Whispering_Jack

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!

Introducing a new special feature at Demonland - a look at club jumper numbers by The Professor - which we will run from time to time. THE BOOK OF NUMBERS - NUMBER THREE by the Professor Garry Lyon wore the number three throughout his entire career that stretched from 1986, when he emerged as a skinny young 18 year old from the Melbourne Football Club Under 19's via Kyabram to 1999 when a chronic back problem forced his retirement in the middle of that year. His was a highly decorated career with the Demons. He won the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal awarded to the Melbourne Football Club player judged best and fairest for the season on two occasions (1990 and 1994), led the club’s goal kicking in 1994 and 1995 and gained interstate selection for eight consecutive seasons from 1988 to 1995. He was named in the All-Australian team in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Lyon's emergence as a player with the Demons coincided with the new respect the club gained in the late 1980's after more than two decades of struggle as a perpetual cellar dweller in VFL ranks. As a youngster he was an important player in his team's surge towards the final series of 1987- its first in 23 years but tragically, he missed out on the team's finals run due to a broken leg sustained in the final home and away game of the season at Footscray. There are many judges who would argue that had he been available during that finals series, the club might have been able to go all the way to a flag. Returning for the following year, the 193 cm 96kg forward displayed his match winning abilities and was a vital cog in the team's run to the 1988 grand final although that game resulted in a massive defeat for the club and is one best forgotten by all. Lyon's agility, strength, speed, skill and football brain made him a formidable opponent for the opposition whether at centre half back or in a key forward position. He was appointed captain replacing Greg Healy at the beginning of 1991 and was an inspiring leader for seven seasons despite the latter part of his career from 1993 onwards being hampered by his chronic back problems. His ten goals against Footscray in a semi final in 1994 will long be remembered as one of the greatest individual performances at the club. The injury problems persisted however and he eventually lost the captaincy in 1998 when it was clear that his senior team appearances would be restricted due to a bulging disc in his back. He struggled to play only two matches in 1999 and retired in mid-season. Lyon was awarded Life Membership of the Club in 1995, and in 2000 he was named on a half forward flank in Melbourne’s Team of the Century. He was an inaugural inductee into the Club’s Hall of Fame in 2001 and he continues his association with the game as a star compere of television’s The Footy Show. Lyon is one of twenty-three players who have worn the number three at senior level with the Melbourne Football Club since 1912 when player numbers were introduced. The number has appeared in five premierships beginning with Edward Thomas in 1926 and ending with Peter Marquis in 1957. It has boasted three club best and fairests (Gerard Healy wore the number when he won the Truscott Medal in 1984 followed by Lyon in 1990 and 1994) and the leading goal kicker on seven occasions, three state team representatives, All Australian representation five times and of course, a representative in both Melbourne's Team of the Century and Hall of Fame. It all began with the burly Alf George, who was skipper in 1912 and 1913. The 183 cm 87 kg George was a half back who came to the club from Essendon via Numurkah and played 55 games (12 gaols) for Melbourne between 1911 and 1915. He wore the number three in 1912 and also wore the numbers 