On 13/09/2025 at 08:02, BW511 said:

He's played to a level that Sharp, Billings, Spargo, Handerson, Sparrow, Brown, Kolt (yet) & Woewodin have not.

Say what you will about the rest, but Spargo and Sparrow were solid contributors to a premership team - how many premerships has Flanders played in?

While Sparrow hasn't gone to that next level we'd all like him to or perhaps even produce quite as consistently at the level he is capable of, I still see him as a valuable part of the team. If we don't have him, we're dipping into playing the likes of Henderson, Billings, Laurie and co more often and makes for a weaker team.

IMHO, it's easy to look at other teams players through rose coloured glasses, when you don't scrutinise them every week and it's mainly their best games that get noticed widely. If Mat Rowell was a Melbourne player, last night we'd all be beating up on him worse than Trac, that he can't produce in the big games, being just a bully to the mid and lower tier teams. Prior to the Darcy Moore injury, Trac had a number of seasons where his output against the better teams put him as one of the true elite and best players in the comp.

46 minutes ago, BW511 said:

Isn’t that the point, you get what you pay for

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a list filled with quality $1m players, but sadly that can’t happen.

6 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a list filled with quality $1m players, but sadly that can’t happen.

We had the coin to give Houston a nice pay rise if he jumped ship to us last year

2 hours ago, Coolx2 said:

What are we going to give up in the way of picks for FLANDERS , considering we we only have second rounders to date. Also I will ask the same question for Windhager and Heath.

Hopefully we are not going to give away our next year's first rounder.

Swap of next year's first rounder?

Maybe some pick swapping, if Judd leaves to Freo or West Coast maybe whatever we get for that?

In the later half of 2024 Flanders bagged 12 Brownlow votes in as many games, but the difference I find interesting is from round 16 when he clearly changed roles and thrived. He went from a 'rebound 50s' to an 'inside 50s' player.

From that point on he had more than one goal AND more than one goal assist per game, with about 30 disposals and half a dozen clearances every game as well. He broke double figures for score involvements three times, including 11 against us when his entire side only had 18 scores.

I've convinced myself, after initial doubts. He is certainly an AFL-grade player and Lord knows, as presumably does King, that we need more attacking dynamism.

Doesn't look like we could afford FLANDERS as we don't have the currency. Must find another way of getting a cheap mid perhaps someone who has been delisted from another club, plays like Culley. Or an older player like a Dylan Shiel ( not the best example ).

Hardwick's comments about him having a back injury so bad that he probably shouldn't have played at times this year are very interesting.

Is that truly the reason why he's fallen behind Alex fricken Davies? With a clean preseason will he start running and playing with more power?

Maybe the Suns are worried about the injury and are keen to sell now whilst he has value despite Dimma's claims that he's a valued player?

3 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Hardwick's comments about him having a back injury so bad that he probably shouldn't have played at times this year are very interesting.

Is that truly the reason why he's fallen behind Alex fricken Davies? With a clean preseason will he start running and playing with more power?

Maybe the Suns are worried about the injury and are keen to sell now whilst he has value despite Dimma's claims that he's a valued player?

I know little of how clubs go about recruiting players from other clubs but surely a thorough medical is part of it. ie We would do full due diligence re his back injury wouldn’t we?

On 13/09/2025 at 07:30, Whispering_Jack said:

I’m a bit like you in that I don’t watch a great deal of Suns games, especially when they play in the pink attire but I’ll make an exception tonight.

I was however, at the game up north on the coast in late June when Melbourne played the Suns and he did give us a bit of a touch up that day as I recall. I checked his stats and he had 28 touches which placed him third overall behind Tracc (32) and Noble (29) so if Steven King could get him playing consistently at that level, then he would be an asset.

Also, worth remembering is that it’s not necessarily the number of possessions that always count, it’s also their quality.

There are a lot or good ordinary players that have best games EVER vs us in any given season!

I’m intrigued on if Kingy can bring in Flanders and to see whoever else might come aboard with his appointment.

He would have a fair bit of pull from the places he’s coached and fingers crossed that works for us.

There is some talk about Suns chasing Curnow.

If that happens we can forget Flanders.

8 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

I know little of how clubs go about recruiting players from other clubs but surely a thorough medical is part of it. ie We would do full due diligence re his back injury wouldn’t we?

Unless the club has completely lost it they’d do a thorough medical but it’s hard for even a thorough medical to get a full picture. If it’s a clear pass or fail that’s easy, but back injuries are often murky.

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

There is some talk about Suns chasing Curnow.

If that happens we can forget Flanders.

Not sure about that. If they’re after Curnow they’ll need to shed salary and get picks, doesn’t mean they have to go direct to Carlton.

""We're gonna be Flanderisississes""

7 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Unless the club has completely lost it they’d do a thorough medical but it’s hard for even a thorough medical to get a full picture. If it’s a clear pass or fail that’s easy, but back injuries are often murky.

Extremely well said.. Medicals are a key part of ALL recruiting but Backs are famously ambiguous, one doc may say 'he is cooked' whilst another says 'he is 100% good to go for 10 years" -- it is that extreme of a dichotomy. Having dealt with numerous Workcover cases as a Manager at work, I can think of 3-4 cases where we got completely contrasting reports that were as drastic as "they're fine, faking it most likely" to '"this is one of the worst back injuries there can be" from the same case.

BUT, it is imperative to note, some back injuries are clear cut, so it all depends on the specifics.

My info is that he’s going to Carlton if he’s going anywhere.

20 minutes ago, Sydney Pennski said:

My info is that he’s going to Carlton if he’s going anywhere.

Free kick Curnow

11 hours ago, Redleg said:

There is some talk about Suns chasing Curnow.

If that happens we can forget Flanders.

So Flanders and Victorian Ben King for Trac and our future 1st. Between Carlton, Suns and Melbourne. Trac to Carlton, Curnow to Suns, Flanders and King to Melbourne. Or leave Flanders out of it altogether. Or I'd QLDer Walter, but would he take us?

Our Kingy could sell Gold Coast Kingy a faster more attacking game style that will make King more dangerous, he gets to play on the MCG every second week.

It's pretty compelling.

@old55

Edited September 15Sep 15 by Adam The God

C-Grade AFL twitter celebrity Sam Faff having a throw at the stumps

This is from a click bait site but …

New Demons coach discusses list plans, expectations for 2026

Mitch Cleary confirming tonight that we’re chasing Flanders

Wants more midfield time and is expected to meet with a few clubs

1 hour ago, adonski said:

C-Grade AFL twitter celebrity Sam Faff having a throw at the stumps

Sam’s surname is very fitting

What a team we will have with Petracca, Oliver and Flanders in the middle kicking it to Checkers.

Flanders is the age profile and experience we need in our midfield. He is a good linkage player between the arcs, wins 1v1 contests and is a smart user and runner. I think he'd be ideal for us in many ways to phase Viney and if traded, Petracca out of the middle.

Big tick from me.

44 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

This is from a click bait site but …

New Demons coach discusses list plans, expectations for 2026

Article says "King takes the helm at Casey".

I'm guessing that might come as a surprise to King