Whispering_Jack

Firstly, congratulations on your choice of club Lampshade. The good news is that you can follow both the Melbourne Demons AFL football team and the Melbourne Victory soccer team because their seasons don't co-incide. There's a good history which was put out recently by club historian Lynda Carroll and I'm sure you'll be able to get a copy from the club (unless it's out of print in which case no doubt it's available in all good libraries). I have a few other books at home which are about the MFC and I'll post their names and details when I get home from work tonight.

I think I know where the current location of the 7kg's that the Jones boy lost.

Those young players are the definitely the ones who need to step up in 2007 and a return to the Beamer of old would be important.

The chances are that none of the above are correct. The latter measurement was taken at the draft camp in October last year but it's been explained that often the stats are unreliable for one reason or another e.g. David Neitz has been variously shown as 191cm and 193 cm and the same thing goes for a number of players. I've seen Garland at training a couple of time and looks a cm or so shorter than Neita but, at 18, could grow to the same height or taller so ultimately I don't think height will stop him from being a KPP if he's good enough. I've been watching a video of the last VFL game of 2006 between Tassie and Box Hill and Garland started on a wing. So far I've seen the first quarter only and though he hasn't done a great deal, he looks like a good mover. I'll report later when I've seen the rest of the game.

I'm not sure what you can and can't take from these statistics but I wonder if Carlton haven't miscalcuted by concentrating on recruiting for greater height and weight at a time when perhaps they should be aiming at getting better medium size on ballers with more leg speed onto their list. Only a thought.

I sometimes wonder what's newsworthy about Byron Pickett fronting Court to apply for the restoration of his licence. After all, it's not as if he's done anything in recent history that's improper as far as his driving is concerned. It's a routine administrative application that would have happened a long time ago but for the fact that he lived in another state for a few years. For that matter, I don't think the story about the Grant Thomas/Rod Buttres debt story is news either. It's a private matter between the two of them and nobody's done anything criminal. They should leave it alone.

Is there a statistic that measures the quality of disposals?

BUMP

And it's a very good thing indeed that we hide our Dark Side B) !

It used to be on the front of the club's membership ticket for years until they started producing the plastic ones. You'd probably find the emblem in one of the Melbourne Football Club history books in a library.

He didn't come on well enough for mine last year. He seemed to lose his way in mid season but it will be interesting to see how he goes with his stronger body in 2007.

Correct on both counts. IMO Ablett could have been a greater individual at Hawthorn than he was at Geelong and the Hawthorn team of the middle 80's would probably have been a worse team with Ablett playing. A champion team is made up not only of the 22 individuals out on the ground but of the players and numerous others in the background. They all have to gel together and work as a team. I'll lend you the book one day to help you understand what Ablett Snr. got up to at both Hawthorn and at Geelong and then you might understand why the Hawks let him go and why the decision to do so set up the Hawks for a lengthy period of success. He was still probably the greatest individual I've seen but he was nothing compared to Ron Barassi as a complete team footballer. Barass played in 6 premiership teams, Ablett in zero.

It's interesting that you mention G Ablett Jr. because I'd like to draw your attention to a fantastic book I read on G Ablett Snr. - "Playing God, The Rise and Fall of Gary Ablett" by Garry Linnell. It's probably the best book on football around. Ablett Snr. started at Hwthorn which put up with his individuality and his errant ways for a couple of years before sending him packing. The Hawks recognised his potential, albeit not fully but were prepared to let him go circa 1981. A couple of years later he bobbed up at Geelong and became a footballing great although he caused no end of problems to his coaches, the committee, sponsors and some supporters (not to mention his wife, family and the unfortunate young girl he took up with after he retired and her family). His bad behaviour at Geelong was tolerated there because he was so good. Geelong made four grand finals while Ablett was there but never won a flag. I don't blame Ablett for that but look at what Ablettless Hawthorn did during the same period.

You can call me a wowser but ... The problem is not just that Johnson drank alcohol but that he drank it to excess and to the point where he was arrested for drunkenness and further, that he's offended before. And because he happens to be a professional athlete, his behaviour has breached the rules of the club that employs him. Even if it happens at Xmas time when he's off duty, that's bad news for the club and Johnson who hasn't been the same since injuring an ankle (and he's never fully recovered from that!) while making a late night exit from (of all places) a pub. I'll be interested to see how Geelong treates his case in comparison to Carlton with Fevola which apparently didn't do too much if at all.

Based on what I've seen of Juice to date it's impossible to answer that question because he hasn't been on the ground in most games long enough to even have to rely on such capacity. Further, does one need a huge aerobic capacity if one plays at full forward for Sandringham? I'll ask Nick Sautner next time I see him.

Good points but I'd prefer it if the team did all of its talking for 2007 on the field.

And hopefully he'll kick a few which would cause a bit of a dilemma with the selectors over at Sandringham (if Juice isn't then considered ready for the AFL).

I have to admit that I didn't notice them doing much at the two training sessions I've attended. They're young kids and I guess we'll know a bit more about them when the pre-season stuff starts.

One hour for AFL? Does that mean they only show the first quarter or the whole game in fast forward?

George has put his photos up on Demonology here. Also has a summary from training a bit more detailed than mine. I was too busy waving the flies away. Memo: Next time I go to training in summertime, take the Aeroguard. Anyhow, Travis is looking sensational and I'm going to have a bit of a wger on him for the 2007 Brownlow. His time (and the MFC's) has come.

Ditto from me. Let's hope that this year's Christmas time actually brings peace on earth.

News is that 426 has joined Box Hill. I think Read has retired. I think Newton will be good enough in 2007 to cement a place in the Sandy side in 2007 irrespective of the presence of Sautner, Smith or anyone else. It's been well documented that he looks like getting a chance in the nabcup or practice matches next year and he should do well enough to at least initially force his way into the Sandringham side. Hopefully, he will get a few games at AFL level as Lynden Dunn did this year.

Well, it's all over red and blue rover for the 2006 as the boys had a short sharp seassion at TBO this morning mainly for the benefit of the 2 million flies and a few diehard supporters in attendance. There's not much to report really although I guess the big news is that Neale Daniher is back in town after holidaying in Thailand. Training was taken by the assistant coaches and by the look of it a few players have started holidays early (a few of the interstaters). GOTO was there with his camera and the haze lifted just enough for him to take a few snaps which he will no doubt have up later on Demonology (I also took my wife's camera but alas, being the Luddite that I am I couldn't work out how take a snap until the ground had been vacated). Byron Pickett looks a bit lighter than he was a fortnight ago, Travis looked in sensational form and Lynden Dunn is (pardon the tired old cliche) training the house down. PJ and Beamer were training and Colin Sylvia was on the sidelines but minus the cast. All in all, a low key send off to another season where we did well but weren't close enough in the end to smell the cigar smoke. As I do every year at this time, I'm quietly and confidently looking forward to next year but I'm not overconfident. We need a few players to rise above their current levels and to announce their arrivals among the elite in 2007. We have the material, they just need to break through.

Perhaps the question really should be whether or not we're living in the past. The game's evolved and changed and the way it's now played requires 21st century style "athleticism". Some players who were champions in past days might struggle if they were transported into another era and the same might apply to today's champions in three or four decades' time. Clubs are recruiting players to suit the game as it is played today. As for the players who weren't drafted, they still have the opportunity to prove they're capable as Sam Mitchell did when he missed out on initial selection.

I usually go but couldn't tonight because of other commitments. I'd like to think that a good number would have attended the AGM but this is a bad week for such functions. It's a pity because there were some worthy life membership recipients honoured tonight. Hopefully, someone will provide a report.