Jump to content

SSP contenders

DeeSpencer
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

With AMW potentially having a season ending knee injury + our experience with Gus last year, this has to shine a light on the current SSP framework. 

Why is there a need for a cut-off at all until say shortly mid-season bye / round 12? It’s there to replace LTI to ensure equality in the playing lists. It’s not as is a club is choosing from next year’s draft pool but from those in second tier leagues… 

  • Quote
    • Like 4
     
    On 20/02/2025 at 14:37, Roost it far said:

    I just don't see what the deadlines achieve. So we lose a player to an ACL on Saturday but can't replace him until mid season but if he'd done it on Friday morning we could replace him that day. These sorts of rules feel like rules for rules sake. The lists are smaller these days and as long as the injury can be verified as a 9 month + injury I don't see the need to create deadlines. A more fluid approach has multiple advantages for both the team and young players.

    Prescient !!!

  • Quote
    • Like 3
     

    What is patently unfair, is having some clubs play games after the SPP period ends, while others don't.

    It should be the same for all.

    End the SSP after all match sims, or before them, but not in the middle.

    Everyone knows contact sport is a higher risk of injury than just training.

    I hope he is fine, but if AMW is out for the year, we should be asking the AFL to be able to replace him.

    They already dudded us last year, medically retiring Gus a few days after the SSP period ended and not letting us replace him then.

  • Quote
    • Like 8
    1 hour ago, Redleg said:

    What is patently unfair, is having some clubs play games after the SPP period ends, while others don't.

    It should be the same for all.

    End the SSP after all match sims, or before them, but not in the middle.

    Everyone knows contact sport is a higher risk of injury than just training.

    I hope he is fine, but if AMW is out for the year, we should be asking the AFL to be able to replace him.

    They already dudded us last year, medically retiring Gus a few days after the SSP period ended and not letting us replace him then.

    Agreed.

    It's worth at least asking.

    The worst they can say is you gotta wait to the Mid-season Draft.

    Plus it would be good to get first dibs on Jai Culley or Roy George.

    Edited by Supreme_Demon

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    IMG_8877.thumb.jpeg.d85ebd2019d83af46505db121a6f415f.jpeg

    Meanwhile, the state of play with SSP signings for 2025 is as follows*

    Francis Evans - Carlton
    Matt Carroll - Carlton
    Tom Edwards - Essendon
    Jaxon Prior - Essendon
    Isaiah Dudley - Fremantle
    Quinton Narkle - Fremantle
    Ben Jepson - Gold Coast
    Jack Henderson - Melbourne
    Josh Lai - Port Adelaide
    Harry Boyd - St Kilda
    Sandy Brock - West Coast

    * subject to a possible (but unlikely) review of the cut off date as a result of some injuries yesterday.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Thanks 2
     
    34 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    * subject to a possible (but unlikely) review of the cut off date as a result of some injuries yesterday.

    carlton lawyers might help our case here!

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    4 minutes ago, Matt Demon said:

    Anyone know of a half decent small to medium defender?

    deakyn smith has a real opportunity to press his case(y) in the vfl ahead of the mid-season draft

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
    47 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    IMG_8877.thumb.jpeg.d85ebd2019d83af46505db121a6f415f.jpeg

    Meanwhile, the state of play with SSP signings for 2025 is as follows*

    Francis Evans - Carlton
    Matt Carroll - Carlton
    Tom Edwards - Essendon
    Jaxon Prior - Essendon
    Isaiah Dudley - Fremantle
    Quinton Narkle - Fremantle
    Ben Jepson - Gold Coast
    Jack Henderson - Melbourne
    Josh Lai - Port Adelaide
    Harry Boyd - St Kilda
    Sandy Brock - West Coast

    * subject to a possible (but unlikely) review of the cut off date as a result of some injuries yesterday.

    I like how Cal calls it a quirk rather than complete and utter balls up 

  • Quote
    • Like 7
    • Thanks 1
    • Clap 1
    On 22/02/2025 at 14:28, Gawn's Beard said:

    With AMW potentially having a season ending knee injury + our experience with Gus last year, this has to shine a light on the current SSP framework. 

