Whispering_Jack

On the Couch - Fox Sports 1 at 8.30pm. The President will be on ... (apparently)

We haven't played a night game this year so what's he doing sticking his nose into our business?

by JVM In between football seasons, one of the bigger news items doing the rounds was the story of how the North Melbourne Football Club reinvigorated itself under James Brayshaw to a point where it managed to stave off a substantial push from the AFL for it to relocate to the Gold Coast and then rebuilt its membership to record numbers. The Kangaroos are not out of the woods yet but, with solid on field performances to match their off field repositioning, they have gained the respect and admiration of many in the football world and have assumed a stable condition. The new patient in the AFL's intensive care ward is the Melbourne Football Club whose condition is approaching critical. Off the field, the Demons have performed woefully despite also recording record membership numbers thanks to a late surge when Jimmy Stynes took over the club's chairmanship mantle. However, the books show that it is trending to a loss of somewhere in the region of $2 million and a debt of around $5 million. The situation has been described as "perilous" and the instability around the club has been characterised by the movement of key personnel through the club's revolving front door. The on field story is not much better - some might say it's worse. There have been a few improved displays of late but even the best of days have been marred by patches of mediocrity. Last week, the team started like a house on fire against the Dockers at Subiaco but the flame was almost extinguished by half time. An 80 point turnaround between quarter and full time left us all with as pathetic an impression of a struggling football team as you can get. The only redeeming feature of the 46-point thumping at the hands of 14th placed Freo was that the team Melbourne put on the ground had accumulated less than half the number of games and the playing list was nearly 2½ years younger per player than its rival on the day. With players of the calibre of Brad Green, Brock McLean, Jared Rivers, James McDonald, Brent Moloney and Russell Robertson missing through injury and some handy older players on the outer, the reasons for the club's critical on field condition has been obvious for all to see. Things are unlikely to get better this week as the AFL's two major hospital cases Melbourne and North Melbourne shape up against each other for the second time this year. The Kangaroos will be hoping to consolidate a place in the top eight while the best that the Demons can expect is to climb a single rung of the ladder if they can somehow win the game. They could also do so if they lose but only if they do so by a lesser margin than their nearest rivals, the West Coast Eagles. Melbourne might well be hoping for victory to divert attention away from the off-field controversies that have raged during the week but it also needs to prove that it's not quite on the deathbed yet. To achieve that, it needs to put up a better showing than it did the last time these teams met. THE GAME Melbourne v North Melbourne at MCG – Sunday 27 July 2008 at 2:10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 83 wins North Melbourne 62 wins 1 draw At the MCG Melbourne 54 wins North Melbourne 30 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 7 wins North Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches Bailey 0 wins Laidley 1 win MEDIA TV Channel 7 - delayed telecast 3:00pm RADIO 3AW MMM 774ABC KRock THE BETTING Melbourne to win $4.75 North Melbourne to win $1.16 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 18.19.127 d Melbourne 11.13.79, Round 4, 2008, at MCG Melbourne had opened the season with two awful defeats at the hands of Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs and then showed promise of hope with a much-improved performance at Geelong. Against North Melbourne however, they looked like rank amateurs. The Kangaroos dominated from the first bounce and only their atrocious kicking for goal prevented the game from becoming a complete massacre. Once North started finding its targets up forward it was virtually all one-way traffic with Thompson booting five and Edwards and Thomas three each. Fortunately for the Dees, only Thomas will be on hand to do damage this weekend but there are plenty of other Shinbones capable of getting the goals when the team is on song. The bad news is that Melbourne's better players on that day were Brad Green and James McDonald. The former will miss again with a hamstring injury and the latter has been missing for a few weeks with a groin problem and is by no means guaranteed a game this week. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Matthew Whelan Colin Garland Matthew Warnock Half backs Chris Johnson Daniel Bell Lynden Dunn Centreline Cale Morton Cameron Bruce Simon Buckley Half forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Aaron Davey Forwards Michael Newton Brad Miller James McDonald Followers Mark Jamar Clint Bartram Nathan Jones Interchange Paul Johnson Addam Maric Stefan Martin Shane Valenti Emergencies Nathan Carroll Jeff White In James McDonald Addam Maric Out Paul Wheatley (calf) Austin Wonaeamirri (soreness) NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Shannon Watt Michael Firrito Daniel Pratt Half backs Gavin Urquhart Josh Gibson Leigh Harding Centreline Matt Campbell Daniel Harris Brent Harvey Half forwards Lachlan Hansen David Hale Corey Jones Forwards Scott McMahon Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas Followers Todd Goldstein Adam Simpson Daniel Wells Interchange Shannon Grant Blake Grima Sam Power Brady Rawlings Emergencies Leigh Brown Matt Riggio Jess Sinclair In Blake Grima Out Ben Ross (ankle) Field umpires McLaren Fila Hendrie If you go purely on form then selecting the winner of this game is a no brainer. The Kangaroos have collected some impressive scalps this season including top four teams Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs. They were unlucky to only share two premiership points with Sydney in that extra man on the ground fiasco earlier in the year. The Roos are on the march with wins in three of their last four games and their only defeat in that time came at the hands of in form St. Kilda who they led for most of the game. The Demons were given a flogging by Fremantle after quarter time last week after an excellent start and prior to that their form could best be described as "indifferent". However, the Dees are back home at the G where their form since the Roos comprehensively beat them earlier in the season has been more than competitive. Further, their chances of winning would significantly increase if they could hold North Melbourne’s small running players led by Brent "Boomer" Harvey but also including the dynamic duo Lindsay Thomas and Matt Campbell and an old stager in Shannon Grant. The likes of Matthew Whelan, Clint Bartram and possibly even Colin Garland will need to be on their toes if they are to shut down these players who are all dangerous in front of goal. The big question is who will tag "Boomer"? Some of Melbourne’s younger brigade are showing signs of tiring after a tough season and it’s interesting to see Jeff White, James McDonald and Nathan Carroll named in the initial squad, suggesting that Dean Bailey has recognised the arduous nature of a long season on novices at this level. At selection, the Demons have again lost one of their most consistent performers through injury - this time Paul Wheatley who will sorely be missed. I think this game will be a lot closer than some people might think and I've selected North Melbourne to win by the narrowest of margins to make it three in a row for them for the first time this year. They will win the game because they will be more desperate given that a finals position is on the line. They also have the benefit of coming off a nine-day break against a team that has had two days less to prepare and is a young side coming back from a trip to Perth. North Melbourne by 8 points.

