Nascent

With full time doctors and dieticians on the payroll, he is probably in the perfect environment to manage his diabetes.

Jack Viney talks about the bump that broke his jaw And then... Bam!

Some interesting results at the completion of round 1 with Div 2 teams troubling the Div 1 teams and WA going down to Queensland. NSW/ACT Vs Vic Country: Match Report NSW/ACT 4.2 4.3 4.7 7.9 (51) VIC COUNTRY 2.2 4.6 7.7 8.12 (60) GOALS NSW/ACT: Flaherty 2, Vearing 2, Hampton 2, Burgess VIC COUNTRY:Crouch 2, Scott 2, Tsitas, Martyn, Garner, Lockyer BEST NSW/ACT:Williams, Robinson, Weir, Hampton, Keogh, Baker VIC COUNTRY: Crouch, Graham, Hartung, Kearns, Close, Garner Crouch is the younger brother of highly rated Adelaide mini draft selection Brad Crouch and was BOG with 29 disposals (22 contested, 10 clearances). Tasmania Vs South Australia: Match Report TASMANIA 1.3 3.4 4.7 7.8 (50) SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8.0 13.3 25.10 30.14 (194) GOALS Tasmania: Walsh 2, Hanson 2, Linnane, Ling, K. Kolodjashnij South Australia: Menzel 9, O'Brien 6, Kennedy 4, Grundy 3, Toumpas, Amato, Stark, Dumont, McDonough, Broomhead, Mayes, Scharenberg BEST Tasmania: Jeffery, Thurlow, Blight, Webster, Grant, Van Den Berg South Australia: Colquhoun, Menzel, Toumpas, Kennedy, Broomhead, Scharenberg, Montgomery, Grundy Troy Menzel, rated as a possible top 20 choice at this early stage, is the brother of unlucky cat medfielder Daniel Menzel. Interestingly, Troy has also done an ACL when playing Under 16's. Queensland Vs Western Australia: Match Report QUEENSLAND 1.0 3.3 7.5 10.6 (66) WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0.5 4.8 6.12 8.16 (64) GOALS Queensland: Tickner 4, Bourke, Grewar, Gribble, Jones, Power, Wardle Western Australia: Shaw 2, Yarran 2, Hogan, Garlett, McKenzie, Stokes BEST: Queensland: Tickner, Wylde, Ives, Skennar, Power, Jones, Allir Western Australia: Taylor, Ramsay, Garlett, Lynch, Hogan

Hmmmm, explains why a few have been languishing at VFL or haven't been seen at all. A massive culture change is needed and those that you are alluding to must be the first to go unless they can change their attitude and "buy in" to what Neeld is trying to achieve. Sadly I think most will be set in their ways. Btw thanks for sharing what info you could, really appreciate it. Interesting times ahead.

Taking you on face value and what you're saying is true (which doesn't take much to believe)... in your opinion do you think a huge list turnover will, by and large, remedy the problems down at our club? Or would I be too niave to think that a player list change will solve anything? From where I sit, Mark Neeld is testing the players physically and mentally to see who has the resiliance to stand up under pressure and put in 100% effort for 4 quarters. At the moment, not many people would be passing the test. Just my thoughts.

But of course in anything that we want to go... from just a beginner to a pro, you need a montage! [media=]

Apologies for posting collingwood related material, but this is exactly the guy I think we should have speak to our players. [media=]

Confirmed on the AFL website... Sellar in and Morton brought up as an emergency

In the last team chat on thursday Greaves (or whoever was on) said that Petterd was overcoming some niggling injuries over the past few weeks and is working towards AFL match fitness. How much of that is true is anyones guess.

I'm not sure if we've turned a corner or not but, considering our run home after the bye, I'm a lot more optomistic of getting a few wins on the board than most here. Round 13 Vs GWS (h) Round 14 Vs Bris (a) Round 15 Vs Rich (h) Round 16 Vs Freo (h) Round 17 VS Port (darwin) Round 18 Vs North (a) Round 19 Vs GC (h) Round 10 Vs St K (a) Round 21 Vs GWS (a) Round 22 Vs Adel (h) Round 23 Vs Freo (a) Yes in our current form we wouldn't win most of these games but I have faith that the players will show improvement and post multiple wins on the board by the end of the season. And considering our first 11 games... this is as soft as a run home gets. If we get the spoon I will be absolutely filthy, fortunately that won't happen. Edit: Computers hate me

Fair enough, I just really don't like seeing us run out onto the G' in something other than the Red and Blue... Anyway probably a topic best left for a long and boring pre-season (if at all) when there's nothing else to talk about. Apologies for the small dig in my poorly constructed attempt at humour.

Agree, its becoming a joke that we are constantly the away team... I do actually recall essendon stating in a pre-season recently that they were going to introduce a white strip as per AFL requirements. Funny how that never eventuated.

