rumpole

McVee’s highly placed in Zero Hangar’s rookie rankings ~

Roos gun takes early lead: AFL Rookie Rankings – Round 1

Will continue to keep Hibbo out and will also keep Salo out this week 

I’m going to take it that the players either trained early or alternatively, didn’t train at all in order to watch that Superbowl nonsense.

So effectively our injury list includes Max Gawn (hamstring but not serious), Angus Brayshaw (awaiting results of scans but training), Jake Lever (ankle issues - dating back to the 2022 semi final?), AMW, Joel Smith and train on player Trent Burgoyne and newbies Adams & Verrall.

From memory those practice matches were streamed through the afl.com.au website which would be greatly appreciated. 

8 minutes ago, Bystander said:

John from Epping is an [censored].

Lyons perhaps could have been more forceful.

But no need to stereotype "Aussies" as beer swilling wastrels. Generally very fair people who have done quite a bit over the past 250 years.

I'm over and out.

Your comments could also be called into question as well but that’s not the point.

I listen in to SEN from time to time and I’ve found the segment with John from Epping rather cringeworthy. Let’s face it - the two comperes get regular laughs out of John’s broad Italian accent and even if it were funny the first time, it isn’t now. Ironically, John’s obvious Italian attributes make him the butt of laughs. 

I would have hoped that we, as a society had grown up but we obviously have a lot to learn.

22 hours ago, Freddy Fuschia said:

Since he got the gig at ESPN, this bloke really has lost the plot, particularly when it comes to Melbourne. He did get potted by Demon fans (and others) on a couple of occasions on bigfooty last year over some of his views. 

He’s entitled to his opinion so we’ll cop his E classification which ignores the fact that we retained two F1s & F2s but I’m not sure about the view that Jefferson has to find the football more often to become a consistent key forward. He was one of the top goalkickers overall and he showed on the biggest stage at the National Championships that he can find the ball and kick goals.

His assessment doesn’t appear to cover the rookie draft anyway.

If anyone’s inconsistent then it’s old mate Knightmare. He chops and changes every month with his power rankings. Bags us for picking Adams with his injury history but North still get an A despite drafting George who had two major injuries in 2022 and probably won’t play till 2024.

5 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Joel Selwood had 1 dodgy knee, won 4 flags and played 300+ Games, so with 2 dodgy knees I’ll except 2 flags and 150+ games

Selwood was a candidate for a top five spot before his injuries and was fairly regarded as a solid top ten at the national draft. George, on the other hand was never in that conversation to start with.

5 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I have only saw a little of him playing earlier in the season and it must be hard to determine his value at the draft given a serious injury to each knee, the most recent requiring ACL surgery which will keep him out of action for at least half, if not all, of 2023.

He’s likely to be taken in the early to mid 20s. If we really have an eye on him, I’m wondering if a swap of picks 13 and 37 (1695 points) to West Coast for 20 and 26 (1651 points) would be considered?

There are no guarantees of course but if George is the player we want, we could still possibly get him at 20 and be in an improved position with our second selection at 26.

Just thinking outside the square.

The reason he’s dropped down the pecking order into the mid 20s is the fact that at 18 he already has two wonky knees. I’d steer clear.

All deals done and this is a thread well done.

Thanks for keeping us informed.

As Whispering Jack said on the Draft Combine Thread, Ollie Hollands who was very impressive in the testing, would fit in the area of our first draft pick.

The draft guru Kevin Sheehan has said this about him:-

“Oliver Hollands 

Murray Bushrangers/Wodonga FC/Geelong Grammar 

H: 183cm, W: 74kg DOB: 16/01/04

A medium midfielder, Hollands uses his elite aerobic running ability to win the ball both on the inside and outside. He is a prolific ball winner who impressed in two games at Under 17s level for Vic Country last year. Hollands is composed with the ball in hand and makes good decisions. A boarder at Geelong Grammar, he is the brother to Gold Coast Suns’ Elijah, who was Drafted at pick 7 in 2020. Hollands is a member of the NAB AFL Academy and averaged 23.7 disposals, 6.3 marks and 5.3 score involvements across three national championships matches for Vic Country.”

Cats have already scored as many goals as they did in the entire Preliminary Final of last year against us. 

11 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Won by Hugo Ralphsmith.

What happened to Kade Chandler?

Transformed into James Harmes and lost a yard in pace. My bookie’s giggling.

6. Christian Petracca 

5. Clayton Oliver 

4. James Harmes 

3. Harry Petty 

2. Ed Langdon 

1. Alex Neal-Bullen 

If my memory serves me well, Melbourne was not at its fittest when it last met Sydney. We had a few players coming back from injury, Steven May was out and Harry Petty was on and off the ground nursing some niggles. We were also supposed to be in the middle of our loading process and didn’t run out the game well at all.

