Pinball Wizard

Agree entirely with your comment about player numbers. Hope we're not kept in the dark this year.

According to the Foxtel Online Guide the 2008 Round 14 Melbourne versus Brisbane game is on today as well - Jan 1st at 11:00am (Fox 1) and many other times over the next 2 weeks.

Be interesting to see whether Joel Macdonald played in that game and, if so, how he went against his future team.

Can anyone tell me when the training sessions are for next week? and where.

Happy New Year and let the games begin.

I'd ring the club rather than rely on the website.

The AFL's Burgo has come out with his own Phantom PSD and Rookie Draft entitled "The final intake: who your club could pick"

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...57/default.aspx

I won't dwell on his entire deliberations  but the following part is relevant to the MFC:-

NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft

1 - Melbourne - Joel Macdonald (Brisbane Lions)

2 - Richmond - Dylan Grimes (Northern Knights)

3 - Fremantle - Adam McPhee (Essendon)

4 - Sydney Swans - Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions)

5 - West Coast - Simon White (Subiaco)

6 - Port Adelaide - Cameron Cloke (Carlton)

7 - Essendon - Michael Barlow (Werribee)

NAB AFL Rookie Draft

Round one

1 - Gold Coast - Sam Iles (Box Hill Hawks)

2 - Gold Coast - Joseph Dare (Geelong Falcons)

3 - Gold Coast - Guy O'Keefe (Western Bulldogs)

4 - Gold Coast - Daniel Harris (North Melbourne)

5 - Gold Coast - Luke Ablett (Sydney Swans)

6 - Melbourne - Michael Newton (Melbourne)

7 - Richmond - Luke Thompson (Geelong Falcons)

8 - Fremantle - Josh Donaldson (West Perth)

9 - North Melbourne - Majak Daw (Western Jets)

10 - Sydney Swans - Jack Weston (Gippsland Power)

11 - West Coast - Mark Hutchings (East Perth)

12 - Port Adelaide - Derick Wanganeen (Port Adelaide Magpies)

13 - Hawthorn - Matt Fowler (Gold Coast)

14 - Essendon - Serhat Temel (Calder Cannons)

15 - Carlton - Matthew Panos (Norwood)

16 - Brisbane Lions - Mitch Golby (Gippsland Power)

17 - Adelaide - Alex Carey (Glenelg)

18 - Collingwood - Scott Harding (Brisbane Lions)

19 - Western Bulldogs - Josh Dyson (Eastern Ranges)

20 - St Kilda - Tom Hill (Northern Knights)

21 - Geelong - Mitch Fisher (Geelong Falcons)

Round two

22 - Melbourne - John Meesen (Melbourne)

The AFL has today updated the Permission to Train List. Melbourne now has only one player on the list, Joel Macdonald, who appears to be our designated #1 selection in the PSD. Kane Tenace and Mitchell Thorn seem to have dropped of the radar while it is becoming more likely that the other clubs will allow us to honour our commitment to redraft John Meesen and Michael Newton.

The following unlisted players are on the Permission to Train List as at 09/12/09:-

ADELAIDE

Nil

BRISBANE LIONS

Claye Beams (Labrador)

Niall McKeever (Ireland)

CARLTON

Nil

COLLINGWOOD

Daniel Frost (Collingwood, VFL)

Kristopher Pendlebury (Collingwood, VFL)

ESSENDON

Michael Barlow (Werribee)

FREMANTLE

Andrew Foster (Fremantle)

Kyle Hardingham (East Fremantle)

Adam McPhee (Essendon)

Matt Riggio (North Melbourne)

Alex Silvagni (Casey)

Danny Stanley (Collingwood)

GEELONG

Bryce Carroll (Essendon)

Dan McKenna (Geelong)

Daniel O'Keefe (Sydney Swans)

Guy O'Keefe (Western Bulldogs)

Bryn Weadon (Geelong)

HAWTHORN

Dean Putt (Richmond)

Wayde Skipper (Western Bulldogs)

MELBOURNE

Joel McDonald (Brisbane Lions)

NORTH MELBOURNE

Todd Grayson (Gold Coast)

Matthew Laidlaw (Sydney Swans)

PORT ADELAIDE

Jonathan Beech (West Adelaide)

Alex Carey (Glenelg)

Glenn Dawson (Port Adelaide)

