FarNorthernD

Great get Fork, thank you. So many great lines throughout but when Max was asked what were his favourite games for the year (aside from the GF) his comment “all 3 times we beat Geelong were my favourites” was brilliant.

There is a quirk of human nature as to how people are regarded. After Ron left us at the end of 1964 he spent 7 years at Carlton (premiership Coach ‘68 and ‘70), 8 years at North (premiership coach ‘75 and ‘77) and another 3 years coaching Sydney. Despite 18 years and 4 flags elsewhere he is almost exclusively known as a Melbourne person and seems to regard himself as a Melbourne person too. Long live RDB!

Tom Sparrow has a touch of the Brent Moloney’s about him

Interesting that Essendon would have taken Howes at 13 if Hobbs was not available to them. The Bombers did not have an opportunity to pick him up as their next pick was at 46. Nothing is guaranteed in drafting but it does look like, through circumstances, we picked Blake up way later than perhaps he would have otherwise gone. “Essendon, at pick 13, chose Hobbs next, ending his drop down the order after several close calls went against him with Fremantle and Richmond's picks. If not Hobbs, the Bombers had Blake Howes in their sights, having met him days before the draft.” AFL site, Inside the Draft, 2 Dec ‘21

“The Demons handed over picks No.22, 79 and a future second-round selection for the 23-year-old, while the Dockers gave up Langdon, pick No.26 and a future fourth-round selection”. So to get Langdon we paid a future second rounder (pick 38 2020 - James Rowe?) and dropped 4 spots from 22 to 26 which got us Rivers (after dropping back a few more spots) In summary we got an out and out bargain

In the phantom drafts Knightmare had Howes at 15, Twomey at 19, the Sporting News at 19 and The Age also had him at 19 stating “He is known for doing ‘extras’ at training and is strongly fancied by the premiers” Blake completed his 2km time trial in 6.08 (elite) and also runs a sub 3 second 20m (elite). That combination is rare. He has great hands above his head and plays taller due to a above average vertical leap. The main knocks on him seem to be his contested ball abilities and not having a defined position. Perhaps he was overrated by the pundits but it does look like we got a bargain.

Bailey has never had problems getting the ball and having shots on goal. This year though his accuracy was infinitely more reliable. His GF spilt speccy over Gawn, cat-like and Robbie-like regather and goal is one of my all time favourites

Collingwood did have a great young list in 2010. 26 and under were Dane Swan (26) Steele Sidebottom (19) Pendlebury (22) Heath Shaw (24) Travis Cloke (23) Alan Toovey (23) Ben Reid (20) Tyson Goldsack (22) Nick Maxwell (26) Luke Ball (25) Dale Thomas (22) Dane Beams (20) and Lumumba (23) They well underperformed

I’ve just posted similar in the AFLW forum but considering Ben Brown seems to be an exceptional person and a bloody good key forward, does anyone know why North were so reluctant to keep him? Seems like madness on their behalf

Agree, Ben does seem to be a top shelf human and a bloody good key forward. Anyone got any ideas why North were so reluctant to keep him? It seems very strange.

He has to be the most universally loved player who was never a superstar or particularly high profile. If Jordan De Goey is one end of the spectrum then Nev sits comfortably at the opposite end. Love him.

He is pretty much my favourite player this year. You can only imagine how hard he has worked this year to get where he is. Love, just love his mum with the red wig, in the middle of the cheer squad, is an out and proud Melbourne supporter

An athletic 193cm inside mid with good hands and endurance. Where do we sign? https://afl.draftcentral.com.au/player/mitchell-knevitt/

That’s great news, thanks Dannyz

That was brilliant. Thank you Peasant.

I remember the Jack Watts/Nik Nat draft and thinking that we had to take Watts as there was no way we could hold onto Natanui as he would go back home. I still believe this. However if that draft was today you’d take him every time. We have come a long, long way.

Blumin hell, imagine that!

With Geelong 10th

With the way everything currently turns to gold for this club, Dunstan is going to come in, work relentlessly on his kicking and play an important role in next year’s flag. He will be widely touted as the recruit of the year, St Kilda supporters will be apoplectic and we got him for nothing.

That’s worth a watch. Thanks CassieW. Think we all can fully understand his emotions. He is gutted by the Saints missing out on Petracca but I didn’t know that they picked Billings the pick ahead of Bontempelli. That’s definitely (old) Melbournesque.

Collingwood aren’t the dominant force they once were. They are now 3rd on the membership ladder with every chance of slipping to 5th next year. They play a pretty ugly style of football and it is difficult to see them making any significant moves up the ladder. Melbourne are now the sexy side of the AFL and will be rewarded through the fixture. If the Pies have a poor start to the year and, assuming the rolling fixture remains, they may find themselves in the unfamiliar position of playing lots of Sunday afternoons and even, shock horror, down at Geelong.

Sparrows one stepper from 50. Not for his goal so much but for Tommy Mac grabbing Cordy 5m from the goal line and pushing him back, back and finally giving him airtime 3m over the line. That show of force summed up what we did to the Bulldogs for the rest of the night

What they are saying about this down at Linton St. The last comment here would sum up what they seem to think of Dunstan Just seems strange to leave car out the front , doors open with keys in it while it still works and has some benefit ? He’s just entering his prime and has a lot more good football to play. A pretty clear example of appalling list management Due to a personality clash with the coach it would seem. On field performance is 100% deserving of a spot. he is a 2nd string mid who has no spread and butchers the ball I always thought ratten was a nob. Now it's confirmed. Yep, must be no good, only been picked up by the reigning premiers... Maybe he will bring the Dees team back to the rest of the pack. One can only hope. http://saintsational.net/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif So it's not a straight swap for Christian Petracca? I don’t rate Melbourne as a top 4 side either. He also comfortably came second for us in the AFLCA votes too Interesting...been on the list since 2014, never been in the best 22 and now we’re filthy that we’ve let a gun mid walk who was a just a late-bloomer. Also interesting quote from Melbourne... "We think Luke’s best football is ahead of him and just as importantly, Luke is a terrific cultural fit for our club." So he's a 'terrific culture fit' at the Premiers but apparently this was the reason Ratts got rid of him... what does that say? Good at getting the footy terrible at disposing of it

Taken from the BF best 30 minutes of football thread. For clarity the guy who wrote this is a Carlton supporter “For mine, that's the best 30 minutes of Football by a long way. Not only was it in a Grand Final, but it was Centre Clearance after Centre Clerance - against the #1 Centre Clearance side in the competition. There was nothing Bont, McRae, Libba and Martin could do as Petracca, Oliver, Viney and Gawn ran riot. If you are making Bont look second rate, then you are playing amazing football. If you are making Libba look clumsy, then you are playing amazing football. If you are totally nullifying McRae's spread from the contest, then you are playing amazing football. To do what they did, time and time again - is nothing short of remarkable”

Tex on Jake Lever when he left Adelaide. "I think it's pretty much him choosing money over success."