Whispering_Jack

A rare opportunity for those who work Mondays to Friday to catch an MFC training session - Key dates for the pre-season Saturday, January 12 The senior group will return from their Christmas break with a training session at Gosch’s Paddock from 9:30am.

No disrespect but we are debating about two players who would be sitting well outside our best 22 - probably outside our best 30 - so you have to take into account their future potential and value to the club. Cameron Pedersen will be 32 when the 2019 season starts at the end of March. He was never all that quick but he’s at an age when the body starts slowing down. Smith is four years younger and while neither would have been likely to have much of an impact, the club’s decision to go for the younger man is correct in this instance.

Troy Broadbridge, Melbourne Footballer (40 games, 2 goals between 2001 and 2004) married Trisha Silvers on 18 December 2004. Eight days later, while spending their honeymoon in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, Troy drowned after being swept out to sea by the tsunami that followed the Indian Ocean earthquake and killed an estimated 227,898 people. We will never forget him.

Knightmare’s Top 20 prospects AFL Draft: Top 20 prospects for 2019

If he’s not listed then that proves it - he’s injured.

In actual fact, Neeld had some very good ideas on tactics and strategies but was doomed pretty much from the start. Many of the senior players resented his appointment after the sacking of Dean Bailey and there was an undercurrent of dissent from the playing group and others at the club. This was problematic because, as it turned out, Neeld’s man management skills were poor and the list wasn’t much good either. It took a much better coach in Roos who had an improving list more than two years to get the club out of a mire that had taken years to develop. In other words, it wasn’t just Neeld who was at fault for our situation.

Mark Neeld has been appointed new CEO of Geelong Basketball and the Geelong Supercats. Titus O’Reily is perhaps not so impressed.

There’s nothing that I could find on the club’s site to suggest that there is a training session on today but that doesn’t mean much given that I thought they had shut up shop with last Friday’s training session. The site does say that there’s training on a Gosch’s Paddock on Friday at 9.30am.

This is so sad on a number of levels. We should all be aware that mental health issues involve AFL footballers as much as any other part of society and we should all be ready to extend a hand of friendship and help whenever people are in trouble. And if you are in trouble, talk to a doctor, friend or relative about it or contact the people at Lifeline. Wishing Majak all the best in the future. The football world is behind him.

Early night. The AGM’s over and it's not yet stumps in the test over in Perth. Back in the old days, they would only be starting proceedings.

Never used to missed an AGM in the bad old days but at this time of year it’s a tough ask to turn up to a meeting at the G after a hard day’s work. Especially when Garry Lyon’s on tv and taking wickets.

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The powers that be have completely misread the situation. The AFL is a competition of 18 tribal clubs and the fans will either follow them or a state based competition in the pre-season. I’m highly skeptical about them going for this concept and predict it will end in complete failure. Compare this with what they had earlier this year - a basically simple format of the game in a short form. They should have worked on its weaknesses and come up with a better game but within the club concept. The clubs, in turn, would have presented teams that showcased some established players and some recruits who supporters are eager to see at this time of year. Remember Bayley Fritsch kicking three goals in one of the games? This simply will not generate any interest and, in turn, that will signal the end of AFLX.

Cam continues to do nicely but I note that he regards himself as a Cats fan despite the fact that he was once on the MFC list (albeit spent most of his time there playing for the Casey Development League team). Australian Cam Johnston is living the dream as an NFL punter

After almost 7½ years, it appears that the mystery of the numerous intersecting issues raised in the No T$ No B$ Thread are finally being unraveled. I heard about the bananas in the fridge trick a little while ago so I tried it and in the end, my bananas didn’t turn black but rather, a deep brown color with the inside turning yellow. Now which AFL player who we can’t name in this thread will, if he gets over his injuries, be wearing a guernsey in those brown and yellow colours this year? The penny is dropping at last.

