5 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Not sure where to put this.

Somewhere I read that Richardson said 'we need to get older not younger.'

That doesn't compute:  we have the 3rd oldest list and the 2nd most experienced list.  And, we won the premiership with one of the youngest and least experienced lists.

He (and TL) doesn't have a good track record of player trades since taking over as GM, FD 3 years ago so his comment makes me nervous.  Very nervous!

I hope Richardson doesn't turn us into a 'dad's army'!   

 

 

If he’s talking about adding elite talent in the 25-27 range then I agree - we have a big black hole in our list on that age range 

But the last thing we need to be doing is adding players any older than that at the expense of bringing younger talent in 

Very bizarre thing to say and makes me very worried about the direction he and the club are going to go in this off season

4 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Not sure where to put this.

Somewhere I read that Richardson said 'we need to get older not younger.'

That doesn't compute:  we have the 3rd oldest list and the 2nd most experienced list.  And, we won the premiership with one of the youngest and least experienced lists.

He (and TL) doesn't have a good track record of player trades since taking over as GM, FD 3 years ago so his comment makes me nervous.  Very nervous!

I hope Richardson doesn't turn us into a 'dad's army'!   

 

 

I think he’s referring to our best side not necessarily the whole list. Plus with Schache, Brown, Hunter, Brayshaw, ANB and potentially Tomlinson leaving our list will get a lot younger. 
 

I think he’s right in saying you don’t want to go too young, because that is what causes teams to drop to the bottom and only win 2-3 games for a season. I believe we will look to trade into the top 20 for a 2nd pick, as it seems to be how we operate. We will probably take 3-4 main draft picks and 1-2 rookies. So we will still have a lot of youth of the list.

15 hours ago, FreedFromDesire said:

I wouldn't be completely surprised to see us do something of a pick trade with either Brisbane (points needed) or Fremantle (surplus picks this year they may want to spread out). There's the potential there that we could have the currency for Houston as well as keep a first round pick this year. If the club truly believe we can rise up the ladder again next year then I would suspect they'd have no trouble trading out of next year somewhat to both get this year's deals done and hit the top end of the draft.

'keep a first round pick this year'

First round will run into the 20s. 

1 minute ago, demoncat said:

If he’s talking about adding elite talent in the 25-27 range then I agree - we have a big black hole in our list on that age range 

But the last thing we need to be doing is adding players any older than that at the expense of bringing younger talent in 

Very bizarre thing to say and makes me very worried about the direction he and the club are going to go in this off season

100% agree. 😼

We lose older/experienced players like ANB, BB and probably Tommo this year so adding players in the critical 25-27 age group will make us younger!!  It seems like he is targetting players around 30yo!!🤷‍♀️

10 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I think he’s referring to our best side not necessarily the whole list. Plus with Schache, Brown, Hunter, Brayshaw, ANB and potentially Tomlinson leaving our list will get a lot younger. 
 

I think he’s right in saying you don’t want to go too young, because that is what causes teams to drop to the bottom and only win 2-3 games for a season. I believe we will look to trade into the top 20 for a 2nd pick, as it seems to be how we operate. We will probably take 3-4 main draft picks and 1-2 rookies. So we will still have a lot of youth of the list.

Hmmm, not convinced. 

Of the names mentioned only ANB has been best 22 this year.  Losing those older players might make us younger but they haven't really helped our performance this year.  If anything their presence has meant we lacked depth (younger) players elsewhere.

Anyway, will nervously wait and see what happens.

2 minutes ago, FreedFromDesire said:

Not sure if this helps, but I can understand what Richardson was saying if it relates to the key demographic of 24-28 year olds. That is a weak spot in our list as it stands, and I believe why we've been linked to players like Houston, Cumming, Edwards (missed out on him) and Waterman.

If you look at our 'core group' of players it is heavily weighted to over 28 year olds (age as of next year):

Over 28 Year Olds
Melksham 34
Gawn 34
May 33
McDonald 33
Viney 31
Salem 30
Petracca 29
Langdon 29
Lever 29
Fritsch 29

24-28 Year Olds
Oliver 28
Petty 26
Chandler 25
Sparrow 25
Pickett 24
Rivers 24

Under 24 Year Olds
Turner 23
Bowey 23
Howes 22
Van Rooyen 22
McVee 22
Windsor 20
Tholstrup 20

Thanks for that info.

I hope he was referring to the 24 to 28 yo which I agree is our weak spot.  Unfortunately, I didn't hear the interview so I don't have the context of his comment. 

Unless there is something wrong with my arithmetic, replacing the older players departing with some in that key demographic group is making us younger which doesn't fit his comment ...

