Whispering_Jack

On those rumours about TMac being out and replaced by Mitch Brown from the Casey team, I can say that one of the emergencies for Casey, Jack Bell who was selected to play for Old Haileybury in its VAFA B Section game today, didn’t take his place in the team. Could it be that he’s been called up to fill in a vacancy for the Casey Demons caused by Mitch’s elevation to the AFL Demons?

There’s a NAB League game currently in progress between Dandenong Stingrays and GWV Rebels with the Rays leading by 25 points. Our NGA prospect Finn Emile-Brennan has continued to impress at Dandenong and is looking more and more like a top 40 prospect which unfortunately will probably rule him out of our grasp. There’s an interesting player with Dandenong who is going to have to make a big decision very soon as to whether to go with an AFL or a cricket career. There are big wraps on him in both sports but I suspect that he might chose cricket in which case a baggy green cap somewhere down the line is definitely on the cards. His name is Harry DeMattia - he’s bottom age and he kicked two goals on NAB League debut last week.

Back to playing like the league leader or back to the pack?

Given that Casey are playing in the curtain raiser at the G, we’ll know about Mitch being out a good few hours before that.

Well, you might have a point there. Melbourne had little to gain by participating in this draft. As I see it, the main Demons’ need is a ruckman to play understudy to Max and Dogga and, unlike last year when 6 or 7 were drafted in the MSD, only two were selected yesterday. Better to wait till the National Draft in November where there are more quality young players available. Other than that, there wasn’t much on offer at the end of round 1 where we would have had our choice.

Unfortunately, not quite father/son material but Zac Clarke is a player to keep an eye on. His father Daniel was a beanpole ruckman drafted by Melbourne in the early 90s but he never got to play a game.

After all that, these are the selections in the MSD.

Anyone can pick up a player if they’ve nominated themselves for the draft (see full list on p1 of this thread). It appears Grey has not nominated while Ellison has.

I know we’re not involved but FWIW ~ PREVIEW | 2022 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft

Don’t know how they can argue it was an unintentional strike given it came after the first strike. Perhaps it was the aliens? Anyway, it’s worth arguing before this AFL Tribunal who have a record of coming up with baffling outcomes.

Two players unaccounted for who missed in the VFL last week. Majak Daw and JVR. Not injured but rested?

Back in the days when we used to win every week. MELBOURNE B: M. Hibberd 14 S. May 1 J. Lever 8 HB: C. Salem 3 H. Petty 35 J. Hunt 29 C: A. Brayshaw 10 C. Petracca 5 E. Langdon 15 HF: Kysaiah Pickett 36 T. McDonald 25 J. Melksham 18 F: A. Neal-Bullen 30 B. Brown 50 B.Fritsch 31 Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 J. Jordan 23 I/C: J. Harmes 4 L. Jackson 6 Trent Rivers 24 C. Spargo 9 Sub: K. Chandler 37 Emerg: N. Jones 2 T. Sparrow 32 S. Weideman 26 In: K. Chandler J. Harmes H. Petty Out: O. Baker (omitted) N. Jones A. Tomlinson (knee) SYDNEY B: D. Rampe 24 T. McCartin 30 J. Dawson 34 HB: J. Lloyd 44 R. Fox 42 J. McInerney 27 C: Parker 26 O. Florent 13 H. Cunningham 7 HF: T. Papley 11 H. McLean 41 C. Sinclair 18 F: S. Wicks 45 L. Franklin 23 W. Hayward 9 Foll: T. Hickey 31 J. Rowbottom 8. C. Mills 14 I/C: E. Gulden 21 J. P. Kennedy 12 C. O'Riordan 38 C. Warner 1 Sub: N. Blakey 22 Emerg: K. Brand 2 G. Hewett 29 D. Stephens 3 In: N. Blakey R. Fox L. Franklin D. Rampe Out: R. Clarke (omitted) I. Heeney (ankle) L. Melican (hamstring) D. Stephens (omitted)

Ellison has nominated for the mid-season draft. Wonder if there’s been interest in him.

