Whispering_Jack

Well, they certainly stepped up the required gear but not before almost losing their lead. Tom Sparrow and Jake Melksham are handy reserve depth for the Demons, Bowey is going to be a beauty and I think the selectors will definitely have a look at Declase at some stage, if not this year, then next.

Love Bowey’s game and Declase and Turner look to be handy additions. Weideman looks good at this level but there’s very little fire power or marking strength up forward or pressure to keep the ball inside 50. They lost last week when the Giants played the same type of defensive game. They need to step up a gear - especially those striving to break into the Melbourne team.

This would have to rank as the most bizarre major football competition going around. Made up of 22 different teams across the eastern seaboard and you only play 14 matches over 19 rounds before the finals placing are decided. In the case of the Casey Demons this has resulted in a fixture where they play Box Hill twice in the season and miss out completely on playing no less than 9 of the others. So forget about missing out on the big clashes with Apsley and Southport (admittedly we could play them in the finals if we get there) but what about your regular traditional VFA clubs of old like Coburg, Frankston and I simply cannot accept the fact that there’s no visit this year to Port Melbourne. Are the organizers of this farce of a competition aware how long we’ve had to endure without consuming their famous burraburger?

Having watched the game, I still think it’s far too early to be casting judgment about most of the prospects including Andrew who looks very raw and played in a team that struggled from the start. This was Callum Twomey’s view of his efforts in yesterday’s game. “His athleticism and ability across the ground means he is forming to be selected inside the first 15 picks on draft night, with Friday’s effort again solidifying his standing among the leading talls in the crop as he compiled 15 disposals and a goal.” We already know that only the highest calibre of talls will get picked in the first round of any given draft and that the recent mid season draft saw a number taken from that crop. There’s only going to be a limited number of clubs left on the lookout to spend a pick in the 10-20 range on a project ruckman who needs two to three years to develop. There are diverse opinions about most prospects (including Nick Daicos who was clearly the star of the show yesterday) so the discussion about Mac Andrew is going to be a long drawn out debate, especially if he continues to play in teams that get thrashed which has been the case in his last few outings.

This one shouldn’t trouble the memory too much as it wasn’t all that long ago. THE TEAMS HAWTHORN B: C. Jiath 29 K. Hartigan 28 B. Hardwick 15 HB: D. Howe 17 Sam Frost 8 J. Impey 4 C: J. Scrimshaw 3 T. Mitchell 3 L. Shiels 26 HF: D Moore 36 T. O'Brien 23 S. Burgoyne 9 F: L. Breust 22 J. Koschitzke 34 C. Wingard 20 Foll: B. McEvoy 7 J. Worpel 5 J. O’Meara 10 I/C: C. Nash O. Hanrahan H. Morrison T. Phillips Sub: J. Cousins Emerg: T. Brockman J. Ceglar M. Hartley In: O. Hanrahan J. Koschitzke C. Nash Out: T. Brockman (managed) J. Ceglar (omitted) M. Hartley (omitted) M. Lewis (suspended) MELBOURNE B: T. Rivers 24 H. Petty 35 A. Tomlinson 20 HB: C. Salem 3 J. Lever 8 J. Hunt 29 C: A. Brayshaw 10 C. Oliver 13 E. Langdon 15 HF: K. Pickett 36 T. McDonald 25 N. Jones 2 F: A. Neal-Bullen 30 L. Jackson 6 J. Melksham 18 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Petracca 5 J. Viney 7 I/C: M. Brown 38 M. Hibberd 14 Jordon 23 C. Spargo 9 Sub: T. Sparrow 32 Emerg: O. Baker 33 M. Daw 28 N. Jetta 39 In: M. Brown M. Hibberd H. Petty Out: B. Fritsch (hand fracture) N. Jetta (omitted) S. May (facial fracture) T. Sparrow (omitted)

Our home ground in the NT is Alice Springs. Looking forward at our fixture, it would hardly be feasible to change any of our future 2021 home games there, leaving aside unexpected pandemic circumstances. It’s too late to move the Hawks game and you wouldn’t move the Bulldogs fixture away from the G as it looms as a major blockbuster. Moving the Adelaide game to Alice Springs would mean you go into a finals series having not played at the MCG and likely finals site for a month.

