Whispering_Jack

Ranges come back with a goal from the brilliant Tyson Sruk, a midfielder. In reply, Sanders gets the ball out to an underage teammate Murphy Reid who boots the first of two in a minute. Sandy back in control with a lead of 27 points.

The Wizard opened proceedings In the second half with a goal from a free and then the Ranges goaled again and got to within a couple of points. But then the Dragons took over with Sanders and Lord in the midfield and captain Brown up forward and they kicked the last four goals of the term to lead at 3/4 time by 26 points. Sandy are poised to go back to back and yes, I’m sold on Sanders. He’s cool, talented, can mark and kicks accurately.

It’s half time in the Coates Talent League Boys Grand Final and the Sandringham Dragons are 15 points up on the Eastern Ranges. Big last half looming.

The order after the third week of the 2023 finals series remains unchanged after this weekend:- ROUND ONE 1. West Coast Eagles 2. North Melbourne 3. Hawthorn 4. Gold Coast Suns 5. Melbourne (via Fremantle) 6. GWS Giants (via Richmond) 7. Geelong 8. Essendon 9. Adelaide 10. Western Bulldogs 11. Sydney Swans 12. St Kilda 13. Melbourne 14. North Melbourne (via Port Adelaide) 15. GWS Giants 16. Carlton 17. Western Bulldogs (via Brisbane) 18. Collingwood ROUND TWO 19. West Coast Eagles 20. Adelaide (via North Melbourne) 21. Fremantle (via North Melbourne compensation) 22. Sydney Swans (via Hawthorn) 23. Adelaide (via Gold Coast Suns) 24. Melbourne (via Fremantle) 25. Richmond 26. Brisbane (via Geelong) 27. Essendon 28. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 29. Hawthorn (via Western Bulldogs) 30. Sydney Swans 31. St Kilda 32. Melbourne 33. West Coast Eagles (via Port Adelaide) 34. Gold Coast Suns (via GWS Giants) 35. Collingwood (via Carlton) 36. Western Bulldogs (via Brisbane) 37. Port Adelaide (via Collingwood) ROUND THREE 38. West Coast Eagles 39. North Melbourne 40. Fremantle (via North Melbourne compo) 41. Sydney Swans (via Hawthorn) 42. Gold Coast Suns 43. Port Adelaide (via Fremantle) 44. Richmond 45. Brisbane (via Geelong) 46. Essendon 47. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 48. Hawthorn (via Western Bulldogs 49. Sydney Swans 50. St Kilda 51. North Melbourne (via Melbourne) 52. West Coast Eagles (via Port Adelaide) 53. GWS Giants 54. Fremantle (via Carlton) 55. Brisbane 56. Gold Coast Suns (via Collingwood) ROUND FOUR 57. West Coast Eagles 58. Fremantle (via North Melbourne) 59. North Melbourne (via Hawthorn) 60. Gold Coast Suns 61. Brisbane (via Fremantle) 62. Richmond 63. Western Bulldogs (via Geelong) 64. Carlton (via Essendon) 65. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 66. Western Bulldogs 67. Essendon (via Sydney Swans) 68. Gold Coast Suns (via St Kilda) 69. Western Bulldogs (via Melbourne) 70. Port Adelaide 71. GWS Giants 72. Carlton 73. GWS Giants (via Brisbane) 74. Collingwood ROUND FIVE 75. West Coast Eagles 76. North Melbourne 77. Hawthorn 78. Gold Coast Suns 79. Fremantle 80. Richmond 81. Geelong 82. Essendon 83. Adelaide 84. Western Bulldogs 85. Sydney Swans 86. St Kilda 87. Melbourne 88. Port Adelaide 89. GWS Giants 90. Carlton 91. Brisbane Lions 92. Collingwood The order may change as a result of the grand final.

Tyla Hanks has started the season on 🔥 66. Tyla Hanks 49. Kate Hore 26. Olivia Purcell 23. Lauren Pearce 20. Alyssa Bannan 17. Eden Zanker 14. Eliza McNamara 10. Shelley Heath 6. Sarah Lampard 5. Blaithin Mackin 3. Maddison Gay Tayla Harris Lily Mithen Paxy Paxman 2. Eliza West 1. Tahlia Gillard Aimee Mackin

It’s hard to tell the faces almost six decades later. Frank Davis is wearing glasses and is above Barry Bourke’s left shoulder. Some of those in the photo didn’t play in the grand final. For instance, Ray Groom is above RDB’s right shoulder.

The score: Melbourne 8.16.64 defeated Collingwood 8.12.60 The 20 players: B Neil Crompton Bob “Tassie” Johnson Bernie Massey HB Tony Anderson Brian Roet Frank Davis C Brian Dixon Don Williams Frank Adams HF Bryan Kenneally Graeme Jacobs Barrie Vagg F John Lord Barry Bourke John Townsend FOLL Graham Wise Ron Barassi Hassa Mann 19/20 Peter McLean Ken Emselle

Well then … let’s take a look at the 1964 premiership team photograph.

