On the back of Meg Downie hanging up the boots, Tegan Cunningham has also retired. Disappointed in this as she was becoming a very handy second ruck at the back end of the season as well as taking the #1 defender when she went forward

Veteran Demon-Bookends Call Time

 

FB: Heath Birch
HB: Lampard Colvin Goldy
C: LizMc Paxy Sherriff
HF:Scott Parry Bannan
FF: Harris Hore
Foll: L Pearce Gay Hanks
Int:Zanker Mithen Purcell D Pearce Magee

Emer: Tarrant, Caris, Simmons, Fitzsimons, Petrevski

They've locked in their list of 26 which looks something like this I guess. The addition of Purcell and the emergence of Zanker as a midfielder gives the midfield a lot more depth than it started with last year. They can rotate them forward and use Daisy as that smart crumber and veteran forward line organiser. I think the game plan will again focus on lots of quick run and attack, which should give Harris one on ones. 

 

I am sorry to see Downie and Cunningham go.  Downie was a solid defender and Cunnningham had become a very reliable 2nd ruck. Best of luck to both of them.

Cunningham definitely copped some flack over the years (from me included!), but considering she was a cross-coder who switched to footy in her late twenties, she got the absolute best out of herself and was evolving even in her last season.

Unfortunately for Downie, injury caught up to her in the last few seasons. I'll always remember that massive hit she took in season one - did her hamstring and then got hit immediately. She did have some bad luck but I sense she'll be missed around the club.

I can't help but imagine what both these players would have been like if they'd played since childhood and had a proper pathway to follow. Their games totals will seem small in the not distant future, as seasons get longer and players have 10+ year careers, but hopefully fans and the club will remember the important part they had in our foundation years.

In better news, Eliza West from Casey has scored a spot on our rookie list:

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/955804/west-earns-spot-on-dees-aflw-rookie-list

Definitely stood out to me in the bits and pieces of Casey I've seen this season - no way I'd have guessed it's her first season of footy (ex-basketball)!

Pretty sure that I read young Mietta Kendall has been delisted / not offered a contract.

On 6/8/2021 at 12:00 PM, Demonland said:

 

Pretty pumped to have her 'back' (jeez I enjoyed those expo games when the 'other' red and blue team wasn't so hot, which also encouraged me to chip in for Foundation membership), and also that it might have contributed to Daisy's decision, but how would this sort of me, me, me publicity sit with the rest of the squad? I see it goes out formally over the MFC logo - I presume they know what they're doin'!?

On 6/10/2021 at 6:03 PM, Dees_In_October said:

In better news, Eliza West from Casey has scored a spot on our rookie list:

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/955804/west-earns-spot-on-dees-aflw-rookie-list

Definitely stood out to me in the bits and pieces of Casey I've seen this season - no way I'd have guessed it's her first season of footy (ex-basketball)!

Great for Eliza, and showing the benefit of the Casey alignment in the AFLW stream.  We now have a number of senior players at Casey, creating a pathway for the younger ones.  But importantly it enables us to keep them within our system getting the same message week to week throughout the whole year now with the new scheduling for 2022.

https://womens.afl/news/72888/listen-dees-flag-push-plus-humorous-reaction-to-tayla-trade

Interesting interview with Todd Patterson, the AFLW list manager. A fair amount of talk around the trades for Olivia Purcell and Tayla Harris, but also the overall list strategy. Despite the obvious improvement over the second half of the season, there was significant disappointment that they didn't win the premiership. This will be the goal in 2022, as it is every year.

53 minutes ago, poita said:

https://womens.afl/news/72888/listen-dees-flag-push-plus-humorous-reaction-to-tayla-trade

Interesting interview with Todd Patterson, the AFLW list manager. A fair amount of talk around the trades for Olivia Purcell and Tayla Harris, but also the overall list strategy. Despite the obvious improvement over the second half of the season, there was significant disappointment that they didn't win the premiership. This will be the goal in 2022, as it is every year.

You have a window next year to win a flag before the AFL stuffs the competition by introducing more teams.

