Leaderboard

Makes me feel very old, even more so when you look at birth dates. Each year, I see these images of new recruits and think how excited and hopeful they appear. The fulfillment of a dream. The dark side is that most of these kids will not make it and be forgotten in time. Chewed up and spat out by the sausage factory that the entertainment industry known as professional sport has become. In the early days we vicariously live their dream as many of us had these same childhood dreams of playing for the Demons or playing Test Cricket for Australia. Before our unreality became our reality. And then later we criticize many of these kids and tear down their dreams with our words. He's a spud, he's soft, he's too slow, he's a turnover king, he's only a depth player, he's a list clogger. How long will it be before we experts make our assessments and condemn these kids with our words ? We will be quick to name the young star with words and labels such as he's a gun, he's a jet, he's elite etc and identify ourselves with the talented ones such as "Clarrie", yet at the same time be quick to condemn others as "spuds."" We live in a fickle world and nothing is more fickle than footy. It would be nice if we supported all our players through thick and thin irrespective of their talents and performance on the field. They could be our sons and they deserve our support and encouragement, knowing that many will face disappointment after a year or two. However, they have been successful in making an AFL list and have experienced training and playing at the highest level. How good would it be to say that you had been on an AFL list. I have met many ex-Demon players that live in the country and played footy with the Dees. Some played a few games and some played more, but they are all proud to have played for the Dees.

The Jake Lever trade has washed through the system now and can be viewed in (close to) completion. The 2 1st rounders we traded both ended up with Carlton and they chose O'Brien and Stocker. We took Petty with the 2nd rounder we got back. It's harder to track the late future 3rd and 4th round pick swap because we combined our 3rd with another 3rd and swapped that to the Saints for a 2nd so we didn't end up with the player at that pick and it would be a bit of exaggeration to say we got Jordon with it because we added something but it's as close as I can get. The future 4th round pick we traded ended up at St. Kilda and they took Robbie Young. So ... In: Lever Petty Jordon* Out: O'Brien (Carl) Stocker (Carl) Young (St.K) Clearly "bent over" : )

Nev Jetta into the” Movember “ look. He’s an outstanding bloke.

His form at AFL level had dropped off considerably in 2018, he really struggled at the level. Despite the romance of 2017, it was time for Pedders....

No need to apologise. Keep em coming.

Warning Picture heavy zone below:

Jason Taylor said in the recent Draft update that they are watching and speaking to Kobe. The Wiz is very keen for him to come to the Dees. But he is barely 16yo and so there is a lot of water to go under the bridge

Yes need to get new deals for Melksham, Salem, Weideman and Neal-Bullen. 3 year deals for each of the blokes imo. Lewis Final year in 2019. Let’s get the premiership and send him out in style As they only have 1-year deals, Maynard, Garlett, Wagner-J and Jkh all need to show improvement to stay on board. Garlett just needs to find his desire once again and he’s best 22.

Looks good subject to a great pre-season and injury recoveries. I'd drop OMac for Frost - on game-style grounds and rebound value. Oscar may be better used as a forward in this team.

Great photos. Much appreciated. Preuss looks skinny ?

I believe that is Austin Bradtke.

Have heard that he is exceptional and well ahead of his age group.

please retire this thread now

Not yours BB.

Possibly as soon as Trump is impeached.

A simple mind making a simple assumption might think so. I'm neither happy nor disappointed . The Greens getting smashed was an upside for me. I'd prefer a very small government of executable officials put on public trial and shot annually. I'm sceptical of "good" causes and I despise all public advertising campaigns telling people how to think, act ,behave or believe in an official "idea" that's "good". I'd like to see the speed limit doubled, the death penalty re-introduced ,(other ) ice dealers shot ,prostitutes given TAFE courses on loyalty to their employer . I'd like the govt of the day to stay the [censored] out of my life and stop blocking my roads with safety signs and bollards. Or repatriate people to reduce congestion. I'd like public servants to address me as Sir or My Lord. I deserve it. I'd like anyone in a govt job for more than ten years to lick my feet and thank me for paying their way. They should also bow and kiss my hand. I'd like the govt to stop the harassment of men using public advertising campaigns.Most of my friends are men.In fact all because only gay men have female friends. Real men don't for reasons you won't understand . I'd like public officials ranked and graded after performance assessments and their pay rates adjusted annually. I'd like to see fewer women in positions of power by decree -it's not natural- maybe cap a number for them. I think developers, real estate agents and inner city councils should be sent to re-education camps for 10 years. State government officials should merely have their pay halved and be put in the stocks for abuses of my money. Premiers who've been found to collude with Communist backed regimes with say, 25 foreign visits to the same Country , should also, of course, be executed.

