Elwood 3184

Last year one of our posters put up a list of the dates to which our players are contracted as a guide to discussion of which players to retain or delist in the future. Does such a list exist either officially or unofficially?

I'm sure that Garry Lyon would work in the best interests of the club and not allow his friendship with any particular candidate to override logic. Judging from the fan sites, it looks as if Connolly would not be a popular choice but the coaching position isn't a popularity contest. For my part, we need something different from whoever is going to be our next coach and Connolly doesn't fit the bill. I'd like to see a complete outsider who has played for a successful club and knows what it takes to win a premiership. Guy McKenna anyone? Brett Ratten? Michael Voss?

Ricky Petterd was operated on Thursday and, according to afl.com.au, the surgeons discovered that it was a cyst that caused his collapsed lung. My question are:- 1) Aside from on the day when he suffered the injury, would the presence of the cyst have affected his health and his ability to play at his best before the incident? 2) What are the chances of a full recovery and the ability to play to 100% following the surgery? In the same article it mentions that on Thursday Jared Rivers also underwent surgery to have a chronically-torn and degenerative abductor tendon repaired. Similarly, what are his chances of a full recovery?

Claimed my Juice Newton today and the drink and meal were delicious. Not far from my home either. Thanks Demonland.

Doesn't sound as if there's much more material for promotion to the Dees. Garland at a pinch might replace Petterd. Moloney probably needs a few more weeks. Ditto with Byron and Ben Holland's chances depend on availability of match ups as always.

I believe that the ability to take the hangers is something that comes with confidence and while Newton does have that ability he tends to overdo the attempts at the spectacular. The marks aren't all sticking ATM but they will if the kid is given his opportunity, especially on a bigger ground where he has more room.

This week presents the perfect opportunity for Newton to be selected in the team. This is a game that isn't being played for sheep stations - we're 15th on the ladder and even if we have a good run we're going to finish somewhere in the bottom half of the ladder. Is there anyone else with better form than Newton who we can put into the side? Miller kicked 6 against Coburg, zip against Box Hill. Newton kicked 2 and 3 after getting bags of 6 and 5 previously. Lynden Dunn? He has had his chances and will get plenty more but right now you have to go for the player with consistent form. Newton is not a raw 17 year old, he's 20 and despite being a quiet country lad, his time has come and with all due respect to Richmond, it's not a pressure game against a top four contender like West Coast. Finally, it's the Australian thing to do to give a bloke a go so I'm appealing to the coach and the selectors to do the right thing by the kid and play him on Friday night! Do it for the country mate!

Some of them are actually quite discerning judges e.g. Author: Pieman Author Host/IP: dsl-220-253-66-206.NSW.netspace.net.au / 220.253.66.206 Subject: emcguire - go sign up Brock Mclean IMHO, he will be AFL MVP several times before his career finishes.

Always an enjoyable read and this week very sweet indeed. Is there any chance you can train your crystal ball on next Monday's game? Will there be snow around to keep some Demon fans away and how much will we win by?

I received an email from the club advising that the club has passed the 25,000 member mark for the first time in history. I've deleted the email so I'm not sure now whether that figure includes MCC members but it's a terrific achievement for all concerned at the club. Now if only the players could just hold their part of the bargain ...

It may not be that stupid after all because the winner of the Matt Kruezer Cup will also have the first pick in the Chris Judd Pre Season Draft!

Sylvia not in your best 22 Old?

With Riewoldt out of the Saints team they won't line up like that. Miller might very well end up somewhere up forward and CJ down back.

The AFL should not turn a blind eye to what's happening over at West Coast. Not long ago, it took four players to task and punished them for betting on football. Now, it should investigate the drug allegations and if necessary charge the WCE and/or the players involved with bringing the game into disrepute. It seems that Cousins' drug problem was known as early as July last year. What was done to help him with that problem? Where was the drug testing? Why was he (and the 7 others Worsfold refers to) allowed remain registered as AFL players into the finals series. I think the football public should expect the AFL to come down hard here if the players and their club are guilty - at least as hard as they came down on Essendon, Melbourne and Carlton for salary cap cheating in the past 7 or 8 years.

There's no Nick Sautner either. What's happened to him?

Like to hear that but we shouldn't get too cocky, surely?

Tomorrow's game will do him a world of good. He has too much talent to be down at TBO but he must know now that unless he applies himself 110% (and looks like he's doing so), he'll have to learn to take in the salty sea air at least on a fortnightly basis during the season.

Dunn is listed to play for Sandy tomorrow.

Let us not forget that this was only a practice game and Richmond was a long way off its best side. A win may be a win but the real thing is still a little under 3 weeks away.

$10,000 fine with $5,000 suspended. No match suspensions. http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArti...px?newsId=38560

Decision to be announced at 1.30pm. My tip is that Caro will be right. The AFL can't come down too hard on the four players for the reasons she mentioned and it won't. But heaven help anyone who gets caught betting from now on!

Surely we have to try this at Melbourne if we're ever going to be successful [read here]? Kerr, Cousins, Gardiner, Cousins, Kerr again. The formula seems to work for them!

Does it really? I remember against the Bulldogs we lost Byron Pickett and Aaron Davey in the space of an afternoon to hamstring injuries and then Travis did his before the next game against Carlton and BB wasn't at the club then. Hamstrings and soft tissue injuries happen even when the best of precautions are taken. You certainly can't blame the fitness coach without any evidence at all.

Who's vice-captain?

The AFL has a rule that says:- (B) A person must not, directly or indirectly, participate or engage in or assist any other person, corporation or entity to engage in the following conduct: [...] (iii) contrive or attempt to contrive the result of a Match in exchange for any bribe, benefit or reward; That being the case then we should investigate a few of the clubs that failed to play their best sides when a priority draft pick was in the offing. I remember the Bullies dopping Croft for the last game of the season after he kicked 5 goals.