Whispering_Jack

As soon as I read that Max was substituted out of yesterday's game "as a precaution" I knew there was trouble brewing. I just hope it's not 4 to 6.

The sum of all of our fears is here.

This is an interesting story about South Australian indigenous footballer, Michael Graham, who recently received AFL Hall of Fame status. The journey of Michael Graham, aka 'The Flash', to the Australian Football Hall of Fame He was chased by Melbourne in the early 1970s but the club couldn’t persuade him to shift across from SA. At around the same time, we were also interested in getting Glenelg ruckman/forward Peter Carey to come to the club but he stayed put. Both players had long and productive careers and would have improved the Demons immeasurably during the difficult years of the 70s and early 80s. Graham’s nephew Colin Graham did make it to Melbourne and played 35 games (32 goals) between 1975-78.

Talls fire, potential No.1 pick returns as Vic Country sets up title decider Country come up clutch in Springfield shootout

It would be helpful if someone in defence made a contest.

The inevitable reply from Brisbane.

Jefferson goal off the ground

An article about the standout players among this year’s crop of APS players. Draft watch: The APS school footy standouts who have impressed throughout the 2024 season Here they are in summary because it’s behind a firewall: Tairon Ah-Mu, Haileybury College (he’s also an MFC NGA) “The bottom-age ruckman has been in Haileybury College's best nearly every week. In addition to racking up the hit-outs, Ah-Mu can, and has, hit the scoreboard. Once he fills in his frame a bit more, he will be incredibly difficult to stop.” Jasper Alger, Caulfield Grammar - an exciting goal kicker. Harry Armstrong, Haileybury College - kicked 10 in his last game against Melbourne Grammar. Levi Ashcroft, Brighton Grammar - son of Marcus and brother of Will is on his way to Brisbane. Jesse Dattoli, Carey Grammar - impressed for Vic Metro. Gets the ball and can kick goals. Tom Evans, Xavier College - school captain and a prolific inside midfielder. Archer Hanegraaf, Geelong College - contested ball winner. Lenny Hoffman, Brighton Grammar - St Kilda NGA product. Taj Hotton, Haileybury College - brother of Ollie recently sustained an ACL injury which will keep him on the sidelines for an extended period of time. Xavier Ivisic, Geelong Grammar - plays midfield nicely both on the inside and outside. Ben Kennedy, Xavier College - lockdown defender from the Murray Bushrangers who can also go forward. Doug Kerr, St Kevin's - a Collingwood NGA. Felix Kneipp, Wesley College - a smooth-moving midfielder. Sam Lalor, Geelong Grammar - amassed 42 disposals, 22. contested possessions and two goals in his last game against St Kevin's. Sam Marshall, Melbourne Grammar - another Brisbane Lions Academy prospect. Bailey McKenzie, Brighton Grammar - consistently in the best players. Harry O'Farrell, St Kevin's - AFL Academy plays in a key defensive position. Riley Onley, Scotch College - contested midfielder. Flynn Penry, Geelong Grammar - a dominant ruckman who gets plenty of the football. Angus Phillips, St Kevin's - high possession midfielder who kicks goals. Murphy Reid, Caulfield Grammar “The potential no.1 pick has been a clearance beast at APS level this season. Prior to his dominant national championships, Reid was winning his fair share of possessions for Caulfield Grammar but was having his biggest say at stoppage. In one game this year, more than 50 per cent of Reid's disposals for the day were clearances.“ Ben Rongdit, Geelong Grammar - bottom age Cats Next Generation Academy. River Stevens, Geelong College - son of dual North Melbourne premiership player Anthony. Nathaniel Sulzberger, Caulfield Grammar - Tasmanian who started the APS season as one of the early bolters in this year's draft and has maintained his trajectory. Luke Trainor, Brighton Grammar - highly rated with great football pedigree. Miles Tyrer, Melbourne Grammar - bottom-age ruckman. Ollie Warburton, Caulfield Grammar - classy wingman. Archie Watt, Xavier College - midfielder who consistently hits the scoreboard. Levi West, Carey Grammar - son of five-time All-Australian Scott West and brother of Bulldog Rhylee.

Corrected: this was an error carried forward from last week

Another hero of the 50s and early 60s passes. Condolences to the family.

