Chelly

29 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I must have been a touch psychic this morning because the great story below from Paul Amy has appeared on the Leader Newspapers site. We already knew about some of them - Amy names ten Gippslanders joining him at Casey along with a cousin of a Melbourne AFL lister:-

Gippsland players to power Casey Demons in VFL by Paul Amy (Leader Newspapers)

New Casey Demons coach Rhett McLennan has a good handle on the VFL club's recruits for 2026. He coached most of them at Gippsland Power in the Talent League.

The Casey Demons lost a rugged midfielder from Gippsland when Riley Baldi switched to the SANFL after last season.

But in Traralgon's Luis D'Angelo the Demons are expected to gain a similarly robust player from the same league.

D'Angelo, 23, is yet to apply pen to paper but will be offered a contract and will be happy to sign it.

The runner-up in Gippsland Power's 2021 best and fairest, D'Angelo played for Box Hill Hawks in 2022 and was on their list the following year, but did not manage a game.

For the past three years he has been a leading player for the Gippsland league Maroons, figuring in their 2024 flag.

He has also been named in the past two Gippy league teams of the year.

"He's been awesome for Traralgon," former senior coach Troy Hamilton told CODE Sports.

"He's a heart-and-soul midfielder, very creative by hand and gutsy."

D'Angelo, a physiotherapist, was runner-up in the Traralgon best and fairest in 2023, '24 and again last year.

He said he was enjoyed training with Casey and was up for the challenge of resuming in the VFL.

His Traralgon teammate Joel Scholtes is also headed for the Demons.

Like D'Angelo, Scholtes went through Gippy Power under new Casey coach Rhett McLennan and is a prominent Gippsland league player.

"Left-footer, a bit of an intercepting half-back and very fit," was the word from Hamilton.

The Demons are also going with two players from West Gippsland league premier Nar Nar Goon.

Top tall Nate Pipicelli and Clancy Pope will step up to the VFL after featuring in their club's 2024 and '25 grand final wins.

Flanker Pope, who turned 19 this week, first played senior football with the Goon at age 15.

Pipicelli, 195cm left-footer, has played as a key forward and in the ruck since graduating from Gippsland Power in 2022.

Last year he ran second in the best and fairest to club champion Trent Armour.

The Demons will have a strong Gippsland connection this year, with recruits Harry Tatterson (Heyfield), Jonah Walker (Bairnsdale), Jehi Esler (Tooradin-Dalmore), Jobe Scapin (Inverloch-Kongwak), Luke Cheffers (Moe) and Sam Hoghton (Officer) all having gone through the Power.

"We'd like to represent the area as best we can," McLennan, who coached the Power for six years, said.

"There are plenty of football clubs around - I think I counted 78 in Gippsland and the outer east."

But Xavier Hampton is far from local: a cousin of Melbourne-lister Ricky Mentha, he's joined Casey from West Adelaide in the SANFL.

Traralgon star Luis D'Angelo is heading to Casey in the VFL.

D'Angelo claims Leongatha star Dyson Heppell, more recently known for his performance on reality TV show I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!. Pictures: Yuri Kouzmin

I wonder whether D’Angelo has the same follicular impairment as Baldi has because it would otherwise not be the same.

A lengthy injury list for the time of year

Pre-season update | Demons sidelined

Jack Viney - Achilles / expected to return to full training in the next few weeks

Max Gawn - broken finger / in a splint for three weeks

Bailey Laurie - broken hand / expected back with the main group in the next couple weeks

Jake Bowey - foot injury/ long-term

Tom Matthews - meniscus / rehab

Brody Mihocek - toe / rehab

Shane McAdam  - Achilles / rehab

Tom Campbell - torn ligament in neck/ in a neck brace for a month

Harry Sharp - hamstring/ expected to return to full training in the next few weeks.

Jack Henderson - stress fracture to the sacrum / expected to return to main training at the end of February

Andy Moniz-Wakefield - ACL / rehab

36 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Thanks @Demonland and the rest of the track watchers who provided a very thorough and detailed training report.

Much appreciated.

To the rest, please start a nicknames thread and leave it on there. Some folks honestly dont give too hoots about nicknames and prefer just to come here and read training reports as per the thread title.

Cheers, knackers.

Yeah, nah. The banter among the players, their nicknames and even their interests all add to the atmosphere at training. It’s good to read about these things and frankly, if you’re not interested, you can always move on to the next post. Easy … peasy.

