Whispering_Jack

Occasionally go there for a good laugh but didn’t do so after Rd 23 last year for some reason.

Reasonably so and definitely not a sardine but on the other hand, he hasn’t been recruited as the club’s saviour. I would say that he’s been added as cream to provide a valuable ingredient missing from our defence, a player who could become a great but at this stage a player who would fit in evenly with the top players on our list.

This from Two Man Bob on Extreme Black ‘n’ White:- “I'm nervous about getting Tom Lynch - maybe we shouldn't. Going into a bidding war for a "gun recruit" is shaping up to be "fools gold" in the AFL, and the track record of teams having successfully acquired said "gun" has not been good in the last 20 or so years. It begins with our acquisition of Buckley. No doubt one of the most celebrated players in AFL history, but the records will always show that his services were not required by Brisbane, who completed a trifecta - two Premierships of which were won against the club hat had taken Buckley away from them. And this is after a period of mediocrity in which Buckley's influence at the Club could do nothing to make it competitive until Mick came along. We have a similar outcome with Carlton's gung-ho acquisition of Nick Stevens from Port. Again, a highly-publicised acquisition that did nothing for the Blues despite the planning and cost to get him there. In fact, Port won the Premiership the following year after losing this elite midfielder to Carlton. Carlton tried again with the acquisition of Judd. Judd was going home, so the loser in this "bidding war" was not so much the Eagles, but the Pies who were into their necks to win Judd's services over Carlton. Again, while Judd was a great servant to the Blues (like Bucks to the Pies), it amounted to nothing in terms of team silverware. The team that lost that "bidding war" to Carlton (missing out on Judd) had a Premiership flag a few years later in 2010. The Swan's forays into the acquisiton of both Tippett and Franklin has so far amounted to nil - and one of those guys is now gone! Again, these guys (well, Franklin, at least) have been great for the club, but they haven't been that "missing link" to a Flag. In more recent times, our successful play for the services of gun midfielder Adam Treloar has not really made significant impact to our side. Conversly, the team who missed out on his services of which the Club and fans alike were very vocal of) is the current reigning Premier. I can understand how in the 70s, a dynasty could be build with money and acquisitions. But that was a time before equalisation and before the salary cap. It was a time before the professionalism of the sport. I've said it before and I will say it again now - the success I have witnessed at the Pies has come on the back of growing a team with within and then getting "top-up" players to fill specific needs. The 1990 team, many of whom came through the Under-19 system together, were supplemented by "discards" from other teams who represented a need (Moorwood, Barwick, etc), as well as the drafting of two clever, but not necessarily outstanding, young rovers in Francis and Russell. Missing out on Judd in the mid-noughties was a blessing is disguise...look at the team we were able to accumulate with our draft picks as a result of not selling them away for an absolute gun of the competition. Top-ups Jolly and Ball were the icing on the cake. I have a serious fear that going "all-out" for Lynch is less a guarantee of success than NOT going after him! The track-record of sides acquiring these types of players in a heated bidding system is not great. In many cases, the result has been hugely negative.”

The idea of repairing a team’s playing list by chasing after a “big fish” is by no means something new - it’s been going on for decades. North Melbourne used it well under Ron Barassi when the then VFL adopted the short lived “10 year rule”. Melbourne has tried it and failed a few times, egs “Diamond Jim” Tilbrook in the early 70s, Peter Moore (despite the Brownlow) and Kelvin Templeton under RDB. The advent of free agency has seen an annual push for teams to chase big names coming out of contract. The question is whether it’s the right strategy for clubs to take. I bring this up after reading a long rant on a Collingwood supporter site which I will reproduce in the next post. It’s about whether the Pies should be chasing Tom Lynch who becomes a free agent at the end of the year.

Williamstown ran out winners on a hot, windy and oppressive afternoon at Casey Fields. Williamstown 14.14 98 defeated Casey Demons 11.7.73 but the result is really meaningless as the Seagulls are a stand alone club (albeit they weren’t at full strength) while the Demons played no AFL listed players. Still, it was said to be a good hit out.

What staggers me is the fact that we lost at the last start to so many teams that missed out on making the finals - Collingwood, Fremantle, Hawthorn and North Melbourne (twice last year) when a win in one of those games would have seen us make the finals. Win 3 of those games well, which is achievable if you aspire for finals footy, and you’re in the running for a top four placing. No use crying over spilt milk I guess but you would not want to drop the “easy” ones.

