 2014 when he passed.

Seriously, whoever gives out the best player list, there’s a glaring omission there. Initials are DT - easily BOG in my book.

Sam Weideman is coming along nicely and we are really well served for key defenders when you see the likes of Petty, Keilty and Frost playing at Casey. Petty looks like a fantastic prospect and I expect him to be a long term senior footballer.

5

As expected

The Allies stormed home in the final quarter to win 10.11.71 to Vic Country 6.12.48 Allies draw first blood at U18 Championship Allies 1.1 4.4 6.5 10.11 (71) Victoria Country 3.4 4.6 6.7 6.12 (48) Goals Allies: Briggs 3, Jones 2, Scott 2, Green, Peatling, Turner Vic Country: Flanders 2, Garoni 2, Caldwell, Williams Best Allies: Jones, Briggs, McGuinness, Green, Tomkinson, Baker Vic Country: Walsh, Reid, Brownless, Serong, Idun, Fletcher

The MFC players selected for this game but not playing are Garlett, Hannan, Neal-Bullen Pedersen, J Smith T Smith and Stretch. I would suggest that it’s Petersen and J Smith in the team with Garlett and Stretch on stand by in case of injury. I thing Tim Smith is being rested.

Team according to Channel 7 B: J. Hunt D. Keilty H. Petty HB: D. Johnstone S. Frost J. Wagner ? O. Baker T. Bugg C. Wagner HF: M. Lewis M. King J Kennedy Harris F: M. Lefau S. Weideman H. Balic Foll: L. Filipovic D. Tyson J. Lockhart I/C: J. Hutchins G. Lok J Munro A. Quigley A. Scott

On this day in 1973 Robert Flower made his debut for the Melbourne Football Club against Geelong