Demonland

Stevo's draft preview concludes with the Chaos Theory - ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART FIVE by Stevo THE CHAOS THEORY They all started out as just names and most of them were unknown 12 months ago but the keen and growing interest in the national draft and in its importance to the nation's biggest sport (and indeed a major industry in these difficult times) has thrust these names into the minds of many who follow football with a little more intensity than the average punter. Over the past year, many of these names acquired faces and reputations and, a little after 10 o'clock this Saturday morning, they will start carrying the hopes for the future of many and diverse supporters of the game. The most prominent of the names have already been mentioned in this series. I stand by my top three of Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui and Daniel Rich as the players who are head and shoulders above all others in my estimation (no surprise after reading Burgo's Phantom Draft) even though they were actually not the first taken. Geelong Falcons ruckman Ayce Cordy had that honour when selected by the Western Bulldogs under the father/son rule costing them pick number 14. My other first rounders are (in no particular order), the "wild cards" Phil Davis, Stephen Hill, Steele Sidebottom, Tom Swift, Jackson Trengove and Chris Yarran who could go anywhere and whose stories make this draft so interesting and the solid citizens heading for top ten selection or thereabouts in Hamish Hartlett, Michael Hurley, Lewis Johnston, Shaun McKernan, Tyrone Vickery and Jack Ziebell. These are my sixteen first rounders. There are of course, many more names in the draft mix. Thanks mainly to the chaos theory of drafting, other names will inevitably creep into that first round of sixteen (I'm not infallible). The chaos theory works because the draft is the product of a number of different minds who have different views about the players and the needs of their clubs. If Fremantle decides to select Stephen Hill at # 3, it creates chaos further down the line with one club or another being forced to shuffle its preferences as a result of that one decision which might, like the butterfly flapping its wings in the valley of the Amazon, cause a cataclysm somewhere else on the face of the earth. Meanwhile, there are nine eligible All-Australians who missed my first round:- Matt Deboer, Kade Klemke, Jordan Lisle, Rhys O'Keefe Clancee Pearce, Mitch Robinson, Nick Suban, Michael Walters and David Zaharakis. Most of them would fit nicely into the top group and I have some favourites from this list (pen pictures from Inside Football):- JORDAN LISLE - tall forward, Oakleigh Chargers, Vic DOB: 12/7/90 Ht: 196cm Wt: 87kg "Jordy had a fantastic year combining school footy with TAC Cup footy. He's predominantly played as a tall marking forward and this year we pushed him back to centre half back, a role he also played for Vic Metro. For a guy his size, his skills and decision making are first class and he uses the ball very well. Has terrific hands and for a big bloke is good below his knees." - Oakleigh Chargers region manager Stephen Conole. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Carey Grammar. MICHAEL WALTERS - midfielder, Swan Districts, WA. DOB: 7/1/91 Ht: 177cm Ht: 75kg "Michael came off the state under-18s championships and went into our senior side and did very well late in the year. Finished the year in the Colts side and played in the premiership. Played virtually all year through the middle of the ground and across half forward and he's got one of the best football brains you could imagine. Unbelievable skills by foot" - Swan Districts football manager Matt Peach. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. WA rep 2008. From Midvale FC. DAVID ZAHARKIS - midfielder. Northern Knights, Vic DOB: 21/2/90 Ht: 180cm Wt: 73kg. "David played onball this year and he was a co-captain of Vic Metro. He's a very quick player with great agility who uses the ball very well. Apart from his footy David has great leadership skills and would bring great character to a footy club. An exciting prospect who unfortunately didn't participate in the draft camp because of about of glandular fever." - Northern Knights coach Paul Satterley. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Marcellin College. But that's not all as the say in the steak knife advertisement on late night television. There is another group of names who I describe as the best of the rest - names that didn't achieve AA honours for one reason or another but who are good enough to find their way into the first round of this draft. If they don't, they will likely find a new football home by the end of the second. They are: Dayne Beams, Sam Blease, Aaron Cornelius, Nick Heyne, Tom Lynch, Jordan Roughead, Ryan Schoenmakers and Ashley Smith. The same drill again with Inside Football pen pics:- SAM BLEASE - mid, Eastern Ranges, Vic DOB: 19/12/91 Ht: 183cm 72kg "Sam hasn't played a lot with the Ranges because of injury and school footy (Yarra Valley Grammar) but he's just got explosive speed and sensational skills. Just a super kick who plays generally on a wing, uses the ball well and makes good decisions. Suffered with osteitis pubis last summer and had a slight knee injury late 2008." - Eastern Ranges manager Ian Flack. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. Vic Metro rep 2008. TOM LYNCH - tall forward, Sandringham Dragons, Vic DOB: 15/9/90 Ht: 191 cm Wt: 84kg "Tom had a knee reconstruction as a 17- year -old and didn't play last year. Was the co-captain of Victoria, captained Haileybury College and was the best and fairest winner there. Got a lot of pedigree and is just a good player. Can play centre half forward or centre half back and is a very, very smart player." Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep- 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Haileybury College. RYAN SCHOENMAKERS - medium forward, Norwood, SA. DOB: 8/11/90 Ht: 193cm Wt: 85kg "Ryan's a tall forward at 193cm who kicks beautifully off both feet - you can't tell whether he's a left or right footer. Got a good motor as well which enables him to leap and present up well Played all year for us in the reserves apart from me national carnival and was discussed-later in the year in the senior mix but didn't get a game. He won the repeated sprint test at the draft, which underlines his mobility, and. did a 2.9 secs for the 20-metre sprint." - Norwood development manager David Oatey SA rep 2008. From Tea Tree Gully FC. Melbourne would be doing well to draft one of the players highlighted above with picks 17 and 19. Blease and either Lisle or Lynch would make a good pair for the Demons but remember, once the first few selections are made, it could well be chaos out there! I won't hazard to go further but there is another element to the chaos theory that should start playing out a role late in the second round and that is the recycled player. A large list have registered for the draft in the hope that they might get a second or third chance at an AFL club but St. Kilda blew a big hole calculations by dropping out of the race for Ben Cousins who might have gone early. The rest of the recycled group will be up against the great depth of young talent in this draft and they might struggle competing with next tier of players likely to include Jarrad Blight, Mitch Brown, Matthew Broadbent, Paul Cahill, Steven Gaertner, Dan Hannebery, Jayden Post, Luke Shuey, Rory Sloan, James Strauss, Jarrad Redden and Tom Rockliff before we get down to the real draft smokeys at the tail end of the draft. Rest assured, this is a very good year for Melbourne to have so many selections in what will be remembered in years to come as a very solid draft meeting. Expect the Demons to aim for a ruckman and possibly some bottom aged players with their later picks. There is talent hidden deep there as well.

Stevo's draft preview concludes with the Chaos Theory - ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART FIVE by Stevo THE CHAOS THEORY They all started out as just names and most of them were unknown 12 months ago but the keen and growing interest in the national draft and in its importance to the nation's biggest sport (and indeed a major industry in these difficult times) has thrust these names into the minds of many who follow football with a little more intensity than the average punter. Over the past year, many of these names acquired faces and reputations and, a little after 10 o'clock this Saturday morning, they will start carrying the hopes for the future of many and diverse supporters of the game. The most prominent of the names have already been mentioned in this series. I stand by my top three of Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui and Daniel Rich as the players who are head and shoulders above all others in my estimation (no surprise after reading Burgo's Phantom Draft) even though they were actually not the first taken. Geelong Falcons ruckman Ayce Cordy had that honour when selected by the Western Bulldogs under the father/son rule costing them pick number 14. My other first rounders are (in no particular order), the "wild cards" Phil Davis, Stephen Hill, Steele Sidebottom, Tom Swift, Jackson Trengove and Chris Yarran who could go anywhere and whose stories make this draft so interesting and the solid citizens heading for top ten selection or thereabouts in Hamish Hartlett, Michael Hurley, Lewis Johnston, Shaun McKernan, Tyrone Vickery and Jack Ziebell. These are my sixteen first rounders. There are of course, many more names in the draft mix. Thanks mainly to the chaos theory of drafting, other names will inevitably creep into that first round of sixteen (I'm not infallible). The chaos theory works because the draft is the product of a number of different minds who have different views about the players and the needs of their clubs. If Fremantle decides to select Stephen Hill at # 3, it creates chaos further down the line with one club or another being forced to shuffle its preferences as a result of that one decision which might, like the butterfly flapping its wings in the valley of the Amazon, cause a cataclysm somewhere else on the face of the earth. Meanwhile, there are nine eligible All-Australians who missed my first round:- Matt Deboer, Kade Klemke, Jordan Lisle, Rhys O'Keefe Clancee Pearce, Mitch Robinson, Nick Suban, Michael Walters and David Zaharakis. Most of them would fit nicely into the top group and I have some favourites from this list (pen pictures from Inside Football):- JORDAN LISLE - tall forward, Oakleigh Chargers, Vic DOB: 12/7/90 Ht: 196cm Wt: 87kg "Jordy had a fantastic year combining school footy with TAC Cup footy. He's predominantly played as a tall marking forward and this year we pushed him back to centre half back, a role he also played for Vic Metro. For a guy his size, his skills and decision making are first class and he uses the ball very well. Has terrific hands and for a big bloke is good below his knees." - Oakleigh Chargers region manager Stephen Conole. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Carey Grammar. MICHAEL WALTERS - midfielder, Swan Districts, WA. DOB: 7/1/91 Ht: 177cm Ht: 75kg "Michael came off the state under-18s championships and went into our senior side and did very well late in the year. Finished the year in the Colts side and played in the premiership. Played virtually all year through the middle of the ground and across half forward and he's got one of the best football brains you could imagine. Unbelievable skills by foot" - Swan Districts football manager Matt Peach. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. WA rep 2008. From Midvale FC. DAVID ZAHARKIS - midfielder. Northern Knights, Vic DOB: 21/2/90 Ht: 180cm Wt: 73kg. "David played onball this year and he was a co-captain of Vic Metro. He's a very quick player with great agility who uses the ball very well. Apart from his footy David has great leadership skills and would bring great character to a footy club. An exciting prospect who unfortunately didn't participate in the draft camp because of about of glandular fever." - Northern Knights coach Paul Satterley. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Marcellin College. But that's not all as the say in the steak knife advertisement on late night television. There is another group of names who I describe as the best of the rest - names that didn't achieve AA honours for one reason or another but who are good enough to find their way into the first round of this draft. If they don't, they will likely find a new football home by the end of the second. They are: Dayne Beams, Sam Blease, Aaron Cornelius, Nick Heyne, Tom Lynch, Jordan Roughead, Ryan Schoenmakers and Ashley Smith. The same drill again with Inside Football pen pics:- SAM BLEASE - mid, Eastern Ranges, Vic DOB: 19/12/91 Ht: 183cm 72kg "Sam hasn't played a lot with the Ranges because of injury and school footy (Yarra Valley Grammar) but he's just got explosive speed and sensational skills. Just a super kick who plays generally on a wing, uses the ball well and makes good decisions. Suffered with osteitis pubis last summer and had a slight knee injury late 2008." - Eastern Ranges manager Ian Flack. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. Vic Metro rep 2008. TOM LYNCH - tall forward, Sandringham Dragons, Vic DOB: 15/9/90 Ht: 191 cm Wt: 84kg "Tom had a knee reconstruction as a 17- year -old and didn't play last year. Was the co-captain of Victoria, captained Haileybury College and was the best and fairest winner there. Got a lot of pedigree and is just a good player. Can play centre half forward or centre half back and is a very, very smart player." Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep- 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Haileybury College. RYAN SCHOENMAKERS - medium forward, Norwood, SA. DOB: 8/11/90 Ht: 193cm Wt: 85kg "Ryan's a tall forward at 193cm who kicks beautifully off both feet - you can't tell whether he's a left or right footer. Got a good motor as well which enables him to leap and present up well Played all year for us in the reserves apart from me national carnival and was discussed-later in the year in the senior mix but didn't get a game. He won the repeated sprint test at the draft, which underlines his mobility, and. did a 2.9 secs for the 20-metre sprint." - Norwood development manager David Oatey SA rep 2008. From Tea Tree Gully FC. Melbourne would be doing well to draft one of the players highlighted above with picks 17 and 19. Blease and either Lisle or Lynch would make a good pair for the Demons but remember, once the first few selections are made, it could well be chaos out there! I won't hazard to go further but there is another element to the chaos theory that should start playing out a role late in the second round and that is the recycled player. A large list have registered for the draft in the hope that they might get a second or third chance at an AFL club but St. Kilda blew a big hole calculations by dropping out of the race for Ben Cousins who might have gone early. The rest of the recycled group will be up against the great depth of young talent in this draft and they might struggle competing with next tier of players likely to include Jarrad Blight, Mitch Brown, Matthew Broadbent, Paul Cahill, Steven Gaertner, Dan Hannebery, Jayden Post, Luke Shuey, Rory Sloan, James Strauss, Jarrad Redden and Tom Rockliff before we get down to the real draft smokeys at the tail end of the draft. Rest assured, this is a very good year for Melbourne to have so many selections in what will be remembered in years to come as a very solid draft meeting. Expect the Demons to aim for a ruckman and possibly some bottom aged players with their later picks. There is talent hidden deep there as well.

