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Unfortunately, I read it. Possibly the most pointless article ever written.

I'm not sure they divide the salary cap into areas of the ground, but one thing that is absolutely certain is that once a player is on a contract north of say $800 he’s in the spotlight. It’s often not easy to do, but a List Manager can quickly solve a lot of challenges by moving on one player on a million rather than 2 or 3 for that money, particularly, when that Player is a Ruckman, who as we know, are held in varying degrees of importance by different Coaches. This was an immaculate meeting of needs as the Dees were desperate to replace Jacko and Craig identified Brodie as the best way to solve multiple needs. When you combine what the Dees are paying Brodie, what they had to give up for Brodie, plus what they got for Jacko, in my opinion, this is a truly Golden Deal for the Dees.

I don't follow the rules on this but always amused when seasoned players get rookied. Hibbo never gives in and I have always liked that, Melk is just mercurial. Both still have a place at the club.

I think he premiership window just widened with the recruits Brodie Grundy and Lachie Hunter quality players who if they play at their best will help us win at least another premiership.

All this talk of frogs and legs reminds me of this.

We have continued to improve each week & we’re a well balanced even team who doesn’t rely on 3 or 4 superstars to win it for us. We’re a vastly different side to the one who played Bris and Nth earlier in the year . Playing away from Casey will help our goal kicking as well

He was when playing us

Reading Ian Munro's makes me even more [censored] off at how long this has been going on for. This needs to be sorted out and soon, it is an embarrassment that the oldest club playing out of the MCG still doesn't have a proper training/admin base.

Not to mention Hibberd played pretty well later in the season.

As a father of two boys born in 2006 and 2007, I’m not surprised the potential draftee’s don’t follow the Dees, their footy interest would have started between 2009 and 2017. We couldn’t attract much support back then

Hard to see how we don’t win another 2-3 flags 💪🥳

I think this graph shows how enthusiastic crowds tend to be in their team’s first year. With the exception of Hawthorn (who have many problems ATM) the top 3/4 are new expansion teams whose audiences are enthusiastic for their first year. You would think their numbers will fall a little next year as we get a realistic idea of their true believers. This makes it a remarkable result for MFC as we continue to have the strongest non-expansion crowds and clearly have the strongest support for AFLW of any club. The teams high profile players, excellent play and strong amount of AFLW content on our platform all contribute. It’s also our super dedicated supporters who have been their since the beginning at MFC. It’s even more remarkable given for a lot of our supporter base Casey is so hard to get to (I drive an hour each way to go)! Hopefully we can get a flag to go with it!

A Geelong "mate" of mine said he thinks its very good for Melbourne and hes worried. He said last time Geelong had 2 big ruckman in King and Ottens they won a flag.

Jeepers... impressive junior career.

I suspect part of the delay is that either or both could be redrafted as rookies rather than the main list if we need spots. Say we trade 13 for a pair of picks in the 20’s and then take Finn Emile whatever his name is after pick 40 we’ve suddenly used 4 list spots and would need the veterans on the rookie list.

Wow I don't think I've recovered from that game yet. Up there with the most bizarre footy matches I've ever seen. From the percentage chase to the half time sideways deluge, to that incredibly frustrating ending, has there ever been a more enthralling 78-point victory? Other have already vented the frustration, so I won't add to it except to say that I admired the team's reaction in the moment in what would have been very disappointing circumstances (regardless of what they said). Also thought that their attitude in the game itself was great. Ruthless but humble is how I'd describe it, with respect for a clearly outclassed opponent without ever showing mercy. ANYWAY, so glad for Mackin to get her goal. Loved it. Heath too. Zanker - confidence plus and equal third in the season goalkicking is nothing to sneeze at (13 is one better than in her previous five seasons combined, albeit shorter and some midfield seasons in there). Harris in the ruck has been pivotal. Shout out also to Chaplin, who has taken her chance and cemented her spot in her first year - her penetrating kick could become a weapon. Hore's pressure up forward set a great standard. Birch and Gillard are growing into a formidable combo. You can only play who's in front of you, and it seems the coaches have not allowed for bad habits to creep in structurally against some weaker opponents where a less stringent adherence would probably still reap rewards. Hopefully this pays dividends against stronger attacks and when the real pressure comes. By all means, we're capable of better, but this gives some context to our accuracy woes. Like Brisbane, we generate more shots, kick more goals...but also more behinds. Of course, against poor teams where we can lock the ball forward, a point often becomes a seven-point play and then likely possession again from the middle. That won't be the case against teams better at exiting and clearances.

Many thanks for the insights. My pies tragic friends are devastated to lose him and keep de goey. Culture loss big time they say apart from grundy being a star.

There’s no point burning a future pick if it only lets us have the choice between Lucas Cook & Brock McLean.

And we've got Gawn, Fritsch, Petracca and Oliver and Pickett

Happily for us Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall is apparently very unlikely to come up for Friday’s match. She is both an inspirational captain and arguably their best player.