14, 29 and 31 at the club. In 1913, the number was taken by Jack D. Robertson, a brilliant but showy centreman/winger from Port Melbourne Railway United. Who played 60 games (16) goals between 1909 and 1913. Like George, he changed his number on a regular basis while at the club. The number went to Jack Huntington who only played one game in his debut season of 1914 and resumed after WW1 wearing No.19 in 25 games (21 goals) during 1919 and 1920. Jack "Dookie" McKenzie’s career began at Essendon in 1901 and he was rated by many as one of the greatest players of the early days of football. He played in the ruck in the Bombers’ premiership in his debut season and was associated with a number of different clubs in the VFA and elsewhere before taking on the captain coaching role at Melbourne where, despite having lost his pace and being in his veteran years, he led the club to its first finals series in fifteen seasons. He was a natural all-round sportsman who also played cricket for Victoria. Melbourne went into recess for the remainder of the war and in 1919, Percy Love appeared in the number three on 11 occasions (6 goals) that year. He was followed by Leo Little, who switched from 31 to 3 in 1920 during which time he played 6 of his 12 games with the club. Edward Thomas from Oakleigh was the first "long-term" custodian of the number three making his debut in 1921 and wearing that number as a solid half back flanker in Melbourne's 1926 premiership team. Thomas played 101 games before returning to his side which was now in the VFA in 1929 but he returned to add a further three games (wearing 12) in 1932. George Margitich arrived from South Adelaide in 1930 and wore number three for 5 years. Although he was not a robust player being neither tall nor solidly built, he was a smooth clever footballer who could get goals and successfully held down the full forward position. He led the club’s goal kicking in his first 3 years, setting the then club record of 73 for a season in 1930, a tally that was bettered a few season’s later by club great Norm Smith. Margitich played 75 games for the club and kicked a total of 267 goals. The jumper was rested in 1935 and was then awarded to former North Melbourne stalwart John Lewis who played his first game for Melbourne in 1936 at the age of 34 after a 150 game 142 goal career at Arden Street as well as stints at Hawthorn and Footscray. Lewis had been captain and coach at North and surprised the football world by taking on Melbourne’s offer to play at such a late stage in his career. Lewis was solid in his three seasons at the club, playing 46 games and kicking 18 goals. Melbourne recruited William Baxter from Werribee in 1939 and the brother of three time Carlton premiership player Ken, managed 20 games in three years as wearer of the number three Guernsey. He was replaced by a former Bulldog Robert Spargo who wore the number twice in 1942. Ken Molloy wore the number in four senior games in 1943 but didn’t make a senior appearance in 1944 before changing numbers and then played a further 8 games in 1945. Full back Ron Irwin also played a game in the number in late 1943 season and added a further 50 games as number three through to 1947. The number three been bypassed by Melbourne's triple premiership glory of 1939-41 but was worn in two grand finals in 1948 by its next owner Geoff Collins. The son of 1926 premiership wingman Jack Collins, Geoff was a tough courageous half-back who arrived from Yallourn as a 21 year old. He played on the half back flank in the drawn grand final against Essendon and then emulated his father’s achievement and became a premiership player for the club when the Demons won the replay. He won state selection in 1952 but missed the 1953 season serving as a pilot in the Korean War during which time he was cited for bravery. He was made captain when