Leopold Bloom

The Blues have got Hewett over the line. DONE DEAL: Former Swan links up with Blues

Brisbane had already delisted him. Pity he retired because he was a certainty to make it into the top 20 of Knightmare’s chart.

50 Ben Brown and Ken Jungwirth.

Where are our Western Australian Demonlanders? Surely not at training 24/7?

It’s been widely reported that Jackson combined football and basketball when younger and ended up choosing AFL ahead of an international basketball career. That doesn’t mean he didn’t play football as a junior. The point is that Jackson was already at state level at 16 and then remained at state level at 17 as an under age under 18 and then at 18 where he made All Australian. To get what I mean by football nous, it would be worthwhile watching Andrews’ two games linked in this post. In the second game, he barely contested in the ruck and he often looked out of position and lost in the second half. Apart from a purple patch in the second quarter when he looked very good, his performance was not what you expect of someone at the elite end of the draft.

Where did you get that piece of misinformation from? Jackson was in the WA Under 16 squad in 2017 and in the WA Under 18 national championships in 2018 & 2019 and played for East Fremantle Under 18 Colts during both years. He also played in the ruck for the AFL Academy vs Casey Demons in 2019 where he was super impressive. There’s You Tube vision of him in many of those games. He won All Australian selection in 2019. None of that was enough to get him a berth in most draft list top tens until the time of the draft combine in October. Andrew has played 6 NAB Cup Games, the Academy game v Geelong and the challenge game for Vic Country v Vic Metro, all of which happened this year. No games last year. That’s nowhere near Jackson’s record. Before that he was in the Stingrays squad but didn’t get a game. He’s raw, only plays well in bursts and has yet to show the necessary football strength or nous over a game. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have potential but top 10? Give me a break.

Usain Bolt was the best athlete ever. He won eight Olympic gold medals including the 100m and 200m at three Olympics and still holds the world record at both. He was tall and fast and incidentally could leap too (I’ve seen him slam dunk a basketball). When he retired from sprinting in 2017, he declared to the world that he wanted to become a professional soccer player. None of those attributes was enough to even get him a spot at the Central Coast Mariners let alone Manchester United for who he dreamed of playing. Those physical attributes will take you only so far. Bolt also was physically mature, strong and muscular and of course, had great mental strength, all of which Mac Andrew can only acquire with a good few years of hard work. Bolt failed in the end to make it even at one of soccer’s minnows in a lowly competition by world standards because the thing that he really lacked was football “nous”. Does Mac Andrew have that?

The Gold Coast is a destination that might suit Sam the best. He needs a decent run at it to regain his confidence. The problem at Melbourne is that there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to break into the team with its current set up.

A comprehensive guide to what we learned in the game vs Brisbane MELBOURNE V BRISBANE – WHAT DID WE LEARN?