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Not sure where to put this.

Somewhere I read that Richardson said 'we need to get older not younger.'

That doesn't compute:  we have the 3rd oldest list and the 2nd most experienced list.  And, we won the premiership with one of the youngest and least experienced lists.

He (and TL) doesn't have a good track record of player trades since taking over as GM, FD 3 years ago so his comment makes me nervous.  Very nervous!

I hope Richardson doesn't turn us into a 'dad's army'!   

 

 

Sometimes you feel the FD lives in a bubble or drink their own bathwater.

20 minutes ago, FreedFromDesire said:

Not sure if this helps, but I can understand what Richardson was saying if it relates to the key demographic of 24-28 year olds. That is a weak spot in our list as it stands, and I believe why we've been linked to players like Houston, Cumming, Edwards (missed out on him) and Waterman.

If you look at our 'core group' of players it is heavily weighted to over 28 year olds (age as of next year):

Over 28 Year Olds
Melksham 34 - Best 22? Fringe atm
Gawn 34 - Best 22? Yes, how long?
May 33 -Same as Gawn
McDonald 33 - Yes, but one year left
Viney 31 - Same as Gawn
Salem 30 - Not versatile, too many HB
Petracca 29 - Yes, is he committed?
Langdon 29 - Yes
Lever 29 - Yes
Fritsch 29 - Yes, needs to lift up

24-28 Year Olds
Oliver 28 - Fringe ATM, get in form
Petty 26 - Yes, but out of position 
Chandler 25 - Yes
Sparrow 25 - Fringe, NQR
Pickett 24 - Yes

Rivers 24 - Yes

Under 24 Year Olds
Turner 23 - Yes
Bowey 23 - Yes
Howes 22 - No
Van Rooyen 22 - Yes
McVee 22 - Hell Yes!
Windsor 20 - Hell Yes!
Tholstrup 20 - Not sure yet

Surprisingly our 24 - 28 is where I have more doubts.

U24 is a great group of players!

23 minutes ago, FreedFromDesire said:

Not sure if this helps, but I can understand what Richardson was saying if it relates to the key demographic of 24-28 year olds. That is a weak spot in our list as it stands, and I believe why we've been linked to players like Houston, Cumming, Edwards (missed out on him) and Waterman.

If you look at our 'core group' of players it is heavily weighted to over 28 year olds (age as of next year):

Over 28 Year Olds
Melksham 34
Gawn 34
May 33
McDonald 33
Viney 31
Salem 30
Petracca 29
Langdon 29
Lever 29
Fritsch 29

24-28 Year Olds
Oliver 28
Petty 26
Chandler 25
Sparrow 25
Pickett 24
Rivers 24

Under 24 Year Olds
Turner 23
Bowey 23
Howes 22
Van Rooyen 22
McVee 22
Windsor 20
Tholstrup 20

I'm not sure where you got the ages from? But if we look at the start of next season they are:

Over 28 Year Olds
Melksham 34 - 32
Gawn 34 - 33
May 33 
McDonald 33 - 32
Viney 31 
Salem 30 - 29
Petracca 29 
Langdon 29
Lever 29
Fritsch 29 - 28

24-28 Year Olds
Oliver 28 - 27
Petty 26 - 25
Chandler 25
Sparrow 25 - 24 (turns 25 in May)
Pickett 24 - 23 (turns 24 in June)
Rivers 24 - 23 (turns 24 in July)

Under 24 Year Olds
Turner 23
Bowey 23 - 22
Howes 22
Van Rooyen 22
McVee 22 - 21 (turns 22 in August)
Windsor 20 - 19 (turns 20 in June)
Tholstrup 20 - 19 (turns 20 in June)

1 minute ago, FreedFromDesire said:

That's very true, although we did field a very young team quite often this year despite the overall list demographic average. I seem to recall us naming the youngest, or close to it, 23 fairly often this year.

If we lose the following players (hard to know exactly, but safe guesses) the average age we're losing is 27:
Brown, Smith, Brayshaw, Farris-White, Schache, Hunter, ANB. (In fairness, KFW brings the average down by a year)

With Gawn and Viney re-signed for a few years, and a lot of those over 28s being really key players, I think we're trying to make sure we don't fall in a hole in terms of having lots of old and lots of young players if that makes sense?

Agree with this.

I think in an ideal world we bring in 4-5 draft picks and 2-3 players in the 24-28 age bracket.

2 minutes ago, FreedFromDesire said:

I mentioned in my post it was the ages they would turn next year. Some of them are after the season, but it was the easiest way to work it out.