    Why is there a need for a cut-off at all until say shortly mid-season bye / round 12? It’s there to replace LTI to ensure equality in the playing lists. It’s not as is a club is choosing from next year’s draft pool but from those in second tier leagues… 

    It's for the lower levels, so they have some time to replace the players they lose

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    On 22/02/2025 at 14:28, Gawn's Beard said:

    Why is there a need for a cut-off at all until say shortly mid-season bye / round 12?

    Helpful for AFL clubs, very disruptive to clubs in lower leagues who have players poached in the middle of their season. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    16 minutes ago, Travy14 said:

    It's for the lower levels, so they have some time to replace the players they lose

    The AFL is the premier competition in the country and most players in these lower leagues would give their left nut to get a crack. I think the afl need to tell these clubs stiff and perhaps provide some financial support where appropriate. The SSP period should at least run until the week of the season starting at a minimum.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    4 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

    I think the afl need to tell these clubs stiff and perhaps provide some financial support

    Many of these clubs are the heartbeat of their community, they don’t just exist to service the ‘premier’ competition.  

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    31 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

    I like how Cal calls it a quirk rather than complete and utter balls up 

    He obviously can’t given who he’s employed by, but tbh I think he’s conceding as much with the word “quirk”. 

    It was so obviously foreseeable. 

  • Quote
    2 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

    Many of these clubs are the heartbeat of their community, they don’t just exist to service the ‘premier’ competition.  

    Well in a way they do, they provide pathways to the AFL.

    If I’m a player pushing to get on a list I’d much prefer the chances are increased with longer or multiple signing periods. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
    9 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

    Many of these clubs are the heartbeat of their community, they don’t just exist to service the ‘premier’ competition.  

    Do they.

    VFL clubs suck players in and out each week from these comps dependent upon the availability of AFL players

  • Quote
    7 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

    Well in a way they do, they provide pathways to the AFL.

    I’ll give you the hot tip: the Sturt footy club, the Port Melbourne footy club even the Vermont footy club don’t view themselves as ‘pathways’.  They have rich histories, sponsors and supporter bases.
     

    They concede some flex in the current SSP system to help give their players a chance at the top stuff. Any suggestion the AFL can just do what it wants with this SSP is just ignorant of the passion and the strength of clubs and supporters at the lower-league level (it isn’t always just about the players). 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Clap 1

    The AFL also really need to make their mind up on structuring the second tier competition below the senior comp.

    The current ‘VFL’ competition is ridiculous with 21 sides, season starting weeks after the AFL, multiple bye rounds, some clubs playing multiple times and then not playing other sides once…

    Really they should have an Eastern Football League as the 2nds comp and only have the AFL affiliated clubs of the VIC, NSW and QLD clubs to compete.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    3 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

    I’ll give you the hot tip: the Sturt footy club, the Port Melbourne footy club even the Vermont footy club don’t view themselves as ‘pathways’.  They have rich histories, sponsors and supporter bases.
     

    They concede some flex in the current SSP system to help give their players a chance at the top stuff. Any suggestion the AFL can just do what it wants with this SSP is just ignorant of the passion and the strength of clubs and supporters at the lower-league level (it isn’t always just about the players). 

    They can view themselves as however they want, the fact is they are small in comparison to the size of the AFL.

    I understand the rich history of a lot of these clubs, similar to the WAFL and VFL/VAFA clubs. Unfortunately it’s a different world now to what it was and the AFL is a huge business and generates a lot of revenue. That competition will always be put first and it should be. Obviously they need to be investing in grassroots clubs and these secondary competitions, but they also need to ensure there are rules in place that enable players to get on AFL lists.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
    31 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

    He obviously can’t given who he’s employed by, but tbh I think he’s conceding as much with the word “quirk”. 

    It was so obviously foreseeable. 

    I bet they’ll blame the clubs for the scheduling of unofficial practice matches. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     

    Devastating news for Andy Moniz-Wakefield.

    I feel sorry for him. 😢

    I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.

    Marty Hore has a broken hand too!

    We really are having rotten luck with injuries.

    It definitely pushes a strong case to increase AFL playing lists.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    1 hour ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

    The AFL is the premier competition in the country and most players in these lower leagues would give their left nut to get a crack. I think the afl need to tell these clubs stiff and perhaps provide some financial support where appropriate. The SSP period should at least run until the week of the season starting at a minimum.

