Whispering_Jack

I was catching up on some stuff I taped during the footy season this morning and I came across an interview with Leigh Matthews on the last Grumpy Old Men. While I was watching the interview I couldn't help but think that Brock McLean has a lot of the attributes that a young Lethal had in his early days with Hawthorn. Matthews was recruited from Chelsea in the late 1960's when that area was part of Hawthorn's metropolitan zone. Others who came to Hawthorn from that area in that era were Martello, Moncrieff and Leigh's brother Kelvin. The zone was then reallocated to Melbourne and we did pick up the Healys from Edithvale-Aspendale. Greg Healy was our youngest captain ever. However, but for a little better timing with the change of zones we could have picked up a few champions including Lethal - voted the greatest footballer of the era and a fantastic leader and premiership winner for the Hawks. Then I read the above article and I thought to myself - we might just have the next one.

If the answer is David Corder then it really involves three clubs because Edward Cordner played for Melbourne and University and David played for Melbourne and Sydney.

(a) the late Neil "Froggy" Crompton's goal in the 1964 Grand Final put the nail in the Collingwood coffin and won us our last premiership. (B) a goal kicked by Robbie Flower some time in the 70's out at Windy Hill when he got the ball in the back pocket and ran and passed the ball all the way into the forward line and ended up kicking the goal himself. We were such a shyzen side in those days and Robbie was like an oasis in the desert.

Here's the full list at all AFL clubs for 2007 (clubs and players listed alphabetically): Adelaide: Andrew McLEOD Graham JOHNCOCK Brisbane Lions: Anthony CORRIE (rookie) Chris JOHNSON Rhan HOOPER Ashley McGRATH Albert PROUD Jason ROE Sam SHELDON Carlton: Joe ANDERSON Clint BENJAMIN Eddie BETTS Andrew WALKER Collingwood: Leon DAVIS Brad DICK Chris EGAN Liam BEDFORD (rookie) Shannon COX Sharrod WELLINGHAM (rookie) Essendon: Richard COLE Alwyn DAVEY Courtenay DEMPSEY Dean DICK (rookie) Leroy JETTA Andrew LOVETT Nathan LOVETT-MURRAY Paddy RYDER Fremantle: Clayton COLLARD Troy COOK Jeff FARMER Antoni GROVER Roger HAYDEN Des HEADLAND Michael JOHNSON Calib MOURISH Geelong: Nathan DJERRKURA Matthew STOKES Travis VARCOE Hawthorn: Chance BATEMAN Lance FRANKLIN Mark WILLIAMS Kangaroos: Matt CAMPBELL (rookie) Lindsay THOMAS Eddie SANSBURY Daniel WELLS Djaran WHYMAN Melbourne: Aaron DAVEY Byron PICKETT Daniel HAYES (rookie) Isaac WEETRA Matthew WHELAN Port Adelaide: Peter BURGOYNE Shaun BURGOYNE Nathan KRAKOUER Daniel MOTLOP Danyle PEARCE Richmond: Andrew KRAKOUER Jarrod OAKLEY-NICHOLS Carl PETERSON Richard TAMBLING St Kilda: Raphael CLARKE Xavier CLARKE Sydney: Adam GOODES Michael O'LOUGHLIN West Coast: Ashley SAMPI David WIRRPANDA Western Bulldogs: Cameron FAULKNER Jarrod HARBROW (rookie) Josh HILL Malcolm LYNCH Brennan STACK

We should note that the Bingle lady is denying everything.

Funny, when I read the article again I thought I was being reasonably positive. In any event I think you're reading what I said from the wrong perspective. Firstly, it's unheard of at any AFL club that you have 100% attendance from the entire list during the pre season. You're always going to have some players going through rehab. It's a fact of life. Some of those guys doing laps etc. are no doubt on special programmes to meet their own physical needs and it's not a total loss if some start their pre seasons proper in January. Secondly, you can't expect to find a 22 game first year player every year if your first pick is # 12. My expectation is that none of our draft picks "are likely to make an impact in 2007" but that is not saying that one or two of them will not make their AFL debuts next year. And it's not saying that one of them might not surprise us as did Bartram this year. Remember, twelve months ago very few expected Bartram to play even one AFL game in 2006. Thirdly, what does it mean when you expect a layer to "bulk up"? In the case of Michael Newton for example, that might mean putting on 4 to 5 kgs over a period of six months. We're halfway through that period and I wouldn't be able to tell whether or not he'd put on half that weight. I have no idea whether or when a weights prograamme would be involved or when we're likely to see the results. Fourthly, we haven't picked one of the four potential rookies training with us and you should remember that whoever is selected is certainly not eligible to play AFL unless we have a long term injury and the particular rookie is selected to take his place. There's no Bryce Gibbs out there that I can see ATM anyway. The other thing about pre season training is that it's not like an actual game where you can measure a team's performance so it's not really possible for anyone to state positively a lot of things you might expect to read. It's only a series of observations from one session so I'm not getting carried away. But if you want to come away with positives then I must say that I forgot to mention that Travis Johnstone looked absolutely terrific.

