Whispering_Jack

Reckon Troy was a “Simmonds” not a “Simmons”.

The Draft Central Power Rankings: October 2020 are out and the leader of the pack remains a Western Bulldogs NGA player who hasn’t played a game of footy in 12 months. It could be a massive win or ...

Ben Long has been offered a week’s suspension for that high bump on Jack Macrae. Good to see the MRP taking these head high bumps seriously.

INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER (after Week 1 AFL 2020 Finals) ROUND ONE 1. Adelaide 2. North Melbourne 3. Sydney 4. Hawthorn 5. Gold Coast 6. Essendon 7. Carlton 8. Adelaide 9. North Melbourne 10. Fremantle 11. Geelong 12. Western Bulldogs 13. Geelong 14. Collingwood 15. St Kilda 16. Geelong 17. Richmond 18. Brisbane 19. Brisbane ROUND TWO 20. Adelaide 21. Hawthorn 22. Sydney 23. Melbourne 24. Gold Coast 25. North Melbourne 26. Port Adelaide 27. Carlton 28. Fremantle 29. Adelaide 30. West Coast 31. Port Adelaide 32. Richmond 33. Geelong 34. Collingwood 35. Gold Coast 36. Port Adelaide ROUND THREE 37. Western Bulldogs 38. Collingwood 39. Brisbane 40. Greater Western Sydney 41. Hawthorn 42. Essendon 43. Hawthorn 44. Adelaide 45. Carlton 46. Greater Western Sydney 47. Melbourne 48. Western Bulldogs 49. West Coast 50. Adelaide 51. Port Adelaide 52. West Coast 53. Richmond 54. Sydney 55. Port Adelaide ROUND FOUR 56. Sydney 57. North Melbourne 58. St Kilda 59. Hawthorn 60. Adelaide 61. Essendon 62. Melbourne 63. Melbourne 64. Brisbane 65. North Melbourne 66. Hawthorn 67. Essendon 68. Greater Western Sydney 69. Collingwood 70. Essendon 71. Richmond 72. Gold Coast 73. St Kilda ROUND FIVE 74. Adelaide 75. North Melbourne 76. Sydney 77. Hawthorn 78. Gold Coast 79. Essendon 80. Brisbane 81. Carlton 82. Greater Western Sydney 83. Melbourne 84. Western Bulldogs 85. West Coast 86. Collingwood 87. St Kilda 88. Geelong 89. Richmond 90. Brisbane 91. Port Adelaide * Fremantle have a third selection in Round Six

When Tom Papley was playing with the Gippsland Power Under 18s he had a few games with Casey’s VFL team as the 23rd player and impressed with his goal kicking prowess. At the time, I was hoping that Melbourne would draft him but our recruiters had other ideas. There’s another Papley in the wings but unfortunately, we haven’t had the opportunity to see any of him in his vital Under 18 year. They 'talk, walk and run the same': Is a second Papley heading for the AFL?

Not 1964 but 16 years earlier ... Melbourne and Essendon played out an exciting grand final that required a rematch a week later.

Problem being that we haven’t really been a stoppage team for two years.

The MCG on this day 56 years ago, stood silent as it is today. Back then, Melbourne’s season was also over but, as I’ve chronicled over the past five months, the difference is that the 1964 Demons had successfully completed another season - the sixth premiership in ten years while in this year, they failed by the narrowest of margins for the second time in four years to play in a finals series that now comprises twice the number of teams. Through the Melbourne Football Club’s golden era from 1954 to 1964 it was a joy to be a Demon fan. You would wake up on a Saturday morning fully believing that your team would win on the day and you would mostly be proven right, especially in the important games when the battle was tough and the winning mattered most. The club would always find a way - the best examples were the Round 17 game v Hawthorn and the Grand Final itself. I call it “the winning feeling”. Compare this to the Melbourne of 2020 - three games that had to be won - against the Bulldogs, Swans and Dockers - were all lost with barely a fight and with no sign of the ruthlessness that they say is needed for teams to succeed. When the day comes that a coach can instill that ruthless streak into the Demons then perhaps they will once again experience “the winning feeling”. [Article from Bush Demon’s 1964 scrap book - thanks BD]

Loved that story about the hillbillies.

Order to end of Round 18 — Adelaide 1 8 20 31 44 48 60 Brisbane Lions 18 19 40 64 Carlton 7 27 45 Collingwood 12 35 39 68 Essendon 6 42 61 69 70 Fremantle 10 29 Geelong 11 15 16 34 Gold Coast Suns 5 24 36 72 GWS Giants 28 46 66 Hawthorn 4 21 41 43 59 67 Melbourne 23 47 62 63 North Melbourne 2 9 25 57 65 Port Adelaide 26 30 37 50 55 Richmond 17 32 53 71 St Kilda 14 58 73 Sydney 3 22 54 56 West Coast Eagles 33 51 52 Western Bulldogs 13 38 49

Nice distraction from the Harley Bennell, Petracca and Hunt fiascos.