The Irish experiment is still alive. A few clubs have added Irishmen to their Category B lists over the past year and the search for Irish talent continues ... Swans, Roos and Dons head to Ireland on scouting mission However, the Demons who started it all, still appear uninterested.

Many of next year's crop will come from the elite players training at AFL Clubs this week. WHO'S TRAINING AT YOUR CLUB? Adelaide: Dylan Stephens, Will Gould, Karl Finlay Brisbane Lions: Tom Griffiths*, Will Martyn, Bruce Reville*, Kobe Tozer, Saxon Crozier*, Samson Ryan*, Ben Jungfer* (NT), Malcolm Rosas (NT), Joel Jeffrey* (NT) Carlton: Caleb Serong, Brodie Kemp, Matt Rowell Collingwood: Trent Bianco, Lachlan Potter, Brock Smith Essendon: Andrew Courtney, Emerson Jeka, Ryan Gardner Fremantle: Jeremy Sharp, Luke Jackson, Jack Buller, Trent Rivers Geelong: Cooper Stephens, Darcy Chirgwin, Flynn Perez Gold Coast: Connor Budarick, Ashton Crossley*, Hewago Paul-Oea, Alex Davies*, Jack Johnson*, Matt Conroy*, Ben Jungfer* (NT), Malcolm Rosas (NT), Joel Jeffrey* (NT) GWS: Liam Delahunty, Tom Green, Matt McGrory, Charlie Byrne* Hawthorn: Marcus Toussaint, Jamieson Rossiter, Dylan Williams Melbourne: Noah Anderson, Fraser Phillips, Charlie Dean North Melbourne: Mitch O'Neill, Will Peppin*, Jared Dakin*, Jackson Callow*, Sam Collins*, Oliver Davis* Port Adelaide: Jackson Mead, Cameron Taheny, Kysaiah Pickett Richmond: Jack Mahony, Lachlan Ash, Fischer McAsey St Kilda: Bigoa Nyuon, Hayden Young, Sam Flanders Sydney: Luke Parks*, Jackson Barling*, Hamish Ellem*, Josh Rayner, Braedon Campbell*, Errol Gulden*, Will Chandler West Coast: Mitch Georgiades, Elijah Taylor, Rhai Arn Cox, Deven Robertson Western Bulldogs: Jack Bell, Hugo Ralph-Smith, Josh Worrell, Darcy Cassar * Players in the Allies squad

Paul Amy tweeting that the Gold Coast Suns are considering reviving Jake Spencer’s AFL career.

Well now, let’s do a draft review of 2013. These were the top 20 draft picks of 2013 - 1. Tom Boyd 2. Josh Kelly 3. Jack Billings 4. Marcus Bontempelli 5. Kade Kolodjashnij 6. Matthew Scharenberg 7. James Aish 8. Luke McDonald 9. Christian Salem 10. Nathan Freeman 11. Dom Sheed 12. Ben Lennon 13. Patrick Cripps 14. Cam McCarthy 15. Zak Jones 16. Darcy Lang 17. Michael Apeness 18. Luke Dunstan 19. Blake Acres 20. Jack Leslie How do you think these guys - the top 20 of their year - turned out? There are only a few stars in the group, some good footballers there but there are many who have failed at their first clubs and others are already finished. Even the number 1 pick has played one good game in his career (fortunately for him it was a grand final) and is at his second club.

A very mundane comment, if I may say so.

The house is officially down.

An assessment of Melbourne’s 2018 draft picks from AFL Draft Central AFL Draft review: Melbourne

Time to look ahead. The next crop: 10 to watch in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft

The 2018 TAC Cup Grand Final between the Dandenong Stingrays and the Oakleigh Chargers. The game highlights Bedford’s inconsistency in games or perhaps his lack of physical maturity and endurance (something he will no doubt be working on in the MFC environment). He has a slow start, is excellent in the second and third quarters, kicking a nice goal in the second, and fades out as the Chargers make their comeback. (also watch out for James Jordon in the opening stanza).