It’s that time of year again when clubs and players start announcing retirements. With players about to say au revoir, here’s this year’s HATCH MATCH & DESPATCH. Adelaide has announced it won’t renew Tom Lynch’s contract and we have him down as delisted as he might continue to play on. Marc Murphy is in much the same boat but it looks like he’s going to hang up his boots so we have him as retired. Well done to all players who are hanging up their boots at season’s end. Not everybody gets to play at the elite level of their sport. ADELAIDE In: Jordan Dawson (Sydney Swans) Ben Davis ® (re-listed) Luke Nankervis (Sandringham Dragons) Josh Rachele (Murray Bushrangers) Jake Soligo (Eastern Ranges) Zac Taylor (Calder Cannons) Out: Ben Davis (delisted) Jake Kelly (Essendon) Tom Lynch (delisted) David Mackay (retired) Ronin O’Connor (delisted) Tyson Stengle (Geelong) Daniel Talia (retired) BRISBANE LIONS In: Cam Ellis-Yolmen ® (re-listed) Darcy Fort (Geelong) Kai Lohmann (GWV Rebels) James Tunstill (East Perth WA) Darcy Wilmott (Northern Knights) Out: Connor Ballenden ® (delisted) Grant Birchall (retired) Cam Ellis-Yolmen (delisted) Tom Joyce (delisted) Archie Smith (retired) Brock Smith (delisted) CARLTON In: Adam Cerra (Fremantle) Matthew Cottrell ® (re-listed) George Hewett (Sydney Swans) Josh Honey (rookie upgrade) Matthew Kennedy (rookie upgrade) Jesse Motlop (South Fremantle WA) Lochie O'Brien ® (re-listed) Lewis Young (Western Bulldogs) Out: Eddie Betts (retired) Levi Casboult (Gold Coast) Matthew Cottrell (delisted) Michael Gibbons (delisted) Liam Jones (retired) Marc Murphy (retired) Lochie O’Brien (delisted) Sam Petrevski-Seton (West Coast) Sam Ramsay (delisted) COLLINGWOOD In: Isaac Chugg ® (re-listed) Charlie Dean (Williamstown VFL) Nick Daicos (Oakleigh Chargers) Arlo Draper (South Adelaide SA) Bassirou Faye ® (Cat B) Harvey Harrison (North Adelaide SA) Nathan Kreuger (Geelong) Cooper Murley (Norwood SA) Patrick Lipinski (Western Bulldogs) Out: Isaac Chugg ® (delisted) Levi Greenwood (retired) Max Lynch (Hawthorn) Chris Mayne (retired) Jay Rantall (delisted) Brayden Sier (delisted) Josh Thomas (retired) Anton Tohill (retired) ESSENDON In: Ben Hobbs (GWV Rebels) Jake Kelly (Adelaide) Alastair Lord (Norwood SA) Garrett McDonagh (Richmond VFL) Patrick Voss ® (Oakleigh Chargers) Out: Patrick Ambrose (retired) Ned Cahill (delisted) Dylan Clarke ® (delisted) Martin Gleeson (delisted) Cale Hooker (retired) Lachie Johnson (delisted) Irving Mosquito (retired) David Zaharakis (delisted) FREMANTLE In: Jye Amiss (East Perth WA) Eric Benning (Claremont WA) Connor Blakely ® (re-listed) Will Brodie (Gold Coast) Jordan Clark (Geelong) Mitch Crowden ® (re-listed) Neil Erasmus (Subiaco WA) Ethan Hughes (rookie upgrade) Matthew Johnson (Subiaco WA) Ultan Kelm ® (Cat B) Karl Worner ® (Oakleigh Chargers) Out: Brett Bewley (delisted) Connor Blakely (delisted) Adam Cerra (Carlton) Reece Conca (delisted) Mitch Crowden (delisted) Taylin Duman (delisted) Stefan Giro (delisted) Stephen Hill (retired) Leno Thomas ® (delisted) Tobe Watson (delisted) GEELONG In: Jonathon Ceglar (Hawthorn) Toby Conway (Geelong Falcons) Mitch Knevitt (Geelong Falcons) Flynn Kroeger (Eastern Ranges) Oliver Dempsey ® (Carey Grammar) Oisín Mullin ® (Cat B) Tyson Stengle (Adelaide) Cooper Whyte (Geelong Falcons) James Willis (North Adelaide SA) Out: Oscar Brownless (delisted) Jordan Clark (Fremantle) Charlie Constable (delisted) Darcy Fort (Brisbane Lions) Lachie Henderson (retired) Ben Jarvis (delisted) Josh Jenkins (retired) Nathan Kreuger (Collingwood) Stefan Okunbor (delisted) Cameron Taheny (delisted) GOLD COAST SUNS In: Mac Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays) Sandy Brock ® (Gold Coast Suns Academy) Levi Casboult ® (Carlton) Mabior Chol (Richmond) Charlie Constable (Geelong VFL) Jez McLennan ® (re-listed) Rory Thompson (re-listed) Bodhi Uwland ® (Gold Coast Suns Academy) Out: Will Brodie (Fremantle) Aiden Fyfe (delisted) Hugh Greenwood (North Melbourne) Jarrod Harbrow (retired) Jack Hombsch (retired) Jez McLennan (delisted) Jordan Murdoch (retired) Zac Smith (retired) Rory Thompson (delisted) Luke Towey ® (delisted) Jacob Townsend (retired) GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY In: Leek Alleer (Central District SA) Jarrod Brander (West Coast) Finn Callaghan (Sandringham Dragons) Josh Fahey (GWS Giants Academy) Cooper Hamilton ® (Bendigo Pioneers) Jacob Wehr ® (re-listed) Out: