spirit of norm smith

Chloe Baker-West State: Victoria Metro State League Club: Calder Cannons Community Club: Strathmore Date of Birth: 02/02/2007 Height: 163cm Weapons: Stoppage work and footy IQ AFLW player comparison: Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide) Player ranking points (Coates Talent League): 191 points per game A midfielder/defender who had a great year for the Calder Cannons, Baker-West earned Coates Talent League Team of the Year honours after averaging 33.1 disposals, 7.3 clearances and 4.8 tackles in nine matches. Unfortunately, she missed this year’s National Championships after being concussed in the opening minutes of Victoria Metro’s first game. Very strong in the contest and a smart user of the ball, she has been a dominant player throughout her junior career, winning Victoria Metro’s MVP award and All Australian honours at the U16 National Championships in 2023.

Yes that’s a great pick. Chloe Baker-West 👏👏👏❤️🤬

👏👏👏👏💙❤️ JORDYN ALLENPosition: Half-back/midfielder Height: 166cm From: Victoria, Eastern Ranges/Heathmont Jordyn is a rebound defender who can move through the midfield. She has great kicking skills, is quick and covers the ground well – both from contest-to-contest, and across all four quarters. Coates Talent League Team of the Year.

Dakota Baron … another GC match. Watch out for the Suns powerhouse in a few years.

Here we go …

Wow. Rigoni delisted ?? Off to Collingwood!!! I guess the contract offer was perhaps something too good to match. Her pace was just something to build on and her skills were fine for a young player. Not sure what’s happened. The list squeeze is forcing tough calls !

If Dees get two 1st round picks for Zanker, then we bundle it up with our own pick … offer 3 x first round picks to GC suns. Dees need to strongly push to get the number 1 pick. Fox Footy reports … “consensus is that Oakleigh Chargers ball magnet Chloe Bown is the No. 1 open pool prospect. A consistent, reliable on-baller with an incredible work ethic and ability to kick well on both feet, Bown had a near perfect draft year. She was crowned the best and fairest player of 2025 national championships and selected as All-Australian captain after steering Victoria Metro to back-to-back title wins. Her season was book-ended by a best on ground medal when representing the Australia Under 18 team against the All Stars in April and the Coates Talent League best and fairest award in September after averaging 29 disposals and six tackles per game”.

@Viscount Cardwell Bailey Humphrey - I think he’s worth 2 x first round picks … not sure I’d pay up for 3 first rounders or even 4 “1st round selections”. Still there’s going to be lots of $$$ and many Vic clubs bartering for him if he decides to return to Vic.

Gold Coast will need points to match early bidding on Archie Hill !!! So they will trade Bailey Humphrey to the Dees for MFC 2026 1st round pick & Suns on traded 2026 1st round pick. win - win outcome !! Dees then trade out 2027 1st round pick to get back into 2026 draft. Target Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Gus Kennedy.

Reading that the Kangas are looking to further strengthen their dual premiership team by bringing in Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner from the Bulldogs. She was the 2023 number 1 draft pick. Not sure how the Kangas could best us when it comes to opportunity or draft picks to offer. If we lose Zanker (who’s contracted) we’d demand a hefty compensation. Weston-Turner is that tall (nearly 6ft) athletic type now seen in the AFLW as a running mid or forward. She can play both roles. I’m not saying we try to recruit her just to stop the Kangas, but she’s definitely got the talent to replace Zanker and add even more. Dees would have to mount an offer and beat out the Kangas. We can offer club and player more in my view than the Kangas.

Definitely a smart move To be the Best, learn from the Best

@Whispering_Jack I assume Rhett McLennan is settling in and will be going over the team list and his direction. I’d say he has good connections with the Gippsland Power players from the last 6 years so we might see him reach out to that alumni. Squad departures noted so far are Baldi, Hardie, Kirkwood-Scott,Yze and Benhk already noted as playing elsewhere in 2026. Hopefully we can at least retain these guys from the current squad like Bonner, Cross, Sruk, Lual, Edwards and of course Deakyn Smith.

IN-DEMAND key forward Eden Zanker has spoken publicly for the first time about her reasons for a potential move from Melbourne. The out-of-contract Melbourne tall is weighing up significant interest from Fremantle and West Coast. Zanker herself hails from Natya, a small northern Victorian farming region about an hour from Swan Hill. "My partner (Nikita) is from there, so that's definitely one of those things," Zanker told the W Download podcast from the W Awards Coral Carpet on Monday night. "Melbourne city is pretty chaotic, so it's probably getting the better of me at the moment. "I guess just the lifestyle piece as well – I absolutely love the Dees, and if you could pick it up and put it somewhere more rural, and away from everything, it'd be perfect, but unfortunately you can't do that. So probably more of a lifestyle change, really. "We'll keep working through some things, keep having conversations with Melbourne, and keep having conversations outside of that as well. Haven't set anything in stone yet, so the next month will be exciting."

Gold Coast AFLW are interested in Demons star midfielder/wing Eliza McNamara. Ex Demon Lily Mithen, is leading the push for the Suns to move to get McNamara.