Introducing our new Casey correspondent ... STEAMIN' AND A'ROLLIN' WITH CASEY by KC from Casey The worst kept secret of 2008 was unveiled with the following announcement on the Casey Scorpions Football Club website: - "The Scorpions have just signed a 10 year agreement with The Melbourne Football Club and are excited about building one of the best alignments in the VFL." The Casey Scorpions have been based at Casey Fields for only a short time – since 2006 when the 70-hectare site in Cranbourne East that includes 17 sports grounds opened. This development in Melbourne's south east happens to be part of one of Australia's fastest growing population centres. If you take the area extending from Dandenong, through the Casey municipality and across to the Shire of Cardinia which is centred on Pakenham in the east, you have a region that rivals western Sydney and the Gold Coast among the largest growth areas in the country. These regions now have another thing in common – all will soon have an AFL presence. While the Casey Scorpions is a new name in Australia's most popular sport, the club boasts a rich and successful 100-year history from the days when it began as the Springvale Football Club at a place on the bullock run from Melbourne to Dandenong. The name "Springvale" is said to be derived from the permanent natural springs in the area that provided water supplies for stock and travellers. There are records of a hotel along that route in the 1850's but development in the town really started to take pace when a primary school was built in 1867. Springvale Shire was proclaimed in 1873 and the first subdivision of land occurred close by a railway stopping point on the way to Gippsland at Springvale Road in 1886. The Wesleyan Church opened near the station in 1887, and the Sandown Park racecourse opened in 1891. The football club was formed just after the turn of century in the Springvale Hotel and began its existence in the Mulgrave Football Association wearing a red and white-hooped guernsey and playing on a ground behind the Springvale Post Office in the main street of town. There are different versions as to the founding date with some sources saying it was formed in 1903 while another puts it at 1906. Whatever the case, the club moved to the Berwick District Football Association in 1911 and it won its first premiership in its debut season in the competition. As the town grew, it was necessary to find a new ground and a group of local businessmen purchased land in Newcomen Road through the Springvale Recreation Ground Trust and the club moved there in 1915. Both the town and football club continued to flourish and Springvale established itself as the premier football team in the district with premierships in 1920, 1921, 1930, 1932 and 1933. The last of those premierships was won in the Dandenong District Football Association, an achievement repeated on the eve of the Second World War in 1939. In the interim, the club's relationship with the Springvale RSL gained it access to extra land and with support of local council the current grandstand was built on it in 1934. When the war was over, the town of Springvale again flourished with many young families settling in large number of War Service homes that were built there. The club was now competing in the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League and it took out the 1956 premiership after beating Oakleigh Districts in a grand final replay after the first final ended in a draw. Following that success the club moved to the Federal Football League in 1957 and soon became a powerhouse of the competition winning four flags in a row between 1960 and 1963 and another in 1965. The City of Springvale had been proclaimed on 22 April 1961 and the area was growing in leaps and bounds as Melbourne's urban sprawl stretched onwards and outwards. The football club won more premierships in 1975 and 1976 and the area gained an upsurge in prestige when its football club moved across to the Victorian Football Association at the end of 1981 after dominating the Federal League for 25 years, a period in which it missed out on the finals only twice. It didn't take long for Springvale, now known as the Scorpions, and wearing red and blue colours with a white SFC monogram, to prove a force in the VFA’s Second Division. In only its second year it defeated one of the traditional long serving clubs of the competition in Brunswick to win the 1983 premiership thereby gaining entry into the First Division. The club embarked on a youth policy and developed many young players from the local south eastern suburbs around Springvale and it paid off when it recruited Phil Maylin from Footscray as captain/coach in 1987. He took the club to its first ever VFA First Division Premiership with a win over the powerful Port Melbourne. Springvale remained a strength in the VFA competition and was a regular finals contender over the next decade and a half reaching its height in the latter half of the 1990's when the side had developed into an outstanding combination that won four flags in five years. The Scorpions were the dominant side of 1995 winning all but one game and beating Sandringham comfortably in both the second semi final (by 45 points) and the grand final (by 43 points). They also snared the reserves premiership. Springvale made it back to back flags in 1996 beating Frankston in the grand final but missed out in 1997 losing an elimination final to Sandringham. The oldest competition in the country was falling on troubled times and, after it was taken over by the AFL, it was rebranded the Victorian Football League from 1997 and Springvale was able to repeat its back to back double in 1998 and 1999 to finish the millennium as the most outstanding football team in that competition. The new century brought new challenges to the Springvale Football Club with the introduction of AFL seconds teams into the competition in 2000. Some AFL clubs joined VFL clubs while others stood alone and Springvale took the latter option. The Scorpions managed to scrape into the finals but were eliminated in the first week by Geelong. The following year saw the club enter into a union with St. Kilda and the team finished in third place after a solid season. The Scorpions disappointed in 2002 to miss out on the finals but came back to finals football in 2003 before falling away badly for a wooden spoon in 2004 and another lowly finish in 2005. With the facilities at Springvale well below the standard required to house a team at this level of football, the move was made to the new development at Cranbourne East in the relatively new municipality of Casey which had been formed when Victoria's local government system was overhauled in 1994 with the merger of the City of Berwick with the majority of the City of Cranbourne and a small part of the City of Knox. For many centuries before European settlement, the Casey district formed part of the territory of the Bunurong people and included the boundary with the Wurundjeri people to the north. Early European settlement occurred in the late 1830's, at much the same time as development began in Melbourne itself. Pastoral activities remained the focus of the district's activity for many years, with the first community societies and associations being established in 1850's. District Road Boards, formed by landholders and householders, were proclaimed in Cranbourne in 1860 and in Berwick two years later. The first Cranbourne and Berwick Shires were created in 1868, two months apart. These areas came into their own in the 1970's and 1980's and they now form part of one of the country's key growth areas with hundreds of new households formed on a monthly basis. The Casey Scorpions moved into their new home at Casey Fields in 2006 their official guernsey was now navy blue with a white diamond and red Scorpion monogram, Casey lettering in red, navy blue back with white patch and navy blue numbers. The socks, navy blue with red and white tops, the shorts navy blue. By 2007, they were ready to play finals again but lost their elimination final game against Port Melbourne. In 2008, they went one better with a narrow win in the elimination final against Northern Bullants before going down to Werribee in the First Semi Final. By that time, the club’s eight-year alignment with St Kilda had come to an end. The past few seasons have seen Casey striving to develop a young side that will grow within the established culture of success achieved over the long and proud history of the organisation dating back to its spiritual roots in Springvale at the turn of the last century. The list of leading players from 2008 starts with a young skipper aged just 23 years:- 52 games Kyle Matthews (2008 - 16) 45 James Taylor (20) 41 Alex Silvagni (18) 39 James Wall (22) 37 Stefan Garrubba (19) 37 Steven O'Bryan (16) 33 Ben Fraser (5) 35 Chris Dunne (21) 28 Adam Parker (17) 18 Evan Panozza (12) The club has done well in recruiting a number of graduates from the TAC Cup team Gippsland Power Under 18 team in recent years including Dunne, Fraser, Patrick McGrath, O'Bryan and Beau Vernon. The club has also recruited from the Eastern Ranges Under 18’s with Andrew Campbell, Ryan Creed, Panozza, Parker and Daniel Unsworth. Leading players include Matthews, a livewire rover, Wall who was 2008 Gardner-Clark Medallist (best and fairest winner), a ruckman/defender who has been on the lists of St. Kilda and Sydney Swans, Garrubba formerly of Sydney via the Dandenong Stingrays and Silvagni, a 2008 draft hopeful and 192cm defender who is related to Carlton's footballing dynasty Serge and Stephen. At this year's club best and fairest night, Casey general manager Brian Woodman foreshadowed a new relationship with the Melbourne Football Club when he said. "In the coming years we hope to forge a strong relationship with the Gippsland Power, the Casey Scorpions and the Melbourne Football Club.'' Since then, Chris Connolly, Melbourne's General Manager, Football Operations addressed a meeting of new Scorpion recruits and Casey appointed Peter German as its new coach with a role that also involves development work with the Melbourne Football Club. "It's great to be able to grab an opportunity like this and I've got no doubt that what's going to be set up between Melbourne and Casey will be a long-term thing. "It's probably a dual role in that I'll be working for both the Melbourne footy club and the Casey Scorpions," German said. There are rumours that former Demon Nathan Brown will be crossing from West Adelaide to join the Scorpions for 2009 and the Casey website has another story about ace WAFL premiership player and former Sandringham star Mark Haynes joining the club from Subiaco as an assistant coach. There is an oustide chance that he may have a playing role as well. In a further twist of fate the Scorpions kick off their 2009 season with an intriguing clash against Sandringham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval in a game that will see a battle among the old alignments. The Demons have also been working painstakingly with the City of Casey on putting together an agreement that would that would lay the foundation for the club's long term presence within one of the nation's fasted growing regions, a move that was a precursor to revealing officially the new alignment between Melbourne and the Casey Scorpions. And since navy blue and red predominate the colours of both clubs, it's not hard to envision a successful blending of the two clubs. All that was needed to get it off the ground was the announcement.

STEAMIN' AND A'ROLLIN' WITH CASEY by KC from Casey The worst kept secret of 2008 was unveiled with the following announcement on the Casey Scorpions Football Club website: - "The Scorpions have just signed a 10 year agreement with The Melbourne Football Club and are excited about building one of the best alignments in the VFL." The Casey Scorpions have been based at Casey Fields for only a short time – since 2006 when the 70-hectare site in Cranbourne East that includes 17 sports grounds opened. This development in Melbourne's south east happens to be part of one of Australia's fastest growing population centres. If you take the area extending from Dandenong, through the Casey municipality and across to the Shire of Cardinia which is centred on Pakenham in the east, you have a region that rivals western Sydney and the Gold Coast among the largest growth areas in the country. These regions now have another thing in common – all will soon have an AFL presence. While the Casey Scorpions is a new name in Australia's most popular sport, the club boasts a rich and successful 100-year history from the days when it began as the Springvale Football Club at a place on the bullock run from Melbourne to Dandenong. The name "Springvale" is said to be derived from the permanent natural springs in the area that provided water supplies for stock and travellers. There are records of a hotel along that route in the 1850's but development in the town really started to take pace when a primary school was built in 1867. Springvale Shire was proclaimed in 1873 and the first subdivision of land occurred close by a railway stopping point on the way to Gippsland at Springvale Road in 1886. The Wesleyan Church opened near the station in 1887, and the Sandown Park racecourse opened in 1891. The football club was formed just after the turn of century in the Springvale Hotel and began its existence in the Mulgrave Football Association wearing a red and white-hooped guernsey and playing on a ground behind the Springvale Post Office in the main street of town. There are different versions as to the founding date with some sources saying it was formed in 1903 while another puts it at 1906. Whatever the case, the club moved to the Berwick District Football Association in 1911 and it won its first premiership in its debut season in the competition. As the town grew, it was necessary to find a new ground and a group of local businessmen purchased land in Newcomen Road through the Springvale Recreation Ground Trust and the club moved there in 1915. Both the town and football club continued to flourish and Springvale established itself as the premier football team in the district with premierships in 1920, 1921, 1930, 1932 and 1933. The last of those premierships was won in the Dandenong District Football Association, an achievement repeated on the eve of the Second World War in 1939. In the interim, the club's relationship with the Springvale RSL gained it access to extra land and with support of local council the current grandstand was built on it in 1934. When the war was over, the town of Springvale again flourished with many young families settling in large number of War Service homes that were built there. The club was now competing in the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League and it took out the 1956 premiership after beating Oakleigh Districts in a grand final replay after the first final ended in a draw. Following that success the club moved to the Federal Football League in 1957 and soon became a powerhouse of the competition winning four flags in a row between 1960 and 1963 and another in 1965. The City of Springvale had been proclaimed on 22 April 1961 and the area was growing in leaps and bounds as Melbourne's urban sprawl stretched onwards and outwards. The football club won more premierships in 1975 and 1976 and the area gained an upsurge in prestige when its football club moved across to the Victorian Football Association at the end of 1981 after dominating the Federal League for 25 years, a period in which it missed out on the finals only twice. It didn't take long for Springvale, now known as the Scorpions, and wearing red and blue colours with a white SFC monogram, to prove a force in the VFA’s Second Division. In only its second year it defeated one of the traditional long serving clubs of the competition in Brunswick to win the 1983 premiership thereby gaining entry into the First Division. The club embarked on a youth policy and developed many young players from the local south eastern suburbs around Springvale and it paid off when it recruited Phil Maylin from Footscray as captain/coach in 1987. He took the club to its first ever VFA First Division Premiership with a win over the powerful Port Melbourne. Springvale remained a strength in the VFA competition and was a regular finals contender over the next decade and a half reaching its height in the latter half of the 1990's when the side had developed into an outstanding combination that won four flags in five years. The Scorpions were the dominant side of 1995 winning all but one game and beating Sandringham comfortably in both the second semi final (by 45 points) and the grand final (by 43 points). They also snared the reserves premiership. Springvale made it back to back flags in 1996 beating Frankston in the grand final but missed out in 1997 losing an elimination final to Sandringham. The oldest competition in the country was falling on troubled times and, after it was taken over by the AFL, it was rebranded the Victorian Football League from 1997 and Springvale was able to repeat its back to back double in 1998 and 1999 to finish the millennium as the most outstanding football team in that competition. The new century brought new challenges to the Springvale Football Club with the introduction of AFL seconds teams into the competition in 2000. Some AFL clubs joined VFL clubs while others stood alone and Springvale took the latter option. The Scorpions managed to scrape into the finals but were eliminated in the first week by Geelong. The following year saw the club enter into a union with St. Kilda and the team finished in third place after a solid season. The Scorpions disappointed in 2002 to miss out on the finals but came back to finals football in 2003 before falling away badly for a wooden spoon in 2004 and another lowly finish in 2005. With the facilities at Springvale well below the standard required to house a team at this level of football, the move was made to the new development at Cranbourne East in the relatively new municipality of Casey which had been formed when Victoria's local government system was overhauled in 1994 with the merger of the City of Berwick with the majority of the City of Cranbourne and a small part of the City of Knox. For many centuries before European settlement, the Casey district formed part of the territory of the Bunurong people and included the boundary with the Wurundjeri people to the north. Early European settlement occurred in the late 1830's, at much the same time as development began in Melbourne itself. Pastoral activities remained the focus of the district's activity for many years, with the first community societies and associations being established in 1850's. District Road Boards, formed by landholders and householders, were proclaimed in Cranbourne in 1860 and in Berwick two years later. The first Cranbourne and Berwick Shires were created in 1868, two months apart. These areas came into their own in the 1970's and 1980's and they now form part of one of the country's key growth areas with hundreds of new households formed on a monthly basis. The Casey Scorpions moved into their new home at Casey Fields in 2006 their official guernsey was now navy blue with a white diamond and red Scorpion monogram, Casey lettering in red, navy blue back with white patch and navy blue numbers. The socks, navy blue with red and white tops, the shorts navy blue. By 2007, they were ready to play finals again but lost their elimination final game against Port Melbourne. In 2008, they went one better with a narrow win in the elimination final against Northern Bullants before going down to Werribee in the First Semi Final. By that time, the club’s eight-year alignment with St Kilda had come to an end. The past few seasons have seen Casey striving to develop a young side that will grow within the established culture of success achieved over the long and proud history of the organisation dating back to its spiritual roots in Springvale at the turn of the last century. The list of leading players from 2008 starts with a young skipper aged just 23 years:- 52 games Kyle Matthews (2008 - 16) 45 James Taylor (20) 41 Alex Silvagni (18) 39 James Wall (22) 37 Stefan Garrubba (19) 37 Steven O'Bryan (16) 33 Ben Fraser (5) 35 Chris Dunne (21) 28 Adam Parker (17) 18 Evan Panozza (12) The club has done well in recruiting a number of graduates from the TAC Cup team Gippsland Power Under 18 team in recent years including Dunne, Fraser, Patrick McGrath, O'Bryan and Beau Vernon. The club has also recruited from the Eastern Ranges Under 18’s with Andrew Campbell, Ryan Creed, Panozza, Parker and Daniel Unsworth. Leading players include Matthews, a livewire rover, Wall who was 2008 Gardner-Clark Medallist (best and fairest winner), a ruckman/defender who has been on the lists of St. Kilda and Sydney Swans, Garrubba formerly of Sydney via the Dandenong Stingrays and Silvagni, a 2008 draft hopeful and 192cm defender who is related to Carlton's footballing dynasty Serge and Stephen. At this year's club best and fairest night, Casey general manager Brian Woodman foreshadowed a new relationship with the Melbourne Football Club when he said. "In the coming years we hope to forge a strong relationship with the Gippsland Power, the Casey Scorpions and the Melbourne Football Club.'' Since then, Chris Connolly, Melbourne's General Manager, Football Operations addressed a meeting of new Scorpion recruits and Casey appointed Peter German as its new coach with a role that also involves development work with the Melbourne Football Club. "It's great to be able to grab an opportunity like this and I've got no doubt that what's going to be set up between Melbourne and Casey will be a long-term thing. "It's probably a dual role in that I'll be working for both the Melbourne footy club and the Casey Scorpions, " German said. There are rumours that former Demon Nathan Brown will be crossing from West Adelaide to join the Scorpions for 2009 and the Casey website has another story about ace WAFL premiership player and former Sandringham star Mark Haynes joining the club from Subiaco as an assistant coach. There is an oustide chance that he may have a playing role as well. In a further twist of fate the Scorpions kick off their 2009 season with an intriguing clash against Sandringham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval in a game that will see a battle among the old alignments. The Demons have also been working painstakingly with the City of Casey on putting together an agreement that would that would lay the foundation for the club's long term presence within one of the nation's fasted growing regions, a move that was a precursor to revealing officially the new alignment between Melbourne and the Casey Scorpions. And since navy blue and red predominate the colours of both clubs, it's not hard to envision a successful blending of the two clubs. All that was needed to get it off the ground was the announcement.

