Whispering_Jack

Callum Twomey's monthly Phantom Form Guide lists key position talls as four of the top five prospects for the 2020 draft Cal Twomey's 2020 Phantom Form Guide: September update This McDonald will most likely go top 5 ~ Key forward rockets into top-10 draft mix after bag of goals

Trade Whispers: Why Crouch should follow teammate’s lead; Dees’ need for speed revealed

Changes planned. REPORT: AFL PLANNING MAJOR CHANGE TO DRAFT RULES

Based on this, Melbourne wins three games and loses only one of the remaining games but drops percentage which suggests the wins are by narrow margins and the defeat reasonably heavy. I’ll take the place in the top 8 but it’s not the best way to enter a finals series.

1 PORT ADELAIDE Played 14, 44 pts, 128.4% TO COME: Bye North Melbourne Essendon Collingwood 2 GEELONG Played 14, 40 pts, 138.7% TO COME Bye Essendon Richmond Sydney 3 BRISBANE LIONS Played 13, 40 pts, 117.4% TO COME Collingwood Gold Coast Sydney Carlton 4 RICHMOND Played 14, 38 pts, 121.0% TO COME Fremantle Bye Geelong Adelaide 5 WEST COAST Played 13, 36 pts, 115.3% TO COME Essendon Western Bulldogs St Kilda North Melbourne 6 COLLINGWOOD Played 14, 34 pts, 111.7% TO COME Brisbane Lions Bye Gold Coast Port Adelaide 7 ST KILDA Played 14, 32 pts, 113.3% TO COME Bye Hawthorn West Coast GWS Giants 8 MELBOURNE Played 13, 28 points, 111.7% TO COME Sydney Fremantle GWS Giants Essendon 9 GWS GIANTS Played 13, 28pts, 101.8% TO COME Carlton Adelaide Melbourne St Kilda 10 W. BULLDOGS Played 14, 28 points, 100.1% TO COME Bye Hawthorn West Coast Fremantle 11 ESSENDON Played 13, 26 points, 88.9% TO COME Geelong West Coast Port Adelaide Melbourne 12 CARLTON Played 13, 24 points, 97.1% TO COME GWS Giants Sydney Adelaide Brisbane Lions 13 GOLD COAST Played 14, 22 points, 101.8% TO COME Bye Collingwood Brisbane Lions Hawthorn 14 FREMANTLE Played 13, 20 points, 89.1% TO COME Richmond Melbourne North Melbourne Western Bulldogs 15 HAWTHORN Played 13, 16 points, 82.6% TO COME Adelaide St Kilda Western Bulldogs Gold Coast 16 SYDNEY Played 13, 16 points, 80.2% TO COME Melbourne Carlton Brisbane Lions Geelong 17 NORTH MELBOURNE Played 14, 12 points, 76.3% TO COME Bye Port Adelaide Fremantle West Coast 18 ADELAIDE Played 13, 0 points, 54.9% TO COME Hawthorn GWS Giants Carlton Richmond

Trying to work out which of these teams I prefer to see winning today. Slightly favouring the Blues.

I attended a club function before the draft in question. Although, he wasn’t saying definitively who he would pick, the strong impression given by Jason Taylor was that the top three picks were McCartin, Petracca and Brayshaw (but not necessarily in that order) and that irrespective of whoever St Kilda chose with selection #1, then Melbourne would choose the other two. In other words, had they chosen Petracca, then we would have taken McCartin instead.

It also depends on what attitude a team has when it comes out on the ground. A few weeks ago I saw the Swans come out and destroy the Giants but then, they were poor against the Dockers.

If anyone’s complacent about Melbourne’s game against the Swans next week then think again. They gave us a flogging in Round 22 last year so we shouldn’t take them lightly MELBOURNE B Michael Hibberd Sam Frost Jake Lever HB Nathan Jones Marty Hore Christian Salem C Kyle Dunkley Jack Viney Billy Stretch HF Corey Wagner Bayley Fritsch James Harmes F Jordan Lewis Jake Melksham Christian Petracca FOLL Max Gawn Angus Brayshaw Clayton Oliver I/C Kade ChandlerJay Kennedy Harris Alex Neal-Bullen Charlie Spargo EMG Jayden Hunt Declan Keilty Jay Lockhart Braydon Preuss IN Kade Chandler Marty Hore Alex Neal-Bullen Charlie Spargo Billy Stretch OUT Oskar Baker (omitted) Jayden Hunt (omitted) Oscar McDonald (ankle) Steven May (hamstring) Harrison Petty (groin) NEW Kade Chandler SYDNEY SWANS B Callum Mills Dane Rampe Aliir Aliir HB Jake Lloyd Tom McCartin Jordan Dawson C Isaac Heeney George Hewett Oliver Florent HF Ben Ronke Nick Blakey Tom Papley F Kieren Jack Sam Reid Daniel Menzel FOLL Hayden McLean Josh P. Kennedy Luke Parker I/C James Bell Ryan Clarke Robbie Fox James Rowbottom EMG Joel Amartey Lewis Melican James Rose Ryley Stoddart IN Kieren Jack OUT Zak Jones (Injured)

Riccardi turned 20 in November so despite having played a season in the VFL last year, he qualifies and would be a certainty this week. Rivers is next in line on ability and in alphabetical order.

