WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BILLY STRETCH

[chook fowler 19,291]

Come on down Brett Lovetts son - one of my all time favourite Dees.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Billy looks lively but I think a mid/ late second round was about right.

Can't see him playing much senior footy next season. He has great endurance, works hard and is of good character so he will give himself every chance at being a senior AFL player, but will clearly need time.

[Thehardtackler 785]

Billy's highlights video on the MFC site shows glimmers of Boomer Harvey. He seems to run and move like him and be really good at offloading the ball effectively when in traffic. He can also beat opponents with pace and kick goals in very Boomeresque fashion.

[PaulRB 6,305]

Agree, he has all the attributes, but needs to be stronger, and harder. Telegraphs his long handballs as he has to wind up to hit it that far...

Reckon he's an ideal player to develop with the intention for him to be blooded 2016.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Like his agility and movement in close as much as his supposed endurance. To those ITK, is he meant to be a nice kick? just his action looked a little odd to me in that short clip.

[Arrow 1,257]

Billy looks lively but I think a mid/ late second round was about right.

Can't see him playing much senior footy next season. He has great endurance, works hard and is of good character so he will give himself every chance at being a senior AFL player, but will clearly need time.

Disagree Jab.

Billy was the only All Australian midfielder from the carnival winning state.

2013: Billy Hartung (Vic Country), Dom Sheed (Western Australia), James Aish (South Australia), Toby Nankervis (Tasmania), Luke Dunstan (South Australia), Josh Kelly (Vic Metro)

2012: James Aish (SA), Oliver Wines (Vic Country), Lachie Whitfield (Vic Country), Brodie Grundy (SA), Jonathon O'Rourke (Vic Metro), Nathan Hrovat (Vic Metro)

2011: Jaeger O'Meara, Toby Greene, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Dom Tyson, Steven Coniglio, Taylor Adams

Now that list, if I'm not mistaken every single one went top 15, and all of them minus O'Rourke have shown a great deal.

We have committed robbery. Stretch is a jet, and finally we are a benefactor.

[dtrinh 71]

The initial highlights of billy were a bit worrying... the ones posted on the demons website look exciting. Appears to be a player that has good game sense, good disposal, doesn't seem to be scared of contact and can run and carry a bit too. Hopefully we can develop him into a midfielder/ winger!

[Cards13 9,117]

If the last how every many years of drafting should have taught MFC fans... Lets wait to see how the young fella develops. Good luck young Billy.

[What 18,810]

Centreline in 3 years time

Lovett Viney Stretch

Beautiful

[Whispering_Jack 29,332]

I admire your optimism Jack. I go right back to Ryan Ayres (?) watching with you at Sandy where we thought we'd got a ripper. How many have come and gone since?

I read Redlegs with admiration as he argues that picks 2 and 3 could set us up for years. McLean and Sylvia, Trengove and Scully, Morton and Grimes, Watts and Blease all come to mind. One day it might happen and I'll celebrate when it does.

I remember speaking to Neale Daniher once and telling him I was mightily impressed with Rivers and Hunter - remember him? He told me the time to get excited was when they did something in the seniors. At least I could with Rivers.

I like what I've seen with Billy. I liked what I saw with Newton and Nic Smith too.

Law of averages Tim.

We've had so many promising players who turned into duds that, according to the LOA we should be recruiting at least 8 out and out champions this year.

[KingDingAling 3,750]

Centreline in 3 years time

Lovett Viney Stretch

Beautiful

Stretch will be a winger, no doubt.

Viney, Salem, Tyson and Jones all running through the midfield.

I hope Toumpas makes it, It is only hope.

I think Christian Salem will be our best player in 3 years time.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Disagree Jab.

Billy was the only All Australian midfielder from the carnival winning state.

2013: Billy Hartung (Vic Country), Dom Sheed (Western Australia), James Aish (South Australia), Toby Nankervis (Tasmania), Luke Dunstan (South Australia), Josh Kelly (Vic Metro)

2012: James Aish (SA), Oliver Wines (Vic Country), Lachie Whitfield (Vic Country), Brodie Grundy (SA), Jonathon O'Rourke (Vic Metro), Nathan Hrovat (Vic Metro)

2011: Jaeger O'Meara, Toby Greene, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Dom Tyson, Steven Coniglio, Taylor Adams

Now that list, if I'm not mistaken every single one went top 15, and all of them minus O'Rourke have shown a great deal.