Demonland presents the fourth in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART FOUR by Stevo THE BEST OF THE BEST The best of the best at the AFL's national draft usually come from an elite football background. The system recognises the ability of these players very early so they get nurtured through national championships at Under 16 level, are refined further at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and reach prominence representing their states at the National Under 18 Championships. The best of the best then make the All-Australian team (usually announced after the championships) while the overall best and fairest in the first division of that competition wins the Larke Medal. Last year, the Melbourne Football Club selected three All-Australians at the national draft: Cale Morton (the Larke Medallist), Jack Grimes and Addam Maric. Tom McNamara, the youngest player overall in the 2007 draft, is also an AIS graduate. If, as predicted, the Demons select this year's Larke Medallist Jack Watts with their first pick, they will have a unique double in Morton and Watts - two best and fairest winners at the elite level of the sport. It's worthwhile looking at the 2008 All-Australians: ALL-AUSTRALIAN UNDER 18 TEAM 2008 Backs Nick Suban (179cm 82kg) * Michael Hurley (192cm 92kg) * Clancee Pearce (183cm 85kg) Half Backs Stephen Hill (182cm 72kg) Jordan Lisle (196cm 87kg) Rhyse O’Keefe (187cm 80kg) Centre Mitch Robinson (188cm 77kg) Matthew Deboer (187cm 85kg) David Zaharakis (180cm 73kg) Half forwards Hamish Hartlett (182cm 74kg) # Lewis Johnston (192cm 87kg) * Tom Scully (182cm 74kg) * Forwards Tyrone Vickery (200cm 86kg) # Jack Watts (194cm 85kg) * Michael Walters (177cm 75kg) * Followers Nick Naitanui (197cm 95kg) # Jack Ziebell (188cm 84 kg) * Ranga Ediriwickrama (178cm 79 kg) Interchange Daniel Rich (183cm 83kg) # Shaun McKernan (196cm 95kg) Steele Sidebottom (182cm 79kg) * Kade Klemke (180cm 78kg) * AA 2008 # AA 2007 [Hurley, Rich and Suban also made All-Australian in 2007] The elite players in this team will all come into contention at Saturday's draft meeting with the exception of Scully (ineligible due to age) and Ediriwickrama (already selected as a rookie by Geelong through the AFL's NSW scholarship scheme). The big three of Watts, Naitanui and Rich have already been covered in this series as have my "wild cards" Hill, Sidebottom and Yarran and a couple of others in Phil Davis, Tom Swift and Jackson Trengove who were injured during the championship and who, like Bulldog father/son pick Ayce Cordy, missed their chances of AA selection. I have pencilled in this next group (in alphabetic order) as my near certainties for first round selection with most, if not all, to be taken in the top ten (pen pictures are from the November edition of Inside Football): Hamish Hartlett is a highly regarded midfielder noted for his skills and ball handling who has already played senior football in SA and has good pace and awareness. HAMISH HARTLETT - midfielder. West Adelaide, SA DOB: 14/8/90 Ht: 182cm Wt: 74kg "Hamish is the younger brother of Adam at Carlton and he's an onball-cum-forward player who is fantastically skilled, with either foot Just a very classy player who started the year in the under 19s then ended up playing some senior footy towards the end of the year after having also played five or six games at the end of 2007. Had a shoulder operation late in the season and didn't do any of the testing at the draft camp. He's well sought after and just a quality footballer. That's the only way to describe him." - West Adelaide development manager Simon Hughes. SA rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Edwardstown FC. Michael Hurley has been the outstanding key defender of the last two championships and has also been used up forward where he has kicked goals. Not overburdened with pace but makes up for it with football smarts, competitiveness and a good, long kick of the football. More a footballer than an athlete but will make an excellent acquisition for one of the clubs in the top half dozen at this year's draft. MICHAEL HURLEY - tall defender, Northern Knights, Vic. DOB: 1/6/90 Ht: 192cm Wt: 92kg "From where we sit, Michael is one of the best defenders, if not the best, in the TAC Cup. He's just a strongly built young man who is hard at the footy and boasts outstanding foot skills - can kick it 50-60 metres with accuracy on both sides. Very good player body-on-body and has the capacity to play either end. There were games where he went forward and kicked five and six goals. Came second in the best and fairest but could have won it, if not for state footy.'' - Northern Knights coach Paul Satterley Vic Metro rep 2008. AH Australian 2007,2008. From Macleod FC. Lewis Johnston is a tall, mobile, highly skilled and excelled in key forward posts with SA in the championships who has the athleticism to play in the midfield. LEWIS JOHNSTON - tall forward. North Adelaide, SA. DOB: 3/3/91 Ht: 192cm Wt: 87kg "Lewis played mainly under-17s for us as well as a few reserves games in the middle of the year after the under-18 championships. Had to travel long distances to train so he got very tired as the year . wore on. A very athletic player who plays mainly at. centre half forward. Ran 3.04 for a 20-metre sprint to underline his mobility and he's also got a good set of hands." - North Adelaide development manager Neil Sanders. SA rep 2008. All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Port Bulldogs FC. Shaun McKernan is another athletic tall with a strong leap. I think he will probably be better suited up forward rather than in the ruck at AFL level although he could easily fulfil a role as a pinch hitter in that area as well. SHAUN McKERNAN - ruckman, Calder Cannons, Vic. DOB: 1/9/90 Ht: 196cm Wt: 95kg "Shaun is the younger brother of Corey and is a very similar player in a lot of ways. He's got massive hands, he's a prodigious kick, quick off the mark and he's one of those players who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Played a lot of good footy for us at centre halfback after the national carnival where he controlled the back line and rebounded well. Played in the ruck for Vic Metro and earned All-Australian honours, so he can play in a variety of spots. A very draftable player with all the attributes to have a long and distinguished AFL, career." - Calder Cannons region manager Martin Stillman. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Tullmarine FC. Tyrone Vickery is another athletic tall who overcame a serious knee injury and returned to prominence in 2008. Starred both in the ruck and up forward for Victoria Meto in the championships. TYRONE VICKERY - ruckman, Sandringham Dragons, Vic. DOB: 31/5/90 Ht: 200cm Wt: 86kg "He's exceptional. I'm sure Melbourne will have contemplated him as the No. 1 pick and if he doesn't go then, he'll go very high. Given what sides need, he could conceivably get through to Richmond but you never know what might happen. He's athletic, he's a good decision maker and he rarely turns the ball over. Right now I think he is a ruckman but that's not to say he can't be something else later on. He could well go forward and if he was a little taller then you could well be talking a Paul Salmon type." - Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Haileybury College. Jack Ziebell is a power athlete who is not overly fast but makes up for that with excellent skills on both sides of the body, long kicking and great decision-making. Injured a knee during the championships but played out the season. A strong mark who can play midfield or as a third tall up forward, he has apparently impressed new Brisbane coach Michael Voss. JACK ZIEBELL - midfielder, Murray Bushrangers, Vic. DOB: 28/2/91 Ht: 188cm Wt: 84kg "Jack's been a star since he was 14 or 15. He played the last six weeks of the year with a banged up knee (an injury sustained during the national carnival) so he hardly trained at all towards the end of the year but got through on class alone. A well balanced player who is a strong penetrating kick and can take a strong contested mark. Not super quick, not super athletic, hasn't got a super motor, but is very strong, loves the physicality of the game and doesn't mind crashing into blokes. Jack is the sort of kid that to me who will get reported a few times over his AFL career because he is so hard. He's not silly in terms of whacking blokes but he pushers the boundaries a bit, which will get him into strife now and then. In a year when our kids were starting to get a bit tired, Jack almost single handedly became our main focal point and got us over the line a few times with five and six goal efforts" - Murray Bushrangers coach Phil Bunn. Vic country rep 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Wodonga FC. There is a chance, of course, that some of the players I have covered so far might still be available at selections 17 and 19 but if not, there are plenty of names still available from the best of the best to be selected late in the first round and early in the second and one or two of them might filter all the way down to the club's fourth selection overall at 35. Melbourne recruiting manager Barry Prendergast was hopeful when quoted in the Sunday Herald Sun: "You are just hoping that some good players will fall out at 17 and 19, because it is a good even draft," he said. "We fully expect to get three good players there. Even pick 35 is a handy one for us. "It is a strong position for any club and, hopefully, we can take advantage of that." Like all of us, Prendergast is looking forward to Saturday where a year's hard work from the Melbourne recruiting team will chrystallise into six or seven selections (the Demons also have picks 51, 64 and 76 - the last of which will probably be passed for the pre season draft). Despite the apparent wavering, I think Jack Watts' name is just about set in stone at Demonland for pick 1 but who will join him in the red and blue in 2009? Well, Prendergast might strike it lucky and pick up one of the gems that have been touted as first round selections and there are plenty of All-Australians in the best of the best who I still haven't covered. There are also some other handy players who could go within Melbourne's early second round range and we’ll look at them next time.

Demonland presents the fourth in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART FOUR by Stevo THE BEST OF THE BEST The best of the best at the AFL's national draft usually come from an elite football background. The system recognises the ability of these players very early so they get nurtured through national championships at Under 16 level, are refined further at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and reach prominence representing their states at the National Under 18 Championships. The best of the best then make the All-Australian team (usually announced after the championships) while the overall best and fairest in the first division of that competition wins the Larke Medal. Last year, the Melbourne Football Club selected three All-Australians at the national draft: Cale Morton (the Larke Medallist), Jack Grimes and Addam Maric. Tom McNamara, the youngest player overall in the 2007 draft, is also an AIS graduate. If, as predicted, the Demons select this year's Larke Medallist Jack Watts with their first pick, they will have a unique double in Morton and Watts - two best and fairest winners at the elite level of the sport. It's worthwhile looking at the 2008 All-Australians: ALL-AUSTRALIAN UNDER 18 TEAM 2008 Backs Nick Suban (179cm 82kg) * Michael Hurley (192cm 92kg) * Clancee Pearce (183cm 85kg) Half Backs Stephen Hill (182cm 72kg) Jordan Lisle (196cm 87kg) Rhyse O’Keefe (187cm 80kg) Centre Mitch Robinson (188cm 77kg) Matthew Deboer (187cm 85kg) David Zaharakis (180cm 73kg) Half forwards Hamish Hartlett (182cm 74kg) # Lewis Johnston (192cm 87kg) * Tom Scully (182cm 74kg) * Forwards Tyrone Vickery (200cm 86kg) # Jack Watts (194cm 85kg) * Michael Walters (177cm 75kg) * Followers Nick Naitanui (197cm 95kg) # Jack Ziebell (188cm 84 kg) * Ranga Ediriwickrama (178cm 79 kg) Interchange Daniel Rich (183cm 83kg) # Shaun McKernan (196cm 95kg) Steele Sidebottom (182cm 79kg) * Kade Klemke (180cm 78kg) * AA 2008 # AA 2007 [Hurley, Rich and Suban also made All-Australian in 2007] The elite players in this team will all come into contention at Saturday's draft meeting with the exception of Scully (ineligible due to age) and Ediriwickrama (already selected as a rookie by Geelong through the AFL's NSW scholarship scheme). The big three of Watts, Naitanui and Rich have already been covered in this series as have my "wild cards" Hill, Sidebottom and Yarran and a couple of others in Phil Davis, Tom Swift and Jackson Trengove who were injured during the championship and who, like Bulldog father/son pick Ayce Cordy, missed their chances of AA selection. I have pencilled in this next group (in alphabetic order) as my near certainties for first round selection with most, if not all, to be taken in the top ten (pen pictures are from the November edition of Inside Football): Hamish Hartlett is a highly regarded midfielder noted for his skills and ball handling who has already played senior football in SA and has good pace and awareness. HAMISH HARTLETT - midfielder. West Adelaide, SA DOB: 14/8/90 Ht: 182cm Wt: 74kg "Hamish is the younger brother of Adam at Carlton and he's an onball-cum-forward player who is fantastically skilled, with either foot Just a very classy player who started the year in the under 19s then ended up playing some senior footy towards the end of the year after having also played five or six games at the end of 2007. Had a shoulder operation late in the season and didn't do any of the testing at the draft camp. He's well sought after and just a quality footballer. That's the only way to describe him." - West Adelaide development manager Simon Hughes. SA rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Edwardstown FC. Michael Hurley has been the outstanding key defender of the last two championships and has also been used up forward where he has kicked goals. Not overburdened with pace but makes up for it with football smarts, competitiveness and a good, long kick of the football. More a footballer than an athlete but will make an excellent acquisition for one of the clubs in the top half dozen at this year's draft. MICHAEL HURLEY - tall defender, Northern Knights, Vic. DOB: 1/6/90 Ht: 192cm Wt: 92kg "From where we sit, Michael is one of the best defenders, if not the best, in the TAC Cup. He's just a strongly built young man who is hard at the footy and boasts outstanding foot skills - can kick it 50-60 metres with accuracy on both sides. Very good player body-on-body and has the capacity to play either end. There were games where he went forward and kicked five and six goals. Came second in the best and fairest but could have won it, if not for state footy.'' - Northern Knights coach Paul Satterley Vic Metro rep 2008. AH Australian 2007,2008. From Macleod FC. Lewis Johnston is a tall, mobile, highly skilled and excelled in key forward posts with SA in the championships who has the athleticism to play in the midfield. LEWIS JOHNSTON - tall forward. North Adelaide, SA. DOB: 3/3/91 Ht: 192cm Wt: 87kg "Lewis played mainly under-17s for us as well as a few reserves games in the middle of the year after the under-18 championships. Had to travel long distances to train so he got very tired as the year . wore on. A very athletic player who plays mainly at. centre half forward. Ran 3.04 for a 20-metre sprint to underline his mobility and he's also got a good set of hands." - North Adelaide development manager Neil Sanders. SA rep 2008. All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Port Bulldogs FC. Shaun McKernan is another athletic tall with a strong leap. I think he will probably be better suited up forward rather than in the ruck at AFL level although he could easily fulfil a role as a pinch hitter in that area as well. SHAUN McKERNAN - ruckman, Calder Cannons, Vic. DOB: 1/9/90 Ht: 196cm Wt: 95kg "Shaun is the younger brother of Corey and is a very similar player in a lot of ways. He's got massive hands, he's a prodigious kick, quick off the mark and he's one of those players who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Played a lot of good footy for us at centre halfback after the national carnival where he controlled the back line and rebounded well. Played in the ruck for Vic Metro and earned All-Australian honours, so he can play in a variety of spots. A very draftable player with all the attributes to have a long and distinguished AFL, career." - Calder Cannons region manager Martin Stillman. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. From Tullmarine FC. Tyrone Vickery is another athletic tall who overcame a serious knee injury and returned to prominence in 2008. Starred both in the ruck and up forward for Victoria Meto in the championships. TYRONE VICKERY - ruckman, Sandringham Dragons, Vic. DOB: 31/5/90 Ht: 200cm Wt: 86kg "He's exceptional. I'm sure Melbourne will have contemplated him as the No. 1 pick and if he doesn't go then, he'll go very high. Given what sides need, he could conceivably get through to Richmond but you never know what might happen. He's athletic, he's a good decision maker and he rarely turns the ball over. Right now I think he is a ruckman but that's not to say he can't be something else later on. He could well go forward and if he was a little taller then you could well be talking a Paul Salmon type." - Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep 2008. All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Haileybury College. Jack Ziebell is a power athlete who is not overly fast but makes up for that with excellent skills on both sides of the body, long kicking and great decision-making. Injured a knee during the championships but played out the season. A strong mark who can play midfield or as a third tall up forward, he has apparently impressed new Brisbane coach Michael Voss. JACK ZIEBELL - midfielder, Murray Bushrangers, Vic. DOB: 28/2/91 Ht: 188cm Wt: 84kg "Jack's been a star since he was 14 or 15. He played the last six weeks of the year with a banged up knee (an injury sustained during the national carnival) so he hardly trained at all towards the end of the year but got through on class alone. A well balanced player who is a strong penetrating kick and can take a strong contested mark. Not super quick, not super athletic, hasn't got a super motor, but is very strong, loves the physicality of the game and doesn't mind crashing into blokes. Jack is the sort of kid that to me who will get reported a few times over his AFL career because he is so hard. He's not silly in terms of whacking blokes but he pushers the boundaries a bit, which will get him into strife now and then. In a year when our kids were starting to get a bit tired, Jack almost single handedly became our main focal point and got us over the line a few times with five and six goal efforts" - Murray Bushrangers coach Phil Bunn. Vic country rep 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Wodonga FC. There is a chance, of course, that some of the players I have covered so far might still be available at selections 17 and 19 but if not, there are plenty of names still available from the best of the best to be selected late in the first round and early in the second and one or two of them might filter all the way down to the club's fourth selection overall at 35. Melbourne recruiting manager Barry Prendergast was hopeful when quoted in the Sunday Herald Sun: "You are just hoping that some good players will fall out at 17 and 19, because it is a good even draft," he said. "We fully expect to get three good players there. Even pick 35 is a handy one for us. "It is a strong position for any club and, hopefully, we can take advantage of that." Like all of us, Prendergast is looking forward to Saturday where a year's hard work from the Melbourne recruiting team will chrystallise into six or seven selections (the Demons also have picks 51, 64 and 76 - the last of which will probably be passed for the pre season draft). Despite the apparent wavering, I think Jack Watts' name is just about set in stone at Demonland for pick 1 but who will join him in the red and blue in 2009? Well, Prendergast might strike it lucky and pick up one of the gems that have been touted as first round selections and there are plenty of All-Australians in the best of the best who I still haven't covered. There are also some other handy players who could go within Melbourne's early second round range and we’ll look at them next time.

