THE EIGHT

by The Oracle

Melbourne's season is lurching in a downward spiral and it's not surprising in the circumstances to learn that 36 of the club's 40 senior listed players have worn the red and blue in 2007 - a season high for all AFL clubs. This leaves four seniors and four rookies left at the club who haven't yet tasted the big time and this is despite the fact that we've only just passed the half way mark of the season. Who are these players and what are their prospects for AFL selection this season and beyond?

SENIOR LIST PLAYERS

Simon Buckley - Jumper # 1, 189 cm, 81 kg, Born 18 April 1987. From Sandringham Dragons Under 18

Buckley was drafted at 53 (4th Round) in the 2005 National Draft and is a pacy midfielder with good skills. He spent most of 2006 rotating between Sandringham firsts and seconds but has played every game in the senior side this year, mainly on a wing. He gained some AFL experience in the NAB Cup game against Hawthorn in February and, while he yet to set the world on fire, has been knocking on the door to selection. The Demons could do with some extra pace in the midfield so it wouldn’t surprise if his chance came soon.

Heath Neville – Jumper # 26, 186 cm, 83 kg, Born 2 February 1988. From Clarence, Tasmania.

Neville was the last of the club's 2005 National Draft picks going in the 5th round at 68 and has played most of his football in the Sandringham seconds. He was restricted by OP in his first year at the club and has only broken through for senior VFL selection once this year. A medium sized defender, Neville hasn't done enough and is likely to be released at the end of the season. His best bet would be a possible redraft as a rookie for 2008 but that might also be an outside chance.

Michael Newton - Jumper # 29, 193 cm, 90 kg, Born 27 April 1987. From Murray Bushrangers Under 18

A speculative third round selection at 43 in the 2004 National Draft, Newton has become a popular figure at Sandringham where he narrowly trails Nick Sautner as top goalkicker with 29 goals from all 10 matches, a top effort given that he has been selected in various positions from defence to the wing and forward pocket. Newton hails from the small country town of Whorouly in North Eastern Victoria - Kelly Country. His first season at the club was plagued by back injuries and like Buckley, he spent last year moving about from the Sandy firsts to the seconds where he topped the competition's goalkicking with over 50 goals. His ability to do the freakish has captured the imagination of Sandringham fans who are scratching their heads over his inability to break into a Melbourne team lacking in goalscoring options, particularly with injuries to David Neitz and Russell Robertson and the indifferent form of Brad Miller. An emergency against Richmond in round 12, Newton couldn't possibly be far away from selection in the AFL.

Isaac Weetra - Jumper # 28, 184 cm, 76 kg, Born 27 February 1989. From Port Adelaide magpies, South Australia

Weetra is the youngest player on Melbourne's list and hails from West Whyalla in country South Australia. He has already represented his country overseas as a member of the Indigenous tour of 2006 to South Africa and he was selected in the fourth round of the 2006 national Draft at 62. He was dogged by injury earlier this year and missed much of the practice match series and the early rounds with a hamstring injury, which was followed by a broken wrist. Currently finding his way in the Zebra seconds where he is being used mainly off halfback. He is a strong mark, has a huge vertical and possess good aerobic capacity but is not expected to emerge as a senior player until 2009.

ROOKIE LIST PLAYERS

Rookies are ineligible for AFL selection unless promoted off the rookie list to replace a senior list player who is classified as having a long-term injury. Some clubs are reluctant to elevate such players because of the costs involved and it is unlikely that any of the Demon rookies of 2007 will gain promotion. The player with the best chance at present is tall ruckman Shane Neaves who is in his second year at the club. Ruckmen take time to develop and Neaves has been no exception although, with added responsibility as the number one ruckman at Sandringham, he has blossomed this year and has played in all 10 matches. Jace Bode, another second year rookie, has only recently made his way into the senior team at Sandringham where he has been used in a tagging role but his chances of remaining on the list for another season are not strong. Strong marking forward Daniel Hughes has been battling OP and is apparently weeks away from returning while exciting Indigenous player Daniel Hayes is working his way back into the game after missing most of the action this year because of personal family problems. He is an exciting prospect however, and the reports from the Zebra reserves have been all good. Despite his lack of a pre season, he is considered a chance for promotion into the Zebra seniors, where a small crumbing forward would be handy, at some stage this season.

THE VERDICT

Buckley and Newton are not far away from selection with the Demons especially considering the view that the club's finals prospects are "done and dusted" while Neaves is an outside chance of playing if he can find a way in at the expense of a player with a long-term injury. Weetra will need to bide his time, Hayes is an erratic but exciting prospect and the rest will struggle to make the grade.