spirit of norm smith

Huge surprise that Jaxon Binns was delisted by the Blues. He’s been in their list for 3 years and simply dominated at VFL level. Still only 20. He turns 21 this week. Message from Carlton FC - happy 21st … you’re delisted . Unbelievable. He had a few games late in 2025 and his run and carry game was pretty good. He has good pace and endurance. Obviously not impressive enough. I think he will get a rookie listing or a summer train on. He’s a local lad from Berwick so the Spector of Casey fields would not be too daunting.

MELBOURNE Tom Campbell veteran Kade Chandler 🔒 2 years Jai Culley ?? Bayley Fritsch 🔒 2 years Steven May veteran Tom McDonald Veteran Jake Melksham veteran Christian Salem. 2 years? Tom Sparrow 2 years ?

I think there is a net over the players in this draft. Excluding the priority academy guns for the Suns & Lions… from pick 3 to 33 are young players with good AFL quality. It’s an even draft with only CDT & Duursma being standouts in my view. I reckon the most guaranteed player in the draft is Xavier Taylor. Absolutely looks and plays like a footballer. Smart. Composed. Aggression. Excellent judge of a mark. He is a lock for 200 games in my view. Think “Disco Turner” type.

@Random Task i agree with you (as I posted 22/10/25). And intersperse with academy and father son picks. Leaves us “two of”… Lindsay✅, Dovaston✅, Hibbins-Hargreaves✅, interstate kids… Cumming, Farrow, Schubert, & Marsh, slider in Greeves and the smoky in Oskar Taylor.

Yes he’s a level headed kid. His skill and footy IQ is very good. Composed with the footy. Like Harvey Langford, has the additional size and run to be able to be at contests as well as compete on the air with his marking If only he was from Victoria … 🧐🧐🧐 http://bit.ly/4914FMv

Best 23? Too early … but

Steele will be a huge addition both on and off field. He will set up the right decisions, culture and work ethic for the young developing mids like Langford, Windsor & Lindsay. I was surprised and pleased that he was available and that Dees worked hard in a very quick action to bring him in. Especially given we lost Trac and Clarry.

@Mouseymoo Would any of these scenarios make sense for either clubs? Ess- 5 & 21 for 7 & 8 NMFC - F1 & 25 for 7 or 8 Rich - 4 & F2 for 7 & 8 It’s a no no and no from me

So it’s 7&8? Let’s see how that might work out WCE -Willem Duursma Suns match bid …Zeke Uwland (academy) WCE -Cooper Duff-Tytler Rich Sam Grlj 🤩 Lions bid match … Daniel Annable (academy) Rich. Sullivan Robey 🤩 Suns bid match … Dylan Patterson (academy) Ess. Dyson Sharp. Blues bid match. Harry Dean (Carlton f/son) Ess. Xavier Taylor 7&8 contenders Josh Lindsay (Vic)✅✅ Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (Vic)✅ Lachlan Dovaston (Vic)✅ Sam Cumming (SA) Jacob Farrow (WA) Oliver Greeves (Vic) Beau Addinsall (Suns academy)✅ smokie. Oskar Taylor

Let’s go … pick 7&8.

@red and blue forever thanks for the update. I think it’s 20 players with contracts ending in 2026. Tim Lamb will be busy especially resigning guys like Turner, Bowey, Chandler and Fritsch. I’d probably offer all of them a 3 year deal as a rule but obviously market forces and ‘26 performance may impact.

