Whispering_Jack

Sibosado is definitely eligible for both PSD and rookie drafts. Born 13/10/90.

New poster Theo has posted a report from yesterday's training on this thread - Report

Certainly is Theo. Most of us live a long way away from CF. Appreciate your reports any time.

This is the full list as per the afl.com.au site. As you can see there is room for one more senior list player and three more rookies. The Oracle is writing an article for Demonland about the changes to the list so far and it should be on the site by the weekend. MELBOURNE 1. Bail, Rohan 2. Bartram, Clint 3. Bate, Matthew 4. Bell, Daniel 5. Bennell, Jamie 6. Blease, Sam 7. Bruce, Cameron 8. Buckley, Simon 9. Cheney, Kyle 10. Davey, Aaron 11. Dunn, Lynden 12. Frawley, James 13. Garland, Colin 14. Green, Brad 15. Grimes, Jack 16. Jamar, Mark 17. Jetta, Neville 18. Johnson, Paul 19. Jones, Nathan 20. Maric, Addam 21. Martin, Stefan 22. McDonald, James (veteran – outside list) 23. McLean, Brock 24. McNamara, Tom 25. Meesen, John 26. Miller, Brad 27. Moloney, Brent 28. Morton, Cale 29. Newton, Michael 30. Petterd, Ricky 31. Rivers, Jared 32. Robertson, Russell (veteran – outside list) 33. Strauss, James 34. Sylvia, Colin 35. Warnock, Matthew 36. Watts, Jack 37. Wheatley, Paul 38. Whelan, Matthew 39. Wonaeamirri, Austin 40. Rookie List 1. Spencer, Jake 2. Valenti, Shane 3. Zomer, Trent 4. 5. 6. ADDITIONS Father-Son selection: – Exchange period – received: – Rookie elevation: Austin Wonaeamirri Scholarship elevation: – NAB AFL Draft: Rohan Bail (Mt Gravatt), Jamie Bennell (Swan Districts), Sam Blease (Eastern Ranges), Neville Jetta (Swan Districts), James Strauss (Oakleigh Chargers), Jack Watts (Sandringham Dragons) International rookie selection: – Three-year non-registered player selection: – NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft: NAB AFL Rookie Draft: DELETIONS Retired: Ben Holland, David Neitz (veteran – outside list) Exchange period – traded: – Delisted: Jace Bode, Nathan Carroll (second list lodgment), Chris Johnson, Isaac Weetra, Jeff White (veteran – inside list), Adem Yze (veteran – outside list)

John Bennell is 174cm and weighs 71kg. Sounds like an ideal candidate. In answer to how many rookie picks we have available I think we're allowed six rookies if our main list has 40 players (including 2 veterans). We have Jake Spencer, Shane Valenti and Trent Zomer which means we can pick 3 rookies.

I believe an agreement was reached. Even if the terms weren't put into writing before the end of the last Council term (and I don't know if they were or not), an agreement's an agreement and if the Council baulked, they could be up for significant legal costs and penalties if they wanted to overturn the deal at this stage.

I agree with Dean Bailey's often repeated statement about the club looking for players with good character but I think people are going overboard with this theme when it comes to potential draftees. It seems that the automatic reaction of some is that if they didn't get selected there's something wrong with them, be it their character or their physical attributes etc. The fact is a finite number of players were selected and it doesn't necessarily follow that all the rest who weren't picked are bad eggs. It's up to the club to now decide on who's next best because we have first pick in the PSD. Our next selection doesn't necessarily have to be a Ritchie Cunningham goody two shoes type either. I'd gladly accept an Arthur Fonzarelli type with first pick in the PSD (for those who can't work out who or what I'm talking about, please google "Happy Days" - it was a TV show from the '70's & '80's). Further, I think it's the responsibility of the club to some extent to ensure that our players know what's required of them when they represent the club and that this should be an ongoing process over the player's entire career. If the best player available has a few rough edges, then a good club and a good coach should be able to knock him into shape without much difficulty. We picked up 5 medium/smalls in the draft. I think we need some balance with our next picks in the PSD and rookie draft. I'm all for Casey and since he would most likely start in the VFL I'd like to reprise another slogan from the '70's (in slightly different form): Point Casey at Casey!

And today it's very much in the present. Well done to The Professor who brought the story to you first on Demonland - Watts to carry famous No. 4

Just hope he was behaving on break up day!

Got the grandfather thing out of the way (Jasmine Rose came 8 days early) so now I'm back in on the coaching panel. Spoke to BL2381 yesterday and he's in along with Dookie. It looks like we've had to recruit hard to overcome a few players we've lost (cheers Rivvo) so like the Demons we're going with youth and a sh*tload of run and carry. I'm also going to try to get one of those coaches whiteboards so I can do the team placements properly and I'll also have the odd message or two for the boys and (girl if she's playing this time) later in the week.