Matthew Goldsworthy (Woodville-West Torrens)

Jack Hannath (Central District)

Ben Hansen (Sturt)

Thomas Harms (Sturt)

Cameron Hitchcock (Glenelg)

Matthew Jaensch (Sturt)

Terry Milera (Port Magpies)

Bradley Palipuaminni (NT Thunder/Tiwi Bombers)

Matthew Panos (Norwood)

Damien Roe (NT Thunder/Nightcliff)

Taite Silverlock (West Adelaide)

Jack Stephens (Sturt)

Mitchell Taylor (NT Thunder/Wanderers)

Dean Terlich (Norwood)

Derick Wanganeen (Port Magpies)

Daniel Webb (West Adelaide)

RICHMOND

Jayden Cass (Eastern Rangers)

Josh Free (North Ballarat)

Alex Goodingham (Dandenong Stingrays)

Dylan Grimes (Northern Knights)

James Hallahan (Dandenong Stingrays)

Robbie Hicks (Calder Cannons)

Ben Jakobi (Sandringham Dragons)

Justin Kadhlefelt (Southport)

James O’Rielly (Ireland)

Graham Polak (Richmond)

Relton Roberts (Wanderers)

Luke Tobin (Sandringham Dragons)

ST KILDA

Josh Grabowski (Geelong Falcons)

Tom Hill (Calder Cannons)

John Rayner (Western Jets)

SYDNEY SWANS

Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions)

Sam Crichton (Sydney Uni)

Dylan McNeil (Murray Bushrangers)

Henry Playfair (Sydney Swans)

WEST COAST

Nil

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Majak Daw (Western Jets)

Jake Edwards (Carlton)

Malcolm Lynch (Western Bulldogs)

Dane Rampe (Williamstown)

Patrick Rose (Williamstown)

John Shaw (Western Bulldogs)

What interests me is how Panos gained the status of All Australian in the national under 18 carnival and yet five months later he's not considered in the best 60 youngsters drafted?

When I first read this I thought Collingwood had signed up this draft hopeful by means of some magic new rule - Collingwood lures another from Gold Coast .

Could somebody please work this one out!

Here's Burgo from his 2006 Phantom Draft where he had him selected at # 9:

9 - ST KILDA - MITCHELL THORP 

Tassie Devils, 25 December 1988, 194.1cm, 86.4kg

So where does Thorp stand in this draft? He is widely regarded as a top six selection, but invariably in this draft meeting, even players of that ilk can slide - for a number of reasons. He could be snapped up as early as No.4 to the Brisbane Lions, yet he it would be a massive surprise if he lasted any longer than No.12 at Melbourne. The Saints will be waiting to see which player slides through - they will snap up the best available - and expect recruiting manager John Beveridge to do just that with his club's first pick. The Saints will also be eagerly awaiting the outcome of Collingwood's opening selection at No.8 - with Riewoldt strongly linked to both the Magpies and Saints. St Kilda would be over the moon to recruit Riewoldt to play with his brilliant cousin. Should Riewoldt and Thorp be out of the equation, as well as a 'slider', expect the Saints to select one of North Ballarat's Nathan Brown (key forward), Armitage (midfielder) and Southport's Brent Renouf (ruckman).

Highlights/achievements: Strong marking and mobile forward/defender who can play on ball. Showed great promise for Tasmania in VFL playing 10 games and also won All-Australian honours at U18 level. AIS/AFL Academy Graduate. From the Northern Bombers in Tasmania.

Agree.

If he picks Carlton, though, Sydney will have a hard time stopping themselves from taking him. He'd have to convince them that he really wants to set up in Melbourne, not Sydney.

I don't want Bradshaw but if a player can nominate who he wants to go to in the PSD then you might as well not have a draft at all. The whole idea of having a draft in the first place is surely to give the bottom side the first choice - not to give the wealthy clubs any advantageous position?

Haven't players been fined and suspended in the past for expressing their prefences in the draft?

How is he a Demon?

Plays for the Melbourne Cricket Club - they're the Demons!

Since earlier this year the MFC is affliated again with the MCC.

Brent Moloney was interviewed on SEN this morning. He was introduced as the runner up in the Demons b & f and a club leader. Beamer opened by paying tribute to Jimmy Stynes whose appearance was inspirational. He expressed the view that is held by all that he hopes Jim comes good. It was fantastic having him at the full house evening for the count this week.

