Whispering_Jack

Actually, only a couple of weeks ago when we played the reigning premiers in Launceston. Meanwhile, faultydet and junior will be pleased to know that over on the Brisbane board on bigfooty they're hanging on your every word. The game's being played in their state but they need to log on to a Melbourne board for the scores. If we keep going the way we are, pease don't forget to stick it right up them if you can.

Just me. Giving full scores and the like (was going to pm you at half time).

Yes, keep up the good work faulty & pass on our thanks to junior.

Thanks for your offer faultydet. I remember last year when we played the Tigers up at Cairns both sites crashed at times during the course of the game. Hopefully, people will stick to the one site and we'll get regular scores and updates without interruption to the system.

At an MFC function launching the President's Club tonight Jimmy Stynes said he wants to make 4 announcements before the start of the season: (i) the deal with Casey Council; (ii) an agreement with the Melbourne Cricket Club re the future; (iii) the club's major sponsor (up to the last week there were about 3 options including dual sponsors, now a couple more have emerged); and (iv) the #1 ticket holder. Should be an interesting 2 to 3 weeks ahead.

I should add that there was nothing sinister meant by that at all. It's good to see young blokes enjoying training.

After the way he was treated last time around I wouldn't blame him for not digging too deep. Apparently, he has made a big financial comeback but whether he's prepared to kick in the $'s is another thing. It's great to have him back and hopefully he will put in the balance of the pledged amount that he was supposed to put in at the time when he was deposed (nearly $300k) but I wouldn't go holding my breath while waiting.

I was down at Casey Fields this afternoon and watched some of the training. This was a special session as most training is conducted first thing in the morning. I missed a fair bit of the session so it's not fair to mention players I didn't notice but FWIW here are some snippets: Addam Maric was doing training with the forward line group. However, as he's missed a fair bit of pre season training so far, he's not considered ready to play a NAB Challenge game. It looks like he'll be used as a crumbing forward when he's fully fit and not in the midfield because he hasn't got a big enough engine. Some players were taking it lightly and these are the players who will be rested this week. Brad Green is one who will be rotated off this week. There will be others as the club wants to control the players' workload and get a chance to look at those who haven't had much of a run so far. Jake Spencer was in his civvies (no noticeable injury - possibly also being rested) as was Aussie who's recuperating from his first hamstring injury ever so he will be nursed through a 4 week recovery instead of the more usual 3 weeks. Jack Watts was out there with the forwards looking as if he was enjoying training with the boys. He looks to be getting on well with Colin Sylvia. Mark Jamar has a stress fracture of his toe. Will be a couple of weeks yet. Robbo did his bit and then came off earlier than the rest of the group but this is normal for the type of work needed when recovering from an Achilles operation. He looks a little way off yet and will probably have to start at Casey. Liam Jurrah looks spindly but impressive. I think he's on a modified programme and is regared as a project player. I don't know if that rules him out of any practice games at this stage of proceedings. Jared Rivers was doing light training away from the main group of defenders but I believe he will play half a game in Cairns on Friday night. Paul Wheatley was out there with a bandage on his calf and generally taking it easy. Finally, the players were all wearing their full Demon gear i.e the authentic MFC jumped. No sign of a major sponsor's logo anywhere!

But is it more than what Footscray's actually getting from Mission Foods?

Probably the worst kept secret in the annals of AFL history has been let out of the bag by the Herald Sun - Secrets of Chris Judd's pay packet revealed "Cash payments from Visy to Judd - believed to total several hundred thousand dollars a year - come on top of his $1 million-a-season Carlton pay packet. AFL chiefs have approved the arrangement." The AFL's level playing field was pronounced dead when the AFL tinkered with the draw so that it favours clubs like Collingwood with its high drawing power. Now the salary cap which was supposed to help even out the competition is also dead. What next? The premiers get first selection in the national draft as a reward? And what a farce this makes of Chri$ Judd's so-called selection and interview process. The insiders appear to have been right on the button with their claims that Judd had made his decision well before he went through that farcical process in late 2007 during which supporters of Collingwood, Essendon and Melbourne were led to believe that he might go to their club. Oh, and the Visy ecology message has about as much credibility as its leading spokespeson - zilch!

Well done. Next time we update our links we will link to the blog. Cheers

I have my doubts about whether the 18 team competition will happen within the time line envisaged by the AFL. I don't mind the idea of a two conference set up if we ever get to 20 teams. However, I don't think it should be organised along the lines of Victorians in one conference against the others.

You're being unkind to Rivers Fan. In his last full game, a half fit Rivers was a major factor in our 51 point turnaround victory against Freo in round 7 last year. With our improving backline, the return of a fit Rivers to the team, could be pivotal to our prospects because it might well open up a situation where one of the defenders - even Rivers himself - could go forward. I have full confidence that, wherever he plays, Rivers will "put up".

We would rather not have to use our moderating powers at all and rather, have our boards open to comment by all. We don't mind the occasional piece of good natured kidding around if done in good humour but what was done by Occo stepped over the boundary. What made it worse was the lack of remorse shown, a factor which served to make the penalty far more severe than that which would have otherwise applied.

Long goal to Swans seals the game - 8 pts.

O'Keefe then Sylvia for goals. 3 points down.

Goal to Sydney's Mike Pyke from a Meesen tap out. Then a goal to Jetta. Two points down.

The breeze is more across the ground now.

Goal to Col and were now only 3 points down at 3/4 time. Sydney 6.8.44 to Melbourne 6.5.41 Daniel Bell off with what appears to be an ankle injury. Bail & Valenti substitutes. Valenti came on in the third.

Goal to Junior followed by a nice angle goal on the run to Jetta. Ten points down.

We're getting a bath. Swans full of running and winning the ball easily out of the middle. Lead 6.7.43 to 3.2.20. Getting ugly.

Wind favouring the end Melbourne are kicking to in the next qtr. Miller is the only forward in the game. Juice and PJ up forward - struggling. Better players - Garland, Grimes, McLean with Bennell, Jetta, Strauss & Spencer showing out.

Make that 2. Half time: Sydney 3.5.23 Melbourne 3.2.20. Doing reasonably well in defence and around the ground but nothing up forward.

Armerestle in the second qtr. Only one goal to Swans.

first goal to Swans after 16 minutes. Q time 3.1 to 1.3