Collingwood fan site recruiting guru Colin Wisbey was asked the question about him and he responded with a “no” because of the “durability” risk. He believes that the Pies have a poor record for managing to have its best 30 players on the park and doesn’t think the risk with him is justified. Also, he thinks the injuries might have curtailed his capability as a “slippery runner” which is what made him such a highly ranked draftee. I tend to agree with this view. The AFL hasn’t yet determined things like list sizes and draft rules and Melbourne already has those four injured horsemen who have missed the entire season through injury as well as a few others yet to play this year. We’re also nursing Harley Bennell back into the game. I think Cockatoo wouldn’t be one of our main targets.

Summary: The team started slowly but really got its game going in the second half to win coming from behind. From halfway through the third quarter, they started to win the contests and the ground balls and they were outstanding with about six goals in the last quarter. The team wasn’t delivering it well to Tom McDonald but he didn’t drop his head and he and Bailey Fritsch teamed up well as the game went on. Fritta put in a quality game and kicked at least four goals - not only dangerous around goals but with his passing to teammates. From the sound of it, we can expect him Fritta kicked back for Thursday’s game against the Swans. Nibbler played an important role in the team’s comeback, not only when forward but also when on the ball. Others who impressed were Corey Wagner who used the ball well, Oskar Baker played his third good game in a row on the wing and kicked a couple of goals going forward and Nev was good in defence. Pleased with Austin Bradtke’s game helping with the clearance work. Note: James Harmes was the holdover emergency.

The thing that I liked was that unlike many games in the past when we dominated the stats and lost, we won this one despite the Saints winning the inside 50s 46-30, clearances 29-23, tackles 47-36, free kicks 11-9, hitouts 31-30 and scoring shots 14-12.

One problem back in those times was that we had such strong teams across all lines and it was so hard for players to break into the team. The drive and incentive to recruit wasn’t there and we weren’t prepared for the inevitable when a number of players retired or left the club. There was no proper succession plan in place and by the time we woke up, other clubs overtook us in terms of professionalism in every aspect of running a football club.

First Semi Final Day 1964 Geelong dominated the second half of the first semi final in front of a crowd of 92,231 at the MCG winning with a score of 12.12.84 to 10.5.65. Otherwise, Saturday 29 August, 1964 was a quiet day for Demon fans.

1 PORT ADELAIDE Played 13, 40 pts, 126.6% TO COME: Sydney Bye North Melbourne Essendon Collingwood 2 BRISBANE LIONS Played 13, 40 pts, 117.4% TO COME Bye Collingwood Gold Coast Sydney Carlton 3 GEELONG Played 13, 36 pts, 140.6% TO COME Western Bulldogs Bye Essendon Richmond Sydney 4 WEST COAST Played 12, 36 pts, 121.3% TO COME Richmond Essendon Western Bulldogs St Kilda North Melbourne 5 RICHMOND Played 13, 34 pts, 119.0% TO COME West Coast Fremantle Bye Geelong Adelaide 6 ST KILDA Played 13, 32 pts, 114.5% TO COME Melbourne Bye Hawthorn West Coast GWS Giants 7 COLLINGWOOD Played 13, 30 pts, 109.1% TO COME Carlton Brisbane Lions Bye Gold Coast Port Adelaide 8 W. BULLDOGS Played 13, 28 points, 101.4% TO COME Geelong Bye Hawthorn West Coast Fremantle 9 MELBOURNE Played 12, 24 points, 112.1% TO COME St Kilda Sydney Fremantle GWS Giants Essendon 10 CARLTON Played 12, 24 points, 100.0% TO COME Collingwood GWS Giants Sydney Adelaide Brisbane Lions 11 GWS GIANTS Played 12, 24 pts, 96.8% TO COME Carlton Adelaide Fremantle Melbourne St Kilda 12 ESSENDON Played 12, 22 points, 85.9% TO COME Hawthorn Geelong West Coast Port Adelaide Melbourne 13 FREMANTLE Played 12, 20 points, 93.5% TO COME GWS Giants Richmond Melbourne North Melbourne Western Bulldogs 14 GOLD COAST Played 13, 18 points, 96.4% TO COME Fremantle Brisbane Lions North Melbourne Bye Collingwood Hawthorn 15 SYDNEY Played 12, 16 points, 81.7% TO COME Port Adelaide Melbourne Carlton Brisbane Lions Geelong 16 HAWTHORN Played 12, 16 points, 82.5% TO COME Essendon Adelaide St Kilda Western Bulldogs Gold Coast 17 NORTH MELBOURNE Played 13, 12 points, 83.1% TO COME Gold Coast Bye Port Adelaide Fremantle West Coast 18 ADELAIDE Played 13, 0 points, 54.9% TO COME Bye Hawthorn GWS Giants Carlton Richmond

