Damo

Moloney trained with enthusiasm. He and Bate seemed fit. Who I thought was Meesen was in a tracksuit with a plastic cast over the ankle. I may be wrong because I dont know what he looks like. Sorry. BTW The only player I saw DB giving one-on-one instruction was Chris Johnson.

I went down. i dont live far away and I saw the thread on ology so I took off. The Junction Oval always looks good on a sunny day. The players had new balls and the session was relaxed and in high spirits. Teams split off into different groups and players came and went.Some had been swimming and they eventually joined in. It wasnt a closed session and I counted three (3) other supporters there...one autograph hound, my mate who showed up near the end and another bloke near the old reception room. The players ran out of that little portable shed and it all started. DB came last walked right by and asked how I was going. Nice bloke, one supporter! So what can I tell you? Not much.... Petterd and Newton worked lightly. But unless you couldnt do two laps jogging and handball drills you would be in trouble. It wasnt a hard session, it is tuesday and they played Sunday. There was one player in trouble - Paul Johnson. If I hadn\'t seen media photographers taking shots I would have shut up about it as there was no one else there. And PJ wasn\'t hiding. He stood near me dressed in casual clothes. There was no one else near the race and I said \"G\'Day\". His hand is bandaged(and it may have have been plastered under the bandage) and I asked if it was wrist or thumb. he said it was his hand. I asked if he would play and he said he didnt know. My impression is that he knew he wouldnt play. I then complemented him on his recent form and brought up his bad luck \"just like the Sydney Game\". He agreed that his luck wasnt good. I wished him the best and he wandered up the race. I realise there will be questions but it seemed everyone was fit and present except John Meesen. I couldnt think of anyone else absent. T he only other comment that may be of interest is that White, Jones and Brock did their laps and stretches on their own. Then for drills it was disparate groups of no particular makeup(backs, mids, etc) I have only enough time to post this as I\'m off so I can\'t answer the queries.

Now Im going to be thinking about that all day! And I must admit that I hope Roger Ellingsworth, David Cordner, Matthew Febey among many others, dont ask me to repeat what Ive yelled from the safety of the Smokers Stand. Mea Culpa.

Im sorry Graz. I dont share the same faith. Those words above could easily have been describing Neil Balme or Neale Daniher in their first year. I didnt hear what he said in Canberra, but you have referred to it before. As I rate your thoughts on how the game should be played Im sure it comes in second behind the Gettysburg address. He isnt getting many players to "play for him" and that is a worry. He is a love child to the media and has been asked Dorothy Dixers for the last two weeks. I hope he is succesful, I hope my fears are unfounded. As an aside I thought Matthew Knights was a very poor choice for the Dons. I thought Brett Ratten was a good pick up for the Blues. My friends from Carlton dont think brains is what is needed as a coach of a struggling side. They say that Ratten believes the world is round and that Knights is a Flat Earther. Because the blues just go Round and Round. But the Bombers go straight down the guts.

You are right he shouldnt have saddled up. Neither should have Yze and I wouldnt give Wheels more than four matches to show something. List management was lax. But the issue I have is respect for all players old and current. Too many posters have a go at players but would crawl over broken glass to chat with them. They would suddenly find that lost respect very quickly. Im tipping that "mate" of yours that won a bluey got a tap on the shoulder as well. I bet you dont talk to him about his last year of AFL.

The tigers were happy to see the back of him as well. Wouldnt help out with anything other than what he deemed "his job". Acted aloof to committee and families who would help at mailouts etc.. Luckily they now have Miller... Now that Jimma has openly criticised the appointment of McNamee, it looks like CC's little mate is timing his run. Other than that he could join the whiteshoe brigade on the Gold coast. Cant see him going to Western Sydney.

I cant talk either because I am still transfixed by watching TJ stick the ball down a champion CHF's throat last week. It seems to have stuck in my gullet. It looked like he was told to kick it to Browny and thats all he did. he dont know much about science books....