Oops ... That's my real life cousins ... not Ben!

Expecting our first child on December 6 and would otherwise play. Cousins, Pringle and possibly 2 of his brothers to play!

So how did the morning go?

Spread the word that he's interested in the environment and cardbord boxes for starters.

Demonland presents the third in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART THREE by Stevo THE LANGUAGE OF THE DRAFT The 2008 National Draft is now a little over a week away and, in the coming week or so, the football world will be swept with a plethora of draft profiles and club recruiters' assessments of their selections. I thought it would be a good idea to break up my preview of the draft by providing you with this guide to help you decipher them in order that you can understand what these people are really saying (note: not all of this material is original and some might think it's all tripe but what the heck!) - "Outside player with good pace" - a receiver, afraid to get his jumper dirty. "He's a real athlete" - he's played mostly basketball or soccer. Absolutely no idea about footy. "Quick hands" or "Great vision" or "Has footy smarts" - slow. "He's an elusive type" - like a frightened rabbit. "Great goal sense and finishing skills" - has never handballed in his life. "He's a burst player" - unfortunately it's just the one burst. "Has skills, needs to work on his fitness" - will be a blimp before season's end. "He has a great upside" - he has an even greater downside. "Tremendous work ethic and a great competitor" - tries hard, no skills though. "Solid citizen, from a good family" - private schoolboy. "Natural forward" - has never tackled, shepherded or manned up in his life. "Raking left-foot kick" - complete dud on his right. "Suited to a tagging role" - he can run and hold a jumper at the same time. "He will add to our depth" - we needed someone to practice tackling on. "He's a bit of a punt, but we needed a third ruckman" - did you know this kid is 200cm tall? "We believe he has unlimited potential" - we've never seen him play, but his draft camp profile sounded good. "He is a Trent Croad type player" - my wife likes the look of him. "We were sure he would be taken by St Kilda" - he'll be arrested for public drunkenness before the year is out. "He has the knack of being able to produce something out of nothing" - unfortunately he also has a habit of producing nothing out of something. "A very disciplined old-fashioned defender" - hasn't thought laterally in his life. "We had him listed in our top 3" - either 15 other clubs don't know what they are doing, or we severely overrated him. "He has played down back, in the midfield and up forward" - he's too small to play key position, too slow to play on the wing, and too unfit to play on the ball. "He is a fine cricketer, having represented Western Australia at U17 level this year" - he is a fine cricketer, having represented Western Australia at U17 level this year. "Lightly built ruckman" - he weighs as much as my sister. "He is the best NSW player on offer" - he may as well be the best Ethiopian player on offer. "The most impressive tall player at the Draft Camp" - you should have seen the rest of the hacks. "We can't believe we got him at 52" - we haven't seen the X-rays or spoken to his parole officer yet. "He is the son of a former club legend" - we are hoping his dad will start attending club functions again, speak to the President without swearing and sign some jumpers for our marketing department.

Demonland presents the third in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART THREE by Stevo THE LANGUAGE OF THE DRAFT The 2008 National Draft is now a little over a week away and, in the coming week or so, the football world will be swept with a plethora of draft profiles and club recruiters' assessments of their selections. I thought it would be a good idea to break up my preview of the draft by providing you with this guide to help you decipher them in order that you can understand what these people are really saying (note: not all of this material is original and some might think it's all tripe but what the heck!) - "Outside player with good pace" - a receiver, afraid to get his jumper dirty. "He's a real athlete" - he's played mostly basketball or soccer. Absolutely no idea about footy. "Quick hands" or "Great vision" or "Has footy smarts" - slow. "He's an elusive type" - like a frightened rabbit. "Great goal sense and finishing skills" - has never handballed in his life. "He's a burst player" - unfortunately it's just the one burst. "Has skills, needs to work on his fitness" - will be a blimp before season's end. "He has a great upside" - he has an even greater downside. "Tremendous work ethic and a great competitor" - tries hard, no skills though. "Solid citizen, from a good family" - private schoolboy. "Natural forward" - has never tackled, shepherded or manned up in his life. "Raking left-foot kick" - complete dud on his right. "Suited to a tagging role" - he can run and hold a jumper at the same time. "He will add to our depth" - we needed someone to practice tackling on. "He's a bit of a punt, but we needed a third ruckman" - did you know this kid is 200cm tall? "We believe he has unlimited potential" - we've never seen him play, but his draft camp profile sounded good. "He is a Trent Croad type player" - my wife likes the look of him. "We were sure he would be taken by St Kilda" - he'll be arrested for public drunkenness before the year is out. "He has the knack of being able to produce something out of nothing" - unfortunately he also has a habit of producing nothing out of something. "A very disciplined old-fashioned defender" - hasn't thought laterally in his life. "We had him listed in our top 3" - either 15 other clubs don't know what they are doing, or we severely overrated him. "He has played down back, in the midfield and up forward" - he's too small to play key position, too slow to play on the wing, and too unfit to play on the ball. "He is a fine cricketer, having represented Western Australia at U17 level this year" - he is a fine cricketer, having represented Western Australia at U17 level this year. "Lightly built ruckman" - he weighs as much as my sister. "He is the best NSW player on offer" - he may as well be the best Ethiopian player on offer. "The most impressive tall player at the Draft Camp" - you should have seen the rest of the hacks. "We can't believe we got him at 52" - we haven't seen the X-rays or spoken to his parole officer yet. "He is the son of a former club legend" - we are hoping his dad will start attending club functions again, speak to the President without swearing and sign some jumpers for our marketing department.

Demonland presents the second in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART TWO by Stevo SWIFT FLOWS THE DRAFT - THE WILD CARDS It was a little over 19 months ago that Tom Swift was sitting on top of the world. The young Western Australian was already making a name for himself as an elite junior footballer after starring in the previous year's national carnival for under 16 players. Then disaster struck. A member of the AIS-AFL academy squad about to embark on a tour of South Africa, Swift was the youngest of five team leaders of the touring group, the others being Trent Cotchin, Brad Ebert, Jack Grimes and Brendan Whitecross. Before the touring side left the country it assembled in Perth where it played an exhibition match on 7 April 2007 against WAFL team Perth at Subiaco Oval as a curtain raiser to the round 3 West Coast-Collingwood AFL match. Swift started the game well but late in the first quarter he landed awkwardly on his left leg which buckled at the knee and his ACL snapped. The injury put him out of football for 12 months but that wasn't the end of his troubles. An injury to the right knee which, while not as serious, managed to curtail most of his 2008 season. In the interim, Swift saw two of his WA team mates and fellow academy members Nick Naitanui and Daniel Rich play in two national under 18 carnivals, achieve All Australian honours and championship medallions, ease themselves into senior football playing in WAFL grand finals (in Rich's case he has two premiership medallions with Subiaco) and assume favouritism for early selection with their own local AFL clubs for this month's national draft. Swift's name however, was not entirely forgotten by AFL recruiters despite the limited number of appearances on the football field. Last month he made it to the national draft camp in Canberra where he excelled in a number of tests and he is now back on the draft radar with a vengeance. There are strong indications that he will go somewhere in the top twenty and, since I'm a real stickler for an omen bet, the clincher for me was the win at Rose Hill last Saturday by the Gai Waterhouse trained Swift Alliance (@$1.40), his second win from as many starts! The Tom Swift story highlights the quirkiness of the field for this month's national draft. He is one of a handful of hopefuls who are true draft wild cards - capable of being picked very early but also possible drifters who could fall to late in the first round or beyond. The other "wild cards" are Phil Davis, Stephen Hill, Steele Sidebottom, Jackson Trengove and Chris Yarran. Ayce Cordy, a 202cm ruckman from the Geelong Falcons who spent most of 2008 on the sidelines with injury would have been on the list but has been snapped up as a father-son selection by the Bulldogs. Phil Davis from St Peters College in Adelaide is tall (193cm), athletic and capable of playing in virtually any key position on the ground but like Swift, played very little football this year. Davis suffered a shoulder injury early in the season, came back and played and was selected for the South Australian Under 18 side but a recurrence of the injury meant surgery on the shoulder and an end to his season. The Crows have been keeping tabs on Davis for some time and his talent has not gone unnoticed in several other quarters. He is a real dark horse for selection in the first round of the national draft. Stephen Hill was one of WA's stand out players in the national carnival as a half back flanker/wingman with the ability to play in the middle. He was selected in the All-Australian team but most ranked him well below fellow Sandgropers in Rich, Naitanui and Chris Yarran. However, his star rose to great heights after draft camp testing revealed the extent of his sheer pace and agility. Suddenly the draft camp record breaker (2.77 in the 0m sprint) appeared in great demand with an article in the West Australian newspaper indicating that Fremantle might consider him ahead of Rich at #3 while another newspaper report suggested he was a good chance to go at 5 to Essendon. Steele Sidebottom had a consistent year with the premiership winning Murray Bushrangers and the Victorian Country team in national championships. He won All-Australian honours and capped his year off with an excellent TAC Cup finals series and a sensational 32 possessions and 10 goals in the grand final. On that basis, he should have been considered a certainty for top 10 selection. A clever player whose skills are good on both sides, has great endurance and a quick thinker, Sidebottom's draft camp speed tests were however, not to the liking of many observers and suddenly (and inexplicably to some people) his draft stocks have fallen somewhat. The draft camp seems to have had the reverse effect on Sidebottom's prospects to those of Hill but he's a true footballer and I still expect him to be taken in the top ten or very close to that mark. Twelve months ago Jackson Trengove was one of the stars of the Calder Cannons premiership side. He had just completed an outstanding finals series and, but for the fact that he was ineligible because of his young age might well have been selected in the top 10 last November. Flash forward another six months and Trengove was on track for a top 5 draft berth after gaining selection as a ruckman/forward for Victoria Metro for the Under 18 championships. After playing the first game of the series, his hamstring tore so badly off the bone in a training mishap that he required surgery in June. The injury took its time healing (there was a follow up operation in July) and it was only recently that he was given a positive medical report suggesting he was healing well enough for him to come into high draft calculations again. Chris Yarran is an enigma but not for reasons of injury but rather because there are some that question his attitude and his application to the game. Yarran has been a stand out in the WAFL runner up team Swan Districts alongside Naitanui and another young up and comer in Clancee Pearce. He kicks the impossible goal and has been compared with Port Power's Shaun Burgoyne but the doubters have cast a slight pall over his draft prospects. He'll certainly be taken but perhaps not as early as we might have thought earlier in the year. This group of players whose draft destinations are unknown and slightly problematic is indicative of why this draft is so unpredictable. At one stage or another they might have been considered early selections or possibilities to go in the range of the Demons' second round selections at 17 and 19. One or two still might be there but quite a few of them will be selected well before Melbourne's Barry Prendergast calls out his second selection of the draft meeting. Last year, some observers were successful in calling most of the top ten selections in advance. Thanks to this year's wild cards, that prospect is highly unlikely in 2008.