he returned for his final season in 1954 and wore the number eight in the team’s losing grand final of that year. The 178 cm 76 kg Collins played 88 games (8 goals) for the club. Tasmanian Peter "Trunky" Marquis was given the number three jumper when Collins went to Korea and he wore it for 99 games from 1953 to 1958 (7) goals. Marquis was a strong, solidly built full back who ran at the ball in a straight line, played in the 1955, 1956 and 1957 premiership teams and retired from league football after the club’s 1958 grand final defeat at the hands of Collingwood. He represented Victoria in 1957 but found himself starting on Melbourne’s bench for the following game due to the good form shown by his replacement in his absence. Then followed some lean years for the number three at Melbourne. None of the three players assigned to the number in the five years after Marquis' departure played a senior game while Maurie Bartlett, a strongly built ruckman/forward from Bentleigh managed only seven games and six goals as its wearer between 1964 and 1966, Young Sid Catlin from the club’s fourths had a meteoric rise to senior football and wore the jumper three times in 1966 and once more in 1968 before crossing to South Melbourne. Melbourne recruited Trevor Rollinson from country zone club Shepparton in 1969. The180 cm 74 kg wingman wore the jumper for a total of 49 games (1 goal) and his replacement number three was another player recruited from Shepparton in rover Barry Tippett who wore it in 18 senior games during the years 1976-78. Former Collingwood rover Henry Coles had crossed over to Melbourne in 1975 and wore numbers 45 and 13 before settling on the number three between 1978 and 1980. In 1978 he won the club’s goal kicking and he played 32 games for 50 goals in the jumper for a total of 77 games and 106 goals with the club. Since Coles relinquished the number three jumper it has been worn by only three players over a period spanning almost three decades and strangely two of them now have very public careers outside of football while the current holder seeks to have one in the future. Gerard Healy came to the club in 1979 from Edithvale-Aspendale as a 17 year old and played 130 games (189 goals) in seven seasons at the club before Dr. Geoffrey Edelstein lured him across to Sydney where he won the Brownlow Medal in 1988. The 184 cm 81 kg Healy was a composed, balanced and skilful footballer who was equally capable as a midfielder or a forward. He led the club goal kicking in 1982 with 77, made the Victorian State team in 1982, 1984 and 1985 and won the Club’s Best and Fairest in 1984. He is now carving out a career as a high profile TV and radio commentator. Had he stayed at the club, Healy would surely have become a team leader and a valuable member of the finals sides of the late 190’s and early 1990’s. As it was, his brother Greg gained captaincy honours immediately before the next wearer of the number three Guernsey - Gary Lyon. After Lyon's retirement, the number three was put into mothballs for a couple of years until it was claimed by its current holder and a Hollywood acting aspirant in Clint Bizzell. The talented Queenslander from Kedron Grange was recruited by Geelong in the 1995 National Draft, and he crossed over from the Cats after 75 games and 72 goals. The 187 cm 90 kg Bizzell has found his niche in defence with the Demons but his career was hampered by a broken bone his foot which kept him out of AFL contention for all of 2006. In the latter stages of his career, Bizzell is only now coming back to his best. At the Demons, he has played 81 games (7 goals) as the latest in the long and proud tradition of Melbourne Football Club number three jumper holders. [With thanks to the Melbourne Past Players and Officials Newsletter from which some of the information contained in this article was adapted]

