The Great Pretender

My Carlton sources tell me that Brock is absolutely training the house down and beating Judd in all of the long runs. They say he looks fit and refreshed and heading for a big season. Of course, he has several years of development over Gysberts so the answer to this riddle is still a long way off.

The problem is that Melbourne is very light on for ruckmen. We have only one on our primary list at the moment and that is Mark Jamar, two if you count PJ but I still regard him as a forward who can fill in as a second stringer in the ruck but can't match it with the best. Stef Martin is very much a tall defender who can pinch hit in the ruck while Jake Spencer is still on the rookie list. If someone takes Meesen in the draft we will be left vulnerable. He showed great promise in the few games he played with us so it's no surprise that some clubs are sniffing around.

Way too early to judge who wins at this point in time. Fevola could either blitz at Brizvegas or derail their entire campaign.

I'm wondering whether the fact that five of the first ten selections are with clubs outside Victoria is going to help or hinder our draft prospects.

It might be a bit late but there's a live feed here - http://www.justin.tv/nelliek9

A bit expensive for mine. Make it Dawes for Newton and you have a deal.

1. Cale 2. Mitch 3. Jaryd

Jetta Invited to Draft Camp Swan Districts speed machine Lewis Jetta has broken convention and had his draft prospects further strengthened as a result of being invited to the AFL draft camp. At 20 years of age, Jetta is the oldest of the 75 players invited to the camp, which will be held at the Australian Institute of Sport from September 30 to October 2. Jetta leapt into the spotlight with a breathtaking performance during West Coast's intraclub game in February. One of a number of WAFL players asked to make up the numbers, Jetta took on his high-profile Eagles opponents, kicked two goals and looked completely at home. The cousin of Melbourne midfielder Neville Jetta hasn't looked back. He was rewarded for his stunning WAFL form with Swan Districts in his debut season by earning a berth in the State game against South Australia, playing a pivotal role in WA's win with three goals. "It'll be interesting to see where Lewis ends up," WAFC high performance manager Jon Haines said. "He's attracted some attention at Swan Districts and in the State game. He's an exciting player and the exposure will be good for him. He should test well." The above snippets have been taken from WA media articles. West Coast are very interested.

Riveting stuff. I read once that Kevin Sheedy also was a Prahran boy who was residentially bound to Melbourne and we let him go to Richmond. Strange decision that one!

From the afl.com.au draft camp profiles: Allen Christensen (Geelong Falcons, VIC) Height: 176cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 19/05/91 Recruited from: Lara Prolific ball winner who amasses plenty of contested possessions. Sound decision-maker who is extremely clever around goals. Vic Country U18 representative in 2009. This kid was touted as an early selection at the start of the year but seems to have gone off the radar. He might be small but so is Cyril Rioli.

ROBERTSON DAMNS DEMONS Sorry Robbo but that's the club's direction and Dean Bailey was just being honest with you.

Dwayne Russell made the point that we interchanged 100 times against the Dockers compared with about 50 against Richmond and North and this made the difference. Does he have a point?

Up early and getting a bit toey. Read on the Casey thread that three MFC players pulled out of their side yesterday. Some changes in the wind are likely. Any guesses?

Toigs by 15 points. No argument from me on that score. Is it mathematically possible for them to finish 9th?

Unofficial list (TBC) Rohan Bail (buttock splinters) - 1 week Clint Bartram (blurred vision) - 1 week Matthew Bate (anaemia) - 2 weeks Daniel Bell (shoulder) - season Jamie Bennell (general soreness) - 1 week Sam Blease (broken leg) - season Cameron Bruce (fatigue) - 1 week Simon Buckley (groin) - 1 week Kyle Cheney (inflamed right nostril) - 1 week Aaron Davey (flu) - 1 week Lynden Dunn (general soreness) - 1 week James Frawley (back) - 1 week Colin Garland (foot) - season Brad Green (scaphoid) - season Jack Grimes (back) - 4 weeks Rhys Healy (groin) - 4 weeks Danny Hughes (general soreness) - 1 week Mark Jamar (quad) - 2 weeks Neville Jetta (flu) - 1 week Paul Johnson (agorophobia) - 4 to 6 weeks Nathan Jones (upset stomach) - 1 week Liam Jurrah (shin) 2 weeks James McDonald (indigestion) - 1 week Jordie McKenzie (exhaustion) - 4 weeks Brock McLean (knee) - 1 to 2 weeks Tom McNamara (bunion) - 1 week Addam Maric (shoulder) - season Stephan Martin (tennis elbow) - 2 weeks John Meesen (stress fracture) - season Brad Miller (dyspepsia) - 2 weeks Brent Moloney (peptic ulcer) - 3 weeks Cale Morton (general soreness) - 1 week Michael Newton (sunstroke) - 3 weeks Ricky Petterd (general soreness) - 1 week Jared Rivers (air sickness) - 1 week Russell Robertson (singing engagements) - 4 to 6 weeks Jake Spencer (hypothermia) - 3 weeks James Strauss (shoulder) - season Colin Sylvia (bruised buttock) - 2 weeks Shane Valenti (tonsilitis) - 2 weeks Matthew Warnock (general soreness) -2 weeks Jack Watts (schoolies week) - 1 to 2 weeks Matthew Whelan (toenail) 1 week Paul Wheatley (quad) - 2 weeks Austin Wonaeamirri (knee) 3 - 4 weeks Trent Zomer (repetitive strain syndrome) - 2 weeks

I reckon he's dead set scared of facing up to us.

Umpires are killing us!

What an insipid effort by the team today conceding 7 goals in the first quarter without scoring a goal ourselves. I say ring in the changes and bring in some of the kids who are doing such a good job at Casey!

The problem with that analysis is that having the priority pick gives you two selections of which one is most likely going to be Scully, acknowledged by most as the best young kid in the country. Therefore, securing the pp improves the percentage chances of making rapid development in your favour. That's more important for our future than one win here or there. The club can't afford to blow this opportunity now because, with the concessions available to the new clubs, the chance won't come again for a long time.

Port has greater incentive to win and that's why they'll probably make it in the end. Chad Cornes is a big inclusion for them because he always causes us great damage.

Pollyanna, there are people around here who would be embarrassed when we win, let alone lose.

Yeah they were thugs then but we would have loved it if we could have given them heaps and won the game and not lost it!

MFC forward scout Dave Dunbar is an absolute legend. A few weeks ago he was in disguise mowing the grass at Gosch's Paddock so he could spy on Collingwood. This week he joined the local croquet club at Windy Hill to keep a close eye on the Bombers' training. Write up in the Footy Record - read it tonight while celebrating the win.

Yes, I wonder if the club could stage manage his first appearance so that it's a home game? He's now played a couple of games at Casey after coming back through the reserves from an injury. Our next home game after tomorrow is against West Coast on 4 July. Sounds perfect!

Anyone know what's happened to Tom McNamara who has been showing good form with the Scorpions seniors recently?