Whispering_Jack

Who's flying? No surprise here, but Christian Petracca is tracking beautifully. The reigning Norm Smith Medal winner looks just as big, strong and powerful in the contest after returning this summer. It's a scary thought for opposition sides, but could he take his game to yet another level in 2022?

Last night GWS 7.1.43 defeated Western Bulldogs 2.10.22. That’s what I fear the most about today’s game - the Doggies score line reads so much like the Melbourne of the past.

First big test for the Demons on hostile (albeit red and blue) territory in SA Adelaide v Melbourne at Norwood Oval, 2.40pm ACDT ADELAIDE B: N.Gore 7 M.Rajcic 32 HB: L.Whiteley 22 S.Allan 39 N.Allen 8 C: A.Considine 16 A.Hatchard 33 E.Jones 2 HF: E.Phillips 13 C.Randall - C 26 T.Charlton 25 F: A.Woodland 24 C.Biddell 12 Foll: C.Gould 1 E.Marinoff 10 R.Martin 5 I/C: M.McKinnon 21 J.Simmons 11 M.Newman 17 H.Button 6 A.Ballard 27 Emerg: J.Hewett 19 B.Tonon 28 In: L.Whiteley, C.Randall, C.Gould, M.Newman Out: J.Hewett (Omitted), S.Thompson (HS Protocol), D.Ponter (HS Protocol), J.Mules (HS Protocol) MELBOURNE B: L.Birch 9 G.Colvin 32 HB: S.Heath 30 S.Lampard 8 S.Goldrick 23 C: E.McNamara 22 T.Hanks 5 C.Sherriff 18 HF: T.Harris 7 K.Hore 10 L.Mithen 14 F: D.Pearce - C 6 J.Parry 19 Foll: L.Pearce 15 E.Zanker 29 K.Paxman 4 I/C: M.Fitzsimon 24 M.Gay 3 E.West 11 A.Bannan 16 S.Scott 12 Emerg: A.Brown 28 M.Caris 21 In: L.Mithen, M.Gay Out: B.Tarrant (Omitted), M.Caris (Omitted)

I’m up on the Gold Coast and had dinner in a restaurant last night where there was a table of three young blokes, one of them, the Suns’ gun recruit Mac Andrew. I’m no expert but he doesn’t look as if he’s put on any weight. 😀 But we were in a pasta joint so that’s a start!

Good to see Ronald Dale Barassi has recovered from his recent bout of Covid and is training the house down!

Did you mean Spargo, the Dutch band?

I take it that Djokovic hasn’t made the Serbian bobsled team?

Agreed. I really can’t see this working. REPORT: AFL considering top-up pool of replacement players for 2022 The AFL seems to be concerned that some clubs manage better with their second tier affiliates than others but they should be rewarded rather than making further allowances to the lazy clubs that don’t do enough for their development.

Firstly, kudos to Tegan Cunningham on her design of this year’s MFC AFLW Pride guernsey. I thought it looked not too overstated - just right. We started off shakily in the conditions and finally overran them thanks to our superior fitness and run with that infamous Casey wind in the final quarter giving us a good ride to a percentage boosting win. However, it must be of some concern that we are basically winning our matches off the back of a single quarter and we’re going to be more consistent next week against the Crows on their home deck. Karen Paxman came good today and led the midfield. Our defence held up well and Tayla Harris and Kate Hore are dangerous up forward. I think George on the Outer in his preview of the season was concerned about the team overdoing the handball. If they are going to handball as often as they’re doing then they need to work on it at training. It’s not just us but a feature of many of the games I’ve been watching that teams are coming unstuck with poor handball. Still, a 41 point win after being level pegging at ¾ time can’t be sneezed at.

All over and a big win to the Dees. Having the advantage of the wind in the final quarter on a hot day works wonders. MELBOURNE 1.0.6 2.5.17 3.5.23 9.10.64 ST KILDA 1.2.8 2.2.14 3.5.23 3.5.24 GOALS MELBOURNE Harris 3 Hanks 2 Fitzsimon Hore D Pearce L Pearce ST KILDA M McDonald Vogt Xenos BEST MELBOURNE Paxman Lampard Hanks Harris Hore Birch ST KILDA Lucas-Rodd Jakobsson Priest Xenos Shierlaw INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil ST KILDA Nil REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil ST KILDA Nil CROWD TBC at Casey Fields

