Whispering_Jack

This is the provisional draft order based on reverse current ladder position. It’s not final because clubs can still have additional picks if they nominate additional inactive players:- Rules regarding eligibility - Eligible players include: • A Player who nominated for the most recent NAB AFL National Draft. Please note: A Player who nominated for and was not selected during the Draft and who committed for a further year as a 19-year-old Northern or NGA Academy Player is available to all Clubs should they nominate for the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft. • A Player who has previously been on the list of a Club (not required to nominate for the most recent Draft) refers to the following situations: • A Delisted Player Please note: A Player delisted by a Club cannot be reselected in the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft by the same Club in the period immediately following their delisting unless they nominated for the most recent Draft. • A Retired Player and/or a Player who has delisted himself and has not been on an AFL List for one year or more. For example, a player who retired in 2020 is not able to be selected in the 2021 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft. Players in their 18th year or younger are not eligible to be selected. Any player who does not meet the above criteria can be nominated by a representative of the AFL Talent Pathway, their AFLPA accredited agent or the player themselves and be considered for an exemption. State League Participation: Players who are selected in the 2021 Mid-Season Rookie Draft that stay in their original State are subject to the following: • They will not be permitted to play against their original Club unless otherwise agreed by all parties. • The player has the right to return to their original Club to participate in finals if their service is no longer required at their AFL Club.

Significant win for Essendon and, given their relatively easy draw in the back half of the season, it might have given them a potential finals spot. This could spell big trouble for one of Sydney, West Coast or Richmond.

I doubt that we will be using the MSD to fill all three positions of our ACL victims. I think perhaps, the temporary change in Marty Hore’s status from being out for the season to 10 to 12 weeks might be a hint that the club doesn’t necessarily consider him “inactive”. So, at best, it’s two players. I’m thinking one might be a ready made player required to fill a need for the remainder of the season and possibly going into the finals and the other a hidden gem for the future.

Another record that will surely be hard to beat. Tom Sparrow’s entry onto the field in the last minute of Friday night’s game would have to be the a record in terms of the amount of time a replacement player/sub/emergency has entered the playing arena.

In the lead up to the 2021 AFL Midseason Draft, Chris Doerre (“Knightmare”) has come up with a video presentation of his Top 20 MSD Power Rankings and the best players at each position ranked. https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/knightmares-2021-draft-almanac.1257391/ These are his top twenty power draft candidates of who 3 had yet to nominate at the time of the presentation:- 1. Jackson Callow 2. Jacob Edwards 3. Ned Boyle 4. Bailey Lambert (did not nominate) 5. Tyrone Thorne 6. Angus Baker 7. Jack Avery (did not nominate) 8. Blake Schlensog 9. Patrick Parnell 10. Sam Lowson 11. Max Pescud 12. Haiden Schloithe 13. Jye Bolton 14. Charlie Dean 15. Josh Green 16. Mitch Podhajski 17. Jai Newcombe 18. Zavier Maher 19. Josh Newman (did not nominate) 20. Cody Raak In addition, a further five players were nominated as being worth discussing:- • Nathan Freeman • Marcus Lentini • Joel Trudgeon • Alex Mirkov (210cm with Carlton VFL) • Tyson Stengle

The mail is that Neale is close to a return although he might not be particularly effective if he goes straight into the side after a long break.

Hope they play it at Metricon Stadium for the selfish reason that I’m currently hunkered down and doing it rough in the warmth and brilliant sunshine of late autumn on the Gold Coast while my thoughts are always with my fellow Victorians, locked down, shivering and huddled around fireplaces. I’m up for the challenge of single handedly supporting the Demons to a big win at Carrara if Gillon provides me with the challenge.