    This is exactly the reason lower levels are struggling.  Because the AFL doesn't give a [censored].  Can guarantee Norwood will now struggle this year after losing Boyd, and he was taken a month ago.  

     

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • CASEY: Sydney

      The Casey Demons were always expected to emerge victorious in their matchup against the lowly-ranked Sydney Swans at picturesque Tramway Oval, situated in the shadows of the SCG in Moore Park. They dominated the proceedings in the opening two and a half quarters of the game but had little to show for it. This was primarily due to their own sloppy errors in a low-standard game that produced a number of crowded mauls reminiscent of the rugby game popular in old Sydney Town. However, when the Swans tired, as teams often do when they turn games into ugly defensive contests, Casey lifted the standard of its own play and … it was off to the races. Not to nearby Randwick but to a different race with an objective of piling on goal after goal on the way to a mammoth victory. At the 25-minute mark of the third quarter, the Demons held a slender 14-point lead over the Swans, who are ahead on the ladder of only the previous week's opposition, the ailing Bullants. Forty minutes later, they had more than fully compensated for the sloppiness of their earlier play with a decisive 94-point victory, that culminated in a rousing finish which yielded thirteen unanswered goals. Kicks hit their targets, the ball found itself going through the middle and every player made a contribution.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • REPORT: St. Kilda

      Hands up if you thought, like me, at half-time in yesterday’s game at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs that Melbourne’s disposal around the ground and, in particular, its kicking inaccuracy in front of the goals couldn’t get any worse. Well, it did. And what’s even more damning for the Melbourne Football Club is that the game against St Kilda and its resurgence from the bottomless pit of its miserable start to the season wasn’t just lost through poor conversion for goal but rather in the 15 minutes when the entire team went into a slumber and was mugged by the out-of-form Saints. Their six goals two behinds (one goal less than the Demons managed for the whole game) weaved a path of destruction from which they were unable to recover. Ross Lyon’s astute use of pressure to contain the situation once they had asserted their grip on the game, and Melbourne’s self-destructive wastefulness, assured that outcome. The old adage about the insanity of repeatedly doing something and expecting a different result, was out there. Two years ago, the score line in Melbourne’s loss to the Giants at this same ground was 5 goals 15 behinds - a ratio of one goal per four scoring shots - was perfectly replicated with yesterday’s 7 goals 21 behinds. 
      This has been going on for a while and opens up a number of questions. I’ll put forward a few that come to mind from this performance. The obvious first question is whether the club can find a suitable coach to instruct players on proper kicking techniques or is this a skill that can no longer be developed at this stage of the development of our playing group? Another concern is the team's ability to counter an opponent's dominance during a run on as exemplified by the Saints in the first quarter. Did the Demons underestimate their opponents, considering St Kilda's goals during this period were scored by relatively unknown forwards? Furthermore, given the modest attendance of 6,721 at TIO Traeger Park and the team's poor past performances at this venue, is it prudent to prioritize financial gain over potentially sacrificing valuable premiership points by relinquishing home ground advantage, notwithstanding the cultural significance of the team's connection to the Red Centre? 

        • Thanks
      • 4 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Collingwood

      After a disappointing loss in Alice Springs the Demons return to the MCG to take on the Magpies in the annual King's Birthday Big Freeze for MND game. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
      • 198 replies
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: St. Kilda

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 2nd June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we have a chat with former Demon ruckman Jeff White about his YouTube channel First Use where he dissects ruck setups and contests. We'll then discuss the Dees disappointing loss to the Saints in Alice Springs.
      Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
      Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

        • Thanks
      • 47 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: St. Kilda

      After kicking the first goal of the match the Demons were always playing catch up against the Saints in Alice Spring and could never make the most of their inside 50 entries to wrestle back the lead.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 330 replies
      Demonland

    • VOTES: St. Kilda

      Max Gawn still has a massive lead in the Demonland Player of the Year award as Christian Petracca, Jake Bowey, Clayton Oliver & Kozzy Pickett round out the Top 5. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 31 replies
      Demonland
    View All