Jump to content

The Deakin Pereira Thread

Whispering_Jack
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

Some Demonlanders out there will  remember the brief appearance of a group of Melbourne Next Generation Academy players at preseason at Gosch’s Paddock in December 2019. The standout was a strongly built tall ruckman, Deakin Pereira who mixed it with the likes of Max Gawn and Braydon Preuss in the ruck and held himself in good stead against the Demons’ tall timber. 

We were hoping that the young Pereira would try out for a place in the 2020 national draft but Deakin had a long-held dream of making it in the world of professional basketball at its highest level in the USA. Over the past 20 months or so he’s gone a long way to achieving that dream despite the fact that our world is a far different place than it was back then.

I reached out to Deakin’s biggest fans, his parents Kylie and Ryan, and they filled me in on his movements in the interim. They report that he’s made it through the world-wide Covid19 storm and is finishing his last year of high school. He has just achieved his first aim by securing a scholarship to a major division 1 college - California State University, Fullerton which is a leading campus of CSU and which serves as an intellectual and cultural center for Southern California. 

Sholarships are few and far between and Deakin was good enough to get one. He stands around 6 foot 9 inches tall (206cm) and is looking very strong. He says he can’t wait to go to college where he will beef up even more.

If things don’t work out, you never know, he might be back at Gosch’s Paddock battling out with our premiership pair of ruckmen one day but in the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing him proceed to a different draft in the NBA, possibly to join the growing band of Aussies there. Then it could be on to the Olympics in Paris in three year’s time. We all know now how well Demons go in Olympic years.😀

Anyway, Deakin can rest assured that there’s an army of Demons fans following his fortunes in sunny California. Good luck!

  • Quote
    • Like 21
    • Thanks 4
    • Love 1
     

    Thanks WJ. Fullerton’s a nice part of the world, sunny climate and very close to Disneyland. And if Deakin’s into beaches and surfing, the drive to Huntington Beach isn’t too far.

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    Good luck to Deakin. College sport in the USA is a big deal. They attract big crowds and the larger colleges get nationwide exposure on tv. Hope to see him soon on ESPN. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     

     

    #14

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    Awww... nice. I remember his parents posting on here when he was training with us. He may not get drafted to the dees but I'm counting him as one and hope he does well.

    Best of luck Deak!

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    how did deakin qualify as an NGA was he indigenous or does he have roots elsewhere?

  • Quote
    5 hours ago, Turner said:

    how did deakin qualify as an NGA was he indigenous or does he have roots elsewhere?

    He wasn't an NGA. Maybe you're thinking of Deakyn Smith who was an NGA? I only say that because for some stupid reason thought that Deakin Pereira had changed his name to become Deakyn Smith (they seemed to be at the club at similar times) and only just realised this reading this thread!

  • Quote
    •  
    3 hours ago, The Lobster Effect said:

    He wasn't an NGA. Maybe you're thinking of Deakyn Smith who was an NGA? I only say that because for some stupid reason thought that Deakin Pereira had changed his name to become Deakyn Smith (they seemed to be at the club at similar times) and only just realised this reading this thread!

     

    2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

     

    He most definitely was, as this article on the MFC site in 2017 shows.

    https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/77981/melbourne-welcomes-nga-talent

    yeh wasn't that the whole point of the thread that he was training with us because he was eligable

  • Quote

    On 10/16/2021 at 9:49 AM, Turner said:

    how did deakin qualify as an NGA was he indigenous or does he have roots elsewhere?

    Pereira is a very common Sri Lankan surname of Portuguese origins. Whispy might know the answer for sure but if he's from the South East of Melbourne that would be my guess.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: West Coast

      It was bad enough that the Melbourne Football Club created yet another humiliating scenario inside its wretched season at Marvel Stadium last Sunday, but the final insult is that it has been commanded to return to the scene of the crime to inflict further punishment on its fans this week. Incidentally, if this match preview, of a game that promises to be one of the most unattractive fixtures in the history of the game, happens to cut out of your computer screen three quarters of the way through, it’s no coincidence. I’ll be mirroring the Demons’ lacklustre effort against St Kilda from last Sunday when they conceded the largest last quarter turnaround for victory in the history of the game.

        • Haha
      • 5 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: St. Kilda

      When looking back at the disastrous end to the game, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

        • Like
      • 9 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Sandringham

      The Casey Demons rebounded from a sluggish start to manufacture a decisive win against Sandringham in the final showdown, culminating a quarter century of intense rivalry between the fluctuating alignments of teams affiliated with AFL clubs Melbourne and St Kilda, as the Saints and the Zebras prepare to forge independent paths in 2026. After conceding three of the first four goals of the match, the Demons went on a goal kicking rampage instigated by the winning ruck combination of Tom Campbell with 26 hitouts, 26 disposals and 13 clearances and his apprentice Will Verrall who contributed 20 hitouts. This gave first use of the ball to the likes of Jack Billings, Bayley Laurie, Riley Bonner and Koltyn Tholstrup who was impressive early. By the first break they had added seven goals and took a strong grip on the game. The Demons were well served up forward early by Mitch Hardie and, as the game progressed, Harry Sharp proved a menace with a five goal performance. Emerging young forwards Matthew Jefferson and Luker Kentfield kicked two each but the former let himself down with some poor kicking for goal.
      Young draft talent Will Duursma showed the depth of his talent and looks well out of reach for Melbourne this year. Kalani White was used sparingly and had a brief but uneventful stint in the ruck.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons return to the scene of the crime on Saturday to face the wooden spooners the Eagles at the Docklands. Who comes in and who goes out? Like moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

        • Like
      • 330 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: St. Kilda

      This season cannot end soon enough. Disgraceful.

        • Angry
        • Sad
        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 484 replies
      Demonland

    • VOTES: St. Kilda

      Captain Max Gawn still has a massive lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Christian Petracca, Kozzy Pickett, Jake Bowey & Clayton Oliver. Your votes please; 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Love
      • 27 replies
      Demonland
    View All