Whispering_Jack

Melbourne was the pioneer of introducing Irish footballers into the game when the late Ron Barassi was our coach in the 1980s. There are three outstanding Irish women footballers in our AFLW team and yet … for some reason (and it irks me), the club appears not to be interested in looking at young Irish players for our current men’s team. Tucked away in this article is the story of four AFL clubs getting the jump on the other clubs in regard to recruiting four talented young potential Irish players. Roos target pick one, Dee to go on, big Dog to stay FOUR CLUBS TRIAL IRISH TALENTS ESSENDON, Richmond, Geelong and Hawthorn will host the four Irish prospects for trials this week ahead of their testing at the AFL Draft Combine. The AFL has brought out four talents – James McLaughlin, Eoin McElholm, Odran Murdock and Conor Corbett – to trial at clubs and also take part in the three-day Combine later this week. The players were at the Bombers on Monday, with trials also to take place at the Tigers, Cats and Hawks through the week before the Combine commences on Friday at the Melbourne Park and MCG precinct.

Ones to Watch: 2023 AFL National Draft Combine

The AFL could fix that by making an announcement to clarify what it means when it says something is subject to review.

AFL Trade Radio today - a lot of rehashing stories already covered elsewhere. Of Melbourne interest, some discussion on a potential replacement for Brodie Grundy including mention of Flynn from GWS (who apparently wants to go to WA) and the fact that Verrall and Farris-White are a long way off being ready to give Max a hand in the ruck. Also a speculative multi-club that ends up with Melbourne getting Tom Lynch for pick 5. That deal would leave us with yet another expensive forward on the sidelines.

No.

On this day 30 September, 1939, the team played fine …

Famous names shine as 2024 draft crop puts on a show

The MFC team of 1895. Things were so much simpler back in those days.

The order after the 2023 finals series:- ROUND ONE 1. West Coast Eagles 2. North Melbourne 3. Hawthorn 4. Gold Coast Suns 5. Melbourne (via Fremantle) 6. GWS Giants (via Richmond) 7. Geelong 8. Essendon 9. Adelaide 10. Western Bulldogs 11. Sydney Swans 12. St Kilda 13. Melbourne 14. North Melbourne (via Port Adelaide) 15. GWS Giants 16. Carlton 17. Western Bulldogs (via Brisbane) 18. Collingwood 19. North Melbourne (compensation) ROUND TWO 20. West Coast Eagles 21. Adelaide (via North Melbourne) 22. Fremantle (via North Melbourne compensation) 23. Sydney Swans (via Hawthorn) 24. Adelaide (via Gold Coast Suns) 25. Melbourne (via Fremantle) 26. Richmond 27. Brisbane (via Geelong) 28. Essendon 29. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 30. Hawthorn (via Western Bulldogs) 31. Sydney Swans 32. St Kilda 33. Melbourne 34. West Coast Eagles (via Port Adelaide) 35. Gold Coast Suns (via GWS Giants) 36. Collingwood (via Carlton) 37. Western Bulldogs (via Brisbane) 38. Port Adelaide (via Collingwood) ROUND THREE 39. West Coast Eagles 40. North Melbourne 41. Fremantle (via North Melbourne compo) 42. Sydney Swans (via Hawthorn) 43. Gold Coast Suns 44. Port Adelaide (via Fremantle) 45. Richmond 46. Brisbane (via Geelong) 47. Essendon 48. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 49. Hawthorn (via Western Bulldogs 50. Sydney Swans 51. St Kilda 52. North Melbourne (via Melbourne) 53. West Coast Eagles (via Port Adelaide) 54. GWS Giants 55. Fremantle (via Carlton) 56. Brisbane 57. Gold Coast Suns (via Collingwood) ROUND FOUR 58. West Coast Eagles 59. Fremantle (via North Melbourne) 60. North Melbourne (via Hawthorn) 61. Gold Coast Suns 62. Brisbane (via Fremantle) 63. Richmond 64. Western Bulldogs (via Geelong) 65. Carlton (via Essendon) 66. Gold Coast Suns (via Adelaide) 67. Western Bulldogs 68. Essendon (via Sydney Swans) 69. Gold Coast Suns (via St Kilda) 70. Western Bulldogs (via Melbourne) 71. Port Adelaide 72. GWS Giants 73. Carlton 74. GWS Giants (via Brisbane) 75. Collingwood ROUND FIVE 76. West Coast Eagles 77. North Melbourne 78. Hawthorn 79. Gold Coast Suns 80. Fremantle 81. Richmond 82. Geelong 83. Essendon 84. Adelaide 85. Western Bulldogs 86. Sydney Swans 87. St Kilda 88. Melbourne 89. Port Adelaide 90. GWS Giants 91. Carlton 92. Brisbane Lions 93. Collingwood The order will change again throughout the free agency and trading periods.

