Jump to content

Featured Replies

  • Author

Wow, this kind of exodus has been such a long time coming that I'm almost (almost!) relieved the other shoe has finally dropped. Most upset about Gay, who I have in my "top 10 players to please, please let us keep". On the fringes of that, but still. The one consolation is there were definitely questions about her durability (always have to find a silver lining - we could lose Hanks and I'd still find something to nitpick to make myself feel better!).

As for reasons for leaving, I agree the "stick-together-ness" after the premiership that had such huge buy-in was always going to have an abrupt expiration date on it. Even if we had gone back to back, I suspect this would have played out to some extent. And who know what kinds of expectations were set in exit interviews regarding what 2023 might look like for these players...

Of course, pay is probably the big one. The next few seasons in particular the pay raises could be the difference for some between being a year-round full-time athlete and not. Faced with that decision, with the opportunity to fulfill what was likely previously a pipedream for many? Well, the day I begrudge an AFLW player for moving for money hasn't arrived yet. Getting closer though.

 
  • Author

From list manager Todd Patterson (more here):

"It was a really disappointing end to the season, not just the last game but a series of games leading up to that. We've been thoroughly reviewing the program and the playing list, not just as that occurred, but for a period of time before that.

...

Once we actually put the remaining players on the whiteboard and have a look at the nucleus, we're really comfortable with where we're at.

What has been missing through the expansion periods, our retention, our success having us at the back of the draft, and concessions, is we've really missed out on getting some young talent through the door.

That'll be a key focus for us, getting up the draft order as high as we can and really targeting that next wave coming through with our already established 22-25 year olds, who are some of the best players in the competition."

Given what Todd has said, I wonder if some of those that are leaving might have had a less than positive end of season interview with the coaching/list staff.  At the end of the 2020 season Elise O'Dea, Maddy Guerin, Harriet Cordner, Bianca Jakobsson and Alisha Newman (and one other I can't recall just now) all headed off to other clubs, and the talk was how we obviously had problems if such a list of departures was occurring.  But my understanding was that most, if not all, of those losses were club initiated, with the players not fitting in with our future plans and them being informed it would be best for them to look elsewhere.  Our three seasons after that we went 25-4 in H&A, and prelim, runners up, premiers.

Maybe we are looking at a repeat in 2023.  But perhaps not three seasons till the next flag. 🙂

 
8 hours ago, Katrina Dee Fan said:

Harris has been carrying injuries all season.  Banno I'm not sure.

Surely you do know, Kat. The covid outbreak. We’ve known about it from the start. Not an excuse, but an explanation. 


The only player I've seen us linked to is Lily Johnson of Port Adelaide (no idea), but I'd really like to find a smaller forward who can create goals out of nowhere.

 

But the Demons will pick up Port Adelaide teenager Lily Johnson to bolster their depth, while the club could head to the December 18 draft with as many as three first-round picks as part of their ongoing list regeneration.

Wild West: Eagles, Dockers set for Trade Period signing spree - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1070871

Edited by Nascent

7 hours ago, Supermercado said:

The only player I've seen us linked to is Lily Johnson of Port Adelaide (no idea), but I'd really like to find a smaller forward who can create goals out of nowhere.

Might be in with a shot to get Alyssia Pisano in the draft. Will probably go top 5 but sounds like we might have one of those selections at the end of the trade period.

Dominated for the Ranges this year and kicked 38 goals in 14 games. One of smoothest moving natural kicks of the footy I've seen in the girls league.

 

Edited by Nascent


  • Author

Alyce Parker is off the table!

Seeing some of the highlights packages (usual disclaimers about the lower level etc.), the draft is exciting. It's nice to think that 2023's 18 year olds were 12 year olds when the league started, right at that age where a tough choice used to be made.

6 hours ago, BangBnagBang said:

Bounces and hadballs right and kicks left

I'm choosing to view this as evidence of brilliance 😆

Some more on Rigoni from Draft Central, where she's the top power ranking pick in a small pool of utilities:

Jemma Rigoni (Oakleigh Chargers / Vic Metro)
04/06/2004 | 172cm | Victoria

Rigoni is a talented over-ager with explosive speed and the confidence to break the lines. Tucking the ball under her arm, she takes off and has proven to be able to play forward, back and then off a wing, making her a versatile utility. She is good overhead and reads the play well, with some of her fundamentals in her kicking and execution being the next step in her development. She is tied to Melbourne through the father-daughter rule – dad Guy played 107 games for the Demons – and is tipped to head there in the second round.

 

Our draft picks in the indicative order:

16, 35, 56, 74

If Birch wants to go to nth then let her.

Stoked that Rigoni's daughter will play for us. That's great. 

Happy Hanks has signed on as well as our captain 


6 minutes ago, Nascent said:

Would imagine Birch moves for pick 19 from North.

We paid pick 8, 48 and Ashleigh Guest for Birch.

Gay to Essendon?

Wilson to Gold Coast?

Can't see either of these clubs have much currency other than involving their top picks.

1 hour ago, dees189227 said:

If Birch wants to go to nth then let her.

Tomorrow night’s B&F should be fun.  Not a lot of love for Libby from many of the DA.

😬

Unlike last year’s… that was nothing but fun!

 


41 minutes ago, deanox said:

We paid pick 8, 48 and Ashleigh Guest for Birch.

