Whispering_Jack

So I was sitting in the old Gardiner Stand at Visy Park watching the TAC Cup Preliminary Final with Melon22 and over to our right was the GWS entourage including SOS and a really fat bloke who I'm led to believe is getting paid $120k pa for sitting around watching kids playing footy. (apologies for the grainy picture but my Iphone camera isn't up to standard ASIO issue)

He was on our list in 2014 so he's part of the year's narrative, like it or not. Can't say much about the way he played in 2014 but I'll never forget some of the excitement he brought to the club during our very darkest times in 2012-3. I guess we'll always wonder what might have been had he not gone down awkwardly on his foot in the game against GWS when he already had four goals on the board some minutes before quarter time. I'm sure he would have finished with at least a double figure goal tally. And what if Liam Jurrah had not tempted fate and stayed at home instead a few months before that? We might have had an electrifying forward combination. And what if Aussie's dad had not crashed the car and been killed and Aussie had remained fit and well and continued his career? How many goals would he have crumbed at their feet? And Jesse Hogan ... I know today's the 13th - it's not a Friday, is it?

It's been reported that we're back in the black despite a horror season with very few profitable home fixtures apart from the QB Blockbuster. I was once told that football clubs can play around with their figures but I accept what PJ says and am calling it a minor miracle. Imagine what we could do if we strung together a few wins early next season and suddenly became a finals contender? Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson declares the Demons made a profit in 2014 despite just four wins

An easy win in the end to the Oakleigh Chargers who will play the Calder Cannons in next week's grand final at Etihad Stadium. 2014 TAC Cup 2014 Oakleigh Chargers 3.3.21 9.5.59 11.8.74 17.12.114 Sandringham Dragons 2.2.14 2.5.17 5.6.36 5.10.40 Goals Oakleigh Chargers Kinsella Moore 3 De Goey Urban 2 Beasley Gowers Halsall McLean Pittonet Sinclair Waddell Sandringham Dragons McLaren 2 Clayton Maynard Neiwand Best Oakleigh Chargers Urban Answerth Pittonet Moore McLean Kinsella Sandringham Dragons Maynard Bazzani Balic Vickers-Willis Langdon Pavlou @TACCup: FT #TACCup Prelim Final @OakleighCharger 17.12 114 d @Sandy_Dragons 5.10 40. O: Kinsella, Moore 3 gls, Urban, De Goey 2. S: McLaren 2. @TACCup: Stats @OakleighCharger Urban 25d, McLean 23, Answerth, Phillips 22. @Sandy_Dragons Grace 28, Roos 26, Maynard 23, Fordham Bazzani Clayton 19

Oakleigh have a 38 point lead at 3QT @TACCup: 3QT #TACCup Prelim Final @OakleighCharger 11.9 75 to @Sandy_Dragons 5.7 37. O: De Goey 2, Kinsella 2, Moore 2. S: McLaren 2. @TACCup: 3QT stats: @OakleighCharger McLean 20d, Urban, Mahon 17, Answerth, Gowers 16. @Sandy_Dragons Grace 25, Maynard 21, Roos 18, Fordham 17

Completely off topic but for success starved Demon fans - @sos_andrew: @abcgrandstand @White_Adam QT Horsham District League GF - Laharum Demons 3.1 (19) v Stawell Swifts 3.0 (18)

Half Time: Calder Cannons 9.5.59 lead Sandringham Dragons 2.5.17 @TACCup: HT #TACCup Prelim Final @OakleighCharger 9.5 59 to @Sandy_Dragons 2.5 17. Oakleigh has kicked the last 8 goals of game. Moore & Kinsella 2 @TACCup: HT stats: @OakleighCharger Gowers 14d, McLean 13, Urban 12. @Sandy_Dragons Grace 16, Maynard 14, Langdon 13. #TACCup

So I'm sitting here in one of the stands at Visy Park with Melon22 and over to our right is the GWS entourage including SOS and a really fat bloke who I'm led to believe is getting paid $120k pa for sitting around watching kids playing footy. (apologies for the grainy picture but my Iphone camera isn't up to standard ASIO issue) Meanwhile, the Chargers are in control and lead by 4 goals.

Quarter Time: Oakleigh Chargers 3.3.21 leading 2.2.14 @TACCup: QT #TACCup Prelim Final @OakleighCharger 3.3 21 to @Sandy_Dragons 2.2 14. O Gowers 9d, McLean 8. S: Maynard 8, Langdon 7.

