Whispering_Jack

Young stars named in 2025 Marsh AFL National Academy squads

Chris Cavanagh’s mock draft in today’s Herald Sun (note: he also speculates that Carlton might turn this around by picking Sid Draper ahead of Finn O’Sullivan) 1. RICHMOND - SAM LALOR Mid/Fwd, 188cm, GWV Rebels/Bacchus Marsh 2. NORTH MELBOURNE - ALIX TAURU Def/Fwd, 193cm, Gippsland Power/Warragul Industrials 3. BRISBANE – LEVI ASHCROFT (match Blues bid) Mid, 179cm, Sandringham Dragons/Old Brighton 4. CARLTON – FINN O’SULLIVAN Mid, 182cm, Oakleigh Chargers/Koroit 5. ADELAIDE – SID DRAPER Mid, 182cm, Sth Adelaide/Willunga 6. MELBOURNE – HARVEY LANGFORD Mid, 191cm, Dandenong Stingrays/Mount Martha We say: If Tauru is off the board and Langford gets past the Crows, popular opinion in recruiting circles suggests that the Demons will snap up this big-bodied midfielder. Standing 191cm, he models his game on Marcus Bontempelli and is capable of having a big impact both with his work around clearances and his ability to take marks and kick goals when forward. The other player linked to this pick is Jagga Smith, who some scouts believe would suit Melbourne well given his ability to also play as a creative small forward. 7. RICHMOND – JOSH SMILLIE Mid, 195cm, Eastern Ranges/Park Orchards 8. ST KILDA – JAGGA SMITH Mid, 182cm, Oakleigh Chargers/Richmond Juniors 9. GOLD COAST – LEO LOMBARD (after Saints bid) Mid/Fwd, 179cm, Suns Academy/Broadbeach 10. ST KILDA – TOBIE TRAVAGLIA Def/Mid, 187cm, Bendigo Pioneers/Sandhurst 11. ESSENDON – ISAAC KAKO (after Melbourne bid) Fwd, 176cm, Calder Cannons/Northern Saints 12. MELBOURNE – HARRY ARMSTRONG Fwd, 195cm, Sandringham Dragons/Ormond We say: The Demons have been strongly linked to Armstrong, who is the best available key forward. He is a strong-marking player who is also athletic and boasts a thumping and accurate left-foot kick. 13. RICHMOND – BO ALLAN Mid/Def, 191cm, Peel Thunder/Halls Head 14. RICHMOND – JACK WHITLOCK Fwd, 200cm, Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton 15. WEST COAST – XAVIER LINDSAY Mid, 183cm, Gippsland Power/Leongatha 16. PORT ADELAIDE – JOBE SHANAHAN Fwd, 195cm, Bendigo Pioneers/Moama 17. FREMANTLE – JOE BERRY Fwd, 181cm, Murray Bushrangers/Wangaratta 18. GWS – TAJ HOTTON Mid/Fwd, 182cm, S’ham Dragons/Hampton Rovers 19. GWS – NOAH MRAZ Def, 198cm, Dandenong Stingrays/Narre Nth Foxes 20. W.BULLDOGS – MURPHY REID Mid, 181cm, Sandringham Dragons/South Melbourne Districts 21. RICHMOND – COOPER HYNES Mid/Fwd, 190cm, Dandenong Stingrays/Bonbeach 22. BRISBANE – SAM MARSHALL (after Swans bid) 185cm, Brisbane Lions Academy/ Sandringham Dragons/ Old Melburnians 23. SYDNEY - JESSE DATTOLI Fwd/Mid, 179cm, Northern Knights/Heidelberg 24. RICHMOND – ALEX DODSON Ruck, 201cm, Sturt/Payneham 25. GWS – JASPER ALGER Fwd, 183cm, Oakleigh Chargers/Warragul 26. SYDNEY – MATT WHITLOCK Def/Fwd, 198cm, Murray Bushrangers/Shepparton 27. RICHMOND – TOM GROSS Mid/Fwd, 182cm, Oakleigh Chargers/Old Trinity

I am aware that it’s forbidden to use his name around here but I thought readers should be aware that since his retirement from football, the lad has made good establishing a massive trucking empire.

