NetManOne wrote: if i create three partitions as listed, should #2 be NTFS for windows and should i then leave #3 free for WS9 to create as a VMFS?
VMware Workstation does not create or directly use VMware VMFS.
Virtual Machines created by VMware Workstation are basically nothing more then any of the other files that reside on the Host's Filesystem created by any given application! 
Have a look at Virtual Machine Files on page 38 of Using VMware Workstation (pdf).