Scroll Down - Training Gallery: January 21

Melbourne v St Kilda at Casey Fields, 3.10pm AEDT THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: L.Birch 9 G.Colvin 32 HB: S.Heath 30 S.Lampard 8 S.Goldrick 23 C: E.McNamara 22 T.Hanks 5 C.Sherriff 18 HF: T.Harris 7 K.Hore 10 J.Parry 19 F: D.Pearce - C 6 M.Fitzsimon 24 Foll: L.Pearce 15 E.Zanker 29 K.Paxman 4 I/C: B.Tarrant 20 M.Caris 21 E.West 11 A.Bannan 16 S.Scott 12 Emerg: L.Magee 26 A.Brown 28 IN Heath Lampard Scott Sherriff OUT Brown (omitted) Magee (omitted) Mithen (AFL Protocol) Petrevski (omitted) ST KILDA B: T.Lucas-Rodd 18 R.Ott 20 HB: B.Jakobsson 8 J.Van Dyk 36 H.Priest - C 14 C: M.McDonald 1 T.White 29 C.Phillips 35 HF: D.Guttridge 5 K.Shierlaw 12 R.Dillon 25 F: A.Richards 22 J.Vogt 10 Foll: L.Cutting 26 N.Xenos 27 T.Meyer 34 I/C: L.Burke 30 O.Vesely 23 A.Burke 3 R.Watt 7 I.Shannon 11 Emerg: R.Saulitis 13 E.Friend 16 IN: Meyer Richards Shannon Watt OUT: Exon (injured) Greiser (omitted) Saulitis (omitted) Woodward (omitted)

The team heads out to Casey Fields for its first home game of the season for the Pride Round. Please give them your support!

THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: L.Birch 9 G.Colvin 32 HB: S.Heath 30 S.Lampard 8 S.Goldrick 23 C: E.McNamara 22 T.Hanks 5 C.Sherriff 18 HF: T.Harris 7 K.Hore 10 J.Parry 19 F: D.Pearce - C 6 M.Fitzsimon 24 Foll: L.Pearce 15 E.Zanker 29 K.Paxman 4 I/C: B.Tarrant 20 M.Caris 21 E.West 11 A.Bannan 16 S.Scott 12 Emerg: L.Magee 26 A.Brown 28 IN Heath Lampard Scott Sherriff OUT Brown (omitted) Magee (omitted) Mithen (AFL Protocol) Petrevski (omitted) ST KILDA B: T.Lucas-Rodd 18 R.Ott 20 HB: B.Jakobsson 8 J.Van Dyk 36 H.Priest - C 14 C: M.McDonald 1 T.White 29 C.Phillips 35 HF: D.Guttridge 5 K.Shierlaw 12 R.Dillon 25 F: A.Richards 22 J.Vogt 10 Foll: L.Cutting 26 N.Xenos 27 T.Meyer 34 I/C: L.Burke 30 O.Vesely 23 A.Burke 3 R.Watt 7 I.Shannon 11 Emerg: R.Saulitis 13 E.Friend 16 IN: Meyer Richards Shannon Watt OUT: Exon (injured) Greiser (omitted) Saulitis (omitted) Woodward (omitted)

The AFLW Pride Round has taken a bit of a hammering after Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Western Bulldogs all recorded a number of positive cases within their squads. As a result, the Suns/Lions and Bulldogs/Blues games have been cancelled. Carlton will now play Brisbane at Metricon Stadium on Tuesday night while the Suns and Bulldogs will sit out the round altogether. That’s two weeks in a row for the latter. The shape of things to come?

Is the tyranny of distance keeping our track watchers away? Training Gallery: January 21

Melbourne confirms guernsey numbers for 2022

The point is that a person’s choice of sport is not necessarily dependent upon how much money they make from their participation. It could be as simple as the enjoyment of the game or an individual not wishing to live in the shadows of their parents achievements.

I’m finding it difficult to reconcile many of Knightmare’s shifting views on some players. This is where he had Jacob Van Rooyen in his 2 April, 2021 power rankings:- “10. Jacob Van Rooyen Van Rooyen appears to to be the most advanced key forward in this year's draft crop. Van Rooyen kicked 19 goals from 10 WAFL Colts matches last season. Van Rooyen's aerial marking and contested marking are his weapons and give him the future scope to switch into defence. Possessing a strong and advanced body for his age, Van Rooyen has good one-on-one capabilities and importantly for a forward applies forward pressure capably.” A month later he dropped out of the May power rankings (possibly due to his bout of glandular fever) but he was back on 8 June, 2021:- “17. Jacob Van Rooyen Among the most advanced key position players in this year's draft crop, Van Rooyen has recently returned from a battle with glandular fever. Van Rooyen's aerial marking and contested marking are his weapons and give him the scope to switch into defence. Possessing a strong and advanced body for his age, Van Rooyen has good one-on-one capabilities and importantly for a forward applies forward pressure capably. Following his 24 disposal, three goal performance against East Perth, Van Rooyan earns a position inside the top 20.” Despite booting 24 goals in the final six games of the colts season and displaying some consistently good form for the WA Under 19s in both defence and up forward, he has dropped out of favour from being “the most advanced key forward in this year’s draft” to an outsider for an AFL debut in 2022 and possibly 2023.

Tiernan Stynes has just been selected in the Victorian Under 18 Basketball team for this year’s Australian championships. The pendulum seems to be swinging in favour of the sport of basketball.

