The Chazz

2007. And welcome to all our new Indian members that have joined since then...

Already happened...

$$$ range?

Absolutely spot on in my view. At the moment, to interstate people, we are the Demons. We need to win more, and in turn, win premierships to have more success in leveraging from the name Melbourne. The other thing is that the 3 main codes in Australian sport, Rugby League, Aussie Rules and Soccer (or football to keeo some happy!), we are up against Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory, both have won premierships in their code recently, which unfortunately has been while we've been crap. Nb. I am aware of the Storm saga, and that did damage their brand for a stage. The other thing that we have to remember is that in regards to new Australians, we are hoping for a fair few things to line up. Firstly, they have to move to Melbourne as opposed to Sydney. While Melbourne is the sports capital of the world, Sydney is the unoffical capital of Australia. The Sydney Swans are appealing in that respect. Then, if they do migrate to Victoria/Melbourne, it's a case of where do they live? A lot will reside in the Western suburbs, where 9 out of their 10 neighbours are likely to barrrack for the Bulldogs or the Kangaroos. Where those clubs have it over us is that your average punter can go down and watch their team train, without having to drive in to the city. Then you've got the issue with kids at school. Growing up, a lot of kids don't want support losers, so will barrack for boom teams that win premierships. The fact that we haven't won one since 1964 isn't a great endorsement! So, if there are 80% of the kids at school that are barracking for teams like Colingwood, Hawthorn, Essendon and Carlton, there is a greater chance the immigrant children will lean toward those sides. So, to enable us to get full benefit of the Melbourne name, the answer is quite clear - we need to win premierships and be a club that is financially well-off, so that once we get to the top we stay there for an era, not just a year.

I'm not sure where you get those comparisons Juice! Watts is more a CHF than Howe, Green/Chapman? Perhaps replace Green with Tapscott and play Tappy as a high forward pocket with Green and Clark out of the square (Chapman was named in the forward pocket for the GF). I think there is a lot of similarity between Howe and Stevie J, and our HF line of Howe Watts Jurrah has far better structure to it.

C'mon HT, it's not about making me feel warm and fuzzy, it's about what is best for the team. Like you, I'll happily support the decision of the Club. Any decision the Club makes I support regardless of what it is, as I have absolutely no say in it, and it's just easier to go along with and trust those in charge. Putting Jack Trengove in charge of this team when he has so much to learn himself would be a bad decision. There has been umpteen changes at the Club in the past few months, there will obviously be a change in game plan, and while change is up there with death and taxes, we still need "some" stability or common ground. While it may only be a small piece, for the players to walk on the the ground behind Greeny might be what's required. I personally do believe there is such a thing as too young to be named captain. It takes a very special player to be able to do it, and while rate Jack very highly, he's not there yet.

Making the call on a guy that isn't even on our list? Wowee. Moloney showed this season that he has the ability to break games open, and most importantly, do it with the umpires noticing. If he can find more consistency in his game, and if we can win more games as a team, I think he has the potential to win a Charlie. A mate of mine who barracks for Carlton was wanting to put massive amounts of money on Judd 3/4 through the season. As I said to him, when the decision of who is to win is based on the opinion of the umpires, nothing is certain.

Ling was made Captain because the logical choice, and the new expected Captain, Selwood, was too young.

I think he has a role that he can play in the team. Not knowing what line he is training with, but I can quite easily see him as the small forward that we need, or as a tagger, or even as a back-pocket player. He has shown he can play each of those roles, and I'm expecting him to be one of the biggest improvers in 2012.

I voted "No" - because at the end of the day, who gives a toss? If he wants to grow one, he has every right. If it makes him look silly, that's up for him to deal with. But one thing is for sure, his footy won't just magically improve with the glide of a Mach 3. Oh how I love school holidays.

For a start, I can quite easily see McKenzie being in our starting 18, and would like to think Blease will play seniors round 1. My jury has always been out in regards to Gysberts, and that leaves Bennell and Morton, who I think have the ability to play seniors. So, out of your list, there's absolutely no reason why we can't have at least 4 of those players in the team. I'm going to ask a very simple question that I don't htink has been asked on this thread yet - who, that has been to training, can tell us if Morton looks bigger? Fcuk looking at photos from Twitter, I want to hear from people who have seen him in the flesh recently. Anyone else is just guessing and have NFI. And, while that person who is "qualified" to comment, how is Watts looking? I watched the Clark/Stynes jumper prentation footage from Fox Sports, and Watts was in the background - he looked like he had bulked up further.