1 hour ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

Corey will still be in our NGA. Stingrays had a shocker this year not on male player drafted. Hopefully he has more luck than his brother.

Great. I know that we have a good few talls on our list but I would like to see see Tairon Ah Mu try out at Casey next year.

20 hours ago, Roost it far said:

New zones 2028 onwards

Prasad remains a chance

What about Corey Ah Mu? Will they now be including the Samoan and other south seas islanders into the acadamies?

Mentioned in the local Shepp News

Shepparton News

Time to do my annual early phantom draft for next year (picks based on current placings) -

1 West Coast Eagles (Arki Butler - Vic Metro)

2 Port Adelaide* (Dougie Cochrane - SA/Port NGA)

3 Carlton* (Cody Walker - Vic Country/Carl F/S)

4 Richmond (Archie Van Dyk - SA)

5 North Melbourne (Lewis Houndsome - Vic Metro)

6 Essendon Harry Van Hattum (Vic Metro)

7 Melbourne (Jack Pickett - Vic Country)

8 St Kilda (Gabriel Patterson - SA)

9 Brisbane Lions* (Caylen Murray - Brisbane Lions Academy)

10 Western Bulldogs (Wil Malady - Vic Country)

* matched bid

As you can see, there are a few matched academy/father son bids and Melbourne’s pick was an automatic selection based on the name only 😀

Pick 1 has a great first name but he wins the honour because he’s been compared to Tracc …

On 29/11/2024 at 11:56, Chelly said:

My long range top ten draft selections for 2025:

1. Dyson Sharp Midfielder Height: 188cm (Central District SA)

2. Zeke Uwland Midfielder Height: 178cm (Gold Coast Suns Academy)

3. Willem Duursma Utility Height: 191cm (Gippsland Power)

4. Oliver Greeves Midfielder Height: 191cm (Eastern Ranges) 

5. Daniel Annable Midfielder Height: 183cm (Brisbane Lions Academy) 

6. Riley Onley Midfielder Height: 194cm (Murray Bushrangers) 

7. Dylan Patterson Midfielder Height: 183cm (Gold Coast Suns Academy)

8. Josh Lindsay Midfielder Height: 182cm (Geelong Falcons)

9. Louis Emmett Ruck-Forward Height: 198cm (Oakleigh Chargers)

10. Archie Ludowyke Defender Height: 197cm (Sandringham Dragons)

Plenty of Academy players to bid against!

Almost twelve months out I got close with Duursma and a few of the northern academy players but I was way out with Ollie Greeves and Riley Onley. He’s still good Demon fans but the exercise shows how hard these things are to predict from a long way out.

The list is shrinking 🙏

Injury List: Preliminary Final

Melbourne

Eden Zanker — concussion / Test

Maeve Chaplin — hamstring /  TBC

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Best thing apart from the win is the “Nil” in the injury column.

6. Kate Hore

5. Elizabeth McNamara

4. Shelley Heath

3. Thalia Gillard

2. Megan Fitzsimon

1. Sinead Goldrick

Injury List: Semi Final

Melbourne

Sinéad Goldrick — eye / Test

Eden Zanker — concussion / Protocols

Maeve Chaplin — hamstring /  TBC

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Injury List: Qualifying Final

Melbourne

Grace Beasley — knee / Available

Gabby Colvin — wrist/ Available

Molly O'Hehir — shin / Test

Sinéad Goldrick — eye / 1 week

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

6. Tyla Hanks

5. Tayla Harris

4. Eden Zanker

3. Shelley Heath

2. Maeve Chaplin

1. Kate Hore

Injury List Round 12

Melbourne

Georgia Gall — ankle / Available

Sinéad Goldrick — eye / Test

Grace Beasley — knee / 1 week

Gabby Colvin — wrist/ TBC

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Injury List Round 11

Melbourne

Blaithin Mackin — calf / Test

Maggie Mahony — nose / Test

Sinéad Goldrick — eye / 1 week

Georgia Gall — ankle / 1 week

Grace Beasley — knee / 2 weeks

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

6. Hanks

5. Heath

4. Zanker

3. Gillard

2. Hore

1. McNamara

23 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

To be clear, I’m not sure as to whether we backed ourselves into a corner or whether we were backed into a corner and if it was the latter, at the behest of who?

I didn’t make my comment lightly because I’ve always been a supporter of Clarrie, he’s been a much loved and highly decorated player at the club and, by it’s implications, the Giants’ offer demeans him and his character more than anything else. In the long run, it might be better to show some strength, for both him and the club to sit back, take our time and find a way to help an individual who has lost his way.

