Langers15

That was a brilliant post @dazzledavey36. I'm in stitches of laughter. The Melbourne players will be all over this big time.

I would love to have Luke Jackson to come back and I'm sure he would love to be playing with Kozzie and Trent Rivers again. It would be a great reunion for our 2019 draft year. It's complicated with added layers to it. https://x.com/TheWestSport/status/1896154294564376946

Jed Adams is returning back to the ground where he was recruited from South Mandurah (WA)/Peel Thunder (WAFL). I'm hoping Jed will play some quality game time on Sunday. Did anyone attend the training session at Rushton Park this morning.

Alan Richardson was on SEN WA this morning with Tim Gossage and Scott Cummings. Judd McVee should be returning to the line up in round 2 or round 3 and is progressing well with his Rehabilitation Program.

FULL TRANSCRIPT: Kozzie Pickett breaks his silence Reporter: You’ve been linked to a move back to WA. There are reports around that you want to come to Freo and you’ve already been texting some boys. What do you make of those reports and do you want to head back to Perth? KP: “I’ve got friends. I’m allowed to talk to them I guess. I’m contracted at Melbourne. I’m having fun there and I love it at the club." Reporter: So there’s no truth to the fact that you want to come to Perth? KP: “I’m still contracted at Melbourne." Reporter: There was a rumour around that you were maybe trying to come back at the end of last year’s trade period and that you were a bit homesick. Was that true as well? KP: “Being away in Melbourne, there’s always a bit of homesickness but I’m still contracted and I have to do my time there." Reporter: Can you take us inside that conversation you had with Simon Goodwin and speaking a bit about that homesickness? KP: “We always have open and honest conversations. To be able to express myself and express my homesickness as a part of that relationships means we’re pretty close." Reporter: So those text messages to your friends, have you expressed a desire to specifically come and play for Fremantle? KP: “I just text like general friends. I’m pretty close with some of them." Reporter: There’s been a few social media posts about a potential move to Fremantle that accounts linked to your name have liked and been associated with. Do they belong to you? AFL spokesperson: “I think he’s already answered that one.”

Has Will Verrall returned to training. I haven't seen for the past fortnight.

Peter Walsh. Very Easy

We will finish 5th and Fremantle will finish 4th. Brisbane and GWS Grand Final. There are no excuses, and we have a great draw playing North Melbourne and West Coast twice. Harvey Langford to win the Rising Star award.

From The West West Australian Melbourne forward Kysaiah Pickett likes series of social media posts linking him to Fremantle Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett has liked a series of social media posts linking him to Fremantle as he does little to calm reports he is all but certain to end up in purple after the 2025 season. The West Australian revealed earlier this month the homesick forward was desperate to return to his home state, with one close sources stating “a lot would have to go wrong” for him to not end up a Docker. A Fremantle insider also told this newspaper signing him was currently one of their highest priorities. It comes after he was linked to a move to the club in the 2024 trade period, with no deal being tabled. And just days after the bombshell report, Pickett has liked a number of posts across Facebook and Instagram that link him to the Dockers. The most recent came on Friday, when he liked a comment by a Fremantle fan page on Facebook that stated his cousin Isiah Dudley joining the side as a train-on was all part of the plan to lure him west. The comment also stated that Pickett was close friends with superstar Richmond recruit Shai Bolton and Port Adelaide pick-up Quinton Narkle. “He is Kozzy Pickett’s cousin. Bolton and (Quinton) Narkle are Kozzy’s best mates. All part of the plan baby!” a post from the Flagmantle account read. Pickett has also liked an Instagram post by another Dockers fan account that quoted The Gettable podcast, who reported the Demon was interested in joining the club right up until the end of last year’s trade period. The 23-year-old follows a long list of Fremantle players, including Bolton, Narkle, veteran Michael Walters, vice-captain Caleb Serong, defender Jordan Clark, former teammate Luke Jackson and young gun Hayden Young on Instagram. Fremantle players will get their chance to pitch a move to Pickett next month when the electric forward suits up for the star-powered Indigenous All Stars at Optus Stadium, with Caleb Serong saying the Demon was a “special player”. Loading Instagram Post “He’s an incredible player and a special player,” he said. “It’s something that we’re really proud of, to be a club and place that players want to come to, but we don’t see it from that point-of-view. “We’ve got a lot of guys that just love coming to work, love being a part of what we’re building and if that extends out to other players at other clubs seeing that as a place they want to come to, then that’s amazing. “It’s just something that we’ve built. We want to build an environment where people want to come to work, love competing, and love getting better. “If that shows around the league, then that’s great.”

