Whispering_Jack

Shocking news for the kid. He can take example from our own Christian Petracca who also suffered a torn ACL in his first year at the club, worked hard to come back (and from the experience of some of my own family members who have undergone that surgery, it’s hard work) and win a Norm Smith, a premiership medallion and acclaim as one of the great players of our game. Good luck Jagga!

The 2025 AFL Preseason Ladder is back and the Dees are doing nicely thank you. We had to refine the system a little to cater for the Indigenous All Stars game and the three way miniseries in Queensland. We improvised for the latter game played over two periods equivalent to half a game so we awarded half points resulting in this ladder. West Coast Eagles 1 0 0 62 26 238.5 4 Sydney Swans 1 0 0 125 68 183.8 4 Melbourne 1 0 0 117 70 167.1 4 Indigenous All Stars 1 0 0 108 65 166.2 4 Gold Coast Suns 1 0 0 97 58 140.6 4 Essendon 1 0 0 77 58 132.8 4 Adelaide 1 0 0 103 79 130.4 4 Geelong 1 0 0 106 86 123.3 4 St Kilda 1 0 0 69 58 119.0 4 Brisbane ½ ½ 0 76 73 104.1 2 Carlton 0 1 0 58 69 84.1 0 Hawthorn 0 1 0 86 106 81.1 0 Port Adelaide 0 1 0 79 103 76.7 0 Western Bulldogs 0 1 0 58 77 75.3 0 Collingwood 0 1 0 58 89 65.2 0 Fremantle 0 1 0 65 108 60.2 0 North Melbourne 0 1 0 70 117 59.8 0 GWS Giants 0 1 0 68 125 54.4 0 Richmond 0 1 0 26 62 41.9 0 Note: Despite the fact that Kozzie Pickett is serving a three match suspension, he's figured in two wins to date.

The Herald Sun is reporting that the knee injury to defender Andy Moniz-Wakefield in the dying moments of the Arden Street clash is “concerning.” "The Demons fear a devastating ACL blow for the 21-year-old, who was set to play an important lockdown role in defence with Judd McVee already sidelined due to a serious hamstring injury. "Melbourne assistant coach Troy Chaplin conceded the incident, which left Moniz-Wakefield writhing on the ground in pain before he was assisted off by trainers, looked ‘pretty nasty’. "’Obviously he's pretty flat at the moment, but we'll have to go away and get a scan just to confirm it ... it didn't look good, from a visual point of view, but we're hoping for the best there,’ Chaplin said."

Years ago, there were no interclub practice games or match simulations for that matter. They just played intraclub games with probables vs possibles contesting each other in a very friendly atmosphere. They never played such games in the month of February either, given that the season started in mid-April and training started around four or five weeks before then. Somewhere in the early 70s, they started playing practice matches against interstate clubs and other VFL clubs. I remember Peter “Crackers” Keenan playing in a game vs Port Adelaide. Nobody took the results seriously either because the good clubs rarely put their best team on the park. I recall Melbourne beating Carlton one year in a praccy match and, a few weeks later, playing them again in the opening round. We did cop a couple of injuries in the game from memory. Demon fans turned up to Princes Park chock full of confidence thinking we were a chance after their preseason triumph against the Blues and we were up by a couple of goals at quarter time. We were still ahead at half time, but just by a point or two but Carlton took control after the break and we only kicked one more goal for the game and ended up with getting thrashed by eight goals and they doubled our score. Moral of the story - don’t take practice matches too seriously and just hope for no injuries.

THE TEAMS MELBOURNE 2. Jacob Van Rooyen 8. Jake Lever 10. Daniel Turner 13. Clayton Oliver 14. Jack Billings 16. Bailey Laurie 17. Jake Bowey 19. Harvey Langford 20. Xavier Lindsay 21. Matthew Jefferson 22. Blake Howes 24. Trent Rivers 25. Tom McDonald 26. Jed Adams 27. Marty Hore 28. Will Verrall 29. Tom Campbell 30. Harry Sharp 32. Tom Sparrow 33. Tom Fullarton 35. Harrison Petty 36. Kysaiah Pickett 37. Kade Chandler 38. Oliver Sestan 39. Ricky Mentha Jnr 40. Taj Woewodin 41. Kynan Brown 42. Aidan Johnson 45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield NORTH MELBOURNE 2. Finn O'Sullivan 3. Harry Sheezel 4. Aidan Corr 5. Caleb Daniel 8. Bailey Scott 9. Luke Davies-Uniacke 10. Colby McKercher 11. Luke McDonald 12. Jy Simpkin 13. Darcy Tucker 15. Dylan Stephens 19. Griffin Logue 20. Nick Larkey 22. Taylor Goad 24. Tom Powell 25. Paul Curtis 26. Luke Parker 28. Jack Darling 29. Will Phillips 30. Charlie Comben 32. Toby Pink 34. Jackson Archer 38. Tristan Xerri 39. Finnbar Maley 41. Jacob Konstanty 44. Cam Zurhaar 46. Robbie Hansen Jnr