Good point although that would be a very extreme scenario. You would think if that happened, the VFL would allow you to field top up players from suburban competitions anyway. One of the benefits of an extended VFL list might be to enable a club to keep a quiet eye on an up and comer like Bayley Fritsch and Declan were before they broke into the Casey team. There were big wraps on Fritsch when he first came across from Coldstream as a skinny youngster previously thought to be not strong enough to make the Eastern Ranges TAC Cup squad.

Two men and a dog at Durban to watch SA capitulate at the end of the first dig losing about 5 for 12. Fascinating to watch. I visited the Kingsmead ground in December and there were more people in our tour group than spectators yesterday and today. We should win this one.

Well ... that was a big quarter for all of us who were brought up with feelings of contempt for the Magpie enemy.

Ron was a Septagenerian at the time and he would have whupped you within an inch of your life had you not found refuge with your mates at the Gat. Anyway to the rest of us, he remains an heroic Demon, not just as a player and coach but a great human. Happy birthday RDB!

This kid can play just a little bit ~ Lukosius stars in top draftee showdown

Wow. I didn’t realise you were so old Redleg. You make Old Dee look like a absolute whippersnapper.

Tassie has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Here are a couple of youngsters from the Apple Isle who are hoping to make an impact as the year progresses ~ Pair poised to ease Tassie's long draft drought

Says who? I told you about Bailey Fritsch months before we drafted him when he was just a kid with a dream playing in the VFL.

He looked very close to getting back on Saturday at Casey Fields but I would also add that so did Jack Viney and nobody seems to be putting a definite time on his return.

So the eye gouging allegation was fake news?

According to the melbournefc.com.au website the only men’s open training session is on Wednesday ~ “Wednesday 21st February, 9.30am, Gosch's Paddock”

I was walking around the ground and also watched JV closely and agree. I would add that, when watching him from close quarters, you can see and feel the intensity in everything he attempts. He was pretty aggro yesterday and is going to be a real weapon when he eventually gets himself fit.

I believe AVB will miss at least the first month of the season if not more. He does provide a point of difference for the attack but given the demands of the game and the need for a proper pre season he’s going to start from a long way back.

As mentioned in my post above, the focus was mainly on match simulation involving fast movement and switch play but there were a variety of drills earlier and these included most of the available list bearing in mind that the squad of players from the victorious AFLX team were no doubt enjoying a morning off. The two important players who missed most of the first half of last year through injury and non-football related circumstances - Jesse Hogan and Max Gawn - both looked in good shape and ready to have a big impact in 2018. Others who impressed me were Michael Hibbberd and Christian Salem both in terms of looking fit and raring to go but also in their attack on the footy. Its interesting that although Hibberd and our AFLX star Jake Melksham (obviously, he wasn’t there yesterday) had good seasons in 2017, they both look ready to take giant steps up this year. Good signs. I mentioned the small rehab group of Jack Viney (looking huge and aggressive) and Sam Weideman who were joined by Joel Smith and Jeff Garlett. Dom Tyson’s injury was apparently to his calf. No sign of AVB. Nathan Jones was mopping things up coming out through defence and Mitch Hannan moved well. Of the newbies Harley Balic looked comfortable and at home with the group. Charlie Spargo looks a real goer and Oskar Baker is going to be a bit of a cult hero. I reckon Jake Lever might go ok this year. Clayton Oliver is looking in good shape and had enough sunblock on his face, arms and legs to convince me to take out a portfolio of shares in that industry.

I’m down at Casey Fields and there’s a special atmosphere down here ... almost as if it was a continuation of last night’s action. There’s music blaring as the boys go through their drills. There are no food trucks but you can smell the hot dogs being sold by the South East Demons. They’re doing match simulation in front of me and Hoges (matched up on Oscar) kicked the first goal and then our marked Oscar, then hit the post. Clarry’s Looking good - he just hit Mitch Hannan on the chest for a goal. There’s a small rehab group at the sidelines - Jack Viney and Sam Weideman who are both moving well. Jack looks like a mallee bull. They’ve been joined by Joel Smith and Jeff Garrlett who earlier were involved in the training drills. Earlier Dom Tyson was with the rehab group but he appeared to be in a bit of discomfort.

It’s like 1988 all over again!!!

Never in doubt.

I think Tilbrook's manager was one Richard M Nixon. Things didn't work out well for either he or Diamond Jim the footballer.

That wouldn’t be Phat Phil, R & B. According to my NSW informants, he can’t fit into the change rooms at Giant HQ. Not only that, it’s rumoured that he’s involved in pre-production for the Ten Network’s forthcoming new lifestyle series, “My Three Tons”.