Pick trade from yesterday: Collingwood trades pick 58 to Brisbane for picks 60 and 66.

He’s famous …

The parties have come to agreement. Former President Glen Bartlett’s contribution over his long period of service to the club and it’s revival has been acknowledged and recognized and allegations regarding our premiership coach Simon Goodwin have rightfully been discredited. Let's move on and support the Demons as they rise to the task of winning the 2025 premiership.

And if he only had limited time in 2024, then it wouldn’t have been any better for him in 2025 with Tom Campbell on the MFC list.

Rookie Me Central’s summation of Riak Andrew Sounds promising but the problem is that it’s not clear as to whether the club has room to take him in the forthcoming draft period.

AFL draft top 30: Ranking the best prospects from Levi Ashcroft and Finn O'Sullivan to Jagga Smith and Alix Tauru

AFL Draft Analysis: Melbourne Demons Potential Targets Pick 5 Harvey Langford: A midfielder who uses his size and strength to his advantage in the middle, Langford is an attacking-minded midfielder who can have a significant impact on the scoreboard. Likened to Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli given his craft as a ball-winner that is equally damaging over his head, Langford might be available at Pick 5 but is unlikely to slide to Pick 9. He'll be one of a few top midfielders likely up for grabs for the Demons, who will weigh up what kind of ball winner will be suit their current midfield setup. Pick 9 Harry Armstrong: Viewed by many as the leading key forward in this year's draft, Armstrong had a sensational year with the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro, finding success at both levels. He would kick 27 goals from 10 Talent League games and a further nine goals from a trio of appearances at the National Championships to earn Team of the Year at each. His high-leaping and sharp kicking would be a nice addition to the Demons, who might be able to have Armstrong develop his craft for 12 months before launching at the top level, much like Jacob van Rooyen's development. The Ormond junior could go at either Pick 5 and 9, while the Saints will be keen on Armstrong too, potentially causing the Demons some headaches. Luke Trainor: A different option for Melbourne to consider, with Trainor one of the best defenders on offer at 194cm. A clean user of the ball who is a strong interceptor, Trainor is a suitable option at Pick 9 for the Demons to weigh up. He can push further up the field to be a more attacking asset, utilising his ball skills and footy IQ. Trainor looked comfortable against VFL opposition this year for the AFL Academy, proving to be a teenager who could make the leap to AFL football almost immediately.