by The Professor Garry Lyon wore the number three throughout his entire career that stretched from 1986, when he emerged as a skinny young 18 year old from the Melbourne Football Club Under 19's via Kyabram to 1999 when a chronic back problem forced his retirement in the middle of that year. His was a highly decorated career with the Demons. He won the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal awarded to the Melbourne Football Club player judged best and fairest for the season on two occasions (1990 and 1994), led the club’s goal kicking in 1994 and 1995 and gained interstate selection for eight consecutive seasons from 1988 to 1995. He was named in the All-Australian team in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Lyon's emergence as a player with the Demons coincided with the new respect the club gained in the late 1980's after more than two decades of struggle as a perpetual cellar dweller in VFL ranks. As a youngster he was an important player in his team's surge towards the final series of 1987- its first in 23 years but tragically, he missed out on the team's finals run due to a broken leg sustained in the final home and away game of the season at Footscray. There are many judges who would argue that had he been available during that finals series, the club might have been able to go all the way to a flag. Returning for the following year, the 193 cm 96kg forward displayed his match winning abilities and was a vital cog in the team's run to the 1988 grand final although that game resulted in a massive defeat for the club and is one best forgotten by all. Lyon’s agility, strength, speed, skill and football brain made him a formidable opponent for the opposition whether at centre half back or in a key forward position. He was appointed captain replacing Greg Healy at the beginning of 1991 and was an inspiring leader for seven seasons despite the latter part of his career from 1993 onwards being hampered by his chronic back problems. His ten goals against Footscray in a semi final in 1994 will long be remembered as one of the greatest individual performances at the club. The injury problems persisted however and he eventually lost the captaincy in 1998 when it was clear that his senior team appearances would be restricted due to a bulging disc in his back. He struggled to play only two matches in 1999 and retired in mid-season. Lyon was awarded Life Membership of the Club in 1995, and in 2000 he was named on a half forward flank in Melbourne’s Team of the Century. He was an inaugural inductee into the Club’s Hall of Fame in 2001 and he continues his association with the game as a star compere of television’s The Footy Show. Lyon is one of twenty-three players who have worn the number three at senior level with the Melbourne Football Club since 1912 when player numbers were introduced. The number has appeared in five premierships beginning with Edward Thomas in 1926 and ending with Peter Marquis in 1957. It has boasted three club best and fairests (Gerard Healy wore the number when he won the Truscott Medal in 1984 followed by Lyon in 1990 and 1994) and the leading goal kicker on seven occasions, three state team representatives, All Australian representation five times and of course, a representative in both Melbourne's Team of the Century and Hall of Fame. It all began with the burly Alf George, who was skipper in 1912 and 1913. The 183 cm 87 kg George was a half back who came to the club from Essendon via Numurkah and played 55 games (12 gaols) for Melbourne between 1911 and 1915. He wore the number three in 1912 and also wore the numbers 14, 29 and 31 at the club. In 1913, the number was taken by Jack D. Robertson, a brilliant but showy centreman/winger from Port Melbourne Railway United. Who played 60 games (16) goals between 1909 and 1913. Like George, he changed his number on a regular basis while at the club. The number went to Jack Huntington who only played one game in his debut season of 1914 and resumed after WW1 wearing No.19 in 25 games (21 goals) during 1919 and 1920. Jack "Dookie" McKenzie’s career began at Essendon in 1901 and he was rated by many as one of the greatest players of the early days of football. He played in the ruck in the Bombers’ premiership in his debut season and was associated with a number of different clubs in the VFA and elsewhere before taking on the captain coaching role at Melbourne where, despite having lost his pace and being in his veteran years, he led the club to its first finals series in fifteen seasons. He was a natural all-round sportsman who also played cricket for Victoria. Melbourne went into recess for the remainder of the war and in 1919, Percy Love appeared in the number three on 11 occasions (6 goals) that year. He was followed by Leo Little, who switched from 31 to 3 in 1920 during which time he played 6 of his 12 games with the club. Edward Thomas from Oakleigh was the first "long-term" custodian of the number three making his debut in 1921 and wearing that number as a solid half back flanker in Melbourne's 1926 premiership team. Thomas played 101 games before returning to his side which was now in the VFA in 1929 but he returned to add a further three games (wearing 12) in 1932. George Margitich arrived from South Adelaide in 1930 and wore number three for 5 years. Although he was not a robust player being neither tall nor solidly built, he was a smooth clever footballer who could get goals and successfully held down the full forward position. He led the club’s goal kicking in his first 3 years, setting the then club record of 73 for a season in 1930, a tally that was bettered a few season’s later by