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Simon Buckley's a real true red and blue boy!

The Age looks at our practice match win against Richmond and highlights the loser - No wins for Tigers, but no worries. Meanwhile, the Hun's report mainly tells us that Jay Shulz is going to be a gun. The Demons' performances are almost an afterthought in both reports. The Hun at least has a couple of feature articles on Robbo - Demons due a flag, says Robertson and Robertson on mission to fire up. Why two articles on one person though? In any event, they're general articles and not about yesterday's game. Did is it true that we really played yesterday?

Relax. It's not Brock!

Courtesy of today's Australian, this is our official injury list. A little birdie tells me that it's not accurate and at least one player who is due back about round 2 is probably not going to be back for at least a month beyond that and then it will be at least a couple of weeks at Sandy. FWIW, the injury list (sponsored by the 426 Corporation, makers of the world's finest prosthetics):- Clint Bartram (ankle) 2-3 weeks Jace Bode (back) 2 - 3 weeks Ben Holland (hip) test Travis Johnstone (foot) test Brock McLean (thigh) 1 week Nick Smith (amnesia) 4 - 6 weeks Colin Sylvia (groin) 2 -3 weeks Matthew Warnock (ankle) 2-3 weeks Paul Wheatley (ankle) test

Any updates on those injuries?

Thanks for the report ReDEEmabull. I'm just wondering if Jared Rivers played. I haven't heard him mentioned I don't think!

It's interesting to compare this approach with the one Collingwood has taken with Malthouse. The Pies recently extended MM's contract by a year, much to the chagrin of a number of Collingwood supporters. I think it's going to be a difficult decision for Daniher and the club come September irrespective of whether we make the top four. One the questions that has to be asked is whether the players can have the same message drummed into them year after year and still continue to improve. That can only happen with great coaches and I don't think it's happened before for 10 years with a coach who hasn't won a premiership flag.

You're 100% right Maximum. It's a private affair and shouldn't be aired in public. Certainly wouldn't be if it was Lance Smith and his brother Shane.

Found guilty, given six weeks and unfortunately therefore will miss the Round 4 clash Melbourne v Fremantle!!! Clearly, it's a travesty of justice that we should be deprived of the opportunity to see our great Wizard playing against us on the MCG. I guess we'll have to wait till grand final day to see him play against us on the G.

but based on 2006 precedent he's already had his quota of kicks and marks for the game

Although it's been low key Colonel Clink we know nothing stuff up till now THE TRUTH ABOUT THE INJURIES TO SOME OF OUR YOUNGSTERS is coming out. This has me truly worried because we are one club where injuries have a habit of hanging around a lot longer than we think originally. Ask Nick "426" Smith about that!

Here's a good article from Michaelangelo Rucci of the Adelaide Addie suggesting that things haven't changed much down at Enron even if Richard Pratt is kicking in the $$$$$$'s: CLUBS' CURIOUS BEHAVIOUR

Follow the sequence:- AFL 2007 - 13 to 16 AFL 2007 - 9 to 12 AFL 2007 - 5 to 8 AFL 2007 - 1 to 4 In short, this writer fancies the Demons in 2007:- Crystal Ball 2007 Final Ladder Melbourne Sydney West Coast St Kilda Western Bulldogs Fremantle Adelaide Richmond --------------- Hawthorn Brisbane Collingwood Essendon Port Power Geelong Carlton Kangaroos [Hat tip: nojunkmail from 'ology]

Not 100% sure but I read somewhere taht he was being rested because he had a bit of groin soreness.

Absolutely and firmly inside the cheek

Oh, for heaven's sake. It would be an absolute outrage if they don't allow a few hundred supporters of the game that the stadium was built for to watch their team involve itself in a match simulation event. After all, they're opening it up to a foreign code on Sunday night and letting 50,000 supporters in to wreak possible havoc and destruction over there. I mean it's not as if we're Collingwood supporters, is it?

After five years out of the broadcasting game, Channel Seven will use a Melbourne intra-club match at Telstra Dome next Tuesday to get re-acquainted with the specifics of AFL coverage. The Demons have been given special treatment by being able to use the ground for a practice game even though the AFL stands strong in heavily restricting training on the ground.

Too early to say at those ages. I read somewhere that Todd Viney's son who's not much older is a bit of a gun though.

Be that as it may, he should be kept in cotton wool for at least a week to make sure that the ankle settles down. WHen you roll it lightly twice in a few days I think your body is giving you a little warning. Take it easy, make sure whatever problem he's had there heals 100% and then back to the training when you know he's 110%!

Nice effort there dazzledavey36 but could you tell me how Heath Neville and Daniel Hayes are going? And how could I forget Jace Bode?

The AFL indigenous All Stars were given a towelling by a pretty committed Bomber line up and lost in the end by 50 points. The Melbourne contingent of Aaron Davey and Byron Pickett were fairly quiet. The Flash provided a scare when he limped off with an ankle injury early in the second half, but was he back by the end of the third term. He kicked the AIAS' first goal from an angle in the first quarter but was by no means prominent. His brother Alwyn kicked a goal for the Bombers and looked quite lievely but he's smaller than the Flash. Pickett was quiet early, then did a few hard things in the third quarter and finally tapered off. There was nothing much to write home about and it's not much of a pointer to the season although from Melbourne's point of view I have to say that we never learn. Davey injured his ankle in match practice earlier in the week and should have been left home as a precaution in much the same way that the Swans withdrew Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin and a few of the better players from other clubs did likewise.

The Demons' good publicity wagon keeps rolling on... Neitz and Melbourne look to fire up in 2007. Great story about the skipper as he nears his 3ooth game. Yes, I'm fully aware that good PR doesn't necessarily translate into premierships but there's been a good feel about almost everything that's been aired or published in the media during the pre-season. Lots of positive articles about the stability and strenght of the club, its leadership and the players and we seem to be gaining the respect of the football world. No political scraps, few injuries, no discontented players or supporters. I hope the good news keeps coming when we start playing real games.

It's good to see that our CEO has taken a stand on our future training ground and I see that as being important. But I'd also like to know a bit more about what the club's doing in terms of ensuring that we, as a club can prosper into the future. I know it's been said that we're managing to break close to even financially (thanks to additional AFL funding) but what are we doing about securing major sponsorships and other funding initiatives to help bridge the gap between ourselves and the powerful interstate clubs? Even the Enron Football Club announced a new sponsor this week amid all of the turmoil and the bickering of their nasty election battle.

A good article on the Melbourne Football Club website (melbournefc.com.au) about Ryan Ferguson. But is he up to it?

Well, it's definitely next Friday night - 9th February 2007. I can't believe it - football less than a week away!