Demonland presents the second in the series on the forthcoming drafts by "Stevo" as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART TWO by Stevo SWIFT FLOWS THE DRAFT - THE WILD CARDS It was a little over 19 months ago that Tom Swift was sitting on top of the world. The young Western Australian was already making a name for himself as an elite junior footballer after starring in the previous year's national carnival for under 16 players. Then disaster struck. A member of the AIS-AFL academy squad about to embark on a tour of South Africa, Swift was the youngest of five team leaders of the touring group, the others being Trent Cotchin, Brad Ebert, Jack Grimes and Brendan Whitecross. Before the touring side left the country it assembled in Perth where it played an exhibition match on 7 April 2007 against WAFL team Perth at Subiaco Oval as a curtain raiser to the round 3 West Coast-Collingwood AFL match. Swift started the game well but late in the first quarter he landed awkwardly on his left leg which buckled at the knee and his ACL snapped. The injury put him out of football for 12 months but that wasn't the end of his troubles. An injury to the right knee which, while not as serious, managed to curtail most of his 2008 season. In the interim, Swift saw two of his WA team mates and fellow academy members Nick Naitanui and Daniel Rich play in two national under 18 carnivals, achieve All Australian honours and championship medallions, ease themselves into senior football playing in WAFL grand finals (in Rich's case he has two premiership medallions with Subiaco) and assume favouritism for early selection with their own local AFL clubs for this month's national draft. Swift's name however, was not entirely forgotten by AFL recruiters despite the limited number of appearances on the football field. Last month he made it to the national draft camp in Canberra where he excelled in a number of tests and he is now back on the draft radar with a vengeance. There are strong indications that he will go somewhere in the top twenty and, since I'm a real stickler for an omen bet, the clincher for me was the win at Rose Hill last Saturday by the Gai Waterhouse trained Swift Alliance (@$1.40), his second win from as many starts! The Tom Swift story highlights the quirkiness of the field for this month's national draft. He is one of a handful of hopefuls who are true draft wild cards - capable of being picked very early but also possible drifters who could fall to late in the first round or beyond. The other "wild cards" are Phil Davis, Stephen Hill, Steele Sidebottom, Jackson Trengove and Chris Yarran. Ayce Cordy, a 202cm ruckman from the Geelong Falcons who spent most of 2008 on the sidelines with injury would have been on the list but has been snapped up as a father-son selection by the Bulldogs. Phil Davis from St Peters College in Adelaide is tall (193cm), athletic and capable of playing in virtually any key position on the ground but like Swift, played very little football this year. Davis suffered a shoulder injury early in the season, came back and played and was selected for the South Australian Under 18 side but a recurrence of the injury meant surgery on the shoulder and an end to his season. The Crows have been keeping tabs on Davis for some time and his talent has not gone unnoticed in several other quarters. He is a real dark horse for selection in the first round of the national draft. Stephen Hill was one of WA's stand out players in the national carnival as a half back flanker/wingman with the ability to play in the middle. He was selected in the All-Australian team but most ranked him well below fellow Sandgropers in Rich, Naitanui and Chris Yarran. However, his star rose to great heights after draft camp testing revealed the extent of his sheer pace and agility. Suddenly the draft camp record breaker (2.77 in the 0m sprint) appeared in great demand with an article in the West Australian newspaper indicating that Fremantle might consider him ahead of Rich at #3 while another newspaper report suggested he was a good chance to go at 5 to Essendon. Steele Sidebottom had a consistent year with the premiership winning Murray Bushrangers and the Victorian Country team in national championships. He won All-Australian honours and capped his year off with an excellent TAC Cup finals series and a sensational 32 possessions and 10 goals in the grand final. On that basis, he should have been considered a certainty for top 10 selection. A clever player whose skills are good on both sides, has great endurance and a quick thinker, Sidebottom's draft camp speed tests were however, not to the liking of many observers and suddenly (and inexplicably to some people) his draft stocks have fallen somewhat. The draft camp seems to have had the reverse effect on Sidebottom's prospects to those of Hill but he's a true footballer and I still expect him to be taken in the top ten or very close to that mark. Twelve months ago Jackson Trengove was one of the stars of the Calder Cannons premiership side. He had just completed an outstanding finals series and, but for the fact that he was ineligible because of his young age might well have been selected in the top 10 last November. Flash forward another six months and Trengove was on track for a top 5 draft berth after gaining selection as a ruckman/forward for Victoria Metro for the Under 18 championships. After playing the first game of the series, his hamstring tore so badly off the bone in a training mishap that he required surgery in June. The injury took its time healing (there was a follow up operation in July) and it was only recently that he was given a positive medical report suggesting he was healing well enough for him to come into high draft calculations again. Chris Yarran is an enigma but not for reasons of injury but rather because there are some that question his attitude and his application to the game. Yarran has been a stand out in the WAFL runner up team Swan Districts alongside Naitanui and another young up and comer in Clancee Pearce. He kicks the impossible goal and has been compared with Port Power's Shaun Burgoyne but the doubters have cast a slight pall over his draft prospects. He'll certainly be taken but perhaps not as early as we might have thought earlier in the year. This group of players whose draft destinations are unknown and slightly problematic is indicative of why this draft is so unpredictable. At one stage or another they might have been considered early selections or possibilities to go in the range of the Demons' second round selections at 17 and 19. One or two still might be there but quite a few of them will be selected well before Melbourne's Barry Prendergast calls out his second selection of the draft meeting. Last year, some observers were successful in calling most of the top ten selections in advance. Thanks to this year's wild cards, that prospect is highly unlikely in 2008.

Demonland is again proud to present the views of "Stevo" who knows the ins and outs of the Under 18 TAC Cup scene from an insider's point of view. He was there at the National Under 18 championship games played in Melbourne this winter and here are his views on the 2008 draft prospects from a Melbourne Football Club perspective as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART ONE by Stevo SEND IN THE CLOWNS Cast your mind back to a Saturday evening back in 2007. To be exact, the evening of 11 August 2007 when the Demons were ever so generously permitted by the AFL to play a home game on a Saturday night in Melbourne (probably the last time it happened). The problem was that for some unknown reason, this fixture took place at Telstra Dome, the home ground of its opponent for the night, the Western Bulldogs, but in the end it probably didn't matter anyway. The Doggies were in a slight slump but a win that night would have put them into the top eight by a clear game. The Demons were in fifteenth position with just three wins. They had absolutely nothing to play for and were being quoted at $4.00 the win in a two horse race which made them rank outsiders. So what happened? In front of 18,946 witnesses they stunned the Western Bulldogs into submission to lead from start to finish and win by 42 points in a round 19 result that turned out to be more significantly to their own detriment because the four points gained from the match virtually ruled out their prospects of gaining a priority draft pick in 2007 (#19) and, as it turns out, the very succulent thought of having the first two picks at the forthcoming 2008 national draft. Just think about that for a moment or two. Had Melbourne done what everyone believed its fellow cellar dweller Carlton was doing at this time of the season (i.e. tanking games to ensure a better draft position), its supporters would now be spending their nights listening to some beautiful music and dreaming about the moment when their club's new recruiting officer Barry Prendergast calls out the first two names at a minute or so past 11 o'clock on the morning of Saturday 29 November 2008: - "Selection No 1 Melbourne [insert number] Jack Watts … Selection No 2 Melbourne [insert number] Daniel Rich" And then they could all rapturously break out into the opening lines of that wonderful song from the musical "A Little Night Music" at the thought of these two players in action together on the field in the red and navy blue colours:- Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground, You in mid-air. But alas, that won’t happen because, at exactly 7.10 pm on the night of Saturday 11 August 2007, the folk at melbournefc.com.au decided to send in the bloody clowns to win a game of football that was meaningless while elsewhere on this continent the boys in the navy blue were literally fumbling, stumbling and tripping over their feet losing the football on the way to eleven successive defeats to finish on four wins for the season. The exact number to earn them a priority pick at # 1 over Richmond which is precisely what Melbourne would have received this year had it lost to either the Bulldogs that night or to Carlton in Round 22, the latter of which was well nigh on impossible. As Whispering Jack put it to me recently, this was the night when "Melbourne snatched victory from the jaws of victory and ended up suffering a defeat!" Selection One - Isn't it Rich? I watched the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships with great interest and was very much taken by a young blond midfielder in Daniel Rich. The kid with the thumping, long and accurate left foot won All Australian selection but was too young for that year's draft. I marked him down as a certainty for # 1 this year and, though another WA youngster in Nick Naitanui was exciting many others, my mind never wavered until another blond youngster, this time from Victoria, emerged on the scene. Together the trio are my favourites for Selection One which is held by the Melbourne Football Club – to my mind, they are head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I also noted last year in the wake of the move to Carlton of West Coast star midfielder Chris Judd, that the "go home" factor was an issue that all club recruiting officers had to contend with when formulating their plans on draft day. It might not be considered the right thing to do but, in making my assessment as to where the top three will be selected this aspect was the sealer. That makes the choices pretty obvious. Melbourne will take Jack Watts first, West Coast will probably opt for Naitanui and Fremantle will happily take Rich. So, in answer to the question asked in the song: No, it isn’t Rich! Here are some pen pictures of the three draft specials of 2008 taken from the November edition of Inside Football. I don’t think I can add any more to the observations made by those who are close to the players themselves: JACK WATTS - tall forward, Sandringham Dragons, Vic DOB: 26/3/91 Ht 194cm* Wt: 85kg "Jack is just an exceptional player. It's hard to find an area he is isn't good at. He's an enormous reader of the game and makes good decisions in no time whatsoever. Type of player no-one can lay a hand on and has the ability to work in a phone box. Any cliché you care to come up with applies to Jack. If Melbourne was to take him with the No. 1 pick then they hopefully wouldn't allow the pressure of fans and whoever else to ruin a marquee player. I think if they are exceptionally patient then they will be repaid in spades. He's only 17 and has only played school footy. He's played more basketball than football. The one condition a side like Melbourne might have if they take him is that he doesn't play school football and he plays VFL next season. He blew the draft camp away with his testing. To watch him on the training track, we could nearly have charged to watch him train. Some of the things he does in close in handball drills and the like - he dances. There is massive upside to a kid who played basketball up until this year but I think he might be up to playing next year but completing his VCE will take precedence over that" - Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep 2008. Larke Medal All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Brighton Grammar. NICHOLAS NAITANUI - ruckman, Swan Districts, WA DOB: 4/5/90 Ht: 197cm Wt: 95kg "Nicholas is just a freak. He's not a natural footballer but on pure athletic ability he is in a class of his own. Has great closing speed, is a great jump and is starting to learn more about winning the ball around the ground but there is plenty to come. Needs to work on his foot skills as they still, have a way to go but his improvement has been pretty sharp over the last two years. He's certainly not a natural footballer and you'd expect whichever club takes him to spend a lot of time with him developing his decision making, but we think he could play some AFL footy next year, although probably not a whole season. We juggled things around with him later in the year and played him in some key positions, including full back, and he did it very effectively. There is really no one like him and I don't think anyone has seen anything like him. Athletically he's one of the best players ever to come through this club. Long term he'll probably be a ruckman but that's not to say a club couldn't develop another string to his bow because he has all the tools to work with." - Swan Districts football manager Matt Peach. WA rep 2007/2008. All Australian 2007/08. From Midvale JFC DANIEL RICH - midfielder, Subiaco, WA DOB: 7/6/90 Ht: 183cm Wt: 83kg "Daniel played in the league side all year so I only coached him in half a dozen games in the Colts last season. He played senior footy in a quality side with a quality midfield that is classes above anything else in the competition and he more than held his own. He mixed and matched through the midfield and half forward but because he played with onballers like Phil Read, Mark Haynes and Daniel Chick he wasn't thrown in there and expected to play every minute of every game of every week. Scott Watters (senior coach) made it a point to bring him along slowly and didn't throw him to the wolves. His greatest attributes are he's smart, he just knows where to go, he's very quick by hand, he knows when to give off, he knows when to bring others into the game and he can kick 60 metres on the fly - that's what sets him apart from any kid of his age. He's just got a thumping left foot I put him up there with (Rhys) Palmer as a player but the difference between them is that Rich can kick the ball a long, long way and turn defences around with it. He's got a man's body with big hips and strong shoulders. His other great quality is that he's a great listener and a great learner. He knows what's ahead and he's very grounded." - Subiaco Colts coach Tim Gossage WA rep 2007/08/ All Australian 2007/08. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Sorrento Duncraig FC. * at the October draft camp Watts was measured at close to 196 cm tall.

Demonland is again proud to present the views of "Stevo" who knows the ins and outs of the Under 18 TAC Cup scene from an insider's point of view. He was there at the National Under 18 championship games played in Melbourne this winter and here are his views on the 2008 draft prospects from a Melbourne Football Club perspective as told to Whispering Jack ... ANOTHER YEAR OF DRAFTING DANGEROUSLY – PART ONE by Stevo SEND IN THE CLOWNS Cast your mind back to a Saturday evening back in 2007. To be exact, the evening of 11 August 2007 when the Demons were ever so generously permitted by the AFL to play a home game on a Saturday night in Melbourne (probably the last time it happened). The problem was that for some unknown reason, this fixture took place at Telstra Dome, the home ground of its opponent for the night, the Western Bulldogs, but in the end it probably didn't matter anyway. The Doggies were in a slight slump but a win that night would have put them into the top eight by a clear game. The Demons were in fifteenth position with just three wins. They had absolutely nothing to play for and were being quoted at $4.00 the win in a two horse race which made them rank outsiders. So what happened? In front of 18,946 witnesses they stunned the Western Bulldogs into submission to lead from start to finish and win by 42 points in a round 19 result that turned out to be more significantly to their own detriment because the four points gained from the match virtually ruled out their prospects of gaining a priority draft pick in 2007 (#19) and, as it turns out, the very succulent thought of having the first two picks at the forthcoming 2008 national draft. Just think about that for a moment or two. Had Melbourne done what everyone believed its fellow cellar dweller Carlton was doing at this time of the season (i.e. tanking games to ensure a better draft position), its supporters would now be spending their nights listening to some beautiful music and dreaming about the moment when their club's new recruiting officer Barry Prendergast calls out the first two names at a minute or so past 11 o'clock on the morning of Saturday 29 November 2008: - "Selection No 1 Melbourne [insert number] Jack Watts … Selection No 2 Melbourne [insert number] Daniel Rich" And then they could all rapturously break out into the opening lines of that wonderful song from the musical "A Little Night Music" at the thought of these two players in action together on the field in the red and navy blue colours:- Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground, You in mid-air. But alas, that won’t happen because, at exactly 7.10 pm on the night of Saturday 11 August 2007, the folk at melbournefc.com.au decided to send in the bloody clowns to win a game of football that was meaningless while elsewhere on this continent the boys in the navy blue were literally fumbling, stumbling and tripping over their feet losing the football on the way to eleven successive defeats to finish on four wins for the season. The exact number to earn them a priority pick at # 1 over Richmond which is precisely what Melbourne would have received this year had it lost to either the Bulldogs that night or to Carlton in Round 22, the latter of which was well nigh on impossible. As Whispering Jack put it to me recently, this was the night when "Melbourne snatched victory from the jaws of victory and ended up suffering a defeat!" Selection One - Isn't it Rich? I watched the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships with great interest and was very much taken by a young blond midfielder in Daniel Rich. The kid with the thumping, long and accurate left foot won All Australian selection but was too young for that year's draft. I marked him down as a certainty for # 1 this year and, though another WA youngster in Nick Naitanui was exciting many others, my mind never wavered until another blond youngster, this time from Victoria, emerged on the scene. Together the trio are my favourites for Selection One which is held by the Melbourne Football Club – to my mind, they are head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I also noted last year in the wake of the move to Carlton of West Coast star midfielder Chris Judd, that the "go home" factor was an issue that all club recruiting officers had to contend with when formulating their plans on draft day. It might not be considered the right thing to do but, in making my assessment as to where the top three will be selected this aspect was the sealer. That makes the choices pretty obvious. Melbourne will take Jack Watts first, West Coast will probably opt for Naitanui and Fremantle will happily take Rich. So, in answer to the question asked in the song: No, it isn’t Rich! Here are some pen pictures of the three draft specials of 2008 taken from the November edition of Inside Football. I don’t think I can add any more to the observations made by those who are close to the players themselves: JACK WATTS - tall forward, Sandringham Dragons, Vic DOB: 26/3/91 Ht 194cm* Wt: 85kg "Jack is just an exceptional player. It's hard to find an area he is isn't good at. He's an enormous reader of the game and makes good decisions in no time whatsoever. Type of player no-one can lay a hand on and has the ability to work in a phone box. Any cliché you care to come up with applies to Jack. If Melbourne was to take him with the No. 1 pick then they hopefully wouldn't allow the pressure of fans and whoever else to ruin a marquee player. I think if they are exceptionally patient then they will be repaid in spades. He's only 17 and has only played school footy. He's played more basketball than football. The one condition a side like Melbourne might have if they take him is that he doesn't play school football and he plays VFL next season. He blew the draft camp away with his testing. To watch him on the training track, we could nearly have charged to watch him train. Some of the things he does in close in handball drills and the like - he dances. There is massive upside to a kid who played basketball up until this year but I think he might be up to playing next year but completing his VCE will take precedence over that" - Sandringham Dragons region manager Wayne Oswald. Vic Metro rep 2008. Larke Medal All Australian 2008. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Brighton Grammar. NICHOLAS NAITANUI - ruckman, Swan Districts, WA DOB: 4/5/90 Ht: 197cm Wt: 95kg "Nicholas is just a freak. He's not a natural footballer but on pure athletic ability he is in a class of his own. Has great closing speed, is a great jump and is starting to learn more about winning the ball around the ground but there is plenty to come. Needs to work on his foot skills as they still, have a way to go but his improvement has been pretty sharp over the last two years. He's certainly not a natural footballer and you'd expect whichever club takes him to spend a lot of time with him developing his decision making, but we think he could play some AFL footy next year, although probably not a whole season. We juggled things around with him later in the year and played him in some key positions, including full back, and he did it very effectively. There is really no one like him and I don't think anyone has seen anything like him. Athletically he's one of the best players ever to come through this club. Long term he'll probably be a ruckman but that's not to say a club couldn't develop another string to his bow because he has all the tools to work with." - Swan Districts football manager Matt Peach. WA rep 2007/2008. All Australian 2007/08. From Midvale JFC DANIEL RICH - midfielder, Subiaco, WA DOB: 7/6/90 Ht: 183cm Wt: 83kg "Daniel played in the league side all year so I only coached him in half a dozen games in the Colts last season. He played senior footy in a quality side with a quality midfield that is classes above anything else in the competition and he more than held his own. He mixed and matched through the midfield and half forward but because he played with onballers like Phil Read, Mark Haynes and Daniel Chick he wasn't thrown in there and expected to play every minute of every game of every week. Scott Watters (senior coach) made it a point to bring him along slowly and didn't throw him to the wolves. His greatest attributes are he's smart, he just knows where to go, he's very quick by hand, he knows when to give off, he knows when to bring others into the game and he can kick 60 metres on the fly - that's what sets him apart from any kid of his age. He's just got a thumping left foot I put him up there with (Rhys) Palmer as a player but the difference between them is that Rich can kick the ball a long, long way and turn defences around with it. He's got a man's body with big hips and strong shoulders. His other great quality is that he's a great listener and a great learner. He knows what's ahead and he's very grounded." - Subiaco Colts coach Tim Gossage WA rep 2007/08/ All Australian 2007/08. AIS-AFL Academy graduate. From Sorrento Duncraig FC. * at the October draft camp Watts was measured at close to 196 cm tall.

