Matt Merlo: The consistent leader
Calder’s Matt Merlo is your uncompromising inside midfielder who is able to do his job every week and compliment the rest of the midfield. He captained the club to a preliminary final and was 20 minutes away from booking a place on the ground for the TAC Cup Grand Final. It wasn’t to be, but […]
No top ten pick? No worries: Hidden gems in the National Draft
Every year the AFL Trade and now Free Agency Period brings a certain sense of excitement amongst AFL clubs and fans. With the season done and dusted, every club goes back to square one in a bid to retain, alter or rejuvenate their list in an attempt to achieve their goals for the following season. […]
2013 Final Under 18s Power Rankings
The 2013 season is finished and this year’s draft crop have completed their testing so their fate is now up to the recruiters, with little for them to do that can change it. This makes it a great time to look back on the season and see who the best 100 players were according to […]
Jason Robinson: The ultimate team man
Jason Robinson is an unassuming, underrated defender from the western suburbs who doesn’t have the fanfare surrounding him that others might, but instead he goes about his business and achieves the results required of him. “I’ve got plenty of belief in myself and the team with what we’re trying to do at the Jets.” he […]
Lewis Fitzgerald: The forgotten man
Oakleigh’s midfield is the personification of polish, and Lewis Fitzgerald is certainly no exception. The Vic Metro midfielder stands out from this year’s crop being one of the only tall midfielders who can provide silky 55 metre passes into the forward 50. Fresh off a 13.4 beep test at the state combine, Fitzgerald joined us […]
2013 Draft Profile: Jack Leslie
Jack Leslie (Gippsland Power) Height: 198cm Weight: 87kg Position: Ruck Player Comparison: Dean Cox Strengths: Pace, marking, disposal Weaknesses: Coordination (below knees), Goal kicking Jack Leslie’s invite to the draft combine topped off a terrific 2013 for the 198 centimetre Gippsland Power ruckman. Impressive performances in the TAC Cup saw him picked in Vic Country’s […]
2013 Draft Profile: Aaron Christensen
Aaron Christensen (Calder Cannons) Height: 190 cm Weight: 74 kg Position: Wing / Forward Player Comparison: Matthew Richardson (later years) Strengths: Marking, work rate, agility Weaknesses: Can be negated easily, light frame Calder started off the season with no real standout talents, but a good group of core leaders and hard workers who continued to […]
2013 Draft Profile: Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson (Western Jets) Height: 187 cm Weight: 82 kg Position: Defender Player comparison: Luke Hodge/Nick Duigan Strengths: Overhead marking, Agility, Endurance Weaknesses: Body strength Jason Robinson is one of the more underrated players in the TAC Cup competition. Much like his team the Western Jets in general, he has flown under the radar all […]
AFL Draft Combine: Full wrap
After four days of intense activity, the draft combine concluded with plenty of tired, but excited young stars that showed their athletic wears in front of recruiters and coaches at Etihad Stadium. Plenty of TAC Cup players featured prominently in the results with first round hopefuls Josh Kelly (Sandringham Dragons), Billy Hartung (Dandenong Stingrays), Nathan […]
Ben Cavarra: An underrated champion
Premiership captain. TAC Cup medal winner for best-on-ground in a grand final. Vic Metro representative. Tied Morrish Medal winner for the TAC Cup’s Best and Fairest. Likely Eastern Ranges Best and Fairest winner. Usually, winning all of these accolades in a season would point to the player in question having high draft prospects, and being […]
Eastern Ranges storm to 2013 TAC Cup premiership
Photo: Evette Johnson The TAC Cup Grand Final in 2012 was one of the great grand finals to ever be played in the premier under 18 competition, with Oakleigh prevailing over Gippsland by just the solitary point in ‘golden point’ extra time. The 2013 grand final was built up to be another close contest, with […]
Grand Final review: Dandenong Stingrays
Photo: Evette Johnson Eastern Ranges 24.8 (152) defeated Dandenong Stingrays 5.10 (40) Dandenong goals: Hartung 2, McCartney, Scott, Rennie Dandenong best: Capiron, Hartung, Gawley, Bastinac, Kempster, Wilson Dandenong were a shadow of the side that beat Eastern in the Qualifying Final three weeks ago, as they were soundly beaten by the Ranges […]