Great news for the Melbourne AFLW program. Tayla has a very good 2025 and was a key part of the team. MFC website report Tayla Harris’ Demon legacy is set to continue, with the high-flying forward inking a two-year contract extension. The new deal will see Harris in red and blue until at least the end of 2027. The announcement follows a career-best season in which Harris played all 15 games, averaging 12 disposals, four score involvements and a goal. In a bold statement to the competition, General Manager, AFLW Clare Pettyfor believes Harris’ best football is still ahead of her. “2025 saw one of Tayla’s most consistent seasons to date,” Pettyfor said. “She continues to drive an incredibly high standard, and we genuinely think she is positioned to take her footy to another level which is a scary prospect. “Tayla is a unique talent with exceptional athleticism and footy IQ. “She’s also a great teammate and an all-round good person and we’re thrilled to have her in the red and blue for 2026 and beyond.” Since the league’s inception Harris has played 85 games, notching up four All Australian selections and a premiership. Harris showcased her trademark aerial dominance in Saturday’s preliminary final loss, soaring to take one of the most impressive marks of the season.

Agree @Demonland Kate had an excellent year. We are truly blessed that she is in red and blue, and that she is our captain 💙❤️

@Whispering_Jack agreed. Heath plays a big role in 2026 with the extended bench.

Jeff White and his son have proven the bond that a footy club like MFC can have. It’s great to see 👏👏

Ok with Rhett McLennan in as the new VFL coach at Casey Demons, he’d have to bring Brodie Atkins to Casey for 2026. Atkins was probably one of the unluckiest player to miss on draft night and rookie selections. What more could he do in 2026? He was excellent at the national championships and led Gippsland all the way into the preliminary final. He was one of the best player in each Gippsland game I saw. Plays like ? Jude Bolton. Here was his AFL bio write up Brodie Atkins State: Victoria Country State League Club: Gippsland Power Community Club: Drouin Date of Birth: 25/01/2007 Height: 182cm An inside midfielder who is a stoppage star, using his quick hands and vision to set up his teammates. Atkins is tough as nails, an aggressive tackler and a model of consistency whenever and wherever he plays. He starred for the Gippsland Power in the Coates Talent League, winning the Morrish Medal as the competition’s best and fairest and being named in the Team of the Year. He averaged 23.1 disposals, 6.9 tackles and 5.5 clearances per game and finished runner up in the Power’s best and fairest award. Also applied his craft for Victoria Country in the National Championships, averaging 22 disposals and 7.3 tackles, with his best performance coming in the win over the Allies. Produced a sharp time of 2.99 seconds on the 20m sprint at the State Draft Combine in Melbourne.

Ditto. I was onboard the Ollie Wines train that year. Wines was to be paired up with his best mate Jack Viney. We were set to get the best contested young ball winners in one hit. However if we got Wines… then perhaps Trac and Clarry may not have got the nod at the draft from us. Life works in mysterious ways.

Exactly. He was playing underage footy across half forward and wing as a skilled marking runner. Kicked some very classy goals. Was looking good at Casey in 2022 before injury ended his year. When the midfield was assessed, he was changed to the backline group as an interception type backman to play on the 3rd tall/medium forward. He’s done okay but his natural self in my view is across half forward. He might get a different look under King.

Tyla Hanks ❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙 Tyla had a sensational year and her 3rd place cements her as one of the best in the league. She’s a star ⭐️

Agreed @The Taciturn Demon Molly O might be rotated through the midfield next year to compliment the inside mids. Molly can run and gun and be a huge asset in years to come.

You might get a laugh out of this … Paul Daffey AFL PHANTOM DRAFT 2010 12. MELBOURNE - Daniel Gorringe Height: 200cm Weight: 88kg DOB: 02/06/92 Club: Norwood (SA) Draft range: 9-14 If Gorringe gets through to 12, the Demons have a bargain. His ability to find teammates with deft tap work is his trademark. He can also go forward. He's played senior footy in the SANFL and you imagine he'll adapt to the AFL quicker than most young ruckmen. Was tipped to be top 10 all year, but the cards have fallen differently. Did we dodge a bullet 🤣🤣🤣🤣 By the way … Daffey had Cook as a 2nd round pick 27. NORTH MELBOURNE - Lucas Cook(compensation) Height: 196cm Weight: 81kg DOB: 03/03/92 Club: North Ballarat Rebels (Vic) Draft range: 25-35 Key forward with a clean pair of hands whose endurance was indicated by his top-10 finish (10.34) in the three-kilometre time-trial at the combine. He also finished in the top 10 in the kicking drill. Cook would have been a monty for the top 20 before his form fell away in the second half of the under-18 championships. He'll build up and become more durable. In 2010, I remember I was very keen at Dees first pick on Dion Prestia, Tom Lynch, Jack Darling or Ben Jacobs. Cook was a surprise.

@Whispering_Jack 👏👏 Great post. Hassa is a true legend to the red and blue. I’ve met him several times at club functions. Truly a great bloke on and off field. It was nice to see him given that moment to present the jumper. I am sure once XT reads up on Hassa’s bio, he will appreciate the moment. - 3× VFL premiership winner (1959, 1960, 1964) - 3× Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medallist (1962, 1963, 1967) - 2× Melbourne leading goalkicker (1967, 1968) - Melbourne captain (1965-1968) - Played 178 games for Melbourne, scoring 193 goals Also add… *All Australian twice 1966 & 1968 Represented Victoria in 8 interstate games Best first year player 1959 Life member MFC HALL OF FAME inductee 2001 Assistant coach Chairman of selectors Coached under 19s Chief Executive Officer Team of the century