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Harry Sheezel who was drafted at #3 by North Melbourne at last week’s AFL National Draft is Jewish. I am also Jewish - I was his team manager at Ajax where he played his junior footy from the age of 7. He’s naturally talented but natural talent isn’t enough to get you drafted that high. He’s worked hard for years, shown dedication and resilience and copped some racist abuse along the way. Last week, he was subjected to plenty of abuse by anonymous racist keyboard warriors on the Age online newspaper (since taken down) to the point where the AFL intervened and brought in its Integrity Department. Unfortunately, a further instance of antisemitism occurred on Garry and Tim’s SEN breakfast show last Friday in a segment with regular caller John from Epping in which the caller brought out what is recognized as an antisemitic trope about Jews and money. History teaches us that language such as this has caused enormous pain and damage to innocent people in the past. AFL greats Garry Lyon and Tim Watson fail to call out anti-Semitism on SEN Breakfast Our game is rife with racism and intolerance. Just ask Eddie Betts. You can also ask the few Moslem and other minority footballers about what their communities cop from time to time. I hope that we get a swift and responsible response from Garry, Tim, John from Epping, SEN and the AFL on this one. And please take care with your comments.

I came to Australia in 1949 and I learned to ignore comments like that because I was proud that my parents endured the Holocaust and survived. We came to Australia with virtually nothing but the shirts on our backs and my father work 2 jobs and my mother worked from our rented flat to put food on the table and pay all the bills puting money aside to buy our first home in 1956. Jewish people created their own wealth due to hard work and saving their money rather than going to the pub for a drink or the races to bet their wages hoping they could win a fortune. These are facts todays generation of Jewish boys and girls have the luxury of the great grandparents, grandparents and parents who made sacrifices so they can have a better life than themselves. So what I say to John from Epping try working and not complaining about others good fortune whether they are Muslim, Jewish or Christian.

When talking about Sestan’s fitness it should be fair to note that he is not coming from an elite pathway program where the fitness base is already there. Also just because he came last in a 2km time trial against other draftees from pathway programs and AFL footballers who are on off season programs doesn’t mean he is “unfit”. It just means he doesn’t have the AFL base that is expected at this time of the year for players or elite draftees. It also does not mean that he cannot achieve this now that he will be given a fitness program to follow. Considering that training with an elite AFL club was probably not on his radar I think he can be cut some slack.

Re Matthew Jefferson, Rob Flower Skinny arms, Twiggy Dunne similar, Jeffo will grow an AFL Body in time make no mistake, He is a very confident boy, behind the young masque, and he will be determined to make his mark. Re skills set, I have iterated before how he seems to have serious Hang time a la Aaron Naughtin and sticky fingers and if I had to pick any trait it would be these that I would put up as potentially ,"Freakish" He also knows how to lose his opponent and is a very accurate kick for goal. If he grows to his Dad's size ( About 199 cm) he becomes an irresistable and hard to match up on player! Lets back him in!

I don't think he was stereotyping 'Aussies' as beer swilling wastrels - just making the point that such people are often in the front line of racists, blaming anyone else for their situation and being jealous of success in any migrant group. Migrant and refugee families tend to work very hard - that's usually the reason they came here in search of a better life, especially for their kids. Just after WWII it was possible to become well established here if you worked hard. Sadly, there are many racists who are not beer swilling wastrels. SEN should act.

You're spot on there. From my understanding, Tayla struggled with the lockdowns given her family were in another state, and she approached Carlton for support, surprised she didn't get much, other than "Why aren't you playing well?" To be fair it's hard to perform at your best when mental health is struggling. She was quite surprised by the amount of money Carlton claimed she was asking for (she didn't ask for that at all) and she told me herself, she didn't make the decision to leave Carlton, they effectively delisted her, which left her absolutely distraught. It does upset her how she's been completely misrepresented. She is nothing like she's been portrayed in the media. All she wants to do is enjoy playing footy with her mates. Lisa, her mum, and I were talking about this on Saturday night. She told me that if she had it her way, she would have played out her entire career at Melbourne, because she as a mother loved the vibe from Melbourne from the exhibition games, but ultimately it was Tayla's decision to initially play for Brisbane (which I understand, it's her home town) and then Carlton. She's thrilled she's at Melbourne, and getting so much support from the club. You can see she's much happier, and playing her best footy.