A Herald Sun special: "Strauss Waltzes"

We do. And that essentially means we have two chances at the next 7 players available (subject to no late delistings by other clubs). Out of interest, this is the Burgatron list of players that weren't selected in yesterday's draft and Casey tops the list:- 44. Casey Sibosado 193 cm 85 kg DOB 13.10.90 NT Thunder NT 47. Steven Gaertner 199 87 02.01.90 Dandenong U18 48. Matthew DeBoer 187 85 10.03.90 Claremont WA 55. Luke Thompson * 192 86 08.02.91 Geelong U18 56. Clancee Pearce 182 90 23.10.90 S. Districts WA 58. Adam Varcoe 179 64 31.12.90 C. District SA 65. Brad Mangan * 187 87 27.04.91 Murray U18 68. Tom Hill * 199 78 07.04.91 Northern U18 71. Tom Rockliff 183 83 22.02.90 Murray U18 75. Danny Meyer ** 183 76 03.08.86 Richmond AFL 77. Matthew Moody ** 187 86 23.09.85 Brisbane AFL 79. Kade Klemke 180 77 15.07.90 Murray U18 80. Robin Nahas 174 63 10.11.87 Pt. Melbourne VFL 81. Nick Davis ** 184 83 30.03.80 Sydney AFL 83. Nathan Carroll ** 191 91 20.10.80 Melbourne AFL * too young for the PSD and rookie drafts ** recycled players

I'm sure my barrister mate Redleg is going to like Bail because when he's defending his clients in court, that's what he's always asking the judge to give them. *

The Saints used all of their picks today. Unless someone there retires or gets delisted, Carroll might be gorn.

Don't forget to watch - should be a fair bit about the MFC on the programme.

# 1 Jack Watts ... can I say, "I tipped this"?

I'm not sure about the strategy but it would seem that the club will be relying on its existing talls and therefore in the ability of the strength and conditioning coaches to build up some of our existing kpp's and in particular, players like Martin and Spencer. We still have pick 1 in the psd and a few rookie selections for the ruck types. I was disappointed we couldn't pick up another kpp but wrapped in getting Watts, Blease and Strauss - part of the future face of the Melbourne Football Club.

The only explanation for Rich to slide down to # 11 is that he's joined Al Quaeda and has been operating out of Mumbai lately. I think Burgo's gone troppo!

Thanks for that fantastic effort melbman. I was getting worried that we weren't going to be getting our usual fix of training reports now that we're out in the sticks. Keep up the good work. I hope to be able to make one trip down before Xmas (work permitting) but it's good to read that the team is enjoying its pre season on a proper footy ground. BTW - did anyone notice that there's a residential estate on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road as you come towards Cranbourne that's called Strawberry Fields? Given the whacks delivered at this site by a previously banned poster who doesn't particulalry like us, I'm going to enjoy driving past the estate and humming that catchy old Beatles tune. It's much better than "All You Need is Love

I had a crack at the Phantom Draft at the Mates of Melbourne function and didn't realise until after I put in my entry that I'd left Chris Yarran out of the top ten. From now on, I leave Phantom Drafts to Burgatron (who has changed his mind again apparently) and to the experts on bigfooty. That won't stop me from making my preferences for the draft as follows: 1. Jack Watts - was in the Rich camp but I've read the tea leaves. It's Jack! 17. Sam Blease - liked the way he ran down players and followed up play when I saw him in the under 18 champs, made goals and set them up for others and I think the red hair will go down well at a club that produced Norm Smith as one of its most famous sons. 19. David Zaharakis - I want another player with pace and good delivery, who can run through the lines, is agile and has leadership credentials. From the Northern Knights so, if nothing else will keep good company with Jack Grimes. 35. Mitch Brown - I was going to go for Ryan Shoenmakers at #19 to shore up our prospects of getting Ferrari to sponsor the club but now that Volvo are on board for another couple of years, I've scrapped the idea. I decided to go for pace at both 17 and 19 so I'm hoping we pick up Mitch Brown to complement pick 1 and give us a double pronged tall man attack in a few year's time. 51. James Strauss - if you watch any of Jack Watts' highlights ask yourself who was it who delivered the ball directly to his chest or in front of his outstretched arms every time he got the pill? 64. This is effectively the pick we gained when CJ walked so I'm speculating on a smokie like Scorpions key defender Alex Silvagni because it would keep him in the fold at Casey Fields and getting a player with that name would really stick it up some of my mates who support Caaarton if he ever came good. Alternatively, Jordan Dodman, a former basketballer who's about 207 cm and is taller than Robert Warnock, heavier than Robert Warnock, has more hairs on his chest than Robert Warnock, will never appear in crappy video with no production values at all that masquerades as an environmental promotion for some crappy cardboard box company and he doesn't have a brother called "Matthew". 71. PASS I'm betting here and now that I'll get at least two of these right.