Brent said the team was an exciting young group with a real future. Asked about Jack Watts, he said the youngster was looking very good and had joined the boys for a run around the tan. Jack has a couple more exams to go and then he'll join in full training.

Brent said he wasn't stirring Brock with his words on the night. Brock's a good mate but his descision to go elsewhere was very disappointing. However, that's his decision and from the players' point of view they're focussed on the future and if someone isn't interested in that then so be it. 

The interviewers were very impressed to see for possibly the first time ever such a strong statement about a leader of the direction the club is taking. When asked whether he would put his hand up to take on McLean when they take on Carlton next year, Beamer said it wasn't up to him but since he plays in the midfield, their paths will cross.

On the question of how the team is expected to go next year Moloney was reticent. He's hopeful we will win more games but at this point the idea is to be competitive and the wins will come. 

We didn't have anyone in the team so what the heck -

A nice piece in the Age to finish the series:

DEMONS HAVE A UNITY THAT IS SECOND-TO-NONE

FAREWELL, Demons, for season 2009. My year with you has confirmed me in the belief that you are a magnificent old club. The AFL telling you your brand was meaningless was an act of corporate buffoonery. You are older than the Ashes and a national sporting treasure.

Forget the injury list. This is what's important - the availability list:

Available

Matthew Bate

Clint Bartram

Kyle Cheney

Aaron Davey

Lynden Dunn

James Frawley

Mark Jamar

Neville Jetta

Paul Johnson

Nathan Jones

Liam Jurrah

James McDonald

Brock McLean

Tom McNamara

Stefan Martin

Brad Miller

Brent Moloney

Cale Morton

Ricky Petterd

Jared Rivers

Russell Robertson

Jake Spencer

Colin Sylvia

Shane Valenti

Jack Watts

Trent Zomer

The following will be available if they pass their tests:

Jamie Bennell (knee)

Simon Buckley (hip)

Jordie McKenzie (calf)

Michael Newton (Achilles)

Paul Wheatley (quad)

Matthew Whelan (foot)

I haven't included Danny Hughes who missed Casey's last game as I understand he's definitely out.

Wow. ABC again. That's 4 out of the last 5. Popular team I guess.

Might not be so popular when they see the final team sheet for the game. Perhaps 3 or 4 Demons in this game. Tops.

Well said Sue...exactly right!

It's not only St. Kilda but also Geelong and Adelaide. Players are dropping off like flies.

These sorts of things are going to play havoc for the competition. The Hawks are now firm favourites to beat the Saints, Adelaide and Collingwood are even money and nobody wants to bet on our game. It looks as if this trend is going to continue in the cricket. Michael Clarke and Freddie Flintoff are both in doubt.

Brad Green's 2009 season is over, with scans confirming the Melbourne midfielder requires surgery on a left wrist injury - GREEN GONE FOR SEASON.

cousins and cotchin out for the tigers, tank,tank,tank.

Of course they won't be replaced by Joel Bowden or Nathan Brown who are playing well at Coburg.

Thanks for the report KC but, from the look of it, there doesn't seem to be much joy for the MFC in those at Casey. Maric and Strauss look prospects ... maybe Hughes but otherwise we would only be doing more recycling if we drew from this well.

Has Hughes been promoted off the rookie list?

That's just like moving the deckchairs on the Titanic!

Peter German's views on the game are on the MFC website - Casey Scorpions report. Thinks Liam Jurrah's "just an exciting talent". A master of understatement.

It's an absolute joke! The AFL better flip the whole bill, there will be less then 20,000 there. Could have got the 24,000 needed at the G but no chance we'll make money from a game at Docklands.

Of course the AFL will adequately compensate us if the game is moved. It would have to underwrite all of our costs and ensure that we break even. That would definitely be a better result for us than a repeat of the recent fiasco of a home game v Adelaide when we had to write out a cheque for the pleasure of playing a game at home.

A one man effort doesn`t win a game of football.

Up in Brisbane Darren Jolly's dominating the rucks with 34 hit outs half way through the third quarter but the Swans are 31 points down.

Nice work KC.

Can't wait to see the likes of Jurrah and Maric in our forward line!

Great to see that the two lads from Bunbury who have played footy together since they were 5 year olds will debut together in the AFL KICK IT TO ME, JAMIE BENNELL.

A great story.