That’s it. I’m leaving town.

I definitely wasn’t made for loving them.

The skipper polled strongly last night but so did T. Hanks 76. Tyla Hanks 67. Kate Hore 30. Olivia Purcell 27. Lauren Pearce 24. Eden Zanker 20. Alyssa Bannan 14. Eliza McNamara 13. Paxy Paxman 12. Shelley Heath 9. Lily Mithen 6. Sarah Lampard 5. Blaithin Mackin 4. Eliza West 3. Maddison Gay Tayla Harris 1. Tahlia Gillard Aimee Mackin

How about some voting?

The Rookie Me Central Power rankings for September - AFL Draft Power Rankings: September 2023

The team has been fantastic - don't get me wrong - but looking at the four games played and the opposition in those games, it would be fair to say that we haven't really beaten a quality team. Two opponents have yet to win a game this year and the other two have one win each. Geelong is really the team's first real challenge for the current season. So, we shouldn't get too carried away ... just yet.

The AFL has announced its North Melbourne assistance package which gives that club an end of first round pick this year. This means that the first round draft order becomes:- ROUND ONE 1. West Coast Eagles 2. North Melbourne 3. Hawthorn 4. Gold Coast Suns 5. Melbourne (via Fremantle) 6. GWS Giants (via Richmond) 7. Geelong 8. Essendon 9. Adelaide 10. Western Bulldogs 11. Sydney Swans 12. St Kilda 13. Melbourne 14. North Melbourne (via Port Adelaide) 15. GWS Giants 16. Carlton 17. Western Bulldogs (via Brisbane) 18. Collingwood 19. North Melbourne (compensation) The picks in the following rounds are put by one selection e.g. -> ROUND TWO 20. West Coast Eagles (and so on)

On what I saw yesterday, I would have Sanders ahead of Watson. The latter had little impact in the first half but was better in the second. Sanders was good all game. That of course, is based on the sample of one game.

Sandringham storms to second straight flag

And it is back to back for the Dragons! SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 3.3.21 7.6.48 11.8.74 17.10.112
 EASTERN RANGES 4.0.24 5.3.33 7.6.48 10.9.69 GOALS SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS Brown 3 Dear Lloyd May Reid 2 Ashcroft Edwards Harrop Johnston Roberts Visentini EASTERN RANGES MacDonald 2 Cantwell Monteath Moraes Sruk Watson Weatherill Windsor BEST SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS W Brown R Sanders M Reid C Harrop C Dear C Lord EASTERN RANGES T Sruk C Moraes N Watson C Windsor R Weatherill S MacDonald Dragons captain Will Brown was awarded best on ground for his performance in the game.

Goals to Edwards and Brown, his third so it’s away to a 38 point lead.

Ranges come back with a goal from the brilliant Tyson Sruk, a midfielder. In reply, Sanders gets the ball out to an underage teammate Murphy Reid who boots the first of two in a minute. Sandy back in control with a lead of 27 points.

The Wizard opened proceedings In the second half with a goal from a free and then the Ranges goaled again and got to within a couple of points. But then the Dragons took over with Sanders and Lord in the midfield and captain Brown up forward and they kicked the last four goals of the term to lead at 3/4 time by 26 points. Sandy are poised to go back to back and yes, I’m sold on Sanders. He’s cool, talented, can mark and kicks accurately.

It’s half time in the Coates Talent League Boys Grand Final and the Sandringham Dragons are 15 points up on the Eastern Ranges. Big last half looming.