Whispering_Jack

Well, I've made it down to Casey Fields (well ahead of time I might add) and I'm wondering what on earth am I doing here in this godforsaken part of the world? There must be something happening here today because a few other vehicles are arriving and all of them have those little red and blue stickers on them. Oh well ...

by Whispering Jack There are some special moments in every sporting season when excitement runs to fever pitch and the world waits expectantly upon the spectacle about to unfold but, unfortunately, that is something which is unlikely to be said of the moment when the field umpire bounces the ball start proceedings between Richmond and Melbourne at around 2.10 pm this Sunday. The MCG co-tenants are the AFL's two most dysfunctional teams and, needless to say, both will be chasing their first victory for the year. The Tigers have been in turmoil since their gut wrenching opening match of the season when they were not only monstered by up and comers Carlton but they also lost glamour recruit Ben Cousins to yet another hamstring injury. The turmoil turned into full blown crisis mode last Monday after the Western Bulldogs comprehensively mauled them in the last three quarters of their game. Their supporters have been up in arms calling for the sacking of everyone from the president, the board, the coach and even the boot studder. I'm not a fan of Terry Wallace and I can understand the dissatisfaction of the Tiger faithful with a 0-3 score line after three rounds but plenty of teams have fought back from their situation to complete successful seasons. It's too early to be calling for his head. Of course, next week's another matter altogether if his charges falter against Melbourne. It's becoming commonplace for the Demons to face opposition teams at times when they are under the pump from their own supporters, the media and the public. Collingwood had just been through a week of soul searching after its shock opening round defeat at home against Adelaide and the Power endured seven days of ridicule and disgrace after being thumped out west. Now, it's the disgraced Tigers that carry the load of their insipid, mistake-riddled, inept losing form into their game against the Demons. You can't buy motivation better than that and what's more, Richmond has the perfect opposition in the AFL's punching bag against which to launch its recovery. For its part, Melbourne keeps on rolling along like Old Man River. No headlines in bold letters, just a feel good fluff piece half a dozen pages from the back about Jim Stynes wanting his injury-riddled team to start winning "so a losing mentality doesn't creep in." As if it hasn't well and truly crept in after the team has lost 39 of its last 47 games! Which all proves that Sunday's game at the MCG will be like the last couple of meetings between the two clubs. Nothing special. THE GAME Melbourne v Richmond at MCG - Sunday 19 April 2009 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Richmond 98 wins Melbourne 75 wins 2 draws At the MCG Richmond 64 wins Melbourne 56 wins 1 draw Since 2000 Richmond 9 wins Melbourne 5 wins The Coaches Wallace 2 wins Bailey 0 wins MEDIA TV Channel 7 3 pm (1 hour delay) Radio 3AW MMM K Rock THE BETTING Richmond to win $1.33 Melbourne to win $3.15 LAST TIME THEY MET Richmond 18.13.121 d Melbourne 6.5.41 in Round 22, 2008 at the MCG The Tigers finished off a season of improvement with a massive 80 point victory over a pathetic Melbourne team for which the end of the season couldn't come quickly enough. Unfortunately for the Demons and those of their supporters who turned up it was a slow death. THE TEAMS RICHMOND Backs Chris Newman Kelvin Moore Alex Rance Half Backs Tom Hislop Luke McGuane Dean Polo Centerline Matt White Shane Tuck Andrew Collins Half Forwards Nathan Brown Matthew Richardson Joel Bowden Forwards Mitch Morton Jack Reiwoldt Brett Deledio Followers Troy Simmons Daniel Jackson Nathan Foley Interchange Daniel Connors Angus Graham Jordan McMahon Robin Nahas Emergency Shane Edwards Jake King Jarred Oakley-Nicholls In Andrew Collins Daniel Connors Jordan McMahon Robin Nahas Out Shane Edwards Jake King Jay Schulz Richard Tambling New Andrew Collins (Bendigo Pioneers) MELBOURNE Backs Neville Jetty Matthew Warnock Jared Rivers Half Backs James Frawley Stefan Martin Aaron Davey Centerline Jamie Benn ell Lynden Dunn Brock McLean Half Forwards Matthew Bate Brent Maloney Michael Newton Forwards Brad Miller Colin Sylvia Caleb Morton Followers John Meesen Cameron Bruce Brad Green