Whispering_Jack

2022 NAB League: Wildcard Round snapshot

The trend continued with the Calder Cannons (10th) beating an inaccurate Eastern Ranges (7th) by 4 points. The Bendigo Pioneers (12th) beat early season favourites the Oakleigh Chargers (5th) by 2 goals.

In today’s Sunday Sun …

Strugglers Northern Knights got off the floor to knock fourth placed Greater Western Victoria Rebels (Aaron Cadman - 2 goals) out of the finals action in a four point thriller yesterday. The trend continued with the Western Jets beating the Geelong Falcons by 35 points. Sandringham Dragons (8th) just prevailed by 8 points over the Murray Bushrangers (9th). There are fears that Bushranger Brayden George has suffered an ACL injury after attempting a mark early in the game.

AFLW Talking Points: Revenge very sweet for devastating Dees

The 2022 NAB Boys League moves into finals mode today with yet another American innovation - the wildcard round - which will determine which eight teams will contest the finals series. The top three teams on the ladder (Gippsland Power, Tassie Devils and Dandenong Stingrays) all have this week off and the remaining 10 teams will contest a matches this weekend to decide which teams make up the final top eight over a three week period in September culminating in the Grand Final on September 16. All finals, including the Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on the NAB League app. We’ve seen many AFL careers made in this series as talented players have risen to the occasion under the pressure of a finals series. The one that comes to mind for me is Steele Sidebottom who kicked a bag of ten goals for the Murray Bushrangers in the 2008 TAC Cup Grand Final. Sam Walsh was a standout for the Geelong Falcons in their 2017 premiership. This weekend’s wildcard matches are:- Today • First Wildcard Match: GWV Rebels (4) v Northern Knights (13) Mars Stadium 11:00am • Third Wildcard Match: Geelong Falcons (6) v Western Jets (11) Mars Stadium 1:30pm • Fifth Wildcard Match: Sandringham Dragons (8) v Murray Bushrangers (9) Williamstown 2:00pm Tomorrow: • Second Wildcard Match: Oakleigh Chargers (5) v Bendigo Pioneers (12) Mars Stadium 11:00am • Fourth Wildcard Match: Eastern Ranges (7) v Calder Cannons (10) Mars Stadium 1:30pm With the return of the best private schoolboys out of the APS and AGS, we can expect teams such as Oakleigh and Sandringham to rise for the finals. But let’s wait and see. Here’s a preview ~ NAB League Wildcards hunt finals fortune

Today’s Herald Sun is reporting that “Melbourne’s super-sub Toby Bedford is in the Giants’ sights as a potential replacement for Bobby Hill.” The article suggests that he’s behind the club’s other small forward options in Kozzy, ANB and Charlie Spargo as well as the likes of Kade Chandler.

Chris was effusive about JVR but he didn’t stop there. He loves them all including young Howes, Laurie, the son of Woewodin and watch out for “Wakefield” (sic) an Aboriginal from “Alice Springs*”. I was driving south down the Monash Freeway when I heard him waxing so lyrically about our young talent that fair dinkum, I missed the turnoff at Wellington Road. None of these blokes has played a single AFL game yet but he had me convinced that they all were strong candidates for next year’s All Australian honours and well on the way to induction in a future Hall of Fame. Rejoice Demon fans! * I have little doubt that Chris from Camberwell is the font of all knowledge on matters Melbourne but he did have me scurrying to Professor Google for a fact check on Andy Moniz-Wakefield and all that I could find about his origins was that he was recruited from Nightcliff, a team that’s located in Darwin which is more or less 1,290 kilometres (802 miles) away from Alice Springs but I suppose that’s close enough for a program styled “Midday Madness”.

Harry Sheezel really can play. I’ve watched him grow as a player and a person since he started 10 years ago in the AJAX Under 8s and he’s going places. Hard to see him landing at the Demons but he would be a great fit by every metric. Rare air: The top-10 draft hopeful with MASSIVE numbers

Never in doubt!!!

Paxy!!!

Chris from Camberwell rang Dwayne Russell’s programme on 3AW and told the listening audience that Melbourne had some real beauties in the Casey VFL team and was adamant that JVR should be in the Melbourne team. Dwayne gave him a prize.

Ed Pascoe’s August Rankings update without the fancy graphics this time).

A big, belated thank you to the St Kilda Football Club and to Max King. You nearly blew it and, if truth be known, it didn’t really matter … but thanks anyway.

