Rob Mac......

Spot on Dee-Luded! He couldn't understand & thought it a bit odd that this kid'd want HIS autograph!?! ...only the best coach the game's ever seen. I idolised and thought it back then too, largely because of what you wrote above. ..plus his footy nous. To me he personifies what we need tons of at every level of the club.

Rob Mac......, on 24 September 2012 - 12:59 AM, said: I got Norms Smiths autograph in 1957 or 58! He really didn't want to sign,- "No you don't want mine, I'm not one of the players." I was an 8 year old footy mad Dees fan and said, "I know who you are and I'd like your autograph please!" He kinda looked around hoping no players were looking. Good point WYL. Can't wait to return to Oz and look for it amongst what I left at mums years ago. Saw it 20 years ago and fingers are crossed!! hahI loved how he wanted no adulation for himself, was just totally focused on everything needed to get his team up!

I got Norms Smiths autograph in 1957 or 58! He really didn't want to sign,- "No you don't want mine, I'm not one of the players." I was an 8 year old footy mad Dees fan and said, "I know who you are and I'd like your autograph please!" He kinda looked around hoping no players were looking.

Yes Jonesbag. I think what was said to him at the start of the year had much to do with his poor season.

6. Sylvia 5. Sylvia

Some years ago conversing deeply with the intelligent father of a former Dees star, we discussed the fact he'd never quite returned to full form after a certain injury, yet no-one including the press ever mentioned it. Though still well worth his pay, previously they'd touted him a future great and Brownlow prediction. The father said, "This is common in the league. Plenty of players have injuries not bad enough to put them on injured lists, but still affecting their play. It's a secret of the league..... . Managing small injuries, niggles etc. is vital to being a pro; some can be played through. If all had to be absolutely 100% to play, almost no-one would ever take the field." Because of this plus my bit of medical background I'd like to say that in pro sports, it's not always black or white, "he's injured or he's not injured" (as Range Rover suggested). It's shades of grey, and even a different shade of grey for each part of each players body. Managing training loads to best affect each player is an evolving art that totally affects this. Jack's probably carrying something physical plus a bit of mental stress. Let's hope JT, the doctors, Neeld, Misson etc. are on top of it and it's temporary. It's frustrating with us all not knowing, but I guess we need patience at least for now.

Rob Mac......, on 26 August 2012 - 01:57 AM, said: Agreed! I've no idea whether it's psychological, or a little undisclosed injury, but he was better last year & I suspect the reason he wasn't dropped for a bit this year was because of the captaincy. Poor decision not to give him a run in the two's, it worked well for others this year. (I also wouldn't have made him captain so young.) Undeterred, Your quoting of me is (possibly unintentionally) unfair. In my post you quoted, I clearly agreed solely with Range Rover saying that "He's been one of our worst players over the course of the season." You yourself said, "The fact that he can't kick 35m and can hardly run at the moment (is not because he is cr@p)." ..but Undeeterred, while you "can't kick 35m and can hardly run" you ARE at least somewhat cr@p (in spite of many other admirable efforts) which is how Trengrove's been this season, right? Previously he was fine & hopefully next year too, plus he seems a great fellow who's development has been put under much strain this year. I like him & wasn't suggesting his delisting

Agreed! I've no idea whether it's psychological, or a little undisclosed injury, but he was better last year & I suspect the reason he wasn't dropped for a bit this year was because of the captaincy. Poor decision not to give him a run in the two's, it worked well for others this year. (I also wouldn't have made him captain so young.)

easily our BOG today!

Col Sylvia MFC BOG today. Howe, Bail & some others need hours of kicking practice every day between now & round 1 2013.

Agreed R&BF. Ditto Bail, Howe etc..

Sylvia 11 possies in 1st Quarter & great disposal!

I knew american singer Patti Page was a tough girl, but to play in the Scorpions Development centerline yesterday is just remarkable for an 84 year old woman!?

Brilliant!

Hi CFH. Are you sure the problem was his ticker & not his back re-injured in Q1? The Heart beats trues' comments in post match discussion said (#37) "Go easy on Sylvia. I think he really hurt his back (again) early in the first quarter and I think the saints went after it at every opportunity from that point on." (& #59) "Very early he went for a mark and got hurt. Was on the southern stand side and he went off. He grabbed his back the minute he went down. When he came back on his opponent took every opportunity to get into his back and Col was less than impressed. Got into a few scuffles as a result."

I agree dee-tox! Sylvia had more disposals than 6 dees, & same as 2, laid 8 tackles, 2 more than anyone else. Not a great day for him but let's not have him drawn & quartered, he's still one of our best over the past 8 games or so. Does anyone here really know for sure whether his past form lapses are due to attitude or injury, because his injuries seem to be clearing up & he's starting to produce again. Can anyone name one player on our list who has more elite skills than Col shows on a good day?!

I'd like to hear more about that

Sylvia still had more disposals than Jetta, Green, Spencer, Moloney, Magner, Tapscott, & same as Howe & Sellar. Sylvia laid 8 tackles, 2 more than anyone else. Okay, not a great day for him today but let's not have him drawn & quartered, he's still one of our best over the past 6 games or so.

Radio just said Melbourne running at 91% efficiency by foot!!?!

yes, he's trying his heart out

surely he's mentally stressed to make that mistake

I happily concede that you 2 (& most others here) probably know much more than me on the subject. I don't know details of his Tigers & Freo employment, was just quoting someone I hugely respect whose point was: that the CEO runs the companies' daily business & needs to be very bright to be on top of everything all the time; that after meeting CS a few times he didn't think him bright enough to be ideal for it. I almost didn't post it, & possibly shouldn't have because it's against CS & he may be the greatest fellow in the world, in fact my friend personally liked him. I agree we should keep someone in the job for several years (CS or whoever) plus we should always canvas options. How can we get those with the best football & business acumen at the club, especially how if some of those choosing don't have it? [Not that I'm saying they're incompetent, I'm clueless about that, but it seems since 1964 that the ship could have been steered better.]

I've known someone closely most of my life who's often confided in me, is incredibly intelligent, reads people extraordinarily well, is extremely successful in business, loves footy & finances his local team. He often meets AFL people especially at Crown, but isn't in the footy industry. ...asked about the Melbourne problem recently he said, "You need a very bright CEO to run your day to day business. Melbourne has Cameron Schwab. He previously was at Richmond & Freo who both faired poorly when he was there & so is Melbourne now. That says something. I've met him a few times. He's a likeable, nice guy who says a lot of nice sounding things at the time, but he can't walk the walk. I wouldn't hire him, wouldn't let him work for me, he isn't smart enough." That's all he said. It's with trepidation that I post this at all, understanding its anonymity won't carry weight anyway & will possibly cause some posters to consider me an ass (but my friend would hate to be quoted & feel betrayed. He's not a Demon & his popularity helps his business.) Personally I'm clueless on this subject, I know nothing about the inner MFC folk, but just hope the good people that do can have the smartest, most astute football & footy business brains running the club.

Thanks BD! Don't think I was clear enough though: last year there was a site I could watch live video streams of the games, but this year I know no live afl video streaming sites. I've always been able to get live AFL radio streams from the AFL site, but thought the AFL cut the live feed off to other on-line radio sources during the game. I'll try "alot radio player" next game & see. Thanks

Life is fine here thanks Thai, though I miss Australia a bit after decades away (which I'm sure fuels my re-interest in the footy). Could watch the games live last year, but haven't found any streams this year so just download them afterwards & often hear the radio stream live. Cheers :-)