montasaurus

This test is in Perth and Johnson has proven dangerous is more likely to get the new ball than Siddle IMO.

Your a good judge Rhino! 1/12 for johnson!

So how did MFC stuff up?

This is a good start..... "( Ball already had a premiership behind him at the start of 2005 - and Jolley was well ahead of Jamar)"

For a ruckman to crack the sads in my eyes was not managed as well as he should have been by all involved. We did do well to get pick 15 but still believe we would have been better off to keep him at the club for the long term. Jeff white was already on a down hill slide, he was from 04 onwards from where I was sitting.

Jeff white gave great service to the club but I felt very often from 04 onwards he did do the hard things well (1%'ers, Clogging Holes etc) rather he was looking for easy touches being a link man. Just my opinion, but that is why I felt the MFC made a mistake allowing jolly to trade. Had have white gone down with a bad injury from this time or moving forward we would be better placed last year with jolly as #1.

I'm not associated with the inner cirlces of the club so there could well be other issues internally that ment this was impossible but from the outside I belive the club did make a mistake leaving Jamar as #2 not Jolly.

Re trading white my logic was and still is we would have picked up something special for him at that stage, but by keeping him we now have nothing to show for it. I am probably very biased in my assessments as i enjoy watching the crash and bash rucks more so then the athletes like white.

I was really suprised to see this in todays paper. usually it would be the filth with a big glossy article and us with a little side note. Maybe the media is starting to see the change within MFC and rather then kicking us while we are down they are starting to see that we are now a club on the rise! Seeing a group developing as tight as this one seems to be is as good as a christmas pressie I could ask for. Momentum and confidence are by far the most important things. Every player on a list at an AFL club can play its just a matter of bringing it together, building momentum + confidence and exicuting a well developed game plan. So the 3rd part of this we should see soon enough!

Or did we think that of Jason Ball and Darren Jolly in 2005 for Sydney?

Darren Jolly..... Thats opening up and old wound of mine. I really believe the MFC stuffed up big time there, jeff white could have been traded for a good player but insted they let jolly go. I really rated him even back then. But good luck to him, his got something no melbourne player in the last 50 years has had.

Roost It, 38,000 ? I doubt that very much. I will stick to my prediction earlier, 31,565.

If we win a few early I agree 35k+ is a real chance. If we start similar to last year 30k will be closer. Very important to have a good NAB cub game even if we loose. It has to be a close game.

Australia all out. 375.

A draw looks more likely by the way as the pitch is a road in Perth.

Even more of a reason if hayden fails, give him a rest, he might even come down with the windy hill flu!

At 9/365 with batsman 6 to 11 getting a dozen or more runs each suggests that if the SA batsman knuckle down and the Aust bowlers are not at their best this could be difficult to get a result. The absence of Stuart Clarkes height and bounce could really hurt us.

The pitch is belter to bat on and with Siddle and Krejza (now allrounders ) in just their 2nd tests then Australia could be tested with the ball.

Siddle, Johnson, Krejza would be the best 9,10,11 bats in the world so hopefully we can get a few of them early. The test that siddle played in India he by far looked the most dangerous bowler so lets cross fingers. I wonder who will open as I get the feeling Johnson is not seen as a new ball bowler so maybe siddle and lee.

I just purchased my new membership. The membership consultant Bernard was very helpful. I asked him how many members the club currently has and he said its sitting just on 16,000.

Its really great to see the club has passed the 15,0000 target it was looking for!

Good Stuff demon85, your joining at a really exciting time!

Calm the fu%& down man.

He's having a shot at people like me, who have been an MCC member for years, but only just signed on as an MFC member for the first time last year.

And there are lots more like me that still haven't bought an MFC membership.

Yes, I am a bad person.

Get over it. Move on.

FWIW even if he was having a shot at people like me, i've got no animosity towards monty. I think there's a good point in there somewhere.

But i doubt he was anyway. Just settle down....

No Your not a bad person - you have seen the light . I know what I am talking about as I was once a sole MCC member as well.

