iv'a worn smith

Sorry, it's gotta go. Taking one for the team is one thing ladies, but being utterly ridiculous is something else altogether.

Bookies say Hannebery is a shoo in. The betting market is as follows: Hannerbery: $1.21 Tom Rockliff: $5.50 Tom Scully: $8:50 Anthony Morabito: $26.00 Jackson Trengove: $26:00 Nic Natanui: $34.00 (what a blow out from early in the year) Ryan Bastinac: $34.00 Of course, I am biased, but for consistency of performance I reckon Scully is over the odds. But with the Dees not winning enough games, it may count against him. Any thoughts?

Latest News on a Police Raid in Perth: Police Raid in Rockingham, Western Australia Police just announced the discovery of an arms cache of 200 semi automatic rifles with 250,000 rounds of ammunition, 10 anti-tank missiles, 4 grenade launchers, 2 tonnes of heroin, $5 million in forged Australian banknotes and 25 trafficked Filipino prostitutes all in a Housing Commission house behind the Public Library. Local residents were stunned. A community spokesman said: "We're shocked. We never knew we had a Library!!"

Nice work

By his own lofty standards, Hodge had a poor one and Bruce played a great game. But as good sides so regularly do, their stars chip in when it counts. Hodge was dour and kicked 2 crucial goals when the game was still in the balance. The difference, as already cited, was the harder and more mature bodies of Hawthorn in the end. I never enjoy losing, but walked away heartened by our obvious potential. As for the umpires??????????? Yes, never blame the umps for a loss, but I do blame them for damaging the overall spectacle and their lack of feel for the game. Atrocious.

The main point that most supporters have been insulated from is just how close we came to going out of business altogether. Acknowledging that fact puts the achievements of Jimmy, his Board and Schwabby into sharp focus and perspective.

And what about when you take your kids to the footy. Is a bunch of loud and foul mouthed, drunken yobbos acceptable then? Sure, enjoy your footy, support you club with everything you have. Be passionate, but have some respect.............. it costs nothing.

Exactly and violence - either physical or verbal - has no place. I agree support as loud and strong as you like, but if your only motivation is to cause trouble, then your out of line in my view. These guys would not know a football from a brick. Despite our win, I felt very uncomfortable.

I was in the same area and heard the same thing. These guys would not be out of place at Molineux or Stamford Bridge. I was appalled that these guys only intent was to stir up trouble and antagonise MFC supporters. They had no real interest on what was happening on the ground. While - deservedly so - the filth supporters cop a lot of criticism, I rarely go to a Dees v Tigers game, where I don't hear or see some form of trouble. I am reminded of the 2 occasions when I witnessed them even fighting amongst themselves. As some say, with justification, they're prone to eat their own at times.

J Hird? I liked Jack's game yesterday and he showed plenty of nous.

The rules of the AFL draft vitiate (look it up) any other contract, whether verbal or otherwise. If JV does not want to join the MFC, he either is available to GC or GWS, or takes his luck in the National Draft. Simple as that.

Spot on. The reliance on draft picks being the panacea is unhealthy and gives rise to lame excuses. I note on another thread that someone said the consolation for another poor showing in the second half of the season would be another high draft pick for next year. Very dangerous strategy.

Mark Stevens - Opportunity lost OK, we are young, inexperienced and have a lack of mature bodies, but how long do we accept such excuses for insipid performances, where there is no urgency and where there is a lack of intensity at the contest. I can accept the losses as easily as I can rejoice in the victories, but I will never accept a lack of commitment.

I think Casey is a great initiative and provides us with a growing market for years to come. We need to maintain our presence there as well.

This is great news and of course long overdue. However, my enduring memory of the the Junction Oval will be the last training session there, before the 1988 Grand Final. Of course we did not get the result we wanted on the day, but at training on the Thursday night, it was great to stand among the red and blue faithful and suck up the atmosphere. Anyway, a new era is dawning.

