Whispering_Jack

Jay Clark’s article in today’s HUN ~ ‘No hard feelings’: Trac backed to salvage Dees relationships In the print edition, the headline is shorter - “Demon will shine again”. It starts as follows: “Sydney Swans' great Ryan O'Keefe has backed Christian Petracca to overcome a potential unsuccessful trade request and rediscover his best form at the Demons next year. “O'Keefe, whose trade move to Carlton was denied at the end of 2008, won the Swans' best and fairest the following season in one of the highlights of his brilliant career.” It goes on to say that O’Keefe believes that if he stays at Melbourne, Petracca’s “competitive instincts and professionalism” would prevail. "If you want to be a professional and go 'OK, I want to explore somewhere else' and that doesn't work, then I get back to where I am and get on with doing the best I can for myself and the team," O'Keefe said. "You see it across the globe. Players leave clubs and they come back. That is what professional sport is all about. "You are your own person and your own identity, your own business, so you want to put your best foot forward. "If you are a strong competitor and it certainly looks like Christian is, he will take pride in his own performance and do everything he can for the team at that time. "So I think he would have no problems slotting back into Melbourne. There will be no hard feelings." There’s more as the article falls back on talk about what might happen if Petracca or his camp continue to push for a release to one of the so-called “high profile” clubs but it would be worth their while to spend some time in thought about how they’ve reached this point and whether they might want to have a think about what O’Keefe is saying. For the record, I believe the club O’Keefe wanted to go to was Hawthorn, not Carlton, the irony being that ultimately, O’Keefe tasted premiership victory for the Swans against the Hawks in 2012. I still look forward to a future in which Tracc in red and blue holds the premiership cup aloft against Magpie opponents including Maynard and Moore.

That would be tough because the Amos only go down to 3rd division these days.

A true champion is one who will go to any lengths to better his team’s performance and who always remembers his roots in the sport. Here are some photographs of Max at Casey Fields starting at the top with a photo of him at the three quarter time huddle with the Casey Scorpions Development Team (reserves) in his first game after recovering from ACL surgery in July 2010 (wearing # 77 if you’re in doubt). Fourteen years later, he’s a premiership captain, a one club player and on his way to his 7th All-Australian honour. A true leader.

This 190cm clearance beast has great appeal to me and looks the perfect man to fill a possible void we might have coming up in the club’s midfield. 2024 Coates Talent League: Round 19 POTW One major advantage is that he’s from the Dandenong Stingrays so that any travel to Casey Fields is unlikely to be a chore for him or any social media influencer partner that he might connect with at some time in the future.

This week’s 2024 Coates Talent League: Round 19 POTW

For Melbourne, the kickoff takes place on Saturday night at GMHBA Stadium against Geelong at 7.15pm. The club has been given a tough starting schedule as they take on preliminary finalists Geelong in round 1, followed by grand finalists Brisbane and North Melbourne. Demonland will be here to cover the 2024 campaign with previews, match reports and plenty of discussion about our favourite women’s team. Here’s an article from the Herald Sun ~ New look Demons searching for Cats redemption We also have a big season preview from Meggs coming up soon.

The Rookie Me Central has a new number one headlining their August Power Rankings update, along with two entrants to their list of 30.

Blimey. Wasn’t it only 9 days ago that we beat Gold Coast on their own dung heap by 9 goals without Clarry, without Maysie, without Caleb and without Tracc and with Sparrow gone before half time? I was there and I saw some solid young talent to work with - a rebuild already halfway in the making which could be augmented by some astute use of the compensation from CP5 if he goes and ANB. Where were the Bulldogs and the Hawks when we played them earlier this year? If we play our cards right, a lot of people around here will be eating their words.

Not wanting to sound Machiavellian here but if there’s any truth in what the HUN’s Jay Clark is writing, then it could end up backfiring on the Carlton Football Club which is, after all, still involved in a finals series:- “The move would blindside McKay, similar to the way Collingwood punted Brodie Grundy two years ago and Carlton shipped off young forward Josh Kennedy in the blockbuster Chris Judd trade back in 2007.” There might well be some negative implications if a move to them by Petracca turns out disrupting this season and the future. Like all Demon fans, I want our player to be happy, healthy and play out his career as a one club champion. Time to take a deep breath, relax and concentrate on the all important return to full fitness without this politicking around his future.

We already have a few players on our list who will enter 2025 with question marks about their capacity to play at the top of their game. Getting him would be a backward step.

You don’t need slow motion even if it helps Kozzy’s case. At normal speed, it’s clear that Kozzy was attacking the football at great pace which is exactly what you want your player to do. At the same time Moore is coming into the contest from the side and stumbles into his path clumsily, contributing to an accidental collision. On review, that is not rough conduct and should be reduced to a much lesser grading.