19 is their earliest pick and I haven't heard any rumours of North players wanting out that would net them additional first rounders. 

Perhaps another club or player will get involved. But like Luke Jackson, we can only ask for what they have.

 

Without knowing what the draft pool is like I reckon Pick 5 and 26 for sheriff and west is more than fair. Good business I reckon.

pick 19 for birch seems unders for an AA defender but she did have a poor season so maybe not.


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...

Featured Content

  • NON-MFC: Round 10

    The Sir Doug Nicholls Round kicks off in Darwin with a Top 4 clash between the Suns and the Hawks. On Friday night the Swans will be seeking to rebound from a challenging start to the season, while the Blues have the Top 8 in their sights after their sluggish start. Saturdays matches kick off with a blockbuster between the Collingwood and Kuwarna with the Magpies looking to maintain their strong form and the Crows aiming to make a statement on the road. The Power face a difficult task to revive their season against a resilient Cats side looking to make amends for their narrow loss last week. The Giants aim to reinforce their top-eight status, while the Dockers will be looking to break the travel hoodoo. The sole Saturday game is a critical matchup for both teams, as the Bulldogs strive to cemet their spot in the top six and the Bombers desperately want break into the 8. Sundays start with a bottom 3 clash between the Tigers and Kangaroos with both teams wanting to avoid the being in wooden spoon contention. The Round concludes with the Eagles still searching for their first win of the season, while the Saints look to keep their finals hopes alive with a crucial away victory. Who are you tipping and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • Thanks
    • 89 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: Brisbane

    And just like that, we’re Narrm again. Even though the annual AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round which commemorates the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture to our game has been a welcome addition to our calendar for ten years, more lately it has been a portent of tough times ahead for we beleaguered Narrm supporters. Ever since the club broke through for its historic 2021 premiership, this has become a troubling time of the year for the club. For example, it all began when Melbourne rebranded itself as Narrm across the two rounds of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round to become the first club to adopt an Indigenous club name especially for the occasion. It won its first outing under the brand against lowly North Melbourne to go to 10 wins and no losses but not without a struggle or a major injury to  star winger Ed Langdon who broke his ribs and missed several weeks. In the following week, still as Narrm, the team’s 17 game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Dockers. That came along with more injuries, a plague that remained with them for the remainder of the season until, beset by injuries, the Dees were eliminated from the finals in straight sets. It was even worse last year, when Narrm inexplicably lowered its colours in Perth to the Waalit Marawar Eagles. Oh, the shame of it all! At least this year, if there is a corner to turn around, it has to be in the direction of something better. To that end, I produced a special pre-game chant in the local Narrm language - “nam mi:wi winnamun katjil prolin ambi ngamar thamelin amb” which roughly translated is “every heart beats true for the red and the blue.” >y belief is that if all of the Narrm faithful recite it long enough, then it might prove to be the only way to beat the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday. The Lions are coming off a disappointing draw at Marvel Stadium against a North Melbourne team that lacks the ability and know how to win games (except when playing Melbourne). Brisbane are, however, a different kettle of fish at home and have very few positional weaknesses. They are a midfield powerhouse, strong in defence and have plenty of forward options, particularly their small and medium sized players, to kick a winning score this week after the sting of last week’s below par performance.

      • Clap
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 11 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Hawthorn

    There was a time during the current Melbourne cycle that goes back to before the premiership when the club was the toughest to beat in the fourth quarter. The Demons were not only hard to beat at any time but it was virtually impossible to get the better them when scores were close at three quarter time. It was only three or four years ago but they were fit, strong and resilient in body and mind. Sadly, those days are over. This has been the case since the club fell off its pedestal about 12 months ago after it beat Geelong and then lost to Carlton. In both instances, Melbourne put together strong, stirring final quarters, one that resulted in victory, the other, in defeat. Since then, the drop off has been dramatic to the point where it can neither pull off victory in close matches, nor can it even go down in defeat  gallantly.

      • Clap
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 1 reply
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Footscray

    At twenty-four minutes into the third term of the game between the Casey Demons and Footscray VFL at Whitten Oval, the visitors were coasting. They were winning all over the ground, had the ascendancy in the ruck battles and held a 26 point lead on a day perfect for football. What could go wrong? Everything. The Bulldogs moved into overdrive in the last five minutes of the term and booted three straight goals to reduce the margin to a highly retrievable eight points at the last break. Bouyed by that effort, their confidence was on a high level during the interval and they ran all over the despondent Demons and kicked another five goals to lead by a comfortable margin of four goals deep into the final term before Paddy Cross kicked a couple of too late goals for a despondent Casey. A testament to their lack of pressure in the latter stages of the game was the fact that Footscray’s last ten scoring shots were nine goals and one rushed behind. Things might have been different for the Demons who went into the game after last week’s bye with 12 AFL listed players. Blake Howes was held over for the AFL game but two others, Jack Billings and Taj Woewodin (not officially listed as injured) were also missing and they could have been handy at the end. Another mystery of the current VFL system.

      • Thanks
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Brisbane

    The Demons head back out on the road in Round 10 when they travel to Queensland to take on the reigning Premiers and the top of the table Lions who look very formidable. Can the Dees cause a massive upset? Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 278 replies
    Demonland
  • PODCAST: Hawthorn

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 12th May @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Demons loss to the Hawks. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

      • Clap
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 53 replies
    Demonland