The AFLW season kicked off last night with Carlton vs Collingwood at Ikon Park but tonight, it will really swing into action with the Grand Final replay from earlier this year. Can the Demons emulate the men’s AFL team from March and win the equivalent game tonight? Match preview from Meggs is here

A season preview from Edge of The Crowd - Melbourne Demons AFLW Season 7 Preview

2022 NATIONAL DRAFT ORDER AND SELECTIONS 2022 - END OF HOME AND AWAY MATCHES ROUND ONE 1. North Melbourne 2. West Coast Eagles 3. GWS Giants 4. Essendon 5. Adelaide 6. Hawthorn 7. Gold Coast Suns 8. Port Adelaide 9. St Kilda 10. Carlton 11. Western Bulldogs 12. Richmond 13. Brisbane Lions 14. Fremantle 15. Collingwood 16. Sydney Swans 17. Sydney Swans 18. Geelong 
 ROUND TWO 19. Richmond 20. West Coast Eagles 21. GWS Giants 22. Essendon 23. Adelaide 24. Hawthorn 25. Gold Coast Suns 26. West Coast Eagles 27. St Kilda 28. Carlton 29. Western Bulldogs 30. Richmond 31. Brisbane 32. Gold Coast Suns 33. Gold Coast Suns 34. Sydney Swans 35. Melbourne 36. Geelong ROUND THREE 37. Western Bulldogs 38. West Coast Eagles 39. GWS Giants 40. Essendon 41. Melbourne 42. Collingwood 43. Gold Coast Suns 44. Brisbane 45. St Kilda 46. Geelong 47. Collingwood 48. Collingwood 49. Geelong 50. Hawthorn 51. Gold Coast Suns 52. Port Adelaide 53. Melbourne 54. Geelong ROUND FOUR 55. North Melbourne 56. Port Adelaide 57. GWS Giants 58. Essendon 59. GWS Giants 60. Geelong 61. Hawthorn 62. Carlton 63. Melbourne 64. Carlton 65. Western Bulldogs 66. North Melbourne 67. Brisbane 68. Gold Coast Suns 69. Gold Coast Suns 70. Sydney Swans 71. Melbourne 72. Fremantle ROUND FIVE 73. North Melbourne 74. West Coast Eagles 75. GWS Giants 76. Essendon 77. Adelaide 78. Hawthorn 79. Gold Coast Suns 80. Port Adelaide 81. St Kilda 82. Carlton 83. Western Bulldogs 84. Richmond 85. Brisbane 86. Fremantle 87. Collingwood 88. Sydney Swans 89. Melbourne 90. Geelong

That said, we won’t be able to stop him if he wants to leave and, if that’s the case, what’s a meaningful trade for Jacko?

This was the middle pin in the Demons’ horror stretch in mid season before the bye. The Swans were missing Buddy through suspension. Melbourne had Steven May out with injury. MELBOURNE: B: J.Bowey 17 A.Tomlinson 20 H.Petty 35 HB: J.Harmes 4 J.Lever 8 J. Hunt 29 C: A.Brayshaw 10 J.Viney 7 E.Langdon 15 HF: L.Jackson 6 M.Brown 38 C.Petracca 5 F: B.Fritsch 31 B.Brown 50 C.Spargo 9 Foll: M.Gawn 11 C.Oliver 13 K.Pickett 36 I/C: J.Jordon 23 A.Neal-Bullen 30 C.Salem 3 T.Sparrow 32 Sub: T.Bedford 12 Emerg: J.Melksham 18 T.Rivers 24 In: M.Brown J.Harmes E.Langdon C.Salem A.Tomlinson Out: T.Bedford (omitted) L.Dunstan (omitted) S.May (concussion) J.Melksham (omitted) T.Rivers (omitted) S.Weideman (omitted) SYDNEY SWANS B: C. O'Riordan 38 D. Rampe 24 T. McCartin 30 HB: J. Lloyd 44 P.McCartin 39 O. Florent 13 C: N. Blakey 22 C. Mills 14 E. Gulden 21 HF: C. Warner 1 I.Heeney 5 J.McInerney 27 F: T. Papley 11 L.McDonald 6 J.Amartey 36 Foll: P.Ladhams 19 L.Parker 26 J.Rowbottom 8 I/C: R.Fox 42 W. Hayward 9 S.Reid 20 S. Wicks 15 Sub: B.Ronke 25. Emerg: B.Campbell 16 H.McLean 2 D. Stephens 3 In: J.Amartey
 N.Blakey B.Ronke Out: B.Campbell (omitted) L.Franklin (suspension) M.Roberts (omitted)

Nothing less than a 120 point win for the Saints will do. That would see them in the top 8 when the Blues and the Dogs lose.

Because the Lions are so hard to beat on their own deck, this would be the first time this year when the Demons aren’t favourites with the bookies. This is the best time for us to defy the odds, to prove the doubters wrong and to earn our spot in the top four!

Gotcha!!! 😀

Who could ever forget World of Sport with Captain Blood, Louis, Bobby Davis and Uncle Doug?

Played well at the weekend for Vic Metro vs Queensland in the Under 17 Futures. Here’s how his performance was described in Rookie Me Central ~ “#7 Kynan Brown (Oakleigh Chargers) 13/01/2005 | 180cm | Midfielder Brown, a father-son candidate for Melbourne (son of Nathan), slotted straight into Metro’s midfield and had little trouble getting his hands on the ball. Though he possesses a punchy kick, he looked more slick by hand than foot, and used that to his advantage when helping his side work away from the centre bounces. A natural ball winner with strong bursts of speed, Brown was a consistent figure in the Big V.”