club great Norm Smith. Margitich played 75 games for the club and kicked a total of 267 goals. The jumper was rested in 1935 and was then awarded to former North Melbourne stalwart John Lewis who played his first game for Melbourne in 1936 at the age of 34 after a 150 game 142 goal career at Arden Street as well as stints at Hawthorn and Footscray. Lewis had been captain and coach at North and surprised the football world by taking on Melbourne’s offer to play at such a late stage in his career. Lewis was solid in his three seasons at the club, playing 46 games and kicking 18 goals. Melbourne recruited William Baxter from Werribee in 1939 and the brother of three time Carlton premiership player Ken, managed 20 games in three years as wearer of the number three Guernsey. He was replaced by a former Bulldog Robert Spargo who wore the number twice in 1942. Ken Molloy wore the number in four senior games in 1943 but didn’t make a senior appearance in 1944 before changing numbers and then played a further 8 games in 1945. Full back Ron Irwin also played a game in the number in late 1943 season and added a further 50 games as number three through to 1947. The number three been bypassed by Melbourne's triple premiership glory of 1939-41 but was worn in two grand finals in 1948 by its next owner Geoff Collins. The son of 1926 premiership wingman Jack Collins, Geoff was a tough courageous half-back who arrived from Yallourn as a 21 year old. He played on the half back flank in the drawn grand final against Essendon and then emulated his father’s achievement and became a premiership player for the club when the Demons won the replay. He won state selection in 1952 but missed the 1953 season serving as a pilot in the Korean War during which time he was cited for bravery. He was made captain when he returned for his final season in 1954 and wore the number eight in the team’s losing grand final of that year. The 178 cm 76 kg Collins played 88 games (8 goals) for the club. Tasmanian Peter "Trunky" Marquis was given the number three jumper when Collins went to Korea and he wore it for 99 games from 1953 to 1958 (7) goals. Marquis was a strong, solidly built full back who ran at the ball in a straight line, played in the 1955, 1956 and 1957 premiership teams and retired from league football after the club’s 1958 grand final defeat at the hands of Collingwood. He represented Victoria in 1957 but found himself starting on Melbourne’s bench for the following game due to the good form shown by his replacement in his absence. Then followed some lean years for the number three at Melbourne. None of the three players assigned to the number in the five years after Marquis' departure played a senior game while Maurie Bartlett, a strongly built ruckman/forward from Bentleigh managed only seven games and six goals as its wearer between 1964 and 1966, Young Sid Catlin from the club’s fourths had a meteoric rise to senior football and wore the jumper three times in 1966 and once more in 1968 before crossing to South Melbourne. Melbourne recruited Trevor Rollinson from country zone club Shepparton in 1969. The180 cm 74 kg wingman wore the jumper for a total of 49 games (1 goal) and his replacement number three was another player recruited from Shepparton in rover Barry Tippett who wore it in 18 senior games during the years 1976-78. Former Collingwood rover Henry Coles had crossed over to Melbourne in 1975 and wore numbers 45 and 13 before settling on the number three between 1978 and 1980. In 1978 he won the club’s goal kicking and he played 32 games for 50 goals in the jumper for a total of 77 games and 106 goals with the club. Since Coles relinquished the number three jumper it has been worn by only three players over a period spanning almost three decades and strangely two of them now have very public careers outside of football while the current holder seeks to have one in the future. Gerard Healy came to the club in 1979 from Edithvale-Aspendale as a 17 year old and played 130 games (189 goals) in seven seasons at the club before Dr. Geoffrey Edelstein lured him across to Sydney where he won the Brownlow Medal in 1988. The 184 cm 81 kg Healy was a composed, balanced and skilful footballer who was equally capable as a midfielder or a forward. He led the club goal kicking in 1982 with 77, made the Victorian State team in 1982, 1984 and 1985 and won the Club’s Best and Fairest in 1984. He is now carving out a career as a high profile TV and radio commentator. Had he stayed at the club, Healy would surely have become a team leader and a valuable member of the finals sides of the late 190’s and early 1990’s. As it was, his brother Greg gained captaincy honours immediately before the next wearer of the number three Guernsey - Gary Lyon. After Lyon's retirement, the number three was put into mothballs for a couple of years until it was claimed by its current holder and a Hollywood acting aspirant in Clint Bizzell. The talented Queenslander from Kedron Grange was recruited by Geelong in the 1995 National Draft, and he crossed over from the Cats after 75 games and 72 goals. The 187 cm 90 kg Bizzell has found his niche in defence with the Demons but his career was hampered by a broken bone his foot which kept him out of AFL contention for all of 2006. In the latter stages of his career, Bizzell is only now coming back to his best. At the Demons, he has played 81 games (7 goals) as the latest in the long and proud tradition of Melbourne Football Club number three jumper holders. [With thanks to the Melbourne Past Players and Officials Newsletter from which some of the information contained in this article was adapted]