TWO Demons have topped the coaches votes for Round 10, with Kate Hore and Megan Fitzsimon polling nine apiece. Hore and Fitzsimon were both dominant through Melbourne's midfield with the two combining for a total of 48 disposals, 17 score involvements and 11 clearances. Eden Zanker received six votes for her four-goal performance, while Tyla Hanks (two) and Tahlia Gillard (one) were the remaining Demons to receive votes in the team's 44-point win over Sydney. Hore and Hanks remain in the top six on the overall leaderboard, 14 and 15 votes behind Ash Riddell who sits at the top with 85 votes. Melbourne v Sydney 9 Kate Hore MELB 9 Megan Fitzsimon MELB 6 Eden Zanker MELB 2 Tyla Hanks MELB 2 Zippy Fish SYD 1 Laura Gardiner SYD 1 Tahlia Gillard MELB

The “one year club”…refresh The core: Tom Sparrow, Jake Bowey, Christian Salem, Kade Chandler, Daniel Turner & Bailey Fritsch I’d assume the Dees will definitely look at further contracts for Bowey, Chandler, Turner & Fritsch. Whilst Sparrow and Salem are likely “best 23” at the start of 2026, that may not be so be season end. The veterans: Stephen May, Jake Melksham, Tom McDonald, Tom Campbell & Shane McAdam The developers: Matt Jefferson, Ricky Mentha, Jed Adams, Andy Moniz-Wakefield & Luker Kentfield The fringe: Harry Sharp, Bailey Laurie, Jai Culley, Jack Henderson & Aidan Johnson That’s 21 of the current 38 listed players.

The “one year club”… The veterans: Stephen May Jake Melksham Tom McDonald Tom Campbell Shane McAdam The developers: Matt Jefferson Ricky Mentha Andy Moniz-Wakefield The fringe: Bailey Laurie Jai Culley Jack Henderson Aidan Johnson (Not sure if I’ve left anyone out) It’s fair to say the list will also have some reshaping and be active in the trade/draft period at the end of 2026 as well

IN (+6) Max Heath (trade, St Kilda), Changkuoth Jiath (trade, Hawthorn), Brody Mihocek (trade, Collingwood), Jack Steele (trade, St Kilda) , Jai Culley (SSP to contracted) , Jack Henderson (SSP to contracted) OUT (-11) Jack Billings (delisted), Kynan Brown (delisted), Tom Fullarton (delisted), Marty Hore (delisted), Judd McVee (trade, Fremantle), Clayton Oliver (trade, Greater Western Sydney), Christian Petracca (trade, Gold Coast), Oliver Sestan (delisted), Charlie Spargo (free agent, North Melbourne), Will Verrall (delisted), Taj Woewodin (delisted) 5 list spots available Likely additions : Kalani White (MFC father son, listed), Toby Sinnema (MFC NGA, Rookie list) Draft picks: 7,8,37

I definitely think Grlj will be on JTs list. But …he was excellent for the Richmond VFL team in two games this year. The Tigers VFL described him as “very impressive”. They’d be mad to bypass him with their picks, but it’s a strange world so you never know. Grlj had great draft combine From ESPN FOOTYThe 2025 combine kingSam Grlj (pronounced Grill) didn't claim any combine titles but he proved himself as the premier athlete in this year's draft class. On Friday, the dashing midfielder trailed only Jack Dalton in the 2km time trial at AIA Centre, breaking the line at 5:59 to sneak under the six-minute mark. It was a time that would have taken out the test in last year's stacked pool. On Sunday, Grlj backed up his endurance feat with a fantastic 2.931 seconds in the 20m sprint. No prospect has combined for a sub-six minute 2km and sub-three second 20m sprint at the national combine in the past two years. His acceleration is backed up on-field -- Grlj takes on all-comers and burns away from his direct opponents in space. Clubs have had concerns around his contested work and damage by foot but Grlj's athletic profile and attacking mentality give him massive upside in time.

@shakeandbake “Only chance is 7&8 for 3 and future 2nd with Richmond. Only reason they'd be for for it cause they have Lalor as their Robey”. That’s not a deal for me !! We get access now to two top 10 young guns. Robey is a talent but so are others in the top 10.