Nibbler is a total enigma to me. His transitional running and positioning I know is really important to our game. In 2021, when he got the ball, he did good things. In 2022 when he got the ball he would often make bad choices or cough it up. There is a bit of me that just thinks we should get rid of him, but I just don’t know how we would fill the hole. When he strings it all together the way he did in our 21 campaign he is an absolute lock. I don’t know why the difference between his best and worst is so big but it is very frustrating. The coaches definitely see something I don’t though, there is no way he would have been in my top ten for demon players last year. He’d have been lucky to make my top 20

Gold Coast’s window must be into an alternative universe where they don’t perpetually suck.

I think like a lot of the players the 2021 year was better.

There are some horrifically bad numbers there, particularly for teams such as the Bulldogs and Freo, who have been in the competition since the outset. Even Collingwood's numbers are poor. I don't think some of the fixturing helps, eg putting games at venues such at Casey at 5pm on a Sunday. Thankfully we have a team that plays attractive football and is good to watch.

When in doubt, keep your money in your pocket od.

DJR You have a right in querying my question about Brodie and saying that I don't think he will be an embarrassment in our midfield. Yes he has a great CV but we I believe will try and get a more midfield role in his game to than at the Pies. My point is that he has some good mid field skills more than most rucks and should be able to learn/ adapt to suit our on the ball style of recent years. I also think he may take a month or so to hit top form after his injury and length of time omissions in 2022. But the jury may still be out about his role and suitability for a part of the year irrespective of your glowing AA etc CV.

So every team has a premiership window? Or rather the club will be at its peak in the year range specified, which may lift one or two clubs to ninth...

Interesting to see that Harry Lemmey was considered a possible number 1 pick at the beginning of the year and then dropped off throughout 2022 until a strong finish playing in defence for West Adelaide.

If we did that, no other team would interfere.

You're all doing 'the right thing'. Best wishes; I'm sure the girls draw a lot from the DA. You all sure make good viewing!

His mate Mitch Szybkowski might be worth at look as well depending on the needs of other clubs. Elite runner, captain of Stingrays, good character, gets his hands dirty: https://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/sport/2022-10-31/the-rise-of-mitch-szybkowski/

I'm sure grass root netball associations would love that 15mil for Infrastructure as well. A lot more people play and follow Netball in Vic than follow the mfc. The bottom line on the facility upgrade it has to have or appear to have more community benefit than just a facility for mfc. If we haven't done so already we need to be adding in Reach Foundation into the facility, teenage mental health and support needs to receive the funding and facilities it needs.

"I don't think he will be an embarrassment in our midfield" - WTF the guy is a two time AA. What has Jacko shown? Except for the H&W game against Brisbane his year was very ordinary. He might turn out alright but at the moment a fit BG would take him to the cleaners.

Dees are so lucky to have got such a wonderful footballer as a replacement for Luke, but honestly, there’s not a better person in any footy club than Brodie. Ben Brown is a beauty, but Brodie is something special. We had very influential people at Collingwood telling us all the time, that there was no better trainer at Collingwood than Brodie, and one of their Physios recently told me that in his seven years at the Club, as long as you didn’t want to talk footy, because he’s not a footy head, you couldn’t meet a more interesting and engaged person with whom to talk. Also said that he’s so good with the young blokes. I can also assure you all that there are no doubts at all about lingering effects of last seasons injuries, Brodie 100% fit and ready to go.

What is your objective Dazzle? Is there a player you are particularly targeting or is it just "let's get an earlier pick and hope there is someone there we like"? I don't understand the desire to get earlier picks. Post the finals I read post after post lamenting that we didn't give many of the players at Casey a go in the seniors. These players didn't play in the final game against Brisbane - Bowey, JJ, JVR, TMac, Laurie, Howes, Turner and Chandler. All would have expectations of making a genuine claim for regular senior footy next year. This doesn't include JSmith, Tomlinson and Dunstan nor Hunter (Grundy for Jackson is like for like) or Schache. We have good senior depth and some good young players coming through who need a career path and we need to find out who can and who can't play. My view is we don't need anymore "fair average quality" talent (a pick in the 20's) and if we are going to be successful in the long term we need elite talent to come up under Oliver, Petracca etc. I take the opposite view to those wanting to trade up the board. If there is someone we really like at 13 then use it but if not, then we should trade it out for a future 1st. That would leave us with 3 firsts next year (and our future first) and two seconds. That is an astoundingly good position to be in and would allow you to 1) trade up for earlier picks in a very good draft, 2) attract and be able to satisfy a club for an elite talent , 3) just take 5 picks in the top 35 of a very good draft. We don't need to trade up for the sake of trading up. If there is a specific target then fine, if not we should play the long game.

Sticking with the South Australian theme, Jaiden Magor should be in the mix at 37. Another who likely would have placed higher if not for injury.

Wide Trifecta and a wide F4 for me ... and I'm including a few of the overseas horses and a few locals But it's a lottery especially with the weather closing in on the day ... Heavy 8 or worse and it's a crapshoot

Article mentioned he's more in the frame for dees and saints picks in the 30s. It also mentions his draft range will be from late teens to 40s and that Adelaide "may consider" matching a bid if he falls past 40. Doesn't really speak glowingly to him that the club who have watched over him aren't even a certainty to match a bid and the quotes from anonymous recruiters in the article don't seem that impressed with him.