Alpha33 reports that Caroline Wilson was on 3AW last night and her segment opened with discussion on some of the difficulties the MFC is encountering in trying to resolve matters relating to the location of its new home. It's all highly political and involves the MCC, the AFL and the State Government. It's all a hard slog for the club but with resolution there will be a way ahead. BRINGING THEM BACK HOME - CARO ON 3AW Gerard Healy: There's plenty to talk about tonight but let's address what you wrote about in the Age this morning and that is the Demons. Reading your article and just listening and reading between the lines among various little snippets I've picked up it would appear as if the Demons are a pawn in a very big game at the present time involving the State Government, the MCC and the AFL. Caroline Wilson: I think that's right and they're trying to create their own destiny but of course it's difficult when you're waiting on money from the AFL and I think there was a meeting yesterday morning between Melbourne and the AFL. Well, I know there was. I don’t think it was a particularly pleasant meeting and a lot of that goes back to what previous Melbourne administrations did in the AFL’s eyes and the Commission's eyes with the money they were given but Melbourne need to know what they're getting next year from the AFL and I think they’ll know that … they won't know next week when the Commission meets. There’ll be other stuff discussed next week, Ben Cousins and the Gold Coast primarily but before Christmas they will know. I think they've asked for about $2m next year and I think in the short term they need it. In the long term this new board and this new chief executive Cameron Schwab, there is no doubt in my mind they see the MCG as their home. They want to set up a training base there, even if they move in part terms to the rectangular stadium which is also going to house Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory I believe it will only be in part terms … Gerard Healy: Surely they'll outgrow that. If Melbourne are successful they’ll outgrow that office in a very short period of time if they go to the rectangular stadium. Caroline Wilson: They already have. There's room in that design for 45 people, already Melbourne’s staff is 50. The West Coast equivalent that they're going to build hopefully if the government allows it under this new political party in Subiaco has room for 150. It's ridiculous. Gerard Healy: So tell me the forces that are weighing on the Melbourne situation. Caroline Wilson: It's a bureaucratic thicket as we wrote today but I mean what you’ve got is an AFL trying to curry favour with the state government because the AFL needs the state government to put pressure on the MCG so it can get a better stadium better stadium built for Melbourne and Richmond and Collingwood and Hawthorn and all the clubs that play there. You’ve also got a situation where the state government wants an AFL team in that rectangular stadium spending all this money. Gerard Healy: At what about $800,000.00 rent a year? Caroline Wilson: It's too much. It's far too much. Melbourne wants subsidised rent at the rectangular stadium, they want the AFL to subsidise it and what the government and what the Melbourne Olympic Park Trust is saying to Melbourne that if you want to train at Gosch's Paddock or at one of these training areas out of Olympic Park we want you in the new rectangular stadium. Melbourne are saying, "we were born out of the MCG, we don't have a suburb to hang our hat on and they have a blueprint for the future and it is very definitely saying bring the boys back home and home is the MCG. Keep Casey. Always go out to Casey. They are training there at the moment three times a week, they're very happy there but that is very much a community enterprise in the manner that a lot of clubs are doing. I think Richmond is trying to do the same one at Craigieburn Gerard Healy: Isn't it a time though that Melbourne got a home? And one home? Caroline Wilson: Gerard. It's the MCG. Gerard Healy: If they go to the MCG they’ll still be in bits and pieces. They’ll be out at Casey; they’ll be in at the MCG … Caroline Wilson: No they want to have, short term, move into those two largely unused training rooms in the Southern Stand. Dwayne Russell: They're not allowed to train on the MCG. They’ll never be able to do that … Caroline Wilson: No. Gosch’s Paddock is a short walk. Collingwood are doing it at the moment, they’re doing the same. They’re walking from their training ground at Lexus and keep the community facility in the outer suburbs, which is what a lot of clubs are trying to do now, Dwayne. They want the MCG to be their home and in the long term, in the next ten years, when the AFL, the state government and the MCG develop the Great Southern Stand there'll be this huge elite training facility. Brunton Avenue will probably be underground and over it be Melbourne hope will be the Melbourne Football Club and I think it's a very worth strategy, I really do. Caroline Wilson's article in the Age: Demons plan to turn MCG into elite facility Thanks to Alpha33 for providing the transcript to an important interview about the club.

This of course, could all be somewhat premature but from this point in time, the numbers game will become interesting. On my reckoning we have to fill the following:- 4, 9, 13, 17, 28, 34 and 43 and possibly one or two others.

THE BOOK OF NUMBERS - NUMBER FOUR by the Professor Two dozen players have worn the number four guernsey in senior games for the Melbourne Football Club since the inception of jumper numbers in 1912. Players wearing the number have appeared in nine premierships, led the club's goal kicking in three years and made assorted state teams. The full list of wearers of the number four is: 1912 Jim Fitzpatrick (12 in 1913) 1913 William McKenzie (6 in 1912, 27 in 1914, 18 in 1915) 1914 Percy Colee 1915 Tim Collins (24 in 1914) 1919 William McKenzie (see above) 1920 Alec Farrow (25 in 1919, 28 in 1921) 1921 Francis Lyon 1922 Alf Oldham 1923 – 1924 Tom Elliott 1926 – 1932 Jim Abernethy (14 in 1923 – 1924) 1933 – 1934 Jack Sambell 1935 – 1948 Norman Smith 1949 Robert Chadwick 1950 Jack Hiscock 1951 – 1955 Ken Christie 1957 – 1965 John Lord 1966 – 1967 Peter Smith 1968 – 1979 Tony Sullivan (43 in 1967) 1980 – 1987 Peter Giles (45 in 1979) 1988 – 1991 Tony Campbell (40 in 1986 – 1987) 1992, 1994 Chris Sullivan 1995 – 1997 Andrew Obst (29 in 1990 – 1994) 1998 – 2001 Brent Grgic (48 in 1997) 2002 - 2003 Craig Ellis 2004 – 2008 Ben Holland THE RED FOX - NORM SMITH The above list includes some handy footballers who have represented the club over the years but one name stands above all as one of the most significant personalities in the history of the Melbourne Football Club. The Red Fox, Norman Walter "Norm" Smith proudly wore the number four with distinction over fourteen years (1935 – 1948) during which his team won four premierships. Smith also went on to become the greatest coach in the sport of Australian football leading the Demons to an unprecedented six premierships in the decade from 1955 to 1964. The story of this icon of the Melbourne Football Club is told in the recently released "The Red Fox: The Biography of Norm Smith, Legendary Melbourne Coach" by Ben Collins. Norm Smith and his brother Len were brought up in the tough, working-class suburb of Northcote and recruited in the latter part of the great depression years to the Melbourne Football Club. Norm's career began with the club at the age of 19 under the legendary "Checker" Hughes in 1935 and his career soon blossomed but older brother Len moved on to the VFA and subsequently made his name with Fitzroy both as a player and a coach before finishing with Richmond. When the Smiths arrived on the scene, Hughes was in the process of developing a team from the ground up, turning them gradually from the meek Fuschias to the mighty Demons. Norm Smith was versatile. He could play in the middle but soon established a place as full forward in a dangerous attack that included club greats in Jack Mueller and Ron Baggott. The club's reign as VFL powerhouse began in 1939 when it won that season's premiership against Collingwood with a record grand final score and record winning margin. Smith was the star of the following year's grand final booting a record seven goals. The Demons completed the hat trick of flags in 1941 even though many players were missing due to war service and injury on grand final day. Smith won the best and fairest in 1938, headed the club’s goal kicking from 1938 to 1941, was leading VFL goal kicker in 1938 and 1939 and his record of 546 goals at the club was only recently surpassed by former skipper David Neitz. Smith was already a life member of the club when he was elevated to the captaincy in 1945 and, in the following year, he led the team to a grand final defeat against Essendon. Two years later, he would avenge that loss when his underdog Demons managed to scrape a draw in the grand final and then dominate the replay a week later in what was the last of his 210 games with the Melbourne Football Club. After a brief stint as coach of Fitzroy, Smith returned to the club as coach in 1952 and soon lifted the team to a grand final in 1954. What followed was a decade of dominance that saw Melbourne win six premierships: 1955-56-57, 1959-60 and 1964 – in the most successful era achieved by any AFL/VFL club. In the eleven years from 1954, the club never finished lower than fourth and played off in seven consecutive grand finals. The wheels fell off after the club won its twelfth and last premiership in 1964. At the end of that year, Melbourne's skipper and star player Ron Barassi, who had lived with Smith and his wife as a teenager, dropped a bombshell when he announced he was moving to Carlton where he had been appointed captain-coach. Smith offered to resign but Barassi insisted on moving to Carlton and from then on tensions developed within the club and its coach. An umpire sued Smith for defamation but he had no support from the club committee. Then, on the Friday evening before the match against North Melbourne at Coburg, Smith was sacked as coach via notice delivered by a courier despite the fact that his team had won 10 of the first 12 games of 1965. A dramatic week ensued after which Smith was reinstated but Melbourne won just one more game for the year and missed out on the finals. The club's most successful era was over and it took over two decades for the Demons to reappear in the finals. Some even say that the club is suffering a curse as a result of the dramatic events of 1965. Health problems forced Smith to resign at the end of 1967 but within two years he was back coaching South Melbourne which he took to the finals for the first time since 1945 when the Swans made the first semi of 1971. A year later Smith resigned his duties and on 29 July 1973, a stunned football world heard that Norm Smith had died of a cerebral tumour at the age of 61. Smith was named in Melbourne's Team of the Century in 2000 as a player (at full forward) and as coach. The following year he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame, its first "Legend". THANK THE LORD! During most of Smith's reign as football’s super coach, the custodian of the number four guernsey at Melbourne was another big man in John Lord who played 132 games (80 goals) for the club between 1957 and 1965. The son of a former player, Lord arrived at Melbourne in time to play in a premiership in his debut season. He was a big man who could play in defence or attack with the occasional run in the ruck and his forte was his strong marking. He played in four premiership teams - 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1964. Lord has had a long involvement with the club's past players and officials association. THE NUMBER FOUR Long before the days of Smith and Lord, the number 4 was first worn by Jim Fitzpatrick who played 81 games from after crossing as a defender from the then junior club in Hawthorn. He was the first to take the number in 1912, then changed to 12 in 1913. It seems that there was little loyalty to any particular jumper number because the next wearer of number 4, William McKenzie held it for just one year (1913) after starting with the number six, moving to 27 in 1914, 18 in 1915 before returning to the number four for his final season in 1919. McKenzie was a dashing winger full of skill and poise who played 112 games (11 goals) for the club between 1909 and 1915 and in 1919. Percival W. Colee from Coburg wore the number 4 guernsey in 1914 and in the following season another ex-Hawthorn player in Tim Collins switched to that jumper from the number 24. In all, Collins played 20 games for 20 goals. Alec Farrow was a clever half forward who moved to Melbourne in 1919 and wore 25 that year before replacing William McKenzie as the holder of number four in 1920. Farrow represented his state in 1920 and 1921. Another jumper switcher, Farrow wore 28 in his final season of 1921 and represented Melbourne a total of 33 times for 10 goals. The number four continued to move around as it was worn by Francis Lyon (1921), Alf Oldham (1922) and Tom Elliott (1923-1924). Between them, these gentlemen could only manage 15 games and after a hiatus of one year, the jumper was handed over to Jim Abernethy in 1926 and was finally worn by a Melbourne premiership player. Abernethy was a rugged half back flanker from Wesley College who originally wore number 14 in 1923-1924. He was a member of the club's second premiership side in 1926 and gave great service in a 130 game (61 goal) career that ended in 1932. Jack Sambell , who hailed from Glen Iris was the next wearer of the number four which he did over the years 1933 and 1934 in 24 games during which time he kicked 6 goals. He was succeeded by Norm Smith. A decade and a half later, in 1949, Melbourne Grammarian, Robert Chadwick wore guernsey four on two occasions before handing it over to Jack Hiscock from Sandringham who wore it on four occasions. Ken Christie, a strong ruckman/defender from Echuca, arrived at Melbourne in 1951. He played 70 games (9 goals) including the losing grand final of 1954 before retiring in 1955. After a year's break, the number four was taken by a fellow big man from Echuca in John Lord who handed the number to the son of the Red Fox in 1966. Peter Smith was a forward who played 23 games (23 goals) to the end of 1967 when he crossed over to Carlton where he played out another three seasons. The jumper was next worn by a dour and dogged defender from St. Patricks College Ballarat who played two games in 1967 wearing the number 43, For the next dozen years, Sullivan was a leading presence in Melbourne's back line who stood out as a consistent performer over 191 games(during which time he kicked a solitary goal) until 1979. He won state selection in 1971. Pony tailed blond defender Peter Giles arrived at the Melbourne Football Club from VFA side Sandringham in 1979 and wore the number 45 in his first season before inheriting the number four from Sullivan. A player who did not always see things eye to eye with coach Ron Barassi, Giles survived a number of injury problems before his VFL career ended in 1987 when he returned to the VFA to play with Prahran after 124 games and 32 goals. Next cab off the rank was the colourful Tony Campbell who switched from 40 to 4 in 1988. Campbell, who could play both forward and down back, was eventually traded to Footscray after 75 games (61 goals). He was entrepreneurial in marketing gloves for footballers and also tried his hand later at the American sport of gridiron. When he left the club at the end of 1991, the number four was given to Chris Sullivan, the son of Tony, who played 27 games (22 goals) before crossing to Richmond. South Australian dasher Andrew Obst wore the number 29 for the early part of his career at Melbourne between 1990 and 1994 but switched to the number four for the remainder of his time at the club until the end of 1997. A skilful wingman, Obst played a total of 149 games and booted 60 goals for the Demons. Brent Grgic was an early draft pick from Bell Post Hill near Geelong who came to the club with great wraps in 1997. The expectation was that he would eventually replace Garry Lyon as a leading key position player but Grgic's time at the club was marred by groin problems and other injuries. After wearing 48 in his debut year, he took number four and wore it until the end of 2001 when he was traded to the Cats. He finished with 77 games and 29 goals and never fulfilled the hopes of many at the club. Craig Ellis from the Western Bulldogs was picked up by Melbourne in the same trade period that saw Grgic go to Geelong and he took the number four but managed to wear it only 15 times in the two seasons to the end of 2003 after being hampered by knee injuries. The mantle of jumper four was then taken by Ben Holland who crossed from Richmond and played at Melbourne for five years as a big bodied defender who could occasionally pinch hit in a key forward position. He recently announced his retirement after 66 games and 55 goals with the club. NEXT! With the departure of Ben Holland the number four guernsey is vacant again and, in view of the fact that its two greatest wearers were big key forwards, one wonders if it might not be handed over to a tall, young recruit in a few week's time. But of course, that remains in the future …