Pre finals draft order:- ROUND ONE 1 Richmond 2 North Melbourne 3 West Coast Eagles 4 Adelaide 5 Melbourne 6 Coast Suns 7 St Kilda 8 Essendon 9 Fremantle 10 Fremantle (tied to Collingwood) 11 Carlton 12 Hawthorn 13 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Western Bulldogs) 14 Brisbane 15 GWS Giants 16 Geelong 17 Fremantle (tied to Port Adelaide) 18 Sydney Swans END OF ROUND ONE 19 Sydney Swans (tied to North Melbourne assistance package) 20 Gold Coast Suns (tied to North Melbourne assistance package) ROUND TWO 21 Richmond 22 North Melbourne 23 West Coast Eagles 24 St Kilda (tied to Adelaide) 25 Adelaide (tied to Melbourne) 26 Gold Coast Suns 27 Fremantle (tied to St Kilda) 28 Essendon 29 Richmond (tied to Fremantle) 30 Hawthorn (tied to Collingwood) 31 Carlton 32 Collingwood (tied to Hawthorn) 33 Western Bulldogs 34 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Brisbane Lions) 35 GWS Giants 36 Geelong 37 Port Adelaide 38 Melbourne (tied to Sydney Swans) ROUND THREE 39 Richmond 40 North Melbourne 41 Richmond (tied to West Coast Eagles) 42 Adelaide 43 St Kilda (tied to Melbourne) 44 Western Bulldogs (tied to Gold Coast Suns) 45 Melbourne (tied to St Kilda) 46 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Essendon) 47 Richmond (tied to Fremantle) 48 Collingwood 49 GWS Giants (tied to Carlton) 50 Collingwood (tied to Hawthorn) 51 Melbourne (tied to Western Bulldogs) 52 Brisbane 53 GWS Giants 54 Geelong 55 Port Adelaide 56 Sydney Swans ROUND FOUR 57 Richmond 58 North Melbourne 59 West Coast Eagles 60 Adelaide 61 Melbourne 61 Carlton (tied to Gold Coast Suns) 62 Fremantle (tied to St Kilda) 64 North Melbourne (tied to Essendon) 65 Carlton (tied to Fremantle) 66 Richmond (tied to a Collingwood) 67 Hawthorn (tied to Carlton) 68 Brisbane (tied to Hawthorn) 69 Carlton (tied to Western Bulldogs) 70 Gold Coast (tied to Brisbane Lions) 71 GWS Giants 72 Geelong 73 Richmond (tied to Port Adelaide) 74 Hawthorn (tied to Sydney Swans)

The main headline definitely does not describe Melbourne’s game last night.

A look at how some of the top prospects are travelling as we approach the pointy end of the season. Draft watch: Leather poisoning for top prospects

2024 Coates Talent League: Round 18 POTW

The finals are approaching. 2024 Coates Talent League: Round 18 TOTW

What Petracca told his Melbourne teammates and how the playing group reacted

The draft order as we come into the last round before the finals:- ROUND ONE 1 Richmond 2 North Melbourne 3 West Coast Eagles 4 Adelaide 5 Coast Suns 6 St Kilda 7 Melbourne 8 Essendon 9 Fremantle (tied to Collingwood) 10 Fremantle 11 Carlton 12 Hawthorn 13 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Western Bulldogs) 14 Brisbane 15 Geelong 16 GWS Giants 17 Fremantle (tied to Port Adelaide) 18 Sydney Swans END OF ROUND ONE 19 Sydney Swans (tied to North Melbourne assistance package) 20 Gold Coast Suns (tied to North Melbourne assistance package) ROUND TWO 21 Richmond 22 North Melbourne 23 West Coast Eagles 24 St Kilda (tied to Adelaide) 25 Gold Coast Suns 26 Fremantle (tied to St Kilda) 27 Adelaide (tied to Melbourne) 28 Essendon 29 Hawthorn (tied to Collingwood) 30 Richmond (tied to Fremantle) 31 Carlton 32 Collingwood (tied to Hawthorn) 33 Western Bulldogs 34 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Brisbane Lions) 35 Geelong 36 GWS Giants 37 Port Adelaide 38 Melbourne (tied to Sydney Swans) ROUND THREE 39 Richmond 40 North Melbourne 41 Richmond (tied to West Coast Eagles) 42 Adelaide 43 Western Bulldogs (tied to Gold Coast Suns) 44 Melbourne (tied to St Kilda) 45 St Kilda (tied to Melbourne) 46 Gold Coast Suns (tied to Essendon) 47 Collingwood 48 Richmond (tied to Fremantle) 49 GWS Giants (tied to Carlton) 50 Collingwood (tied to Hawthorn) 51 Melbourne (tied to Western Bulldogs) 52 Brisbane 53 Geelong 54 GWS Giants 55 Port Adelaide 56 Sydney Swans ROUND FOUR 57 Richmond 58 North Melbourne 59 West Coast Eagles 60 Adelaide 61 Carlton (tied to Gold Coast Suns) 62 Fremantle (tied to St Kilda) 63 Melbourne 64 North Melbourne (tied to Essendon) 65 Richmond (tied to a Collingwood) 66 Carlton (tied to Fremantle) 67 Hawthorn (tied to Carlton) 68 Brisbane (tied to Hawthorn) 69 Carlton (tied to Western Bulldogs) 70 Gold Coast (tied to Brisbane Lions) 71 Geelong 72 GWS Giants 73 Richmond (tied to Port Adelaide) 74 Hawthorn (tied to Sydney Swans)