Davo27 on bigfooty recently rated prospective draftees by position. I’ve rolled his ratings into this post. MIDFIELDERS - Tier 1 F. O'Sullivan. L. Ashcroft, L. Lombard, S. Draper, J. Smith, T. Hotton, S. Lalor, H. Langford MIDFIELDERS - Tier 2 J. Smillie, M. Reid, C. Moraes, C. Hynes, J. Ough, S. Marshall, B. Allan, T. Gross, H. Boxshall MIDFIELDERS - Tier 3 B. Camporeale L.Urquhart, X. Ivisic, O. Warburton, O. Depgoli-Kubank, Z. Cochrane, C. Anderson, P. Hargrave, L. Mclnerney, D. Kerr, Z. Johnson, J. Dolan, H. Charleson MIDFIELDERS - Tier 4 C. Paul, K.Matofai-Forbes, O. Harvey, J. Nguyen, F. McFadyen, R. Stevens, L. Grego, N. Sulzberger, D. Hollow, N. King, J. Harrison RUCKMEN - Tier 1 K. Gerreyn, A. Dodson RUCKMEN - Tier 2 L. Smith, J. Doherty, J. Pike, F. Penry SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS - Tier 1 A. Tauru, T. Travaglia, X.Lindsay SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS - Tier 2 H. Oliver, L. Camporeale, L. Jaques, L. Hofmann SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS - Tier 3 P. Retschko, A. Clarke, C. Burke, J. Artemis, W. Hayes SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS - Tier 4 L. Quaynor, K. Herbert, T. Wenzel KEY POSITION DEFENDERS - Tier 1 L. Trainor, H. O'Farrell KEY POSITION DEFENDERS - Tier 2 M. Whitlock, A. Cole, N. Mraz, Z. Lockwood, J. Barrat KEY POSITION DEFENDERS - Tier 3 J. Cochran, C. Dennis SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS - Tier 1 J. Berry, I. Kako SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS - Tier 2 M. Champion, J. Murphy, J. Alger, E. Bradley, H. Davis, J. Dattoli (mid), O. Hannaford, R. Unwin (mid) SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS - Tier 3 B.Barrett, A. Day-Wicks, J.Delana, C. Angove, J. Newton, J. Ryan, B. McKenzie, L. Douglas KEY POSITION FORWARDS - Tier 1 H.Armstrong, J. Shanahan, J. Faull, KEY POSITION FORWARDS - Tier 2 T. Sims, G. Stumpf, T. Welsh, J. Whitlock, F. Burmeister KEY POSITION FORWARDS - Tier 3 C. Nicholls, C. West, M. Rohr

Can’t see this happening unless the Eagles get something else from somewhere. Otherwise they might get Bo Allen but after that nothing until pick 73 - a recipe for disaster if you’re a bottom side.

Probably an impossible ask but it would be nice if club politics was kept to a minimum and we could discuss the attributes this champion footballer when he picked up those 16 Brownlow votes in 2024 and what he can bring into the mix for the Demons of 2025 and beyond.

Never in doubt - now for the Bombers to fall over tonight so we can start our Bradbury run to the flag!

Many years ago, I watched a Melbourne game in the Southern Stand with my two sons. We were sitting directly behind Shaun Smith who was something of a family hero after his mark of the century against the Bears over teammate Garry at the Gabba. My sister who was into ceramics at the time had made a plate with the iconic picture of that mark which I had sitting on a shelf somewhere. We chatted with the family including his young son (presumably Joel) during the game and years later thought Shaun would have been proud when that young bloke showed he inherited his father’s athleticism by playing two sports at the elite level in this country. Unfortunately, Joel’s career did not have a happy ending and sadly, this was mainly due to failings on his part and nobody else. More sadly, the issue of substance taking highlighted in this case is a major problem in our society that has been around for a long time and continues to defy solutions. Yesterday’s announcement marks the end of a difficult time for the Demon family and for Shaun and Joel and their families. It won’t be easy but I trust that they can move on with their lives and remember Joel’s happier times at the club.

Yesterday, Michael Warner boldly stated in the Herald Sun:- “At least four of Smith's Melbourne teammates have been sweating on the outcome of the trafficking probe.” Today, he opened his article on Smith’s suspension by the AFL with the following paragraph: “Melbourne players who received text messages from Melbourne suspended teammate Joel Smith regarding cocaine will not be penalised.” It took eight months which included the course of an entire 2024 season for the SIA investigators to clear Smith’s 43 club mates of being users of a prohibited substance. Thanks for the headline Mick.

