rumpole

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Let’s see what he comes up with.

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

Half of the clubs in the competition are talking about grabbing ruckmen from other clubs with senior experience and they’re talking about trading them with draft picks in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th rounds. Then some so-called expert gets up and says this bloke who’s skinny as a rake and was second ruck in a state under 19 trial game and got half a dozen hit outs to nowhere is a top five pick. How does that work?

A reminder as to what his father looks like these days