KC from Casey

Thanks to some smart recruiting work from Demon star Aaron Davey, Liam Jurrah will not be the only Northern Territorian to swap a Magpie guernsey for the red and blue this year. Davey has helped recruit courageous Palmerston Magpies utility player and skipper of the NT Under 18's Pierce Liddle to the Casey Scorpions for 2009. The lightly built 185cm midfielder missed out on the the December rookie draft and had been selected to take a place in the first squad for the new Northern Territory Thunder team which is due to make its debut in the AFLQ competition against Southport on April 4. However, the 18 year old Liddle was persuaded by Davey to take his chances in Melbourne with the Scorpions. Demon recruiting manager Barry Prendergast also put in a good word and the right footed speedster will now be seen around Casey Fields this year. He will probably be under the watchful eye of the large indigenous contingent from Melbourne including Jurrah who also swapped his black and white vertical striped jumper (the Yuendumu Magpies) for the more striking red and blue colours of Melbourne when he was snapped up as first pick in the 2009 Pre Season Draft. Liddle was one of four players from the elite NT Thunder under-18 program selected by AFLNT game development manager Jarrod Chipperfield to train with AFL club Western Bulldogs last year.

My family was exactly the same although I wonder what will happen now with the alignment and the fact that the rest of them have moved up north to a warmer climate. Meanwhile, Casey's proactive recruiting campaign continues with the signing of De La Salle key forward Matt Moore who was runner up in the Amateurs goalkicking last year despite missing 5 games. The 194cm 93kg forward is highly thought of and made the VAFA under 23 squad last year.

The Scorpions' recruiting machine rolls on. The Casey Scorpions website has posted that ex Saint rookie Glenn Chivers has signed on with Casey for season 2009.

I was in Cranbourne this morning and had a brief window of opportunity to drop into training and to have a quick look around the facility at Casey Fields. I wasn't there long enough to do any report on training but Liam Jurrah was there and is quite unmistakable. He's tall, pencil thin, moves like a cat and looks an interesting prospect. Like Austin Wonaeamirri last year, he goes into the pre season without the November/December base of the others but that didn't stop Aussie from making a bit of an impact when he got his opportunity. Aussie incidentally looks very fit as does The Flash. Brock McLean took part in full training in the short time I was there. Exciting times ahead for the Dees and big improvements expected now that they are doing all of their pre season at the one facility.