The best way to predict your future is to create it.

I need to vent about footy and it's a week when my team has had the best win of their year!!!!

I've been listening with patience all year about how good the Demons are going to be and how their young brigade of players will hold them in good stead in the years to come.

Well I'm going to drop some statistical knowledge on you and you be the judge.

The Demons are playing so well!?!?!? or so it seems!!!!  They are currently 4 wins and a draw from 12 games. The 4 wins have been Adelaide and Richmond (Bottom 2), Brisbane and Port Adelaide (Bottom 8). Nuff said!!

The Kangaroos are 6 wins from 12 games and touted as having a shocking year. Sure I'll admit we have had a couple of blow out losses but that is to be expected with the youngest list in the comp.

As Janet and Luthur put it 'check this out!'

I was lurking through the dark murky sewers or the 'net' and stumbled across http://www.livewire.com/ and found a fantastic resource for AFL stats!!!!

I noticed Ryan Bastinac our star recruit at pick #21 in the 09 draft is the #1 Rising Star in the AFL for disposals. I thought this was a good endorsement that he was travelling well so I sluthed further and found this:

Rising Star Total Disposals

#1     Ryan Bastinac  236

#5     Jack Ziebell     194

#26   Sam Wright     121  (11 Games played out of 12)

#31   Ben Cunnington 99  (8 Games played)

Rising Star Total Kicks

#1     Ryan Bastinac   121

#2     Jack Ziebell      117

#19   Sam Wright       73

#27   Ben Warren      60 (8 Games played out of 12)

Rising Star Total Goals

#8    Ben Warren     10

#11  Sam Wright      8  (Both not even Forwards!)

Rising Star Tackles (Probably the most impressive stats for rookies!)

#2     Jack Ziebell      58

#7     Ben Cunnington  47 (#1 avg per game at over 5!!!!)

#9    Ryan Bastinac     38

#22  Sam Wright        28

#24  Cruize Garlett     24 (4 Games Played)

#40  Ben Warren        14

I started off comparing 'our' young group with Melbourne's but have gone with a focus on The Roos group to point out the brightness of our future and where we are (hopefully) heading as a club on the field.

Nth Melb are 6-6 sitting in 9th position equal to Hawthorn who are 6-6 in 8th. A must win game this Sunday against The Power could find the Roos in the 8 at the end of the week??

Potential is a finicky game but I honestly believe that if the Roos miss the finals this year, they should make it next!!

One final look at the guns at our club who have played less than 100 games

89 Hamish McIntosh

74 Andrew Swallow

66 Lindsay Thomas

62 Scott McMahon

53 Matt Campbell

47 Aaron Edwards

41 Lachie Hansen

40 Scott Thompson

37 Gavin Urquhart

36 Ed Lower

28 Todd Goldstein

24 Nathan Grima

22 Jack Ziebell

18 Levi Greenwood

17 Liam Anthony

17 Ben Warren

15 Leigh Adams

15 Sam Wright

14 Ben Ross

12 Ryan Bastinac

9  Cruize Garlett

9  Josh Smith

8  Ben Cunnington

5  Alan Obst

2  Nathan O'Keefe

0  Majak Daw

0  Robbie Tarrant

Plus many other unplayed rookies!!!

Until then hail to the Rising Star!