SSP contenders

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,053]

Am I allowed to question a player's character based on appalling hairstyle choices?

[picket fence 17,992]

23 hours ago, DubDee said:

No ANB, Kozzi, McAdam, Spargo still recovering 

We need George on the list. 

Harsh on Jai but that’s the reality 

No to George, unless they put Kentfield or Toltoys on the LTI List. Big tick for Culley from what I have seen at training and in match sims!

[Left Foot Snap 2,561]

2 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Am I allowed to question a player's character based on appalling hairstyle choices?

I do....

[Gator 17,981]

4 hours ago, fr_ap said:

Ok. Not sure why you're staunchly committed to defending a player that we haven't even signed yet. 

He has attributes - he wouldn't be in the realm if he didn't. I'm certainly not against giving him a shot. 

But a balanced view informed by more than what you have seen - opinions of eagles fans who watched him for 2 or 3 years - is that he is slow. Its not something that remains to be proven. 

There have been slow champions and he may yet be one. But he is slow. 

Can you quote back to me the part where I'm "staunchly committed to defending a player that we haven't even signed yet".  Thanks.

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,254]

46 minutes ago, picket fence said:

No to George, unless they put Kentfield or Toltoys on the LTI List. Big tick for Culley from what I have seen at training and in match sims!

Do you think he could crack best 22? And if so, what type of role?

[Slartibartfast 18,031]

8 hours ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

We are going into season with Oliver, Trac and Viney to play the main roles as normal. Plus we have a want to give Rivers and Langdon significant minutes in there. Plus we want to rotate Sparrow, Pickett and Langford through there. Unless we get hit with serious injuries again (which is not the current case) how do we think. Culley gets a game. Culley by all reports should be on an AFL list but is it ours?

We have lost McAdam and Tholstrup for significant stretches of the year. Spargo is coming from a long way back. Pickett is out for the first 3 and we want him spinning through the middle. We have a gaping hole for a small forward (or two) on the list. I can see that George does some good things but I doubt he is ready for 4 quarter AFL intensity. I would be offering the spot to Jack Henderson before West Coast pounce. He may not have the upside of George but is proven at VFL and more match hardened in my opinion. We looked at him closely with the pick we took AJ with so would not surprise.

I agree with much of what you’ve said but whoever we pick must have the potential to be a valuable AFL player, not a stop gap to fill in for a few rounds until Kossie, Spargo and Kolt get back. If that’s Henderson then fine but if George or Culley have AFL potential and are better bets than Henderson for the long term then take them. We shouldn’t use a spot to fill a need for a few games. I’ve seen George at training often and he’s got lots of skill and tricks. I’ll not be disappointed if we pick him and he doesn’t play until next year. 

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,254]

3 minutes ago, Slartibartfast said:

I agree with much of what you’ve said but whoever we pick must have the potential to be a valuable AFL player, not a stop gap to fill in for a few rounds until Kossie, Spargo and Kolt get back. If that’s Henderson then fine but if George or Culley have AFL potential and are better bets than Henderson for the long term then take them. We shouldn’t use a spot to fill a need for a few games. I’ve seen George at training often and he’s got lots of skill and tricks. I’ll not be disappointed if we pick him and he doesn’t play until next year. 

Totally agree with you. Not sure why, but we seem to have ignored our issue with quality small forwards for a few years now. We’ve obviously had issues with key forwards as well, but the last two premiers had 3-4 quality smalls playing. Bobby Hill, Ginnivan, McCreery and Elliott in 2023 and Cameron, Bailey, Lohman and Ah Chee in 2024. 

[adonski 12,949]

If they take the punt on Culley it may mean they view Mentha as a player

Could throw AMW back forward too

Edited Sunday at 07:30 by adonski

[rpfc 28,931]

5 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Am I allowed to question a player's character based on appalling hairstyle choices?

[BC_1718_DC 1,657]

On 15/02/2025 at 12:55, BC_1718_DC said:

Think Henderson went over to train with the Eagles with a fair amount of knowledge he’d get the nod to replace Dom Sheed.

Turns out that hasn’t stopped Melbourne from asking Hendersons management about his situation over the weekend. One to watch. 

[58er 6,824]

2 hours ago, adonski said:

If they take the punt on Culley it may mean they view Mentha as a player

Could throw AMW back forward too

Yes thst’s not bad thinking I think AMW should be a HFFlanker  now that most have dried up for differing reasons and timelines,  Kossie ( when available ) should be positioned there often as we need him to be thst X factor forward. 

[58er 6,824]

On 15/02/2025 at 14:54, DeeSpencer said:

If he was quick as a 194cm midfield ball winner he wouldn’t have been delisted! 

From what I’ve seen he looks sharp enough around the contest and a good tackler. Looks like he’s getting mobility back that he didn’t have last year. Not so sure how his pace holds up in space. 

I know I want to make everyone a winger but I’d love to try to develop him on a wing if he has the tank so he can use that height as an extra marking target

Wingers that mark are valuable but wingers that run and create and defend at the same time with pace are game changers and match winners. 

Thats why Lingers is a success and valuable for 5 years plus and The Duke has shown such potential for greater roles  like mid and centre for us,

That’s exactly why Tommo never made a winger. Too slow

You don’t just place a half back with no pace and try to make him a winger. . 

He might be like Mitchell one paced but skills and a sharp step out of trouble in traffic. 

