On 23/11/2025 at 13:26, Little Goffy said:

When people described things like his willingness to break through tackles and play on from a mark, I got nervous picturing a guy who was just bigger than everyone else and stomped through them, or who was so used to being able to get past the opponent on the mark that he automatically went for it.

So I'm pleased with the details where he clearly knows to turn his direction just a little and give his body a twist to shake tackles off, rather than just crash through them, and he also lands on his feet ready to move after he takes a mark, which gives him a one-step advantage if he decides to take on the marker.

My read is that his strengths come from things which are innate - instinctive play and simple physical advantages - while his weaknesses are trainable if he is willing to do the dreary grind to correct them - the ball drop and the handball power.

Could really be something if he chooses to.

Unlike Viney then....

On 23/11/2025 at 11:33, Port Demons said:

Moves like a taller Angus Brayshaw. Hope he does really well.

I hope in a year or two's time we can comfortably talk of him as being as good as Gus. That a high level you have set for him.

Interesting player, after watching him in the vic metro v vic country game he was one of a few who stood out for me, in that game he made a couple of eye catching runs down the middle of the ground , he was also good at shrugging and evading tackles, he also seemed to have a nice burst of speed for his size . It was a surprise to me why he was overlooked in the draft . Looking back at that game one thing i also noticed about him is that i didnt really see him use his height to his advantage ( think Harvey Langford as an example) and maybe the reason he was overlooked . I think onley has the perfect player in Harvey Langford who he can learn alot from.

Gives me huge Joel Freijah vibes. Hopefully he can have the same level of growth!

On 23/11/2025 at 13:02, beelzebub said:

Imho Onley will be among a group coming in that all have a footy i.q. But they're raw and at the start of their AFL careers. I find it no mere coincidence that we've a chap on board with extensive Gippsland knowledge and experience and we've a crop over recent times of some good Power talent.

I think we're building a better capacity and capability to develop such ilk.

Riley will benefit from entering into a system with elite mentoring. King is going to have an inherent knowledge of how to utilise tall mobile utilities. It's now up to the club to take these raw talented recruits and develop them into weapons. This refinement will take a little time. There will be good days and not so good days . Invariably it takes a varying time frame for players to settle, lose the awe of being there and get to tge work at hand.

A lot of "learnings" are going to be crammed into the coming months.

We ( well more than a handful here ) have lamented the dearth of 'intelligent" footy in Melbourne games over recent years.

I think Ron will come on well with suitable guidance.

DEES going to look very different in 26.

So will Casey... and some of these lads will play there initially. Riley like everyone else in Red and Blue has an opportunity to put his hand up..... granted when he does...its higher than most 😉 🤣

Good luck to all

bb can you please not use that "learning's" it is an abomination.

On 24/11/2025 at 08:58, layzie said:

I think 3 or 4 years ago when strong bodied midfielders were the hot ticket you would have banked him to go in the top 30.

You don't need all 22 (sorry 23) to be great kicks as long as there's enough to feed it out to!

And get the ball in the first place.

He looks slow for an AFL prospect so he will need to be good on the inside.

6 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

He looks slow for an AFL prospect so he will need to be good on the inside.

“His efforts of 2.884 seconds in the 20m sprint, 75cm in the standing vertical jump, and 98cm in the running vertical jump would have put him in the top two for each event at the combine.”

No worries.

The more I hear about Onley the more impressed I am and to think we picked him up as a Rookie. Crazy stuff.

13 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

He looks slow for an AFL prospect so he will need to be good on the inside.

You're confusing him with that other Riley Onley

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

You're confusing him with that other Riley Onley

Riley Butalsoe?

Edited yesterday at 12:531 day by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

On 23/11/2025 at 16:39, DeeZone said:

Funny that you say that LD-vC but I have heard several other coaches mention “Learnings” during Press Conferences, so it may now be part of the coaching vernacular. lol.!!

When you dig down the word "learnings" was a legitimate word until it fell out of fashion in the 19th century to be replaced by lessons.

It then re-appeared in corporate speak in the fifties along with equally horrible words like "unpack."

My other useless word is that used by fancy highly paid barristers in the various appeal courts. They don't advance an argument they "adumbrate" it.

Bring back Cor Blimey is what I says mate !!

22 hours ago, beelzebub said:

You're confusing him with that other Riley Onley

Moderators - 🤔 urgently needs reinstatement.

23 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

He looks slow for an AFL prospect so he will need to be good on the inside.

He’s 💯 NOT slow

On 26/11/2025 at 21:51, Fat Tony said:

He looks slow for an AFL prospect so he will need to be good on the inside.

After watching him up close today, he ain't slow and his endurance is better than all the other new recruits doing repeat high paced runs finishing first every time. My only knock on him at this stage is his awkward kicking at times. But that's why we have trainers... to help players develop their technique.

8 minutes ago, Where Demons Dare said:

awkward kicking at times. But that's why we have trainers... to help players develop their technique.

😮 do we have some new basic skills coaches / trainers because the last lot couldn’t get their message across too well??

6 minutes ago, monoccular said:

😮 do we have some new basic skills coaches / trainers because the last lot couldn’t get their message across too well??

We have a new Development team at the Dees these kids will want for nothing, it’s going to be great to see these youngsters having the development resources at their fingertips.

10 minutes ago, monoccular said:

😮 do we have some new basic skills coaches / trainers because the last lot couldn’t get their message across too well??

Skills weren't great to be honest today. But it's a new game plan and everyone is still figuring each other out with the massive turnover of staff and players this off season. Our composure will improve in the coming weeks. Even Kingy is absorbing a lot as head coach, I expected him to be more demonstrative and loud, barking instructions but he was quite tame.