Welcome to Demonland - JACK WATTS From www.afl.com.au JACK WATTS DOB: 26/3/91 Height: 195cm Weight: 83kg Club: Sandringham U18/Brighton Grammar Bio: Watts is an athletic, strong-marking tall forward with pace who is an excellent shot on goal. He represented Vic Metro in 2008, winning the Larke Medal and All-Australian honours. Jason McCartney says: He's super quick, very athletic and that's the basketball background coming through. I'd seen bits and pieces [of him], but to see him play centre half-forward in the first game of the championships and the surety of his hands and the way he controls the footy sometimes was amazing. He has good decision-making, but the mark he took with a minute-and-a-half left in that game – he was three or four deep in the pack but he just clunked it and went back and kicked the goal that won the game. He's a super-intelligent kid and what we found was that what we were delivering to the other kids he finds a bit boring and mundane, so you have to challenge him. Watch highlights of Jack Watts in action More on Watts: * June 8 - Watts the goss, say recruiters - http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/watt...304.html?page=2 * July 4 - Metro trio prepares for last two - http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/2...px?newsId=62702 * July 7 - Young guns in focus - http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tab...px?newsId=62834 * July 8 - Watts a bit of pressure, asks Jack - http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tab...px?newsId=62919 * Oct 1 - Watts commits to 2008 draft - http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tab...px?newsId=68501 * Oct 2 – The four tops - http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/the-...2651177545.html * Oct 4 - Melbourne likes Jack Watts it sees in draft tests - http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...5-19742,00.html * Nov 15 - Jack of all trades, master of one - http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...3-19742,00.html * Nov 15 - Teasing out the talent - http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...5-19742,00.html * Nov 15 - Jack Watts looking to muscle in - http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...4-19742,00.html * Nov 23 - Top draft picks tell No.1 prospect Jack Watts to ignore pressure - http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/spo...-19742,00.html * Nov 24 – Picks of the draft: Jack Watts - http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/new...375063498.html AFL.com video - http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/2...px?newsId=62650 2008 Championship highlights #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGzqCIRgJLw 2008 Championship highlights #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGzqCIRgJLw

Thanks people. Jasmine Rose. Soon to be posting as Whispering Jasmine.

A baby girl for Andy (Demonland) Mother and baby (8lb 5oz) both fine!!!

Shane Tregear made his debut for Sandringham seniors early in the season against Frankston and played some impressive games as a clever forward flanker and in a forward pocket. He came from the Sandringham Dragons via Brighton Grammar (I wonder who else has those credentials ?) and wore the number 19. He was injured during the year and played 9 games (10 goals). He's 180cm 68 kg and was born on 27 April 1988.

One thing that struck me about Dean Bailey was his steely determination to do things according to his plan to build the club from the ground up with youth and that came out clearly in his very blunt and definitive statement about Ben Cousins. To some extent he was giving the same message that St. Kilda gave a couple of days earlier in their explanation as to why they weren't taking him except Bailey has been resolute on this issue from day one when he first walked into the club while the Saints have, for several months during the Cousins saga, been acting as if quite the opposite applied. This is what gives Bails a huge tick in the credibility box which, given that he has to deal with a list of 44 or 46 young men from different backgrounds, will be a major plus for the club in the long run. This doesn't necessarily guarantee success as a coach – his coaching style will only be truly tested when the team he is building develops more down the track - but the building blocks are definitely there. Bailey also reiterated his disappointment with Chris Johnson and his decision to leave the club. What disappointed him was the simple fact that, in a one on one situation, CJ simply would not commit himself to playing for the club, thinking he had better opportunities elsewhere. I really believe the dramatic events of the day when CJ left were more for the benefit of the Melbourne team – to instil in them the importance of a high level of commitment which their coach demands from his players – than for CJ who was, by then, clearly a lost cause. I’m puzzled about how CJ came to the conclusion that he had more opportunities at a club like Carlton which is openly boasting about its pretensions to be a top four club than at Melbourne which is the current wooden spooner and, according to the pundits, is favourite for next year's spoon as well. Perhaps CJ has been dealing with people who may not be as honest and as forthright as our coach? On tomorrow's draft, BP made an interesting observation on the Fremantle situation with its apparent dilemma over taking Rich or Hill. He held the view that it was difficult to understand why the Dockers were thinking that way based on the roles of each player at the national carnival. Rich was always the main midfielder who was first to get a tag while Hill was the one who was doing the tagging for WA. I found that an interesting way to look at the situation.