Whispering_Jack

Good to see that the experiment with Jake Spencer on a wing continues on into a third week.

A strong club will turn him around and get the most out of him. The question is whether we consider ourselves as such a club.

If anyone's still down about what transpired with the Melbourne Football Club late in the season, then read this - Bayswater footballer Ben White wins Eastern Football League best and fairest eight straight times Ben White is a slightly built 172cm footballer from Bayswater who looks like Ed Sheeren and was recently named the Eastern Football League’s under 17s most valuable player making it eight times in a row that he's won the award for best player in his age group. AND ... the gut-busting runner must be a Demon because his favourite players are Melbourne’s Jack Viney and Nathan Jones. "White’s sublime skills won him two senior games for Bayswater as a 16-year-old late in the season and he booted a goal in each." The article says that so far he has been overlooked by AFL pathway clubs put off by his height and underestimating his heart but League scouts will no doubt be looking closely at our Ben White. Good luck!!!

Matt Balmer's 2017 AFL Draft: September Power Rankings

Yes ... well and truly. He's been eligible for the last 2 or 3 drafts and overlooked every time.

Slow starting Casey Dees seem to be channeling their AFL big brother according to Paul Amy. A slow start costs the Casey Demons in the VFL qualifying final against Williamstown

Won the Morrish Medal last night.

Off topic perhaps but one of my grandson's basketball teams is playing in the final round of the season. If they win, they play in the finals next week. If they lose they will be relying on one of the top sides to beat off their challenger. Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone, is there anything to worry about and should they be sending off the notices about the finals series yet?

It will be interesting if Angus Brayshaw plays after missing so much of the season due to concussion. Do they rest him and get him fit for 2018 or does he get some games under his belt at VFL level?

With the AFL National Draft less than three months away, who more than a Brayshaw brother to focus on? Here's Knightmare's AFL Draft Wrap Another Brayshaw impressing selectors

Omen time. Port Melbourne (in red and blue) has just beaten Collingwood VFL.

And thirty years almost to the day, he was the commentator for this magical final round match ~

That's such sad news coming on the eve of the finals. I remember when he first appeared on the ABC that he and Tim Lane took football commentary to a new level that set standards far above and beyond the ranks of others in the industry. He will be sorely missed. Sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies aged 69 And listen to this ... Veteran sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies aged 69

There's a sense of history about today - much like it was with the final round of 1987 when many of us travelled to Footscray and watched Melbourne's famous victory. Back then, we depended on Hawthorn to beat Geelong and Jason Dunstall's late goal saw us in into the finals. We went all the way to the preliminary final and the Jim Stynes 15 metre penalty that deprived us of a grand final appearance. This time, it's clear - we depend on no one - it's up to us. Let's do it!

And with North Melbourne and Werribee parting ways at the end of the season, I would imagine the care factor from the Roos about Werribee playing in the finals would be just about zero.

Weight of Grief and Expectation Can’t Slow Stephenson

I think that there might be a deadline for nominating rookie upgrades so the decision to lift Declan Keilty onto the list might not necessarily indicate he's going to play this week but the club would want to have the ability to pick him if we make the finals and he's needed then.

Apologies for being the bearer of some bad news for the good folk who frequent this thread but I have to put it out there:- Mentone massage parlour Fire Banana declared illegal brothel by Moorabbin magistrate

I think the possibility of a Richmond loss is remote based on their current form.

At the other end of the scale, there's been no mention as to why our youngest player, Dion Johnstone, didn't play for Casey last week. He wasn't on the injury last last week and he's not on it this week. Anyone know why he was absent?

The commentators were strong in their praise of Lefau who comes from Auckland NZ. I assume he can be taken as a Category B rookie?

The Herald Sun's Sam Landsberger looks at the leading contenders for the No. 1 pick - No.1 draft pick may not matter for North Melbourne or Brisbane in an even yearThe CAMERON RAYNER (Western Jets/Vic Metro) Height 187cm, Weight 88kg Could the Kangaroos pair ‘Mini Dusty’ with big Dusty? Bombers fan Rayner plays the same way as Martin blueprint and thrives in the limelight. Not a great runner yet, but the explosive half-forward made a statement when he averaged 120 SuperCoach points and slotted 12 goals in four Vic Metro games. PADDY DOW (Bendigo Pioneers/Vic Country) Height 184cm, Weight: 78kg Midfielder with great character who cuts angles, kicks goals, can win clearances and marks overhead. Seven of the eight Victorians the Lions have drafted over the past two years have been country boys. Bagged two goals from 35 disposals on Sunday. LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE (Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country) Height: 187cm, Weight: 85kg Plays as a Nat Fyfe-type taller midfielder and is a threat near goal. Averaged 349 metres gained for Vic Country and opened this year’s national carnival with 34 disposals, but ultimately missed All-Australian selection. The Rye lad loves riding waves and is at school with St Kilda’s Josh Battle. ADAM CERRA (Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro) Height: 186cm, Weight: 85kg A knee injury ruined his 2016 season and shoulder surgery this month ended his 2017 campaign. But in between the classy midfielder produced some solid form. Smart footballer who lacks a gear of acceleration, but averaged 95 SuperCoach points from 18.3 disposals and 4.3 clearances for Vic Metro. DARCY FOGARTY (Glenelg/South Australia) Height: 192cm, Weight: 92kg A knee injury recently ended his season after a quiet patch of form. Fogarty was seen to be drifting down the draft order, but former Hawthorn recruiter Gary Buckenara still rates him as the No. 1 pick. Buckenara said he plays like a stronger Jack Gunston and will be a star. Has the flexibility to play as a third tall or a defender. Averaged 72 SuperCoach points for South Australia.

This was the time of year that we were all waiting with great hope for the return of Max Gawn and Jesse Hogan and I'm sure many of us thought that would be enough to rid us of the days when we would underperform against teams we were expected to beat easily. Then came the injuries to our captains, to Jack Watts and a couple of others and our expectations were tempered again. It's a long time since we beat Collingwood five times in a row - possibly all the way back to the 50s or 60s. I think our team of today could make it happen.

I was there that day and it was a terrific win but soured by the fact that the Bulldogs drew with the Blues in controversial circumstances. A late shot for goal by a Carlton player was deemed touched on the line. It was apparently a close thing whether it was touched at all or that the ball was already through. As it was, we had to wait another 11 years to make the finals. The consolation was that Carlton who were red hot flag favourites at the time, were dumped from the finals in straight sets.

Just do it!