HEALTH MATTERS by JVM In between football seasons, one of the bigger news items doing the rounds was the story of how the North Melbourne Football Club reinvigorated itself under James Brayshaw to a point where it managed to stave off a substantial push from the AFL for it to relocate to the Gold Coast and then rebuilt its membership to record numbers. The Kangaroos are not out of the woods yet but, with solid on field performances to match their off field repositioning, they have gained the respect and admiration of many in the football world and have assumed a stable condition. The new patient in the AFL's intensive care ward is the Melbourne Football Club whose condition is approaching critical. Off the field, the Demons have performed woefully despite also recording record membership numbers thanks to a late surge when Jimmy Stynes took over the club's chairmanship mantle. However, the books show that it is trending to a loss of somewhere in the region of $2 million and a debt of around $5 million. The situation has been described as "perilous" and the instability around the club has been characterised by the movement of key personnel through the club's revolving front door. The on field story is not much better - some might say it's worse. There have been a few improved displays of late but even the best of days have been marred by patches of mediocrity. Last week, the team started like a house on fire against the Dockers at Subiaco but the flame was almost extinguished by half time. An 80 point turnaround between quarter and full time left us all with as pathetic an impression of a struggling football team as you can get. The only redeeming feature of the 46-point thumping at the hands of 14th placed Freo was that the team Melbourne put on the ground had accumulated less than half the number of games and the playing list was nearly 2½ years younger per player than its rival on the day. With players of the calibre of Brad Green, Brock McLean, Jared Rivers, James McDonald, Brent Moloney and Russell Robertson missing through injury and some handy older players on the outer, the reasons for the club's critical on field condition has been obvious for all to see. Things are unlikely to get better this week as the AFL's two major hospital cases Melbourne and North Melbourne shape up against each other for the second time this year. The Kangaroos will be hoping to consolidate a place in the top eight while the best that the Demons can expect is to climb a single rung of the ladder if they can somehow win the game. They could also do so if they lose but only if they do so by a lesser margin than their nearest rivals, the West Coast Eagles. Melbourne might well be hoping for victory to divert attention away from the off-field controversies that have raged during the week but it also needs to prove that it's not quite on the deathbed yet. To achieve that, it needs to put up a better showing than it did the last time these teams met. THE GAME Melbourne v North Melbourne at MCG – Sunday 27 July 2008 at 2:10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 83 wins North Melbourne 62 wins 1 draw At the MCG Melbourne 54 wins North Melbourne 30 wins Since 2000 Melbourne 7 wins North Melbourne 6 wins The Coaches Bailey 0 wins Laidley 1 win MEDIA TV Channel 7 - delayed telecast 3:00pm RADIO 3AW MMM 774ABC KRock THE BETTING Melbourne to win $4.75 North Melbourne to win $1.16 LAST TIME THEY MET North Melbourne 18.19.127 d Melbourne 11.13.79, Round 4, 2008, at MCG Melbourne had opened the season with two awful defeats at the hands of Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs and then showed promise of hope with a much-improved performance at Geelong. Against North Melbourne however, they looked like rank amateurs. The Kangaroos dominated from the first bounce and only their atrocious kicking for goal prevented the game from becoming a complete