AFL list updates: Last players to join your club ahead of 2021 season and what each club still needs
A few weeks after he was preparing for a season of suburban footy, Majak Daw is making a serious tilt for a Melbourne debut. The former Roo starred in a practice match on Friday.
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Melbourne recruit Majak Daw continued his push for an early-season debut in new colours after shining with four goals in a VFL practice match on Friday night.
Just three days after being signed by the Demons through the AFL’s supplementary selection period, Daw was one of the standouts for Casey in a 35-point scratch match win over the Box Hill Hawks.
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Daw kicked two goals in the first half and finished strongly by booting a further two majors in the final quarter.
Melbourne has warned that Daw is still some way away from being fully AFL match fit, but the performance was another positive step from the former North Melbourne utility.
“We’re going to go really slowly with Maj and build him up,” Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said last week.
“He hasn’t done a lot of pre-season so he’s got a lot of work ahead of him.”
Daw this week admitted he thought he was “well and truly” retired from AFL football before he was given another chance by Melbourne and has vowed to work hard to earn a senior debut with his new team.
Declaring the finish to his playing days at North Melbourne was “not ideal”, Daw said it had been a “massive shock” to get a call from the Demons to join them for training.
The former Kangaroos big man was offered a spot on Melbourne’s list after the pre-season supplemental selection period, helping provide cover following injuries to forwards Ben Brown and Sam Weideman.
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Daw, 30, said he felt like he still had more to give on the AFL field.
“It’s surreal. I thought I was well and truly retired,” Daw said.
“Going back six months ago when I got told by the club (North Melbourne) that they were not going to offer me a contract, I sort of just waited for the draft and the trade and all that stuff.
“And after that I made a decision that this is it then. I signed with North Heidelberg and I was going to play local footy with my brother and Boomer (Brent Harvey).
“So when I got a call from the (Melbourne) footy club saying ‘Are you interested in coming to train with us?’. It was a massive shock.
“It was only a month out from the season, but it is one I am glad that I made that decision. ‘Yeah, look, I’m going to come and give it a crack’ and it has paid off.
“The way I finished up at North wasn’t ideal. I still wanted to keep playing footy and I thought my body was still good to me.
“It was a shock because I didn’t think any other clubs were interested in my services. There is a lesson in there, keep believing in your dreams and things you want to do.
“This opportunity came when I least expected it.”
Small forward Kysaiah Pickett continued his push for a Round 1 return as he also produced a lively performance in the scratch match.
It was Pickett’s second VFL practice match in a week since returning from Western Australia where he attended his mother’s funeral.
The Demons host Fremantle at the MCG in Round 1 next Saturday afternoon.
CLUB BY CLUB
Every club’s SSP signings, vacant spot numbers and what they still need for 2021 is listed below.
ADELAIDE
* SSP signings: Nick Murray
* Vacant list spots: 0
Former GWS Academy player Murray, who played in the Riverina Football League in 2020, signed a rookie contract with the Crows minutes after coming off the field in their Community Series match against Port Adelaide in which he was up against Charlie Dixon.
The club is yet to resolve stood-down forward Tyson Stengle’s future while Wayne Milera has yet to be placed on the long-term injury list.
BRISBANE
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
* Mid-season draft needs: Doesn’t appear to have many needs for the mid-season draft or any available spots at this stage.
CARLTON
* SPP signings: Oscar McDonald
* Vacant list spots: 0
Carlton selected former Melbourne full back McDonald with their only selection on Tuesday, handing him the spot ahead of Callum Moore, with undrafted midfielder Zavier Maher and ex-Pies and Adelaide defender Ben Crocker also given a chance late. The Blues wanted McDonald as defensive cover, with Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering their best talls but Caleb Marchbank having played only 41 games in the past four years with persistent injuries.
* Mid-season draft needs: Charlie Curnow is expected back in the second half of the year so the Blues won’t put him on the long-term injury list to clear space for another player. Tom De Koning’s back injury showed the Blues are short one ruckman on their list so if either he or Marc Pittonet go down the Blues would throw Levi Casboult into the centre square but also assess what else was around in the state leagues.
COLLINGWOOD
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 2
* Mid-season draft needs: It’s no secret Collingwood must find more avenues to goal and that means key position or medium forwards could be on the radar.
ESSENDON
* SSP signings: Alec Waterman, Kaine Baldwin
* Vacant list spots: 1
Waterman, the 24-year-old ex-Eagle, won the nod after booting four goals in the first practice match against Carlton. Given Essendon’s death of forwards, the 182cm Waterman will likely get his chance to shine. Baldwin is a story of perseverance, the 194cm 18-year-old forward from Glenelg has already overcome two knee reconstructions before being overlooked in last year’s draft.