Matt Buntine (delisted) Jeremy Finlayson (Port Adelaide) Tom Hutcheson (delisted) Shane Mumford (retired) Sam Reid (delisted) Nick Shipley (delisted) Jacob Wehr * (delisted) HAWTHORN In: Sam Butler (GWV Rebels) Max Lynch (Collingwood) Ned Long ® (Northern Knights) Connor MacDonald (Dandenong Stingrays) Fionn O’Hara ® (Cat B) Ned Reeves (rookie upgrade) Jai Serong (Gippsland Power) Josh Ward (Northern Knights) Out: Keegan Brooksby (delisted) Shaun Burgoyne (retired) Jonathon Ceglar (Geelong) James Cousins (delisted) Damon Greaves (delisted) Oliver Hanrahan (delisted) Michael Hartley (delisted) Tim O’Brien (Western Bulldogs) Jon Patton (retired) Harrison Pepper (delisted) Tom $cully (retired) MELBOURNE In: Luke Dunstan (St Kilda) Blake Howes (Sandringham Dragons) James Jordon (rookie upgrade) Judd McVee ® (East Fremantle WA) Taj Woewodin (East Fremantle WA) Jacob Van Rooyen (Claremont WA) Out: Austin Bradtke ® (delisted) Kye Declase ® (delisted) Marty Hore (delisted) Neville Jetta (retired) Nathan Jones (retired) Jay Lockhart (delisted) Aaron Nietschke ® (delisted) Aaron vandenBerg (delisted) NORTH MELBOURNE In: Jackson Archer (Northern Knights) Miller Bergman (Dandenong Stingrays) Callum Coleman-Jones (Richmond) Paul Curtis (Western Jets) Josh Goater (Calder Cannons) Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast Suns) Jason Horne-Francis (South Adelaide SA) Jared Polec ® (re-listed) Out: Shaun Atley (delisted) Tom Campbell ® (St Kilda) Trent Dumont (Port Adelaide) Taylor Garner (delisted) Charlie Ham (delisted) Connor Menadue (delisted) Jared Polec (delisted) Robbie Tarrant (Richmond) Dom Tyson (delisted) Will Walker (delisted) PORT ADELAIDE In: Jase Burgoyne (Woodville-West Torrens SA) Trent Dumont ® (North Melbourne) Jeremy Finlayson (GWS Giants) Manuguru 'Martin' Frederick (rookie upgrade) Hugh Jackson (North Adelaide SA) Sam Mayes ® (re-listed) Josh Sinn (Sandringham Dragons) Sam Skinner (Brisbane Lions) Dante Visentini (Sandringham Dragons) Out: Trent Burgoyne ® (delisted) Joel Garner (delisted) Tyson Goldsack (retired) Hamish Hartlett (delisted) Peter Ladhams (Sydney Swans) Jarrod Lienert (delisted) Sam Mayes (delisted) Tom Rockliff (retired) Boyd Woodcock (delisted) RICHMOND In: Samuel Banks (Tasmania Devils) Tom Brown (Murray Bushrangers) Judson Clarke (Dandenong Stingrays) Josh Gibcus (GWV Rebels) Bigoa Nyuon ® (re-listed) (Richmond) Tyler Sonsie (Eastern Ranges) Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne) Out: David Astbury (retired) Mabior Chol (Gold Coast Suns) Callum Coleman-Jones (North Melbourne) Noah Cumberland (delisted) * Derek Eggmolesse-Smith ® (delisted) Ryan Garthwaite (delisted) Bachar Houli (retired) Patrick Naish (delisted) Bigoa Nyuon (delisted) ST KILDA In: Oscar Adams (Glenelg SA) Tom Campbell (North Melbourne) Mitchito Owens (Sandringham Dragons) Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (Glenelg SA) Callum Wilkie (rookie upgrade) Marcus Windhager (Sandringham Dragons) Out: Sam Alabakis (delisted) Jake Carlisle (retired) Oscar Clavarino (delisted) Luke Dunstan (Melbourne) James Frawley (retired) Paul Hunter (delisted) Jack Lonie (delisted) Shaun McKernan (retired) Dylan Roberton (retired) SYDNEY SWANS In: Peter Ladhams (Port Adelaide) Angus Sheldrick (Claremont WA) Lachlan Rankin (Oakleigh Chargers) Matthew Roberts (South Adelaide SA) Lewis Taylor ® (re-listed) Corey Warner (East Fremantle WA) Out: Kaiden Brand (delisted) Malachy Carruthers (delisted) Jordan Dawson (Adelaide) Sam Gray (delisted) George Hewett (Carlton) Matthew Ling (delisted) Lewis Taylor (delisted) WEST COAST EAGLES In: Rhett Bazzo (Swan Districts WA) Campbell Chesser (Sandringham Dragons) Greg Clark (Subiaco WA) Brady Hough (Peel Thunder) Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton) Jack Williams (East Fremantle WA) Out: Brendon Ah Chee (delisted) Brayden Ainsworth (delisted) Jarrod Brander (GWS Giants) Jarrod Cameron (delisted) Will Collins (delisted) Mark Hutchings (delisted) Ben Johnson (delisted) Brad Sheppard (retired) Nathan Vardy (retired) Daniel Venables (retired) WESTERN BULLDOGS In: Luke Cleary (Sandringham Dragons) Sam Darcy (Oakleigh Chargers) Arthur Jones (Claremont WA) Robbie McComb ® (Footscray VFL) Tim O’Brien (Hawthorn) Charlie Parker ® (East Fremantle WA) Out: Ben Cavarra (delisted) Will Hayes (delisted) Lin Jong (retired) Patrick Lipinski (Collingwood) Sam Lloyd (retired) Easton Wood (retired) Lewis Young (Carlton)