I love this vision ...

Yes, I got the feeling that the item might have been composed by someone working in a call centre in Mumbai or Manila. Postscript This is their list in order from 5 to 1:- 5. Todd Viney (1987-1999) was a key figure for the Demons, renowned for his relentless effort and leadership as a midfielder. His dual role in both defense and attack, coupled with his inspirational presence, made him a significant contributor to the team’s success during his career. 4. David Neitz (1993-2008) established himself as one of the league’s top forwards, known for his goal-scoring prowess and strategic play. As captain for much of his tenure, Neitz’s leadership and skill left a lasting impression on the team and its supporters. 3. Ian Ridley (1954-1961) played a crucial role in the 1950s, recognized for his versatility and strong defensive skills. Ridley’s ability to adapt and excel in various positions was pivotal to the team’s achievements 2. Norm Smith (1952-1967) was a formidable player and coach, instrumental in guiding the Demons to several premierships. His strategic insight and leadership both on and off the field solidified his legacy within the club. 1. Robert Flower (1973-1987) stands out as perhaps the greatest player in the Demons’ history, known for his extraordinary talent and consistency.

This interesting piece came up on one of my feeds and, given that the men’s season is nearing an end for Demon fans and with all of the scuttlebutt swirling around concerning possible departures, I thought it was well worth some discussion. The greatest players in Melbourne Demons History The article is tremendously flawed. For starters, it omits our greatest ever in the late Ronald Dale Barassi who leads the rest of the field by the extent of daylight to Robbie Flower who comes in second in my estimation. David Neitz ahead of Garry Lyon? Questionable. Where does Jim Stynes fit in? Ivor Warne-Smith? Norm Smith was before my time but does he beat Jack Mueller? The author actually places him in his timeline as a coach (1952-1967) but he finished playing long before that. What about the dwindling number of greats who played in our golden era of the 50s and 60s? Sure, Ian Ridley gets a guernsey but does he get in front of Brian Dixon, Laurie Mithen, Noel McMahen, Don Williams, Stuart Spencer, Hassa Mann, Tassie Johnson and Big Bob Johnson? And then there’s the current crop of stars like Maxy, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca? Would the last player on that list risk his standing and legacy in the pantheon of Demon stars if he leaves us for whatever reason has prompted him to even consider the thought as has been rumoured by some in the media? Footnote: the article is so heavily monetized that my final thought is that it’s an epic piece of clickbait. The list of five “players” is:- 1 Robert Flower 2 Norm Smith 3 Ian Ridley 4 David Neitz 5 Todd Viney

Essendon rookie Jaiden Hunter returned home to WA today after the Bombers said he would not be offered a new contract. He becomes the first delisted player for the year.

I read an article yesterday that suggested Port Adelaide was saying it wanted ANB and our first pick in the draft for Houston. It was probably based on conjecture but, at anything near that cost, I would be disappointed if we were interested in dealing with him anyway. Moreover, if he’s on board with the way the media is reporting the situation (and I’m not suggesting he is), then he’s not the person we want either.

From a Herald Sun online report on an APS v AGS game played at Caulfield Grammar School featuring a number of high profile potential players including “Noah Yze (Caulfield) Yze imposed himself on the contest in the first quarter with three marks that set up two goals. One was an intercept mark that led to a goal assist to teammate Charlie Rowe and another saw him slot through a major for himself from range. The 190cm Yze is linked to Melbourne through his father Adem, and has already played two games at VFL level, kicking a goal in one of those and laying seven tackles.”

It would be fair to say that the decline in Melbourne’s fortunes as it staggers towards the end of the season has provided us with a stark reminder of the need to replenish AFL team lists and maintain depth. The coming months without participation in the finals will see activity in the trade, free agency and draft period that will determine whether the club’s slide continues or whether it can resurrect itself in the same way that Geelong has done this year. But planning for list changes goes beyond the mere short term. Clubs are already looking beyond this year’s draft and on to 2025 and 2026. As always, there are some interesting prospects coming up and the AFL’s futures trials are almost here. SQUADS | 2024 AFL Under 17 Futures trials