You gotta love the pre-season. The only time of year an unknown recruit playing school and country footy becomes a Gary Ablett Jnr/Leigh Matthews clone in a matter of two or three posts. Thank you to Kev and all the posters for your brilliant training reports they are so appreciated!

It's been another great season for Demon fans and Demonland. We didn't make it to the AFL Big Dance although we finished in the top two after the home and away but we're still regarded as an AFL powerhouse and right up there in the premiership window with a real chance in 2023! On top of that our Melbourne AFLW and Casey Demons teams did us proud by holding aloft their respective premiership cups. Taking the opportunity to thank all of you our contributors for your participation in this difficult year for the Melbourne Football Club. In particular, I would like to thank Nasher once again for keeping the site together and to our feature writers @george_on_the_outer , @Whispering_Jack, @The Oracle , @KC from Casey, @Meggs and all of our other contributors for keeping Demonland going throughout season 2022 (in the case of AFLW seasons 2022). And how could I forget our podcast co-commentator @binmanwho does such a great job along with @george_on_the_outerduring the season and sometimes off season too! Also a big thank you to @Whispering_Jack, @Grapevineyand @george_on_the_outer on their tireless and often thankless efforts as Moderators. And a big thank you to @george_on_the_outer & @binman and all of our listeners and callers on the Demonland Podcast. And now, we can look forward to the future. Bring on 2023! Go Dees!!!

Maybe a bit off topic, but I’ve always been confused by the AFL and media and the way they talk about players. Drawing attention to Sheezel’s heritage is just another unnecessary example and it’s not helping. They are trying to stamp out racism (hear hear) but continually draw attention to race. They have the indigenous round, and they champion our (wonderful) indigenous players as All-Stars. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2022-indigenous-allstars-vs-world-team-exhibition-game-plans-date-players-lance-franklin-selection/news-story/27548be066a0bd91e2fe78a983bf4b7f . Meanwhile the media ranks our 10 best indigenous players, https://www.zerohanger.com/marngrook-legends-ranking-the-10-best-indigenous-players-of-the-afl-era-84448/ They tell us our teams’ greatest indigenous player https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/celebrating-every-afl-teams-greatest-indigenous-player-of-all-time-as-australia-marks-national-reconciliation-week-c-7011990 When I was a kid, the media talked unnecessarily about Italian heritage: Barassi, Silvagni, Benetti and co. I’m an old guy and i am trying my best to be a good and fair person. Kosi isn’t an indigenous player to me. He’s a Melbourne player. Sheezel isn’t a Jewish player, he’s a North player. And for that matter, Clarry isn’t a redhead, he’s a champion Melbourne player. Does anyone understand where I’m coming from?

If we can find a way to transplant the weight off Sestan and onto Jefferson in the preseason, we’ll have Charlie Curnow and Dusty in the forward line for Round 1!

Terrific that you got a photo so people can get more of an idea. I only get to a handful of sessions as we live in Ballarat. I don't know your situation but your reports have been tremendous, hope you can keep it up. A lot of pundits on here have bemoaned the lack of focus on goal kicking for years, so anything that helps identify and refine that is well worth the effort. Choco is a great educator but tools like this would be invaluable in getting the message across and reviewing the progress. I've been really taken with the work Australian cricketer Steve Smith has taken to modify his stance and movement and that has had an enormous effect on his return to form. I've heard some people say that kicking is something you learn in juniors and is really hard to change in later years. I think that Choco doesn't believe that for a second.