Jamar is in the Top 3 rucks in the league. We have a group of young talls that need as much help with their development as possible. Jamar will be a fantastic leader of the ruck brigade, and doesn't need an offical title to do this. He may get a spot in the Leadership Group, but that's where it stops for me. I want him to concentrate on staying one of the best rucks.

Sorry, I just don't recall seeing the gymnastics at the Winter Olympics. I think in the summer olumpics gymnastics, the "hello boys" manoeuvre was often performed...

Was that Snow Gymnastics HT?

This is straight out of the "How to pi$$ billy2803 off in one sentence" book. Looks like he's got a decent goal kicking style, but seems to make a few skil errors...blah, blah, blah. It was 50 seconds of footage FFS. He was picked up in the rookie draft FFS. WHAT MORE DO YOU EXPECT???

Was also training with St Kilda during the pre-season. He certainly has got us talking - some 25 posts compared to the single figures of the other rookies!

So we are going to add these 2 to the list of Watts, Clark, Lucas Cook (a first round draft pick), Jack Fitzpatrick, plus possibly Davis, Tom Mac and Sellar. As Neeld continues to say, we will see a different team in 2012, which is great, but it's 2013+ that I'm wanting to see a premiership team, so there will be pressure on some of these guys to step up/develop quicker.

Another in-depth post about our new rookies thanks RPFC! From early reports, Tom seemed to be training quite well and the players had accepted him quite well. I'm sure Neeld/Brown would have a great insight in to Tom, and should be good to watch how he progresses throughout the year. I keep saying to myself "it's only the rookie draft, don't get too excited", but then I look at our form guide!

Regardles of his antcis off-field, and your own personal opinion of him, today we saw the final nail in the coffin of one of the great Full Forwards of recent time. Sadly for Fev, he won't get the send-off that football-wise, he probably deserved.

Another top post Old Dee. Centuries of tradition/beliefs trying to be swept under the carpet by a team that plays Aussie Rules. I do barrack for the greatest team in the world, but that's not to say I barrack for the most powerful team in the world.

Good post Old Dee. I think the obvious solution would be to try and "sell" the Demons name for 1 round per year, similar to what Carlton did with the light blue M&M jumper a few years back, and what Garry Hocking did when he changed his name to Whiskas. It could be used in the negotiation side of things, in terms of trying to get a bigger $deal, by offering 1 game in China each year, and we play, for that one game, as the Dragons (or whatever that company wanted). In terms of timing for the game, it MUST be the round before the bye weekend. This would give us the chance to fly over there on the Monday, then play that Saturday night, then have the following weekend off, where we could utilise this high altitude training centre mid-season (similar to what Collingwood did with a few of their players this year). Only stick in the mud is that we generally play Collingwood just before the bye weekend, so it will take a fair bit of working out from a fixture point of view.

I do find it interesting RP that Geelong don't participate in the overseas/altitude training craze, as they see it as a long-term thing that will prove costly over time. I think the "settle" for Falls Creek to do their altitude training, which I'm also sure that a lot of the Australian Olympians do. I guess between Misson and his knowledge, Neeld and his exposure to it with Collingwood, and Craig and his expertise, I'm hopeful that they will make the rigth decision for the Club and players. If it is just a ploy to make the players feel like we are doing the best thing, when in actual fact it's not a huge benefit, then it will be an expensive thing. But I agree, I'm sure there are Clubs that are going to Arizona just because that seems to be what the "good teams" do. It's just how they (Neeld, Misson, Craig) relay it to the players. If they can show them the whys and why nots, the players should feel comfortable with whatever decision is made.

Our intensity needs to be up, becasue we are/were so far off the better teams. At the end of the day, Essendon played finals in 2011, so I would want us to be training harder than them.

We are not criticising each other for the same thing. You said CS thinks it's worth an amount, but this was your opinion of what he thinks, not something he has made public. My comments have never quoted or indicated what CS thinks. Totally different situation RP, and I'm fine with your excuse of lazy wording, but don't twist it around to make it sound like we're on the same level. Simply, you were wrong in this example. You are right in that we both have a personal opinion of the amount, and it is backed up with bugger all. In terms of the rape reference, it was in regards to the way you love to violate posts. A lot of words have more than one meaning. Get over it.

I think I read on Petterd's Twitter that they are doing 3 x 1km time trials. Damn, that will be a killer!