* Mid-season draft needs: Two more forwards came via the SSP signings, so the Bombers will wait and see if there are any specific needs ahead of the mid-season draft.
FREMANTLE
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
Mid-season draft needs: It’s understood the Dockers will use the mid-season draft as a chance to bolster their list, especially in key positions.
GEELONG
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
Mid-season draft needs: Do not have any glaring holes or an available list spot at this stage.
GWS GIANTS
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
* Mid-season draft needs: The Giants lost key talent across all lines in the off-season, but have younger options in those positions, so it’s unlikely they’ll pursue anything mid-season.
GOLD COAST
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
Mid-season draft needs: Doesn’t appear to have many needs for the mid-season draft or any available spots at this stage.
HAWTHORN
* SSP signings: Lachlan Bramble
* Vacant list spots: 0
The Hawks added 22-year-old Box Hill midfielder Bramble to fill the list spot opened up by the off-season retirement of Tom Scully. Considered powerful and fast, Bramble had played for Williamstown in the VFL before signing with Box Hill for 2021.
Hawthorn does not have any more room yet but will create another spot if it chooses to move James Sicily to the long-term injury list. The Hawks would also be able to replace Jonathon Patton if he decided to retire or the AFL’s investigation into his alleged inappropriate behaviour on social media led to him being cut.
MELBOURNE
* SPP signings: Majak Daw, Deakyn Smith
* Vacant list spots: 0
Melbourne selected former North Melbourne intercept marker Daw and next generation academy player Smith, overlooking Jeff Farmer’s son Kobe. Daw will be used as cover after injuries to Ben Brown and Sam Weideman, but could also be used in the ruck given the club wants to push Max Gawn forward at times. Melbourne has two players who have torn ACLs in Aaron Nietschke and Marty Hore but chose not to rule them out for the season and create two more spots on their list. But it could decide to do exactly that by the mid-season draft, having last year selected Josh Dunkley’s brother Kyle in that window.
* Mid-season draft needs: The Demons will hope to have got back Ben Brown and Weideman by the draft so can take a quality talent of any size given their list seems well-balanced apart from those injured talls.
NORTH MELBOURNE
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 1
The Kangaroos invited ex-Collingwood backman Flynn Appleby and former Brisbane swingman Sam Skinner to train with the club over summer but last week announced that neither would be offered a list spot. It ensures North will have a vacant list spot for the mid-season draft.
* Mid-season draft needs: Having cut several veterans at the end of last season and offered two players from rival clubs a chance to show their wares over summer, you would expect the Kangaroos would target someone in their early 20s who might have experience at the top level. There is a reasonable chance North picks early because the draft order will be based on the ladder position at June 2. That will give the Kangaroos a chance to secure the best available mature-age talent.
PORT ADELAIDE
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 1
Port Adelaide did not have any train-on players ahead of the 2021 season.
* Mid-season draft needs: The Power don’t have any glaring holes but have former Hawthorn player Luke Surman as part of the Port Magpies and he was at Alberton being put through his paces on Saturday. Cam Sutcliffe is also playing with the Magpies should they want to give him another crack.
RICHMOND
* SSP signings: Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Rhyan Mansell
* Vacant list spots: 0
Richmond waited until the final day before announcing it had signed skilful defender Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, who had been delisted by the club last November. He’s played eight senior games. It has also picked up another defender in Tasmanian Mansell, a speedster who’s been training at Punt Rd this summer.
ST KILDA
* SSP signings: Paul Hunter, Mason Wood
* Vacant list spots: 1
The Saints threw a lifeline to ex-Roos forward Wood, who has enjoyed a strong summer and is in the frame for Round 1. They also added to their ruck stocks by signing 200cm former Crow Hunter. He’ll provide cover given Rowan Marshall will miss the start of the year with a foot injury.
* Mid-season draft needs: It is hard to say at this stage, with a lot to depend on how they go on the injury front. They have one spot available.
SYDNEY
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 1
* Mid-season draft needs: Any key injuries may make this more obvious, but the Swans are in a rebuilding phase and backing youth to emerge in various positions. A ruckman could be an option.
WEST COAST
* SSP signings: 0
* Vacant list spots: 0
* Mid-season draft needs: Doesn’t appear to have many needs for the mid-season draft or any available spots at this stage.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
* SSP signings: Anthony Scott
* Vacant list spots: 0
The Dogs have added Scott, who has taken Sam Lloyd’s list spot. Scott is a matured-aged, ready-made utility who trained with the Bulldogs since the start of the year. A Footscray VFL product.
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