Whispering_Jack

We’re sitting on Pick 7 now - go 🐱 Cats!

AFL Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan’s assessment in the Herald Sun online

Was named in OGG’s best against AJAX and was given high praise by one of their fans on the boundary.

Brad was also disadvantaged because he was so small and slight. He would have been better placed in today’s game where lack of height doesn’t necessarily rule you out.

You heard it first right here (sorry Harry) -

Court documents reveal coach accused of raping former Melbourne player Daniel Hayes was a long-time AFL employee who coached Sydney Swans academy teams Whilst the event that Daniel Hayes is referring to as the basis for the litigation has nothing to do with the MFC, I’m not so sure that the story itself is not about the club in a way. The football world knew he was troubled when we drafted him. Clearly, we as a club “took risks” when we did so and there is mention in the article that “his early days with the Demons were characterised by disappearing acts and club-imposed suspensions”. This raises the question whether we did enough to recognise why he had his issues and whether we could have done enough to help him. I’m not suggesting that the MFC should be blamed or included in this litigation but we shouldn’t shrink away from the fact that it was not so long ago that the football world wasn’t equipped to handle these issues in society - particularly insofar as it involved indigenous youth. These days, AFL clubs have mentors and others working for them who might have been able to identify the issues Daniel Hayes harboured alone. I hope he finally gets justice and finds peace and enjoyment in the game that treated him so cruelly when he was a young kid.

Headline from the game: AFL draft: Harley Reid helped off with concussion in AFL Academy clash against Carlton

Another disastrous day for death riders. Heaven help us if they beat Geelong next week.

This game could become a bit of a worry.

This isn’t the usual place for this sort of thing but in the circumstances … Injury and Suspension List: Round 9 Christian Salem - Knee | Available Tom McDonald - Ankle | Test Jacob van Rooyen - Suspension | Free and Available Luke Dunstan - Knee | 3 - 5 Weeks Kye Turner - Groin | 5 - 6 Weeks Will Verrall - Pelvis | 5 - 6 Weeks

Correct - as you and some others have pointed out this process was an appeal and the advocate for the MFC had the task of convincing the appeals board that Tuesday’s Tribunal erred in their interpretation of the AFL’s rules. “The tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson KC said that although it was reasonable for the young Demon to assess the situation in the way he did they decided ‘a reasonable player would have seen that in spoiling the ball in the way he did would almost inevitably have resulted in a forceful blow to Ballard’s head’”. Besides being complete and utter gobbledygook, Gleeson was attempting to rewrite the rule book. If allowed to stand, the Tribunal’s decision would have forever stood as a grave injustice.

I just heard Collingwood’s Beau McCreery say he learned to tackle to “make them hurt”. Surely, if you follow the Gleeson doctrine, someone at the AFL has to make a citizen’s arrest.

You can see the big guns in this year’s draft pool here ~ National Academy set for AFL curtain-raiser

He's a damn good footballer.

That argument won’t fly because any competent counsel representing an injured footballer could also point to the cases (eg the hit the week before on Murphy) where the AFL neglected to act and therefore failed in its duty of care to its players. The AFL has made a rod for its own back by the fact that the tribunal and its operation has resulted in inconsistency and utter confusion.

This must increase the odds of JvR beating the charge. So far, I would estimate that about 98% of football people who have expressed a view on the charge against him have called it out as absolute BS. The other 2% sat on the Tribunal. The law of averages says he’ll be good to play on Saturday. So does plain logic. Bring it on!

What happens to the ruck contest from now on? There’s always the reasonable possibility of a ruckman legitimately going for a hit out accidentally making contact with an opponent and therefore, every time this happens from now on the offending ruckman will according to the newly minted Gleeson doctrine be liable for a two week suspension.

What a disaster for the death riding enterprise and we now have to rely on the Swans to bring some sanity into the discussion. Pick 4 suddenly became Pick 7 and it’s threatening to get worse …

Well … one explanation might be that their membership numbers are larger than ours and they attract bigger crowds which equals more $ in the AFL’s coffers. But surely, this couldn’t possibly be about money? 😀

… and the probable number 2 is …

On the other hand, Geelong finished top 4 in 2021 and had a dream fixture in 2022 which allowed it to rest up key players in the run up to the finals. Why should Melbourne which finished fifth last year not have to play Norf Tassie twice in a season?

Up the Grades: Reid ramps up VFL form

According to Chris Cavanagh in an online Herald Sun article, Brown had a good game ranking fourth in KFC Supercoach points. ”Melbourne father-son prospect Kynan Brown (20 disposals) was another who was part of the same backline and showed some good signs. “Brown is the son of former Demon Nathan Brown, who featured in 146 games in the red and blue.”

Kev’s Kitchen.

Should be some interesting football coming up. Young Guns set to take on Vic Metro, Country in two-game series