With those changes, I suspect that the team might struggle against Frankston who are a fairly solid outfit.

Steven May played less than a quarter and finished with more possessions than Melksham and Weideman.

We have Fremantle today and the Swans next week. What happened last time that the Demons played that combination in consecutive games?

Bigfooty’s Davo-27 has updated his top 50 Rankings following the Academy game - 1. George Wardlaw - Oak - 182cm 2. Will Ashcroft - Sand - 180cm (Brisbane F/S?) 3. Jhye Clark - Geel - 180cm 4. Elijah Tsatas - Oak - 188cm 5. Elijah Hewett - Swan Dist - 186cm 6. Adam D'Aloia - WWT - 181cm 7. Jedd Busslinger - East Perth - 197cm 8. Anthony Munkara - West Adel - 190cm (Essendon NGA?) 9. Tom Scully - West Adel - 204cm 10. Oliver Hollands - Murr - 183cm 11. Mitch Szybkowski - Dand - 186cm 12. Harry Sheezel - Sand - 184cm 13. Harry Lemmey - West Adel - 199cm 14. Luke Teal - Oak - 191cm 15. Olivier Northam - Geel - 195cm 16. Aaron Cadman - GWV - 194cm 17. Jackson Broadbent - Peel - 201cm 18. Kobe Ryan - West Adel - 183cm 19. Lachlan Cowan - Tas - 188cm 20. Brayden George - Murr - 185cm 21. Isaac Keeler - Nth Adel - 197cm (Adelaide NGA?) 22. Henry Hustwaite - Dand - 194cm 23. Max Clohesy - Murr - 179cm 24. Bailey Humphrey - Gipps - 184cm 25. Jed Hagan - East Frem - 175cm 26. Seth Campbell - Tas - 182cm 27. Matthew Jefferson - Oak - 195cm 28. Kane Bevan - West Perth - 192cm 29. Taj Campbell-Farrell - Dand - 185cm 30. Jaspa Fletcher - Bris A - 184cm (Brisbane F/S +A) 31. Ted Clohesy - Geel - 182cm (Geelong NGA?) 32. Charlie Clarke - Sand - 182cm 33. Josh Weddle - Oak - 192cm 34. Max Michaelanny - Norw - 190cm (Adelaide F/S?) 35. Lewis Hayes - East - 197cm 36. Al Davey Jnr - Oak - 181cm (Essendon F/S) 37. Jaxon Binns - Dand - 182cm 38. Jonti Schuback - Gipps - 183cm 39. Rye Penny - Cald - 185cm 40. Luke Lawrence - GWS A - 183cm (GWS A) 41. James Van Es - GWV - 196cm 42. Cam MacKenzie - Sand - 187cm (St Kilda NGA?) 43. Blake Drury - Oak - 178cm 44. Will Dowling - Nth Adel - 187cm 45. Mattaes Phillipou - WWT - 188cm 46. Luke Michael - West Perth - 186cm 47. Cooper Harvey - North - 180cm (North Melbourne F/S) 48. Harry Barnett - West Adel - 202cm 49. Nick Madden - GWS A - 204cm (GWS A) 50. Steely Green - Sth Frem - 178cm The question marks? In the case of father/sons, these won’t be confirmed until closer to the national draft. In the case of clubs outside the four “northern states”, they can not match bids for these players within the first 40 selections in the national draft.

This one goes back 102 years to this very day in 1920 — 26th May — and it doesn’t even involve Melbourne which had a bye in this particular round. All four matches in the round were played on a Wednesday — to celebrate the visit by the Prince of Wales who later became Edward VIII before he abdicated to marry American divorcée, Wallis Simpson. In order to accommodate the visit, two of the games were played in the morning and the other two in the afternoon. Regrettably, the Prince’s boat was running late and didn’t arrive in Melbourne until the following day!

Congratulations to Kynan on making the Rookie Me NAB Under 18 team of the Week. Great effort given it’s his first up performance in the competition!