I couldnt have put it better myself.

I thought you were referring to the first demon to go half way over the West Gate on the way to Kardinia Park.

It was Mick Jagger without the stones. Must have been around 1996. My brother got tickets from a (mutual) mate at Sony. They told me about it later... said I really missed it. He played all the old hits. bastards.

I agree with YM. We are 3 decent KPP and a fast midfielder (yes a fair whack) away from being a good side. It is the Colins and Greeny's that will come good at that point, but arent good enough to lift what is around them at present. I believe they would star at Adelaide. One beacon of light is that we will be under the salary cap by a fair way, and have a lot of draft picks. If we can find some one in our department to do a good deal, we may seduce a star or two from an interstate club. We have the satellites but not the stars, we cant seem to grow our own so we should trade hard for them. I would like to think that CC is our man, if he cant do it... etc.

They cant play Garland against the cats? surely not. Be scared, very scared...

Most of those no-names were picked and groomed by Slug Jordon under Ron Barassi's watch. They had come straight out of winning under 19 and then Reserve premierships. Plus the draft kicked in and we had Stretch, Spalding and Warren Dean arrive. Nothing against Northey but Bailey isnt walking into a team full of up and comers.

In the seventies there was Robbie and Later A.Johnson to watch. In the Eighties there was Healy and Jacko and some great juniors coming through the under 19's and Ressies. It was always worth getting to the game at 12.00 to watch the last half of the Reserves. There was always something to hang your hat on. Now there is no silver lining. Our President who flies in for quite a few games, bless him, tells us to be more supportive. He will be back in first class by now. I dont know what to make of that. We just have to stick with it.

Thanks Jaded.

What qualifies as good? Is being in the top ten of a team to probably finish outside of the eight good? I think it does and I think Miller should come good this year. It has taken a while, if it does happen but at pick 55 I think he is better value than two players who dont cop the same derision and went much higher in the draft and have been around as long or longer. Wheatley.Bell.

Does Paul Gardner live here or in Sydney? I was told by someone close to the board that the perception is that he now resides in Sydney. Anybody else heard this?

Fair enough, Im touchy through being the butt from too many anti-demon jokes. I honestly believe that when Jones and Valenti played together at Sandy (I saw three matches) that Valenti was as good. Sometimes markedly. Jones has however improved more than any player Ive watched since Rivers. Others seem to be shooting stars. For pure nugget courage there has to be a place for him. But I am a Simon Godfrey fan and as such can only go down a wishin and a swinging. cheers.

You seem to be pretty happy with your view of the game and want to pick the best footballer out of Wheatley, Holland Valenti and Maloney. You say Fisher was [censored] but he was never given a chance. you say you play the game but I wonder if speed is your forte. I saw the game from Barwon Heads, because it was northerly all day, not that you would have a clue what that means. Were you there? Nup. But a smug expert as always.

Youre a better judge than me but Id take him.

I dont reckon you have ever played football at any real standard. Anybody who denigrates a good ordinary footballer like that doesnt sound to me like he has any real dash.

I see two of the emergencies coming in. Holland and Moloney. If we are trying to win we need a solid body in the forward line whos likely to go frony and centre and take a mark. And we need to keep one of the only players we've got who can keep up with them. I see someone not making it from the forward line out of Robbo, Neiter or Newton. There are a whole shout of arguments for any of those to miss. I have to asume we are trying to win rather than just get the sour taste of defeat mingled with pithy posts of how its going to plan yada yada yada.... Again Wheatley seems to be sacred. From a perennial rovers point of view Im miffed (!) that Valenti isnt uploaded to help Jones. And while Im on it (Annies Lane), does any notice how Tadgh kennealy looks like this years model of Chris Judd?

Same Desert, Different tent.

The tigers will have both Punt Road and an outpost out past Broadmeadows as well.

The interview was a stern Bailey who re-iterated how he had trained them hard and to expect a turn around but the Journo (Rob Waters?) said the players were definitely dropped not injured.