"Get over it. Move on". - Couldn't have put it any better

Then stand corrected.

He is contracted until 2010.

has his original contract changed or was he always on a 3yr deal?

Bartram, Jones, Dunn, Bate, Buckley...

Still all under 21 but you could be excused for thinking there becoming snr players. imagine how good some of these guys could be when they are 25 not to mention the next crop coming through as well.

Bevan and others of his ilk suffered from playing at time of high quality cricketers

Fair Point re bevan's era

Fair Dinkum we are yet to put this puppy to rest. It is my understanding that Meesen was put on a two year contract.

Even on the Demonland PLAYER CONTRACTS thread that was pinned for a while we have his contract until: October 2009.

I am willing to be corrected but Meesen has ONE year to go on his contract.

Please view:

http://forums.demonland.com/index.php?show...layer+contracts

That was always my understanding as well, he was taken on a 2yr contract of which he 1 yr to run. Unless he finds regular snr football I think he will be gone.

Jeez guys, I am a Melbourne supporter; I have my stickers, I will get them on the car at the weekend.

The Melbourne recruiting department is employed to recruit players to the club. Anyone they recruit to the club gets my support. Anyone they didn't recruit, because they passed him or were gazzumped, is not a Melbourne player and does not get my support.

I will place my implicit trust in the recruiting team, and move on.

Well said. BTW how good do the new stickers look!

Fwiw I'm a MCC/MFC member Monty and I'd go to Casey. I can also understand if someone doesn't want to venture out to Casey because of personal reasons, they're entitled to do what they want to do. With regard to the long room.....that's a little childish.

Didn't mean it that way guys, I actually thought people may find it a little funny... The old establishment vs a bright new future. If people find it offensive I will remove it. Childish- maybe a little but we can't all be that serious all the time can we? - post has been edited

Pls don't take it as a shot at MCC/MFC members, they are an equally valuable part of our great club. However there are many melbourne barrakers that are full MCC members, can easily afford a MFC membership but won't pay for it. That was the section of people I was taking a shot at! and theres a chance you would find them leading an anti casey development

I thought this too for a nanosecond. But if Jack is going to be the next Captain I would of thought that would not happen until he's at least 21yo. (Which would make him one of if not the youngest captains of all time). Therefore the next 3-4 years we need a captain or dare I say it co-captains in the interim. Would J.McDonald and/or Cameron Bruce last this long? Definitely not J.Mac and doubtful (whilst possible) Bruce would last another 4 years.

The heirarchy either decide on a new Captain with the vision of this person being Captain for a significant period of time, or they bite the bullet and continue with Co-captains or one Captain (ie McDonald or Bruce) in 2009, to be revised at the end of 2009.

Let's remember for the last 17 years the Melbourne Football club has had 3 well served Captains in Garry Lyon, Todd Viney and David Neitz.

You are right In what you say re 4yrs being too long for Jnr or Bruce. But in 2011 there could be another "interim" captain or co-captains for 2-3 years as well, thus leaving the door open for watts to become the next long term captain. (I know I'm drawing a long bow but how knows?)

Will you come if they build the train to the stadium?

i suspect that unless there is a (censored) room there forget it!!!

You might be right.

I heard this morning (SEN) that it was 'known' said the host, can't remember his name - it may have been Jason Richardson - that this could be Haydo's last test series, with an announcement expected sometime during the series. From what I gather this piece is "unconfirmed."

So, just take it as gospel at this stage.

I really think these days it's harder to get out of the side then get in these days! Imagine if Michael Bevan had have had the chances hayden and symonds have had. He may well have been one of the best of the last generation of players.

I know it will be Bruce and McDonald and I only can pray that it's not.

Chooka or Green it has to be!

I was thinking about this last night. Co-Captains may not be a bad idea in the short term......

Maybe the next sole MFC captain will be the #4? He certainly oozes everything you would expect from a captain so far and he's only 17. Brock may miss out altogether?

interesting that brock's name was not mentioned.