We have committed robbery. Stretch is a jet, and finally we are a benefactor.

You have illustrated the point really well. Most players in that list drafted recently haven't performed consistently at senior level.

He is by no means a complete player yet. The kid will take time and people need to be comfortable with this. I am sure the club is.

[dazzledavey36 53,265]

Stretch will be a winger, no doubt.

Viney, Salem, Tyson and Jones all running through the midfield.

I hope Toumpas makes it, It is only hope.

I think Christian Salem will be our best player in 3 years time.

You serious in regards to Salem?

[G-max 154]

Very interesting post re: u18 all Australian team. Cause for excitement along with the highlight vids.

Will be interesting to keep track of this year's crop but previous years have been loaded.

DEFENDERS: Harrison Wigg (South Australia), Ed Vickers-Willis (Vic Metro), Josh McGuinness (Tasmania), Darcy Tucker (Vic Country), Caleb Marchbank (Vic Country), Angus Brayshaw (Vic Metro)

MIDFIELDERS: Paul Ahern (Vic Metro), Christian Petracca (Vic Metro), Billy Stretch (South Australia), Peter Wright (Vic Metro), Isaac Heeney (NSW/ACT), Jake Johansen (South Australia)

FORWARDS: Callum Mills (NSW/ACT), Darcy Moore (Vic Metro), Rhys Mathieson (Vic Country), Jayden Laverde (Vic Metro), Patrick McCartin (Vic Country), Caleb Daniel (South Australia)

INTERCHANGE: Jack Steele (NSW/ACT), Darcy Parish (Vic Country), Ben Keays (Queensland), Connor Blakely (Western Australia)

[spirit of norm smith 15,488]

need to get 4 of these All Australians into MFC

[P-man 13,366]

I think Christian Salem will be our best player in 3 years time.

He's a Garry Lyon mini-me. Becoming our best player is a mere formality.

[sydneydee 684]

Congrats to Billy the kid, used to love watching Steven play. Has been a steal in the third round

[monoccular 17,345]

Whose son is Heeny?

[monoccular 17,345]

Stretch will be a winger, no doubt.

Viney, Salem, Tyson and Jones all running through the midfield.

I hope Toumpas makes it, It is only hope.

I think Christian Salem will be our best player in 3 years time.

You serious in regards to Salem?

He does ooze class, coolness and composure, and has good disposal and awareness, so why not??

[Lord Travis 10,518]

Welcome to the club Billy!

Am excited about this prospect. Billy has elite agility, good endurance and speed, and loves to take the game on. While he's not going to be a big stoppage winner, when he is in traffic he is more than capable of disposing cleanly and not panicking. Best of all he has a superb work rate and really pushes himself. He has steadily got better and by the end of the season he was producing consistently good number all round.

Hopefully he can develop into a classy running machine for us in the Isaac Smith/Brad Hill mould. He has all the tools needed, we just need to develop him properly.

[Steve13 457]

Whose son is Heeny?

Sydney academy player.

[Demon 16 198]

Whose son is Heeny?

Mr and Mrs Heeny.

[baysidedave 246]

_{Tweeted Steven yesterday when got txt from club, he's rapt and says Billy can't wait to get over, loves the Demons!!!!!}

[deanox 9,770]

I'm interested how a draftee makes AA U18, and then is rated outside the top 22. Thoughts, anyone?

My thoughts are that there are 22 spots available and that they are position based. Only 2 kpp forwards get picked but 4 may be in the "best 22 prospects".

Also, all clubs rate the top 30 players slightly different. If he was 20 in your list, you might bet that one of your top 15 will be missed by other clubs and you can snare them. Weighing up the chance of that versus getting stuck with a kid who wants to go elsewhere, in my opinion, probably leads to the bidding system sightly under valuing players but putting them "around the mark" with some benefit to the father/son club.

[Felix 92]

Brenton Phillips, SANFL: "Billy's the most professional athlete I've ever coached. His attention to detail is something i haven't seen. I keep saying to people, what I like about Billy is that he rolls out the same game week in, week out, with the same work ethic and work rate. Sometimes that equates to 12 touches and sometimes is equates to 25, but you know exactly what you'll get from him in terms of effort. His disposal is improving and he's not a crash and bash player, but he's inside stuff is improving."

I'm happy with that.