Leaderboard

Down for my first look at our squad, A beautiful day with quite a few out early. The defenders doing some passing to each other on the wing and the rest having goal kicking practice. Once the session starts, they go about it earnestly, with a no nonsense physical trainer taking the reins. Quite regimented in the warm-up and when doing the runs. There is no room for ambiguity. After the warm-up, they are into 3 groups and 3 stations. Strength, goal snaps and a power station. They then go to a drill which is working across each other with precision kicks. Williams with the one-liners and keeping them amused. The next one is similar but with the space opening up making for longer kicking. They go into simulations. A bit rusty for the first couple of plays, but it doesn't take long till they get the ball movement right, or the defensive press causing turnovers. After sims comes some running. Still pretty mild as they only do 4 laps, though within time limits and different groups running at times, appropriate to size and age. My impressions are: Trent Rivers is looking stronger and bigger, as is Jordon. Tom Sparrow looks fit, as does Laurie. Bayley fritch as skilled as ever, though appears to be on a slightly modified program, and did not participate in sims. Grundy the same and was doing his own running program. Deakyn Smith, Moniz-wakefield and Hibbs on a modified program that appears to be about fitness as they spent all their time running. Spargo and Chandler in everything during sims. Howes and Woewodin working with Viney. JVR has great hands and is bringing the energy. Goodwin wants more from Pickett. Pettraca and May struggling with the running. Hunter was struggling with connection, Schache looks the better one at the moment. Farris-white has a fair bit of work to do on his kicking style, appears to have a good endurance engine. Mathew Jefferson was mainly working alongside Farris-white and both didn't participate in sims. He appeared a touch nervous as he dropped some simple chest marks and had a little difficulty finding connection when drilling his kicks. Needs to also work on fitness. Not at training: Salem, Lever, TMac, Lever, Brayshaw, Gawn, ANB, Oliver, Langdon, Melksham, Tomlinson, Petty, Joel Smith, Ben Brown.

Please tell me that Collingwood have just drafted the defender who played on him that day.

Thanks for the report Kev, beat me to the punch. The work this morning was of a similar structure to Monday’s session, and like that session I was impressed with the general intensity of the work. Two different types of match sim; one in a congested smaller space using handball to move the ball backwards and forwards while maintaining the “shape” of their set ups, the other using most of the oval to move the ball by foot and run in support. It was demanding enough work for the first week, and shows that these days players are expected to be in physical condition to go straight into game plan work and skills work without having to waste valuable pre-season time “getting fit”. Kade was very busy, and was attempting spoils on big guys as well as his ever-present effervescence and intensity. Looking at Jefferson in the kicking they did late in the session I actually thought he looked quite comfortable and had nice hands; the running was a bit of a challenge for him, but that’s something that will come in time and with work. In regard to the running KFW was pretty darn good for such a young tall. As I said about Monday’s session, it was great again seeing a lot of senior players being part of the match sims. As Kev mentioned, there were also other senior players who did their own work separate from the main group. At one point in the warmup on the eastern side of the oval Grundy had to retrieve a footy that had bounced its way onto Punt Road and into the gutter. Welcome to the DIY MFC, Big Fella! I also chuckled at Mark Williams during the running yelling at a group “don’t let the new bloke beat you” as Lachie Hunter led that group past where I was standing.

Xavier head of football is Dale Amos who is Melbourne AFLW mid field coach

The concern Jefferson is not suited to our type of forward entry is premature. Clubs game style constantly evolve. Not only to not be left behind, but also to be less predictable and harder to plan against. Many will say this was our problem in the 2nd half of this season. The other main reason is (or should be) to best utilse the strengths of the list at the time. By the time Jefferson is a regular player we will look and play a little differently. If not, we would have stood still - and that is a bigger concern. Also, the idea of recruiting only a perceived 'Melbourne' type is locking us into an inflexible game style that will be found out by good game day coaches. We have a good coaching team but game day is probably not their one wood. Mick Stinear showed this year how valuable a tool that is. It starts with planning, recruiting and finally, player buy in. We may look a little different next season, but that is healthy.