massacre. Once North started finding its targets up forward it was virtually all one-way traffic with Thompson booting five and Edwards and Thomas three each. Fortunately for the Dees, only Thomas will be on hand to do damage this weekend but there are plenty of other Shinbones capable of getting the goals when the team is on song. The bad news is that Melbourne's better players on that day were Brad Green and James McDonald. The former will miss again with a hamstring injury and the latter has been missing for a few weeks with a groin problem and is by no means guaranteed a game this week. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Matthew Whelan Colin Garland Matthew Warnock Half backs Chris Johnson Daniel Bell Lynden Dunn Centreline Cale Morton Cameron Bruce Simon Buckley Half forwards Colin Sylvia Matthew Bate Aaron Davey Forwards Michael Newton Brad Miller James McDonald Followers Mark Jamar Clint Bartram Nathan Jones Interchange Paul Johnson Addam Maric Stefan Martin Shane Valenti Emergencies Nathan Carroll Jeff White In James McDonald Addam Maric Out Paul Wheatley (calf) Austin Wonaeamirri (soreness) NORTH MELBOURNE Backs Shannon Watt Michael Firrito Daniel Pratt Half backs Gavin Urquhart Josh Gibson Leigh Harding Centreline Matt Campbell Daniel Harris Brent Harvey Half forwards Lachlan Hansen David Hale Corey Jones Forwards Scott McMahon Drew Petrie Lindsay Thomas Followers Todd Goldstein Adam Simpson Daniel Wells Interchange Shannon Grant Blake Grima Sam Power Brady Rawlings Emergencies Leigh Brown Matt Riggio Jess Sinclair In Blake Grima Out Ben Ross (ankle) Field umpires McLaren Fila Hendrie If you go purely on form then selecting the winner of this game is a no brainer. The Kangaroos have collected some impressive scalps this season including top four teams Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs. They were unlucky to only share two premiership points with Sydney in that extra man on the ground fiasco earlier in the year. The Roos are on the march with wins in three of their last four games and their only defeat in that time came at the hands of in form St. Kilda who they led for most of the game. The Demons were given a flogging by Fremantle after quarter time last week after an excellent start and prior to that their form could best be described as "indifferent". However, the Dees are back home at the G where their form since the Roos comprehensively beat them earlier in the season has been more than competitive. Further, their chances of winning would significantly increase if they could hold North Melbourne’s small running players led by Brent "Boomer" Harvey but also including the dynamic duo Lindsay Thomas and Matt Campbell and an old stager in Shannon Grant. The likes of Matthew Whelan, Clint Bartram and possibly even Colin Garland will need to be on their toes if they are to shut down these players who are all dangerous in front of goal. The big question is who will tag "Boomer"? Some of Melbourne’s younger brigade are showing signs of tiring after a tough season and it’s interesting to see Jeff White, James McDonald and Nathan Carroll named in the initial squad, suggesting that Dean Bailey has recognised the arduous nature of a long season on novices at this level. At selection, the Demons have again lost one of their most consistent performers through injury - this time Paul Wheatley who will sorely be missed. I think this game will be a lot closer than some people might think and I've selected North Melbourne to win by the narrowest of margins to make it three in a row for them for the first time this year. They will win the game because they will be more desperate given that a finals position is on the line. They also have the benefit of coming off a nine-day break against a team that has had two days less to prepare and is a young side coming back from a trip to Perth. North Melbourne by 8 points.

