7 am
There is some earthshaking news this morning - literally - when the group gathers for breakfast in the Mess Hall.
Talk quickly centres on the earthquake, which shook the Top End in the early hours of the morning.
Nearly everyone feels it and talks about it. I had no idea it had happened. I was out like a log.
Reports emerge that it’s a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in the Banda Sea, off the coast of Indonesia. Tremors are felt in Darwin, more than 600 km away. It lasts for roughly 30 seconds and happens at 2.30 am, local time. Apparently the quake is the largest to hit the Banda Arc in seven years.
Naturally, stories soon emerge from the players and coaches. And some are told in the same manner as a fisherman, who recalls how the big one got away.
But the amazement in Jeremy Howe’s face is genuine, when I chat to him about it on the walk to breakfast.
Forward line development coach Paul Satterley says his bed was shaking quite a bit, and he thought forward line coach Leigh Brown had come into his room and given his bunk bed a shake.
Nathan Jones tweets: “Felt the brunt of the earthquake here in Darwin last night. The little tin barracks aren't designed for that #fellouttabed#wasntdreaming”.
8 am
The players depart for TIO Stadium, where the team has its third football training session for the camp. This time, stoppages are the focus. Neville Jetta is now with the group, after a family commitment in Western Australia. He arrived mid-Monday.
For yours truly, I stay back at the Barracks in readiness for the NAB AFL Rookie Draft. The NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft are held as electronic drafts. Therefore, each AFL club remains at its base.
A few names have come to hand as potential draftees, so I try to prepare as best as possible.
It’s quite a quirky situation. I’ve covered drafts since 1999, and here I am sitting in a small room at Robertson Barracks in the Northern Territory covering the draft. I like it! It adds to the whole experience up here.
Melbourne has no selections in the Pre-Season Draft, having filled its primary list at the Draft in November. And, given that James Magner and Tom Couch have remained as second year rookies, only two vacancies exist on the club’s rookie list.
The Pre-Season Draft starts at 11 am in Melbourne - 9.30 am Darwin time.
Word comes through the camp that ruckman Jack Hannath, who has been training with the Demons since the conclusion of the NAB AFL Draft, and was earmarked as a rookie, will now probably be selected in the Pre-Season Draft. It creates a fascinating situation.
Hannath is out training at TIO Stadium.
Football manager Josh Mahoney is with media manager Ryan Larkin, who are overseeing the status of the Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts online in an office at TIO Stadium.
Mahoney pops down to see senior coach Mark Neeld, who is in the midst of training. He tells Neeld that Hannath has been selected in the Pre-Season Draft by Fremantle.
Therefore, when the Demons enter the Rookie Draft, they claim Glenelg midfielder Nathan Stark and North Adelaide’s Mitch Clisby. Yet, they are genuinely among the next names in contention. And the Dees are rapt to have them on board.
Neeld stops training and calls in the players in. There is good news, and there is bad news.
The good news is that Hannath has been drafted. But the bad news is that it’s not by Melbourne and he’s heading to Fremantle.
Neeld praises and then reassures Hannath that the 21 year-old is heading to a good club with good people. He also now starts his life on an AFL primary list.
Hannath gains the applause of the Melbourne players and coaches. He’s impressed the club with his attitude and dedication.
The 200 cm tall then leaves the ground and heads for the changerooms.
He later tells afl.com.au reporter Peter Ryan that “it’s all a bit surreal at the moment”.
There is no doubt he is disappointed to leave after almost two weeks with the club. And that’s ok. That’s natural. There is nothing wrong with that, even in the cut and thrust of the AFL landscape. But he quickly bounces back, knowing he has an incredible opportunity ahead of him. It’s just the way the game can change so quickly. His immediate reaction shows how much he cares. His ability to address the situation and get on with things shows maturity and professionalism. Fremantle will have a good character on its hands. And good luck to the young man - his official entry into the AFL is not unique, but not the norm either. And that must be respected.
Interestingly, in 2010, there was somewhat of a similar situation, when Kyle Cheney left for Melbourne’s trip to China. He was then traded to Hawthorn, not long after he left Melbourne Airport as a Demon. Sure enough, he was soon on a plane to Melbourne, where he then became a Hawk.
But at this time of the year, it’s not unique to have players who have trained with a particular club then drafted by another.
For example, the Demons selected James Magner in the Rookie Draft after he had been training with St Kilda.
