Greetings, ladies, gentlemen and those with a gender agenda.  

It's still a week until the Draft takes place and we're all looking for something to fill in the time.

Here is a team consisting solely of Melbourne Football Club players, past (mainly) and present and named in position.

PM please (not Stanley Bruce et al!) if you can identify the common factor.  It's fairly easy.

There may be clues.  There may or may not be prizes.

 

B:        Matthew Whelan     Laurie Fowler     Jake Bowey

H/B:   Jayden Hunt     Lynden Dunn     Nathan Brown

C:        Scott Thompson     Brian Wilson     Daniel Ward

H/F:    Aaron Davey     Brad Miller     Brent Moloney

F:        Tom McDonald     Chris Dawes     Darren Cuthbertson

R:        Jeff White     Nathan Jones     Jordan Lewis

I/C:     Steven O'Dwyer     Jordie McKenzie     Joel Smith     Max Walker

SUB:   Michael Newton

COACH:    Simon Goodwin

Just the one incorrect response so far that each player's name contains a rarely used letter.  The answer has nothing to do with spelling or matters alphabetical.

I'll provide a clue in a couple of hours if necessary.

Nobody's playing so I'm taking the view

That it's time for me to provide a clue.

The weather ain't tropical

But the answer is topical

And now the rest is up to you.

My "topical" reference got a bite, but the answer is nothing to do with the World Cup or anything international.

Quick update before I head out for a few hours.

@Lucifers Hero has the correct answer and, for her efforts, wins a Top Ten Draft Pick.  Spend it wisely, Luci!

It would be good to see more female participants.

Look closely at the OP - there is a clue there.

2 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Quick update before I head out for a few hours.

@Lucifers Hero has the correct answer and, for her efforts, wins a Top Ten Draft Pick.  Spend it wisely, Luci!

It would be good to see more female participants.

Look closely at the OP - there is a clue there.

Not sure whether accidental but there is also a clue in this post...

Well done to @layzie for also solving the mystery.  Enjoy your Late Second Round Draft Pick!

Third place and the associated Third Round Draft Pick has been snaffled by @La Dee-vina Comedia, thereby just pipping @Mazer Rackham who will have to settle for a Rookie Draft Selection.

As hinted at in various ways, the players in my team all share a surname with currently listed AFLW players.

I believe that @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew has another teaser up his sleeve and hereby pass the baton his way.

That AFLW team if anybody is interested is as follows.  Some surnames are shared by multiple women, of course.

Oddly, there is both a Tarni Brown and a Tarni White!

 

B:       Aimee Whelan     Erica Fowler     Hannah Bowey

H/B:   Bailey Hunt     Hannah Dunn     Tarni Brown

C:       Stevie-Lee Thompson     Charlotte Wilson     Amber Ward

H/F:   Brianna Davey     Hayley Miller     Abbi Moloney

F:       Amy McDonald     Isabel Dawes     Janelle Cuthbertson

R:       Tarni White     Eloise Jones     Isabella Lewis

I/C:    Orla O'Dwyer     Ellie McKenzie     Bella Smith     Brooke Walker

SUB:  Gabby Newton

COACH:     Sarah Goodwin

9 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Third place and the associated Third Round Draft Pick has been snaffled by @La Dee-vina Comedia, thereby just pipping @Mazer Rackham who will have to settle for a Rookie Draft Selection.

As hinted at in various ways, the players in my team all share a surname with currently listed AFLW players.

I believe that @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew has another teaser up his sleeve and hereby pass the baton his way.

That AFLW team if anybody is interested is as follows.  Some surnames are shared by multiple women, of course.

Oddly, there is both a Tarni Brown and a Tarni White!

 

B:       Aimee Whelan     Erica Fowler     Hannah Bowey

H/B:   Bailey Hunt     Hannah Dunn     Tarni Brown

C:       Stevie-Lee Thompson     Charlotte Wilson     Amber Ward

H/F:   Brianna Davey     Hayley Miller     Abbi Moloney

F:       Amy McDonald     Isabel Dawes     Janelle Cuthbertson

R:       Tarni White     Eloise Jones     Isabella Lewis

I/C:    Orla O'Dwyer     Ellie McKenzie     Bella Smith     Brooke Walker

SUB:  Gabby Newton

COACH:     Sarah Goodwin

I'd very much like to see Tarni Brown and Tarni White given the nicknames of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney 

I'd bet that Stevie would also like to see that.  

24 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Third place and the associated Third Round Draft Pick has been snaffled by @La Dee-vina Comedia, thereby just pipping @Mazer Rackham who will have to settle for a Rookie Draft Selection.

As hinted at in various ways, the players in my team all share a surname with currently listed AFLW players.

I believe that @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew has another teaser up his sleeve and hereby pass the baton his way.

That AFLW team if anybody is interested is as follows.  Some surnames are shared by multiple women, of course.

Oddly, there is both a Tarni Brown and a Tarni White!

 

B:       Aimee Whelan     Erica Fowler     Hannah Bowey

H/B:   Bailey Hunt     Hannah Dunn     Tarni Brown

C:       Stevie-Lee Thompson     Charlotte Wilson     Amber Ward

H/F:   Brianna Davey     Hayley Miller     Abbi Moloney

F:       Amy McDonald     Isabel Dawes     Janelle Cuthbertson

R:       Tarni White     Eloise Jones     Isabella Lewis

I/C:    Orla O'Dwyer     Ellie McKenzie     Bella Smith     Brooke Walker

SUB:  Gabby Newton

COACH:     Sarah Goodwin

AFLW is always just another click on the mouse to escape ... sorry but it is true. Would never have known / solved this one. 

5 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Oddly, there is both a Tarni Brown and a Tarni White!

Even more odd: the following team!

B:  J. Bowey M. Scarlett L. Dunn
HB: K. Rose D. White R. Dunne
C:  N. Brown N. Black N. Brown
HF: B. Green D. Schwarz T. Greene
F:  R. Gray B. Brown J. Brown
Foll: T. Goldstein A. Weiss B. Rose

I knew that team reminded me of something, Mr. Rackham.  This was my attempt from last year.

Behold the very colourful Rainbow Raiders!  I hope you like the centreline tribute to our disco/clash jumper.

B:  Graham Moss   Matthew Scarlett   Robert Teal

H/B:  Lachie Ash   Randall Bone   Luke Lavender

C:  Jack Redden   Brian Royal   Russell Blew

H/F:  Jarrod Berry   Jonathon Brown   Robbie Gray

F:  Brad Green   Paul Salmon   Arthur Pink

R:  Jeff White   Simon Black   Bobby Rose

I/C:  Robert Lemon   Neville Stone   Jim Flint   Ron Birch

Very good! Damn, how did I miss Jeff White. Throw out the pretender and reinstate White as first ruck!

I just got it, is it too late to submit my answer? 

23 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I'd very much like to see Tarni Brown and Tarni White given the nicknames of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney 

Calling 2015 National Draft pick number 24, Ben Keays...

And sorry I missed this one @Demonstone. I've just this last hour arrived back from a warm and sunny (sorry, southern and northern Victorians and inland NSWelsh) mid-north coast NSW road trip, tech free.

Congrats @Lucifers Hero, @layzie and @La Dee-vina Comedia, and, unrewardedly, @Mazer Rackham. Such 'white bread' names in the team, I doubt I would have made the connection before any of you, although 'Stone's original clueing is rather generously heavy in hindsight!

So, now, time for me to bat on, apparently!