spirit of norm smith

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.

No surprise at all to see Logan Morris play well in today’s GF for Lions. In last years under 18s, I thought he showed talent as a natural forward. Good mark. Good kick. Bit of natural aggression. Oh well!!

Agree @Demon Disciple he’s skills are probably his weak point

Could the Dees put an offer to Deven Robertson. He’s under contract at Lions but with Lions having Neale, McCluggage, Rayner, Berry & Will Ashcroft, and adding Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall, he’s unlikely to get a consistent run in their midfield. At 23, Dees might see a spot for him. He’s physically ready and tackles strangely. We need a defensive type mid with good aerobic run. Trac and Clarry got exposed this year on defensive clearance work. Dees might also want to Trac to play forward/mid rotation.

Pre trading … 2024 picks are 5,37,45, 50,61

Well. Some great Grundy compensation 🤮🤮🤮🤮 (Fullerton used with pick 46 and now 37)

It is now the SWANYWOBBLES !!! Completely choked it again.

Amazing what an academy and father son picks get you !!! Still smart recruiting. No second rate scrubbers. Neale. Cameron. Daniher. Dunkley. Take note !!!

Heeney??? Lions looking dangerous.

TBA fastest midfielder in the draft toughest midfielder in the draft Classiest midfielder in the draft Dees need one of each in the draft

KATIE PERRY. 3 votes. 👏👏👏 Firework was great to end !!! (Shame it’s not a NIGHT GF)

But there’s Olympic swimmers and other random athletes. Hmmmm. Can we honour our AFL retirees!!!

AFL QLD team Academy prospects Dan Annable, Beau Addinsall and Zeke Uwland proved their 2025 draft credentials with exciting showings in the Marsh AFL National Futures curtain-raiser at the MCG. The annual under-17s clash on Grand Final morning featuring players eligible for the 2025 draft saw players from across the country split into teams named after retired stars Dyson Heppell and Rory Sloane. And it was the Heppell side that came away with the win, kicking the last five goals of the game to clinch a seven-point victory. Annable is tied to Brisbane's Academy and collected 27 disposals and five inside-50s for the Heppell team, while fellow midfielder Ollie Greeves was important with 31 touches and seven marks. Tom Burton (26 disposals) also produced some eye-catching moments and Sam Cumming was in everything with 24 disposals, 11 tackles and a goal. West Australian prospect Charlie Banfield kicked three goals while Josh Lindsay, who had 20 disposals, was awarded the best player for his team. A late goal to exciting tall forward prospect Archie Ludowyke capped the comeback, while the versatility of Willem Duursma again shone with 20 touches and eight marks. Addinsall, a member of Gold Coast's Academy, had a game-high 34 disposals for the Sloane team, while Uwland, also headed to the Suns through their Academy where his brother Bodhi had a breakout season, kicked two goals from 22 disposals in a typically polished display. Addinsall was named his team's best player. Midfielder Jack Dalton had 21 disposals and kicked 1.2, Riley Onley had 20 disposals and kicked a goal and very promising tall Cooper Duff-Tytler collected 13 disposals and 10 hit-outs. TEAM HEPPELL 1.6 2.9 4.12 9.16 (70) TEAM SLOANE 2.3 6.6 7.7 9.9 (63) Goals Team Heppell: Banfield 3, Latanis 2, Cumming, Ludowyke, Schubert, Walley Team Sloane: Hetherton 3, Uwland 2, Dalton, Ison, Onley, Whan

2025 draft prospects shine in Futures curtain-raiser

👍🏻I liked the sample from Pisano. She was brought in as a small forward with footy smarts. Yesterday she showed good skills, kicked 35-40 metres and actually ran consecutive plays to link up. 9 possessions. 253 metres gained. 🤯Bombers definitely put work into Kate Hore. They negated her completely. Played the entire match. 13 possessions. Mostly in the defensive half I think as she tried to stem the flow of the game. Only 1 possession in 1st and 3rd qtr. Need somehow to get more. 🤯Was disappointed with Tyla Hanks. Listed as one of our best. 20 possessions. 160 metres gained. Her kicks were often 15 metres and barely constructive. She needs to look up the ground more to advance the footy and move it quickly.

McVee not going anywhere

❌ think the strangest part is the slow movement and then the kick into the corridor after being cornered on the wing. It’s too slow. Easy to defend. Turnover. Goal !!! That happened 3-4 times. ❌Missing 10 players from last years finals team “21”… ouch !!!!! Trade out 4 injured 6. Youngsters and depth players getting exposed. ❌free kicks 21-12 At one stage it was 19-7 !!! Clearly not getting the 50-50 calls !!! ❌contest&clearance / smashed today - need an inside ballwinner (Purcell injured & West traded) 👏👏Have to feel for Chaplin and Goldrick. They stepped up In the absence of others. 👍🏻Watt battled hard in the ruck. 👍🏻Gillard is a star and was good today (until Stinnear moved her to CHF in the last qtr and she was lost). ?? Paxy. This is her last year. Uncharacteristically not able to be in the right spots ?? Banno. Got pushed aside too easily. She’s slight so needs to get away from the contest. She was good just running running running. votes 6 Goldrick ❤️❤️❤️ 5 Chaplin❤️❤️❤️ 4 Gillard ❤️❤️ 3 Watt ❤️❤️ 2 McNamara for bravery❤️ 1 Pisano for showing us her future potential ❤️

After round 5… injury list is: + Eliza McNamara. Broken nose. TBC + Shelley Heath. Shoulder. TBC Saraid Taylor Calf 1 - 2 weeks💔 Olivia Purcell Face 3 - 4 weeks💔 Lauren Pearce Wrist 4 weeks 💔 Blaithin Mackin Calf 3 - 5 weeks💔 Eden Zanker Knee TBC💔 Grace Beasley ACL Season ❌ Tayla Harris Shoulder Season❌ Jacinta Hose ACL Season❌ Aimee Mackin ACL Season❌

Hill. Free possession. 30 metres out in defence. Handballs to teammate who was already surrounded by 2 bombers. Teammate got smashed. Turnover. Goal. Please !!!!!

Stinnear is looking lost !!

Melbourne AFLW has 8 players that would be in best 21 out !! We are playing rookies and depth players. Hard to see us winning any more games this year with this injury list. Only 6 weeks of regular season to go. injury list is: Saraid Taylor Calf 1 - 2 weeks💔 Olivia Purcell Face 3 - 4 weeks💔 Lauren Pearce Wrist 4 weeks 💔 Blaithin Mackin Calf 3 - 5 weeks💔 Eden Zanker Knee TBC💔 Grace Beasley ACL Season ❌ Tayla Harris Shoulder Season❌ Jacinta Hose ACL Season❌ Aimee Mackin ACL Season❌