Interchange Clint Bartram Paul Johnson Nathan Jones Ricky Petted Emergencies Kyle Cheney Adam Maric Jake Spencer In Michael Newton Out Kyle Cheney MORE OF THE SAME It's no secret that Melbourne has been struggling under the weight of injuries and inexperience after off loading a number of club stalwarts at the end of 2008 and for this reason, the Demons and their coaching staff have been let off lightly by their own supporters and the baying dogs in the media who delight in making a meal out of the predicaments of others. The mantra about the team having bottomed out and the supporters needing to be patient is one thing but this cannot be allowed to become the convenient response to issues of concern about the team's performance on a week to week basis and there are several of these matters that need to be addressed as the club goes through its transition from cellar dweller to what will hopefully be a better future somewhere down the line. The inexperience factor is obviously one that is hurting the Demons right now. This week, the team will comprise of no more than four players with 100 games or more of AFL experience; Aaron Davey who reached the ton last week, Brad Miller who did so last year and Brad Green and Cameron Bruce who are in the 180's. To date, these players are at least holding their own but their combined experience is not enough to hold a young team together. If you look at the other clubs and the amount of experienced players they field each week (including this week's opponent Richmond which has several over 30's) and you know where the club is in terms of the cycle of development. At the other end of the scale, the club is fielding large numbers of players each week with less than fifty game's experience and five of the 26 tried so far this season have been debutants. Again, you can't expect much more from these players than what they've produced to date. Where the problem lies in my view is with the group of players in the early to mid 20's age group who have been at the club for around five years or so and who have generally played between around 50 and 100 games in that time. This group comprises names like Matthew Bate, Daniel Bell, Lynden Dunn, Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Brock McLean, Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Colin Sylvia. Michael Newton hasn't quite reached the games tally but you can add him to the group as well. Many of these players are first round draft picks and the club held high hopes for them in the past. Collectively, they are failing the club because their performances are simply not up to expectations. Yes, there are excuses in almost every case. A few are injured and haven't played yet this year. Moloney has been good after a couple of poor seasons. However, these players are vital for Melbourne's future resurgence and yet, they haven't taken the steps forward that are demanded at most AFL clubs. It would be a tragedy if their slow development (some would say their development is non existent) would be glossed over because of the "bottom out factor" which has seen the club avoid the criticism that's fallen upon Richmond and Terry Wallace this week. These players need to rise to the occasion in 2009 and not wait for the players of lesser experience to overtake them. The other area where the Demons are really struggling is up forward where an often outnumbered and outmanned attack is not only having difficulty in kicking anything like a winning score but is also constantly failing to keep the ball inside its forward fifty metre arc. The ball is routinely being swept away by opposition defenders who seem to be better positioned to the fall of the football and are able to move the ball out of defence with minimal pressure. The return to the team of Michael Newton and Adam Maric this week might assist but I suspect that the forward line issue is more of a long term problem for the Dees and will not be solved until more recently drafted younger blood is ready to play at this level. I've focussed predominantly on one team in this game because the other has been well covered in the media. Richmond will probably get up in this game because their form has ironically been less unimpressive (on the strength of the Tigers' performance against Geelong) than that of Melbourne which has made itself irrelevant again in the eyes of the football public. So the result may be irrelevant but I'm tipping Richmond by 15 points in what should be a dull, boring and colourless encounter on Sunday afternoon.

