Jonty Ralphsmith remains definite that Melbourne does not have any hold on Prasad.

he would know, i assume

next!

now to find out how corey ah-mu is not on our nga list in 2027

honestly, with the expected changes to the draft value indexation and the picks that you'll be required to use on a top end talent, there's not really any 'discount' any more moving forward

gw$, the bears, gc17, and bloods sucked the value out of it

baggers and the pear are going to pay up, bigly, to get the likes of walker, salopek, and cochrane

it's probably fairer / more equitable than it was, but the likes of cochrane, as an example, has been parachuted / grandfathered into the pear's indigenous academy in the last 6 months

8 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

he would know, i assume

next!

now to find out how corey ah-mu is not on our nga list in 2027

honestly, with the expected changes to the draft value indexation and the picks that you'll be required to use on a top end talent, there's not really any 'discount' any more moving forward

gw$, the bears, gc17, and bloods sucked the value out of it

baggers and the pear are going to pay up, bigly, to get the likes of walker, salopek, and cochrane

it's probably fairer / more equitable than it was, but the likes of cochrane, as an example, has been parachuted / grandfathered into the pear's indigenous academy in the last 6 months

He wouldn't know. He's a journalist and like all journalist he likes to stick it up Melbourne when he can. If it comes from Melbourne then I believe it not from him.

2 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

He wouldn't know. He's a journalist and like all journalist he likes to stick it up Melbourne when he can. If it comes from Melbourne then I believe it not from him.

What a load of [censored]. Grow up

2 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

What a load of [censored]. Grow up

You obviously don't read the papers. You have your opinion I have mine no need to get personal. Journalist don't treat us well that's what I believe.

Edited April 7Apr 7 by WERRIDEE

44 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

You obviously don't read the papers. You have your opinion I have mine no need to get personal. Journalist don't treat us well that's what I believe.

Cheers for the laugh.

2 hours ago, BLWNBA said:

Cheers for the laugh

Have people asked the obvious question? What's the reason he not tied to the NGA? It's easy to say he's not tied to the NGA but what about giving us a reason? That's why I don't believe him.

I tell you why journalists don't like us we are known as toffs and there is a stigma to toffs just like there is a aura to the poor like Collingwood getting huge crowds.

Gawn mentioned it the Herald Sun had us 0 and 6 not even thinking we could beat basket case Essendon.

The main reason why I hate journalists and wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them is the tanking saga. 100% Media driven in a game that if McMahon missed his shot after the siren we would have won and nothing would be said.

11 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

He wouldn't know. He's a journalist and like all journalist he likes to stick it up Melbourne when he can. If it comes from Melbourne then I believe it not from him.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jonty Ralphsmith at a Coates Talent League game several years ago, where Harry Sheezel was playing for the Sandringham Dragons. He noticed my affiliation with Harry's family and supporters, we engaged in a discussion about him and the draft in general. Harry played junior football with one of my grandsons, and they have maintained a close friendship. Jonty Ralphsmith was seeking an angle for a story on Harry and presented himself as genuinely sincere.

I highly doubt that he would harbor any grievances towards Melbourne or have a desire to disparage the club. I have attempted to contact him through the contact page on Zero Hanger, and if I receive a response, I will post it here.

I’ve never seen anything from Ralphsmith that derides Melbourne (or any club for that matter).

11 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I had the pleasure of meeting Jonty Ralphsmith at a Coates Talent League game several years ago, where Harry Sheezel was playing for the Sandringham Dragons. He noticed my affiliation with Harry's family and supporters, we engaged in a discussion about him and the draft in general. Harry played junior football with one of my grandsons, and they have maintained a close friendship. Jonty Ralphsmith was seeking an angle for a story on Harry and presented himself as genuinely sincere.

I highly doubt that he would harbor any grievances towards Melbourne or have a desire to disparage the club. I have attempted to contact him through the contact page on Zero Hanger, and if I receive a response, I will post it here.

Even though I said it I'm not sure if he's telling truth or not. One thing I do know though is that it's poor journalism with what he said he's had an opinion and hasn't backed it up with facts. It's something that I would do it's not what a journalist should do. I could come out with a certain player at say Collingwood's NGA isn't eligible at Collingwood it wouldn't make me right though.