Despite the effort against one of the leading teams in the competition, we just fell short THE TEAMS MELBOURNE FB Michael Hibberd Steven May Jay Lockhart HB Christian Salem Jake Lever Oscar McDonald C Ed Langdon Clayton Oliver Bayley Fritsch HF Jake Melksham Sam Weideman James Harmes FF Kysaiah Pickett Mitch Hannan Harley Bennell FOL Max Gawn Christian Petracca Jack Viney I/C Angus Brayshaw Luke Jackson Neville Jetta Nathan Jones EM Tom McDonald Alex Neal-Bullen Joel Smith Adam Tomlinson IN Nathan Jones OUT Aaron vandenBerg (fractured cheek bone) BRISBANE LIONS FB Ryan Lester Harris Andrews Darcy Gardiner HB Daniel Rich Grant Birchall Brandon Starcevich C Mitch Robinson Dayne Zorko Hugh McCluggage HF Jarrod Berry Eric Hipwood Cam Rayner FF Zac Bailey Daniel McStay Charlie Cameron FOL Oscar McInerney Jarryd Lyons Lachie Neale I/C Callum Ah Chee Thomas Berry Lincoln McCarthy Archie Smith EM Connor Ballenden Keidean Coleman Rhys Mathieson Alex Witherden IN Archie Smith OUT Stefan Martin (back)

A rare occasion when it might be important to be negative, rather than positive.

The Dragons fielded a depleted side in their game against Jets with Chesser, Sinn and some of their ruck power missing to go down for the first time in 2021. And in case anyone’s interested, these are the results of the Stingrays game, Mac Andrew kicked a goal but didn’t feature in the best against the Suns Academy. Dandenong Stingrays 2.2 4.8 7.13 8.17 (65) Gold Coast Suns Academy 0.1 1.1 1.3 5.6 (36) GOALS: Dandenong Stingrays: Kyle 2 Cole Culley Cahill Nayna Andrew Murr BEST: Dandenong Stingrays: Bergman Cahill Bravo Frangalas Milford

They simply outclassed us in the middle and all over the ground after half time. WESTERN BULLDOGS FB Easton Wood Alex Keath Caleb Daniel HB Bailey Williams Ryan Gardner Hayden Crozier C Bailey Smith Jack Macrae Lachie Hunter HF Toby McLean Josh Bruce Mitch Wallis FF Tom Liberatore Aaron Naughton Ben Cavarra FOL Tim English Marcus Bontempelli Josh Dunkley I/C Jason Johannisen Patrick Lipinski Ed Richards Laitham Vandermeer, EM Tory Dickson Riley Garcia Roarke Smith Lewis Young IN Josh Bruce Hayden Crozier Jason Johannisen Laitham Vandermeer OUT Bailey Dale (omitted) Sam Lloyd (omitted) Roarke Smith (managed) Rhylee West (groin) MELBOURNE FB Jay Lockhart Steven May Jake Lever HB Christian Salem Adam Tomlinson Michael Hibberd C Ed Langdon Jack Viney James Harmes HF Nathan Jones Sam Weideman Christian Petracca FF Kysaiah Pickett Tom McDonald Bayley Fritsch FOL Braydon Preuss Jake Melksham Clayton Oliver I/C Angus Brayshaw Charlie Spargo Tom Sparrow Aaron vandenBerg EMG Mitch Brown Mitch Hannan Trent Rivers Joel Smith NO CHANGE

In a similar vein, an article by Chris Cavanagh in today’s Herald Sun (Young Guns Firing On All Cylinders - no link available) also ranks Mac Andrew highly. The article lists the author’s top ten NAB League future stars:- • Nick Daicos (Oakleigh Chargers) - a ball-winning midfielder who can float forward and hit the scoreboard; • Sam Darcy (Oakleigh Chargers) - son of ex-Western Bulldogs captain Luke Darcy who is a versatile tall who can play both as a key forward and in the ruck; • Tyler Sonsie (Eastern Ranges) - a smooth mover with excellent foot skills; • Josh Sinn (Sandringham Dragons) - classy and versatile, has a damaging left-foot boot, good speed and an impressive ability to read the play; • Josh Rachele (Murray Bushrangers) - former elite soccer player who is an explosive X-factor player who has been likened to Giants star Toby Greene; • Campbell Chesser (Sandringham Dragons) - an athletic rebounding defender or wingman who has a good mix of speed and endurance; • Mac Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays) - “A Melbourne Next Generation Academy member, Andrew has emerged “out of nowhere” to sit as a likely top-20 draft pick this year. Standing 200cm tall, he covers the ground effortlessly, has a nice kick, possesses a giant jump, and becomes an extra midfielder once the ball hits the ground out of the ruck contest. His favoured position is in the ruck.” Josh Gibcus (Greater Western Vic Rebels) - a 195cm key defender with a big leap and is considered an elite intercept mark. Finn Callaghan (Sandringham Dragons) - a rebounding defender or wingman, Callaghan can also be deployed across half-forward and has emerged as a top draft prospect this year. Cody Raak (Western Jets) - a mid-sized defender previously tied through the NGA system to the Western Bulldogs but overlooked in last year’s draft. He might be taken in this year’s MSD. The list includes only NAB Boys League players

