FIND out what’s being said about the club in the major daily newspapers on Friday, July 15, 2011

Herald Sun

Wonaeamirri staying in the Top End
By Grey Morris

AUSTIN Wonaeamirri's 31-game AFL career is on hold after he told Melbourne officials yesterday he was not ready to return to the club.  The 22-year-old goalsneak went home to the Tiwi Islands in late May with a combination of injury and grief at the loss of his father Matthew and cousin Maurice Rioli late last year.  He has not pulled on a Melbourne jumper since the Round 8 loss to North Melbourne and is unlikely to play again this season.  Melbourne football manager Chris Connolly said the Demons were prepared to give him all the time he needed to get his body and mind right for the challenge of AFL football.  "With Aussie it's a combination of 100 different things and he wanted to come back to the Tiwi Islands and sort them out," Connolly said.  "We're 100 per cent supportive of that. Everyone knows Aussie lost his father earlier in the year. I lost my father as well, so I know exactly what he is going through.  "It's a very, very difficult situation and AFL footy is difficult enough without those sort of challenges thrown at you.

Big deals sought on big Dees
By Jon Ralph

MELBOURNE has conceded rival clubs are stalking its ruckman, but is confident it will retain its young talls next year.  First choice ruckman Mark Jamar, 27, is under contract until the end of next year, but the Demons are working feverishly to retain Stefan Martin, 24, and Max Gawn, 19, in the face of considerable interest from other clubs.  Gawn is coming off his fixed two-year contract and Martin has seized his opportunity by starring in the absence of Jamar.  Melbourne also is working on deals to keep stars Tom Scully and Colin Sylvia, with both out of contract this year.  With Jamar back from injury, Gawn's exciting three-game cameo is over, but he and Martin have shown enough to have opposition clubs coming hard for them.