I just thought I'd reprise this thread by letting you know that the Tiwi Islanders lost their last game for the season against Southern Districts to end their experimental season with a 6-1 record. Apparently, there will be a rematch grand final in February but for now, that's the end of the ABC2 coverage of NTFL games. Again, the standard might not have been crash hot but it was thoroughly enjoyable football and I have a new ambition to visit the Territory and the Tiwi Islands some time soon as a result of watching these games. One interesting player in the Southern Districts team was Kyle Archibald who was on Richmond's list for a couple of years but was hampered I think by OP. He played for West Adelaide this year and didn't set the world on fire but he is apparently starring as a 190cm forward in the Top End. He comes originally from Ungarie which is Daniher country so I'm wondering if he might be a contender for a rookie position. The other matter of interest coming from Darwin is the reintroduction of the AFL Indigenous All-Stars game which will be played at Marrara Oval on Friday, February 9, 2007 against Essendon. To date Collingwood, Carlton and the Western Bulldogs have all failed to beat the All-Stars and there's a fair chance that a few Demons will be in the side so the game will give us our first opportunity to glimpse some of our players in the new year.

We shouldn't be getting too carried away with Weetra or any of our young recruits at this stage because all we'd be doing would be to put added and unneeded pressure on them (as if they don't have enough already). Let's remember that two of our four draftees from last year have yet to play AFL football with both Simon Buckley and Heath Neville playing in VFL reserves for most of the year. Same goes for Michael Newton who was drafted a year earlier. Let's be patient with them and if one or two do a "Bartram" then it's a bonus. On the kicking skills of Joe Anderson, it looks like a general problem they have up there in the NT. I've been watching some of their games on ABC2 and I've noticed that while the games are exciting and high scoring affairs, the kicking skills are all over the place. A lot of the players are very good at short range with chip passes to players on the run but pretty much deplorable with their longer kicking. I'm happy to go with the judgement of CAC and our recruiting people when it comes down to making decisions like the one between drafting Weetra and Anderson. They're the professionals and we're the amateurs.

Well done lads. Sorry I couldn't be there but she who must be obeyed decided to have her birthday at the weekend and let's face it, when you meet a girl who's birthday's in November, you automatically think that's not going to interfere with footy. Cheers and well done to the players and to Rollo - our chief organiser and manager! And just to show our even handedness this is how our opposition saw the game - http://www.saintsational.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25881 (if you think some of the photos are out of focus then you had too much to drink after the game) http://www.saintsational.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25879

But Robbo's a better bowler.

I reckon Sheedy gave the crowd exactly what they wanted. Entertainment, a bit of a donnybrook and some blood and guts and gore. I personally can't stand the IR game and I'd prefer it if we tried to promote our game internationally rather than a hybrid that doesn't quite work unless there's a bit of World Wrestling Entertainment added to give it some spice.

Bob "Tassie" Johnson was a sensational kick from full back. I can remember him kicking off at the MCG and regularly kicking it to the centre of the ground. And that was with a drop kick! And just on Paul Wheatley. I know he was being hawked around in the trade week but I'm glad he's still at the club. He can still be of value if he can stay injury free and I'm looking forward to him slotting through a few 9 pointers in the nabcup!

Shmekel. You don't happen to know Shane Briss or Brett Moyle would you? Just curious.

What Solicitors Finks? I am a Solicitor and this is your first and only warning. Keep the lid on or else ...

The question's a no brainer all right. He'll stay unless someone wants to give up a top five draft pick for him.

