CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR READING ON DEMONLAND BLOG

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We have two new articles on the Demonland Blog - The fourth in the Oracle's Changes Series and THE FAT KID, THE SKINNY KID AND THE HOCKEY PLAYER by Demon Dave. Thanks to all of our writers over 2006. We have more good stuff coming up and don't forget Tuesday is TROY BROADBRIDGE DAY. All tributes and contributions are welcome.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stay safe over the New Year period because 2007 is our year!!!

CHANGES - PART FOUR: THE FINAL CHANGE by The Oracle

The Melbourne Football Club playing list for 2007 has now been finalised after the Demons made their solitary selection in the 2006 Rookie Draft. The Club used pick 12 to take eighteen-year-old livewire left footer Daniel Hayes from the Easter Ranges Under 18's in the TAC Cup competition. Melbourne's General Manager of Recruiting and List Management, Craig Cameron describes Hayes as "a clever and very capable forward … with good all round skills."

The 180cm Hayes, who originally hailed from Bairnsdale has been with the Ranges for the past two seasons and made the Victorian Metropolitan Under 18 team for the National Championships in 2005 as a bottom age player.

Along with fellow Demon recruit Isaac Weetra, Hayes was a member of the Australian indigenous team which toured South Africa earlier this year and he was considered one of the stand out players in that group. However, his 2006 season was curtailed by injury and the need to return home for personal reasons causing him to fall off the radar of a number of recruiters.

Hayes is settling down well at the Melbourne Football Club where he joins three other rookies - Jace Bode, Daniel Hughes and Shane Neaves with former rookie Matthew Warnock being elevated onto the senior list for the 2007 season.

The number of changes to Melbourne's total list for 2007 is a relatively low five. The inclusions are National Draft Selections: -

12 James Frawley - Date of Birth: 20.09.88 Height: 192 cm Weight: 81 kg

30 Ricky Petterd - DOB: 24.07.88 Ht: 185 cm Wt: 76 kg

46 Colin Garland - DOB: 28.04.88 Ht: 191 cm Wt: 85 kg

62 Isack Weetra - DOB: 27.02.89 Ht: 184 cm Wt: 76 kg

and Rookie Draft Selection:-

12 Daniel Hayes - DOB: 13.07.88 Ht: 180 cm Wt: 70 kg

The players who have left the club from the 2006 senior list are Shannon Motlop (now back playing in Darwin), new MFC life member Alistair Nicholson (retired), Phil Read, Nick Smith (Box Hill Hawks) while Andre Gianfagna was delisted after an injury riddled season on the rookie list.

The club's playing list for 2007 will be as follows: -

MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - PLAYING LIST:

SENIOR LIST:

Clint Bartram, Matthew Bate, Daniel Bell, Clint Bizzell, Nathan Brown, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley, Nathan Carroll, Aaron Davey, Lynden Dunn, Ryan Ferguson, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Simon Godfrey, Brad Green, Ben Holland, Mark Jamar, Chris Johnson, Paul Johnson, Travis Johnstone, Nathan Jones, James McDonald, Brock McLean, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney, Heath Neville, Michael Newton, Ricky Petterd, Byron Pickett, Jared Rivers, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia, Daniel Ward, Matthew Warnock, Isack Weetra, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan, Jeff White

VETERAN LIST:

David Neitz, Adem Yze.

ROOKIE LIST:

Jace Bode, Daniel Hayes, Daniel Hughes, Shane Neaves

The first sighting of any Demon player in action for 2007 will be in early February when an Indigenous All Stars team takes on Kevin Sheedy's Essendon in Darwin. The AFL action will take off soon after in the NAB Cup pre season series and hopefully, we'll see the Demons in action throught unit the very last day in September ...

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Have the new players' guernsey numbers been allocated officially?