Demonland

Last week I thought Jetta's style of play wasn't suited to the International Rules game but he was excellent last night.

With no rookie picks, it’s hard to imagine us taking him even with # 47. Nobody really has him up that highin the draft rankings.

Go to search and type in Tim Fleming. You should find him there ... and what an interesting bloke. Muso ... I think.

There will be zero tolerance on personal attacks and intentional off topic derailing of posts in this thread and others. The culprits know who they are.

Was he in the recovery group or the main group? Mark Stevens tweet did mention not starting "full" preseason training.

According to Mark Stevens Nathan Jones injured his calf during the holiday break and is not ready to start preseason training.

With a week to go until the 2017 NAB National Draft meeting there’s not a great deal of excitement about it here on Demonland. The Jake Lever deal delivered a quality player with a projected long future at Melbourne but it also left the club without a first round draft pick. The Demons’ first selection is in mid-second round. They have four vacancies on their primary list and unless they decide to take the unlikely course of recruiting a delisted free agent in the next few days, the Dees will go into the draft meeting in Sydney next Friday evening with selections 29, 31, 36 and 47 (or thereabouts because matching offers for academy selections and father-son picks can throw the order about slightly). In light of the above, it would be absolute folly to even attempt a phantom draft although things are somewhat better than last year when Melbourne ended up with a third round pick at #46 as its first choice at about the time much of the viewership of the televised event was about to take a power nap. As it turned out, the club’s first pick was a good one - Mitch Hannan who made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2017 against St Kilda, at Etihad Stadium and finished the season with 20 games and 22 goals to his name. That’s the objective here - to look for players who might be available within the range of Melbourne’s draft selections when the meeting takes place next week. According to the statistical evidence, it’s not necessarily a gloom and doom scenario. The AFL Draft Guru tells us that over the past 33 national drafts, the average number of games played by pick 10 (the selection given away for Lever) was 87 compared with 79 games for the club’s current first pick at 29. And the Dees’ second pick at 31 yields an average of 60 which is better than the equivalent first selection of 53 for the Magpies at number 6. Yes, we all know about statistics and damn lies. I’ve looked at the field and acknowledge that it’s like stabbing in the dark but someone has to try - so here goes (with the help of some pen pics taken straight from the current edition of Inside Football):- Given the recent success with recruiting the likes of Aaron vandenBerg and Hannan who came from the state leagues, why not take a player who wore the colours with distinction throughout 2017 in that very arena? I refer of course to Casey Demon Bayley Fritsch who is attracting interest from a dozen clubs after a scintillating season in the VFL. The indications are that he might be available at around pick 36 and the club obviously has plenty of inside information about his ability as a player and his character. Bayley Fritsch DOB: 06-12-96 186.9cm, 80.1kg Casey Demons “After two years tailed by injury, the left foot forward from Coldstream enjoyed a full season and was so impressive he elevated himself more into a draft certainty than a hopeful. Often spectacular in the air, deceptively quick, a penetrating kick, and crafty at ground level, the 20-year-old represented the VFL, topped Casey’s goalkicking with 44, made the VFL team of the year and received the