Today’s reunion …

The opposition have a strong team in for the game - Team Selection: NORTH MELBOURNE 2. Finn O'Sullivan 3. Harry Sheezel 4. Aidan Corr 5. Caleb Daniel 8. Bailey Scott 9. Luke Davies-Uniacke 10. Colby McKercher 11. Luke McDonald 12. Jy Simpkin 13. Darcy Tucker 15. Dylan Stephens 19. Griffin Logue 20. Nick Larkey 22. Taylor Goad 24. Tom Powell 25. Paul Curtis 26. Luke Parker 28. Jack Darling 29. Will Phillips 30. Charlie Comben 32. Toby Pink 34. Jackson Archer 38. Tristan Xerri 39. Finnbar Maley 41. Jacob Konstanty 44. Cam Zurhaar 46. Robbie Hansen Jnr

Others not playing ~ Rested: Max Gawn, Ed Langdon, Christian Salem, Steven May, Bayley Fritsch and Jack Henderson Injured: Judd McVee (hamstring), Jack Viney (ribs), Christian Petracca (ribs), Caleb Windsor (skin infection), Koltyn Tholstrup (bone stress), Luker Kentfield (illness), Jake Melksham (hamstring), Charlie Spargo (Achilles) and Shane McAdam (Achilles)

Captain’s Run this morning at Goschs Paddock 10:00am.

Can he even play on Saturday, given that he's already played once in the pre season Match Simulation Round (do they have rules for this)?

Last year it was Disco who they left out, hence the mystery about why he has no 2024 rating. :) "2024 rating: N/A"

SSP UPDATE With two days left for eligible clubs to sign players under the SSP rules, this is the update of signings - Carlton: Matt Carroll (Carlton AFL) Essendon: Jaxon Prior (Brisbane Lions AFL), Tom Edwards (Swan Districts WAFL) Fremantle: Isaiah Dudley (Central District SANFL) Gold Coast Suns: Ben Jepson (Southport VFL) Melbourne: Jack Henderson (Werribee VFL) Port Adelaide: Quinton Narkle (Geelong AFL) Josh Lai (Cheltenham SFNL) St Kilda: Harry Boyd (Norwood SANFL) West Coast Eagles: Sandy Brock (Gold Coast AFL) The following players have trained as prospective recruits during the SSP period but have not yet been signed Adelaide: Lachlan McAndrew Carlton: Sam Durdin, Liam McMahon, Denver Grainger-Barras Essendon: Kaine Baldwin, Will Hoare Fremantle: Baynen Lowe Gold Coast: Paul Hewago Oea Melbourne: Jai Culley, Roy George Port Adelaide: Jack Watkins West Coast: James Van Es Western Bulldogs: Dom Brew, Brayden Crossley NOTES: in the case of Culley and George, there are no SSP list spots available at present. According to Paul Amy, Crossley has been told he won’t be listed by the Bulldogs. Back to the VFL. Brew has also missed out.

Newest Demon | Jack Henderson

Excellent analysis from you Mr. Analyser and given that you haven't mentioned Jack Henderson, can one assume that he hasn't made it back on the red eye from Perth yet?

I’m tipping that Jack Henderson gets #43 so he gets a locker next to his former Werribee teammate Aidan Johnson.

We now have Jack Henderson in play. Where does he fit in?

Steven May Highlights | Indigenous All Stars vs Fremantle

Impressive:- VFL Showreel, GF: Jack Henderson highlights

As it stands at the moment, you can watch live on Kayo or there’s a 1 hour package on Fox Footy at 6:00pm *. * check your local guides

Kysaiah Pickett Highlights | Indigenous All Stars vs Fremantle

If it happens, then the suspension can only apply to future Indigenous All-Star games

I was there and still in a daze long after the game finished.

The headline on p93 of today’s Herald Sun is “DEMONS SEEING OLIVER OF OLD” Tyler Lewis - Track Watch • Clarrie lit up the ‘A’ against ‘B’ match with a dominant performance in Melbourne’s match simulation in the absence of stars Steven May (Indigenous All Stars) and Christian Petracca (still no contact). [He forgot to mention that Kozzie is also in the All Stars match but we’ll forgive him for that one]. • Oliver started in the middle of the ‘A’ team alongside Max Gawn, Trent Rivers and Ed Langdon. He gathered upwards of 20 disposals in the first half, had less of an impact impact in the second, but remained involved. • Also in the midfield rotation were Tom Sparrow and Harvey Langford. The latter might not have shown his best, but excited fans with his capacity to play an almost 50-50 split between midfield and forward. • Jake Lever, who took command of the back six early without May, displaying his power in the air. • The starting back six for team ‘A’ beside Lever was Tom McDonald, Harrison Petty, Christian Salem, Jake Bowey and Blake Howes. • Casey recruit and former Eagle Jai Culley was impressive getting a stack of the footy at stoppages as well as around the ground. • Mature-age draft pick Aidan Johnson proved a threat on the scoreboard and in the air up forward for the ‘B’ team. • Shane McAdam was the only serious injury casualty. He was helped from the ground, unable to put any weight on his left foot.