Hence why I didn't start a new thread about it, and for what its worth I wasn't here when we were discussing it. But can I ask why do we have to accept it? Is it because we are meek supporters that cave in as easily as the team on field? Do you see Essendon, Richmond or Carlton with a white away strip? If Carlton can move from their "clash" strip (which in my opinion was a million times better than their baby blue m&m's outfit) I don't see why we can't do the same. You're right that the jumper colour is not a major concern considering how we are performing at the moment, but it's still an important facet of our club and I don't see why it doesn't warrent further discussion. Nah nevermind... think i'll just add to the depressing, wrist slashing, membership microwaving threads that are undeniably more worthy topics of discussion. See, I can use sarcasm too

Apoligies for bringing up an old topic but I really don't like our "away/clash" jumper. Why can't we wear our Royal blue jumper from the 70's and 80's. Who would that clash with? If that isn't acceptable then invert the colours... I don't paticularly care, as long as we are the red and blue. Either would hands down look better than that slab of white with a little red on it, which looks more like a variation of the swans jumper. Watching the demons play running around in that strip ruins the gameday experience for me and I'm sure I'm not alone on that point.

I dislike Essendon

Pain? I'm going to the game with 2 essendon "mates." I use inverted commas because when they go to the footy they turn into arrogant w#nkers win, lose or draw. So I have 2 hours of listening to " oh how bad are melbourne, you'll fold in 3 years... remember 2000... when was you're last premiership again.... I can't wait to suck hirdy's di(k." And so on and so forth. If we are to win only one game this year, please let it be this game.

He was impressive for a kid in his 10th game. Rivers, Garland and Frawley had decent games as well... helps so much when the defensive 50 is not being bombarded with entries. Bail and Nicholson (although Nicho went missing for a while) also pumped out some decent performnaces. Bail in particular, who has copped a lot of criticism on this forum, played his best game this year and Nicho played well early and didn't torch the footy as he is known for. Blease gets me excited (nothing suss). Would like to see a few more tackles from him but he is using his pace to split the opposition apart and for the most part using the footy really well.

Agree... looks flashy but is inconsistant and has poor disposal (although I will admit he has got a decent handpass on him). Yes Sidebottom is enhancing his reputation game by game and his exclusion from the top 10 maybe culminated from a mix of my hate from collingwood and my first impression of Zieball as a pure tough inside midfielder. And admittedly, I only watch Melbourne play on a weekly basis and may watch the occasional game(s) of other teams depending on what’s on and my plans for the weekend. But he is definitely worthy of a top 10 birth. In my views though I feel that the players named above him will reach a higher level over their careers. But of course this is extremely speculative and for all I know he may end up snagging a Brownlow or two and be the best of the lot.

Just a thought on Bennell... I recall watching his debut game against North in 09 in which the ginger ninja looked like a promising half back defender with 20 odd disposals and repelling attack after attack. I don't think Bennel got much of the ball that game (much like today), but one piece of play still sticks out in my mind. Near the defensive 50 on the wing, Bennell scooped up the ball at pace and proceeded to evade two North players, complete a 180 degree turn (as no one was there to provide an option) and nailed a 30 metre sizzling pace onto the chest of a Melbourne player down the line. I thought to myself, geez this kid has something. He is now 54 games into his career and needs to be influencing games a lot more with his line breaking pace. A Bennell with 15 - 20 damaging disposals would do wonders for our fortunes and I can't help but be reminded of Geelong and the faith they had in Travis Varcoe. He was entrusted with the Number 5 jumper and big things were expected of him. On the training track he was tearing it up and no one could figure it out why he couldn't put it all together on game day. Then of course a couple years ago he exploded onto the scene and started to become a damaging player. I'm sure Bailey had similar faith in this kid with his unconditional run of games and promotion to the number 7 jumper, however its hard to judge where he sits currently in Neelds mind. I hope he makes it.

NT and Vic Metro kick off the Carnival this Saturday at TIO stadium. The Round Robin will then conclude a month and a bit later on the 5th of July after completion of 5 rounds. The following players were handpicked from Div 1 as those to keep a particularly close eye on and suspected to feature at the pointy end of the draft. Nick Vlastuin: Vic Metro Jimmy Toumpas: SA Lachie Whitfield: Vic Country Mason Shaw: WA For all those interested in the upcoming draft, the AFL website has also listed other potential players to watch out for. Div 1 players http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/136637/default.aspx Div 2 players http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/136621/default.aspx The fixture can be both found and downloaded as a pdf file from this link. http://www.afl.com.a...76/default.aspx *Jack Viney is listed in the Metro team and will be wearing number 35 if his jaw recovers before the end of the tournament.

That can only be good news for us in the likely event we remain anchored near the bottom.

A pretty decent read here for all who haven't seen... although nothing revolutionary or that hasn't been discussed here. http://www.bigpondsp...05/default.aspx "Neeld is exposing those on the list who don't desire or deserve to be there. It's a difficult process but one that will reap dividends in time."

Lol, well I do think he'll be a gun... adjusted the list so I look less stupid :s.

Yes I can.

Tanking implies that we are capable of winning multiple games. I'm sick of losing and our faith in high draft picks that was supposed to be our saviour and signal the rise of the mighty Demons hasn't exactly worked out as planned. Win at all costs and instil that into the playing groups mind. I remember when Peter Walsh crossed over to Port Adelaide and stated that "Port Adelaide has a win at all costs mantra that he never experienced at Melbourne" or words to that effect. That rang enormous alarm bells to me at the end of the 04 season.