This doesn’t really project the image of a club in crisis that the dyspeptic morons at the Herald Sun are trying to portray.

If we only play each other team once a year that means there are no burrabergers for us again in 2022.

Sad news about Knuckles who was a reminder of the old days when the characters of the game were rough and tough and we joined together once or twice a year to support the best players from our state.

Knuckles and EJ: Remembering state originals

Once upon a time, a lesser known player would be condemned not only to guilt but given a lengthier suspension on the basis that his offence was a bad look for the game. At the time, many of us suspected that if the player was of a higher profile and played for a club that the AFL wanted to succeed then it would look away when such an incident occurred. Buddy is a high profile player, the Swans need him badly and what he did on the showcase of the game, on Friday night football, with lots of young children watching, was the worst look you can get for the game. He slapped (punched) once and for that alone, he should get a fine but the second strike was a punch with clenched fist to the face. In light of the fact that it was the second strike and it clearly affected the victim, it was a terrible act, a bad look for the game and a throwback to an earlier era when that sort of thuggery was countenanced. Before the competition said enough and almost stamped it out. This was not a jumper punch that warrants a fine and if the player committing the hit was named, say “Tom Bugg”, then he would get a multiple week suspension, but for likable Buddy who the AFL needs to keep the Sydney franchise buoyant and will help add bums to the seats, a $1,000 fine which is a small fraction of his weekly paycheque, will suffice.

This, I advise.

Ten Guineas.

On 11/18/2021 at 8:25 PM, whatwhat say what said:

draft howes; get callaghan and andrew back from interstate in the years to come

huzzah!

Howes is said to be under strong consideration by the Giants who have been constantly linked with Mac Andrew. 

The Inner Sanctum has presented a draft preview for the Demons with the emphasis on the fact that NGA member Mac Andrew won’t be playing for the club because the Dees can’t match a bid for him within the first 20 selections on draft night, which is “all but guaranteed”. It’s not of concern to me if it pans out that way because I can think of a number of players for who a long career at the elite level is more guaranteed.  One of those players is likely to come to us with the late first round pick the club secured during the trade period.

The club will be able to put in a bid for the son of a Brownlow Medallist and another promising NGA player from NT. 

2021 AFL DRAFT: Melbourne continue history of trading into first round

11 hours ago, durango said:

I am amazed that Josh Cripps is not on that list and Leak Alleer is that low.

Perhaps Cripps isn’t that good?

I wonder how far you have to go in defining what it means to “playing nice”?

Is it “playing nice” for clubs to spread misleading information about their draft intentions in order to force opposition clubs into second guessing and taking unnecessary precautions to protect their own draft ambitions? 

I can picture some reverse psychology used with repercussions leading to clubs scrambling to trade up in draft picks when not entirely necessary. I’d be disappointed if clubs didn’t get up to all sorts of skullduggery at this time of year. After all, it’s a competitive industry.

I was bemused to read the commentary about Richmond selecting Mac Andrew with pick 9 because they “they need to get another forward/ruck on the list”. They already have Toby Nankervis, Ivan Soldo and Ben Miller and although they recently delisted Bigoa Nyuon, they’re committed to re-listing him as a rookie. I say “bemused” because a workmate’s son played NAB Cup with Nyuon and his is remarkably familiar in comparison with Andrew’s story.

Both are sons of South Sudanese migrants, both played with the Dandenong Stingrays, both are/were members of AFL NGA Academies (Nyuon was with St Kilda’s), both are managed by Julian Petracca of Hemisphere Management, both have strengths listed as speed, versatility, athleticism, vertical leap and have a long term upside. Both are raw and lack endurance and physical strength. 

Despite being in the Saints’ NGA, Bigoa ended up with the Tigers who took him with pick 54 in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft. He wasn’t exactly in everyone’s consideration for top 20 selection like Andrew but 2019 was a much different time for the NAB League before COVID-19. After two years in the AFL system, he’s still a long way off. 

The Tigers had Mabior Chol and let him go this month after six years. They know exactly what timeline they’re looking at and I don’t see them risking the investment of pick 9 in the draft for such a long term prospect. 

19 minutes ago, adonski said:

Well that was good timing....just posted from the club -

“We’ll look at every opportunity to improve our draft hand,” he said.

“We’ve been quite active in that space over the past few years, and we’ll do our best to do that again in this period.”

Let’s see what he comes up with.

8 hours ago, Chelly said:

Not sure where the story comes from but how do we know that Melbourne is interested. Is there any source linking him to the club or is it just scuttlebutt?

It’s trade week. You never let sauces get in the way of a good story.