FoxSports have an article - What every delisted and retired AFL player has planned for 2022 These snippets on a club by club basis are of interest as far as the Melbourne Demons and Casey Demons are concerned ~ BRISBANE LIONS Brock Smith (delisted) – TBC, but likely to play in the VFL and has been linked to the Casey Demons. {Note: Brock Smith 20 189cm 92kg “Brock Smith was selected at Pick 33 at the 2019 NAB AFL Draft and is a defender who can play both defensive and offensive roles. The Gippsland Power Captain can also provide offensive run rebounding off the half back. Smith is known for his terrific character and ability to defend various opponents.”} FREMANTLE Reece Conca (delisted) – Player Development Manager at Melbourne (AFL) GWS GIANTS Matt Buntine (delisted) – Casey Demons (VFL) and Caulfield Grammarians (VAFA) {Note: Matt Buntine 28 189cm 85kg Matt Buntine was selected by the GIANTS at pick five in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft and made his AFL debut in round eight, 2012. The defender, from the Dandenong Stingrays in Victoria, was named in the GIANTS’ emerging leaders group before the 2014 season and joined the official leadership group in 2016 for a season. A knee reconstruction in 2017 interrupted his career before he fought back into the side, playing in the 2018 finals series. Buntine is studying a Bachelor of Education, completing a coaching course and has ambitions of becoming a PE teacher post-football.“} HAWTHORN Tom Scully (retired) – Will continue his work in the police force 😵‍💫 MELBOURNE Austin Bradtke (delisted) – TBC, but was training with Frankston (VFL) prior to Christmas and took part in match simulation. Kye Declase (delisted) – Werribee (VFL) Marty Hore (delisted) – Given permission to train with North Melbourne (AFL) over summer in the hope of being selected in the SSP Neville Jetta (retired) – Development coach and VFL player at Collingwood (AFL) Nathan Jones (retired) – TBC, but has been linked to a part-time role at an AFL club Jay Lockhart (delisted) – Southport Sharks (VFL) Aaron Nietschke (delisted) – Central District (SANFL) Aaron vandenBerg (delisted) – Old Xaverians (VAFA)

It was North Melbourne that played at Coburg (in 1966). Also, I left out the great Kevin Joseph Murray MBE is because he’s still with us so he doesn’t yet qualify as a “ghost”.

My fondest memory of a suburban football ground is that of the old Brunswick Street Oval, a picturesque ground with ancient grandstands and a brick fence. It was the scene of one of my first games which, despite being in the midst of a golden era for the Demons, turned out to be a narrow loss to the Lions which had previously been called the “Gorillas”. That was in 1957 when my cousin and I walked to the ground from Brunswick where we lived across the Merri Creek. Times were different then - we were just short of our 10th and 8th birthdays respectively. As the reigning premiers, it was a shock to lose to Fitzroy who had finished well down the ladder in 1956 but we always had trouble with them, particularly at their ground. Soon after, a rivalry began between the clubs because we were coached by Norm Smith, they by his brother Len. The ground was small and by the late 60s was no longer fit for purpose as a VFL ground and the Lions became nomads, moving to Princes Park (twice), the Junction Oval, Victoria Park, the Whitten Oval and eventually when they were forced to merge with the Brisbane Bears, to the Gabba where they tasted success but not as Fitzroy. The real Fitzroy lives and still plays at the Brunswick Street Oval in the Amateurs. They play in the same Division as my club and it’s always a thrill to head out there for a game against the Roy Boys. There’s only the old grandstand left, part of the brick wall, lots of trees around the perimeter, one of the best canteens in the Ammos and a friendly atmosphere. Perhaps the ghosts of some of their greats like Haydn Bunton Sr., “Butch” Gale, “Chicken” Smallhorn and Bill Stephen still lurk around the old grand stand happy in the knowledge that they couldn’t kill off the old Fitzroy.

2022 Melbourne numbers — 
1. Steven May 3. Christian Salem 4. James Harms 5. Christian Petracca 6. Luke Jackson 7. Jack Viney 8. Jake Lever 9. Charlie Spargo 10. Angus Brayshaw 11 Max Gawn 12. Toby Bedford 13. Clayton Oliver 14. Michael Hibbert 15. Ed Langdon 16. Bailey Laurie 17. Jake Bowey 18. Jake Melksham 19. Fraser Rosman 20. Adam Tomlinson 21. Jacob Van Rooyen 22. Blake Howes 23. James Jordon 24. Trent Rivers 25. Tom McDonald 26. Sam Weideman 27. Luke Dunstan 28. Majak Daw 29. Jayden Hunt 30. Alex Neal-Bullen 31. Bayley Fritsch 32. Tom Sparrow 33. Oskar Baker 34. Deakyn Smith 35. Harry Petty 36. Kysaiah Pickett 37. Kade Chandler 38. Mitch Brown 40. Taj Woewodin 41. Judd McVee 42. Daniel Turner 44. Joel Smith 45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield 50. Ben Brown

He was a truly wonderful gentleman. Friendly and always willing to get into a conversation about footy. I remember him once at Trevor Barker Oval Beach Road Sandringham when Melbourne was still affiliated with the Zebras. I got there early and we were watching this gangly young ruckman, Stefan Martin who had come down to play VFL after a year with Old Haileybury. Scotty was fascinated by the fact that Martin had scored a 99.75 in his VCE and we discussed why someone with those qualifications would want to play in the VFL ressies. He was great company for a while before wandering off into the rooms to get a scoop that would enable him to come up with another one of his punchlines. A real character. Condolences to his family.