Good to see that your heart still skips a beat when reading an article about “sex acts” OD - there’s clearly life in the old fox…

It was a bit tongue in cheek from Goody. He was running at the back of the pack during laps and Goody wanted him to be leading them round. Expecting and pushing to achieve more. His response was to move into the centre and on the outside (running extra meters) of the pack. He is looking strong, fit and appears setting himself for a big year. Beautiful handling and kicking of the ball during sims, also had plenty of run in him. Becoming a good tactician, in that he set up a few plays off the back area. Looks like he could be working for a mid position.

Oh ffs. A harmless play on a name rhyming. If this is the crux of his account content being deleted I’ll bare my bum in Myers. One day we’ll all be banned from speaking.

LATEST VERSION AS OF OCTOBER 31 ************************************************************************************************** Original Post (Nov 2022): Re the chart: Senior draftees added: Jefferson and Adams as Senior List players. A - rookie draftees added: Sestan and Verrall Games played has been updated. Chandler is now officially a senior player. A new addition to the chart is the 2023 draft picks of which we have 2 x F1 and 2 x F2. Time to death ride Freo all the way in 2023. !!! Assuming the 2022 mix of Senior/A-rookie players, we have no senior spots and 1 A-rookie spots. However the club can change this mix to what is allowed if it wants to add a senior player eg a DFA ala Dunstan last year. Otherwise we keep the 1 A-rookie spots for the SSP and mid season draft or not fill our quota of 42 players. Quite a talented list of potential 'Milestone' games in the 2023 H & A season: 200: Hibberd, May, Gawn, Grundy 150: Neal Bullen, Harmes, Langdon, Lever, Salem, Brayshaw, Oliver 100: Spargo If 150 games is the 'sweet spot' for an AFL player at their peak, we are there!! In terms of 2023 contract renewals the potential outcomes are: Retirements: Hibberd, Melksham Non-renewals: Dunstan Trades if requested: Jordon, Neal Bullen. Note: Both are Unrestricted FA's so they could go to a club of their choice and we take the AFL compensation pick. New contracts for most of the other players, particularly Rivers. The special one is Kozzie's signature, hopefully sooner than later for 4 years ie his FA year (or longer) but would settle for 2 years. The 2022 Contracts thread can be found here:

ah yes professional institution of 163 years cannot concurrently develop 4 players amongst a squad of 40, doh! why didnt the recruiters think of this first!! what a waste!

All fugazi. The only way to really rank a draft is 3 or 4 years after the event.

I heard that his father Lorne was from Northern Tasmania.

Kicked 60 goals in 7 games in the Goulburn Valley under 18s.

Adelaide will be filthy we picked up Taylor Walker‘s son.

We Have from interstate: May (NT) Moniz-Wakefield (NT) Spargo (NSW) Turner (NSW) Van Rooyen (WA) Rivers (WA) Woewodin (WA) McVee (WA) Dunstan (SA) Neal-Bullen (SA) Sparrow (SA) Petty (SA) Kossie (SA) Chandler (SA) B. Brown (Tas) and Now Grundy (SA) and Adams (WA) And this year we lost Jackson(WA), Bedford (Vic) and Hunt (Vic) The go home factor is a beat up that happens less often than people think, and also often a $$$ factor hidden behind the go home factor to sell it easier to the media and clubs, as well as soften the backlash. If the WA players are the best available, get them!

In fairness, Stevo’s never met anyone from Xavier who isn’t the next Brownlow winner. One of the most blatant campaigns for discount school fees I’ve ever seen

How to rank the draft: Give every club that had a top 5 pick an A or A+ Give the clubs with picks 6-10 an A or B+ Give clubs with picks in the remaining first round a B or a C+ Give the clubs with picks 20-40 a C+ or C. All the rest give a D Easy.

I'm not arguing for or against the Fox ranking, but it's foolish to rank the draft without combining it with the trade period and all other list movements.

Freo supporters are dirty they didn't pick up Adams. Reading through their draft thread they wanted him over Hugh Davies who is the WA defender who conceded 7 goals to Matt Jefferson. "Melbourne take Jed Adams." "Is Adams going to be Naughton mk II?" "Adams gone, no one ask me anything draft related I'm too busy crying" "The Adams vs Davies discussions are going to be.... fun..." This one is my favourite.. "Worst off season since we [censored] a flag up the ******* wall on Jesse POS Hogan Bell Walls and all the other campaigners are deadset coasting." "* them off"

Yeah they should have just zombified Max and captioned it Gawn of the Dead. I’ll see myself out.

