Whispering_Jack

Sandringham 0.6.6 6.11.47 13.16.94 20.19.119 Port Melbourne 1.5.11 2.7.19 4.11.35 10.13.73 Goals Sandringham Poyas 5 Newton 3 Dunn Liddell Miller Summers 2 Bode Garland C Johnson Sautner Port Melbourne Pitt 5 Bonaddio 2 Dukes Nahas Rowe Best Sandringham Biddlecombe Whelan Brown Johnson Newton Garland Port Melbourne: Milhuisen Fanning Hazell Shaw Spriggs Pitt Poyas finished with 5 goals for Sandy and Newton did not add to his half time score. Bearing in mind that the Zebras had a tall forwward line there was a bit of rotating and Miller came to the fore in the last quarter with a couple. Sautner kicked his goals on the three quarter time siren. Newton was quiet in the last quarter but who knows? Perhaps they were resting him up for an appointment on Friday night. We should try to keep the hysteria about him down because he's already going to be under a fair bit of pressure when he does make his debut so let's not add to it. Lynden Dunn is a chance to come back on today's effort and so possibly is CJ. Simon Buckley also played a nice game.

Three quarter time - Sandringham 13.16.94 to Port Melbourne 4.11.35

Sandringham 6.11.47 Port Melbourne 2.7.19 Newton indeed has 3.4 with 2 shots out of bounds. All of the goals were kicked in the second quarter after a low scoring first term in which Sandy was held goalless. In the reserves, the Zebras just missed out on beating the undefeated top side Port Melbourne. Ryan Ferguson made his come back from injury in this game. Port Melbourne 3.6.24 9.8.62 11.11.77 14.16.100 Sandringham 3.3.21 4.7.31 10.11.71 14.12.96 Goals Port Melbourne Pearce 4 Dalton 3 Gilham Nayna 2 Cain Henshaw Thomas Sandringham Martin 3 Martyn 3 Ferguson Gileno Monoghan 2 Dunne Gribbin Best Port Melbourne Pearce Plymin Monteath Dalton Debruin Cain Sandringham Martyn Martin Ferguson Dunne Tregear Paule

The problem we have every year with this sort of discussion is that some people form opinions from what they read on the various websites and suddenly, the reputations of some young prospects get blown out of all proportion. I think it's preferable that we get our information from people who have seen the players in question rather than rely on second and third hand opinions. Here's an article from the AFL site by AFL Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan who runs through some of the players most likely to catch the eye of spectators and clubs alike - FOOTY STARS OF THE FUTURE.

Do you mean the only decision or the only football decision? Either way, you'd be wrong, the Board has the ultimate say on evrything although, on most matters it would be guided by football department recommendations. Ultimately however, the buck stops with the Board.

He's quite right. The club has to make a considered decision on the coaching position and it happens to be one of the most important decisions the current Board will have to make. You have to take the emotion out of it and fickle supporters and members usually deal in emotion. This decision is too important to allow that to happen as we've seen at other clubs that it's a disaster. I'm personally in favour of change because it's been 10 years and we don't appear to be able to go up another level. I'd like to see something different. That said however, I'm glad the decision's not mine and I'll declare here and now I'll never allow myself to fall into the fickle supporter category. That means I'll be at the Dome on Friday, I hope I'm not the lone Demon fan there and I reckon we'll give it a shake!

He could try ringing you again this Friday night but he'll probably be interrupting your weekend at the snow!

I suppose the one good thing about finish bottom six is that you do get a better chance to make your own choices about your first draft pick. I know recruiters always say they pick the best player available but unlike last year, it appears there are going to be a few tall ruck types with enormous athleticism. At this spot there will also be some quality mids and KPP's. I know I'd prefer the big men but we might be able to trade for a good tall and then draft what might be close to the best midfielder available. It's going to be interesting.