Fothergill-Round Medal as the league’s best young player (always a reliable guide to a player’s AFL prospects). It won’t be a surprise to see him nabbed in the national draft.” - VFL expert Paul Amy Let’s face it. Picking players at this range isn’t necessarily going to provide you with ready made guns but we all like excitement machines and this next pair would add plenty of that - one is a high flyer and the other, a speedster. Jordan Houlahan DOB: 19-Feb-99 185.7cm 76.0kg Sturt “Jordan is a spectacular player who tested well at the draft camp. He has an outrageously good vertical jump and also reads the flight of the ball really well. Every week he will take a couple of Jeremy Howe-type hangers. So he has some real x-factor about him but how that translates to AFL we’ll see. He might end up playing as a defender rather than a forward but he’s a nice shot at goal. More on the introverted, laid back side than on the extroverted side of the spectrum.” - Sturt general manager David Oatey. Jack Petruccelle DOB: 12-Apr-1999 185.1cm, 77.7kg Northern Knights “Jack came into the system mid-way through last year and put the basketball stuff on hold. He’s the quickest player in the TAC Cup and whether it’s in the air or on the ground he just does things that others can’t. We were impressed with his ability to chase and tackle - he tackles to hurt - and he puts his head over the ball. He’s been working extremely hard on his kicking - he’s OK when he’s on the run or from a set shot, but he can miss the short ones when he pokes at them. He’ll improve enormously in an AFL competition.” - Northern Knights talent manager Rhy Gieschen. Then we have the players who start each year as highly regarded prospects but, for some reason or another, fall out of favour and slide down the scale. In Charlie Spargo’s case it’s been injury that has seen him drop from possible top ten to mid second round. Charlie Spargo DOB: 25-Nov-99 171.6cm 70.2kg Murray Bushrangers "Charlie didn't play a game this year because of a shoulder injury after a handful of games last year. A really clever small forward, he would have developed in the midfield this year but because of the injury that didn’t happen. Certainly a draftable player and while the injury means he’ll slide I’m pretty sure he’ll get taken.” - Murray Bushrangers coach Leon Higgins. Another who was fancied early but has dropped in draft calculations is South Australian Callum Coleman-Jones, possibly because clubs are loathe to go too early with the taller types and also because of injury which restricted him. He could make a good fit as a developing tall at Melbourne. Callum Coleman-Jones DOB: 13-6-1999 200.9cm, 98.9kg, Sturt “Callum is a 200cm ruckman/forward who was an AFL Academy member. Always a certainty to be drafted but he had a few injuries this year, which didn’t help him. National carnival was OK and would have played senior footy for us but because of AIS and school duties it didn’t happen. A good quality tall who can get off the ground.” - Sturt general manager David Oatey. You can never have enough hard at it inside footballers and there have been some suggestions that James Worpel could be in that mix all of the way to pick 47. James Worpel DOB: 24-Jan-1999 1851cm, 85.5kg Geelong Falcons “James’ strength is to win the contested ball and does that better than anyone I’ve coached. He’s just a beast on the inside and is super explosive with repeat efforts. If you get tackled by him - which he’ll lay seven or eight in a game - you’ll know about it. Super leader and had all the accolades this year with Vic Country captain and Falcons captain. Just a wonderful person to have around the club.” - Geelong Falcons coach Dan O’Keefe Of course, when draft night comes around, there’s a good chance that none of the above will be selected by Melbourne so the next reference point might be this.