Chris Cavanagh CODE SPORTS … consistently gets our list confused and our list needs!! Schubert and Marsh are very good players but I think we need skill and speed to fit into the new King attacking game plan. We have plenty of developing key forwards so unlikely to pick up Schubert. Also Latrelle Sumner-Pickett plays for Glenelg. Facts and insights missing from this “expert” analysis. MELBOURNEDraft Picks Pre-Trade Period: 27, 59, 64 Draft Picks Post-Trade Period: 7, 8, 37, 66, 71 The Demons are taking a step back to take what they hope will be a stride forward as they undertake a list re-jig. Trading Christian Petracca to Gold Coast has left Melbourne with two first-round draft picks for each of the next two years. That will mean the club could use eight first-round selections in the space of four years ahead of Tasmania’s inclusion in the 2027 draft, with Melbourne having already snapped up Caleb Windsor and Koltyn Tholstrup in 2023 and Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay in 2024. The Demons will have some good options at picks 7 and 8, which could include players like South Australian marking forwards Aidan Schubert and Mitch Marsh who fit a clear list need. Sturt goal sneak Latrelle Pickett would also have to be considered if he got to Melbourne’s third pick, especially with the small forward being a cousin of current Demons star Kysaiah. Melbourne has also committed to selecting father-son prospect Kalani White, a 198cm developing tall who looms as a later pick.

6 Hore 💙❤️ 5 Heath 💙❤️ 4 Zanker💙❤️ 3 McNamara 💙❤️ 2 Hanks 💙❤️ 1 Gillard 💙❤️

“All Of The Above” Farewell to the big Cox

Agree. That was a hit. She is a warrior. Love her in the red & blue. #TH7⭐️

Good win. Not great. Good. Last quarter again was … I get disappointed that we didn’t keep rolling on to a really really big smashing. I guess a short turnaround after a big road trip to WA Zanker. Yes. Get her a bigger contract. ⭐️ Kate Hore. Wow. Build her a statue. ⭐️ Lizzie Mc. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Heart & soul Tyla Hanks 🤩is just a star. Shelley Heath. 100% every week 👏👏👏 Tahlia G. 💙💙💙💙💙 still only 21 but commands the backline

He’s certainly come on this season as a bolter up the order. His pace over 10-15 metres will definitely appeal to clubs.

🤩Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves is the “smoky” choice for the Dees with say pick 8. There’s something about him that gives AFL traits. He’s similar in style to Hugh McCluggage. He can win the footy but also play out wide and hurt you in the scoreboard. He kicked plenty of goals for the Stingrays. In the 4-5 games I saw at the Stingrsys, he was clearly a standout player. He wins it and can connect with the footy through run and carry. He could reconnect with his former Stingrays teammate in Harvey Langford.

Would of course like to try to get Duursma, but he’s now a virtual lock in for pick 1 to the Eagles. (We will probably be one of many clubs who will keep in touch and eventually be asking him to “come home”). Then it’s Cooper Duff-Tytler at 2 for the Eagles in my view. Then it’s a jumble as bids as likely bids on the academy and father son picks come through! As it stands today , my picks at 7&8 from the likely available players … ⭐️Sam Grlj - best comparison is Butters or Rozee. Would be a perfect fit for the Dees future midfield. He had the speed and sidestep and can repeat run. Whilst he needs upskilling, his base is definitely AFL quality. (Unfortunately I think the Tigers or Bombers will grab him ahead of us) ⭐️Josh Lindsay - who’s the best kick in the draft? Lindsay is. He is super composed and makes good decisions. Was a potential number 1 pick at the start of the year. Some have questioned pace but I see him being smart enough and good over 5-10 metres. I do like the fact that his coaches say he’s a natural leader If he’s available, he’s a must pick ! Plays like ?? Perhaps Errol Gulden , as he’s such a damaging kick with the footy. We would love to have such a skilled user of footy in a red & blue jumper 🕊️ Lachie Dovaston - who’s the best small forward in the draft? Dovaston. Has comparisons to Nick Watson but doesn’t have the electric pace over 5 metres like Watson. Dovaston is smart. Clever with his skill and goalkicking IQ. He’s maybe not a top 10 rated player in the draft but works as a “future need selection”.