A wintery morning, coldish and windy. Great morning for the time trials, headwinds on one side and a tail on the punt rd side. Clarry smashed it. Goody was over the moon, they embraced several times. He is set for a ripper. Looking thin, nearly wirey. He is also showing some leadership qualities. Others out front were Adam Tomlinson, he was in a different group to Clayton but gee, beat Tmac by at least 25 metres. ANB caught the front group. Some bad news, Hibbo was having difficulty with his Achilles, left training. Petracca was the only one missing. So many new players out there. Here are some new numbers, 6 Grundy, 12 Hunter, 19 Schache, 26 Jed Adams, 28 Verral, 33, 38, 39, 43 (Burgoyne?), 45, 46 Sestan, 47 Jefferson and 47 Farris-white. Plenty of train ons. Clarry has the hair bun. Langdon has crewed. Salem white. After the time trials, they got into their boots, and it began. Competitive right from the start. Into two stations, two players competing for position as the ball is thrown in the air, the other was soft tackling as the front player picks up a ground ball. Moved into three stations, short kicks, and the other two I can't remember. They transitioned to handball games with 6 on two in bibs. They then went to two stations, a sim with minimal tackling, (Hunter caught my eye with great outside run and kicks to advantage, Kossie and Sparrow as well). The other was a hard tackling handball game in restricted space. The tackler was not brought to the ground, but was expected to break and get the handball (plenty of noise as they prove to each other their shimmy and ability to stand up). They went to their lines. Looks like TMac is with the back-line, as is Woewodin, and Salem stay there as well. Tomlinson doing some work with the rucks and the back-line. Forwards bringing the ball to ground and snapping. Some mids and forwards kicking down an alley, with a camera under the supervision of Williams for goal. They then got their runners on again and hit up 10, 150 metre, in under 20 sec sprints. Deakin Smith, and Moniz-wakefield, Verral, and Adams on a modified program. Grundy and BBB working together in their individual program. They have moved a gym under the shed where Joel Smith and Angus Brayshaw did light duties and were joined with some of the new players. There may have been some drills I missed, it was a long session and with so many players out, there it was hard to follow. Addit, had a good look at Farris-white kicking when on the run and it was ok, hit lots of his targets. @Tim

Having been born in 1945 I grew up in a very different country my wider family and their friends either served in the military or had family and friends that had and knew people who were killed wounded or captured by the enemy. We fought the Germans and Italians in the desert, the Germans over Europe and the Japanese in Malaya, Singapore, New Guinea and Indonesia. There was a lot of prejudice and hate towards the Krauts, Eyeties Nips and Koreans. Whereas the Greeks, Free French, Chinese, Russians, Poms and Yanks were our allies.My father-in-law served 3.5 years as a prisoner of the Japanese in Changi, Burma Railway and in Japan working in a coal mine not far from Nagasaki and held the Japanese in the lowest contempt. As a country I have witnessed a huge turn around in how we treat and think about people and our differences but sadly we still have a long way to go but I have confidence in my children and grandchildren to continue to improve this country that we live in.

This topic should calm down and focus on footy only, not anyone's background. Harry is a potentially great footballer. Let's leave it at that and wish him well.

Harris legally running through the Lion for the ball, with blood dripping from under her eye, personified the effort and mindset required on the day.

The AFL industry has a diversity problem amongst its broadcasters. If you’ve been on the wrong end of the stick you know when to say ‘that’s not ok’. If you haven’t been this stuff slides, and people who aren’t smart enough to understand subtext assume that sliding means it’s ok. Garry should have said something. It’s that’s simple.

Bit harsh to single out Garry and almost imply he is complicit with the racist remarks. I don’t see the role of a radio person to be the moral police for every moron that calls in. should he have said something. Yeah I reckon but the issue here is with the caller

Your comments could also be called into question as well but that’s not the point. I listen in to SEN from time to time and I’ve found the segment with John from Epping rather cringeworthy. Let’s face it - the two comperes get regular laughs out of John’s broad Italian accent and even if it were funny the first time, it isn’t now. Ironically, John’s obvious Italian attributes make him the butt of laughs. I would have hoped that we, as a society had grown up but we obviously have a lot to learn.

Well said, Durango. Racial prejudice is unfortunately just one aspect of human nature. No amount of common sense or education will ever change people who are prejudiced, mainly because it has been drummed into them since they became conscious. Stupid people like John from Epping should be ignored and, in the end, neither Lyon or Watson will ever change the warped minds of the Johns. I've also learnt that arguing with prejudiced people is futile, as is attempting to get them to see the light. Remember, that until Copernicus came along, the Western world believed the earth is flat. Some of them still do. ( I also suffered racial prejudice at school, and I remember my father answering a question from one of his Aussie Co-workers thus: How come you new Australians can afford a house when you've only been in this country two years? My father answered, Because I know the difference between a bank and a pub. Our first home was built by a Jewish builder in 1958: he and my dad made a great team.)

Well said - unbelievable that Harry has to face up to this so early in his career. Abhorrent. As an Ajax man you will be familiar with the Rittermans who were at Melbourne High with me - great people.