The case allegedly recorded in Geelong actually came from Lara which is about 20k away by road.

It might have been commented upon already but what was the play on after the whistle went for Spargo’s mark in the last quarter. The whistle and the call happened so quickly and I’m sure that he hadn’t played on anyway.

I would be really p*ssed off if we didn’t give this mob a real pasting after that performance in Adelaide.

Thanks for that. Very informative and much appreciated.

With double digit new cases today (none in quarantine throughout their infectious period) and the newspapers leaking the news that our so-called 7 day lockdown is likely to be extended (and virtually every leak during this epidemic has come to fruition), I think there’s every chance that the season will be cancelled. Even if the lockdown ends soon enough to fit in games, Andrews has made it clear that we can expect more lockdowns before we achieve 80% vaccinations. You can already forget NSW opening any time soon and with Queensland likely to do anything at the first sign of a cough or sneeze, I wouldn’t rely on them. You can’t trust WA. As it is, the competition becomes farcical when some clubs AFL counterparts have to take half a dozen with them interstate as Melbourne has done this weekend while other clubs are not disadvantaged at all. Might as well shut up shop or work out a top 8 on match ratio, plan for a finals series in September and hope they can play one.

Given the situation with Melbourne taking an extended group of players away to WA for next week’s game, I wonder why Casey isn’t trying out the NGA players from the local area. With Majak Daw out of team for that reason, surely it makes sense to give someone like Mac Andrew the opportunity to play against higher quality opponents in the VFL?

Mac Andrews’ Dandenong Stingrays lost by 27 points on Saturday but Mac was named in his team’s best players. He had 16 hit outs, 8 kicks, 9 handballs and 4 marks with zero tackles. That gave him 67 dream team points. Official details:- Dandenong Stingrays Goal Kickers: J. Culley 2, M. Bergman 2, B. Taylor 2, L. Robinson, B. Milford, W. Bravo Best Players: W. Bravo, T. Campbell-Farrell, M. Bergman, M. Andrew, F. Jakstas, B. Taylor Eastern Ranges Goal Kickers: T. Charlton 3, J. Arundell 3, S. Ali 2, K. Windsor 2, J. Soligo, M. Hall, N. Watson Best Players: C. Preston, J. Weatherill, T. Leiu, M. Hall, J. Soligo, J. Clarke

Holmes was taken with pick 20 and Geelong did acquire a draft pick to get him but last year’s draft proved nothing given there were no games at all during the season as a benchmark. Clubs had no choice but to sift through whatever footage they had from the past. What WJ is saying is that the jury’s out and time will tell as to whether clubs want to take the punt on him.

Thanks. I stand corrected. This is definitely one of the things that the NGA is for and why the clubs should be rewarded if they have had a role in the player’s development. I came across this unusual quote about ruck draft prospects for 2021 from Knightmare on bigfooty - “For ruck options there are none better than Toby Conway, he probably goes second or third round. Mac Andrew (Melbourne NGA) is the other good ruck prospect, though he could be bid on first round and I can't imagine would drop into the mid draft range (in which case he'd have his bid matched presumably). Outside of those two, there aren't any other rucks I'd be endorsing for picking in the national draft, with perhaps a Liam Podhajski more-so appropriate for selection as a rookie if you miss on a Conway.” Anyone else think there’s something unusual about his comments?

It’s Maibor Chol actually and they have similar South Sudanese backgrounds. There’s five years difference in age and development, same height and Chol weighs 23kg more. Andrew has a bit more bounce and agility in him going from the vision I’ve seen of him but yes, he might become the same type of player that Chol is in 5 year’s time.

The forecast is for rain at the G. We’re good at that.

Could be why Weid was added as emergency?

They’re two completely different players. Conway is a pure ruckman in the mould of Sean Darcy of the Dockers. Not yet as solid but his 90kg is a good start. Andrew is like a very much undeveloped Naitanui and a more mobile type who could play key position at either end but is a fair way off.

Clearly much better than Grundy at the same age.

Agree. It’s damn hard to play well if you’re in a team that’s getting flogged and down on confidence.