September power rankings: South Australia’s 30 top AFL Draft prospects

Two pictures that explain why Melbourne missed out on making the finals and why the Western Bulldogs made it. Melbourne v Fremantle Round 16 at Cazaly’s Stadium MFC Disposal Efficiency 53% Fremantle v Western Bulldogs Round 18 at Cazaly’s Stadium WBFC Disposal Efficiency 80% Thoughts?

This may or may not be the final result ~ 175. Christian Petracca 137. Steven May 133. Clayton Oliver 111. Jack Viney 124. Max Gawn 87. Ed Langdon 55. Jake Lever 36. Michael Hibberd 33. Christian Salem 31. Angus Brayshaw 23. Trent Rivers 15. Jay Lockhart 13. Oscar McDonald Adam Tomlinson 10. Jake Melksham Sam Weideman 9. Bayley Fritsch 8. Kysaiah Pickett 7. James Harmes Jayden Hunt Luke Jackson 6. Mitch Hannan Charlie Spargo 5. Mitch Brown 4. Tom McDonald 2. Oskar Baker Aaron vandenBerg 1. Neville Jetta Braydon Preuss

The point has been made - and it’s a good one - that at least the equation now revolves around two simple matters:- • Melbourne winning and • Western Bulldogs losing. There’s no pressure on winning by 5 goals or 10 goals and the players have their focus on only one thing. Winning.

Thanks to bush demon for the colour footage of the grand final.

Grand Final, 1964 Melbourne vs Collingwood Saturday 19 September Venue: MCG Attendance: 102,471 B Neil Crompton Bernie Massey Tassie Johnson HB Tony Anderson Brian Roet Frank Davis C Brian Dixon Don Williams Frank Adams HF Barrie Vagg Graeme Jacobs Bryan Kenneally F John Lord Barry Bourke John Townsend Foll Graham Wise Ron Barassi (c) Rov Hassa Mann 19/20 Ken Emselle Peter McLean Coach Norm Smith Melbourne went into the Grand Final as red hot favourite against a wounded Collingwood but the game turned out to be nothing like the demolition job of two weeks earlier when it won by a massive 89 points. The Pies came out with a determined attitude and they kicked the first goal against a slight breeze before John Lord responded for the Demons. From there, it was an arm wrestle for the rest of the term with Melbourne forging ahead by a solitary point at the end of the opening quarter. Fortunes fluctuated in second quarter with the Demons on top early in the term but the Magpies steadied to kick three goals to take a narrow two point lead into the second half. Melbourne took control after the main break and dominated the third term booting two goals three behinds to a couple of points and, when the siren sounded for three quarter time, it held a lead of 11 points. The Dees remained in control in the early stages of the final quarter but wasted several scoring opportunities with three behinds in a row to extend their lead to 14 points. The persistency of the Magpies paid off with a goal to Tuddenham which was followed by two more behinds to Melbourne who were struggling to grasp the opportunities presented to seal the game. It was at this point that Collingwood’s giant ruckman Ray Gabelich struck a purple patch with two sensational goals to turn the game on its head. His first came at the 17 minute mark with a kick from a boundary throw in and moments later, the second put his team in front came after he took the ball and had four bounces as he carried his bulky frame towards the goals. Gabelich kicked truly after almost losing the ball during his run and suddenly the Magpies held a three point lead. Melbourne’s inaccuracy continued when the usually reliable Hassa Mann marked and missed from almost directly in front leaving his team two points in arrears. With the game in the balance, veteran winger Brian Dixon gathered the ball at half forward and booted it goalwards where it was thumped from the pack and spilled to the ground. Incredibly, it found itself in the hands of Demon back pocket Neil Crompton who made no mistake as he threw the ball on his boot to kick his only goal of the season. He had only gone forward because he followed his opponent upfield, a move that would normally not necessarily have pleased coach Norm Smith. Melbourne now led by four points as the game ticked into time on and, in the frenetic final moments, full forward Barry Bourke took a telling mark in defence to repel one of Collingwood’s final attacks. The siren sounded and players of both sides were strewn to the ground with exhaustion. The Demons had won the premiership. Best players for the Demons were veteran Brian Dixon , Hassa Mann and Brian Roet. Norm Smith was elated at the performance of his charges and described the final term as "the most agonising I have ever experienced in football". And spare a thought for 20th man Peter McLean who spent the entire match sitting on the bench. It was Melbourne’s sixth premiership in ten seasons but it was also the last game played by two champions in Ron Barassi and Frank “Bluey” Adams. It also marked the end of a long reign as the competition’s dominant team. Although the Demons did win their first eight matches of the following season they faltered in the last half of the year amid the controversy of Smith’s sacking and division within. They failed to make the finals for another two decades and the glory days of 1954 to 1964 have never returned. Melbourne 2.6.18 5.7.37 7.10.52 8.16.64 Collingwood 2.5.17 5.9.39 5.11.41 8.12.60 Goals Townsend 3 Lord 2 Bourke Crompton H Mann Best Dixon H Mann Roet Adams Tas Johnson Anderson 1964 Under 19s Grand Final Melbourne vs Collingwood Saturday 19 September Venue: MCG B Bird Millard Stewart HB Griffiths Brodie Adams C Reinholdt T Leahy Pritchard HF Minton-Connell Feldman Stone F Little McNab Jones Foll Russell McNamee Schultz 19/20 Rowarth Darcy Emerg: Coutts Lockwood J Osborne White The Demons began the day winning a premiership in the Under 19s, also against Collingwood using their superior pace and teamwork to beat the Magpies by 14 points after trailing by that margin at half time. Melbourne 2.3.15 5.9.39 9.13.67 12.16.88 Collingwood 3.4.22 8.5.53 9.6.60 11.8.74 Goals McNab 5 Schultz 3 Feldman Little Russell Stone