Either that or he's going to get one hell of a surprise when he sees Meesen run out onto AAMI Stadium in his place.

Is that 11 for the Demons or the Scorpions?

Only half of that side will play tomorrow. * 8 players are out injured; * 2 players (White & Yze) have moved on and * 1 player (Newton) will either be at the ground as an emergency or playing with Casey. They're pretty extraordinary figures. Many other clubs only have 2 or 3 on their injury lists. We have others who are also injured or couldn't be considered because they're still building up fitness at Casey after coming back from injury (eg Robbo).

It's partly luck and partly the resources the club has at its disposal i.e the money, equipment and people necessary to diagnose and treat your players. Unfortunately, we're behind some of the more well-heeled clubs.

There are clearly going to be a few issues to be decided at the selection table. I have no inside information on this but I wonder about Brock McLean. Over the first two weeks I've noticed that he lacks some penetration with his kicking. When he was starring with the Calder Cannons he had no problems slotting through the goals from outside 50 but you wouldn't back him from that distance ATM. His pace hasn't improved either; to the contrary, he appears slower. Is he fit or will he be a surprise "out injured" when the team is released tonight? There's no doubt a few changes are warranted - it's just a matter of what tack the selectors decide to take given the team is in a development phase. I think Jetta and Bennell will probably be sent back to the VFL and that should be fine. They've now had a taste and can continue with their learning curves at Casey. On the other hand I think Spencer will retain his spot - in the specialised ruck position he is going to learn more against the big Port ruckmen than against whoever Sandy has to throw up against him. The "ins" to me are Dunn, Maric and Meesen - all based on form with Bail also an outside chance. Although Maric didn't impress Pringle I have to say that I've been impressed with him since coming back from his hip operation. Last week at Casey he played a different role to that of the small forward which he fundamentally filled in his first two games. He was allowed to move down the ground and demonstrated that he's no longer simply a one dimensional FP crumber. I think therefore that he's a must for this team because he adds something different, something opposition club's will, in the not too distant future, have to work hard to counter.

Oh well, it is early but in case anybody is interested this is what took place today at the Morwell Football Ground:- Gippsland Power 2.0 4.3 10.5 13.8 (86) Dandenong Stingrays 6.5 8.7 14.10 16.11 (107) Goals: Gippsland Power: Butcher 5 Pincott 3 Vardy 2 Carr Northe Golby Dandenong Stingrays: Pitt 5 McInnes 2 Petropoulos 2 Stringer-Morris 2 Parker Clifford Bastinac Robertson Hallahan Best: Gippsland Power: Vardy Butcher Stevens Pincott Dowse Heppell Dandenong Stingrays: Scully Pitt Hallahan Mitchell Baumgartner Andrews That is all ...

Half time and we've managed to concede the lead after looking the better side for most of the first half. We played well but paid heavily for a few unforced errors. We're getting monstered in the ruck and need a focal point at FF. And Nathan Jones should have slotted that last shot. All in all, a fair improvement on how we played for much of 2008 but we need someone to take control after half time. Brock? Col?

We seem to have fixed that one up over the week.

I think the story's title says it all. Unfortunately, the Age has descended rapidly from the lofty heights it once occupied as a newspaper of quality. If you think it's footy coverage is bad then don't bother with the general news or anything in the international sphere.

Well put and I can't argue with your stats but I look at a ruckman in terms of his overall role and in that regard McIntosh did a lot more than win hitouts. You can see from his overall stats and his three goals how telling his role was yesterday. He was a ruckman, a midfielder who can kick, took some strong saving marks in defence and when he went forward he ended up kicking more goals than anyone else on the ground. I just hope that Spencer and Johnson learned something from all that.

6 - Moloney 5 - Cheney 4 - Jones 3 - Frawley 2 - Green 1 - Petterd

Yes, we're off the bottom for the first time in 19 months. Not much of a big deal when you've been beaten comprehensively by a team that's being touted to finish outside the 8 this year. I thought we were outcoached today, apart from the fact that we fell away in our skills and decision making as the game went on. Our forward line is a shambles and doesn't get good service from midfield and our structures and positioning were poor. I saw one ray of light out at Casey yesterday in the form of Addam Maric who is a player who knows where the goals are and is desperate to kick them. Unfortunately, we don't have any tall KPP's readily available who can kick bags of goals on any given week, let alone every week.

Absolutely. It was something reminiscent of one of those clotheslines from the World Wrestling Federation in the days when wrestling was a fair dinkum sport and not a single cut lunch thrown in the Hawthorn v Geelong game came close to matching Grinter's effort. Still, I reckon 6 weeks was a tad too much and under today's system he would have probably gotten off on appeal with 97.5 demerit points because Wallace did play the following week and Balls nearly died of septicemea from the infection to his forearm.

I've never rubbished the alignment but I'm sure Redleg will vouch for the difficulties he had with one of the gatekeepers trying to get into the ground on a Melbourne supporter's AFL members pass two years ago. The bloke might have only been doing his job but I know that more than 1 Melbourne member wasn't happy at the treatment. And while the alignment was a success, there are Sandy officials going around saying what a great deal they've done in dumping Melbourne and taking on the Saints. In any event, my comment was directed more from my own personal viewpoint at the friendly way the Casey people are accommodating Melbourne fans down there at the moment. It's a very positive and refreshing thing to see and augurs well for another successful alignment from our pont of view. Anyway Zebraman. Keep it up because it can only help stir things along and get more people down to TBO for round 1.

