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The Bayley Fritsch Story

Whispering_Jack
Whispering_Jack
in Melbourne Demons

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On the VFL Rewind Radio Program (I found this on Facebook)

The Bayley Fritsch story is a pretty amazing story of perseverance and hard work to firstly get to a VFL list, then onto an AFL list and then climbing Everest and winning a AFL premiership medal.

Bayley Fritsch was never picked to play TAC Cup but in 2014 he was playing senior footy at Coldstream FNC in the Eastern Football Netball League as a 18 year old and also having a kick in the clubs under 19’s team. 

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Bayley accepted a offer to join Casey Demons in 2015. Back then VFL lists could sign 68 players meaning Bayley got a opportunity and VFL clubs could take more of a chance on some players. 

However, he hardly played at all in 2015 & 2016 due to injuries but Casey Demons kept their faith in Bayley and gave him another year. 

Bayley had a breakout year in 2017 and played 19 games and kicked 42 goals at VFL level. 

In the AFL draft of 2017 Melbourne footy club drafted him with pick 31. 

In his first year at AFL level he played 23 games and between 2018-present he has missed only AFL 20 games. 

The 2021 AFL grand final is the biggest moment to date in Bayley’s career. He kicked 6 goals and had 13 disposals as he went on to become a AFL premiership player. 
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It’s a great story of never giving up and chasing your AFL dream. From local senior footy to the bright lights of the AFL grand final. The Bayley Fritsch story is a very good football story.

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      On 23/12/2024 at 06:31, The end is nigh said:

    Love his story. Hope he’s hungry for a big year

    He most certainly is. He’s very keen to rip into Season 2025. Also, this the first time in a while that he’s not got even the slightest trace of a niggle. He’s able to play with the utmost of freedom and with that comes increased confidence. 

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    So you're saying I need to have ANOTHER Coleman bet?!?

    I have half the team to win the Brownlow already, and the other half for the Coleman.

    🤣

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      On 23/12/2024 at 07:52, BigBadBustling said:

    So you're saying I need to have ANOTHER Coleman bet?!?

    I have half the team to win the Brownlow already, and the other half for the Coleman.

    🤣

    Load up (responsibly 😁)

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      On 23/12/2024 at 11:27, SPC said:

    What a great read. Well done WJ. 

    Once he settles into a regular haircut (please God), the Fritch could be the wanton forward-line exploiter, thanks to the definite strength of our recruiting outcomes. Whilst he can take a mark, if needed, he also finds space within the parameters of his kicking distance - and we are not here to assess his his goal-scoring aptitudes -  Fritta is going to set records he could not imagine. Carna Demons, now coaches, exploit it !!!!

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      On 23/12/2024 at 11:45, Deemania since 56 said:

    Once he settles into a regular haircut (please God), the Fritch could be the wanton forward-line exploiter, thanks to the definite strength of our recruiting outcomes. Whilst he can take a mark, if needed, he also finds space within the parameters of his kicking distance - and we are not here to assess his his goal-scoring aptitudes -  Fritta is going to set records he could not imagine. Carna Demons, now coaches, exploit it !!!!

    Not gonna happen. 😭

    And we’ve got Salo to blame for it was he who took Fritta to the barber and advised him to get “something different.” 🤣

     

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      On 23/12/2024 at 11:55, Ghostwriter said:

    Not gonna happen. 😭

    And we’ve got Salo to blame for it was he who took Fritta to the barber and advised him to get “something different.” 🤣

     

    ...and recent recruiting hasn't improved overall team tonsorial influence.

    #kolt

    #harvey

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      On 23/12/2024 at 11:45, Deemania since 56 said:

    Once he settles into a regular haircut (please God), the Fritch could be the wanton forward-line exploiter, thanks to the definite strength of our recruiting outcomes. Whilst he can take a mark, if needed, he also finds space within the parameters of his kicking distance - and we are not here to assess his his goal-scoring aptitudes -  Fritta is going to set records he could not imagine. Carna Demons, now coaches, exploit it !!!!

    Was that written by AI ??

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      On 23/12/2024 at 21:45, Demonstone said:

    Could @Deemania since 56 be the username of Anthony Ingerson?

    ...with his mate Al?

    Al G. O'Rithm.

     

    (I know an Al, for Alex, and, font depending, I always see Artificial Intelligence as name, not acronym😄)

    Edited by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

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      On 23/12/2024 at 12:27, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

    ...and recent recruiting hasn't improved overall team tonsorial influence.

    #kolt

    #harvey

    … and the influence trickles down to fans. After training the other week a lovely fellow DL-er (👋) and his preteen nephew (who has an awesome big mop of curls) and I asked Kolt to have a pic taken with the boy coz curls and lots of ‘em. Kolt says, “Hey I love your hair. Now all you need is a mullet!”

    😳

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      On 23/12/2024 at 22:57, Ghostwriter said:

    … and the influence trickles down to fans. After training the other week a lovely fellow DL-er (👋) and his preteen nephew (who has an awesome big mop of curls) and I asked Kolt to have a pic taken with the boy coz curls and lots of ‘em. Kolt says, “Hey I love your hair. Now all you need is a mullet!”

    😳

    A real mullet ambassador is Kolt. He did that at the Mansfield school visit, too.

    The kid out-mulleted him there. Did the neph?

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      On 23/12/2024 at 23:24, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

    A real mullet ambassador is Kolt. He did that at the Mansfield school visit, too.

    The kid out-mulleted him there. Did the neph?

    The neph out-curled him that’s for sure, but last I heard… no mullet. And I’m sure the neph’s mum would like to keep it that way. 😁

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    Ahh... Fritta... just love him. He's my favourite player.

    Said it a few times here, there's only one problem with him, we don't have two of him.

    I remembered his draft year. I was excited to see him come via Casey. That year I had started a new job, well career path, and made a new mate who was a country boy Queenslander. I asked him, do you have a footy team, he said "I'm thinking about the Bombers" (there were two reasons, we were both in aviation and he had an old bombers mate). I responded in a joking yet scarily serious way "Mate, if you're going to be a bombers fan, we can't be friends". I then said, "I'll take you to your first game, my shout". So off we went to the MCG. He was so intrigued and perplexed by the size of Spargo (also in the same draft year as Fritta), simply because he too was short and had grown up playing rugby, stated he had the heart but not the physic. To cut a story short, we won, he became a Dee and for the rest of the year while we we at the academy, we just spoke Dees. He'd often whisper " Spargo...." through the comms to which I'd reply "Fritta....". These days he's back in Queensland but he's a Dee for life and each week when the footy is on we frantically write to one another through the match.

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