The NAB League rules permit some overage players to play for the Under 18 clubs. He turned 18 in December 2021 so he’s pretty close to the age limit any way.

Yes … at one stage it was reported that we were interested and that he might be a 2021 draft bolter but nobody picked him. This is what AFL Draft Central’s writers said ~ Anthony Caminiti Height: 196cm Weight: 83kg D.O.B: 09-12-2003 Leagues: NAB League Boys POSITION: Tall Forward SNAPSHOT: "A mobile tall forward who shot on the scene this season, showcasing sound overhead marking and shrewd leading patterns. The Northern Knights were stoked to bring Anthony Caminiti into their program this year, and it was easy to easy why after his five-goal NAB League debut in May. The athletic key forward slotted into Northern's front six when Carey Grammar had a bye during the APS season, and did enough over both competitions to that point to be a late inclusion in June's Victorian representative trials. With more promising form, he earned a draft combine invite and looms as a tall prospect with high upside among this year's cohort. STRENGTHS: + Mobility + Leading Patterns + Overhead Marking + Clean Hands + Scoreboard Impact IMPROVEMENTS: - Strength - Exposure Caminiti was a difficult player to deny given his goalkicking record in the APS competition, and he took full toll once given an opportunity in the NAB League. His five-goal debut for Northern stamped his status as a consistent scoring option, having strung together several multiple-goal games for Carey Grammar. At APS season's end, he was named in the competition's Merit Team for 2021. As a mobile type of tall talent, Caminiti is quick off the mark and constantly gets separation on the lead. His mix of athleticism and smarts makes for some really promising attacking play, as Caminiti reacts first to the flow of play and can begin moving into the right space before the kicker makes a decision. With good delivery, he can be really dangerous. The other factor on the end of Caminiti's leading patterns is his overhead marking. He showed many times when operating as a lead-up option further afield for Northern, that he could reach higher than his opponents and cleanly clunk aerial balls. With a bit more strength and size on his 83kg frame, Caminiti could even clunk more contested marks while AFL-level defenders match him for athleticism and smarts. Caminiti's clean hands extend further than his marking too. With good movement for his size, the 196cm talent is comfortable on the ball and looks to move it on quickly to runners passing by. He is able to contribute at ground level with composure and often proves quite unselfish inside 50, creating opportunities for others by hand and foot. One question mark over Caminiti's ability to make the next step may be his exposure to high levels of football. He played six game's in Victoria's leading school football competition this year, but only three at NAB League level. Five of his six NAB League goals came in one game and he could not quite find the goals in his Victorian trial dig. His movement further afield may be a factor, but Caminiti certainly found his best goalkicking form in the APS. DRAFT PROJECTION: Late/Rookie SUMMARY: In a draft crop dominated by midfielders, clubs may be more willing to take chances on developing talls a little higher up the order. In Caminiti's case, he'd be an ideal late-round or rookie option given his upside and rate of development, with exciting traits which can be enhanced at the next level. He is mobile and comfortable in possession, adding a bit of dynamism to go with his goalkicking and marking ability.

HOLE LOT OF LOVE MELBOURNE Ladder position: 1st List spots available: 0 What they need: Ruck depth, lockdown small defender The Demons won’t have to worry about next week, with the club not having capacity for a draft selection at this stage. But the one area to look at in the national draft, where they could become vulnerable, is in the ruck if Max Gawn or Luke Jackson went down, with no other recognised ruckman on the list. AFL Academy member Jackson Broadbent, one of the leading ruck prospects in the pool, will be on their radar. [Note: this is behind the Herald Sun’s paywall and I’ve found that sometimes these stories can mysteriously shift] I agree that we don’t have to worry about next week but here’s Chris Doerre’s power rankings - AFL Draft: Mid-season Draft top 10 Power Rankings

How every Australian Academy player who took part in the game fared vs Collingwood VFL ~ Scouting Notes: 2022 AFL Academy vs. Collingwood VFL

Neither Melbourne nor Narrm have won a premiership under a Labor Government since 1948 under Ben Chifley's Prime Ministership. It's time for that to change!!!