I've never rubbished the alignment but I'm sure Redleg will vouch for the difficulties he had with one of the gatekeepers trying to get into the ground on an Melbourne supporter's AFL members pass two years ago. The bloke might have only been doing his job but I know that more than 1 Melbourne member wasn't happy at the treatment. And while the alignment was a success, there are Sandy officials going around saying what a great deal they've done in dumping Melbourne and taking on the Saints. In any event, my comment was directed more from my own personal viewpoint at the friendly way the Casey people are accommodating Melbourne fans down there at the moment. It's a very positive and refreshing thing to see and augurs well for another successful alignment from our pont of view. Anyway Zebraman. Keep it up because it can only help stir things along and get more people down to TBO for round 1.

Don't listen to what they tell you at Coburg. Just follow KC at Demonland - CASEY SCORPIONS PREPARE.

The question is whether the coach was getting an accurate diagnosis. From the sound of it (ie. Doc Larkins) there is some confusion over it.

Fantastic if that's the case because I doubt whether we ever got that sort of assistance at Sandy. Also, I found the Casey staff at the ground to be more friendly and accommodating than at TBO.

Casey Scorpions v Frankston Dolphins at Casey Fields 28 March 2009 Seniors - game starts at 2:00pm 1 Kyle Matthews © 4 Ben Waite 5 Michael Stockdale 6 Peter Faulks 7 Nick Scanlon 11 James Wall 17 Rian McGough 18 Jared Matheson 20 David Collins 22 Ben MaCreadie 24 Pierce Liddle 31 Alex Silvagni 38 Kainen Schrape 41 Aaron Hillberg 51 Liam Jurrah 55 Addam Maric 57 Shane Valenti 61 John Meesen 65 Stefan Martin 66 Jordie McKenzie 69 Rohan Bail 70 Michael Newton 73 Austin Wonaeamirri 77 Trent Zomer 79 Colin Sylvia Reserves - game starts at 11.10am 2 Beau Vernon 8 Scott Mcleod 9 Matthew Moore 12 Andrew Oldmeadow 13 James Taylor 14 Evan Panozza 15 Tim Mohr 16 Chris Clay 19 James Terry 23 Matthew Rosier 25 Wade Lees 26 Gus Patti 27 Cade Maskell 29 Tim Crespin 33 Terry Mildren 34 Jack Mazurek 36 Josh Bolton 37 Jed Costigan 39 Sam Benbow 42 Scott Virtue 45 James Dean 46 Sam Gibson 47 Dean Kelly 53 Kyle Swinden Thanks to Casey Scorpions for releasing the team sheets. KC should be down there to report on events.

I agree that it was pressure but not necessarily from the opposition. This was self-imposed pressure after a pre season of razzmatazz with the club under constant scrutiny over the Ben Cousins recruitment. It served its purpose in terms of selling memberships and getting bums on seats last night but the Tigers have learned in the hardest way possible that it has a dark side as well. Their season isn't lost but they're going to have to pull of an upset in the next fortnight because it's hard to come back when you're 0-3 and you have a lousy percentage.

I was privileged to be at the club's Debt Demolition evening last year. The actual presentation was spectacular and I'm sure that many supporters would be happy to come along to a similar function and contribute to the club. I think it could work in its own right and therefore if its promotion were focussed in the direction of providing entertainment for the members at a cost which they could willingly pay for then we could have a winner. I agree however, that it shouldn't be focussed on the tin rattling aspect.

Any danger of you blokes playing out this lover's quarrel via PM's rather than boring the rest of us with it?

I think the game did a little bit to clarify the make up of Sunday's Melbourne team v North Melbourne. PJ clearly grabbed a rucking position for the game where he will team up with Jake Spencer. They should form the team's ruck combination until the Russian comes off the LTI when the selectors might face a dilemma. Jared Rivers has had 2.5 games since recovering from his ankle injury. He did enough to warrant a return to the Melbourne jumper next weekend. The others need time. For Jurrah, it was his first run for the year and he needs a lot more hard work. If he can repeat some of those individual flashes of brilliance in the AFL he's going to be a sensation but there's a fair way to go as I indicated elsewhere. Aussie & Addam also need more games at this level to build up their fitness. Both will make the Demon forward line a more dangerous place for the opposition because they know where to be and have good disposal skills. As an aside, I watched the Tiwi Islands grand final on ABC2 today and it was interesting to see Aussie's father, Matthew, who is president of the competition up there.