Devastating news and so sad. Condolences to the Davey family on the tragic loss of their beautiful child, Jack.❤️

An article attributed to Michael Warner in today’s Herald Sun, entitled “END OF THE LINE FOR TROUBLED DEE” contains the following paragraph:- “In a statement handed to federal MP Andrew Wilkie earlier this year – assessed by SIA – former Demons doctor Zeeshan Arain estimated two thirds of the club’s squad were either “frequent” drug users or “occasionally” used illicit drugs.” There is no further explanation of the claim made by Dr Arain and the article does not refer to the fact that the doctor was sacked by the club and was subsequently involved in an acrimonious legal wrangle with the club. Warner should know because he wrote about the situation in an article appearing in Code Sports on February 16, 2022 “Melbourne crisis: Former club doctor issues legal letter to Demons”. In that article, Warner mentioned an email in which Melbourne CEO Gary Pert questioned Arian’s credibility. I am quoting directly from Warner’s article:- "Pert wrote: When dealing with Zee on issues, he consistently changed his stories when I challenged him on details and his stories rarely matched up to other people involved ... He also described Dr Arain's evidence as "full of inaccuracies, misrepresentations and a rewriting of history, which was a frustration to all he was accusing". Today’s Warner article refers to the club’s off-field scandals and cultural issues but fails to mention that when the issue was raised in Parliament by independent MP Andrew Wilkie (using parliamentary privilege), Wilkie said Arain alleged it wasn't a Melbourne problem but an "AFL problem" with a number of players arriving at the club with pre-existing cocaine dependencies. However, the most glaring omission from Warner’s article today (and the reason why I feel it necessary to raise this point here now) is his failure to provide the full story which is the Melbourne Football Club’s version which appeared in his own newspaper written by his colleague Jay Clark who, followed the process of allowing the other side to be heard. This is an excerpt from “Melbourne deny ex-club doctor Zeeshan Arain's extraordinary claims of player illicit drug use” - March 31, 2024 “The Demons told the Herald Sun on Saturday Dr Arain did not report a single concern to the club's audit and risk sub-committee on any issues regarding player illicit drug use during his tenure. "Dr Arain was the head doctor of the Melbourne Football Club between 2014 and the start of 2020," the statement said. "During this time, he was required to report annually to the club's audit and risk subcommittee on any issues or concerns regarding the entire medical program. "At no time throughout his tenure did Dr Arain ever raise any concerns about players' illicit drug use to this sub-committee. "Like all clubs within the competition the Melbourne Football Club continue to invest heavily in education and support systems, including the IDP (illicit drugs policy) to help reduce the prevalence of illicit substance abuse within the club and the game."

Some additional changes - • Joel Smith has now been delisted • Jake Melksham has been promoted back into the primary list • Marty Hore has been contracted for 2025 and will remain on the Category A list • it is anticipated that Judd McVee will be promoted into the primary list as an upgrade on draft night

The online edition of the Herald Sun is carrying an article by Mark Robinson in which Gary Pert explains that controversial comment about the club’s culture ~ "My point, that was taken out of context - I was saying we are dealing with player behaviour issues and I don't want the entire club being tarnished by that," he said. "When I made the comment, we had won more games of footy in the past three years than any other team (in the league) and had recently won a premiership, and that we were doing a lot of great things. I was saying, the player behaviour issues had to be dealt with in that regard and not discredit the Max Gawns, Jack Vineys and Kate Hores ... I didn't want the whole football club being tarnished by a couple of people." In what was a complex situation, Melbourne had to carry the can for its players being in the controversial and secretive AFL drugs program, which meant the club wasn't fully across all the information - and still isn't. It's frustrating, but it's reality. "I did take offence, and maybe got a bit emotional, but I did take offence to a couple of players' behaviour tarnishing what I think is a club full of magnificent people," Pert said. I’m sure this won’t satisfy everyone but it’s logical and consistent with the views expressed to me in recent months by some of the senior group of players.

"Now is the right time for me and the right time for the club." Well played Gary Pert on your achievements at the club and in the gracious way in which you are handling your departure given the circumstances. You steered the club through potentially treacherous waters to win our first AFL/VFL premiership in 57 years, our first AFLW premiership a McClelland Trophy, two further top four finishes, record memberships and unprecedented financial strength. We look forward to your seeing us through to the conclusion of negotiations to secure a state-of-the-art training and administration base at Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. Thanks to you for all of your efforts for the betterment of the club.