Whispering_Jack

I think there were reasons for every departure of experienced players at the club which are common to most other organisations and its useless playing the blame game at this time because we're never fully privy to all of the reasons why players left in those turbulent times. On balance, I have few regrets and when I look at today's list I can't see how any of them, Sylvia included, would really enhance the list we have today. As for Colin at Fremantle - I've read numerous reports about his fitness (or lack thereof) in the lead up to this season and they all suggest that he's a fair way off. A decision was made by the Dockers that he play in the NAB Challenge in the heat and, based on what I saw, the wrong decision was made. He's a long way off anything like his best. It's interesting to contrast that situation to the one we have at Melbourne where some supporters are exasperated that we don't have Mitch Clark or Mark Jamar out on the park playing in the NAB Challenge or the intraclub game. The fact is they're not ready and it's best to take the most conservative line of approach with your players' bodies if you want to get the best out of them during the season proper.

Very much so BB. Jack is currently the flavour of the month at the MFC and I'm proud to lead the Melbourne Jack Pack which goes all the way back to the late great Jack Mueller to the many Jacks we have at the club and even to Jack the K9. And our bite is worse than our bark.

Pity the rain didn't come a few hours later. It would have brought an entire new meaning to the concept of flooding in football. In the aftermath of that game, we have dropped out of the top four on the unofficial NAB Challenge ladder which now reads: Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4 West Coast 1 - - 148 64 231.3 4 Adelaide 1 - - 119 59 201.7 4 Western Bulldogs 1 - - 67 56 119.6 4 Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4 Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4 Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4 Gold Coast 1 - - 90 89 101.1 4 GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Essendon - 1 - 89 90 98.9 0 Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0 North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0 Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0 St. Kilda - 1 - 56 67 83.6 0 Port Adelaide - 1 - 59 119 49.6 0 Fremantle - 1 - 64 148 43.2 0 Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

Surely, this is an appropriate time for Caroline Wilson to trot out her writing template calling for the Richmond President and CEO to resign and for Martin and Jake King (whose questionable connections were highlighted recently when the First Lady of Football was conveniently on leave) to be summarily dismissed. She could also add that there are now huge question marks about the ability of that club's coach to take the team forward in the wake of its recent shock NAB Challenge defeat at the hands of the AFL's easy beats. Wait ... I forgot we're taking about Richmond and they have immunity from that template. Where's the wet lettuce?

They were struggling early in their group match against Bangla Desh when just 4/61 after 23 overs but came good to win by 81 runs. Jake Doran who played in the CA Chairman's XI against the English tourists when just 16 years of age in November last year scored 99 not out for the Aussies to get them to 6/244 before bundling out the opposition who collapsed to lose their last 8 wickets for 35 runs. I have no idea what happens from here but I don't think the Aussies are as dominant at this level as they have been in the past.

Besides which, your dog's called Jack and is therefore welcome at any venue where the MFC plays.

I know absolutely nothing about this Supercoach shtick but it's pleasing to see that two of he 10 players named in the following article about young Supercoach contenders are Demoms: Serious SuperCoach: The 10 rookies you should pick in 2014

If you come over to my place tonight I'll give you 5 bucks to buy a new joke book. It's time!

ASADA CEO Job Ad

That's what I would expect from a ruckman at the first training session for a B Grade amateur club, not AFL. Clearly unfit and should not have played. Lyon wasn't taking the game seriously.

What you say might be right but I was never really comfortable with Craig's coaching style after the first couple of weeks honeymoon period. Our output during that period was disappointing and no better than under Neeld. Those massive lapses when under pressure continued even though our draw in the second half of the year was easier. Having said that it was a mammoth job coaching a team that was bereft of confidence but I'm not convinced that having the man who was mentor to the former coach (and failed miserably in that capacity) take over his role.

Correct weight. I have a plan for Col. He has a strong case for misrepresentation against the Fremantle recruiter who said they would turn him into a star at Dockerland.

I know it's not de rigeur around here to compliment former coaches but, after viewing Friday night's game in replay, I couldn't help but think what a genius Neil Balme was in his latter days as coach at the club. I remember back in those days, he introduced the same sort of keepings off backwards, sideways chip passing game that worked well for us on Friday night. Unfortunately, our players rarely looked forward (possibly because the Ox and Garry Lyon were often out injured), had trouble scoring and eventually he was sacked. Clearly, a man ahead of his times.

The unofficial NAB Challenge ladder and we're still in the top 4: Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4 West Coast 1 - - 148 64 231.3 4 Adelaide 1 - - 119 59 201.7 4 Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4 Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4 Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4 Gold Coast 1 - - 90 89 101.1 4 GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0 St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Essendon - 1 - 89 90 98.9 0 Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0 North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0 Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0 Port Adelaide - 1 - 59 119 49.6 0 Fremantle - 1 - 64 148 43.2 0 Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

Five possessions!I must have missed four of them.

This and mjt's reference to Trengove demonstrates by how much mjt misses the point.This transcends club politics; it's about our game and about sport in this country. The eyes of the world are on us and if we show them we don't have the stomach for catching and exposing the cheats, we all suffer in the end. That's not to suggest that the players in this scenario (mostly from Essendon) are cheats but those who set them up certainly are. Unfortunately for the players concerned, if it's proven they took prohibited substances then they will have to wear the consequences like everyone else, irrespective of who they play for.

A trick he learned at Melbourne.

Squeezed out, I suspect. I'm sure she'll have to sign some sort of confidentiality document before she gets her golden handshake.

Not to my knowledge. Just watching Colin Sylvia wearing the number 4 for Fremantle. Tony Shaw calling him the player who could be the X Factor for the Dockers. Really?

ASADA CEO, Aurora Andruska announces her retirement to take effect in May. Strange goings-on in ASADA lately. Hard to know what to make of it.

And the unofficial NAB Challenge ladder: Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4 Adelaide 1 - - 119 59 201.7 4 Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4 Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4 Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4 Gold Coast 1 - - 90 89 101.1 4 Fremantle - - - 0 0 100.0 0 GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0 St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0 West Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0 Essendon - 1 - 89 90 98.9 0 Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0 North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0 Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0 Port Adelaide - 1 - 59 119 49.6 0 Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

I watched the replay of the first quarter last night and found this pearler from Dwayno - "They've had some opportunities Melbourne. They should be further in front." Score: Richmond 1.1.7 to Melbourne 0.5.5

Clarko takes aim and makes sure he keeps his nose clean by sympathising with Vlad in this Caroline Wilson article Game was 'ambushed'

The mail is that Billy Stretch was rested as a precaution from last Saturday’s annual SA Under-18 Academy trial match due to a sore groin but is expected to play a major role in his state's defence of the National Championships in May to July.

AFL to assess Giants separately for costs of living allowance Quite frankly, there is no place for the massive cost of living allowances afforded to both Sydney clubs as long as we have a free agency situation. It simply goes against the grain to have situations where these clubs can offer big money to potential recruits that can't be matched by the other clubs courtesy of this allowance a la Tippett and Franklin. Moreover, the clubs should now be lobbying the AFL Commissioners to ensure that we have a truly level playing field when it comes to recruiting/retaining players.