If I didn't know better I would have thought he has intentionally made Melbourne supporters angry because it will be the 3rd time Melbourne has had a NGA player become ineligible due to the rules which makes us think why are we spending money on an NGA program that isn't working.

https://youtu.be/piRR7rSGlU0?si=g-P38jlBJ6vb62so

If there's been a change in the boundaries, changing Prasad's eligibility, I wonder if there's room to appeal to the AFL or beyond?

Im a bit confused and i admit i know sweet f a but has the melbourne football club put work and development into this kid and if so how long and has he always been part of our academy and if he was when exactly did that change and why? I did read something about zone changes that have come into effect and that the changes were made over the preseason . If he was part of our academy last year and we have put work into him any changes to zones and rules that the afl have made over the pre season should not come into effect until after the draft .

2 minutes ago, zoe1617 said:

Im a bit confused and i admit i know sweet f a but has the melbourne football club put work and development into this kid and if so how long and has he always been part of our academy and if he was when exactly did that change and why? I did read something about zone changes that have come into effect and that the changes were made over the preseason . If he was part of our academy last year and we have put work into him any changes to zones and rules that the afl have made over the pre season should not come into effect until after the draft . Exactly like what happened with mac Andrew the changes should of come into effect once the draft he was in finished.

Stkilda think they are hard done by they have gained windhager and owens from nga , we have been shafted more than any club but you never here us complain which annoys me we need to get a bit of mongrel into our club

1 minute ago, zoe1617 said:

  12 minutes ago, zoe1617 said:

2 minutes ago, zoe1617 said:

  12 minutes ago, zoe1617 said:

Im a bit confused and i admit i know sweet f a but has the melbourne football club put work and development into this kid and if so how long and has he always been part of our academy and if he was when exactly did that change and why? I did read something about zone changes that have come into effect and that the changes were made over the preseason . If he was part of our academy last year and we have put work into him any changes to zones and rules that the afl have made over the pre season should not come into effect until after the draft . Exactly like what happened with mac Andrew the changes should of come into effect once the draft he was in finished.

Im a bit confused and i admit i know sweet f a but has the melbourne football club put work and development into this kid and if so how long and has he always been part of our academy and if he was when exactly did that change and why? I did read something about zone changes that have come into effect and that the changes were made over the preseason . If he was part of our academy last year and we have put work into him any changes to zones and rules that the afl have made over the pre season should not come into effect until after the draft . Exactly like what happened with mac Andrew the changes should of come into effect once the draft he was in finished.

I also read Tasmania has dibs on russell robertsons son as a Tasmanian nga over melbourne as a father son

On 08/04/2026 at 22:20, WERRIDEE said:

Even though I said it I'm not sure if he's telling truth or not. One thing I do know though is that it's poor journalism with what he said he's had an opinion and hasn't backed it up with facts. It's something that I would do it's not what a journalist should do. I could come out with a certain player at say Collingwood's NGA isn't eligible at Collingwood it wouldn't make me right though.

If I didn't know better I would have thought he has intentionally made Melbourne supporters angry because it will be the 3rd time Melbourne has had a NGA player become ineligible due to the rules which makes us think why are we spending money on an NGA program that isn't working.

Stating that he isn’t tied to Melbourne’s NGA isn’t an opinion, it’s a statement of fact. If that assertion (statement of fact) is based on error, misinformation, or deliberate falsehoods, it is a false or incorrect statement of fact, even if it is presented as reality, but it’s still not an opinion.

Your second paragraph is nonsensical. Why would a statement of fact intentionally be made to anger Melbourne supporters? Would you rather that he doesn’t report fact? Bizarre. Ralphsmith isn’t the individual determining eligibility, it makes no difference if this is the third, fifth or tenth time.

1 hour ago, BLWNBA said:

Stating that he isn’t tied to Melbourne’s NGA isn’t an opinion, it’s a statement of fact. If that assertion (statement of fact) is based on error, misinformation, or deliberate falsehoods, it is a false or incorrect statement of fact, even if it is presented as reality, but it’s still not an opinion.

Your second paragraph is nonsensical. Why would a statement of fact intentionally be made to anger Melbourne supporters? Would you rather that he doesn’t report fact? Bizarre. Ralphsmith isn’t the individual determining eligibility, it makes no difference if this is the third, fifth or tenth time.

Okaaaayyyy, but who determines eligibility, and what are the rules?