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

Having seen him up close he has the big glutes and quads like Petracca had and to some extent still has. But he is built a bit lower to the ground and I'm reminded of 2 others with that look; Jason Akermanis and Gary Ablett Jnr both of whom were very hard to bring down and very dangerous around goals. Fitness we can fix.

questions for jason: how has covid affected the talent pool coming through, particularly in victoria, with two years of lack of exposed form across 2020 and 2021 in particular? every year the media narrative seems to be 'next year is a bumper draft for talls / mids / talent' etc. - do you actually see a difference in draft classes over the course of your time as a recruiter? how far out from draft years do you start assessing junior careers? i.e. under-13s or earlier? how do you assess our future father-sons (and father-daughters, mother-sons, and mother-daughters) that will be emerging over the next period of time? with the expansion of aflw, do you have any visibility of future recruiting pathways for aflw as well as aflm, or do you solely focus on the men's game?

He was also pulled back from schoolies in to start training, no idea he was being drafted. I’m sure the switch from drinking beers all day to AFL training has been a little harder than he would have liked

I'll be chatting with Jason Taylor today and playing the interview at 8:30pm on Thursday 8/12. After the interview I hope to be joined by @george_on_the_outer & @binman (if they're available) to have an informal discussion about the draft and of course our wonderful inaugural AFLW Premiership. We'll also take any calls if you have comments or questions you want to contribute. Listen & Chat LIVE: https://demonland.com/podcast Call: 03 9016 3666 Skype: Demonland31

Talkback radio is best described as " a pooling of ignorance". I cannot listen to it.

That is a bit depressing. If after all these years they can't find a 'site within the Melbourne and Olympic precinct then it aint going to happen. There just isn't any 'empty'/unused land there that hasn't been claimed by other sports/community interests. Time for the Board to see the writing on the wall, put egos aside and move on to another location. Surely we can be creative enough to find another inner city precinct where we can partner with a community/educational/multicultural/sporting organisations that would welcome what a shared facility with mfc can bring. We won't get a piece of dirt any other way.

Carlton's loss is our gain. They're muppets She's been fantastic since she joined and i reckon the final piece of the jigsaw we needed to win the big one

Correct. There was no dust up, there was a photograph of him talking to the security guard and that's it. Honestly, what 20 year old ratbag kid hasn't been refused into a club before. Saying he has "history" of behaviour is now just laughable.

Spare a thought for this kid for a minute. One week up at schoolies the very next without any prior warning running around against the most elite athletes in the country and having no fitness base to be able to keep up. I know the feeling of trying to keep up with fit athletes when you're not. It's excruciating. It's going to be a tough summer for him catching up. They'll really have to nurse him psychologically as well as physically. It would break many young men. Wouldn't surprise me to hear that he's got a different fitness training to the main group until at least after the Christmas break.

Another simple one. Now that we know we will have 2 firsts and 2 seconds going into next years trade/ draft period does it give him more enthusiasm for that draft and how does he rate it at this early stage?

20 Questions with Jason Taylor: Draft positioning: - how close was the trade up deal? - who was the target? - did they consider trading back, ie. taking the Hawks deal Jefferson: - How's his athleticism - 2km, agility, 20m sprint - Did the consistent scarcity of tall forwards play a role in his selection? - is he a late bloomer/underdeveloped as a junior? Adams - Prior to the draft on AFL media JT was very confident he'd get a good player in the 2nd round, was this the guy? - Where did he rank on his board - What injuries has he had and have they been corrected? - How's his athleticism - 2km, agility, 20m sprint Verrall - Do they like his forward game? - Did the sub rule and the ongoing likelihood of 2 rucks increase the importance of having 2 developing rucks Sestan - did they have athletic testing on him? - was this the most wild pick he's ever made? - how was his form at Xavier? - are the rumours he worked over George Wardlaw at the training session true? - why draft him rather than get him down to training for summer? Burgoyne/K. Turner - how long will they train for? - are the coaches far more involved in deciding a list spot once a player is training? General - Excluding JVR who we expect to see soon and the first year kids, who debuts first from Howes, Laurie, D Smith, Taj, AMW, McVee?

https://www.afl.com.au/news/870870/son-of-port-adelaide-great-peter-burgoyne-trent-vafa-star-kye-turner-in-bid-to-earn-melbourne-demons-spot Thanks for the great reports on training guys, appreciated!

I hope it doesn't effect his performance.