Stingrays duo shines as Vic Country pips WA Players to watch for Vic Country are Dandenong Stingrays pair Harvey Langford, Cooper Hynes and Xavier Lindsay of Gippsland Power. Sandgropers push Vic Country all the way in Claremont classic Reid all about it: Slick mid dominates for Vic Metro Vic Metro storms home to maintain unbeaten run

We’ve corrected Billing’s figure to accord with that of our source. It seems that from time to time, the statisticians check out before the end of the game😀

Potential top-10 picks shine as Vic Metro down WA Cream rises to the top as Metro sinks Sandgropers

Thanks to our AFLW correspondent for bringing this to our attention - sorry Grace for missing you in February! Melbourne completes its AFLW list Journey back to footy | Beasley lands at the Dees Her basketball YouTube clips are super impressive. https://youtu.be/vTEJ2f2Jkws?si=iIIibVf5bz-n7kUT One to watch. Westy was good but Grace looks better. She could be anything really. Another Mon Conti? The coach loves a competitor. Good work Todd (recruiter). Early days.

West is best as scintillating Sandgropers storm

The Allies were once regarded as the “easybeats” of the national championships but after winning them last year, it’s a different story. This weekend, the Vics join the action. PREVIEW | 2024 AFL U18s: Vic Metro vs. Allies PREVIEW | 2024 AFL U18s: Vic Country vs. South Australia

The Demons were jolted early in the 2023 Qualifying Final by the head high hit that ended Angus Brayshaw’s career and helped give the accurate Magpies a big enough start to fall in by 7 points despite a goalless final quarter. Many Melbourne fans argue that hit cost their team a flag and many others are still bemused about the fact that the perpetrator was free to play on in his team’s finals campaign including the winning grand final. MELBOURNE 1.0.6 2.4.16 4.9.33 7.11.53 COLLINGWOOD 4.2.26 5.3.33 9.4.58 9.6.60 THE TEAMS
 
 COLLINGWOOD 
 B N. Murphy D. Moore I. Quaynor HB B. Maynard O. Markov S. Pendlebury C S. Sidebottom T. Adams J. Daicos HF B. Hill B. Mihocek J. Howe F J. Elliott D. McStay J. De Goey FOLL M. Cox B. McCreery J. Crisp I/C D. Cameron W. Hoskin-Elliott P. Lipinski T. Mitchell SUB J. Ginnivan EMG B. Frampton F. Macrae J. Noble 
IN B. McCreery D. Moore N.Murphy 
OUT B. Frampton (omitted) F. Macrae (omitted) J.Noble (omitted) MELBOURNE B M. Hibberd S. May J. Bowey HB J. McVee J. Lever A. Brayshaw C K. Pickett J. Viney E. Langdon HF L. Hunter T. McDonald A. Neal-Bullen F T. Sparrow J. van Rooyen K. Chandler FOLL M. Gawn C. Oliver C. Petracca I/C B. Fritsch T. Rivers C. Salem J. Smith SUB B. Laurie EMG B. Grundy J. Jordon A. Tomlinson 
IN M. Hibberd T. McDonald 
OUT J.Melksham (knee) D. Turner (omitted)

Didn’t watch the game but I just noticed that Casey only used 22 players which means that there must have been a late “out” and no emergency to cover for that player. On the face of it, that suggests some poor management on the part of the club. It’s a professional sport and even at this level where we’re apparently not even playing to win* it’s not a good look. Was there an explanation given on the broadcast of the game?

Word from inside the Fremantle camp is that the Dockers are pumped and supremely confident about getting the W today. They’ve beaten us the last two times at home and don’t see beating us at Alice Springs as a problem.

Interesting that all three MFC emergencies who were said to have flown to Alice Springs with the rest of the team are named in the Casey side. The three players dropped from the Casey side are named as emergencies.

Oops … signs of aging Cranky. Fixed.

It’s been all but confirmed that Melbourne will take the three named emergencies, Jack Billings, Bailey Laurie and Ben Brown on the trip to the Northern Territory, so that’s at least three changes to last week’s Casey lineup.

Another great Demon and pemiership skipper of our golden era passes. One of my childhood heroes along with Ron Barassi and Noel McMahen. Johnny Beckwith came to the club from Black Rock where he won an Under 18 Best & Fairest. He joined the Demons in 1951 and soon tasted success in that great team of the 50s and early 60s. He played in five premierships - 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, and 1960 (his last game as a player) and was captain in two of those campaigns (1957 and 1959) winning the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal in his first season as Melbourne skipper. He is a Melbourne Hall of Famer and was named back pocket in the club’s Team of the Century. He was famous for finding the boundary with his kicks out of defence in tight finishes well before the out of bounds on the full rule came in. He also coached the club in the post-Norm Smith era from 1968 to 1970 but had little success with a team in the early stages of decline after that great era for which he will always be remembered. Apart from the fact that the names of Beckwith and Barassi will always be tied together as great Demon captains and premiership players, there is another little snippet that binds them. Ron Barassi passed away last year on September 16 - it was the day of John Beckwith’s 91st and last birthday. Condolences to John’s family. [This is an article by club historian Lynda Carroll about the late John Backwith - Where are they now?]

Whispering in the Umpire’s Ears? I categorically deny this!