So will I. I think that Petterd along with Clint Bartram are only going to keep on improving - especially with a full pre season behind them. I agree with everything Chopper said about Petterd except for the comment about Sunday's game being "his best game so far this year." His game the week before against Williamstown was at least its equal. This means that he's played two high quality games in a row at VFL level so he can't be too far away from a return to the Demons.

That seems to be an accurate figure based on which Jimmy told the meeting I attended earlier in the week.

I've been a strong supporter of the club's policy of pushing youth into the team at the expense of the older group who won't play a part in the club's next assault on a flag. At the same time however, we also have to appreciate that most young players in their first, second and even third seasons tend to tire after a long, hard season. With so many young players in the side last week we fell away badly after half time at Subiaco. For that reason, I think it's time to start bringing some of the more experienced players into the team and resting a few of our younger players. That sort of management might be helpful in ensuring that our younger players develop at an appropriate rate rather than succumb to some of the injuries that tend to plague them if they're overworked in their formative seasons. On the basis of their form at Sandy, I'd give Nathan Carroll and Adem Yze a go this week.

It's good light hearted entertainment. The morale of the story is never take seriously someone who can't spell the name Barassi.

Game, set and match.

Fantastic. It's started already and it's still July! Since you mentioned it, here's a bit of WAFL watch. Daniel Rich had only 9 touches (4 kicks and 5 handballs), 1 mark and kicked a goal in Subiaco's big win at the weekend. In another game, Swan Districts had at least four major draft hopefuls in their team including Nick Naitanui whose states of 4 kicks, 9 handballs, 1 mark and 10 hit outs were nothing special. Chris Yarran had 9 kicks, 4 handballs 2 marks and a goal while Neville Jetta got 13 disposals (7 kicks) and 3 marks. The best of them statistically was Clancee Pearce with 13 kicks 10 hanballs 6 marks and 2 goals. Time to have another look at Pearce's performance for WA in the Under 18 final match. His stocks could be rising.

My alternative strip suggestion is not to have an alternative strip.

I don't know anything about George Savvides and this is nothing against him personally but if he's the CFO then surely he's the one responsible for the fine mess we're in at the moment i.e. at least two years of performing well below budget and this year staring at a $2m loss. How are we weakened by his resignation?

This thread bring back memories of what some Carlton supporters were saying a year ago about Bryce Gibbs. A summer or two in the gym and 20 more games experience in Morton's legs will change this appreciably.

After yesterday's debacle, it's unlikely that Melbourne will end up 14th. We're a game and percentage behind Fremantle and they still have to play West Coast so even if we beat the Eagles later in the year, we're still a fair way behind them. The likelihood is that we'll finish 15th or 16th and if Watts gets picked up ahead of our pick or if he doesn't nominate, we'll get Rich or Naitanui.