Finally! Congratulations Kade.

Really for Casey rucks, there are two strategies that are both valid, depending on circumstance: 1- a "ready to go" senior ruck and a developing ruck. Pros: player immediately available to backfill if a senior ruck gets injured. Cons: ready to go (and probably AFL NQR) ruck hogs all the game time at Casey, seriously impedes the development of the developing ruck 2- two development rucks, with the better of the two getting the lion's share of gametime at Casey. Pros: bets are hedged if one of them turns out to be no good. Cons: both could turn out to be no good. With Gawn and Grundy both in the side, strategy 2- makes the most sense to me. It's a position of luxury, really. We don't really hurt too badly if one of the seniors gets injured; we just make do with TMac or Schache playing second ruck. If they both go down obviously we're stuffed, but I don't think having a Daw like player really mitigates that anyway. When Jackson was on the list, developing rucks weren't a priority. Jackson was the development ruck, it just so happened that he was good enough that he could do it in the senior side. Now the only rucks on our list are on the wrong side of 30 (edit: whoops, I've added years to Grundy. Oh well, point remains the same). I think finding the next one is a pretty urgent priority and it's risky business putting all our eggs in one basket.

Richmonds first pick is after our recruiters have left the building....and they get a higher mark!

Has he given us a D- or F yet in his ratings? Just checked, he gave us an E 😅

Went to Xavier whose head of football is Dale Amos who is Melbourne AFLW mid field coach

Apparently impressed at a training run (organised by his management group Connors Sports Management) in contests with George Wardlaw. I’ve watch Wardlaw ever since he was a junior with St Peters in the SMJFL and I can assure you that not many young footballers would have stood up to that test.

Was anyone else playing in those 7 games?

They probably will in two years.

They took Hugh Davies at pick 33, who probably has more exposed form and is a bit more of a rebounder and running defender. I reckon Adams clunks his marks with more authority and has that nice left foot boot. Will be interesting to see how they develop.

I see so much of the recently retired Cat, Harry Taylor about him.

If it had said " Hawks players in Mad Monday sex act" it would have been even better.

3 grabs, a tunnel ball and a chronic illness per marking contest

I heard he kicked sixty goals before half time.

Got a touch of Allen Jakovich about him.

I don't know if Ron Burgundy still posts on Demonland, but if he starts talking about Will Verrall, I'm going to be most confused.

Schache is taller but I think JVR has the energy. I would get JVR in there. Looks like he wants it. He and Steven May lost contact with the group they were running with and ended on their haunches. Probably just that pain that comes from the first few exertions to a new season. Ran hard and was heavily involved during the sims. Professional attitude. Agree about "getting used to the playing group". He is fit, has an AFL ready body, and ran well in his group.

That’s not accurate. You might be.

Thank you Big Kev. Marvelous!!! You are our 'go to guy' at Gosch's Paddock. Just add UFO's Aliens and Martians you'll soon rival Picket Fence out there on the *Outer Limits!

May the force be with him!

Jeez he can mark and kick bit of a dead eye eh? or is that Jedi? see what I did there?!? 👀👀⭐️🔫🗡🗡

So many one-touch marks where he has also met the ball at full stretch and timing. That's definitely one of those deep-rooted traits that are very difficult to develop once you're already an adult. Good cloth and our defence program seems to be pretty good at tailoring it.

Gotta be one of the better highlights packages l have seen for a 30 something pick ...

Well we just drafted a guy from WA. Long live threads like these..

I’m smelling BS on this. Only 1 media outlet reporting this. She’s from the north western suburbs, her family and her partner are here in Melbourne, and she was telling me last night how much she loves the Demons. She bleeds red and blue.

Interesting little grab from Elijah Tsatas on SEN earlier. Asked by Gerard - in 5 years time from this years picks 11 - 21, who he thinks would be able to break into the top 10 of this years draft. Tsatas answered "Weddle & Jefferson"