Whispering_Jack

Draft selection 2 was flicked across to Richmond in a trade and the Tigers drafted Brad Ottens while draft selection 18 went to the Western Bulldogs who drafted Mark Alvey. As if that wasn't enough, Ian Collins infamously decided a couple of years later when Melbourne was caught breaching the salary cap to compensate Fremantle further with the first round draft selection that Melbourne lost as part of its salary cap punishment. And then a couple of years later when Melbourne lost Jeff Farmer to a salary cap breaching Fremantle, the AFL decided that it wouldn't compensate clubs like Melbourne although the circumstances were exactly the same as the White case. Now go figure?

I have it on good authority that as from Round 1, West Coast Eagles players will no longer wear numbers and instead they'll wear letters of the alphabet to make it easier for everybody to work out who the people are in the email. But don't expect to see anyone running around in the blue and gold with the letter A on his back any time soon though.

There were about half a dozen of us there this week and the only one I can positively identify is Isaac Weetra. The others might like to retain their privacy rights or alternatively not want their wives and/or girlfriends and parole officers to know where they were (I'll leave it to them to fess up who they are). Please come up and say hello next time you see us.

This was Colin Sylvia's first game after a severely restricted pre season. The official cause of his delayed start was his shoulder injury and osteitis pubis. I don't know at this stage whether it matters much but, as long as he pulls up well enough, you would have to regard yesterday's exercise as satisfactory even if he was blowing a bit at the end. You couldn't expect him to come up sharp as a tack in the circumstances and his three goals plus one poster for half a game should be enough to make us all reasonably happy even if he was, in reality, a light heavyweight fighting well above his division against a flyweight. I've seen both of Clint Bartram's comeback games and I'm very much impressed. What we saw last year was an athletic young kid used mainly in run with roles and although he's been used mainly at half back in the past two weeks, he's shown signs that he can be a very creative and exciting footballer when let off the leash. Playing in that position in the VFL where he's virtually a sweeper has allowed him to gather plenty of possessions and play a more attacking role. His disposal skills have improved at this level as well although that could have something to do with the fact that there's less pressure involved when you're playing at what is a standard somewhere between the normal VFL seniors and reserves levels. In any event. He's shown a lot more for the future than he did last year and we could be in for a surprise with Clint further down the track. Matthew Warnock - he's athletic but I didn't see all that much in his game yesterday but that's the type of game it was. One other player who impressed me was Isaac Weetra who has already become a favourite of the Demonlanders who were at the game. He talked to us for about five minutes and he explained how he came to re-injure his hammy and was almost apologetic for letting us down when we said that one of the reasons we were there was to see him play (we'd chatted the previous week as well). He seems like a great kid and we look forward to the day when he is out there on the track. Stefan Martin - DD, you are so right about his kicking. It was very ordinary and his first shot at goal from 10 metres out was very inventive. Taking, a leaf out of the cricket handbook, I think the best way to describe it is a "reverse banana kick" where the ball ends us further away from the goals and travels on a totally different trajectory than anyone would believe in their wildest imagination.

I certainly hope that nobody at the club focusses their attention this week on whether or not some or all of these St. Kilda players under an injury cloud get up to play against us on Friday night. It would be much better for us to concentrate on our game and not letting down our guard because we think the opposition might be underdone or not at full strength. I'm sure that's what the coaching staff and the players will be doing.

I wonder if we have any specialists in this field available to tell the story of what drug addiction can do to some people? {edit: I think we all know the answer to that - it can kill you or even worse, spare your life and leave you a vegetable and that's what Cousins and his family and friends are possibly facing right now} In my experience in the legal field I understand that the problem is not just the addiction to a particular substance, it's also the chemical effect which the substance could have on a person's mind. Problem is that for some, these drugs have minimal effect; for others it could mean that their brains are pickled forever. Leaving aside our club loyalties, I think we should be hoping for Cousins' sake, if he is hooked, that he hasn't gone beyond the point of no return. I don't like preaching on this subject but anyone who tells you a particular drug isn't harmful or is just as harmful as alcohol or cigarettes - run away from them as fast as you can.

I don't think it's wise to mention ice or any other related substance in the context of this discussion. Let's move on ...