I agree totally with Tim. It's only a small number of the fringe posters on both sites who stir up a bit of aggro from time to time. They are best ignored because we're here for the same cause - to support the MFC.

Heard a whisper that one of our passionate Demonlanders will be interviewed at half time tonight on SEN. Should make intriguing listening.

In statistics, the greater the sample, the more accurate the data. The only question is whether the people who carried out the polling took a random sample. Roy Morgan Research is a reputable research agency and I therefore don't believe their data would be dodgy.

Today's Herald Sun reports that, in spite of the fact that Melbourne made the finals in 2005 and 2006 it is losing supporters at an alarming rate - Demon fans drop off bandwagon. This is distressing news for the club at a time where our first half year performance is at its worst in the past decade and it comes on top of reports that the club will not reach budget figures. Without doubt, the Board needs to sit down and seek some answers as to why this is happening. I'd be getting some independent expert advice but my guess is that it might have something to do with the fact that many supporters have been turned off by the "let down" factor which has been such a feature of the club's on field performance over the years.

I've seen him at Sandringham this year and, on his performances, I'd play him this week in the absence of David Neitz and alongside Russell Robertson. However, I don't think it will happen because this year Neale Daniher has been flagging the selection of a new player on the melbournefc.com.au site early in the week and it hasn't happened yet. I agree that the club will go safe and conservative and probably include Miller or Dunn in Neita's place.

Thanks to this thread I've finally written Chapter 3 of Highway of Demons and it's all about how I became a Melbourne supporter - PITY THE POOR IMMIGRANT.

A HIGHWAY OF DEMONS by Whispering Jack CHAPTER THREE – PITY THE POOR IMMIGRANT "I pity the poor immigrant Who tramples through the mud, Who fills his mouth with laughing And who builds his town with blood, Whose visions in the final end Must shatter like the glass. I pity the poor immigrant When his gladness comes to pass." Bob Dylan [i Pity the Poor Immigrant] I may almost have forgotten about the old necktie but recollections of it still jump out at me every once in a while, bringing with them unexpected memories I thought long buried. These are memories of long, hot summer days, of trips to the city with uncles, aunts and cousins. Sitting on Santa's lap, squirming there with him sweating away in that ridiculous red outfit in century plus heat, and me accepting my cousin’s dare to grab a handful of white beard, tugging hard as if it was somehow an affirmation of my own identity to reveal the pale white skin of the man's face behind the mask. Did we really hear Santa say, "shit"? I can laugh about it now, but that was a time less than a decade removed from the liberation of my people from the death camps, of the bombing of Dresden, of the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Cold War was upon us. People who were different in this land were welcomed after a fashion but still looked upon with suspicion. And I had been alive for less than the span of that decade. There had been a journey across a wide ocean, landfall at Fremantle a day or two short of my second birthday, a joyful reunion with family a week later, settling down in a new land, hardworking parents, new businesses, sharing homes with strange new people whose faces I no longer remember. The sad death of a long-awaited baby sister at just two days of age was almost more easily forgotten than the bloodied nose I received from the next door neighbour because my folks spoke a strange language and we ate unusual food at the dinner table. Those events were well behind us as we emerged through the glass doors of the Lonsdale Street exit of the Myer Emporium, squinting into the blinding sunlight. It was one of those hot summer days when the mercury passed through the century mark on the Fahrenheit scale and the northerly wind blew hot Mallee dust at my face and eyes. In my hands, I lovingly clutched a pale blue necktie. My cousin held its identical counterpart and, as we sat on the green tram that rattled down Swanston Street and pushed its away across a bridge that traversed the murky brown river, we marvelled at the image emblazoned on the silky surface of what was clearly the fashion statement of 1954: a man wearing black shorts and a navy blue guernsey with red yoke in the shape of a "V", kicking a leather egg-shaped object long and far into the distance. So this was the beginning: a random decision by my mother, who had worked so many hard hours on a factory floor, to spend some of the pennies she earned on the purchase of a necktie. She could not know how important a moment this was to become in the life of her young son. If you live in this city, ownership of such a garment is the ultimate determinant of friendships, acquaintanceships, timetables, celebrations, commiserations, remembrances and every other conceivable aspect of a person's life cycle. I looked down at the tie and rolled it up towards my face. I noticed the imprint of the man whose muscular right leg was pushed so high that the toe of his boot pointed towards the heavens. [TO BE CONTINUED...]

