spirit of norm smith

Chaplin retained? Wow. I’d prefer Cross

Farmer Spalding Powell Dyson Howe Simmonds Lovell Martin Thompson Pike Beveridge

Medication does have side effects.

Hope Bennell gets a go and looking to start as a dangerous forward option.

Agreed.

Thanks MFM. It’s all good memories. 26 more to go and they get better ????

Yes so far we are ahead. It was widely reported that we were so keen on Fritsch that we would pick him ahead of any under 18 prospects. Pick 29 was our first pick and getting pick 31 was going to be a bonus. I was shocked when Charlie Spargo was called at pick 29 and then totally relieved when Fritsch got selected at pick 31. I would have lost it if the Blues had nabbed Fritsch at pick 30.

Yes of course. Freo was very generous to us in the early days. They got Longmuir and Gilbert and we got Farmer and Green. Winner Whilst not a player trade out, the pick 2 to Freo for Jeff White was handy. (Freo ontraded pick 2 to the tigers for Chris Bond. What a Brain explosion?)

No.27 2018 Round 10 v Adelaide at Alice Springs In 2017, the Crows had embarrassed the Dees in Darwin winning by 7-8 goals. They were runners up in 2017 after being flag favourites. Whilst having a mixed start to 2018, they were a strong side. The Dees had the Alice Springs Footy in the Red Centre game and were desperate for a win in the NT. We’d just beaten the lowly Blues by 109 points in round 9 (6 wins 3 losses) with 4 straight wins so confidence was up. The game also was Jake Levers first game against his former club. This game would see if we were pretenders or contenders. The family sat down to watch the game on the electronic flat screen 55cm device with anticipation. The Dees were on fire early as we scored 4 goals but the Crows answered with two quick replies. It was to be 7 goals to 3 goals at quarter time. Our attack on the footy, pace and multiple scoring options was too much for the Crows. Our midfield dominated. Whilst sometimes still overpossessing the footy (we had 468 possessions) the Dees dominated the rest of the game. We outscored the Crows by 5 goals to 1 (2nd qtr), 6 goals to 1, then 5 goals to 3 in the last. It was a smashing and a complete four quarter effort. A late goal to the Crows may have caused some frustration as I was pushing for the 100 point win. The final margin was 91 points. Unbelievable. Gawn has dominated Jacobs. Viney, Jones and Oliver has dominated in the contest with 30+ possessions each albeit mostly handballs. Jetta had beaten Eddie Betts again. Lever had controlled the backline. The goals were shared around. Hogan (5 goals) and Tommy McDonald were the key forwards. Melksham, Neal-Bullen, Tim Smith and Petracca were other forwards who chimed in with multiple goals each. But the star was Angus Brayshaw. He had 37 possessions (22 kicks 15 handballs) 14 marks and 3 goals. It was hard to fathom why the Crows didn’t shut him down. Perhaps they tried and simply failed. Brayshaw was clearly BOG, with his kicking - by right or left foot - propelling countless Demon attacks. Strangely, he only got 2 Brownlow votes (Neal-Bullen got 3 votes) for the game which highlighted the bizarre system of the umps votes. The Dees had shown their ability, their contested footy superpowers and their attacking power. We were on a high, with the finals a real chance and we couldn’t wait to see what the rest of 2018 brought us. Melbourne 23.8.146 defeated Adelaide 8.7.55

Agree. Yes it’s too soon imo.

Too soon to call this one. It’s Hogan out and May & Kolodjashnij in. I really hope that both Hogan and May can workout their injury and other issues and have a really good next few years. Jesse is a good kid that needs support and a good run.

Yes both non trades were killers. The Ferguson one made sense for both clubs at the time but he wanted to stay. Sewell would have been a gun pickup for us.

Yes. A good one. One bloke (Pedersen) had heart and spirit for a contest. The other bloke didn’t.

