Leopold Bloom

Shane Martin who was deported to NZ in 2016 has passed away at the age of 54. I don’t want to reflect on the individual but it’s another tough episode in a difficult year for Richmond superstar Dustin Martin.

It’s probably more of a raffle in 2021 than it has been since the early days of the draft. There are so many unknowns about and a few scream out to be selected. At the end of the day, it’s the midfield that’s safest.

Pardon me but on what planet did I cite “a national weakness of Sudanese sports people as weak competitors”? WJ questioned Mac Andrew’s tank in a post above and said that the lack of a national championships and combine testing meant that this question wasn’t satisfactorily answered. That’s a point (and I agree with him) but it’s not the one I made that you’re questioning above. Mine is that the rule change is water under the bridge and it’s a waste of time complaining about it 12 months after it was brought in.

How do you expect Melbourne to fight the rule changes twelve months after they’ve been put into place? To do so now that we have an NGA who might be taken early would seem a case of sour grapes and totally unbecoming of a premiership club. I don’t think we should be whinging about it now, apart from which it’s worth remembering that there’s no guarantee that we would have matched a bid for him if he was nominated as early as we’re led to believe some clubs might go to claim him.

The whole business of draft pick trading is a bit strange. I’m thinking that Melbourne must have conceded that someone is going to take Mac Andrew inside 20 because it doesn’t seem to be making an effort to accumulate picks if that doesn’t happen.

Possible rookie at best.

There are lots of intriguing aspects to this year's drafts and this guy adds to the intrigue. The NAB Boys League Team of the Year has two players named in key forward positions who between them kicked 3 goals for the competition. This bloke kicked 9 in just two games. Makes you wonder what criteria the judges over there apply when they pick players in their Team of the Year. The bio is fabulous. He sounds like a real contender with lots of upside. I note that he comes from a sporting family with father representing NZ in basketball. I wonder why he isn't in somebody's NGA? I have discovered that he was invited to the Draft Combine. This means that he's going to be at that trial day at Sandringham on Monday.

Merchandise sales would go through the roof for starters.

He’s on SEN this morning 28/10/21

Just changing the subject, there’s an article in the Adelaide Advertiser AFL Draft 2021 ultimate guide: Every club’s picks, list needs and targetsWhat draft picks does your club have? And, more importantly, what will it do with them? We look at every team’s picks, list needs and targets. Here’s what they say about Melbourne - Melbourne Draft picks: 17, 37, 49, 57, 94 List needs: Outside run, key forward depth Who could be available at first pick: Campbell Chesser, Mitch Owens, Tyler Sonsie, Jacob Van Rooyen, Jack Williams, Blake Howes Could be in the mix after that: Cooper Murley, Judson Clarke, Sam Banks, Jack Avery, Morgan Ferres, Jordan Lukac, Josh, Rentsch The premier has a well-balanced list with stars on every line so, if they don’t look to package their first two selections for one higher up the order, the Demons might just wait to see who slides. Chesser’s run-and-carry and Sonsie’s midfield class will appeal, while the athletic Howes would give Simon Goodwin’s side a new look on the wing. As would bolter Owens, who has grown 15cm over the past two years. And calling his name out inside the top 20 means St Kilda will not be able to match the bid for the NGA prospect. WA tall Williams would be a terrific selection if he were to slide outside of the top 30, while Murley and Clarke would add another layer to Melbourne’s ball-movement. Ferres is a mid-sized forward with strong hands, who is often a step ahead of opposition defenders with his running patterns. Rentsch, on the other hand, is a powerful, 197cm forward, who tied for this year’s Morrish Medal in the NAB League, if the Demons still need to add to their key-forward stocks late.

On the Mac Andrew thread, Action Jackson compared the statistics of Andrew and Jackson in their Under 18 year. There’s no evidence that Andrew is a clone of Jackson - the difference is light years.

An interesting one from the Inner Sanctum AFL Phantom Draft 2021: Round 1 begins to take shape

Oh that’s right … he’ll be a champ in 2026 at his third club. Cool.

Prefer Chandler and the small forwards who we have on our list at the moment. Next!

Yes and we’re reminded by you that a kid who hasn’t been BOG in any of his games is being touted as a top 10 ruck prospect.

Believe it or not, there’s a game of footy in Adelaide this Sunday. Not sure about its exact status but it’s between SA and WA U19s (they even have an U17s). How lucky are they? The team lists for the game which starts at 1:30 PM ACDT are - South Australia B: Max Litster Zac Becker Blayne O'Loughlin HB: Jase Burgoyne Oscar Adams Shay Linke C: Brayden Calvett Adam D'Aloia Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera HF: Morgan Ferres Lucas Cooke Cade Kennedy F: Jacob Owens Harry Lemmey TBC Foll: Oscar Steene Mani Liddy Matty Roberts I/C: Lachlan Grubb Harvey Harrison Alastair Lord Max Michalanney Jared Parish Emerg: Dane McGary Zac Phillips Hugh Stagg Luca Whitelum Western Australia B: Judd McVee Jarrad McIlvinney Finn Gorringe HB: Bryce Watson Jack Avery Rhett Bazzo C: Arthur Jones Kade Dittmar Corey Warner HF: Brady Hough Jack Williams Lochlan Paton F: Jesse Motlop Eric Benning Ethan Regan Foll: Josh Cripps Angus Sheldrick Taj Woewodin I/C: Joshua Browne Max Chipper Zac Fleiner Kaden Harbour Luke Polson I’m guessing that the game will be streamed on the AFL site

The media is virtually speechless about Melbourne’s role over the next month or two.

To be exact, the number is seven at the moment but the club has the capacity to upgrade a player or players from the rookie list (which I expect to happen at least with James Jordon) and delist further players before the draft.

Possibly our last pick in the rookie draft or alternatively an invite to take part in the pre season as a possible supplemental draft pick in March.

Worth a look? The delisted players who could get a lifeline It’s not clear to me if AVB is a delisted player or are we shopping him around to try to get a deal. Seems to me that he might be of value to one of those clubs that are looking for someone with a bit of strength to look after their younger players while they develop.

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.