spirit of norm smith

If Dees had to choose between Langford, Lalor or O’Sullivan. That’s tough. Very tough. Would have to be extra interviews and discussion. Do they love footy. How would they fit in. What makes them tick. Lots of the extra JT magic required.

He’s the full package. Best player in the draft alongside Ashcroft. Cannot believe he could be rated at 9. Crows will grab him at pick “4”. (If the Eagles don’t jump at 3). Pace. Skill. Smarts. Runs and runs for second efforts. Goalkicker. Dees would ❤️💙him in red and blue.

https://central.rookieme.com/afl/power-rankings/afl-draft-power-rankings-september-2024/ thanks @manny100 Overall ratings are excellent however quite a few are “interesting”… Murphy Reid 3, Bo Allan 5, Kako at 13. Wow. That’s well above my thoughts. Reid especially. I saw him live only twice but wasn’t super impressed. Yes had a good Vic metro performance and deserves 9-10 rating. I’m happy if Eagles grab him 🤣🤣 Finn O’Sullivan drops to 7 (shades on the Joel Selwood year where he dropped after injuries impacted his last underage year … the rest is history). Really. He is class and so versatile. Would play round 1 2025 with solid injury free pre season Sid Draper drops to 9. Staggering. He has class and pace and smarts and goalkicking. Equal to Levi Ashcroft in my view. If Crows pass on him, then Dees have to strongly consider. Xavier Lindsay at 15. Winner of Morrish Medal. Best on ground in Vic country v metro. Elite skills. Left footer who plays in or out midfield. Absolutely a steal. No “Ben Camporeale”. He’s rating should be 13-15. Is he being forgotten? SA MVP. Gun midfielder. wtf. Blues will be laughing. Finally , again Sam Marshall at 22. Lions will be doing high fives. Equal BOG in Coates league GF (I actually thought he was BOG ahead of Ashcroft). WTF. He’s the 12-15 rating.

Unsure. I’m not that confident with the NGA eligibility. I’d like to see them take him as a Cat B rookie. His last game v Harry Armstrong was very good. He played very smart defensive game even though he would probably likely run off more.

More immediate for him is the combine on Sunday, October 6. Mac is telling him to prepare well and go for it. Riak is taking inspiration from his brother – “To try to get to his level is obviously going to be hard, but if he can do it, why can’t I? … it gives me a lot of motivation’’ – just as he does from his parents. They had fled from South Sudan to Egypt and arrived in Australia with their first three sons in 2005. Riak, their middle child, was born later that year. “They left a heap of family to give us a better life, which was a huge sacrifice for them to make,’’ he says. The way the family has turned out … we’re all pretty close and super-grateful for what they’ve done for us. We don’t take anything for granted. Everyone in the family looks up to mum and dad as their biggest heroes. Without them we wouldn’t have the lives we have right now.’’

Jedwab says most references to Riak note that he’s the brother of Mac. He believes he’s making his own name. “He’s got a lot of good traits. He’s athletic, runs well, marks it well,’’ Jedwab says. “I definitely think there’s enough there for the next level to take a punt on him. He has a lot of upside. You see how well Mac’s going, if he can become something like that, he’ll be OK player, you’d imagine. But he’s good enough in his own right.’’ As for that bounce-filled goal at Sandringham, Riak remembers it well. “Every kid wants to take four or five bounces and kick a running goal and when you do it, it sorts of sticks with you. Playing with a few Berwick boys, that creates a good memory as well. It’s something you might tell your kids about, you know, ‘Oh, I did this back in my day’.’’ More Andrews will come through at Berwick – Ajak and Anyeir start playing juniors at the club next year. Their older brothers are playing senior football with the Wicks. “We could see them 10 years down the track, you never know,’’ Riak says.

Riak played one game for Vic Country at the national Under 18 championships, against the Allies, and also in Two Young Guns matches. His only disappointment was head knocks that kept him out with mild concussion, the first in a practice match, the second against the Brisbane Academy in Round 8. “Once I got going, my last six to eight weeks were fairly solid,’’ he says. “Same as the team. I think we won the last 10 out of 11. We had a real chemistry in the backline. We’re all good mates. Some of us went to school together, some of us played local footy together. Having that chemistry helped me as well.’’ An AFL recruiter saw a “nice little improvement arc’’ in Riak’s season, enough to tempt to Melbourne to take him as an NGA selection. He’s done fortnightly sessions with the Dees, working with AFLW star Tyla Hanks.