Daicos dazzles as Metro thumps Country at Windy Hill

Mac Andrew is an 18 year old ruck/tall utility who plays for the Dandenong Stingrays and Vic Country Under 19s and is sort of tied to Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player. "Sort of", because any club can take him without challenge if they nominate him in the top 20 of this year's national draft. If nominated beyond that selection, the Demons could opt to take him by matching his points value at that pick. Andrew is 200cm but lightly built at 70kg. He's somewhat enigmatic in that his athleticism and great leap make him an eye catcher - he can play ruck or in key positions but after a brilliant opening burst early in the season, he's been hot and cold and also missing through injury. He returned to the field in today's game for Vic Country against a strong Vic Metro team that dominated over their rivals from the bush. Andrew showed sparks of promise but that wiry build needs a lot of work and time for development. Most judges have him on the fringe of top 20 selection. AFL Draft Central currently rates him just outside that range at #21 so it's likely to be an interesting point of conversation over the next 4½ months before that big day late in November when his footballing future and those of many others will be decided. From the latest AFL Draft Central Power Rankings: July 2021 "Eyes quickly turned to Andrew after he collected 22 disposals, three marks and 11 hitouts on his NAB League debut, before going on to prove it was no fluke by impressing across another three outings. He found himself spending more time forward against the Sandringham Dragons in Round 4 and kicked a goal, but has some development left in his decision making and disposal by foot at times. He boasts clean hands and was better aerially than his averages of three marks and 14.5 hitouts suggest. The same could be said about his game for the AFL Academy, where Andrew was tried up either end before excelling in the ruck during term four, throwing his 200cm frame into each centre bounce with a phenomenal vertical leap." Here's an article about the player and his background - Mac time: Demons’ academy star inspired by Sudanese pioneers And here’s the full footage from that game he played for the AFL Academy -

The player numbers for the game - VIC COUNTRY 1. Sam Conforti 2. Ben Hobbs 4. Joshua Rachele 5. Cooper Hamilton 6. Connor MacDonald 7. Judson Clarke 9. Noah Gribble 10. Will Bravo 12. Noah Gadsby 13. Sam Breuer 14. Jamieson Ballantyne 15. Campbell Chesser 17. Charlie Molan 18. Tom Brown 19. Miller Bergman 21. Joshua Gibcus 23. Jai Serong 27. Hamish Sinnott 28. Mitchell Knevitt 34. Oscar Morrison 35. Justin Davies 36. Mac Andrew 39. Josh Rentsch 40. Toby Conway VIC METRO 1. Youseph Dib 2. Corey Preston 3. Jake Soligo 4. Zac Taylor 6. Josh Ward 7. Lachlan Rankin 9. Darcy Wilmot 10. Sam Clifford 11. Paul Curtis 12. Nick Daicos 13. Marcus Windhager 16. Josh Sinn 17. Karl Worner 18. Ben De Bolfo 23. Luke Cleary 24. Joshua Goater 26. Blake Howes 30. Dominic Akuei 32. Cody Raak 33. Samuel Paea 34. Tyreece Leiu 36. Sam Darcy 38. Dante Visentini 39.Liam Podhajski

Enjoy it here - Father-son guns headline Metro v Country U19 battle at Windy Hill

Time to step up to the plate.

As a footballer, Melbourne NGA prospect Mac Andrew is an absolute genius. He has not had a kick or a handball in the past month but has risen six places in the Draft Central Power Rankings: July 2021. The NAB Boys League went into recess for a couple of weeks at the beginning of June for the city clubs including the Stingrays during the lockdown. Andrew played his only game for the month of June for the Stingrays against the Pioneers on 20 June and was concussed in the opening moments (stats - 2 tackles, 2 hit outs). This is how the AFL Draft Central power ranking guru sums him up:- “#15 Mac Andrew (MEL NGA) Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country | Ruck/Tall Utility 12/04/2003 | 200cm | 70kg June Ranking: #21 Snapshot: A raw tall prospect who has proven his worth in each post, Andrew’s vertical leap and fast-developing craft really catch the eye. Another key position type who rocketed up draft boards with a promising start to the year, Andrew will have Melbourne recruiters a little nervous with his performances to date. He now sits inside our current top 20, boasting raw athleticism and bucketloads of upside given his ever-improving ability to be utilised at either end of the ground, or in the ruck. While he has proven his versatility, the Demons Next Generation Academy (NGA) talent looks most comfortable in the ruck, where his leap and clean follow-up work stands out. Last month: Andrew was set to add to his exciting opening rounds with a return to NAB League action, but unfortunately fell to injury early in his outing against Bendigo. Having gone down in a heavy contest, Andrew hasn’t been sighted on-field since and also missed the Under 19 trials.” On that basis, but for the injury, Mac probably would be sitting at #1 right now and we wish him good luck at either North Melbourne or Hawthorn in 2022.

Do we assume that young Riak is also in the Melbourne NGA?

A big day ahead for the club having made the brave decision not to select its big name forward recruit in the week following a 5 goal haul. Demons - just do it!

I remember the game so well. The team got a standing ovation from Melbourne fans at half time and then they completely destroyed us in the second half. The trauma of the experience that day (probably the origin of MFCSS) was felt for such a long time that whenever the Demons were leading at the main break, the people who sat in our area used to call out “don’t clap!!”

I believe that this game will take place on Saturday night at Casey Fields.

Those were the good old days …

The trials were held at the weekend ahead of the Australian Under 19 Championships (which may or may not take place over the next month or so). Scouting Notes | 2021 Victorian Under 19 trials As reported elsewhere, Melbourne’s NGA prospect Mac Andrew from the Dandenong Stingrays missed out on a chance to represent Vic Country at the trials due to a concussion incurred in the recent NAB League Boys game against the Bendigo Pioneers. Bulldogs Father/son prospect rocketed into contention as a top three draft selection with six goals.