All of the ages are from Footywire: Melbourne Demons Season 2024 Players

You will need to take note of birthdays - ie Melksham turns 33 in a few days from now.

Fair enough. A lot of them will play almost a full year younger though. Get what you’re saying though 

I still think we need to go hard for Houston, but pick 5-6 is way overs.  Future first and whatever we get for ANB??  

Dunno if port go for that but who knows.

Have to take this pick to the draft I think

When is trade week this year?

Josh Sinn from Port Adelaide we should be inquiring about in my opinion.

Brayshaw (veteran mid/wing) Peatling, Zak Jones, Setterfield, Nathan O’Driscoll

JJ (defensive mid) Alex Davies, Sam Berry, Will Brodie, Finn Macrae, Parfitt, Phillips 

ANB (defensive forward) - Owies, Wicks, Matt Guelfi 

BBB - Tom Lynch! Membrey?

Hibberd (back pocket) - Sean Lemmens, Ethan Hughes

We’ve got to do some serious shopping at the discount bargain bin this year and try to beef up our depth. 

Obviously not many good players out of contract at this time of year so it won’t be great options but we need to grab up to 5 guys just to replace the experience we’ve lost. And if we can do it without burning too many picks we can get quality through the draft and inject them in to the side when they’re ready. 

Zak Jones as a trade target... now I've seen it all 

Vomit

12 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Zak Jones as a trade target... now I've seen it all 

Vomit

I realise how low the bar is set but we’ve picked up Hunter and Billings the last two years it really can’t get any worse. For all his faults Zak might actually put his head over the ball. But yeah, he’s very low down an already ordinary list. 

6 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I realise how low the bar is set but we’ve picked up Hunter and Billings the last two years it really can’t get any worse. For all his faults Zak might actually put his head over the ball. But yeah, he’s very low down an already ordinary list. 

Tbf both Hunter and Billings are more accomplished than Jones.

But I understand your point that we will be needing to find some diamonds in the rough to improve.

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Brayshaw (veteran mid/wing) Peatling, Zak Jones, Setterfield, Nathan O’Driscoll

JJ (defensive mid) Alex Davies, Sam Berry, Will Brodie, Finn Macrae, Parfitt, Phillips 

ANB (defensive forward) - Owies, Wicks, Matt Guelfi 

BBB - Tom Lynch! Membrey?

Hibberd (back pocket) - Sean Lemmens, Ethan Hughes

We’ve got to do some serious shopping at the discount bargain bin this year and try to beef up our depth. 

Obviously not many good players out of contract at this time of year so it won’t be great options but we need to grab up to 5 guys just to replace the experience we’ve lost. And if we can do it without burning too many picks we can get quality through the draft and inject them in to the side when they’re ready. 

I'd take those in bold, assuming we could get them for a bag of potato chips.

11 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Tbf both Hunter and Billings are more accomplished than Jones.

But I understand your point that we will be needing to find some diamonds in the rough to improve.

Hunter was, but we didn’t see what was plain for all to see that he was spent, hence why the Dogs were pushing him out to begin with.

Billings was always a myth. 

27 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I realise how low the bar is set but we’ve picked up Hunter and Billings the last two years it really can’t get any worse. For all his faults Zak might actually put his head over the ball. But yeah, he’s very low down an already ordinary list. 

So that's where you learn your lessons and don't follow it up by picking the Zak Jones of the world.

He's an absolute potato and a [censored] bloke to go with as well.

Pass.

Edited August 26, 2024Aug 26 by dazzledavey36

Zak Jones actually had a pretty good finish to the season, with an AFL Player Rating of 10.6 in the last 7 games and he is out of contract. We might have won against Brisbane, GWS and Port had he been playing for us those nights.

13 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

So that's where you learn your lessons and don't follow it up by picking the Zak Jones of the world.

He's an absolute potato and a [censored] bloke to go with as well.

Pass.

I’d like to see evidence of his character is anything but fine, obviously that would be a factor.

Our list is now in a different stage desperately needing to replace Gus, Nibbler, JJ (never replaced) as well as Hunter and effectively (if not entirely) Billings too. You can’t replace that kind of experience - and what should be 10+ list changes - just with kids. Of even with valuable players traded for picks.

I’d have easily a dozen list changes which means picking up guys for nothing. I’d first focus on younger players keen for a second chance and state leaguers but there’s probably going to be at least 1 more dodgy veteran pick up.

Nick Hind delisted

Begg’s been boned, way better footballer than Fullerton and the Shackenator, cost nothing, let’s get him.