The Oracle

To be fair, Tracc certainly wasn’t a “consultant” for the most part of his phenomenal career at the club - he will always be one of greats although his post KB25 career was clouded in unwanted controversy. Coincidentally, the AFL and AFL Players’ Association report into Petracca’s horrific 2024 injuries has finally been completed 681 days after the game. The report closes the book on the saga and makes recommendations for the processes to be followed in the future. As to the MFC's medical treatment, it does not criticize what happened at the ground or when he was taken to hospital. Petracca himself, came out and said that he wanted to go out onto the field and he had no complaint about how it was handled. As often happens, the media took notice of gossip emanating from some of the people around Petracca at the time, possibly to further an agenda that was harmful to both the player and the club. Although he came back to play in 2025, it’s regrettable that it became necessary for the club and one of its champions to part in those circumstances, albeit that seems that it’s turning into a win/win for both.

I’ve been told that the Tigers will try out two first gamers in their team selection for tomorrow night and will also bring in Hopper and Lynch as well as one or two others.

Melbourne has done well from the MSD with Daniel Turner and Jai Culley now regulars in the team although the latter was originally picked by the Eagles. Luker Kentfield is waiting patiently in the wings. The biggest initial impact from a MSD draftee would have had to have come from Marlion Pickett who was picked up towards the bottom of the pack in the inaugural Mid-Season Draft, going 13th to Richmond in 2019 and famously made his AFL debut in the 2019 Grand Final victory for Richmond over the GWS Giants, kicking a goal and collecting 22 disposals in the club’s 89-point win. Also picked up that year was Gold Coast’s John Noble who was picked up by Collingwood and played 112 games for the Pies before switching to his current team. My nomination for the best MSD pick is Jai Newcombe who went from being a fringe VFL player at the start of 2022 to being named by the AFL coaches as the best young player in the competition after he was drafted in the midseason of that year. Essendon’s Sam Durham, taken in the 2021 MSD has gradually risen in stature Another Bomber MSD in Massimo D'Ambrosio, taken a year later, is now doing well at Hawthorn. Last year West Coast picked up a good one in Tom McCarthy, Essendon picked Archie May and Collingwood took Roan Steele from a lukewarm draft crop but the pundits are saying that this year’s crop is better in quality and has more depth but that remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see how Melbourne treats the draft if it takes part. Does it go for youth for development or go for players who are ready to go?

The thread has been updated with a second part which now includes the delistings and Charlie Spargo’s free agency departure. I’ve put our two inactive players back in their respective positions on the lists and included Category B signing Oscar Berry. There are more changes to come. Stay tuned.

Not a particularly strong draft hand is it?

The question is whether this is fair dinkum or a ploy by a Saints fan who is also in the media trying to force the club to salvage a situation whereby they stand to lose a player valued by the fans?

Obviously a lot of water to flow under the bridge but this year’s trade week is going to be pivotal for us as we scramble for draft selections to enable us to get the points needed to draft Kalani White as a f/s selection (hoping he nominates us) and our NGA Toby SInnema. If we trade well then we might also be able to snare a pick good enough to get a player with ability who flies under the radar like Murphy Reid who Freo got as a bargain last year with national draft pick 17.

I’ve been impressed by what young Yze’s done at various levels so far this year and I’m hoping that Casey perseveres with him and he gets his chance to play AFL like his father who was one of my favourites. Is anyone across the father/son rules that knows if he’s still eligible for drafting as a f/s selection at the end of the year?

I’m sure that was what Bucks meant but I couldn’t resist quoting him verbatim.

Like Harvey Langford before him, this kid trained with Melbourne during the preseason. Star Turn: Hibbins-Hargreaves' hurt factor highlighted

One of my wishes for the Demons for season 2025, apart from the usual pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (ie the premiership flag) , is that we rub Collingwood’s noses in the dirt. Even though we’ve been an improved outfit in recent years, they’ve still managed to have the wood on us. They’ve beaten us in 10 of the last 12 outings including keeping us out of the final eight in 2017, beating us in our only meeting in our premiership year, knocking the stuffing out us (and ending Gus’ career) in their flag season and humiliating us twice this year. On Kings Birthday they fixed up Tracc and in Round 25 we capitulated and lost Kozzy for next year’s opening three matches. Overall, we’ve beaten them 85 times and lost 156 games to them with 5 drawn. We owe them more than one. Both teams missed the finals in 2024 after finishing in the top four in the regular season, so both need to lift their performance in 2025. The way I’m reading it, Collingwood is going for age and experience with an old list, their key recruit being a class player in Dan Houston but he’s in his late 20s. The Pies have the oldest list in the business and they had slim pickings in the draft. Melbourne went more for youth and will go into 2025 with four solid first round picks from the past two years and a good sized cohort of Under 22 talent who were exposed to senior footy this year. The question is whether their aging squad is better than our youngish group and can we bridge the gap we’ve seen and overtake them next year!

Good question for the lawyers in our Devils Advocates group. If the player has launched legal action, wouldn’t it be a matter of public record?

If we can somehow manage to get to a point where we have two picks in the first 15, it would be very handy.

No doubt there are a few others who would be nervous about their positions on our list and those of a few others.

I think you are completely missing the point. People are pointing to players no longer there to demonstrate the difference in the quality of the team’s midfield strength this year compared to last and not because of regrets about their leaving. What disappointed me was that there are some development players on the Casey list who were close to being drafted in the past year or two but not selected. I refer to the likes of Brayden Laplanche, Kobe Shipp, Ziggy Toledo, Oscar Van Dam and Kai Windsor. The club might be better served giving games to players of this ilk than to a few on the fringe who struggled to get a touch yesterday.