It’s a byproduct of this time of the year for unlisted players.
Meanwhile, back at the Barracks, I chat to the new draftees: Stark and Clisby.
Both are over the moon.
I speak to Stark straight away. It’s one of the enjoyable parts of the job, interviewing players who have made an AFL list for the first time.
He wasn’t sure if he’d be drafted, but he can’t wait to get started.
Stark is originally from Mount Gambier, before he was drafted from Glenelg.
He is an inside midfielder with a strong thirst for the contest.
Some talent identifiers have likened his qualities to another new Demon - Jack Viney. And the duo already knows each other, from when Viney was in South Australia.
The 18 year-old is Melbourne’s first pick in the Rookie Draft and the third selection overall.
I then give Clisby a call. After trying once, I soon try again.
He tells me his phone has rung off the hook.
For the 22 year-old, he is simply overwhelmed.
Clisby has waited for this opportunity since becoming eligible for the Draft in 2008. He’s hungry.
The New South Welshman missed out, but later packed his bags for North Adelaide, where his cousin Trevor, an inaugural member of the Adelaide Crows (although he did not play a match) featured in 240 matches for the Roosters, including two premierships.
Clisby became a dashing half-back under the guidance of former Port Adelaide star Josh Francou.
He will reunite with Luke Tapscott, who he played with at North Adelaide. He also knows Jack Trengove, and has played against Jimmy Toumpas.
For Stark and Clisby, both will join Melbourne in Darwin on Wednesday. They are slated for an early morning flight, and will arrive in time for Thursday’s hike through Kakadu National Park.
So, after 15 players moving on and 13 coming in - remembering list sizes have decreased from 46 to 44 (including primary and rookie list players) - the Demons are locked and loaded for 2013. It’s always exciting for any footy fan to see a list locked away for the season ahead.
11.30 am
Immediately after chatting to Clisby, I head over to the Soldier Recovery Centre (SRC).
There, Mitch Clark visits personnel from the SRC, which is an eye opening place, but necessary for soldiers undergoing rehabilitation.
The army has three SRCs: Robertson Barracks, Lavarack Barracks (Townsville) and Gallipoli Barracks (Brisbane). The first one was in Townsville, followed by Darwin.
They’ve been set up to support wounded, injured or ill soldiers. Although many are complex cases, the aim of SRCs are to optimise the recovery period and provide a positive recovery environment.
During the visit to the SRC, Clark also makes a special presentation to Lance Corporal Gill.
She is also a huge Demons supporter and a big Clark fan. When he presents her with her new rank slide - she’s promoted from LCpl to Corporal (Cpl) - it adds to the moment.
Even Clark enjoys the moment.
“That was a great honour and a thrill for myself,” he says.
“What was even better was that she was a massive Dees fan - it actually gave me a few goose bumps, so that was quite exciting.”
12.45 pm
The afternoon consists of lunch, a nap for the players and a team meeting at the Rowell Centre. Weights, massage, treatments and divisional meetings also follow, up until the evening.
6 pm
Numbers are down at dinner, as Neeld, director of sports performance Neil Craig, Mahoney and the assistant and development coaches all attend the Northern Territory’s chief minister Terry Mills’ Christmas party at Parliament House. And the contingent is given a big cheer when introduced among the dignitaries.
Back at the Barracks, the Demons are joined by four additional members in the touring party: corporate sales manager Tom McClure, and passionate corporate supporters Torsten Kasper, David Rennick and John Cronin, who all arrived from Melbourne in the afternoon. They are here to get a taste of what the camp’s like.
But nearing the end of dinner, the biggest ‘rock off’ (aka rocks, papers, scissors) yet takes place.
Originally a group of eight was involved. Now it’s at the point where most of the long table is involved. Then it gets down to the wire. At one point Joel Macdonald and Rohan Bail are right in contention to take a mountain of dishes over to the conveyer belt.
But then a challenger emerges from the opposite table. It’s Jack Watts.
He’s ready to ‘rock off’ with Bail. Both are confident. The whole Melbourne dining area has tuned in. The ‘rock off’ takes place. And the winner is … Bail, with Watts on dish carrying duties.
It’s not just a handful of plates either - it’s a few trips.
Watts even kindly asks me if I want to hand him my ice cream bowl - now that I’ve just finished devouring a scoop of chocolate, rum and raisin and boysenberry.
But I decline, saying ‘thanks anyway, mate’. I thought he had enough on his plate!