It wasn’t all that long ago that we beat them at Manuka Oval. Their accuracy in front of goal kept them in the game for three quarters and then we skipped away. GWS GIANTS B: S. Taylor 15 L. Keeffe 25 M. Buntine 21 HB: I. Cumming 13 N. Haynes 19 L. Ash C: J. Kelly 22 S. Coniglio 3 J. Buckley 44 HF: T. Taranto 14 T. Greene 4 M. de Boer 24 F: B. Hill 37 H. Himmelberg 27 B. Daniels 16 Foll: M. Flynn 30 J Hopper 2 C. Ward 8 I/C: P. Davis 1 T. Green 12 C. Idun 39 X. O'Halloran 33 Sub: N. Shipley 34 Emerg: K. Briggs 32 Z. Sproule 28 C.Stone 18 In: M. Buntine T. Green C. Idun X. O’Halloran Out: T. Bruhn (Omitted) H. Perryman (Illness) S. Reid (Suspension) Z. Sproule (Omitted) MELBOURNE B: N. Jetta 39 S. May 1 J. Lever 8 HB: Christian C Salem 3 A. Tomlinson 20 J. Hunt 29 C: E. Langdon 15 C. Petracca 5 N. Jones 2 HF: K. Pickett 36 T. McDonald 25 A. Neal-Bullen 30 F: C. Spargo 9 L. Jackson 6 B. Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C.Oliver 13 J. Viney 7 I/C: A. Brayshaw 10 J. Jordon 23 T. Rivers 24 T. Sparrow Sub: J. Melksham 18 Emerg: K. Chandler 37 M. Hibberd 14 H. Petty 35 In: J. Melksham Out: O. Baker (Omitted)

As we learned last night - never underestimate the opposition!

Watched with interest over the weekend and his promise was evident in the final quarter, albeit a bit overhyped by the commentators. Not much to write home about in the first three quarters in a team that was completely overwhelmed. The previous two Academy teams won their matches against VFL teams - in 2018 (v North Melbourne) and in 2019 (v Casey Demons). This possibly suggests that Covid19 has had an effect on the preparation of the elite level draftees.

It was the last game of 2020 … ESSENDON FB Jordan Ridley Brandon Zerk-Thatcher Martin Gleeson HB Devon Smith Michael Hurley Adam Saad C Tom Cutler Zach Merrett Brayden Ham HF Will Snelling James Stewart Matt Guelfi FF Jake Stringer Joe Daniher Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti FOL Sam Draper Dylan Shiel Darcy Parish I/C Dylan Clarke Kyle Langford Jayden Laverde Mason Redman, EMG Josh Begley Cale Hooker Kobe Mutch Andrew Phillips IN Michael Hurley Jayden Laverde Mason Redman OUT Mitchell Hibberd (omitted) Andrew Phillips (omitted) Jacob Townsend (omitted) MELBOURNE FB Joel Smith Steven May Michael Hibberd HB Trent Rivers Jake Lever Christian Salem C Ed Langdon Christian Petracca Aaron vandenBerg HF Jayden Hunt Sam Weideman Alex Neal-Bullen FF Kysaiah Pickett Mitch Brown Charlie Spargo FOL Max Gawn Jack Viney Clayton Oliver I/C Oskar Baker Bayley Fritsch Jake Melksham Adam Tomlinson EMG Mitch Hannan Luke Jackson Neville Jetta Tom Sparrow IN Michael Hibberd OUT Neville Jetta (omitted)

The time has come for the Demons to take control of the SCG

Kicked one goal out of NT’s 3.8.26 in a 78 point caning at the hands of the GES Academy (15.14.104).

The whole debate is very much dependent upon how Mac Andrew performs for the rest of the year. He showed some very good form in the opening few rounds of the NAB Boys League which earned him a place in the NAB AFL Academy side that played Geelong VFL in late April. Chris Doerre (“Knightmare”) of ESPN and Bigfooty has Andrew at #16 in his June Power rankings (down from #13 in May) and prefaces his review of the player in this way - “Earning his way onto this draft board on the back of his final quarter performance for the AFL Academy against Geelong's VFL side, Melbourne Next-Generation Academy product Andrew is a light bodied, athletic ruckman with upside.” Others have pointed out that the game was a debacle for the Academy team which suffered a 130-point thumping and that Andrews’ stats for the game were mediocre. If a few hit outs and a goal in the final quarter are enough to make the top 20 in a critical evaluation of the top draft prospects, then what does it tell us about the quality of the field? I remain a sceptic as to whether he’s top 20 material but I stand corrected. Since the Academy game, the Stingrays played in once (vs Gold Coast Academy on 22 May) when Andrew scored a goal but wasn’t named in the best. The lockdown has put a pause on an already shortened season and many prospective candidates in the various junior football competitions can’t even get a look in as a result. I understand that when a full return is permitted by government*, at least one NAB Boys League game a week will be streamed to Herald Sun subscribers and the games themselves will most likely be open to the public so people will be able to make their assessments of Andrew and other draft prospects. Hopefully, the national championships will proceed later next month and he’ll also represent Vic Country. In the meantime, it’s all speculation. [* when that’s announced Dazzle, feel welcome to start a Mac Andrew thread which we will carry through to the Draft in November].