Callum Twomey’s first go at his Draft Team of the Year Twomey's Draft Team of the Year: Top-10 bolters, mid-season chances snare spots He includes Mac Andrew on his bench so there’s a chance, in his view at least, that the Demons’ NGA prospect might go top 20 in the national draft and be stolen from our grasp.

How will the Demons handle a game where they come in as red hot favourites to win? They will need to be more convincing than they were in Tasmania against North Melbourne a few weeks ago.

For those who could get over the firewall in my previous post - Over 300 players nominate for AFL Mid-Season Draft Question without notice: Who is Jamal Lynch listed as being from the Melbourne Demons?

This Herald Sun article (firewall) names all of the players who have nominated to date - AFL: What every club needs in the mid season draft. It seems to me that not as many players from the younger pool have emerged as expected before the start of the season - at least from the young Victorian talent. The NAB Boys League has a disjointed fixture with a number of weeks off and on to the point where even the players are in the dark as to what they’re doing from week to week and it’s difficult for late developers to show their wares. If they don’t overhaul their system, it’s going to be harder and harder in the future for recruiters to spot talent. I’m hoping that the MFC recruiting team are on top of the situation because looking through the list of 300 names, there’s nothing there that springs out and calls for recruitment. At a guess, I would say Zac Foot, now at Casey and formerly from the Swans or Werribee’s Kye Declase who trained with Melbourne during the supplemental draft period might suit our needs (the latter because he might be tried as cover for Adam Tomlinson). Secretly hoping that the club’s recruiters might have a smokey in mind but the odds are against.

We need to be fully switched on today. The Blues went with the Doggies for well over three quarters last week and they are primed to cause an upset.

Suggest that Baker or Chandler will be the emergency for tomorrow.

Could this tall be #1? Standout’ tall set to raise his hand in draft

There’s nothing here that particularly interests me. Scouting Notes: 2021 Victorian Under 23 Young Guns

I suppose it’s a testament to the AFL’s lack of interest in its feeder competition that, apart from announcing the postponement of Casey’s game, no further word has come through about its status (presumably now a bye) or whether and where it will be replaced on the fixture (the obvious being on 22 May). I don’t know how the coaching staff feel but 3 VFL games over 8 rounds doesn’t sound ideal.

It’s been reported that the Casey Demons vs Sydney game will probably be played on 22 May (Covid19 allowing), meaning that they’ll be switching the byes around. Point taken about the nonsense VFL Eastern Seaboard 22 team competition that allows for a 16 game regular season.

Perhaps a change in the sub but that would be all.

The club’s momentum was disrupted early last week against North Melbourne but the younger players stood tall and steadied the ship in the second half. The task is to continue in that vein tonight against a team that has for years maintained mastery over us on our own home turf.

Cornes is entitled to his opinion but in this case his thinking is rather one-dimensional. There would be a number of factors behind the amount and duration of the contract going well beyond the individual in this case. In contrast to the other recent high profile long term contract (Grundy) this one was not conceived out of haste or panic or within a scenario where the club will fall into a salary cap trap. The new deal gives the club time and scope to settle its playing list. We also have a number of players who are coming to the end of their careers. I can think of half a dozen who are likely to end up this year with a couple of potential trades out as well that would leave us well placed to bring in at least one quality ready made player as well as additional youth. Compare that with Collingwood which, as a result of its salary cap madness which stemmed in part from the Grundy contract, is in heaps of draft and salary cap trouble and with low morale at least in the short term. Apart from anything else, others look at Melbourne and the way the team’s playing and the message is all positive. Add the fact that our best players are making these commitments to their club and teammates and the outcome is a happy, feel good place. That’s the sort of atmosphere you need for success.