One of his best games this season was against Port Melbourne when they threw him forward in the last quarter. I still maintain Dec almost singlehandley won Casey that game. No one was hanging on to marks forward of centre but he was able to bring down 4 or 5 big grabs, set up a couple of goals and kicked one himself. Got BOG that game too.

There's the proof that our plan is the optimal solution.

I can't for the life of me understand why alleged "supporters" are writing these young blokes off sight unseen (or based on a brief video). What is it that you don't get? Apart from the fact that they are boys that are still growing and maturing, they have been selected by the powers that be at our club as having the potential to be AFL footballers. FCS give them a bloody chance!

We still have our 2019 pick and need to use it I believe based on that 4 year cycle rule. It will be good to get some elite young talent in again next year. Taylor and co landed Clarry and Weid last time they had first round picks!

Sacrilege to mention around here, but Freo are one of the few teams that i want to win a premiership outside of the Dees. I was barracking hard in 2013 for them, shouting at the telly when they beat Geelong at Kardinia Park, enjoying their crushing pressure game on Sydney. And of course barracking hard for them against Hawthorn in the prelim back in 2015 when it went down to the wire. If they can see some success in the next 7 or so years with Hogan reaching his potential, it would be good for the game and nice that we've played a role in his development.

To be fair, I’m really happy for the lad. Yes he’ll likely not ever reach the potential that we hoped he would for us, as he won’t for Freo. But if he does, I’m ok with it as Freo need all the help they can get! My major concerns were that 1. He couldn’t kick beyond 40m consistently and slot a goal, and 2. His body language and resultant performance lacked professionalism. Noting his very difficult time over the past few years, 2. Could be forgiven, but deep down 1. Was the one that truly had me concerned and I now place my forward hopes in TMAC and Weed. Later buddy, good luck with it, hope you get the most out of being west-side..

It's KK47 or I riot.

And you prefer eggs from Caged chooks like I do Where do I join?

Totally agree, I would’ve like to have seen the club try to address that with the draft but perhaps they have someone earmarked for that role within the club. Garlett had a horrifically bad season but the magic is still in there and hopefully a new season will give him a chance to exorcise his demons. I’m liking the look of the team, we’ve taken a gamble that Weids will build on his late form of 2018 but the addition of May will hopefully go a long way to fixing our issues in defence. Round 1 can’t come sooner!

Very good team, I’d make a few changes: Lewis to interchange Salem to half back Harmes to wing Preuss to bench Melksham to flank Petracca or ANB into pocket Spargo for Garlett (unless Garlett improves 200% on 2018) By season end Lewis out, Fritsch in Note: don’t think lever will make round one, so Fritsch in.

Can’t say for sure but given Keilty has played forward before many times, I’d bet good money of him being trained as a forward next season.

Too early. Just recovered from 2018

possibly/probably... no biggy. Most would, at some point. If he needs it, it would possibly be Mid January. We have never been so well catered for, in our tall defenders, imo.

Now the draft is finished, it finalises the Lever trade

They look like little boys lost.

So what happens now? This cant be a good thing.