The stats surely tell the story. Game time v Adelaide = 54%. If he were 100% fit, that would be >80%.

Do we really need something like this poll?

Hi Deb. Good to hear from you. Please PM me about joining the Queensland Demons this year. The cold weather yesterday and our poor season to date is forcing me to think of a trip north to co-incide with when we play the Bears or Lions or whatever they call themselves these days.

Actually, getting the Age free is not a benefit. It's part of the punishment and if you join up just before 30 June they'll throw in two Age's.

Gee Sautner did OK today with 9 goals. For a moment there I thought I was watching a Sandringham game with Biddlecombe passing to Valenti to Summers to Crow to David Robbins (where did he come from?) and on to Nick. And did I notice 426 out there at one stage?

There's one player who hasn't played a single game of AFL yet who, according to the official statistics, is down 3kg on 2006. I remember seeing him at Sandringham last year and thinking that if he put on 5kg over the summer, he'd be ready to play footy with the big boys. I'm not an expert on these matters by any means but I wonder if Michael Newton would be closer to AFL selection by now had he grown to 88kg instead of going back to 80kg. Is there someone who actually knows something about these things who could answer this question?

Peter Hayes made a great contribution to the club in difficult times. I didn't agree with the stand he took during the Joseph Gutnick saga back in 2001 but he put in for the club and was a true Demon. He was also a brilliant lawyer and, as happens with some people of true genius, he was also a troubled person at times. He deserves our utmost respect at the time of his passing. My sincere condolences to the family and to his friends.

1611 generated a lot of discussion here so well done Peter. I was at the ground myself and must say that in view of the poor season we're having at AFL level it's a revelation to get down to the TBO to watch the Sandy team going round. There are a few quality young kids coming through the ranks. James Frawley looks really good, a key position defender who moves well and does all of the defensive things nicely. Colin Garland wasn't on the ground for all that much time but he looked a genuine prospect. I like Chris Johnson and believe that he's not that far away from a breakthough. The two rookies Hughes and Neaves were also good contributors. Then there was Juice who is an absolute freak. Missed a couple of sitters and missed a few attempts at hangers but the aspect of his gane that impressed me today was that he worked hard to get the ball and to stop his opponents when necessary. Could easily have kicked 6 but it was his general play around the ground that impressed me. However, with Robbo coming back to Melborne next week, it's unlikley that Newton will get a call up for Melbourne just yet. On Paul Wheatley, he was fine today, linked up well and delivered the ball to advantage most of the time on a day where good disposal was made a bit more difficult because of the winds swirling around and changing direction. I wouldn't bag him on his performances this year. He's fighting to keep his place on the list, has had problems with his shoulder and, once or twice, seemed uncomfortable. He needs to be injury free to be fully effective.

From where I sat I thought he was stung by a bee.

The odds that we will ever see him in the red and blue are fairly long in my opinion. We're 0-6 and a player of his experience should know better than to not front when an emergency. As it was, we had one player drop out through injury. If I were a selector, I would think long and hard about picking him to play for the club again.

What made the call worse was the fact that there were at least two other instances during the game when Port Adelaide players should have been penalised for deliberate out of bounds and the umpires ignored them. When we missed out on the second one I turned to Finks who was sitting next to me and said that it was a 100% certainty that at some stage in the game we were going to cop a penalty for exactly the same thing. I also predicted during the game after Shane Wakelin got away with the hands on Neita's back, that we would be penalised for the same thing. I call this the umpire's inconsistency rule. It's bad enough enough that some rules are poorly applied - it's worse when the umpiring during a game is inconsistent.

I have to confess that just before the end of the game I was thinking about abusing the umpire myself. I suppose I just saved myself 900 bucks.

Today at 12 noon at the Mountain View Hotel, 70 Bridge Rd Richmond 3121 with Clint Bartram.

Just a bit of a bump up here and also thanks to George on the Outer for his work in organising the D/D Sponsorship.

Mountain View Hotel 70 Bridge Rd Richmond 3121 (03) 9428 3973Fax (03) 9428 6449 [email protected] It's about 35 doors east of Punt Road.

