Monday 28 November 2005

Pardon?

Now I'm not a football recruiter, nor am I in any way a professional analyst of the game. Obviously. But it would seem to me that in analysing the Melbourne Football Club player list as it stood on Friday night that we have a fairly strong midfield. Now our backline, despite some encouraging Carroll performances at the arse end of the year, is dicked and we've got no obvious candidate to play full-forward when Neitz's body gives way in the next couple of years. Then there's the small matter of no absolutely convincing replacement for Jeff White should he get hurt either.

So what did we do at the draft? Pick four midfielders out of four of course. Now there might be a very good reason for this that I'm missing but it seems slightly odd. Now, Nathan Jones as the first selection I'm all in favor of but what about the other three? Couldn't we have come up with at least one potential KPP? You're asking these kids to break into a midfield that already consists of, Bruce/McLean/Moloney/Sylvia/Read/Godfrey/McDonald/Yze and potentially Green/Davey. Good luck to the lower picks, you'll need it.

I have a fetish for Sylvia @ Full Forward. I'm telling you it can work. McDonald, Godfrey and Demonblog's own Philthy Phil would have to be counting down the days to becoming obsolete. When Philthy goes I'm going to cry.

Wednesday 23 November 2005

Fat Porky

Suddenly Ben Holland doesn't look too bad does he?

MAGINE embarking on an up-tempo training session with elite athletes having done little more than watch life go by for a couple of months.

Then imagine the task with two and a half house bricks draped around your neck. Basically, that's what Lance Whitnall has done on return to Carlton for pre-season training - and not for the first time.

Even allowing for the possibility Lance has the metabolism of a hibernating bear, there is no excuse for him returning to training 8kg above his ideal playing weight.

Whitnall, preparing for his 10th season, should be embarrassed on at least three fronts.

First, returning to training as if he were pushing for the role of anchor man in a tug-of-war team is a recurring problem. Has been since he was a teenager.

Second, he recently re-signed with the Blues on an estimated $400,000 a year - having played on more this year.

Third, he would not have dared turn up 8kg overweight had Melbourne successfully negotiated his release from Optus Oval a month ago.

Carlton coach Denis Pagan would not discuss the matter yesterday for the second day in a row, saying only "we will address it internally," yet he must be fuming.

Not only is Whitnall a senior member of the squad, the group is crying out for leadership.


Thanks for holding on to him Carlton. How absolutely wonderful of you.

Tuesday 1 November 2005

Cruel to be kind

The sound you hear coming from Demonblog is towers isn't one of corks popping for Melbourne Cup day. No, pissed people throwing up in hedges and inappropriately touching each other in the street aren't the reason for applause today. This is,

PREMIERSHIP player Chris Heffernan is poised to return to where it all began: Essendon.

The Bombers will swoop on the 26-year-old in the national or next month's pre-season draft after Heffernan was yesterday one of four players delisted by Melbourne.

Heffernan on Sunday night told Demons coach Neale Daniher of his desire to continue his career at Windy Hill.

The 2000 premiership star has been offered a two-year deal by the Bombers.

Joining him out the door at Melbourne yesterday were Luke Williams, Steven Armstrong and Cameron Hunter.


Finally they've shown some balls in axing underperforming senior players. This is the start of a new era - with the potential exception of Armstrong there's not one of those who deserves to be on our list, or any list for that matter, next year.

But then there's this,

Armstrong, who attracted interest from Port Adelaide during the trade period, Hunter and Williams are also expected to nominate for either of the drafts.


If there's any drafting to be had of those two the recruiting managers concerned should be executed immediately.