I got down to training today. I noticed Jake Lever keep flexing his knee. He obviously had some awareness in it, although it didn't stop him from doing a solid amount of running. Joel Smith surprised me in the repeat 200 m efforts. We all knew he is a good athlete but he was putting quite a bit of distance between himself and Nibbla in the sprints. The rest of the pack was a fair way back after that. As others have noted, Tommy Sparrow looked a fair way ahead of the other draftees in terms of having an AFL ready body. He and Marty Hore would be the ones I'd be keeping an eye on for potential 2019 debuts. Jeffy Garlett, Matty Whelan and Nev Jetta all spent quite a bit of time chatting to a group of people down in the pocket. I would guess that it must've been Toby Bedford's extended family.

Jetta, Stretch, Tracc running laps Melk Hore running timed 150’s with Crossy Harmes jogging Bull jogging. Oscar hanging around New boys: Bedford has cut his rat tail, shame. Chandler is short but compact. Sparrow stronger, clearly has done more weights than the rest of them, he’s more of a young man than a kid. Has the AFL approved short back and sides haircut. Nieta is a nice flanker size, not too thin, not quite rangy but an all round nice shape. Jordon looks a little less developed but he does have some quads, not a complete baby. Walker has the long hair and a natural looking left foot, slotted some nice goals on the run, could be something there. Bradtke bounces along with his hair bobbing like a young tall, does have a nice kick for his size. Early returning players: Gawn, Hib, Jones, Frost Running time: Gawn, Hib, Frost, Preuss did 300’s in that order, big fella wasn’t too far behind. Rest did 200’s Young guys did interval running. Sparrow looked the most taxed at the end but he’s got 5kg on these guys and is apparently a fast twitch guy. Didn’t get to see much of their kicking, the two I saw were Chandler and Neit/Aaron and they looked fine. Rough order: J Smith, anb, Wagner, Fritsch, kk, Gus, Jones, Maynard, Walker, Spargo, Petty, Weed, Keilty, May May not terrible but I think he’s got a big preseason ahead of him. He was keeping pace at the back with Keilty but he did look pretty puffed after every run. Still vocal and getting around the boys. I wouldn’t say he’s in bad shape but he’s a bit chonk. They went off in pairs and they didn’t separate too much. Later they broke in to 3 groups for some longer running. Smith, ANB, Jones, Wagner, Gus, Maynard, KK in the top group who decided to head off around the rugby ovals, then a middle group of Fritsch, Weed, Petty, Spargo followed by the big boys.

I'll take the coward's way out and reserve my best 22 until after Christmas. What I am very pleased about however is the fact that we aren't posting teams of new draftees. It wasn't that long ago that the teams posted in this thread would have had all of Sparrow, Jordan, Nietschke and Bedford in the '22. It's incredible to think the weight of pressure and expectation that we as fans and a club used to lump on these young kids. Hopefully a full and productive year in the VFL to grow and develop as footballers.

Pray... seriously though you simply cannot carry many back up KPP's. Even if you could draft another who is ready in say 2 years do you think that player would happily play as an understudy for two or three more years until TMac retires. With Hogan leaving we have avoided the big push for the Weid that would almost certainly have come at the end of 2019 season. If there is an ideal player it's the mid that can play "tall" whatever that really means. I see people speak of Petracca in that vein but while I can remember many marks from good positioning I can't say I can recall many marks where he uses his "height." Perhaps the best example of such a player at present is Bontompelli but there aren't many like him.

Max rates Preuss and is keen to work with him. Thats good enough for me.

Correct.

*facepalms*

Yes need to use 1st rounder in 2019

It would not be good form to discount the Preuss we picked up - he is highly motivated, young and teachable, driven to succeed in a Max environment and very likely to come out of the blocks of the MFC with roaring form and appetite to invoke opposition fear, trepidation and uncertainty at the widespread level. He is no 'Gentleman Cox', at all. At Preuss' age with his experience so far, Maxy was well known as 'Gawky', and he developed somewhat from that crassness. Preuss is going to murder opponents and play on as a very big part of our team.

Yeah, me too!!

A railway line that goes to Casey Fields.

Brayden Preuss - The Preussmeister General Steven May - Skullcrusher Kade Koladashnij - MGA Austin Bradtke - Tallboy Guy Walker - What a Guy or WAG Looking forward to announcing the official nicknames for our new draftees on draft night.