Whilst there’s been the list of Regrettable Trades OUT, in a recent post, I was thinking of what players traded out have actually yielded a positive return. I can only recall the trade out of Troy Longmuir some 20 years ago. Longmuir played for a few years and got about another 40 games across Freo and also Carlton. We got pick 19 which was an early round 2 pick in 1999. We picked Brad Green who went in to play for 13 years, 254 games, one B&F and captained the club.

Andy Lovell for Craig Turley. Turley played 13 very good games before injury ended his career. Lovell should have stayed and been a one club man. Disappointed that he left

Stephen Powell. Yes I forgot this mess. Played great years in 2000 and 2002 and vital part of the team. Missed 2001 through injury. We let him walk for nil due to a pay dispute. Major stuff up. He played another 4 years for the Saints , another 80 games and was a very good player.

Lots of good points here. It does show the issue of the time about freedom for the club and the football department above administration or committees. We are well beyond that now thankfully.... hopefully

No.28 1987 Round 10 v Bombers at Windy Hill We all remember Brett Bailey as the bloke who kicked the winning goal to win the 1987 Night Grand Final, to deliver the first silverware that many of us remember. It was the catalyst in our 87 rebirth. But we should also remember a game in 87 out at Windy Hill that I attended about a month later and one in which Brett Bailey was the star. After 9 rounds, the Dees were 4 wins 5 losses and struggling to again rise up the ladder beyond 8th. The Bombers were very strong having the core of the 84 & 85 premiership teams still on board and in the five. A loss here would make finals very hard to achieve and at Windy Hill, this assignment was very difficult. Daniher, Merrett, Madden, Salmon, Hawker, Foulds, Duckworth. Many red and black stars. We’d beaten them in the night GF (perhaps catching them off guard and through sheer grit) but to win at Windy Hill would be a massive hurdle. I hadn’t seen us win there so it was unfathomable to see a win. Plus we had most of our top 5-6 top players out again. So how did we win it? Simply I remember two things. The first was the wind. It was a distinct advantage to the end. Yes we had to be smart but I actually thought the windy day would suit the Dons. The second was the tenacious fight from all the blokes in red and blue. They were seriously outgunned for talent but not heart. We used the breeze first to setup the game with a 3-goal advantage. We were down by a goal about at half time so it was game on. But the umps were crucifying the Demons with the home crowd getting the noise to create frees. But in the third with the wind, we kicked 9 goals to 2 goals. We kicked the last 6 goals of the 3rd quarter and now led by 6 goals. Northey leapt our at 3/4 quarter time. Sheedy ripped into his troops. This 3rd quarter avalanche was brought about by the skill of a young 20 year old Gary Lyon (I remember he was a lean, smart and agile young forward) and a pure footballer in Brett Bailey. Bailey was not quick or highly skilled, but used his engine, his smarts and his desire to win the footy. Two different styles of players. Lyon kicked 3 goals in the 3rd. I also remember a great goal to Russell ‘Rhino’ Richards. The Rhino was such an energetic footballer with a burst of pace. In the last, our desparation and fight held out the Bombers. Spalding, Wight and Giles holding out the talls. Koop, White, Yeats kept the smalls shutout. Our contested footy held firm and they only scored 3 goals in the last. The siren gave us a 22 point win. Brett Bailey kicked 5 goals and Lyon 4 goals. Bailey was clearly BOG with over 30 possessions and probably 20 contested. The Bombers were despondent. The arrogant Sheedy was beaten. A team of mostly battlers and youngsters had caused a huge boilover (again). We had a sense that with some stars returning from injury, we could make a run for the finals. This upset win would ultimately prove pivotal to our run to 1987 September action. Melbourne 15.12.102 defeated Essendon 11.14.80.

Yes Scott Thompson was another that unfortunately we could not keep. The go home factor was strong and we got Brent Moloney who had 8 good years, 130 odd games and battled through in some really tough years.

Sorry HFF. Jakovich was drafted in via the 1990 draft. Pick 6. I do agree with your wrap on Clark and Jakovich. Such talent. But having watched Robbie through the mid-late 70s and early 80s, he was a champion that no opponent could beat. They might have rarely negated him but never beaten.