Burston was actually a boom ruck recruit of 1966. I remember him in his first practice match for Melbourne, an interclub game, the last of the '66 pre season. Apparently, this star player from University Blacks had been holidaying in Hawaii and he virtually stepped off the plane with his magnificent build and an even more magnificent sun tan. Looked a million bucks. Played in an ordinary side at Melbourne but I remember him starring in a memorable victory over Hawthorn when he kicked 6 goals playing ruck and a forward pocket. Strangely enough, was dropped soon after. There's a story behind that but I'm not 100% sure it's true so I won't repeat it here. Yes, disappointing but I still stand by my earlier comment about Tilbrook. Tell you what, for those who join the Demonland/Demonology/Bigfooty supporters group I'll reveal my top 5 disappointing Demons at the first function plus my top 5 who surprised me.

Markc - I hope it's not too late to pay you a visit to collect a couple of Robbie dvd's?

I endorse that and thanks for your efforts Mark. I'm now back in Melbourne after a shortened break and when this bloody heat dies down I will pop into your store to collect the Robbie DVD, join your store as a member and hire a few DVD's. Feel free to send us in an advert and we'll give your business some free sponsorship. As far as Ash is concerned, surely he could airbrush a Bomber jumper onto Robbie if he really wants to get a kick out of the DVD (although the Melbourne v Essendon games might become a bit confusing). And FInks, how many candles are we supposed to light tonight and what do we do if it's a total fire ban?

John "Diamond Jim" Tilbrook would have to be the most disappointing in my book. He was recruited to the club from Sturt SA in 1971 and was probably one of the first highly paid Demons after the club had let other clubs lead the way in terms of professionalism. Our golden era was over and we hadn't played in the finals since 1964. Tilbrook had been a member of a sensational Sturt side which had won six SANFL flags in a row. His clearance from Sturt had been held up in the first half of the season but Melbourne was having a bit of a revival in 1971 winning 8 out of the first 9 games. Tilbrook was cleared to play at last in Round 12 at VFL Park against South Melbourne and, although the team has just lost two matches in a row (to top sides Richmond & Hawthorn), it was expected to surge into the finals with their new forward. It was another typically wet day at Waverley but when "Diamond Jim" ran out every Melbourne supporter at the ground would have had their hearts in their mouths. The guy was built like a brick shyzenhausen. Wearing the Demon jumper he lacked only a red cape and a yellow S across his chest and he would have been the spitting image of Superman. When he got his first kick the resemblance with the man from Krypton was even more pronounced. The other mere mortals on the ground were kicking the ball around about 30 to 40 metres in the wet conditions. Tilbrook let loose with one that went 70! We were in heaven. Melbourne won 6.13.49 to South's 2.6.18. The following week, The Dees lost a close one to the Bulldogs by a point but Diamond Jim didn't disappoint - he booted three through the big sticks. However, as the season went on, the Dees started losing games and slowly but surely they sunk out of the top 4 and Tilbrook went down to the bottom of the harbour with them. A consolation prize was the night premiership (the day finallists didn't take part in those games) and Tilbrook played in the centre. John Tilbrook battled on until 1975 when he played just 2 games for a career total of 56 games in 5 seasons. By that time, he was an object of derision in the press and Lou Richards labelled him "Diamonte Jim" - diamontes being imitation diamonds. He had turned out to be a false messiah and Melbourne languished for more than a decade after that before it made the finals. But for one brief wet day at Waverley, we thought all of our Xmases had come at once.

I would also appreciate a copy to go with my grainy old tape of Robbie highlights which is a copy of a copy of a copy ... Ash - does it have Robbie's magnificent run from the back pocket to hff and goal at Windy Hill?

Er... we actually won the Night Premiership in both 1987 and 1989. The one that they show with reasonable regularity on Foxtel is the Melbourne v Essendon night grand final of 1987. Robbie missed out on that one through injury and I think it might have been Danny Hughes who captained the side that night.

I've been following the Demons since I was about five years old and Ron Barassi stands out as our greatest and probably always will. We won six premierships during his time as a Melbourne footballer and thanks to people like our coach Norm Smith, club secretary Jim Cardwell (in those days the secretary did just about everything at a club including recruiting), RDB and a couple of dozen fantastic footballers we were the kings of football. After all that there has been nothing comparable but for Robbie Flower who was simply magnificent. He stood out in an era where the rest were ordinary. Everything he did was exquisite. When he took a mark time froze while he hovered above the other mere mortals below him. That was Robbie ... I hope that perhaps there are others out there in the present side who can one day come close to matching him.

Finks. It might be seditious to criticise an avatar that contains the MFC monogram but I'm already missing the picture of Chewy!