Ok so evidently our "premiership window" has closed for the time being. However what I think we are doing is loading up for 3-4 seasons time.

The age profile of that group from Harry Petty down in 3 or so years will be reaching their peak. And they are talented. Plus whoever we can land between now and then (ie flanders is 24).

The older heads who are still contributing will hold on - the likes of Salem fritsch lever and still be playing good football then

Anyway would make a fair bit of sense if this is what we are doing, imho

Edited Friday at 01:162 days by biggestred

8 minutes ago, biggestred said:

Ok so evidently our "premiership window" has closed for the time being. However what I think we are doing is loading up for 3-4 seasons time.

The age profile of that group from Harry Petty down in 3 or so years will be reaching their peak. And they are talented. Plus whoever we can land between now and then (ie flanders is 24).

The older heads who are still contributing will hold on - the likes of Salem fritsch lever and still be playing good football then

Anyway would make a fair bit of sense if this is what we are doing, imho

Our premiership window closed very quickly, probably the next season after straight sets. We went from building, having the contested game and inside 50, to just trying to win games and did nothing new to improve.

I think if, and it’s a big if; if we get Humphrey and Flanders, and maybe a couple further picks, we could be looking to go again in 3-4, maybe.

I think by then Maxy will be gone, Viney is gone too, so we would need a couple more weapons in the future trade periods.

I hope it’s not another few decades like it was last time before we won in 2021…

I believe that this years trade period is the most vital for us. If we go well, we will be fighting again in 3-4. If we don’t, We are probably looking at the next 10-15 in the bottom four.

These picks will be huge in the next trade years to display we have talent and real possibility to be top 4, without them, we really have nothing to argue to bring in new talent.

Edited Friday at 01:292 days by GawnOfTheDead

I jokingly said I'd turn off the GFG, which I have done for now.
But you never know, we saw Adelaide jump from 15th to minor premiers (they did fizzle out though)
Last time an expansion team came in it set us back a little, hoping we've learnt a bit from that.

52 minutes ago, roy11 said:

I jokingly said I'd turn off the GFG, which I have done for now.
But you never know, we saw Adelaide jump from 15th to minor premiers (they did fizzle out though)
Last time an expansion team came in it set us back a little, hoping we've learnt a bit from that.

I think our own decisions set us back. I wouldn't blame the expansion teams.

Just now, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I think our own decisions set us back. I wouldn't blame the expansion teams.

Well yes, we were our own worst enemy a little but it didnt happen at the same time

Sadly it most certainly officially shut!!!

It shut a couple of years ago when Clarry went off the rails and Trac did that injury - amongst many other things

I’m not so we sure we have to wait 3+ years

Pies finished 17th in 2021

New manager, got rid of 2 stars on massive contracts and hit some decent trades in

Top 4 the next year then flag

Not like their team was full of stars. It’s mostly system and how the club is run

Let’s see how we go!!

Many posters seem to assume that we've been defenestrated.

5 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Many posters seem to assume that we've been defenestrated.

...which isn't so bad?

Couldn't happen if the window were closed.

I feel your pane, @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew .

13 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

I feel your pane, @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew .

That usually only happens when you get hit by a sheet of glass

7 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

I feel your pane, @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew .

Now you're being silly.

16 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Window was shut last year. We need to draft as many athletic skillful outside players as they are a dime a dozen. We can the trade in those to fill in a few key roles.

What we need to avoid is the trade ins being crucial critical roles that are hard to find. You can see how hard it is on those team looking to do that.

Its clear the Dees are going for a a bit of a cleanout and mini rebuild. Actually makes a lot of sense considering Tasmania is coming in a few years time.

Tracc doesn't have his heart in staying with the Dees anymore and Clarrie has never got back to his old self after his off-field dramas. Time to give some of the younger players opportunities or their development may be hindred.

Not the only club doing this now btw 😉

Doors shut ....doors open

Windows shut..... you open them again.

Point being nothing needs be permanent.

What was only too painfully apparent is we were gurgling around a sinkhole...wading in quicksand.

Something had to happen. If you had polled ppl 2 months ago and asked them how they viewed the club going forward just about no one would provide the picture we have today.

