Whispering_Jack

Based on team selection announced for Casey’s game tomorrow, I expect the initial squad for the Melbourne Kings Birthday game to read ~ IN J. Culley, B. Howes, M. Jefferson, K. Tholstrup, J. Van Rooyen OUT A. Johnson (suspended), B. Laurie Three of the named “ins” to be the emergencies.

Player by player review from the coach

Made the Coates League Team of the Week this week

So the Tasmanian Devil really is extinct?

Can he kick?

Some pen pictures from the Rookie Me Central site:-

Definitely a surprise result in the opening game of the championships and not a great result for our Kalani who was limited to five possessions. Aussie Rules Rookie Me CentralScouting Notes: 2025 AFL U18s - Allies vs. South AustraliaSouth Australia upset a star-studded Allies outfit to kick off the AFL Under 18 National Championships yesterday.ALLIES 2.4 | 5.6 | 9.8 | 11.10 (76) SOUTH AUSTRALIA 4.3 | 8.3 | 10.8 | 12.11 (83) GOALS: Allies: T. Murray 4, R. Hamilton 3, J. Miller 3, R. Corrigan South Australia: M. Marsh 4, A. Schubert 4, H. Barker 2, C. Nairn, Z. Peucker BEST: Allies: D. Annable, T. Murray, D. Patterson, L. Carmichael, K. Coulson, J. Miller South Australia: A. Schubert, M. Marsh, S. Ainsworth, H. Barker, L. Candy, D. Sharp afl.com.auTall timber dominates as SA edges past Allies in U18 Cham...Mitch Marsh and Aidan Schubert kick four goals apiece as South Australia topples the Allies by seven points

This would have been an unmitigated disaster for Melbourne about a month and a half ago. Fox SportsTicks, crosses and top trade priorities: Every AFL club g...Every AFL club’s mid-season grade — and the biggest contract calls, trade moves that loom

The championships kick off tomorrow in Blacktown with the Allies, who many consider to be the favourite to take out the competition, playing host to South Australia. With Melbourne holding no early draft picks at this stage, most attention will focus on 199cm tall Kalani White, son of former Demon ruckman Jeff White who is expected to play a key defensive role for the Allies. 2025 AFL U18s | Squad preview: Allies 2025 AFL U18s | Squad preview: South Australia

I have a Wright in mind as well - not Hunter Wright but Rory Wright of (who else) the Sandringham Dragons who is a classy left-footer and an excellent decision maker. I haven’t seen a great deal of him other than a bit of vision from the Coates Talent League but my spies tell me they’re confident that come November, he is likely to be well in contention for a first round draft pick.

Scott Pendlebury also grew up a Demon fan. Where did it get us?

Good to see Noah Yze back on board after missing out on being drafted during the week. Hope he performs well over the remainder of the season.

My review of the MSD 2025 I have to say (and not just because Melbourne wasn't involved), the midseason draft was more than somewhat over hyped. Yes, I have no doubt that one or two stars of the future might emerge like Marlion Pickett, Jai Newcombe, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Ned Long and our very own Daniel Turner but the odds are against many of them making it. Most have been overlooked at least once in the past and while some of the younger ones might have the capacity to develop further, the majority will spend their time in the second tier competitions where they came from. The two players associated with Casey are good examples. Roan Steele was a good VFL footballer who wasn't picked up even after kicking five goals in a final for Casey a couple of years ago and Lewis has played only four games since crossing to Casey from the Western Bulldogs. This year, Casey has picked up some excellent VFL talent in Bonner, Hardie and Baldi but, while they nominated for the draft, they couldn't get a look in. Thankfully, I haven't seen anyone rate the mid-season draft on a club by club basis which would be a farce since half of the clubs played no part in the draft. It might be different if there's a trade period involved at this stage of the year as some have suggested. The AFL site broadcast the draft and its panel was fairly good but for one embarrassing slip up when the female presenter kept on calling Archer May, Essendon's pick number eight, "Archie" and the other panellists followed suit. The player concerned played in WA this year but was a product of the Sandringham Dragons and there's a connection to Dermot Brereton who is his mother’s partner. I'm sure young "Archie" is still copping flak over his new name.