Circumstances may evolve and a more favorable outcome could be achieved for all parties in 12 months’ time. There is no necessity to accept the GWS offer at this juncture, given its inadequacy and the disrespect it shows to the club and the player they seek to acquire.

12 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The morning started on a bad note for Kane Cornes and just got worse.

• "I think you give 6 and 17 for Petracca ... that is more than fair for him. He is a better player than Dan Rioli, and Rioli got them pick 6." - Kane Cornes on what is fair for Christian Petracca.

NOTE: I checked and Cornes was wrong. These were the terms of the Rioli trade:-

Traded Player:

Daniel Rioli: Richmond Tigers defender joins Gold Coast Suns on a five-year contract.

Trade Terms:

Gold Coast Suns Receive:

Daniel Rioli Picks 51, 61, 70, and 76

Richmond Tigers Receive:

• Picks 6 and 23

Next time, please do your research.

This set the tone for a day of commentary bordering on the inane and sometimes comical.

• "The tension in this discussion is whether Geelong should give up a pick in this year's draft or next year's draft. St Kilda is more interested in next year's draft." - Tom Morris on Rowan Marshall

• "The most simplistic view in all of this is that is not the case. People will say this has been planted from the Merrett camp to destabilise Essendon. I have been chasing this story for several weeks." - Tom Morris on the view the Zach Merrett camp leaked the Essendon drugs story

• Tom Morris (dramatically) - Adelaide took a look at Clayton Oliver but pulled out leaving the available choice to Collingwood and GWS Giants. Meanwhile, Oliver completes a medical at GWS as Collingwood plans a meeting.

• "I feel like at Melbourne I played the small forward role and it gave me good building blocks but it was a rigid role, without freedom. I spoke to North about playing a role with a bit more freedom. I play my best when playing on instinct." - Charlie Spargo

•  DONE DEAL - the first trade is in.  Paperwork has been lodged on the Liam Reidy trade. Carlton will get Reidy and Picks 53 and 71, Fremantle will get Picks 50 and 68.

• GCS player Brayden Fiorini has nominated Essendon as his new home.

• DONE DEAL - Sydney has secured a trade for Malcolm Rosas jnr.

The two clubs have agreed a deal that will see Sydney land Rosas and Pick 62, while Gold Coast will receive Picks 51 and 69.

• Callum Twomey - Over the past week multiple clubs have reached out directly to Nick Daicos & to his management to gauge any interest he has in a move.

• Saints and Suns reportedly agree to a pick 7/Sam Flanders trade.

• a complicated pick swap is being hatched between Brisbane, Fremantle and West Coast for Brandon Starcevich.

* my hunch is that it could unlock the McVee trade.

Love the fact checking on Cornes (and his minions who followed with the same thoughts). These AFL Trade Radio commentators are like zombies lacking originality of thought. What are they going to come up with for their zinger of the day?

Injury List: Round 9

Melbourne

Shelley Heath — finger / 1 - 2 weeks

Sarah Lampard — calf /  1 - 2 weeks

Saraid Taylor — hamstring / 1 - 2 weeks

Blaithin Mackin — calf / 3 weeks

Grace Beasley — knee / 4 - 5 weeks

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Injury List: Round 8

Melbourne

Blaithin Mackin — knee / Test

Molly O'Hehir — leg / 1 - 2 weeks

Sarah Lampard — calf / 3 weeks

Grace Beasley — knee / 4 - 6 weeks

Saraid Taylor — hamstring / TBC

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

For perspective, I just checked the Demonland Player of the Year voting to see how Judd McVee went in 2025 with Demonlanders who were the ones who cast the votes.

He polled three votes, a mere 295 behind the winner and wasn't in our top 20 votegetters.

Appreciate that he did much better last year but you're only as good as your last game.

8 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Tyla Hanks is leading the pack as we head into the second half of the season.

Who will kick us off with the votes from today’s game at Casey Fields?

I’ll bite - very difficult to cast votes when the team had such a comprehensive victory but here goes …

6. Megan Fitzsimon

5. Ryleigh Wotherspoon

4. Tyla Hanks

3. Tayla Harris

2. Kate Hore

1. Maeve Chaplin

I was just thinking that early on Saturday evening, one of the teams that we disposed of with great ease during the 2021 AFL finals series will have won two premierships in the interim four years since then. Such a shame that we couldn't make it a dynasty.

Is St Kilda is the frontrunner for Flanders because they offered him the most money or am I missing something?