FROM SHIFTER'S WRAP: UNDER 18 ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM Backs Nick Suban (Vic Country) Michael Hurley (Vic Metro) Clancee Pearce (WA) Half Backs Stephen Hill (WA) Jordan Lisle (Vic Metro) Rhys O’Keeffe (SA) Centreline Mitch Robinson (T) Matthew Deboer (WA) David Zaharakis (Vic Metro) Half forwards Hamish Hartlett (SA) Lewis Johnston (SA) Tom Scully (Vic Metro) Forwards Tyrone Vickery (Vic Metro) Jack Watts (Vic Metro) Michael Walters (WA) Followers Nick Naitanui (WA) Jack Ziebell (Vic Country) Ranga Ediriwickrama(NSW/ACT) Interchange Daniel Rich (WA) Shaun McKernan (Vic Metro) Steele Sidebottom (Vic Country) Kade Klemke (NSW/ACT) Coach David Dickson (Vic Metro) Assistant Coach Danny Stevens (NSW/ACT)

Fox Sports 1 (Channel 501) is showing the following programme today at 1.00pm AFL: Under 18 Championships Wrap AFL. Matthew Campbell and his panel of experts discuss the recent Under-18s championships and look at which young footballers' lives will be changed forever when AFL clubs sit down in November to select players at the National Draft.

There's a difference between fair criticism and blatant attacks on individual players. Double standards or not, this discussion is over. It won't hurt YM because he supposedly banned himself for 6 months a few weeks back. Let's concentrate on the Melbourne Football Club and not on any individual poster who might have breached our code of conduct.

And now for those who have never seen it before - WHO'S ON FIRST. This one was filmed before I was born but I must have seen it at least three times in the late 50's and early '60's. I don't think it was ever particularly funny but it always used to have audiences rolling down the aisles. Enjoy!

Cute, the first two players on the list have had an Under 18 team named after them B)

We actually played (and lost to) Sydney in Round 22, 2003 but the principle sounds right. When Worsfold was interviewed on the news tonight he had a grin from ear to ear when he spoke of Kerr's woes.

I suppose making this prediction doesn't take a great deal of courage but I'm prepared to make it anyway. Daniel Rich will win at least one Brownlow Medal at some stage during his career.

Lost by 16 points. The reserves fared even worse failing to score a goal and losing by 11 goals (two years ago they at least kicked one goal at Ballarat!). Only good news is that Jack Grimes did OK. Barry will have the details shortly.

Here's a good overview of the leaders of the draft pack:- YOUNGSTERS SHOW CLASS THAT WILL WIN THEM AFL SPOTS

The following article appeared today in the Amateur Footballer - DEES CONTINUE STRONG AMATEUR LINK The Melbourne Football Club has always had a strong link with the VAFA and that continues today with four players from their heart stopping win against Brisbane last weekend having represented a VAFA club at senior level. Stefan Martin made his debut after playing 5 senior and 9 U19 games for Old Haileybury in 2006, winning the VAFA U19 (Blue) Best and Fairest. Shane Valenti, playing his 3rd AFL game, played one senior game for Old Haileybury in 2005 and Simon Buckley played one senior game for Ormond also in 2005. Cameron Bruce played for MHSOB in the late 1990's before being drafted, playing 18 senior games for the Unicorns. James McDonald, who didn't play on the weekend, played for Old Xavs in 1996 and was part of that memorable premiership side, having been 1-8 at the half way mark of the season. Amazingly, James missed out on selection for the first match of that season and ran the water that day – how quickly things can turn around in one year. Congratulations to Stef Martin on making his debut in only his third season of football. Stef was a highly promising basketballer who decided to give football a go for a year and play with some of his mates in the Old Haileybury U19's. After only 8 games (which he received 3 votes from the umpires in all 8), he was selected for the seniors. He missed out on being part of Old Haileybury’s first ever A Section flag due to a broken thumb but was invited down to Sandringham last season where he became an integral part of their senior side. It was also great to see these players maintaining strong links with their former VAFA clubs. Both James and Simon were guest speakers at the Old Xavs and Ormond lunches respectively and all are regular attendees at VAFA matches.

I saw the second half of the WA v Tasmania game and was rather underwhelmed by Naitanui. He's tall, he has a great leap, he's fast and he tackles well but if you're going to draft a ruckman, you'd want him to be able to take marks and kick the ball well. The times he did get the ball he would handball. My preference would be Rich on what I saw today. Despite a heavy tag, he gathered the ball well, looked strong and has great disposal. Will be a top shelf midfielder.