Yet some pundits has us " not too far from being competitive again" 🤔 So it begs the question , dies what's happening atm tend to make us more or less competitive ??

I've no idea right this minute as we don't know the full make-up of our list or our football brains trust.

I don't know that we will be more competitive but I have a feeling its going to push us closer to being competitive. Like pruning a rose bush. You go hard at cutting away that which you decide to and this give the bush the opportunity to thrive.

I only know that whatever takes the field in 26 will be barely recognisable from this year.

The only thing I'm pretty certain about is we WILL play differently. For two main reasons.

Firstly, those in charge will direct us to. Thats part of the reason there ARE new ppl in charge.

Secondly, those on the field will not all be the same. The new faces will be there BECAUSE they DO play with different abilities and style than those leaving.

Will this open the window ?? 🤷‍♂️

Will we be more competitive?? 🤔🤔 I will put hand up and say ...yes.

Is this a rebuild ?? I dont think so

I'd call it a serious remodel using the framework and best salvageable parts that exist already...along with some handy updates.

Im fascinated... and really looking forward to how all this continues.

The window closed but it wasn't locked.

Ugh. Ye of little faith.

Once you embrace what the old gypsy lady told me in a dream, you can very easily see the many paths back to potency.

We are already locked in as 2028 premiers, so the key is to watch events unfold with an awareness of how they can be a part of that path.

It shut round 12 2024 in Alice Springs. Was pretty obvious to me that day and I called it era defying.

We've regressed significantly since then and I fear we have not hit rock bottom.

On 03/10/2025 at 16:03, beelzebub said:

Doors shut ....doors open

Windows shut..... you open them again.

Point being nothing needs be permanent.

What was only too painfully apparent is we were gurgling around a sinkhole...wading in quicksand.

Something had to happen. If you had polled ppl 2 months ago and asked them how they viewed the club going forward just about no one would provide the picture we have today.

Yet some pundits has us " not too far from being competitive again" 🤔 So it begs the question , dies what's happening atm tend to make us more or less competitive ??

I've no idea right this minute as we don't know the full make-up of our list or our football brains trust.

I don't know that we will be more competitive but I have a feeling its going to push us closer to being competitive. Like pruning a rose bush. You go hard at cutting away that which you decide to and this give the bush the opportunity to thrive.

I only know that whatever takes the field in 26 will be barely recognisable from this year.

The only thing I'm pretty certain about is we WILL play differently. For two main reasons.

Firstly, those in charge will direct us to. Thats part of the reason there ARE new ppl in charge.

Secondly, those on the field will not all be the same. The new faces will be there BECAUSE they DO play with different abilities and style than those leaving.

Will this open the window ?? 🤷‍♂️

Will we be more competitive?? 🤔🤔 I will put hand up and say ...yes.

Is this a rebuild ?? I dont think so

I'd call it a serious remodel using the framework and best salvageable parts that exist already...along with some handy updates.

Im fascinated... and really looking forward to how all this continues.

The window closed but it wasn't locked.

An unlocked window? Maybe we could open it with a Lever.

On 03/10/2025 at 16:18, Little Goffy said:

Ugh. Ye of little faith.

Once you embrace what the old gypsy lady told me in a dream, you can very easily see the many paths back to potency.

We are already locked in as 2028 premiers, so the key is to watch events unfold with an awareness of how they can be a part of that path.

Yep! That gypsy said Gawn's gonna marry Katy Perry.

On 03/10/2025 at 11:16, biggestred said:

Ok so evidently our "premiership window" has closed for the time being. However what I think we are doing is loading up for 3-4 seasons time.

The age profile of that group from Harry Petty down in 3 or so years will be reaching their peak. And they are talented. Plus whoever we can land between now and then (ie flanders is 24).

The older heads who are still contributing will hold on - the likes of Salem fritsch lever and still be playing good football then

Anyway would make a fair bit of sense if this is what we are doing, imho

I think you are dreaming if you think Salem and Lever will be still contributing in three or four years. Even Petty given how injury prone he is in four years time might be shot.

