Whispering_Jack

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!