No.29 1994 Round 17 v Hawthorn at Princes Park 1994 what a year. It was a roller coaster ride. We’d won the first 5 games and were on top. The team was flying. Then a slump and by round 17, had 7 wins and 8 losses. We were outside the 8 (finals eligibility had extended from the final 6) and staring down some tough matches. Geelong has beaten us the prior round and confidence was down. As it happened, we had to play Hawthorn at their home ground as a Melbourne home game. Ouch! The Hawks were in 4th place and had started to dismantle teams. We got the tram up Royal parade and arrived as the “home ground” members. It was bizarre to be seated in the shade at Princes Park. !!! Allen Jakovich has returned for the clash and we were desperate. But Sean Charles was a late withdrawal. The game started well with accurate kicking getting us in front. It was a willing start and do recall enjoying the game from about row 5 or 6 from the fence. 8 goals to 4 goals gave us a 23 point half time lead. A young Neitz at CHB got reported early but had showed our intention. Jako had 3 goals to half time whilst Wight was beating Dunstall and getting the applause from the MFC members. This was a handy start. The Hawks had a very good midfield in Ratten, Pritchard, Allan and Shane Crawford. But on this day, Todd Viney, Kevin Dyson, Tingay and Glenn Lovett got on top and fed the forwards. The 3rd quarter starting with Jakovich adding 3 goals and we’d marched out to a 8 goal lead. But the umpiring was disgraceful and finally Jakovich let them know. The crowd roared in approval as the fired up Demon gave the ump his opinion. Schwarz was proving a handful for the Hawks as they shifted defenders between him and Jako. Maginness, Graham and Taylor all tried and failed. Finally Jakovich added goal 7 and then goal 8 (8.1) as the sealer and saluted to the crowd and gave his opinions to the Hawks defenders. Game over. We had taken a fabulous “away - home” victory and kept our season alive. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was the last time we would see Jakovich for the Demons as a back injury ended his year and ultimately his career (his rehabilitation didn’t go well). Jakovich was a sensation and brought many a smile and excitement to all Demons fans. My late father always jumped and cheered when Jakovich excited the crowd. We certainly did on this day. Good times and memories. We especially always enjoyed beating the Hawks after the pain they’d inflicted in 87 and 88. And in 1994 this game propelled us back into the finals race and kept our slim premiership dreams alive. Melbourne 17. 10.112 defeated Hawthorn 11.8.74.

Wells trade out was not an overnight thing. He tried to leave in 1980 for a few suitors if I recall. The Blues were the chosen path but the clubs couldn’t agree on the players or the $$$. Rod Ashman and Alby Mangels didn’t want to go to Melbourne. That reflects how poorly such players regarded us at the time. Eventually we got Vin Cataggio and Michael Young and got dudded. Still Wells (like Alves) had many many great years of service and finally got to experience finals and a premiership. Wells could have come back to us for a few years later when he was 30-31 but I think his body was worn out by then.

It’s been a curse. Injuries have hurt us more than anyone. Moore’s back. Lyon’s back. Schwarz’s knee. Jakovich’s back. Tingay’s nerve damage. Many many others had careers cut short when they could have years ahead. Bad attitude and arrogance. The tanking was ridiculous. It led to a losing attitude which took 10 years to work through. It still haunts us. Chris Connolly and Danny Corcoran and Cam Schwab. Hang your heads. You create a winning culture then sustain excellence. Talk is cheap. It’s what you do that defines you. Action. I have to mention White Board Wednesday. Footy is a simple game and not a scientific experiment. Ffs. When you reach the summit. Work harder again. Too many years of accepting finals were good enough. 2019 another example of expecting it to happen. A footy club should wrap itself around good people and a good personality. Mateship and comradery. Hope sustains us all!!

Good post.

Agree. Hope they see the hard work and psychology of winning.