I really think this is unlikely to be an issue. I can't remember being so excited about a PSD pick. I hope he is ready for a nab cup debut!

I've always been an advocate of playing games at Casey

2 Small drawing games involving interstae clubs played at Casey, with Footscray and North and even St Kilda doing the same.

MFC gets 10 home games at the G and 2 away games where members receive reciprical rights, funded through our relationship with the G and the AFL.

Casey will only make money(in the way Kardinia Park makes money for Geelong) if members are forced to buy a reserved seat. This is a little unlikely considering we'd be lucky to get 20,000 people to the stadium. We would however benefit greatly from the interaction with the local community and hopefully the cost of playing there is kept to a minimum, allowing us to turn losses into profits without playing interstate.

However I think we should also get the MCC to close the top tier of the ground at all our matches involving interstae sides. Allow kids onto the ground at at least one, preferably all these games and have the MCC help us promote these games through their newsletters and their regular ads in the friday papers.

Access to the change rooms for kids needs to be reintroduced. Getting the players not playing to roam the ground talking to supporters and giving away Demon supporter packs and the like. All these things would increase the numbers at games. Even selling memberships where players sit and talk to you during the breaks, explaining tactics and players roles with these members. The club needs to do lots of the little things as I don't believe their's a silver bullet that will fix all our problems.This club has been so badly run and so inactive for so long it's great to have Stynes and co in charge.

I totally agree. The point is we can't just sit back and do nothing. We as a club and more importantly we as the members and supporters also have to change. The MCG is our home and there is no better place to watch the dees, but we all have to be realistic about the direction of the club and the competition. 2009-12 will see the club change probably more then what it has in the last 20 yrs. We all have to be understanding and some changes will not be popular but nessicary. The worst thing that can happen is for heads to stay in the sand. I wonder if those who are against casey sit with MFC members or MCC?????

Thanks for moving - I guess its better suited in this thread.

Why do you assume that if it can't be Casey, then it has to be interstate?

Regardless, my position is this: I will choose public transport every time if possible.

I stopped going to Waverly because of the traffic-mess and also Geelong for the same reason but I can't get in that ground anymore, anyway. I suspect the same might happen if matches are played at Casey. It might be a boon for the club but I wouldn't have the first idea about the financial arrangements. I'm sceptical as to whether they can fill it for interstate matches - it didn't really work at Princess Park, did it? I'd much prefer people like yourself who are willing to make the trip fill the stadium. If my personal preference makes me an "armchair barracker" then so be it. I'm not against the prospect - I just won't go for the above stated reasons. But I will go and watch Casey Scorpions play there, whenever I get a chance.

To be honest, I think its a long way off, if ever.

Colonial has its bad points but its actually quite good to watch the footy. As far as the walkway is concerned, well, that's the price you pay for an inner-city stadium with full public transport facilities close by. Its no different to walking around the southern side of the G above Brunton Ave (although I believe they're expanding this).

So what your basically saying is rather then the club being pro-active you would rather sit in your arm chair and allow the club to die a slow death by not changing. We loose money or just break even every time we play an interstate in melbourne be it MCG or the Dome. Therefore change is a must, either increase our gate #'s or look at other options. The first is nearly impossible, therefore looking at an alternative is what is required, the AFL have even indicated that a 3rd stadium in Melbourne is requried so we might as well be the ones to directly benifit from it similar to geelong otherwise we will wind up like fitzroy and be bullyed around by the bigger clubs and afl.

if we were to loose to Hawthorn I think both will play the remaining NAB challenge games. Why risk jamar/johnson if both the younger ruckman are up to the level required. I agree meesen is to play snr footy regulary this year or will be gone!

McKenzie is a SPECULATIVE acquisition, who could SPECULATIVELY become the next Brett Kirk.

We may have done well!!!!!!!

He sounds like he has the drive to be exactly that, but if he does turn out to be the next brett kirk - TEACH HIM HOW TO KICK NOW!