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Apparently can play football as well.

Might be worth going down to Visy Park tomorrow to see the TAC Cup Under 18 Semi Finals starting with Dandenong Stingrays (Ashley Smith) v Gippsland Power (Nick Heyne) at 11.10am followed by Murray Bushrangers (Kade Klemke, Dylan McNeil, Riley Milne, Tom Rockliff, Steele Sidebottom, Caleb Tiller, Sam Wright and Jack Ziebell) v Oakleigh Chargers (Dan Hannebery, Jordan Lisle, Luke Shuey and James Strauss) at 2.10pm.

List of attendees - according to afl.com.au includes one Jack Watts of Sandringham Dragons as a tall forward. Tom Allwright Tassie Mariners TAS MM Mitchell Banner Western Jets VIC SMM Dayne Beams Southport Q MM Sam Blease Eastern Ranges VIC SMM Jarrad Blight Swan Districts WA MD Matthew Broadbent Eagles SA TD Ben Bucovaz Geelong Falcons VIC MD Paul Cahill Sturt SA TF Bryce Carroll Western Jets VIC MF Ayce Cordy Geelong Falcons VIC R Aaron Cornelius Tassie Mariners TAS TF Lance Daly Swan Districts WA TF Phil Davis North Adelaide SA TD Matthew DeBoer Claremont WA MM Taylor Gilchrist Sandringham Dragons VIC MM Michael Gugliotta Nightcliff NT TD Chris Hall Eagles SA SMM Dan Hannebery Oakleigh Chargers VIC SMM Hamish Hartlett West Adelaide SA MM Nick Heyne Gippsland Power VIC MF Stephen Hill West Perth WA SMM Tom Hill Northern Knights VIC R Taylor Hunt Sandringham Dragons VIC MD Michael Hurley Northern Knights VIC TD Neville Jetta Swan Districts WA MF Lewis Johnston North Adelaide SA TF Jordan Jones Geelong Falcons VIC TD Liam Jones Tassie Mariners TAS TF Kade Klemke Murray Bushrangers NSW MD Zach Ledin Geelong Falcons VIC SMM Jordan Lisle Oakleigh Chargers VIC TF Tom Lynch Sandringham Dragons VIC TF Matthew Martin West Adelaide SA TD Bart McCulloch Tassie Mariners TAS R Sam McGarry Sandringham Dragons VIC MD Shaun McKernan Calder Cannons VIC R Dylan McNeil Murray Bushrangers NSW SMM Riley Milne Murray Bushrangers VIC TD Steven Motlop Wanderers NT MF Nicholas Naitanui Swan Districts WA R Rhys O'Keefe North Adelaide SA MD Clancee Pearce Swan Districts WA MD Jarrad Redden Eagles SA R Daniel Rich Subiaco WA MM Ian Richardson Claremont WA MF Mitch Robinson Tassie Mariners TAS MM Tom Rockliff Murray Bushrangers VIC MF Jordan Roughead North Ballarat VIC R Ryan Schoenmakers Norwood SA MF Zach Sengstock Sandringham Dragons VIC TD Charlie Sharples Darwin FC NT MF Jamie Sheahan Murray Bushrangers VIC SMM Luke Shuey Oakleigh Chargers VIC MM Casey Sibosado Northern Territory Thunder NT TD Steele Sidebottom Murray Bushrangers VIC MD Tom Simpkin Geelong Falcons VIC TD Tyson Slattery West Adelaide SA MD Rory Sloane Eastern Ranges VIC MD Alistair Smith Perth WA SMM Ashley Smith Dandenong Stingrays VIC MD Rhys Stanley West Adelaide SA R James Strauss Oakleigh Chargers VIC MM Nick Suban North Ballarat VIC SMM Tom Swift Claremont WA MM Caleb Tiller Murray Bushrangers VIC MF Jackson Trengove Calder Cannons VIC TF Adam Varcoe Central Districts SA MF Tyrone Vickery Sandringham Dragons VIC R Michael Walters Swan Districts WA SMM Jack Watts Sandringham Dragons VIC TF Sam Wright Murray Bushrangers VIC MF Chris Yarran Swan Districts WA MF Will Young North Ballarat VIC TF David Zaharakis Northern Knights VIC SMM Jack Ziebell Murray Bushrangers VIC MM Table: SMM = Small/Medium Midfielders MF = Medium Forwards MM = Medium Midfielders MD = Medium Defenders TD = Tall Defenders TF = Tall Forwards R = Ruckmen

This could be the best news we've had at the club for a long while ... Dons fitness duo off to Dees and and there's more

Aaron Davey (heel) - season Chris Johnson (groin) - season Paul Johnson (hip) - season Brock McLean (ankle) - season Tom McNamara (hamstring) - test John Meesen (ankle) - season Brent Moloney (shoulder) - season David Neitz (neck) - retired Jared Rivers (groin) - season Russell Robertson (achilles) - season Jake Spencer (glandular fever) - season Trent Zomer (elbow) - test

I wonder what's going on there? I read recently that Justin Westhoff was injured and unlikely to play again this year but he's still selected. I wouldn't be surprised if Port Adelaide pull a couple of late replacements as they did last week. I smell a Melbourne upset and will definitely back the Dees at the odds on offer.

No doubt a tough gig but Campbell Rose faced even greater mountains at the Western Bulldogs and has enhanced his reputation immeasurably as a result. The successful candidate will of course, have to have a thick hide because the critics will not hesitate to come out of the woodwork if he puts a single toe in the wrong place. Schwab has consistently followed the line that he has other interests to fulfill while Fox was offered the top job at a stable club when Cook retires and that was his preference. Good luck to him. Waldron would be the wrong fit IMO. We shouldn't be in a hurry to make the appointment which seems to have been a mistake made and repeated in the past. David Schwarz seems to agree with this view. Writing in inside football this week, he wrote:- Irrespective of who gets the job, it's important that he gets every opportunity to settle in, to show us what he's made of and whether he can impart success on the club.