THE BOOK OF NUMBERS - NUMBER FOUR by the Professor Two dozen players have worn the number four guernsey in senior games for the Melbourne Football Club since the inception of jumper numbers in 1912. Players wearing the number have appeared in nine premierships, led the club's goal kicking in three years and made assorted state teams. The full list of wearers of the number four is: 1912 Jim Fitzpatrick (12 in 1913) 1913 William McKenzie (6 in 1912, 27 in 1914, 18 in 1915) 1914 Percy Colee 1915 Tim Collins (24 in 1914) 1919 William McKenzie (see above) 1920 Alec Farrow (25 in 1919, 28 in 1921) 1921 Francis Lyon 1922 Alf Oldham 1923 – 1924 Tom Elliott 1926 – 1932 Jim Abernethy (14 in 1923 – 1924) 1933 – 1934 Jack Sambell 1935 – 1948 Norman Smith 1949 Robert Chadwick 1950 Jack Hiscock 1951 – 1955 Ken Christie 1957 – 1965 John Lord 1966 – 1967 Peter Smith 1968 – 1979 Tony Sullivan (43 in 1967) 1980 – 1987 Peter Giles (45 in 1979) 1988 – 1991 Tony Campbell (40 in 1986 – 1987) 1992, 1994 Chris Sullivan 1995 – 1997 Andrew Obst (29 in 1990 – 1994) 1998 – 2001 Brent Grgic (48 in 1997) 2002 - 2003 Craig Ellis 2004 – 2008 Ben Holland THE RED FOX - NORM SMITH The above list includes some handy footballers who have represented the club over the years but one name stands above all as one of the most significant personalities in the history of the Melbourne Football Club. The Red Fox, Norman Walter "Norm" Smith proudly wore the number four with distinction over fourteen years (1935 – 1948) during which his team won four premierships. Smith also went on to become the greatest coach in the sport of Australian football leading the Demons to an unprecedented six premierships in the decade from 1955 to 1964. The story of this icon of the Melbourne Football Club is told in the recently released "The Red Fox: The Biography of Norm Smith, Legendary Melbourne Coach" by Ben Collins. Norm Smith and his brother Len were brought up in the tough, working-class suburb of Northcote and recruited in the latter part of the great depression years to the Melbourne Football Club. Norm's career began with the club at the age of 19 under the legendary "Checker" Hughes in 1935 and his career soon blossomed but older brother Len moved on to the VFA and subsequently made his name with Fitzroy both as a player and a coach before finishing with Richmond. When the Smiths arrived on the scene, Hughes was in the process of developing a team from the ground up, turning them gradually from the meek Fuschias to the mighty Demons. Norm Smith was versatile. He could play in the middle but soon established a place as full forward in a dangerous attack that included club greats in Jack Mueller and Ron Baggott. The club's reign as VFL powerhouse began in 1939 when it won that season's premiership against Collingwood with a record grand final score and record winning margin. Smith was the star of the following year's grand final booting a record seven goals. The Demons completed the hat trick of flags in 1941 even though many players were missing due to war service and injury on grand final day. Smith won the best and fairest in 1938, headed the club’s goal kicking from 1938 to 1941, was leading VFL goal kicker in 1938 and 1939 and his record of 546 goals at the club was only recently surpassed by former skipper David Neitz. Smith was already a life member of the club when he was elevated to the captaincy in 1945 and, in the following year, he led the team to a grand final defeat against Essendon. Two years later, he would avenge that loss when his underdog Demons managed to scrape a draw in the grand final and then dominate the replay a week later in what was the last of his 210 games with the Melbourne Football Club. After a brief stint as coach of Fitzroy, Smith returned to the club as coach in 1952 and soon lifted the team to a grand final in 1954. What followed was a decade of dominance that saw Melbourne win six premierships: 1955-56-57, 1959-60 and 1964 – in the most successful era achieved by any AFL/VFL club. In the eleven years from 1954, the club never finished lower than fourth and played off in seven consecutive grand finals. The wheels fell off after the club won its twelfth and last premiership in 1964. At the end of that year, Melbourne's skipper and star player Ron Barassi, who had lived with Smith and his wife as a teenager, dropped a bombshell when he announced he was moving to Carlton where he had been appointed captain-coach. Smith offered to resign but Barassi insisted on moving to Carlton and from then on tensions developed within the club and its coach. An umpire sued Smith for defamation but he had no support from the club committee. Then, on the Friday evening before the match against North Melbourne at Coburg, Smith was sacked as coach via notice delivered by a courier despite the fact that his team had won 10 of the first 12 games of 1965. A dramatic week ensued after which Smith was reinstated but Melbourne won just one more game for the year and missed out on the finals. The club's most successful era was over and it took over two decades for the Demons to reappear in the finals. Some even say that the club is suffering a curse as a result of the dramatic events of 1965. Health problems forced Smith to resign at the end of 1967 but within two years he was back coaching South Melbourne which he took to the finals for the first time since 1945 when the Swans made the first semi of 1971. A year later Smith resigned his duties and on 29 July 1973, a stunned football world heard that Norm Smith had died of a cerebral tumour at the age of 61. Smith was named in Melbourne's Team of the Century in 2000 as a player (at full forward) and as coach. The following year he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame, its first "Legend". THANK THE LORD! During most of Smith's reign as football’s super coach, the custodian of the number four guernsey at Melbourne was another big man in John Lord who played 132 games (80 goals) for the club between 1957 and 1965. The son of a former player, Lord arrived at Melbourne in time to play in a premiership in his debut season. He was a big man who could play in defence or attack with the occasional run in the ruck and his forte was his strong marking. He played in four premiership teams - 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1964. Lord has had a long involvement with the club's past players and officials association. THE NUMBER FOUR Long before the days of Smith and Lord, the number 4 was first worn by Jim Fitzpatrick who played 81 games from after crossing as a defender from the then junior club in Hawthorn. He was the first to take the number in 1912, then changed to 12 in 1913. It seems that there was little loyalty to any particular jumper number because the next wearer of number 4, William McKenzie held it for just one year (1913) after starting with the number six, moving to 27 in 1914, 18 in 1915 before returning to the number four for his final season in 1919. McKenzie was a dashing winger full of skill and poise who played 112 games (11 goals) for the club between 1909 and 1915 and in 1919. Percival W. Colee from Coburg wore the number 4 guernsey in 1914 and in the following season another ex-Hawthorn player in Tim Collins switched to that jumper from the number 24. In all, Collins played 20 games for 20 goals. Alec Farrow was a clever half forward who moved to Melbourne in 1919 and wore 25 that year before replacing William McKenzie as the holder of number four in 1920. Farrow represented his state in 1920 and 1921. Another jumper switcher, Farrow wore 28 in his final season of 1921 and represented Melbourne a total of 33 times for 10 goals. The number four continued to move around as it was worn by Francis Lyon (1921), Alf Oldham (1922) and Tom Elliott (1923-1924). Between them, these gentlemen could only manage 15 games and after a hiatus of one year, the jumper was handed over to Jim Abernethy in 1926 and was finally worn by a Melbourne premiership player. Abernethy was a rugged half back flanker from Wesley College who originally wore number 14 in 1923-1924. He was a member of the club's second premiership side in 1926 and gave great service in a 130 game (61 goal) career that ended in 1932. Jack Sambell , who hailed from Glen Iris was the next wearer of the number four which he did over the years 1933 and 1934 in 24 games during which time he kicked 6 goals. He was succeeded by Norm Smith. A decade and a half later, in 1949, Melbourne Grammarian, Robert Chadwick wore guernsey four on two occasions before handing it over to Jack Hiscock from Sandringham who wore it on four occasions. Ken Christie, a strong ruckman/defender from Echuca, arrived at Melbourne in 1951. He played 70 games (9 goals) including the losing grand final of 1954 before retiring in 1955. After a year's break, the number four was taken by a fellow big man from Echuca in John Lord who handed the number to the son of the Red Fox in 1966. Peter Smith was a forward who played 23 games (23 goals) to the end of 1967 when he crossed over to Carlton where he played out another three seasons. The jumper was next worn by a dour and dogged defender from St. Patricks College Ballarat who played two games in 1967 wearing the number 43, For the next dozen years, Sullivan was a leading presence in Melbourne's back line who stood out as a consistent performer over 191 games(during which time he kicked a solitary goal) until 1979. He won state selection in 1971. Pony tailed blond defender Peter Giles arrived at the Melbourne Football Club from VFA side Sandringham in 1979 and wore the number 45 in his first season before inheriting the number four from Sullivan. A player who did not always see things eye to eye with coach Ron Barassi, Giles survived a number of injury problems before his VFL career ended in 1987 when he returned to the VFA to play with Prahran after 124 games and 32 goals. Next cab off the rank was the colourful Tony Campbell who switched from 40 to 4 in 1988. Campbell, who could play both forward and down back, was eventually traded to Footscray after 75 games (61 goals). He was entrepreneurial in marketing gloves for footballers and also tried his hand later at the American sport of gridiron. When he left the club at the end of 1991, the number four was given to Chris Sullivan, the son of Tony, who played 27 games (22 goals) before crossing to Richmond. South Australian dasher Andrew Obst wore the number 29 for the early part of his career at Melbourne between 1990 and 1994 but switched to the number four for the remainder of his time at the club until the end of 1997. A skilful wingman, Obst played a total of 149 games and booted 60 goals for the Demons. Brent Grgic was an early draft pick from Bell Post Hill near Geelong who came to the club with great wraps in 1997. The expectation was that he would eventually replace Garry Lyon as a leading key position player but Grgic's time at the club was marred by groin problems and other injuries. After wearing 48 in his debut year, he took number four and wore it until the end of 2001 when he was traded to the Cats. He finished with 77 games and 29 goals and never fulfilled the hopes of many at the club. Craig Ellis from the Western Bulldogs was picked up by Melbourne in the same trade period that saw Grgic go to Geelong and he took the number four but managed to wear it only 15 times in the two seasons to the end of 2003 after being hampered by knee injuries. The mantle of jumper four was then taken by Ben Holland who crossed from Richmond and played at Melbourne for five years as a big bodied defender who could occasionally pinch hit in a key forward position. He recently announced his retirement after 66 games and 55 goals with the club. NEXT! With the departure of Ben Holland the number four guernsey is vacant again and, in view of the fact that its two greatest wearers were big key forwards, one wonders if it might not be handed over to a tall, young recruit in a few week's time. But of course, that remains in the future …

Well, considering it was such a historic day, it's a bit disappointing that we couldn't get anyone down there to report on proceedings. Still, I guess that's the low key approach the club wants to its activities.

Thursday morning 8am and a brand new era begins. No, not the era of Obama but the era of Melbourne at Casey Fields and a new partnership with the Casey Scorpions, a team whose colours are predominantly red and blue. We welcome training reports from Demon fans from down that way at Melbourne's first ever training session at Casey Fields. on Thursday 6 November 2008.