Just getting away from the Adem Yze issue, I want to say that I was mightily impressed by the way Clint Bartram went about things yesterday. He was close to best on ground in the first half although I recognise that it was probably easy playing at half back picking up kicks at will. However, it was how he went about it that impressed me (and that's without taking into account that it was his first run under competitive football conditions for 6 months) - he looked as if he's stepped up enormously since last season and I have a feeling that it won't be long before he starts doing things more on the level of a positive, creative footballer rather than just a stopper. If he does that, then he will probably go down in history as CAC's best ever draft selection (ahead of Woewodin, Green, Bruce, Rivers, McLean and Sylvia). In the short term, I'd be interested to know how he pulls up after yesterday's run (ankle injuries can be very iffy). If he's right and playes three quarters next week, I think he might be in line for an AFL gig by no later than round 2 and ahead of schedule. Another item of interest, Sandy had a kid Sam Sam Monaghan who stepped into Clint's position after half time and did a great job as a Clint Bartram look alike. Would have to be a big chance to play a lot of senior football with the Zebras this year and possible get rookied next year. I think I've made my first big statements for 2007.

Some at the club think Adem Yze did OK - http://melbournefc.com.au/Season2007/News/...px?newsId=39732 My view is that he's still borderline at the moment but it might be good for him and the club if he spends a couple of weeks at Sandringham. As for Newton, let's not get too carried away. He's potentially good but still a fair way off although, strangely enough, Lynden Dunn's injury might help him get closer to his first AFL game.

Yes he was, but for abusing an umpire (allegedly) as distinct from belting someone. The juciary normally fines the player in those circumstances (while the fans give him a badge of honour).

Sorry to have to break the news to you Chip but, according to today's HUN, Frawley didn't play due to a suspected stress fracture in the foot.

BUMP

Yes, according to the commentator on SEN we were pretty much undermanned against Geelong and this showed all day. Mooney was the star for the Cats kicking 4 in the second half. For Melbourne there are many, many to come back. The good things to take from the game were: Robbo performed well with three goals and a bit of nice aerial work in the last quarter, Brad Miller was good, it was a frustrating day for Neitz with some poor delivery into the forward line. Mark Jamar was good and Brock McLean is definitely one to look for in the season sporting one of the all time great haircuts (he’s shaved it all off!) - worked his way into the game after a slow start to pick up about 20 touches. Matthew Bate was good in the first half and Matty Whelan showed his class. Now, I'll leave it to the experts who went to the game and should start trickling home in the next hour or so.

Final result: Geelong 2.5.17 3.10.28 7.13.55 11.13.79 Melbourne 0.2.2 2.7.19 6.8.44 7.12.54 3.9.27 with the wind in the second and last quarters - very ordinary.

Not full time but we're apparently giving some of the younger blokes a run.

Geelong 9.13.67 Melbourne 6.11.47

Geelong 8.13.61 Melbourne 6.10.46. Seems that both Brock and Neita are just going.

SEN reports that the third term was a bit more spirited from both sides with the Cats holding that 11 point edge at the break. David Johnson took a heavy bump from Travis Johnstone but he's OK and there wasn't much in the bump. Cam Mooney kicked a couple of the third term goals and Robbo has three for the day so far.

Geelong 7.13.55 Melbourne 6.8.44. Fan confirms the wind is very strong and we have it in the last. Jones was very good in that quarter and Bate got into it as well after a slow start. Mooney is killing Benny Holland at CHF. Moloney doing well and Miller continues to play strongly at CHF.

Currently 33km/hr according to wind reading at Geelong Airport*. We should have it in the final quarter. My nephew's a pilot.

Has to be two weeks for hitting a pretty boy, surely? Vandenberg did his hamstring as well.

Damn, Geelong goal 5.11.41 to 4.8.32 (Robbo - 3 goals).

Geelong 4.11.35 to Melbourne 4.8.32. Jared Rivers is in track suit (being rested?) and Miller continues to do well.

Geelong has kicked the first goal of the second half - 4.10.34 to 2.5.17. (If anyone's interested Hawks thrashing Essendon and Hodge has been reported for allegedly striking Lloyd)

Fan (the performer formerly known as Deefan) is down at Skilled Stadium and has confirmed that Bruce, Green, Junior and Pickett are not playing. Brad Miller has been excellent and the others doing well are Trav, Beamer, Jones, Bell, Robbo & CJ. Fan has this new phone and I'm not certain that he's got the drift of it yet so I'm not sure what else we're going to get in terms of reports. SEN's half time report - scrappy affair. Confirmed that Carroll and Yze are also not playing. Their best for Melbourne Miller, Whelan and CJ.