4 hours ago, BigBadBustling said:

Okaaaayyyy, but who determines eligibility, and what are the rules?

AFL cracks down on player eligibility in NGA revamp

Explained: How NGAs work, what the AFL's rule change means

Next Generation Academy background

It’s entirely determined by the AFL.

1 hour ago, BLWNBA said:

AFL cracks down on player eligibility in NGA revamp

Explained: How NGAs work, what the AFL's rule change means

Next Generation Academy background

It’s entirely determined by the AFL.

“A transition period will take place over the next three years with the reviewed zones to be in place by 2028 for the AFL, and 2026 for the AFLW rules.”

My understanding is that this effectively means that if you were tied to a club’s NGA in 2025 then that situation would not be upset by the changes. Prasad was definitely included as a MFC NGA player last year. How is his position therefore affected by the changes?

37 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

“A transition period will take place over the next three years with the reviewed zones to be in place by 2028 for the AFL, and 2026 for the AFLW rules.”

My understanding is that this effectively means that if you were tied to a club’s NGA in 2025 then that situation would not be upset by the changes. Prasad was definitely included as a MFC NGA player last year. How is his position therefore affected by the changes?

Whilst that applied for the zone changes, other changes including the AFL removing the criteria that allowed a player to be tied to a club if they were born overseas in the relevant zones, with all NGA applications now on relying on parents' cultural backgrounds, was effective from the beginning of the 2026 season.

The first article linked states:

Other important changes include:

• the addition of the Pacific and Central and South American regions to the cultural eligibility criteria and the removal of European countries;

• an expansion of age eligibility from 19 to 21 years to allow clubs to have more time to access players if they are late developers;

• and a requirement that the player and their family must have resided in the NGA zone for at least 12 months before their application is submitted.

Importantly, though the changes will not affect the 2025 draft class, all approved applications for future drafts that do not meet the new eligibility rules will be reviewed by the AFL in coming months, which could see players who have been tied to clubs ruled out for priority access.

Personally I’m not exactly sure of the reason it’s being stated he’s no longer tied to us, but I would suspect it’s likely due to one of, or a combination of those listed factors.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by BLWNBA

1 hour ago, BLWNBA said:

Whilst that applied for the zone changes, other changes including the AFL removing the criteria that allowed a player to be tied to a club if they were born overseas in the relevant zones, with all NGA applications now on relying on parents' cultural backgrounds, was effective from the beginning of the 2026 season.

The first article linked states:

Other important changes include:

• the addition of the Pacific and Central and South American regions to the cultural eligibility criteria and the removal of European countries;

• an expansion of age eligibility from 19 to 21 years to allow clubs to have more time to access players if they are late developers;

• and a requirement that the player and their family must have resided in the NGA zone for at least 12 months before their application is submitted.

Importantly, though the changes will not affect the 2025 draft class, all approved applications for future drafts that do not meet the new eligibility rules will be reviewed by the AFL in coming months, which could see players who have been tied to clubs ruled out for priority access.

Personally I’m not exactly sure of the reason it’s being stated he’s no longer tied to us, but I would suspect it’s likely due to one of, or a combination of those listed factors.

Perhaps, but this simply doesn't pass muster in terms of Prasad's eligibility and does not explain why an AFL review might have put a line through him remaining an MFC NGA.

In the case of the first two dot points, they can't be interpreted as applying to Prasad who already fulfilled the cultural eligibility and age guidelines. The third dot point countermands the statement that the new guidelines will be introduced over the next three years because in Prasad's case it would mean retrospective application and not something to be applied in transition between 2026 and 2028.

The only thing that seems to make sense to me is the fact the situation applying to the Ah-Mu brothers if Samoan culture is now specifically included in the new list of Pacific regions. If that was the case it would explain earlier reports that Corey Ah-Mu was tied to Melbourne's NGA system.

Of course, it would be nice if the AFL or the MFC would simply tell us what the situation is with these players.

Corey Ah-Mu kicked a couple in the Stingrays big win today.

35 minutes ago, Viscount Cardwell said:

Xav and Darcy aren't NGA prospects either. They seem to have confused and mixed NGA and F/S prospects just with kids training with the seniors.

It is insane that Rodan’s kid is an nga because of parental birth given that he’s grown up with his dad in the industry as a player then an umpire