DEMONLAND/DEMONOLOGY v TALKING CARLTON – Forum Game - Sunday, 2 November, 2008 by Rollinson 65 This game was equal to, or better than, our first stoush with Sainsational. The game was so good, and played in such great spirit, that I have to admit I would not have cared all that much if we had lost, and the blues would have been worthy winners. Gosch's paddock was not available, owing to some serious construction work in the middle of the field. We moved to a combined rugby/soccer oval (or square) next door, played without wings, and used the rugby goals, with some bags to give some guidance to the goal umpys. Paul (Do it for Robbie) did a great job for us, even standing up to the field umpire over a disputed goal call. When we moved over, there were some soccer guys doing a bit of kick-to-kick, but they soon scarpered when they saw our numbers. Our initial 19-20 grew to 23-24 during the match, and the Blues matched our numbers. Wise Monkey strolled up casually at the start and informed us that Blessed_hands would "not be running with us today". Wise then proceeded to fill in for Billy, who came to watch, and did not stop running all day. With Oxxx's absence on Sunday, I think I may be the only person who has seen all of Wise's games for us. There are other candidates, but this was arguably his very best, and he undoubtedly deserved his share of the Vinnie Catoggio Medal for best Dees player. First quarter It became obvious in the first 5 minutes that this was going to be a serious contest, with good quality players on both sides, and the blues matching our passion and commitment. At the same time, it was a forum footy game, so there were many occasions on which players on both sides held back when they could have legitimately presented their bodies and caused injury. It was another indication of a game played in great spirit. The injury to Rivvo (from demonology) was entirely fortuitous, and we are hoping for news that the knee injury is not serious. The mid-fields were evenly matched. During the day, ours included Wise, Imtoohot and Scotty (Mclean4brownlow's older brother), with Rusty_kingswood and Doggo alternating in the ruck. Many other players did mid-field duties but - and this applies to the entire match report - I never tire of saying that it is hard to keep track when the coaches keep rotating the players and every other player is wearing number 5! Mclean4brownlow slotted our fist goal, and Scotty our second for the quarter. In this first quarter, Mickrocks1 provided tremendous run out of the back line, and his winning of the contested ball was fantastic all day. Mick is severe on himself for his lack of ability deal with the pill once he gets it, but yesterday I did not agree with him. He and the rest of the back line saved us from severe embarrassment in this quarter. Back to the mid-field contest. The skills and bravery displayed by both sides in heavy traffic made for an entertaining game. Many times, the Dees supporters' group (we could not help ourselves) erupted into cheers and applause for the efforts of the opposition, as well as for our own guys (and girl). The spectators were privileged to witness yesterday's game. It cost us nothing but a bit of sunburn, and the footy skills on display were at times breathtaking. At quarter time, it was even stevens, Dees 2.5. 17, Blues 2.5. 17. Second quarter People talked about a wind advantage, but I couldn't see it or feel it. In this quarter, we were supposedly kicking against the wind, but there were really no excuses for what happened. Hards had admonished us not to overuse the ball, but nobody listened to him or the coaches. We dominated possession for most of the quarter, and had the blues very much on the back foot, but we couldn’t score any "overs". It was bloody frustrating for the spectators, and must have been even more frustrating for the players. The Blues occasionally went forward, and scored goals. The game was played in this quarter mostly in our crowded forward line, but we could only score behinds. The blues were canny and kicked long and straight. We peppered the goals and over-used the footy. Scotty dodged and weaved, and kicked truly again. Thank god! And Rusty_kingswood bullied another. We got great service out of Pringle, Demon tingles and, basically, the whole team were out-playing the opposition all over the park. The Blues were canny and scored 4.1 for the quarter. We were shocking in front of goal and scored 2.13! So, at half-time, it was Dees, 4.18. 42 to Blues 6.6. 42. Third quarter Surprisingly, the third quarter became an arm-wrestle. Our dominance in general play disappeared and the Blues stepped up a notch or three. We couldn't shake the bastards, and neither team could get a clear break. The Blues really came back at us in this quarter, and we had to grudgingly begin to respect their passion and their commitment. Both sides were playing passionate "take no prisoners" footy, there were some fantastic marks and some superb marking contests. Melbourne had promised us storms and rain. All the players had was clear skies and relentless heat. It told on everybody, particularly on your courageous reporter, who had to walk (briskly mind) across the ground each quarter to compare scores with the blues' scorekeeper. Well, we won the quarter, but it was a near thing, and we went into the final break with a slender 5 point lead. When Rivvo went down with his knee, Benno realised the umpy had not stopped play, and soccered a valuable goal. Scotty ducked and weaved (and then surprised a blues player by running straight through him) to score again. And it was in this quarter that Rusty's mate, James, was sent forward to provide a target in Rivvo's absence. He slotted his first and our third for the quarter. I may have got the wrong quarter, but Doggo provided a real highlight with a great speccie. He judged the mark so well, and hung in the air for so long. It was a genuine screamer. In this quarter, too, we started to really notice Grant in the last line of defence. Time and time again, he took crisp, clean marks and held the blues out. This was not modern footy. It was 60's or 70's footy. Grant backed himself and won marking contest after marking contest. He played so well that he shared the Vinnie with Wise. Mick, a mate of Wise, came on in this quarter to give us more drive, and Pringles’ brother Dookie also came on to give us fresh run out of the back line. In this quarter, too, we noticed the fearless footy of Cameronthebruce, a humble bloke but one who shirks no contest and is something of a ball magnet. We kicked 3.3 for the quarter against the Blues' 2.4. Still anybody's game. 3 quarter time, it was Dees 7.21 63 to Blues 8.10.58 Final quarter. In the last quarter, James really stood up, and kicked 2 very (very) good goals for us. But the highlight of the quarter (and the game) came from a skinny young kid in the blues' forward line. He soccered an amazing Yze-like goal to give the blues the lead with 5 minutes to play. We opened the glass ceiling with the entry onto the ground in this quarter of our first female player, Jo who tackled her task with great gusto. Relentless, tough footy followed until James took a mark on a (very) difficult angle about 30 metres out, ignored all leads, and calmly sent the ball straight through to give us the lead with seconds to play. The Dees supporters loudly chanted a countdown of the remaining seconds that the umpy couldn’t miss. Final score - Dees 9.24 78 to Blues 10.16.76 ESCAPE! We have regular players to come back, and we were admirably served by our fist-gamers yesterday. But the blues were missing regulars too. This game obviously could have gone either way. I think that (as with Saintsational) we have to acknowledge that the next game could easily be won by the Blues. I agree with Pringle. The people who played their hearts out for the Blues yesterday seem like decent blokes. And (somehow), they are as committed and passionate about their jumper as we are about ours. Congratulations to our guys (and girl) for battling so hard in the heat to bring us a first victory over the blues. I really hope there will be more games with them in the future. And a word about the umpy. Luke was fantastic, stamped his authority early, made good and clear decisions, and I hope he will agree to umpire for us again. And a word about the coaches. Redleg and WJ were superb again yesterday, and really give us an edge. And a word about the helpers and water-bringers. Legend and Dee knees (from demonology) and do it for Robbie - we couldn’t do without you. Argue with me if you like, and add in any players you think I've missed, but I thought our best included Wise, Grant, Scotty, James, rusty, imtoohot, Pingle, Demon tingles, Doggo, Cameronthebruce, 45hotgod, Mclean4brownlow and Benno, but thanks to all for a great day and special thanks to Melbourne for all the time and effort spent on organising. Joint winners of the Vinnie Catoggio Medal for BOG's were Wise Monkey and Grant. Goal kickers were James and Scotty (3 each) and Benno, McLean4Brownlow and Rusty Kingswood. Melbourne 2.5.17 4.18.42 7.21.53 9.24.78 Carlton 2.5.17 6.6.42 8.10.58 10.16.76 Joint winners of the Vinnie Catoggio Medal for BOG's were Wise Monkey and Grant. Goal kickers were James and Scotty (3 each) and Benno, McLean4Brownlow and Rusty Kingswood. Injuries Melbourne Rivvo (knee) Carlton Nil Umpire Luke Official Crowd 15 at Gosch’s Paddock (#2) See the pictures: Demonland 9 24 78 d Talking Carlton 10 16 76 at Punt Road 2nd November, 2008 http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wo8DdrOdM Demonland 21 18 144 d Saintsational 6 4 40 at Gosch's Paddock 17th February, 2008 Demonland sing Grand Old Flag after beating Saintsational 139 -100 at Glenferrie Oval 26th November, 2006

You can read parts of Nathan Buckley's Book HERE, HERE and HERE and excerpts from the Emma Quayle book on line here - THE DRAFT

READING IN THE DARK by Whispering Jack I recently took what was supposed to be a ten-day break from work and went up north to laze in the sun and read a book or two. My holiday co-incided with the gloom and doom of the collapse of the world’s economic markets and, at the same time, the news about my football team wasn’t all that flash either. No major sponsor, no visible progress with the MCC talks, the potential collapse of the Casey Fields deal, no gains in the trade week and acrimony over the future of Nathan Carroll. It seemed as if Melbourne was as much on the nose as any of the thousands of stocks that were plummeting on the All Ordinaries index. Gloom and doom. Thankfully, I enjoy reading books and this time I was well stocked. I had two football books and a fine piece of pulp fiction that goes under the heading of "crime thriller". I couldn't entirely escape the footy with that one because the author's name is Connolly (but not Chris - Michael). The reading was good and the contents of the books were in a sense inspiring and helped counter that gloom and doom in the news headlines both business and sporting. The first of the footy books was Nathan Buckley's All I Can Be written with Ben Collins. It's an autobiography of sorts, one which is both triumphant in that it chronicles the illustrious career of a champion footballer who became captain of his club and won a Brownlow Medal and somewhat tragic in that it also covers the difficult relationship between Buckley and his father and his unfulfilled desire to be an AFL premiership player. Just as he did throughout his career, Buckley pulled no punches in writing his book. As the title indicates, he wanted to be all he could be but was denied a premiership and the irony is that had a chosen to complete his original contract to play with North Melbourne, or had he remained with Brisbane, he would in all likelihood, have achieved that objective – and done it more than once. The Kangaroos won the flag in 1996 and 1999 while Brisbane, which was a footballing basket case in Buckley’s only season with that club (1993) went on to score a hat trick of premierships between 2001 and 2003. I couldn't help but reflect on this during my reading of the book and, for selfish reasons, would like to see others of more recent history who spurned a lowly club for the glamour and the money suffer the same fate when their own careers come to an end. Trust a book by and about a Collingwood player to bring out the mean and nasty streak in me! Another side of Nathan Buckley was his transition from a youngster who some regarded as arrogant and a bit of a larrikin (FIGJAM) into the complete footballer and a leader of men as he matured at Collingwood. An uncompromising figure as a footballer, he became the ideal captain. In that respect, I can see a bit of him in Brock McLean and for some reason, I kept thinking as I read the Buckley story how the time is right for him take over the duties of leadership of the Melbourne Football Club. In saying that I understand fully that McLean blotted his copybook with some errant behaviour in last year's off-season. Perhaps, he came under the influence of the wrong person or perhaps his head got a bit too big, but I have faith in McLean's ability to come back mentally and physically from last year's woes (which included an injury that ended his 2008 season early) and to demonstrate that he has what it takes to take this club's emerging young side into what will hopefully be its next phase of success. His appointment as skipper would welcome in a new chapter in our history and put an end to what has been a disappointing few years for the Melbourne Football Club. I highly recommend Emma Quayle's The Draft. It's an enjoyable read that gives an insight into many aspects of the AFL's recruiting processes and it's one of the best books I have read on the subject of football, behind Richard Stremski's Kill for Collingwood and a couple of books by Garry Linnell (Football LTD: The Inside Story of the AFL and Playing God: The Rise & Fall of Gary Ablett). Quayle, who is a respected sports writer for the Age, spent 2007 following the lives of five young draft hopefuls, all of who were ultimately drafted in that year's National Draft - Trent Cotchin (Richmond), Cyril Junior Rioli (Hawthorn), Brad Ebert (West Coast), Ben McEvoy (St Kilda) and Patrick Veszpremi (Sydney). She takes us through their experiences covering every day matters as well as the football side of their lives, culminating in their drafting and settling in at the clubs that chose them. Each of the players has his own issues. Cotchin is dealing with the pressure of being regarded as close to the number one draft pick who is tagged out of the limelight in the national championships and not only fails to make All Australian but sees one of his taggers gain this honour. He also has to contend with the fact that his girlfriend is spending a great part of the year overseas at an equestrian academy. Rioli was taken away from home (Northern Territory) in his early teens and has to contend with life as a boarder in an exclusive private school in Melbourne. He doesn't interview well with many club recruiting officers. Ebert has to cope with being a member of a prominent South Australian footballing family. McEvoy lives in the bush and has to spend hours travelling to and from his TAC Cup team's training. Veszpremi is struggling with his fitness and needs a shoulder operation. Their stories come together on draft day when the hopes of a couple of thousand youngsters are on the line and only about sixty will make it through at the first opportunity. A similar number get taken at the pre season and rookie drafts and some have another year to make the grade but the rest emerge with dashed hopes and disappointment. Quayle weaves another aspect of the draft into the narrative by introducing the story of Hawthorn's recruiters as they follow the fortunes of hundreds of potential draftees in their quest to determine who will be chosen to wear the brown and gold. In doing so, she covers that club's long term planning going back to 2004 when the football department was restructured and Alastair Clarkson appointed as coach. At that time, the Hawks took an unorthodox approach to restructure their team by building up through the draft. We know that in the end, the youth-led development plan paid off and it did so ahead of time thanks in part to an element of luck that saw them recruit Jarryd Roughead, Buddy Franklin and Jordan Lewis early in the 2004 national draft all the way to Rioli and the controverial selection of Stuart Dew with their final pick in 2007 and (as we now know) culminating in the ultimate success in 2008. We even get a few insights into some of the potential 2008 draftees. Quayle was there when talented West Australian Tom Swift injured his knee in a warm up match in Perth on the eve of the AIS tour of South Africa. Among the players on that tour who were too young for the 2007 draft were the likes of Nick Naitanui and Daniel Rich. We also learn that bottom ager David Zaharakis, now a captain at Cotchin's TAC Club the Northern Knights, was under the Hawks' microscope but not picked last year. Could Hawthorn take him this year? The Hawthorn formula is now in vogue and, although the circumstances can't all be repeated (for example, the priority pick now comes before the draft's second round and not the first) it's the pathway that Melbourne appears to be going down in preference to the cheque book acquisition of players through trades and other means currently being employed by Carlton. And it's noteworthy that Hawthorn had only one player in its 2008 premiership side who was recruited through the trades. From Melbourne's perspective, all five of its 2007 national draftees rated at least one mention in the Quayle book with our top three rating several mentions. Cale Morton gets the most kudos but Jack Grimes' leadership capabilities do not go unnoticed. Early in the book, Quayle follows the AIS squad on its tour of South Africa. This paragraph comes at the end of the tour: "At the post-match dinner, the boys had a final job to do. Each player had been assigned a quality and had to vote for the team member that best personified it. The award was named after Ben Mitchell, a member of the 2001 intake, who died in a car accident the following year aged only 17. The qualities were things like pride, patience, poise, care, trust, skill and sacrifice; the boys could interpret these things any way they chose to and the winner was Jack Grimes." Here is a potted summary of the coverage each of the Demon draftees gets in Quayle's book:- Cale Morton - AIS tour of Africa, AA and National Carnival B & F. Looked upon has having good pace and quality delivery of the football and ranked by most as next in line behind the big 2 of Kreuzer and Cotchin from the Northern Knights. Fell to 4th because he was never going to be picked by WCE which had had enough of the Mortons after their experience with Mitch Morton. Highly regarded by recruiting people. Jack Grimes - AIS tour of Africa, AA and leadership and character written all over him. Some clubs rated him higher than his eventual 14th and the feeling was that his back injury caused him to slide a little in calculations. Addam Maric - AIS tour of Africa, AA and considered the best and most reliable kick in the draft. Some concerns that he was limited in the fact that he was a small forward and the challenge would be to ensure that he could develop into a more rounded footballer capable of playing in the midfield (I believe Melbourne's football department worked on this during the year and that the result will be one of the club's few notable successes for 2008). Kyle Cheney - mentioned only briefly during discussions by the Hawthorn drafting people as one of the draft possibilities from North Ballarat. Tom McNamara - AIS tour of Africa, SA rep in the National Champs and mentioned here and there in despatches (he's the youngest of all the draftees from all of the clubs so I wouldn't prematurely dismiss his future prospects). On the eve of last year's draft Quayle wrote this article which appeared in the Age - Draft day is like Christmas for 16 AFL clubs. In it, she predicted her top 25 from the draft and Melbourne finished with four of her top 23. The Demons also picked up Stefan Martin in the pre season draft and Aussie Wonaeamirri and Shane Valenti as rookies on top of that. If we can repeat that sort of effort again this year, we are well on the way to a revival that will come earlier than many might think and that thought leaves us with a lot less gloom and doom than many might otherwise be suggesting.