The plus if Culley is a hit that one of the other mids might perhaps bolster the forward line and be a match winner there. Say Kossie Trac or Riv.can still be a half back at times. 

 

 

[Roost it far 9,666]

Do we need another inside mid right now? Can George become best 22 in the next 2-3 years? Who else is available? Where do we see our list holes and overall profile? Will Culley hold a best 22 spot for 5-10 years? Is Kentfield worth persisting with? The club will answer these questions and my hunch is George will get the spot.

[DubDee 26,334]

7 hours ago, picket fence said:

No to George, unless they put Kentfield or Toltoys on the LTI List. Big tick for Culley from what I have seen at training and in match sims!

Fair enough mate 

So who are our small forwards for the first few weeks

Chandler may play the ANB role. Then…

Laurie, Brown, Mentha, Billings?????

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,254]

2 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Fair enough mate 

So who are our small forwards for the first few weeks

Chandler may play the ANB role. Then…

Laurie, Brown, Mentha, Billings?????

It’s fairly bare without Kozzy. I’m guessing Sharp will play some minutes in the forward line. They may have to get creative though unless we pick up a small forward in the SSP… Jack Henderson’s name has been thrown up and he fits the bill.

[DubDee 26,334]

12 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

It’s fairly bare without Kozzy. I’m guessing Sharp will play some minutes in the forward line. They may have to get creative though unless we pick up a small forward in the SSP… Jack Henderson’s name has been thrown up and he fits the bill.

We desperately need a small fwd who can at least put in pressure so we would be looking around broadly i’d say

[picket fence 17,992]

9 hours ago, DubDee said:

Fair enough mate 

So who are our small forwards for the first few weeks

Chandler may play the ANB role. Then…

Laurie, Brown, Mentha, Billings?????

Either of these a chance, but I would be tempted to go for AMW!!🤩

[demosaw 1,135]

45 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Either of these a chance, but I would be tempted to go for AMW!!🤩

Same PF, I like the chaos and pressure AMW will bring up forward, down back I think the moments of inattention can undo his other good work.

[Redleg 41,963]

GW has advised in the training thread that Kentfield is back at training, saying he loves living in Melbourne, but clearly a long way from being match fit due to his illness.

He is obviously not going to play AFL this year, due to the amount of talls and his illness.

Maybe to take the pressure off, we LTI him and if and when ready, he resumes at Casey.

With McAdam in a similar position, we hopefully can add 2 players this week.

We already have Kolt and Judd out for an extended period and we need depth to be maintained.

Edited Sunday at 23:37 by Redleg

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,254]

20 minutes ago, Redleg said:

GW has advised in the training thread that Kentfield is back at training, saying he loves living in Melbourne, but clearly a long way from being match fit due to his illness.

He is obviously not going to play AFL this year, due to the amount of talls and his illness.

Maybe to take the pressure off, we LTI him and if and when ready, he resumes at Casey.

With McAdam in a similar position, we hopefully can add 2 players this week.

We already have Kolt and Judd out for an extended period and we need depth to be maintained.

If he is on the LTI I don't think he can play for Casey.... could be wrong though.

[Pinball Wizard 372]

48 minutes ago, Redleg said:

GW has advised in the training thread that Kentfield is back at training, saying he loves living in Melbourne, but clearly a long way from being match fit due to his illness.

He is obviously not going to play AFL this year, due to the amount of talls and his illness.

Maybe to take the pressure off, we LTI him and if and when ready, he resumes at Casey.

With McAdam in a similar position, we hopefully can add 2 players this week.

We already have Kolt and Judd out for an extended period and we need depth to be maintained.

If he’s back training now then there is absolutely no way in the world that he can be put on a long term injury or inactive list. End of story. 

[Clintosaurus 7,926]

27 minutes ago, Pinball Wizard said:

If he’s back training now then there is absolutely no way in the world that he can be put on a long term injury or inactive list. End of story. 

Blokes back training after an ACL would be on the inactive list though? I reckon if Luker was no chance of playing this year, make him Inactive, sign him for next year as an act of good faith and add both Culley and Roy (or Jack Henderson) to the list. Maybe ask the AFL for dispensation for Luker to play either at Casey or local footy if up to it later on the season.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,985]

12 hours ago, DubDee said:

Fair enough mate 

So who are our small forwards for the first few weeks

Chandler may play the ANB role. Then…

Laurie, Brown, Mentha, Billings?????

 

12 hours ago, DubDee said:

We desperately need a small fwd who can at least put in pressure so we would be looking around broadly i’d say

If we are looking for a small forward who puts on pressure, then I'd be looking at Pup Brown.  From the limited times I've seen him play, I think he's also got great goal sense and ability to execute.

Love to see this guy given a good opportunity play at senior level.

[Ugottobekidding 1,242]

Unless a deal arises that is a win for us, I would make kossie stay.

[Colm 2,195]

33 minutes ago, Pinball Wizard said:

If he’s back training now then there is absolutely no way in the world that he can be put on a long term injury or inactive list. End of story. 

Just wondering if Lurker would be on steroids to help him recover from his illness?! I know my sister was when she was recovering from the same thing. 
Think they give the best chance of lungs fully recovering. 
Would these steroids then mean he wouldn’t be allowed to play?!

I don’t know- just putting it out there to see if anybody else does.