I just want to add my voice of support for the Demonland/Demonology Sponsorship and encourage supporters to come along and join us tomorrow at the Mountain View Hotel at 70 Bridge Road Richmond at noon tomorrow to meet Clint Bartram. The Hotel has set aside a special upstairs section where we can conduct the meeting. Food and drink can be purchased at the pub. We have been sponsoring players for about six years now and our efforts have contributed thousands of dollars to the club. We generally pick younger players to sponsor in the hope that we can encourage their careers along but we really struck the jackpot with Clint who was drafted at #60 in the 2005 National Draft. The problem (from our point of view) was that Clint's career took off so quickly that we didn't have the benefit of an appearance from him at any of our 2006 functions because while we were swanning along at the Mountain View or watching prospective draft recruits at Optus Oval with Craig Cameron, Clint was preparing for AFL action with the rest of the team. Tomorrow, Clint will be available to talk to the group for the first time so I'm looking forward to it very much (although I'm also looking forward to him making a speedy recovery so he can be back in action helping his team move up the ladder). Those who come along will get a chance to ask questions, get autgraphs and have their pictures taken and then at a little after 1.30pm we can all march off to the G where we can get a traditional taste of a Melbourne victory. It may be co-incidence but every time we have one of our functions the Demons do the right thing by us and give the opposition a right royal flogging. I know I got "egg on my face" when I incorerctly tipped Melbourne to win against the Sawns last week but I've got this feeling ... Sponsorship costs $110.00 for the year and arrangements can be amde for drip feed payment for those who are short of cash. Hope to see you there ....

QueenC a QC? How did I miss that one? There was an interesting conversation before the start of proceedings in which it was put to Paul Williams whether he noticed the difference between Magpie and Swans supporters at the clubs he played for and Demon supporters and whether he thought Melbourne players were affected by the fact that Demon supporters are so fickle and so much less passionate and feral compared to say the Collingwood supporters. He answered it quite diplomatically by saying it had no effect on the players but I wonder. The question came up in a discussion on the differences between Liverpool supporters (fanatical like Collingwood) and those from Chelsea (well played number 9). IMO I think it's pathetic that our supporters don't come out in force when the team's down and that it's an embarrassment that we managed such a poor crowd against the Dockers a fortnight ago. I hope we can give the boys abit more support this week against a club that has never beaten us at the MCG. And just to add to the occasion I'd like to see fans come out and contribute to our Demonland/Demonology Sponsorship of Clint Bartram by turning up at the Mountain View Hotel at 12 noon on Sunday for our first function of the year. Cost of sponsorship is $110.00 and all money goes to the MFC. You can pay by drip feed method if you're short of cash. The big incentive should be that every time we have one of these functions, for some reason the team plays inspired football that day. A few years ago we beat Carlton by a record 105 points on one of our function days. Last year we won both times we had our function. There's apparently some magical vibe that we establish in the two hours before the game that gets the team firing. See you there!

I was there as well and can confirm most of what Choko said other than the latter part about questions asked (I had to duck out and go to another function). Neale mentioned Warnock as a chance because the club needed to see what he could do under AFL match conditions. No mention of Newton. He was pretty confident that Neita who trained well today, would make be cleared for this week's game. Brad Green to miss another week. James Frawley is likely to play this week at Sandy and if he progresses as hoped, could be in the red and blue within 2 or 3 weeks. He didn't talk in a defeatist frame at all and emphasized that we're only 5 weeks in and we will get the bulk of our team back over the next few weeks. For mine, I'd still go with Newton but I think if this was the club's intention, then Neale would have announced it. That suggests to me that the FD thinks he might still have a few things to prove to them before he gets his chance. BTW - it was a function for members of the legal profession including some judges. Probably explains why there were plenty of beverages there. (Thinks: geez I hope I don't get hauled up for contempt of court for that)

Not as tall as his dad. Pity we don't have father/sons who are bigger, stronger and faster than their fathers like young Tomahawk!

Melbourne Team (from melbournefc.com.au) Backs: C.Bizzell, N.Carroll, M.Whelan Half backs: D.Ward, P.Wheatley, D.Bell Centreline: B.Moloney, J.McDonald, B.Green Half forwards: C.Bruce, B.Miller, B.Pickett Forwards: S.Godfrey, M.Jamar, A.Davey Followers: J.White, N.Jones, T.Johnstone I/C: N.Brown, P.Johnson, L.Dunn, A.Yze Emergencies: R.Petterd, C.Sylvia, M.Bate Jared Rivers apparently didn't come up but where did Colin Sylvia come from in this team and if he's an emergency, why hasn't he been named to play for Sandy?

A bit tough on White and Whelan and not tough enough on Aaron Davey who didn't look interested in my opinion. Daniel Bell - a shining light (along with Jones).