Just home from cold, wet and windy TBO. Sandringham lost by 15 points I had a ticket in the winning margin sweep for 16 points. Kicked themselves out of the game with 8.20.68 to 12.11.83. The umpires weren't too flash either.

I've been to the snow once in my life and that was in 1964 and it was a one day bus excusrion. I hated it. However, if you can guarantee me a flag again by going there, I'll be up at Mount Donna Buang quicker than you can say Jack Robinson.

Looks like an early start to the day for you Big Red. Hayes and Weetra plus Neville are all selected in the reserves team (see Barry's amended first post). Interesting to see that Nathan Brown has been given the rest this week although he could have been selected (assuming that our injury list is correct and he's not injured).

Right on the money Moneyball. The decision on who coaches in 2008 is for the Board and I think it's inappropriate for the players to be discussing it in the media. There are other and better ways to show your support for the coach and that's mainly on the field of play.

I don't think there's anything more enjoyable (especially after the season we've been having so far) than to leave the MCG after a good win over the Pies and just experiencing the looks on the faces of their fans. It's an absolutely uplifting experience!

Rollo! Where have you been lately? Long time no hear. I hope you caught up with and enjoyed the Professor's article on the # 3 at Melbourne which of course included the one and only and the great Trevor Rollinson. If we can't organise a game v the Hawks then let's at least see if we can organise a repeat of the supporters get together that we had at Leigh Oak or something similar later this year? Cheers

Exactly! According to Sam the Stats Man's computer, the odds of Melbourne making the finals from the position it currently occupies has now been slashed to a little over 2,000 to 1. Mind you, I wouldn't be booking any tickets to the finals just yet.

Damn, I went a bit conservative. Fortunately for me Robbo missed a few, otherwise I might have been out by about 5 or 6 goals.

G'day Mick - enjoy Coburg. These are not confirmed but based on my guesswork form selected teams, here are my suggested lists of the players for tomorrow:- Sandringham Seniors 7. Shane Valenti 8. Rod Crowe 10. Peter Summers 11. Nick Sautner 12. Ezra Poyas 13. Stefan Martin 16. Andy Biddlecombe 17. David Gallagher 20. Chris Lamb 27. Chris Johnson 29. Michael Newton 33. Chad Liddell 34. Simon Buckley 36. Brad Miller 37. Matthew Warnock 39. Ben Holland 41. Lynden Dunn 44. Colin Garland 49. Shane Neaves 73. Byron Pickett 75. Nathan Brown 79. Matthew Whelan Sandringam Reserves 1. Rennie Gilchrist 2. Tom Paterakis 3. Guy Martyn 5. Sam Monaghan 6. Stephen Ott 14. Marc Johnston 15. Tomi Johnston 22. Ewen McKenzie 23. Peter McGettigan 24. Mark Gibb 25. Brett Liddell 26. Heath Neville 28. Isaac Weetra 46. Dominic Dunn 47. Daniel Hayes 48. Jace Bode 50. Thomas Dean 51. Daniel Turcarelli 52. Thomas Paule 56. Daniel Gribbin 57. Shane Tregear 62. Daniel Collyer 65. Nicholas Henry 66. Phillip Zarra 67. Adrian Gileno Look forward to a comprehensive report Mick!

It's Norwood who are the Redlegs in SA. I enjoy reading topics like these and it's stirred me into writing the next chapter of my "science fiction" novel in which I reveal how I became a Demon supporter. It should be on Demonland soon!