It was Round 13 at the Docklands and we lost by a couple of points. I remember the number 13 was regarded as unlucky for Danners. Also, we got a call from SEN who wanted to get a Melbourne supporter's view so Andy (Demonland) was interviewed from the ground for about half a minute. Assuming that they played a 22 game season, Riley coached for 9 games. Riley only coached us for a couple of wins but, unlike the usual scenario when you win the first game under a new coach, we were flogged the following week. It was an "away" game against the Tigers and we watched from the stands at the city end. The drawn game at Kardinia Park was a real disappointment because we were well in front at half time and they didn't make their run until late in the third quarter. Have to admit that I couldn't remember the first goalkicker in the 2000 grannie but I remember Neita kicked the first point, a poster. I also remember a few dog acts by some Bomber players on Troy Simmonds that resulted in concussion and current President Brad Green who went to hospital with a fractured larynx. All of these things caused us to have to wait another 21 years for the next flag and I blame Sheedy for all of that!

Vic Country releases National Championships squad

2025 AFL MID-SEASON DRAFTROUND 1 1. West Coast – Tom McCarthy (Richmond VFL) 2. North Melbourne – Zac Banch (Werribee) 3. Port Adelaide – Harrison Ramm (Glenelg) 4. Carlton – Flynn Young (Werribee) 5. Western Bulldogs – Michael Sellwood (Peel Thunder) 6. Essendon – Archer May (Subiaco) 7. Gold Coast – Oscar Adams (Glenelg) 8. Collingwood – Roan Steele (West Perth) ROUND 2 9. West Coast – Jacob Newton (Norwood) 10. North Melbourne – Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne VFL) 11. Port Adelaide – Ewan Mackinlay (North Adelaide) 12. Western Bulldogs – Zac Walker (Gippsland Power) 13. Essendon – Lachlan Blakiston (East Fremantle) 14. Gold Coast – Caleb Lewis (Casey Demons) 15. Collingwood – Noah Howes (South Adelaide) ROUND 3 16. Port Adelaide – Mani Liddy (Central District) 17. Essendon – Oskar Smartt (Essendon VFL) ROUND 4 18. Essendon – Liam McMahon (Carlton VFL) Highlights Former Casey Demons player Roan Steele was drafted by Collingwood. Caleb Lewis, who has not featured in the Casey team since early in the season, has been drafted by Gold Coast with pick 14.

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

2025 AFL MID-SEASON ROOKIE DRAFT ORDERFirst round 1 - West Coast 2 - North Melbourne 3 - Port Adelaide 4 - Carlton 5 - Western Bulldogs 6 - Essendon 7 - Gold Coast 8 - Collingwood Second round 9 - West Coast 10 - North Melbourne 11 - Port Adelaide 12 - Western Bulldogs 13 - Essendon 14 - Gold Coast 15 - Collingwood Third round 16 - Port Adelaide 17 - Essendon Fourth round 18 - Essendon

We decided not to list him but he was persuaded to sign on for the Casey Demons where he played a couple of games. He also played in the Amateurs and was nominated for one of their Rising Star awards. He's a chance to be drafted tomorrow and obviously, we will miss out if that happens.

It would be good to see Sestan getting a game at AFL level in light of his recent good form at Casey level but the question is where to fit him in?

I believe some clubs are looking closely at him.

Now this is an interesting statistic for our number 11

You have to keep a lid on someone. Half the people I know aren’t even aware that Judd McVee exists.

The Herald Sun online edition has an article about the current crop of APS prospects and includes this write-up on Melbourne’s not draftable Clayton’s NGA:- Tairon Ah-Mu (Haileybury) 198cm - Ruck Ah-Mu was at his damaging best for Haileybury and led the way in the contest, with plenty of clearances and hit-outs to advantage. He used his size to take control, which isn't new, as he dominated the comp last season as a bottom-ager. When the game was in the balance at the start of the fourth, he stood up and led the way for his side. His impressive athleticism was also on display earlier in the game as he drifted forward, launched himself into a pack to pull down a mark, and kick the goal. The Dandenong Stingrays big man collected 154 ranking points in the Coates League last round and would've been around the mark again. He also kicked six goals in a Vic Country trial game last month. The kid has roots in Samoa and can’t be drafted by us but if his father or mother was from Italy or Greece, he qualifies. Spare me!