spirit of norm smith

Yes agree. He looks like a natural half back and had good composure for a youngster. Looks like he can develop again at Casey but wouldn’t be out of place if he got called up.

Pickett is a “must keep” player. Scoring power is critical and he has delivered 40 goals across both of the last 2 years, as a 20 and 21 year old. Plus his excitement factor is unrivaled in my opinion, but I’m biased. Kozzzzzy is a star.

Yes what to spend it on. The strategy for a new home, new training base and administrative offices in one central location is a long term vision. It has been over 40 years in the planning. Such decisions cannot be rushed. Feasibility studies are an important process and the 8 prior commissioned studies by prior boards have given us important insights. The discovery process is a critical pathway on the journeys to eliminate any headwinds and manage our journey to our North Star. The thoughts around basing our future at the Albert Park precinct, Yarra Park, Goschs paddock, Kew East, Bentleigh, Caulfield Park or the Junction oval are important cash outlays to many consultants over many years to help them acquire their holiday homes across the Mornington peninsula. I’m sure this time Gary Pert will not err in appointing many consultants across many years for many millions but actually find a workable achievable outcome to a home for the Melbourne Demons within 6 kms of the MCG.

Nothing too insightful here. It’s from the outside looking in. Not quite the “inner sanctum”. I had more informed conversations with mates over beers at the cricket club on Saturday night. Dees will be in the premiership window and it depends on injuries, strategies and how other clubs excel. Hamish was very informed and has some comments around structure, and his insight on JVR was acknowledged. ps. JJ saying “you know” every second sentence was annoying !!

Agree. He fits in beautifully. Excellent addition.

Agree. Why ? Why? Why? It’s fu@&))&&d

DRAFT slider Ed Allan has emerged as a potential round one bolter for Collingwood following an eye-catching pre-season, months after being selected late in the first round of last November's NAB AFL Draft. The 18-year-old has exceeded expectations across his first few months in the AFL system, completing far more work than first expected following an injury-interrupted final season of underage football. @DeeSpencer

Smart recruiting and trading saw the Dees reach the top. Now teams that gave nil to AFLW like Hawks and Bombers can raid the established clubs. RIDICULOUS!!!

The AFLW have introduced a radical equalisation measure to assist the expansion sides. The four newest clubs have been given power to sign players from other clubs in the Priority Signing Period (PSP) without the need to orchestrate a trade. what a joke!!! Raid top clubs with no exchange of players or picks. Surely that should have applied in 2007-2016 when MFC was totally in the wilderness. Clubs need to build and trade smartly. Gifts and hidden agendas are a classic AFL legacy playbook

From the Zerohanger website Melbourne FB: Trent Rivers, Steven May, Harrison Petty HB: Angus Brayshaw, Jake Lever, Christian Salem C: Ed Langdon, Jack Viney, Lachie Hunter HF: Kysaiah Pickett, Tom McDonald, Charlie Spargo FF: Brodie Grundy, Jacob Van Rooyen, Bayley Fritsch FOL: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca I/C: Tom Sparrow, James Harmes, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Jordon SUB: Jake Bowey Pretty good team and looks a consistent theme. Probably only Bowey for Jordon potentially. JVR should debut. Salem availability might be a query.

It has been reported that Dandenong Stingray Mitch Szybkowski signed with Frankston. That’s probably his best chance of playing VFL footy in 2023.

He’s a plan D insurance policy. Actually hope he doesn’t get a game because that would mean we have stacks of injuries. He’s behind 6-7 key defender types. More likely a chance if Lever and Tomlinson and Joel Smith and Dan Turner were injured. He’s not ready for AFL but has time and development so hope he gets in to benefit from a full year at Casey.

Yes it will be interesting. We have plenty of small forwards like Burgoyne on the list but with Bedford gone, the excitement factor he might bring is appealing. Burgoyne could be a handy addition. Kye Turner brings additional depth to key tall defenders but I’m not sure this is needed either. May, Petty, Tomlinson are already key pillars and we have development players like Disco Turner and Adams.

JVR and Howes are definite unless they cop any injuries Woey jnr is a probable Laurie is a still a maybe of course Hunter and Grundy to debut as Dees and Schachachacheache is a highly likely

B: Lever, May, Hibberd HB: Brayshaw, Petty, Salem C: Langdon, Petracca, Hunter HF: Pickett, McDonald, Neal-Bullen F: Fritsch, Brown, van Rooyen FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney IC: Bowey, Harmes, Sparrow, Spargo sub Rivers emergencies. Jordon Turner Dunstan IF Salem unavailable, Swap in Bowey to Hbf and Rivers into IC (Jordon to sub)

Still not quite right. Grundy as a back pocket?? Melksham in the best 22??

Pass

Yes BBB is a star of a person. No arguments.

Thanks KC. Interesting additions. Cross is a midfield running type and Galvin is a strong midsized defender. Galvin should be a chance to get a debut as he’s physically ready to play (depending of course on MFC player availability). No news on Jonti Schuback? @KC from Casey Have we heard whether Miles Shepherd is returning. He was very good in a few games and I was thinking if he had another year at Casey and got more game time , he might elevate to be looked at as a rookie chance at end of “23.

Love it. Great detail and really appreciated. Have 2 concerns. 1- In 2022, Dees appeared to go wide and wide and slow. Often our attackers were easily cornered across the boundary line or had little space to work. Sounds like we will play the same wide boundary type game. That’s too easy to defend imv. The corridor is harder but comes with greater rewards. It takes real skill to penetrate through the corridor. Would love to see that challenge taken onboard. 2- our 2022 useless obsession with kicking to the (deep) forward pocket. High and wide to the pocket again. 😡 … Is that still on show? We are told “it easier to then defend as less goals are given up if the opposition rebounds”. Ffs. Take on our talent and confidence. We attack to score. Get it to the hot spot. Hit targets. How we bring the ball inside our forward 50 is probably the biggest impact change we can deliver in 2023. Get it right and I’m confident we will win 🏆 it again.

Yes a good assessment. Though - I’d have Howes as “could elevate “. He only played 7-8 games at Casey last year and whilst he showed his potential, he’d still need to develop his body before he’s ready. Definitely has the potential to be a very good versatile (wing/forward) player. - A fit Tmac would be a lock - Goody would also have Spargo, Sparrow and ANB as “locks” !!!!

Clarry injured ??!! False alarm. Phew!!

Definitely good to see young Ned Moodie as likely to come on to the Casey list. He looked like a solid lad, with good skills and was hard at the footy. Saw him play only three times in 22 but looked like a player.

We are in sync. I thought straight away that would be an amazing honour to Daisy and to all the Demon AFLW B&F winners. The Daisy Pearce Trophy 😁(keep medals for BOG in games like the GF).

Chandler won’t start in best 22. Goody loves Spargo. He’s always one of the first picked. He has 6 possessions and two goal assists per game.