STABBING IN THE DARK by Whispering Jack With a week to go until the 2017 NAB National Draft meeting there’s not a great deal of excitement about it here on Demonland. The Jake Lever deal delivered a quality player with a projected long future at Melbourne but it also left the club without a first round draft pick. The Demons’ first selection is in mid-second round. They have four vacancies on their primary list and unless they decide to take the unlikely course of recruiting a delisted free agent in the next few days, the Dees will go into the draft meeting in Sydney next Friday evening with selections 29, 31, 36 and 47 (or thereabouts because matching offers for academy selections and father-son picks can throw the order about slightly). In light of the above, it would be absolute folly to even attempt a phantom draft although things are somewhat better than last year when Melbourne ended up with a third round pick at #46 as its first choice at about the time much of the viewership of the televised event was about to take a power nap. As it turned out, the club’s first pick was a good one - Mitch Hannan who made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2017 against St Kilda, at Etihad Stadium and finished the season with 20 games and 22 goals to his name. That’s the objective here - to look for players who might be available within the range of Melbourne’s draft selections when the meeting takes place next week. According to the statistical evidence, it’s not necessarily a gloom and doom scenario. The AFL Draft Guru tells us that over the past 33 national drafts, the average number of games played by pick 10 (the selection given away for Lever) was 87 compared with 79 games for the club’s current first pick at 29. And the Dees’ second pick at 31 yields an average of 60 which is better than the equivalent first selection of 53 for the Magpies at number 6. Yes, we all know about statistics and damn lies. I’ve looked at the field and acknowledge that it’s like stabbing in the dark but someone has to try - so here goes (with the help of some pen pics taken straight from the current edition of Inside Football):- Given the recent success with recruiting the likes of Aaron vandenBerg and Hannan who came from the state leagues, why not take a player who wore the colours with distinction throughout 2017 in that very arena? I refer of course to Casey Demon Bayley Fritsch who is attracting interest from a dozen clubs after a scintillating season in the VFL. The indications are that he might be available at around pick 36 and the club obviously has plenty of inside information about his ability as a player and his character. Bayley Fritsch DOB: 06-12-96 186.9cm, 80.1kg Casey Demons “After two years tailed by injury, the left foot forward from Coldstream enjoyed a full season and was so impressive he elevated himself more into a draft certainty than a hopeful. Often spectacular in the air, deceptively quick, a penetrating kick, and crafty at ground level, the 20-year-old represented the VFL, topped Casey’s goalkicking with 44, made the VFL team of the year and received the Fothergill-Round Medal as the league’s best young player (always a reliable guide to a player’s AFL prospects). It won’t be a surprise to see him nabbed in the national draft.” - VFL expert Paul Amy Let’s face it. Picking players at this range isn’t necessarily going to provide you with ready made guns but we all like excitement machines and this next pair would add plenty of that - one is a high flyer and the other, a speedster. Jordan Houlahan DOB: 19-Feb-99 185.7cm 76.0kg Sturt “Jordan is a spectacular player who tested well at the draft camp. He has an outrageously good vertical jump and also reads the flight of the ball really well. Every week he will take a couple of Jeremy Howe-type hangers. So he has some real x-factor about him but how that translates to AFL we’ll see. He might end up playing as a defender rather than a forward but he’s a nice shot at goal. More on the introverted, laid back side than on the extroverted side of the spectrum.” - Sturt general manager David Oatey. Jack Petruccelle DOB: 12-Apr-1999 185.1cm, 77.7kg Northern Knights “Jack came into the system mid-way through last year and put the basketball stuff on hold. He’s the quickest player in the TAC Cup and whether it’s in the air or on the ground he just does things that others can’t. We were impressed with his ability to chase and tackle - he tackles to hurt - and he puts his head over the ball. He’s been working extremely hard on his kicking - he’s OK when he’s on the run or from a set shot, but he can miss the short ones when he pokes at them. He’ll improve enormously in an AFL competition.” - Northern Knights talent manager Rhy Gieschen. Then we have the players who start each year as highly regarded prospects but, for some reason or another, fall out of favour and slide down the scale. In Charlie Spargo’s case it’s been injury that has seen him drop from possible top ten to mid second round. Charlie Spargo DOB: 25-Nov-99 171.6cm 70.2kg Murray Bushrangers "Charlie didn't play a game this year because of a shoulder injury after a handful of games last year. A really clever small forward, he would have developed in the midfield this year but because of the injury that didn’t happen. Certainly a draftable player and while the injury means he’ll slide I’m pretty sure he’ll get taken.” - Murray Bushrangers coach Leon Higgins. Another who was fancied early but has dropped in draft calculations is South Australian Callum Coleman-Jones, possibly because clubs are loathe to go too early with the taller types and also because of injury which restricted him. He could make a good fit as a developing tall at Melbourne. Callum Coleman-Jones DOB: 13-6-1999 200.9cm, 98.9kg, Sturt “Callum is a 200cm ruckman/forward who was an AFL Academy member. Always a certainty to be drafted but he had a few injuries this year, which didn’t help him. National carnival was OK and would have played senior footy for us but because of AIS and school duties it didn’t happen. A good quality tall who can get off the ground.” - Sturt general manager David Oatey. You can never have enough hard at it inside footballers and there have been some suggestions that James Worpel could be in that mix all of the way to pick 47. James Worpel DOB: 24-Jan-1999 1851cm, 85.5kg Geelong Falcons “James’ strength is to win the contested ball and does that better than anyone I’ve coached. He’s just a beast on the inside and is super explosive with repeat efforts. If you get tackled by him - which he’ll lay seven or eight in a game - you’ll know about it. Super leader and had all the accolades this year with Vic Country captain and Falcons captain. Just a wonderful person to have around the club.” - Geelong Falcons coach Dan O’Keefe Of course, when draft night comes around, there’s a good chance that none of the above will be selected by Melbourne so the next reference point might be this.

