Since day dot, Dean Bailey has talked about his aim to build a team of mates. That is, a group of young blokes who are genuine friends not just teamates. His theory (as reiterated tonight) is that you go a little bit harder for your mates when it comes to crunch time. 

Barry Prendergast also made a comment that they have tended to recruit blokes from the same junior sides, which you could say is a way of building that mateship before the players even get to the club. We have noticed this drafting in the past:

* Jamie Bennell and Neville Jetta from Swan Districts

* Jack Watts, Sam Blease and James Strauss from Vic Metro

* Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott (and Jack Viney!) from Prince Alfred College and

Tonight we were told Cale Morton and the new kid Michael Evans were in the same class and that rookie Cameron Johnston and Brent Moloney have a junior connection too.

Not sure if I have missed any others (please inform).

In light of other discussions on the board, you wonder if this specific recruiting slant will build a stronger unit, and help keep blokes at the club?

Since day dot, Dean Bailey has talked about his aim to build a team of mates. That is, a group of young blokes who are genuine friends not just teamates. His theory (as reiterated tonight) is that you go a little bit harder for your mates when it comes to crunch time.

Barry Prendergast also made a comment that they have tended to recruit blokes from the same junior sides, which you could say is a way of building that mateship before the players even get to the club. We have noticed this drafting in the past:

* Jamie Bennell and Neville Jetta from Swan Districts

* Jack Watts, Sam Blease and James Strauss from Vic Metro

* Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott (and Jack Viney!) from Prince Alfred College and

Tonight we were told Cale Morton and the new kid Michael Evans were in the same class and that rookie Cameron Johnston and Brent Moloney have a junior connection too.

Not sure if I have missed any others (please inform).

In light of other discussions on the board, you wonder if this specific recruiting slant will build a stronger unit, and help keep blokes at the club?

I concur with you. Don't forget the brotherhood the club has also nurtured through Mr Davey.

Lucas Cook & Tom McDonald played together at North Ballarat Rebels. James

Frawley played there also.

Tom Scully, Sam Blease, Jack Watts, Jordan Gysberts, James Strauss and Jack Fitzpatrick were all Vic Metro teammates.

Blease and Gysberts were mates at YV Grammar and both played at Eastern Ranges.

Jack Watts and Max Gawn both played for Sandringham Dragons.

Tom Scully and Nathan Jones both played at Dandenong Stingrays.

Brent Moloney and Cam Johnston both played for Geelong Falcons as did Jordie McKenzie, Clint Bartram and Troy Davis (with Johnston).

Morton is about 3 years older than Evans, so maybe same junior club?

Not sure how he could be in the same "class".

Blease, Watts, Strauss, Scully all played together for Metro. Gysberts played with Scully in the '09 carnival.

Gysberts played with them all in 08 as well. Same with Fitzpatrick.

Look it up.

Yes Fitzpatrick. I knew I was forgetting someone.

The Tapscott-Trengove family and junior connection is well known.

It would be crazy-greedy to wish for, but I wish we had had one extra pick in the late teens that year to grab Bastinac, Scully literal running-mate, before North grabbed him.

But not a problem, I reckon Gysberts will do just fine.

It is quite unbelievable how this has turned out.

However, now can we call it togetherness?

When we started building we had several factors we were looking for.

Maybe BP has taken their backgrounds into consideration.

Some of it is coincidence, but others isn't I think. Like the Morton/Evans one. Both went the same school in WA but I don't think that has anything to do with Evans' recruitment. Same with Watts/Scully/Strauss/Gysberts etc playing Vic metro, they were talented juniors from the home of football. For example Stef Martin and Tom Scully both went to Haliebury College, that means nothing.

The two that are probably the most suss are Bennell/Jetta and Trengove/Tapscott. Considering how close both of those guys were its a bit strange they got recruited to the same team. But I also think the fact that you watch more of one when watching the other helps and the natural bias of wanting to recruit a players mates. I think its more a natural bias than a deliberate plan.

Some of it is coincidence, but others isn't I think. Like the Morton/Evans one. Both went the same school in WA but I don't think that has anything to do with Evans' recruitment. Same with Watts/Scully/Strauss/Gysberts etc playing Vic metro, they were talented juniors from the home of football. For example Stef Martin and Tom Scully both went to Haliebury College, that means nothing.

The two that are probably the most suss are Bennell/Jetta and Trengove/Tapscott. Considering how close both of those guys were its a bit strange they got recruited to the same team. But I also think the fact that you watch more of one when watching the other helps and the natural bias of wanting to recruit a players mates. I think its more a natural bias than a deliberate plan.

They said at the time they obviously watched a lot of Naitanui for that draft, they ended up going with Watts but had noticed Benny and the Jett having watched all those swan districts matches with NN

They said at the time they obviously watched a lot of Naitanui for that draft, they ended up going with Watts but had noticed Benny and the Jett having watched all those swan districts matches with NN

Interesting. I am sure Prendergast would have gone Naitanui with his comments at the time, saying it was very line ball and he had Natanui ahead right up to almost draft day. It seemed like others made the final choice. Even afterwards he couldn't say watts was the clear number one when it all came down to it.

There can be many close decisions that effect a team. We were heavily into Alwyn Davey and Robbie Warnock a couple of years ago as well.

Those 3 players have yet to really fire, but thank god Davey wasn't poached. Also to heavily invest in a 2nd ruck in Warnock like Carlton did might have cruelled us with the new interchange restrictions possibly spelling the end of 2nd rucks.

Interesting. I am sure Prendergast would have gone Naitanui with his comments at the time, saying it was very line ball and he had Natanui ahead right up to almost draft day. It seemed like others made the final choice. Even afterwards he couldn't say watts was the clear number one when it all came down to it.

There can be many close decisions that effect a team. We were heavily into Alwyn Davey and Robbie Warnock a couple of years ago as well.

Those 3 players have yet to really fire, but thank god Davey wasn't poached. Also to heavily invest in a 2nd ruck in Warnock like Carlton did might have cruelled us with the new interchange restrictions possibly spelling the end of 2nd rucks.

Yes but they didn't go for Dylan Grimes, even though it would have only cost our last pick, but they didn't

From memory, there is also some link between Howe and Pettard

Kelvin Lawrence is a cousin to Neville Jetta and comes from near Bunbury WA, the home of both Jetta and Jamie Bennell.

From memory, there is also some link between Howe and Pettard

Both from tassie.

Not sure if you mean beyond that...

Both from tassie.

Not sure if you mean beyond that...

No, think one of howes good mates in tassie is pettards cousin.

They've known each other for years.

Yeah, you're right.

I remember now, Ricky had it on twitter or something.

I think he may have been one of the first to call Howe.

Pretty sure his cousin played with JH.

I've seen a photo of Watts and Scully standing together as team mates in a national under 11 footy carnival. Watts was still taller, and i think Scully had dyed his hair blonde!