You can’t depend on others but at least do what has to be done that’s under your control.

Apparently there was a scratch match and the Melbourne team (with a couple of ring ins from other clubs) won. I didn’t catch much detail other than I understand Toby Bedford played well.

Footy and the farm: Younger Walsh sets his sights on an AFL career AFL Draft 2020: Top 12 prospects from Vic Country

Order to end of Round 17 — Adelaide 1 9 20 30 45 50 60 Brisbane Lions 18 19 41 64 Carlton 7 26 44 Collingwood 14 35 39 67 Essendon 6 42 61 69 70 Fremantle 8 29 Geelong 11 15 16 34 Gold Coast Suns 5 24 36 72 GWS Giants 28 46 68 Hawthorn 3 21 40 43 58 66 Melbourne 22 47 62 63 North Melbourne 2 10 25 57 65 Port Adelaide 27 32 37 49 55 Richmond 17 31 53 71 St Kilda 13 59 73 Sydney 4 23 54 56 West Coast Eagles 33 51 52 Western Bulldogs 12 38 48

1 PORT ADELAIDE Played 16, 52 pts, 136.4% NEXT ROUND: Collingwood 2 BRISBANE LIONS Played 16, 52 pts, 124.7% NEXT ROUND: Carlton 3 RICHMOND Played 16, 46pts, 125.8% NEXT ROUND: Adelaide 4 GEELONG Played 16, 44 pts, 138.9% NEXT ROUND: Sydney 5 WEST COAST Played 16, 44 pts, 116.0% NEXT ROUND: North Melbourne 6 COLLINGWOOD Played 16, 38 pts, 112.2% NEXT ROUND: Port Adelaide 7 ST KILDA Played 16, 36 pts, 111.4% NEXT ROUND: GWS Giants 8 W. BULLDOGS Played 16, 36 pts, 103.9% NEXT ROUND: Fremantle 9 MELBOURNE Played 16, 32 points, 106.2% NEXT ROUND: Essendon 10 GWS GIANTS Played 16, 32 points, 100.6% NEXT ROUND: St Kilda 11 FREMANTLE Played 16, 28 points, 96.7% NEXT ROUND: Western Bulldogs 12 CARLTON Played 16, 28 points, 95.6% NEXT ROUND: Brisbane Lions 13 ESSENDON Played 16, 26 points, 79.6% NEXT ROUND: Melbourne 14 GOLD COAST Played 16, 22 points, 94.8% NEXT ROUND: Hawthorn 15 SYDNEY Played 16, 20 points, 82.0% NEXT ROUND: Geelong 16 HAWTHORN Played 16, 16 points, 78.8% NEXT ROUND: Gold Coast 17 NORTH MELBOURNE Played 16, 12 points, 71.3% NEXT ROUND: West Coast 18 ADELAIDE Played 16, 12 points, 65.8% NEXT ROUND: Richmond

How interesting would it be if tonight’s game was a draw?

Those Queenslanders are appropriating everything - Qld public holiday for AFL grand final to be floated with Premier