Tim

Fantastic report, BB. I have been a casual dropper-in at training, as I pass through that area from time to time, and see the odd 10-15 minutes. I couldn't get to Casey on Saturday, but your comments on 3 of the youngsters resonated with me in terms of the bits of training I've seen this pre-season. Toby Bedford and Kade Chandler have impressed me with their intensity and skills, as well as Toby showing some real toe. They are obviously very early in their development, and it's good to see them showing something in a game, even though Toby's was more cameo by your account. I can't get out of my mind the tackle he did on Gawn in a session before Christmas where he hung on with intensity, swinging like clothes on a clothesline on a windy day - I was worried that Gawny would cop an injury so intense was the prolonged tackle! Young Bradtke looks several pre-seasons away from having a body that can compete at the highest level, but I do like his skill level. Doesn't look like the lumbering tall type, and he moves well and executes neatly. Just shows how tricky it is with ruck types in being able to bring together physical presence with good footy attributes. Hell, Max Gawn's 27, a star of the game, and a 10 season veteran. And he still hasn't played 100 games!

Agree. Can't believe what some other posters are talking about here.

Isn’t it played on the Sunday of the October long weekend?

In ancient history, my grandad used to say that the importation of Percy Page and Checker Hughes from Richmond was the key element in setting up sustained success and 10 flags for Melbourne from the late 1930s till 1964. In the current era Jackson/Goodwin have been the most important imports we’ve brought in, together with Roos - “the recession-buster we had to have” to paraphrase Paul Keating. Goody looks as though he’s a star in the making as a coach ?, but we did need Roos to get our moribund club through ICU and out of being on life support. I know they’re not players, but they are likely to be the most important imports we’ve had for a long, long time.

He’s entitled to his opinion, and he may be proved right. Only time will tell, as the cliche goes. However, I have heard him describe the events of 19 September 1964, when he cried all the way back on the drive to Ballarat from seeing his Magpies pipped by the MFC in the Granny. Could be a clue.

If memory serves me...this incident was followed by Justin Murphy at the other end kicking the “sealer” goal, but signalled as a point. I was right behind his kick, and grumpily looked down at my Record as I watched it sail through with Murphy standing triumphant just in front of me, with the Carlton stands rockin’; I looked up to watch the centre bounce, and was shocked to see a kick out happening. It should have been a goal! Murphy’s (justified!) reaction was priceless, and almost as enjoyable as the overall win. I reckon it was the game where Jimmy Stynes’s monumental consecutive games record came to an end; a hand injury incurred on the day, as I recall. Boy, a busy and memorable afternoon!

Track watchers might say our form lines are starting to take a bit of an uptick atm, given the 2-0 shellacking Sri Lanka’s just handed out to the home team in the Test series in South Africa.

Coincidentally a double acronym: This is Melbourne (in English) Want a Flag (in Transylvanian). Obvious, really.

Apparently after 11 this morning, Zeph.

Thanks for the link, Andy. Good story!

Not necessarily. Unwarranted comment.

I dunno....186 has a certain ring about it for a Demon board.

And why not? That’s the exact number of games Cyril’s played these last 2 years.... ?

VDB definitely there, fwiw.

“It’s a miracle!”

Nick Smith (Swans) 211 games, no votes. So the rumour goes....

I’m a little behind in my reading - what comments were these?

Good point. I thought the Francis mark was one of the best grabs, fwiw. No doubt Hogan would have liked Francis to be eligible, with the possibility it knocked off Heeney, and therefore provided far fewer viewings of him as Heeney’s step-ladder. Probably not Hoges’s most front-of-mind thought this week, though.....

Ship him out - we clearly don’t need talent like his judging by the first half at Optus.

Yes... as long as there’s a “get out” clause for bad appointments, to make sure the ship doesn’t go down. For the sake of clarity, let’s refer to it as the Mark Neeld clause.

Big call, champ.

Get rid of this poster! (Chanelling the original title on the OP - Nibbler was terrific tonight!)

First time we went undefeated in May since 1965. And yes, that's not a good omen year.

Not “embarrassing” as such, but first 100+ point win in 14 years (Carlton, 2 May 2004). Biggest win since 22 August 1993 (121 points over Richmond). Nice to be dishing it out for a change.

GF participant? (1961?)