On 03/10/2025 at 11:41, roy11 said:

I jokingly said I'd turn off the GFG, which I have done for now.
But you never know, we saw Adelaide jump from 15th to minor premiers (they did fizzle out though)
Last time an expansion team came in it set us back a little, hoping we've learnt a bit from

On 03/10/2025 at 12:35, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I think our own decisions set us back. I wouldn't blame the expansion teams.

Richmond were down and struggling in a similar position to us when the expansion teams came in. They went on to win 3 flags while we struggled for a few years longer before coming away with one ourselves.

History shows, it's not like Tassie will come in and me super competitive right away and that other existing teams will still be the ones competing for the flag. Although Tassie will likely starve the competition of new talent and steal some of the existing talent, that could actually represent an opportunity if we can be one of the good teams at the time, by creating greater stratification in tallent throughout the league.

I'd like it if we could be more like Richmond 2017 - 2020 era when Tassie comes in.

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Back to the dismal early 70s !

Honestly, I don't think we're very far off competing for a flag again right now. Finished with one of the best % outside the 8, we beat the premiers Brisbane on their home deck, came close and should have beaten Collingwood twice - when they were playing well the first time and even late season they showed they could turn it around and beat Adelaide and push Brisbane for a while.

If we can do all that while being handicapped by not being on top of our ball movement, lacking in confidence and with the aura of negativity that's haunted our past two seasons, then just watch us go in 2026.

If we loose Trac, while it will have something of an impact, I'm not convinced it will be catastrophic (we was nowhere near 2nd B&F type good this season IMHO) and if we've lost him, it should also mean we've secured something pretty good in return. If that eventuates, then I really do hope we secure someone like Humphrey's in return, otherwise the pressure on a 2nd year Langford is going to be huge, although maybe it also creates the space for someone like Rivers and/or maybe even Sparrow to step up and take the reins.

I think the real lessons that the club has learnt from that post 2006 era is that tanking and bottoming out just to access the low draft picks isn’t the pathway to success, rather keeping a ballanced list profile and striving to always to be competitive is the way to go. Keeping a ballanced list profile is something think we have acheived ever since 2021, by participating ways with the likes of Harmes, ANB etc and natural retirements of guys like Hibbo, BBB and the untimely retirement of Gus as evidenced by the post of @biggestred.

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

2 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Honestly, I don't think we're very far off competing for a flag again right now. Finished with one of the best % outside the 8, we beat the premiers Brisbane on their home deck, came close and should have beaten Collingwood twice - when they were playing well the first time and even late season they showed they could turn it around and beat Adelaide and push Brisbane for a while.

If we can do all that while being handicapped by not being on top of our ball movement, lacking in confidence and with the aura of negativity that's haunted our past two seasons, then just watch us go in 2026.

If we loose Trac, while it will have something of an impact, I'm not convinced it will be catastrophic (we was nowhere near 2nd B&F type good this season IMHO) and if we've lost him, it should also mean we've secured something pretty good in return. If that eventuates, then I really do hope we secure someone like Humphrey's in return, otherwise the pressure on a 2nd year Langford is going to be huge, although maybe it also creates the space for someone like Rivers and/or maybe even Sparrow to step up and take the reins.

I think the real lessons that the club has learnt from that post 2006 era is that tanking and bottoming out just to access the low draft picks isn’t the pathway to success, rather keeping a ballanced list profile and striving to always to be competitive is the way to go. Keeping a ballanced list profile is something think we have acheived ever since 2021, by participating ways with the likes of Harmes, ANB etc and natural retirements of guys like Hibbo, BBB and the untimely retirement of Gus as evidenced by the post of @biggestred.

Did we actually bottom out after 2006? After making week 2 of that year's finals i reckon nearly everyone thought we could reach the finals in 2007. Instead we kept losing close games and after a tiny recovery (similar to us beating Lions and Sydney in a fortnight this year) we were maybe 2-11 and Daniher left. The nect two years we were 1-10. Again i doubt we were bottoming out as a tactic - our cupboard was just bare. I get the feeling that if somehow we did what Hawthorn did 2 seasons ago and wnet from 1-6 to 14-9 or so we would've embraced it. Im sure some coaches (hello, Ross Lyon) keep persisting with older stars too long leaving the next generation underdeveloped . I'm just not sure clubs have deliberately ruined their teams for 'magical' draft picks. Otherwise i agree with your post