This is the article from Code Sports Jay Clark and Paul Amy dated 23.1.2025. Melbourne has reached out to Essendon legend James Hird as part of its search for a new chief executive. The firm leading the search for Gary Pert’s replacement told the club it contacted Hird about any recommendations he may have for the position. The Demons are keen to begin assessing a shortlist of candidates next month. NBL chief executive David Stevenson, who had stints at the AFL and Western Bulldogs, is considered a candidate. But the contact with Hird is intriguing as the Essendon champion is highly-rated for his business acumen and football knowledge. Hird, 51, was one of Essendon’s greatest players and coached the club for four seasons before he departed on the back of the Bombers’ crippling supplement saga in 2015. But the two-time premiership player, superstar captain and five-time best-and-fairest winner has moved past the crisis and has continued to enhance his reputation in the business world. The former senior coach is the founder and managing director of Euree Asset Management and the co-founder and non-executive director of Tenka Group, a worldwide sports consultancy. Hird has also returned to the coach’s box as coaching director of Port Melbourne in the VFL alongside former Western Bulldogs’ senior coach and three-time Cats’ assistant premiership coach Brendan McCartney. Hird remains friends with Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin from their time together at Essendon between 2011 and 2014. The Demons are keen to land a first-class replacement for Pert as the club attempts to bounce back into the eight and find a new home base at Caulfield Racecourse.

We hold all the Ace cards with Kozzie Pickett is contracted until the end of 2027, period. If we do decide to entertain the trade for Kozzie at the end of the 2025 season. I can assure you we will be asking significant draft capital in return with nothing coming back to them. What really annoys me, Fremantle had three early first draft selections in 2019 to draft Kozzie. Liam Henry was preferred for Fremantle and has not performed to the expectations of a number 10 draft pick. However, I am sure that Matt Whelan will be working closely with Kozzie behind the scenes to ensure he stays with us. Players like Kozzie Pickett and Cyril Rioli don’t come around very often. However, Geelong did so well to get Tyson Stengle (Free hit) and has kicked 126 goals in his last three seasons. If you review Fremantle's recent trade history, Fremantle gave away significant draft capital for Luke Jackson 2 first rounds and an early second round pick at the end of 2022. Fremantle gave away 3 First round picks for Shai Bolton for a player that Richmond did not want and off their salary cap. Cam McCarthy, Harley Bennell, Nathan Wilson, Rory Lobb, Jesse Hogan. None of them (Cam McCarthy, Harley Bennell, Nathan Wilson, Rory Lobb, Jesse Hogan) were the same player once they got to Fremantle.

Paul Amy has written an article on Code Sports entitled - Game on: VFL stand-alones carnival set down for Saturday, March 1. In it, he updates Casey’s recruiting news with yet another signing for the club:- CASEY DEMONS have signed Leongatha forward Jenson Garnham, who booted 53 goals last season and was named at full-forward in the Gippsland league team of the year. Garnham also kicked 52 goals in the Gatha’s 2023 premiership season. He had played with Gippsland Power in 2022. Leongatha coach Trent McMicking said Garnham was an exciting prospect. “I’m not sure where the limit is for him. I don’t know how good he can be,’’ he said. “He attacks the footy hard, he’s a really good mark and he’s a neat kick for goal. He has a basketball background and he didn’t really play much footy until he was 16, 17. “He’s super-raw but he’s got plenty of ability.’’ New Leongatha signing Patrick Ireland, who kicked a century of goals for Buln Buln last season, has also signed at Casey. The Demons have also secured Noah Yze, the son of Richmond AFL coach Adem. The 19-year-old forward and midfielder played two games for Casey last year, as well as 11 for Oakleigh Chargers in the Coates Talent League.

