CHANGES 2011 - BIGGER AND BETTER? by The Oracle

The theme of "change" is probably more descriptive of what has happened at Melbourne over the past few months this year than at any time over the past decade. 

As the club's national recruiting manager Barry Prendergast said after the rookie draft, "a change in coaching staff also altered the recruiting department’s focus entering this year’s drafting period." -Dees change tack at Rookie Draft

Prendergast was very clear in saying the change in focus was “probably more coach driven in terms of players to complement the specific role of the game plan.”

And so ends the phase in the club's recruiting where the emphasis has been almost solely on the drafting of youth and long term development. Those things will not be pushed completely aside, but rather, the emphasis will be more on rewards for performance rather than just on promotion of youth.

This was also different rookie draft in the wake of the advent of the new franchises and the introduction a few years back of the mature age rookie and the success of players like Michael Barlow and James Podsiadly.

Whereas in previous rookie drafts the majority of the players taken were leftover teenagers from the national draft, only 18 players in this rookie draft came from the TAC Cup, 16 from AFL clubs, 10 from the VFL, nine from the SANFL and eight from the WAFL. The rest were from exotic places like remote parts of central Australia or players from other sports including an Olympic steeplechase hopeful.

The new phenomenon of taking more mature players with more mature bodies is not new and not confined to Melbourne.

The Demons did select an 18 year old - tall forward prospect Jai Sheahan. They also unearthed 21 year old power forward Leigh Williams from Norwood EFL who missed out on the TAC Cup pathway due to injury. The two others selected in the draft were VFL midfielders Tom Couch and James Magner.

The Herald Sun provided these pen pictures of the club's draftees in the rookie draft:-

THOMAS COUCH

Age: 23

Height: 177cm

Weight: 79kg

From: Collingwood (VFL)

Position: Inside midfielder

The son of Geelong Brownlow medallist Paul Couch is a clearance specialist. Caught the eye of Mark Neeld in his old job as an assistant coach at the Magpies.

JAMES MAGNER

Age: 24

Height: 180cm

Weight: 86kg

From: Sandringham (VFL)

Another clearance gun with a strong body who won't flinch at Neeld's no prisoners approach. Had been training with St Kilda.

JAI SHEAHAN

Age: 18

Height: 193cm

Weight: 81kg

From: Geelong Falcons

Position: Tall forward

Athletic forward who reels in high marks. Reliable set shot for goal and good decision-maker who can also pinch-hit in the ruck.

LEIGH WILLIAMS

Age: 21

Height: 193cm

Weight: 95kg

From: Norwood (EFL) 

Won the Eastern Football League goalkicking after previously being tried in the backline with Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup. Super strong pair of hands.

And that completes the trading and drafting process for 2011. The Melbourne Football Club's playing lists for 2012 will be as follows:-

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Clint Bartram Matthew Bate Jamie Bennell Sam Blease Mitch Clark Lucas Cook Aaron Davey Troy Davis Lynden Dunn Jack Fitzpatrick James Frawley Colin Garland Max Gawn Jack Grimes Jordan Gysberts Jeremy Howe Mark Jamar Neville Jetta Nathan Jones Liam Jurrah Joel Macdonald Stefan Martin Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Brent Moloney Cale Morton Ricky Petterd Jared Rivers James Sellar Jake Spencer James Strauss Colin Sylvia Rory Taggert Luke Tapscott Jack Trengove Josh Tynan Jack Watts 

VETERAN LIST: Brad Green

ROOKIE LIST:

Tom Couch Michael Evans Kelvin Lawrence James Magner Dan Nicholson Jai Sheahan Leigh Williams

CHANGES 2011 - BIGGER AND BETTER? by The Oracle

The theme of "change" is probably more descriptive of what has happened at Melbourne over the past few months this year than at any time over the past decade.

As the club's national recruiting manager Barry Prendergast said after the rookie draft, "a change in coaching staff also altered the recruiting department's focus entering this year's drafting period." -Dees change tack at Rookie Draft

Prendergast was very clear in saying the change in focus was "probably more coach driven in terms of players to complement the specific role of the game plan."

And so ends the phase in the club's recruiting where the emphasis has been almost solely on the drafting of youth and long term development. Those things will not be pushed completely aside, but rather, the emphasis will be more on rewards for performance rather than just on promotion of youth.

This was also different rookie draft in the wake of the advent of the new franchises and the introduction a few years back of the mature age rookie and the success of players like Michael Barlow and James Podsiadly.

Whereas in previous rookie drafts the majority of the players taken were leftover teenagers from the national draft, only 18 players in this rookie draft came from the TAC Cup, 16 from AFL clubs, 10 from the VFL, nine from the SANFL and eight from the WAFL. The rest were from exotic places like remote parts of central Australia or players from other sports including an Olympic steeplechase hopeful.

The new phenomenon of taking more mature players with more mature bodies is not new and not confined to Melbourne.

The Demons did select an 18 year old - tall forward prospect Jai Sheahan. They also unearthed 21 year old power forward Leigh Williams from Norwood EFL who missed out on the TAC Cup pathway due to injury. The two others selected in the draft were VFL midfielders Tom Couch and James Magner.

The Herald Sun provided these pen pictures of the club's draftees in the rookie draft:-

And that completes the trading and drafting process for 2011. The Melbourne Football Club's playing lists for 2012 will be as follows:-

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Clint Bartram Matthew Bate Jamie Bennell Sam Blease Mitch Clark Lucas Cook Aaron Davey Troy Davis Lynden Dunn Jack Fitzpatrick James Frawley Colin Garland Max Gawn Jack Grimes Jordan Gysberts Jeremy Howe Mark Jamar Neville Jetta Nathan Jones Liam Jurrah Joel Macdonald Stefan Martin Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Brent Moloney Cale Morton Ricky Petterd Jared Rivers James Sellar Jake Spencer James Strauss Colin Sylvia Rory Taggert Luke Tapscott Jack Trengove Josh Tynan Jack Watts

VETERAN LIST: Brad Green

ROOKIE LIST:

Tom Couch Michael Evans Kelvin Lawrence James Magner Dan Nicholson Jai Sheahan Leigh Williams

Excuse me but is there any chance at all that the Font size can be increased so all of us can read the articles?

Even wearing glasses. Please.

Excuse me but is there any chance at all that the Font size can be increased so all of us can read the articles?

Even wearing glasses. Please.

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