Tegan Cunningham has had a short retirement, now nominating for the draft.

Would we re-draft her?

https://womens.afl/news/73301

 

Sounds like a great result for us

https://womens.afl/news/73318/bulldogs-or-demons-father-daughter-star-chooses-draft-destination

On 7/20/2021 at 1:59 PM, george_on_the_outer said:

Tegan Cunningham has had a short retirement, now nominating for the draft.

Would we re-draft her?

https://womens.afl/news/73301

 

I seriously doubt that. I actually thaught she may have been given a slight nudge on the shoulder and decided to retire. I did still find her to be a competant second ruck.

Cunningham has been a warrior for us but i think her time is up. She found a role as second ruck towards the end of the season but i would rather the list spot goes to a younger player who can be developed for the future

20 hours ago, dl4e said:

I seriously doubt that. I actually thaught she may have been given a slight nudge on the shoulder and decided to retire. I did still find her to be a competant second ruck.

Yep, I think you're on the money there. Other clubs surely came knocking - best of luck to her.

Georgia Campbell has nominated MFC over the Dogs for Father-Daughter

https://womens.afl/news/73318/father-daughter-product-headed-for-melbourne

Sorry - I see I'm Sandra Sully with the late news @Grimes Times has scooped this above yesterday ...

Edited July 22, 20214 yr by Pollyanna

1 hour ago, Pollyanna said:

Georgia Campbell has nominated MFC over the Dogs for Father-Daughter

https://womens.afl/news/73318/father-daughter-product-headed-for-melbourne

Sorry - I see I'm Sandra Sully with the late news @Grimes Times has scooped this above yesterday ...

She looks an excellent pick up from the footage.  Uses her body well, has smarts and a good kicking technique.  Will be interesting to see how she goes against bigger players, but a really good get - shows we are a destination club too.

Whilst this season we have lost tall players in Tegan Cunningham (183cm) and Meg Downie (176cm) we have gained some serious height over the past 2 drafts. Last year we bought Maggie Caris (190cm), Isabella Simmons (184) and Alyssa Bannon (177cm) while topping up this year with Georgia Campbell (182cm), Tahlia Gillard (190cm) and Ali Brown (177). We can add Tayla Harris (177cm) into this Land of the Giants. 
Hopefully a couple of them will prove to be as mobile, skilful and athletic as they are tall. 

I'm tipping the girls to win it this year, excellent trading and drafting have set us up and just like the mens team the girls also have a great list and culture to go all the way and add another cup to sit proudly next to the men's 

go dees 

 

12 hours ago, Paulo said:

I'm tipping the girls to win it this year, excellent trading and drafting have set us up and just like the mens team the girls also have a great list and culture to go all the way and add another cup to sit proudly next to the men's 

go dees 

 

While Meggs concurs with the sentiment, there are 5 or 6 teams thereabouts.  The Magpies have a great list and several guns (we apparently and not surprisingly tried to poach Chloe Molloy during the off season),  Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and North Melbourne are all strong contenders.  A lot of things have to go right for us to win it.  Our backline and lack of finishers will determine how we go as our midfielders and running game are our strength.  Meggs loves Kayo and has watched all last season’s matches (he hopes Goldie plays each week-Sean Wightish).

Edited December 12, 20214 yr by Meggs
Meggs can’t count

1 hour ago, Meggs said:

While Meggs concurs with the sentiment, there are 5 or 6 teams thereabouts.  The Magpies have a great list and several guns (we apparently and not surprisingly tried to poach Chloe Molloy during the off season),  Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and North Melbourne are all strong contenders.  A lot of things have to go right for us to win it.  Our backline and lack of finishers will determine how we go as our midfielders and running game are our strength.  Meggs loves Kayo and has watched all last season’s matches (he hopes Goldie plays each week-Sean Wightish).

Molloy's a player I'd enjoy a lot more in our colours...

Agree about Goldrick, I just finished my re-watch of the season and we really missed her after her injury. Will be interested to see what our latest rookie in West does at AFLW level, hoping for a similar result!