This is the Code Sports article completed on 13.1.2025 by Josh Barnes. Christian Petracca has shown no signs of discomfort as he trained just three days after cracking his ribs at Melbourne training. The superstar midfielder was on light duties but ran laps and took in some power movement drills with ease. Petracca suffered the blow to his ribs on Friday, almost seven months to the day since a brutal collision when playing against Collingwood that lead to broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and partially punctured lung. That horrific injury ruled Petracca out of the back-end of the 2024 season but he has had a strong pre-season to date and he posted on social media on Sunday that he was “feeling good physically and mentally”.

I'll do the honours here which is the article by Dan Batten on Code Sports. Dees or Suns? Famous Melbourne name opens up on ‘tough’ call Kalani remains torn on which club to choose, but the laid-back youngster won’t be rushing his decision. “I’m not too sure (when I will decide), just whenever I sort of feel like it,” White said. “It’s a bit hard because I’ve got my mum’s sister down here and a few of my dad’s old teammates. I’ve stayed with Kynan (Brown) for a bit and I had such a good time with their family when I was with them in the middle (of) this year,” White said. “Also got so much more family up on the Gold Coast, but I’ve been there my whole life. But I was born in Melbourne and moved straight up after Dad retired. It’s going to be a pretty tough decision.” The key position utility – who Jeff said has grown to 6’7” (204 centimetre), nine centimetres taller than his dad – has been moulded by the Suns in their academy since under-16s with plenty of his school mates. Kalani has worked with the Suns’ AFL side through the academy and has another athletic Suns marvel Mac Andrew in his corner. However, Kalani trained with Melbourne for two weeks before the Christmas break with an AFL Academy camp sandwiched in between. He spent some time during the year with the Demons’ father-son program and he has built a friendship with fellow father-son Kynan Brown, the son of Jeff’s teammate Nathan. Complicating matters is the fact Gold Coast already has potential No.1 pick Zeke Uwland, U17 futures game medal-winner Beau Addinsall and U16 All Australian Dylan Patterson available to them in 2025 with revised father-son and academy rules set to make matching bids tougher. All of this is a lot a 17-year-old to take in. Jeff told SEN in August that he will have no say on his son’s decision. “For him it is a big decision to make (between the Dees and Suns). It is not me, all of it is him. He is in a fortunate position where he can make the choice and he has just got to enjoy the journey,” Jeff said. Brisbane father-son draftee Levi Ashcroft, who started his footy journey at Kalani’s local club Broadbeach, has given him some valuable advice. White isn’t as highly-touted as No.5 pick Ashcroft, but the prolific midfielder had to make his own father-son call – albeit a very simple one with his brother, Will, already at the club. But like White, Levi had connections to both Queensland and Victoria, having lived in Melbourne since he was 12. “Drafted to Fremantle and then made his way over to the Melbourne Football Club. He’s been an unreal part of my life and so has my family, my brothers – my two twin brothers – and my mum. “He just said go out there and play footy. Just go out there and have fun just like you were in under nines. “He’s running an AI thing at the moment where you can just ask the AI any questions and it’ll give you all these type of footy drills, and it’s unreal. He’s going gone really well at the moment.” Then there is another half a dozen first-round draftees who have taken him under their wing during his time at Melbourne and Gold Coast – Koltyn Tholstrup, Jacob van Rooyen, Mac Andrew, Jed Walter and Ethan Read. “(Jacob is) a good fella, he helped me out in the gym, helped me on the track as well. Also, I reckon Luker Kentfield as well, so I’ve been staying with him and Koltyn Tholstrup,” White said. “Bit of Mac Andrew, because sort of similar players. He’s just been unreal, and bit of Jed Walter, Ethan Read as well, more of those taller forwards. They have been really good to me. “I’ve also trained with the Gold Coast Suns as well and they’ve got unreal facilities as well, but Melbourne’s just unreal and it’s just all the players that play at the highest level and just get to learn off that.”

Eliza Reilly has reported on Code Sports that It's understood that Melbourne (pick 2) and GWS (pick 3) have both flown to Perth this week to interview O'Hehir. She didn't have the best National Championships due to a nasty combination of illnesses but all things point towards Molly being the first WA product picked.

Please listen from 22 minutes and 58 seconds, Molly tells us her preferred team to play for.