Brayshaw not playing today for the Dragons. That ankle injury keeping him out.

Big win to the Cannons by 53 points. @TACCup: FT #TACCup Prelim Final @CalderCannonsFC 15.12 102 d @DandyStingrays 7.7 48. C: Cauchi 4 gls, Cavka 3, Foster, Kerbatieh 2. D: Lonie 3. @TACCup: FT stats: @CalderCannonsFC O'Kearney 38, Goodyear 29, Cavka 26, Wunhym 25, Donoghue 22. @DandyStingrays White 24, Gray 21, Mullane, Lamb 18 2014 TAC Cup 2014 Calder Cannons 4.2.26 8.5.53 11.8.75 15.12.102 Dandenong Stingrays 1.1.7 3.5.23 5.6.36 7.7.49 Goals Calder Cannons Cauchi 4 Cavka 3 Foster Kerbatieh Wunhym 2 Moore Wright Dandenong Stingrays Lonie 3 Capiron Lamb Rice Wilson Calder Cannons James O'Kearney Kovacevic Goodyear Cauchi Smith Dandenong Stingrays White Gray Kempster Geurts Pawel Lonie

That's not right. There is a period starting about a week after the grand final and ending on 13 October, 2014 when clubs can pick up free agents who are either restricted FA's or unrestricted. Compensation is usually determined a few days after that. Delisted free agents can be taken after that time and without compensation playing a part.

The Calder Cannons have been strong for a decade and a half. Finished top of the ladder this year and now seem destined to make the TAC Cup Grand Final next week. @TACCup: 3QT TACCup Prelim Final: @CalderCannonsFC 11.8 74 to @DandyStingrays 5.6 36. C: O'Kearney 24d, Goodyear 22, Cavka 19. D: White 21, Gray 16

Agreed. Posters should be very careful where they go here. If the line is crossed there will be no warnings.

Noticed Karl Marx featured in that classic World Cup game between Germany and Greece. He might not be a Kant but he's nothing if not versatile:-

@TACCup: HT #TACCup Prelim Final: @CalderCannonsFC 8.5 53 to @DandyStingrays 3.5 23. C: O'Kearney 15d, Wunhym 14, Cavka 14. D: White 14, Gray 12

A good get but our game is uniquely Australian so what we really mead is our own homegrown philosophy department:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJkO-EKRVd0&sns=em

So now we know where chilliboy disappeared to!

Off twitter:- @TACCup: QT #TACCup Prelim Final: @CalderCannonsFC 4.2 28 to @DandyStingrays 1.1 7. C: Wunhym 9 disposals, O'Kearney, Cavka 8. D: Dale 7, Lovett 6

Look forward to hearing about the day from you. Touch and go whether, I'll make it out there myself.

Or higher up the food chain at the AFL itself?

Anyone going today?

The thing that stood out to me was the value of a dominant ruckman and Goldstein filled the bill last night. He monstered the Cats' rucks and its a tribute to their fighting spirit and their (albeit waning) talent and experience that go them so close. If you look at Melbourne's very few wins and our better games this season they came when we won in the ruck, mainly through Mark Jamar (and Spencer v Carlton). When the Russian's form lapsed at the end, apparently as a result of a lack of a pre season, we did too. He received some late back up from Max Gawn but losing Clark and Spencer and with King also out injured and being light on in strength and experience, we were at a disadvantage. I know we say "it's the midfield stupid" but the ruckman plays a big role in the midfield. Look at Sandilands and his understanding with Fyfe and others or at the way Goldstein controlled the centre bounces last night. I'd be disappointed if we weren't targeting one more ruck prospect for the future.

Does this mean that Roos is chasing players named Plato and Socrates in the TAC Cup?

I think it's all about balance. Being positioned where we are likely to be in this draft, we have the opportunity to recruit both youth and seasoned players with experience. Our recruiting in the Daniher/Bailey era was fixed almost entirely on the draft and by the time Neeld came along, he was hampered by the fact that so many of those early draft picks were either not up to it or worse still, unmitigated disasters. Roos is attempting to right the ship. We desperately need what he's doing to work. I was told by someone at the Bluey night (and I don't know if he speaks with any authority) that we can expect a list turnover of about 10 players with as many as six from other clubs. That sounds like the sort of change we need if we're to improve (along with the internal improvement of the many young players who remain on our list, a number of who, for various reasons, played little role in our 2014 campaign).