Melbourne’s team this week won’t look anything like this one from when they last met. ST KILDA B Nick Coffield Nathan Brown Shane Savage HB Callum Wilkie Jake Carlisle Hunter Clark C Jack Billings Sebastian Ross Jack Newnes HF Jack Sinclair Josh Bruce Ben Long F Jack Lonie Tim Membrey Doulton Langlands FOLL Rowan Marshall Blake Acres Jade Gresham I/C Luke Dunstan Nick Hind Ben Paton Jack Steele EMG Josh Battle Darragh Joyce Matthew Parker Bailey Rice IN Ben Long OUT Matthew Parker (omitted) MELBOURNE B Michael Hibberd Jake Lever Neville Jetta HB Jordan Lewis Sam Frost Christian Salem C Nathan Jones Clayton Oliver Oskar Baker HF James Harmes Harrison Petty Jayden Hunt F Christian Petracca Tim Smith Bayley Fritsch FOLL Max Gawn Jack Viney Angus Brayshaw I/C Oscar McDonald Alex Neal-Bullen Corey Wagner Josh Wagner EMG Kyle Dunkley Marty Hore Braydon Preuss Sam Weideman IN Oskar Baker Oscar McDonald Tim Smith OUT Jay Lockhart (omitted) Steven May (hamstring) Braydon Preuss (omitted)

No, not one in particular - just everything that’s happened with him. I’m not confident, if he fails with Fremantle, that returning to the environment he wanted to leave in the first place will be to his benefit.

I don’t believe that it’s possible for Jesse Hogan to return to being the 17 year old who walked into the club all those years ago or the 20 year old who won the NAB Rising Star or the 21 year old who was the club’s leading goal kicker for the second year in a row. There have been too many episodes in his career in the intervening years both at Melbourne then at Fremantle for him to come back. There’s a chance he could possibly come good somewhere else like at the Eagles or the Swans but he did his dash at Melbourne two years ago.

This latest news might alter the balance back in favour of a Perth or even Adelaide Grand Final. Queensland tightens restrictions after nine new positive cases

It was a dark day for the Dees in the final home and away round of 1964 but the team still finished on top of the ladder. Round 18 1964 Footscray vs Melbourne Saturday 22 August Venue: Western Oval Attendance: 20,553 B Crompton Massey Tas Johnson HB McLean Williams Davis C Dixon H Mann Adams HF Vagg Foster Kenneally F Jacobs Bourke Emselle Foll Wise Barassi Rov Townsend 19/20 Leitch Watson The Demons came into the final round with the double chance assured but they were hit by injuries and were forced to field a weakened side for the final home and away game against the eighth placed Bulldogs at the Western Oval. Footscray held sway early by dint of its accuracy in front of goal that helped it to a 19 point half time lead despite having one less shot on goal. After the break the Demons narrowed the gap, mainly through the persistence of their experienced wingmen Dixon and Adams who kept pushing the ball into attack but the forwards were off target. The result was a six point deficit at three-quarter time despite controlling the play for most of the term. Skipper Ron Barassi was having a bad day while his nemesis Ted Whitten was on fire and with the Bulldogs cruising to a runaway 40 point victory, he was able to claim the title of “Mr Football”. To make matters worse, it was the club’s lowest score since early in 1960 and the third time in the last four rounds that the team had failed to score 60 points. Footscray 3.0.18 6.1.37 7.1.43 12.6.78 Melbourne 1.4.10 2.6.18 4.13.37 4.14.38 Goals Townsend 2 Foster Jacobs Best Dixon Jacobs Townsend Adams H Mann P McLean Melbourne held onto top spot by virtue of sixth placed upsetting Geelong, a result which pushed the Cats into fourth position and allowed Collingwood to steal the double chance going into the finals. Reserves Melbourne 10.13.73 defeated Footscray 7.6.48 Goals Robbie 3 Bartlett Wood 2 Unknown 3 Best L Mann Robbie Miller Under 19s Melbourne 14.15.99 defeated Footscray 10.3.63

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent days about who are the most improved players in the competition but when it comes to the title of the most improved team in the AFL, Melbourne must be shortening as favourite. Last year’s Demons won only 5 games out of 22 but this year, it’s 6 out of 11 and that’s massive! In terms of percentage, the improvement is also tremendous. Last year, they finished with just 78.6%. This year, it stands at 118.2%. Need I say more? Yes — there’s still today, a day upon which a win is absolutely essential in shaping the course of the remainder of 2020.

It looks like the 4 day break is a real killer.

... kicked after the siren from a dodgy free kick.

The excellent Road to the Draft series returns ~ LISTEN: How draft night should change, latest bolters, and what happens to the Vics? And some prospects from Vic Metro & Vic Country - NAB League guns we won't see: Vic Metro's hottest prospects NAB League guns we won't see: Vic Country's brightest prospects