I am reminded of a charity lunch I attended several years ago. Jimmy had not long retired from the game and was the guest speaker on that occasion. The usual agenda for these lunches was that the speaker from the previous lunch would attend and be presented with a cheque for a charity of their choosing. In this instance, the previous speaker was a Catholic Nun and she duly attended Jimmy's lunch to collect her cheque. When the time came for Jimmy to speak he approached the lectern very red faced and opened his speech with; " Dhere goes most of my talk, cos I just cant say half of what I wanted to with da Sister dhere, present." The room erupted,but straight away Jimmy, with his self-deprecation, had the audience in the palm of his hand. At the end of the lunch, Jimmy was selling copies of his book, "Whatever it Takes" which I gladly bought and Jimmy obliged by autographing it to my wife – even though she is a Hawks supporter, she just loves Jimmy. For those who have not read Jimmy's book, I highly recommend it. His insights, previous challenges that he overcame, and his strong sense of integrity and loyalty, put into context his current and most challenging battle yet. In 2001, my older brother passed away suddenly. He was a man whom I greatly admired. My nephew and late brother's son, quoted Jimmy's book while giving his eulogy. As sad an occasion as it was, I was warmed by the thought that my late brother, a Collingwood supporter, had words spoken at his funeral, which were contained in a book written by a Demon legend. If anybody can overcome this curse, Jimma can. May the road rise up to meet you and may the wind be always at your back, Jim.

Now that is edifying stuff. Actually, I have thought for awhile that one of the best kicks in the comp, let alone the MFC, in Brad Green has been off for a number of weeks. Hopefully the break will see him come back with a different mindset and approach, especially to his set shots for goal.

"Recruited by Melbourne from Ballarat when he was already twenty-five years of age, Geoff Tunbridge played his entire six season, 117 game, 128 goal VFL career as an amateur. (He had, in fact, commenced his senior football in the VAFA with University Blues, playing in that side's 1952 A Grade premiership side.) Not that there was anything remotely amateurish about his play: explosively energetic and quick, he was one of the most damaging half forward flankers in the game. In his debut season he contributed a couple of goals to the Demons' 17.14 (116) to 7.13 (55) grand final demolition of Essendon, while in 1958 he was one of the few Melbourne players justified in holding his head high after the shock grand final loss to Collingwood. Tunbridge went on to play in further Demon premiership sides in 1959 and 1960. He also represented the VFL."

Surprised there was no mention of Donny Williams (HBF) or Geoff Tunbridge (HFF), both just squeeze into the time line. Donny Williams had 2 stints at the Dees and was a real dasher.

Norm's sacking was to do with the then then Committee's, under the leadership of Dr. Duffy, not supporting the Red Fox, after comments he made about an umpire and a subsequent writ issued by that umpire. While Norm was big on team discipline, it was not Froggy'smatch winning goal that was at the heart of the sacking controversy.

ST married a Melbourne girl recently and a few of the Dees players were at his wedding. In fact, I think J Riv was in the bridal party. Word is his new bride hates Adelaide (can you blame her?) and wants to come back to Melbourne. If the right deal could be struck and price is not too high, I would take him back in a heart beat. Another suitably skilled, mature player would no go astray.

What is it with Dunn's 35 metre run ups, for sets shots on goal? Then he stutters in his run up and despite the long run up, doesn't kick through the ball. I like Dunn, but understand how he frustrates supporters, but I reckon he is hard at it most of the time and he should be used as run with player only, with the hope of pinch hitting in the forward line only occasionally. In the meantime LD, please get some goal kicking technique practice.

Brad Green to be interviewed by the Ox on SEN shortly.

So Garry Lyon's opinion is of no substance, because he's part of the media? Garry Lyon has no understanding of how commitment, intensity and passion are engendered? Seems we should dismiss the media conclusively, as they remain members of Joe McCarthy's fifth column, over 50 years on. "There are none so blind than those who will not see"

No, but kids may well be - the future. Look at this way. Our first Saturday "home" game for ages, weather fine, no real shot fired in anger at that point, membership marquees set up all over the place and as as you say, a crowd of 45K, our top 2 draft picks making their debut and the best we can manage is less than a thousand sign ups. At that stage, we were thought of a realistic chance of pinching a win. I would think the club had budgeted for a better result than that, given the circumstances, before the first bounce. I am not looking at "extremes" I am looking at the cold, hard facts and we cannot simply accept future performances like that of last Saturday, if we want to optimise our membership base. I am not "encouraged" by that result at all.