The 193cm key defender played as an over-ager with the Stingrays this year and has been invited to the AFL state combine. In between a full-time job with former Berwick coach Clint Evans, he’s putting in three sessions per week to prepare for the testing. The ’Rays saw Mac come out of Covid and emerge quickly in 2021 as a tall who could play in almost any position. Two years ago, they got thinking Riak was similarly talented. Whenever Stingrays talent manager Toby Jedwab relates the rise of Riak, he starts at a practice match at Trevor Barker Beach Oval in 2022. It was an Under 16s game between the Stingrays and the Sandringham Dragons, with Riak, as a developing tall, playing as a 17-year-old. “It stands out in my mind, this day,’’ Jedwab says. “He takes these four bounces down the wing and kicks the goal. On the Beach Rd side of the ground. We got smashed, but that was the highlight. Everyone was sort of, ‘Wow, that was something, that was pretty special’. And then he played for Berwick a few weeks later and did his medial ligament and missed the year. So he’s been playing a bit of catch-up.’’ The Stingrays think he’s caught up. Last season he played in a few positions, even in the ruck, but this year he came on as a key defender. Riak was pleased with his season, believing he developed his defensive skills and found a balance between locking down and running free. “I thought I played with more confidence. I backed myself aerially more often than last year, whether to try and mark it or spoil and kill the contest,’’ he says. “As the year went on I got better at that. Same with my one-on-one stuff.’’

Of course Riak Andrew was quick to put it to his big brother Mac after he signed a long-term, multimillion dollar deal with the Gold Coast Suns. “I told him to buy me a car and buy me a house,’’ Riak, 18, says with a laugh. “He told me get stuffed. That was a bit harsh!’’ The brothers’ banter over big bucks reflects their closeness. Riak says it’s sometimes hard to believe how far Mac has come in his three seasons as a Sun. Forty-one games into his career, Gold Coast has locked him in until the end of 2030 in what is reportedly one of the most lucrative deals in AFL history. Riak remembers how often they kicked the football together as teenagers near their home in Cranbourne, in Melbourne’s south east, especially during Covid. Now he watches him take his kicks in the AFL. “I see most of his games on TV and it’s sort of surreal, like, ‘That’s my brother’,’’ he says. “It’s so good.’’ The whole family – Riak’s parents Lual and Mary and siblings Makeui, Deng, Grace, Ajak and Anyeir – is thrilled at big Mac’s ascension since being taken at No. 5 in the 2021 AFL national draft. The South Sudanese community is too, Riak says. “Everyone looks up to him now like an idol, basically, because of what he’s done. Little kids will probably be want to be like him and play AFL footy.’’ Hopefully for Riak, he will follow Mac’s path in football: from the Berwick juniors, to the Dandenong Stingrays and the Melbourne Next Generation Academy, and on to the AFL.

Gabelich is throwing up so many kites. He hopes one flies but so many will just float away into nothing. He’s still under Morris and McClure who are 5 💩💩💩💩💩rated dirt bags

It’s just tiring. Paul Hasleby 💩[censored] can go [censored] himself He never said he was going to leave or wanted to leave. It’s just that he feels homesick sometimes. Sure who doesn’t. I’ve had that feeling before with my working overseas in my 20s. Kozzzy is staying (at least for another 12-24 months). He might go one day but that’s not now !!.

Agree. McClure is a piece of 💩💩💩💩

See how it compares with our DEMONLAND votes … PLAYER VOTES 1 Max Gawn 220 2 Jack Viney 123 3 Trent Rivers 112 4 Steven May 104 5 Christian Petracca 97 6 Alex Neal-Bullen 93 7 Kysaiah Pickett 81 8 Ed Langdon 79 9 Clayton Oliver 65 10 Christian Salem 60

@Nascent I like best scenario to get Houston (if he’s still interested in being in red and blue next yr)