FOXTEL takes total to $2.6 million Congratulations to the Melbourne Football Club on this fantastic achievement. Let's knock off $3,000,000 by the end of the month and kick on to $4,000,000 by the end of the year.

The season ending injury list is expanding at a great rate. Here's our official list - Daniel Bell (hamstring) - test Aaron Davey (heel stress fracture) - season Colin Garland (hamstring) - 1 week Jared Rivers (abdominals/groin) - season Paul Johnson (hip) - season Brock McLean (ankle) - season Brad Miller (hamstring) - test Brent Moloney (shoulder) - season David Neitz (neck) - retired Russell Robertson (Achilles) - season The smart thing to do at this stage of the season is not to bring back any of those hamstring injuries too early. If we remember back to last year, we brought players back too early and, in the end, we were severely embarassed in the pre season with too many players not coming up right even after several extra months of recuperation. As a result, a lot of our players were never 100% and we had a shocking start to this season and never recovered. We can't afford that next year, so give the boys time to heal properly before throwing them into battle. My motto for this week at least is: Don't test - rest!

Well, now the melbournefc.com.au site says he might still play this week despite the fact that he is facing surgery some time soon - Johnson set to have hip surgery.

Still doing our due diligence.

Article in the Sunday HUN by Craig Hutchison about Adem Yze being asked to sign a legal waiver before being allowed to play in Sandringham's finals campaign finishes with this paragraph about Jeff White and Paul Johnson:-

David Schwarz [THE OX'S BLINDERS AND SHOCKERS] on PJ in Inside Football this week: Dee Johnson has talent on tap Getting an opportunity is sometimes all it takes for a player to have the confidence to use his skill and ability to cement himself in his side. Melbourne’s Paul Johnson is one such player. He has grasped his chance after Jeff White was demoted to the VFL. Johnson started his career at West Coast, but played only one senior game. He was then traded to Melbourne where in the next three years he only played another 10 games. Last year he played 16 games and proved that he may could make it as a ruckman or forward in the competition. This year he has probably become the Demons’ No.1 ruckman, but his versatility in being able to go forward is what has pleased most. White has held the mantle as the No.1 big man with Melbourne since 1998, but like all players time has finally caught up with him and the leap that he relies upon is no longer there. Johnson has an enormous amount of skill and watching him against North Melbourne last Sunday it was evident that when he got his hands on the footy something good eventuated. He is very clean at ground level and when given the opportunity has no trouble kicking goals. At 24 years of age he has another six or seven years of improvement in him and knowing that ruckmen take longer to mature there is only upside to his output. Dees coach Dean Bailey has good young players at his disposal and Johnson will play a very big role in Melbourne’s revival. Full credit must go to Bailey for persevering with the big ruckman.

All four short term injuries are being tested this week. Should we play them or give them an extra week to recover? Short term - Kyle Cheney (hand) - test Brad Green (hamstring) - test Paul Wheatley (calf) - test Austin Wonaeamirri (general soreness) - test Out for the rest of the season - Brock McLean (ankle) Brent Moloney (shoulder) David Neitz (neck, retired) Jared Rivers (abdominals/groin) Russell Robertson (Achilles)

I could have sworn I read reports last week that Cameron Schwab had ruled himself out for the new CEO job, but his hat is back in the ring. Smart as a fox - Fox, Schwab throw hat in ring for Dees job

Demons re-sign veteran

Our injury list continues to contain the names of some of our best players: Short term - Kyle Cheney (hand) 1 week Brad Green (hamstring) 1 week James McDonald (groin) test Out for the rest of the season - Brock McLean (ankle) Brent Moloney (shoulder) David Neitz (neck, retired) Jared Rivers (abdominals/groin) Russell Robertson (Achilles)

Thanks for those stats deanox. When you see those however, our young blokes aren't much lighter on average than the Dockers who seemed to look a much bigger bodied team.

Actually, you've got it the wrong way around. Nobody here frowns upon the mention of Rono and our freedom of speech is well protected around here. It's when you have the idiots and their egos dominating the threads and abusing others that our freedom of speech is damaged the most. If people observe the rules i.e. the very reasonable code of conduct we all agree to adhere to when we sign up, there's no problem.

Each week, the 31-year-old has been declared fit to play by club medicos, hence his absence from any official lists. But Holland, who continues to train with the club, is taking a cautious approach and has so far resisted a return through the VFL. Holland was named in the ruck for Sandringham last week, but was a late withdrawal. He continues to receive match payments from the Demons. Melbourne remains hopeful Holland will finally play a VFL game this week, but there are ... BEN HOLLAND DECLARED FIT, BUT RELUCTANT TO PLAY Goodbye Dutchy!

The Dockers had a win at the Tribunal with Crowley getting off his charge. Since we knew Solomon was never going to play against us this week anyway, I'd call that a big win for the Fockers.

Good to see that Ben Holland is fully fit for about the fourth week in a row! B)

The RSL club at Rooty Hill is first class.

DEMONS WITH PLENTY TO PLAY FOR

Melbourne: Kyle Cheney (hand) - 1-2 weeks Brad Green (hamstring) 1-2 weeks James McDonald (groin) - test Brock McLean (ankle) - season Brent Moloney (shoulder) - season Jared Rivers (abdominals) - season Russell Robertson (Achilles) - season