Today is our home ground’s 170th Birthday. Sadly, our season isn’t alive for us to be enjoying a Preliminary Final there tonight but Happy Birthday 🎂 to the MCG anyway…

6. T. Hanks 5. S. Heath 4. E. Zanker 3. O. Purcell 2. A. Mackin 1. K. Hore

Yep … Aimee Mackin sure can play football. A great opening half.

One plus for Melbourne about father Adem’s appointment as Richmond coach is that it frees Noah up as a potential father/son draft prospect without the added pressure of having his dad at the club.

Check out the odds for tonight!

This is a pen picture from the Herald Sun’s on line subscription article by Chris Cavanagh on the ten top prospects to watch in this weekend's Coates Talent League grand final - “RYLEY SANDERS 186cm Midfielder Club: Sandringham Dragons Draft Range: 1-10 Sanders has been Mr Consistent across all his football programs this season and will be looking to cap of his year with another title. Originally from Tasmania, he helped lead the Allies to victory in the under-18 national championships and won the Larke Medal as the best player of the tournament. A prolific ball winner who plays as a traditional centreman and has a strong appetite for the contest, Sanders has averaged 31.3 disposals, 6.5 clearances and 5.3 tackles across his eight games for the Dragons this year. He was named as a starting midfielder in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year this week. Sanders is a player to watch for North Melbourne fans, with the Kangaroos still hopeful of receiving some form of priority access to him in this year's draft as part of an AFL assistance package.” The Kangaroos can be as hopeful as they want but if the AFL compromised it’s rules and the draft system itself by gifting this NGA player to them, it would be a major scandal.

The reigning premiers, the Sandringham Dragons, take on the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League grand final at Ikon Park on Sunday at 11.15am. Players to look out for in the Dragons lineup are midfielder Ryley Sanders, key defender Ollie Murphy and rebounding halfback Archie Roberts - all are potential draft first rounders. Likewise with Ranges’ small forward Nick Watson and outside midfielder Caleb Windsor. The Dragons’ midfielder Charlie Edwards is considered a late bolter for draft selection - ONLINE: 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN GRAND FINAL

Would not have enjoyed his last game. The way the VFL competition is run is farcical and an insult to players like Munro who give their heart and soul every week of the season that’s not interrupted by yet another bye or the withdrawal of half of the team’s best players because of fixturing issues created from above.

THE 2023 Coates Talent League awards night was held this week. There was a tie for the Morrish Medal for the third year in a row. This time, midfielders Patrick Hughes (Geelong Falcons) and Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) each finished with 18 votes while George Stevens (GWV Rebels) came third on 16 votes. Stevens was also announced as Team of the Year captain. Melbourne father/son prospect Kynan Brown was named in the Team as an interchange. 2023 COATES TALENT LEAGUE TEAM OF THE YEAR B Billy Wilson (Dandenong Stingrays) Ollie Murphy (Sandringham Dragons) James Leake (Tasmania Devils) HB George Stevens (GWV Rebels) (c) Connor O’Sullivan (Murray Bushrangers) Archie Roberts (Sandringham Dragons) C Joel Freijah (GWV Rebels) Levi Ashcroft (Sandringham Dragons) Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) HF Darcy Wilson (Murray Bushrangers) Jordan Croft (Calder Cannons) Zane Duursma (Gippsland Power) F Nick Watson (Eastern Ranges) Logan Morris (Western Jets) Nate Caddy (Northern Knights) FOLL Will Green (Northern Knights) Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers) Ryley Sanders (Tasmania Devils) I/C Kynan Brown (Oakleigh Chargers) Harry De Mattia (Dandenong Stingrays) Patrick Hughes (Geelong Falcons) Luamon Lual (GWV Rebels) Finn O’Sullivan (Oakleigh Chargers) Michael Rudd (Geelong Falcons) Winners | 2023 Coates Talent League Boys awards night

From Today’s Herald Sun ”Melbourne has fast-tracked an AFLW debut for Gaelic football star Aimee Mackin, injecting more talent into its forward half. “The Irish recruit will join sister and premiership player Blaithin Mackin against Hawthorn on Friday night, with teammates calling the prospect “scary” for opponents.” Official selection later today …

AFL media’s most tedious product makes its return today. During the trade period AFL Trade Radio produces enormous lashings of interviews and commentary that are mainly rehashed material that we already know about with the odd scoop thrown in when it happens. If you happen to be tuned in when they bring up one of those scoops, please let us know.

Unfortunately, Collingwood will be far too good for GWS. We’ll have to wait for the Grand Final and Chris Fagan’s Lions to bring peace on the AFL’s earth.

Solid citizen.

And much better on this day in 1964. https:/

On this day, 19 September, 1987, an even worse result than last Friday ~

As Melbourne embarks on its post season recruiting, it’s worthwhile dwelling a little on how it gathered together its newcomers seventy years ago including the late, great Ronald Dale Barassi and many others who took part in the club’s golden era of six premierships which concluded on this day, 19 September, 1964 which marked his last game for the club. Vale Ron Barassi | The Debutants of 1953

Scouting Notes: Coates Talent League Preliminary Final 1 Scouting Notes: Coates Talent League Preliminary Final 2