B&F later this week. Trac will be an early leader but of course it’s not going to be Trac nor Clarry this year. Gawn and JV7 would be likely favourites at this stage. MFC club page has provided the below: Max Gawn Gawn’s star power was evident once again in 2024, finishing the season with his seventh All-Australian blazer. Only missing two matches, the veteran ruck averaged 19.1 disposals, 34 hitouts and five clearances a game, with his class a cut above the rest. He continued to shine as a leader, both on and off the field. Steven May Despite missing four matches this season, May continued to patrol Melbourne’s backline in 2024. May averaged 18.3 disposals and 5.7 rebounds in his 19 games this season (the ninth most in the competition), and even managed his first goal in 1361 days against St Kilda in Sir Doug Nicholls Round. Judd McVee McVee has quickly impressed at the Dees, playing as a defender against some of the most formidable opponents in the league. However, it was a move into the midfield at the tail-end of season 2024 that saw him rise a step above. The 21-year-old is only two seasons in, but is eager to add strings to his already impressive bow. Alex Neal-Bullen Neal-Bullen’s contribution to the Dees can’t be overstated, with his composure and consistency a standout. The 28-year-old was the leading tackle-getter for the Dees this season, averaging 5.1 a game, showing his courage in the contest across all 23 games. Neal-Bullen led from the front on the field, playing whatever role required for the team. Trent Rivers Season 2024 saw Rivers embrace a new role and cement his spot in the Dees’ midfield mix. The 23-year-old was rewarded with his best season to-date, averaging 21.3 disposals and 2.6 clearances across 23 games. The influential young leader seems to be truly hitting his stride, with his eyes firmly on further developing his craft in the years to come. Jack Viney No player exemplifies heart and soul more than Jack Viney. He remains one of the gutsiest midfielders in the competition, with his power, ferocity and never-say-die attitude setting him apart. The inspiring leader didn’t miss a single game this season, averaging 21 disposals, 6.2 tackles and 4.6 clearances, with every showing in the red and blue a delight for the Demon faithful.

Ok. we keep 5 no matter what … but try to get Lions 1st pick (live “18”) by packaging up 25 (from Crows) and 37 and 61. Offer our MFC future 1st and this pick “18” to Port for Houston. That’s better than Blues likely offer.

Over a bbq beer on Saturday, it was suggested to me that perhaps the only way Houston gets to MFC is Houston and Power future pick say 2025 future 2nd round Sparrow and MFC 2025 future 1st round. My reply … Sparrow not going anywhere so it’s back to the think tank

Trade out 5 players from best 21, then cop injuries to another 6 from that team. I’d defy any team to take out 11 players from their best 21 including 3-4 guns and rebound. Loss of Purcell and West has especially impacted our contested footy. Loss of Harris really hurts our forward target. Running power lost through Mackin girls as outs.

Lions have 18,56,69. That’s 985,194,49. 1228 in total. They will need a lot of points to get Ashcroft & Marshall. Even with the discounting. Surely clubs will put Ashcroft at 2 or 3 and Marshall at 12-15. How can afford both without going into massive deficit as well as trading out future picks?

Clubs should bid for Marshall within range 12-15. If it’s after that, then it’s a disgrace and clubs aren’t pushing hard enough. He’s good enough to be picked at 12-15 so make Lions pay the right price for him !!

6 of the All Australian under 18s are assigned to father son or academy picks. Lions - Ashcroft & Marshall, Blues- Camporeale, suns- Lombard & Uwland (2025) and Logan Smith (GWS Giants) .

Lions are premiers. Add from injury Coleman, McCarthy, Gardiner and Doedee. Add 2 x top youngsters in Levi Ashcroft (rated likely #1) & Sam Marshall.

@The end is nigh Thanks. White has good potential and looks like he would be handy. I agree re the GC SUNS having a few players in the next years draft in their academy. Hoping White chooses MFC 🙏🏽

Was thinking the same. He has done as excellent job as assistant at Hawks and Lions. Thats why Fagan brought him to Brisbane. I was very surprised when the Dees sent him packing off to the hawks as a player. He was gutted at the time. Wanted two years but Dees only offered one year. Hurt team morale as well https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/137593/dees-not-worried-about-bruce

Yes I thought Dunkley might have won the Norm Smith. Negates Heeney completely and gets 21 possessions and 11 tackles. Clearly a key reason for the Lions dominance today.