Another Jack Watts Thread or lack thereof .... http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-11-16/total-recall-we-repick-the-2008-draft

I don't know why we can't have a predominantly red strip as our clash strip.

https://twitter.com/stevo7afl/status/930180363820740608

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/11/13/gaz's-demons-training-report-who-were-his-standouts/ “The first to fourth year players were doing their 200 metre runs,” Lyon said. “Angus Brayshaw and Alex Neal-Bullen were the two standouts, along with Jayden Hunt. Christian Petracca looked good, but by the very last one he had the tongue out. They all looked really fine. “Clayton Oliver has come back in good shape, he is flying around. Corey Maynard, I keep telling you, he is the one. He is powerful and had a ripping VFL finals. He will be there. “Harley Balic was there running around, he didn’t look as fit as the other couple, but he looked fine. He is still finding his way in the caper.”

Oh we won't be talking to you on the same phone as Jako. That phone has been retired and is in a hermetically sealed case.

Gawn Trimmed to the Max

Which is strange because there were a lot of good players playing.

It would be interesting if the coaching staff were using done footage for analysis too. I imagine you could use drone footage constructively particularly for game stimulated ball work.

Alex Neal-Bullen

In fairness it was bloody hot today.

Feel free to plug anytime you want. In fact we'd love to have you on the Podcast in the new year to discuss the book and other depressing Dees related stuff.

I can only find highlights: http://www.afl.com.au/video/2017-11-12/match-highlights-aus-v-ire-first-test

I wish there was a t-shirt version of the jumper replica as I don't rock a tank top very well.

From the Facebook page: Training Report #2 A.K.A the Max Gawn show It’s Max Gawn’s world. We’re just living in it. I turned up 40 minutes late to training, kept guessing by the inability of the open training times page to load. Feel like I don’t miss a lot though. Guessing I would have missed stretches, warm-ups and a kicking drill here and there, so that’s okay. What does happen when I show up is I have a shocked expression on my face. There’s about 26 players here but the quality of those has improved on last week. For instance, Maxy Gawn is here after a trip to New Orleans, Dom Tyson makes an appearance, as does Tom McDonald. For a large part of the session, Tyson and McDonald are rehabbing, doing a lot of running drills. Gawn, however, joins in with the main group on occasion. More on his progress later. First part of business when I get here is the group put in some quick drills when they run in twos. For instance, you’d see Brayshaw and Harmes running together (and looking good), while Harley Balic is improving. The vibe is much more competitive than last week. They’re after good times. This was only brief – a lot of focus, interestingly enough, was on ball skills this morning. After that, the Dees set up a full ground drill. One group working on stoppage work here and there, another small group trying to take marks from a kick up forward. Gus is one of the players up forward (interestingly enough – he spends plenty of time as a forward in these drills) and looks okay again. Clearly the drill is of good quality judging by the applause at the end. After that is quite a red-hot drill – a full-grounder which almost resembles an intraclub at times. The primary focus is ball movement here. It’s also here where Maxy captures the eye for the first time. Bit of a footnote – there’s a piece on the SEN Facebook page with Tim Watson talking about Maxy and how fit he is. He reckons he’s in as good a shape as you’ll ever see from a ruckman. From what I saw out there – he’s pretty close to the mark. Not only is he looking VERY trim, but he’s also moving incredibly well. It’s probably characterised by Maxy taking advantage of an intercepted ball from a teammate, then setting up another with a brilliant handball which eventually finds its way to Petracca who kicks a ‘goal’ in this drill. The prowess of the other ruckman in this side – Mitch King – is also going swimmingly. This is realistically one of his first chances to show the Dees how far he’s come post-ACL and the evidence looks pretty good. Kingy clunks a contested mark over Hunt – not overly impressive on paper but the method of his madness looks extremely impressive – hitting the ball at speed, and holding on to it while his body is at all these different contorted angles… if that makes any sense. Anyway, it’s impressive. He might get game time this season. In fact, he probably will with our ruck situation. The other bloke who impresses me with his field kicking is – again – Angus Brayshaw. Playing as a forward in this drill (as mentioned), Gussy finds space to get a couple of marks after some good ball movement. First kick – absolutely threads the eye of the needle, perfectly weighted to (I think) Maynard who is running back towards goal, going over a defender in the process. It’s an excellent kick. Just to rub it in a bit, Brayshaw then gets another kick. Same spot, same method, rolls around quickly, looks again and takes even more risks with this kick. Again, it’s spot on, except it’s dropped this time around. Seriously, this kid is legit this time around. The boys then revert back to the two-by-two running drills. Gawn, Tyson, McDonald are doing separate running activities. At this point, Gawny has his shirt off, almost as if he genuinely wants to rub in how good a shape he’s in. Honestly don’t blame him. Again, Brayshaw and Harmes are constantly up the front. Good areas. After that, the Dees decide it’s time to do some set shots. The change up has been intriguing. All eyes on Gus as one proclaims ‘safe as houses Gussy’. He doesn’t let them down. In the meantime, Trac is cracking it after every snap shot he does, dropping quite a few f-bombs here and there. That’s November for you. More running to finish off – this time it’s more in the form of set time running – they’ll start off with a two-minute run, followed by 90 seconds, one minute and then a very quick run at the end. Again, Nibs looks good. He’s constantly up the front. This time, Maynard is also setting a very good place, sticking with Nibs most of the way. Billy Stretch looks good too, again. What startles me during the last run, however, is Maxy – randomly joining in – and keeping a very good pace with Nibs and Maynard. I’m shook. It’s just one session but that was a hell of a statement sesh from Gawny. He wants his All-Australian spot back. You can tell. Training finished up after that. A rather quick one this time around, but quite a spirited one. I might be able to make my way down on Friday. Let’s see how that goes.