Demonland

Farewell Jayden

It was a great weekend for the Red and the Blue on this side of the Nullarbor. On Saturday, West Perth bested Claremont by two goals after leading all day with the exception of a few early minutes to take out the WAFL Premiership and on Sunday, Melbourne scored a five goal win over Fremantle with a stunning four goals to zip in the final term. Again, it was the red and the blue leading nearly all day to record their fifth win from six games. The outcome wasn’t as stunning as last season’s mauling of the Dockers but the home side wasn’t as indisposed as it was back then. This time around they were far more competitive and were still in the hunt at three quarter time. A major improvement. Honours were even in the opening term at Fremantle Oval with Tayla Harris booting the first goal of the match and Dockers’ star Kiara Bowers responding soon after. The Demons broke the deadlock with two goals late in the first half, the latter from a nice snap by former Freo player Sabreena Duffy to give them a 12 point lead at half time. Melbourne threatened to break away with the first goal of the second half before a Docker comeback brought them to within 5 points at the final break. Freo’s hopes were snuffed out by the dominance of the Demons who were far more accurate in front of goal than usual. Kate Hore kicked two in the final term to make it three for the half and Duffy capped off another day of Docker misery with a late goal to give her new team a thirty point victory and third spot on the Season 7 ladder. Next week, the team is back home at Casey Fields against the old rivals, the Western Bulldogs. MELBOURNE 2.1.13 5.2.32 6.3.38 10.6.66 FREMANTLE 2.1.13 3.2.20 5.3.33 5.6.36 GOALS MELBOURNE Hore 3 Duffy Zanker 2 Harris D Pearce Purcell FREMANTLE Bowers Franklin Kauffman Miller Tighe BEST MELBOURNE Hanks Purcell Harris Hore Mithen Birch FREMANTLE Bowers Strom Miller East O’Sullivan Runnalls INJURIES MELBOURNE Nil FREMANTLE Hyde (leg) REPORTS MELBOURNE Nil FREMANTLE Nil CROWD 1,548 at Fremantle Oval

Won’t start a new thread. Probably shouldn’t even post. Might delete later.

I’d assume at least this many.

Part One - ZERO HOUR, 9AM The AFL Trade Period begins in earnest at 9.00am amid the announcement of a bombshell by North Melbourne’s 2021 Number 1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis that he wants to leave the club and return to his home state to play for Port Adelaide. The Herald Sun is reporting that “Horne-Francis will cite the instability at North Melbourne this year in his first season“ along with a likely continuation of chaos as a result of the uncertainty surrounding coach Alastair Clarkson in the wake of allegations of bullying of First Nations players under his tenure with the Hawks. The call by the youngster highlights the uncertainty of the draft even at its highest level. At last year’s draft, the Kangaroos and the Giants both bypassed Collingwood father/son prospect Nick Daicos who was ultimately picked by the Magpies at number four. Daicos went on to have a stellar season winning the NAB Rising Star Award and helping his side’s to rise from 17th to within a heartbeat of a grand final berth. Horne-Francis had a troubled season and played 17 matches while the remaining top five picks were restricted to a mere handful of AFL games in their debut seasons. The opening of the trades looks likely to signal a busy period for the Demons who will be dealing with the transfer of another young “wantaway” in Luke Jackson and his potential replacement, Brodie Grundy as well as the proposed moves of Jayden Hunt and Toby Bedford, ironically to interstate clubs. The trades of the two big men are likely to be protracted through the trade period which ends in the middle of next week. Hunt is an unrestricted free agent so that move should be swift and the Bedford trade is not seen as complicated. Meanwhile Docker wingman Blake Acres is expected to become a Blue, the Pies are set to snare the Giants’ Bobby Hill whose teammate Tim Taranto will be confirmed as a Tiger in the first moves of the AFL trade period today. Acres is expected to be the first of a number of Fremantle trades as they clear the decks to make room for Jackson. The fun is about to start.

Part One - ZERO HOUR, 9AM The AFL Trade Period begins in earnest at 9.00am amid the announcement of a bombshell by North Melbourne’s 2021 Number 1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis that he wants to leave the club and return to his home state to play for Port Adelaide. The Herald Sun is reporting that “Horne-Francis will cite the instability at North Melbourne this year in his first season“ along with a likely continuation of chaos as a result of the uncertainty surrounding coach Alastair Clarkson in the wake of allegations of bullying of First Nations players under his tenure with the Hawks. The call by the youngster highlights the uncertainty of the draft even at its highest level. At last year’s draft, the Kangaroos and the Giants both bypassed Collingwood father/son prospect Nick Daicos who was ultimately picked by the Magpies at number four. Daicos went on to have a stellar season winning the NAB Rising Star Award and helping his side’s to rise from 17th to within a heartbeat of a grand final berth. Horne-Francis had a troubled season and played 17 matches while the remaining top five picks were restricted to a mere handful of AFL games in their debut seasons. The opening of the trades looks likely to signal a busy period for the Demons who will be dealing with the transfer of another young “wantaway” in Luke Jackson and his potential replacement, Brodie Grundy as well as the proposed moves of Jayden Hunt and Toby Bedford, ironically to interstate clubs. The trades of the two big men are likely to be protracted through the trade period which ends in the middle of next week. Hunt is an unrestricted free agent so that move should be swift and the Bedford trade is not seen as complicated. Meanwhile Docker wingman Blake Acres is expected to become a Blue, the Pies are set to snare the Giants’ Bobby Hill whose teammate Tim Taranto will be confirmed as a Tiger in the first moves of the AFL trade period today. Acres is expected to be the first of a number of Fremantle trades as they clear the decks to make room for Jackson. The fun is about to start.

I can’t see how Port are going to have the collateral either this year or next year to pry Kozzy from us.