From what I have read Jefferson is going to take years to develop. I think we need to draft a player that can have an impact in the next year or two with at least one of our picks, preferably 13.

Given that he hasn’t really been mentioned in any of the phantoms or in the top 30 prospects, if we were keen on him would we not be better to trade up from pick 37 into somewhere in the 20s and grab him or another key position. Grab a good midfielder if one slides to us with pick 13 if not grab a good lockdown/ rebounding defender to cover the loss of Hunt and a replacement for the pig. I’m keen on us getting a good defender with a strong body that will be ready to play next season. Could also allow Bowey to play further up the field.

Yep, good stuff @Nascent, sound rationale all the way through.

Fair effort @Nascent 👏👏

Interesting selections for your phantom draft. Great stuff and plenty of food for thought.😎👍 I am going to wait a little while and then consider doing my own. There are two main elements to consider. 1) As mentioned previously, the ultimate decision of best talent available versus needs basis requirements. 2) Do we risk taking another interstate draftee due to the "go home" factor or go for a Victorian? Either way, I am certain Jason Taylor and the MFC recruitment staff are having these important discussions.

ROUND 2 21. GWS - Harry Barnett - Ruck - 202cm 93kg The best ruck in the pool, Barnett is an impressive athlete and strong contested grab, showing potential as a Key defender. 22. West Coast - Darcy Jones - Mid - 175cm 67kg Explosive midfeilder who, despite his size, has a strong contested game and is good in traffic. May start his career as a small forward before getting midfield time at AFL level. 23. Bulldogs - Jacob Konstanty - Small Forward - 176cm 70kg High pressure forward who applies great defensive pressure while constantly hitting the scoreboard. Should pair up well with Weightman who is more of a lead up small. 24. Essendon - Henry Hustwaite - Tall Mid - 194cm 84kf Essendon finally acquire a big bodied midfielder. While not a quick or powerful player, Hustwaite finds time and space and has great agility for a player his size and has neat disposal. 25. North - Max Gruzewski -193cm 84kg One of the big question marks of the draft for me. Shows enormous potential with amazing overhead marking ability. Has played a mix of back and forward and think the Kangaroos will need to look at a tall consider a tall here given their recent drafting. 26. Essedon - Alwyn Davey - Small Forward - 181cm 77kg - (matched f/s bid) - Essendon get a gift and happily match a bid with Davey sneaking past their first pick. 27. Hawthorn - Lachlan Cowen - Medium defender - 188cm 81kg Running half back that has a booming kick and good defensive traits. Hawks have taken multiple mid/forwards in recent draft so have gone for the defender here. 28. Collingwood - Charlie Clarke - Mid/forward - 182cm 75kg A player I wouldn't be surprised to see taken in the first round. Strong contested forward with speed. 29. West Coast - Coby Burgial - Mid/forward - 183cm 80kg Would have happily taken Burgial earlier in the draft but couldn't find a spot I was happy with. Yet another mid forward with speed. 30. Collingwood - Adam D'Aloia - Mid - 186cm 86kg Adam is as credentialed and consistent as they come as a contested inside mid with solid defensive traits. Appeared 7 times at SANFL reserves level including finals where he acquitted himself well. 31. St Kilda - Mitch Szybkowski - Mid - 186cm 86kg Contested inside mid that may help ease the load on Steele. 32. Adelaide - Max Michaelanney - 190cm 78kg - (matched f/s bid) Adelaide commited to matching a bid for the 192cm defender. 33. Carlton - James Van Es - Key Defender - 197cm 99kg Don't rate Carltons key defensive stocks outside of Weitering. Van Es provides strong intercept ability as well as stregth in the contest one on one. 34. Freemantle - Isaac Keeler - Ruck/Forward - 198cm 88kg After loosing some talls in Lobb Louge and Meek, Freemantle could opt for a a developing ruck/forward that has some of the most upside potential in the draft. Question marks over his contested ability. 35. GWS - Harry Rowston - Mid - 182cm 78kg Suspect this will be their last selection and have gone with their NGA product who can develop as another midfielder. 36. St Kilda - Cooper Vickery - Medium Defender - 181cm 72kg Has great speed and intercept ability and uses the ball well and racks up large numbers, covering the ground well with plenty of run from defense. 37. Port - Jaidon Magor - Mid/forward - 184cm 75kg Will admit I haven't seen much of this player, but have read plenty and is getting huge wraps as a powerful mid forward that hits the scoreboard. kicked 21 goals in 10 games. Power may see a spot for the local product in the forward half with Butters to spend more midfield time, Gray retiring and Dylan Williams not coming on as expected and now delisted. 38. Melbourne - Sam Gilbey - Medium Defender - 187cm 73kg What to do with the Dees last pick. I have ended up siding with the Medium defender with exceptional footskills out of WA. A broken leg has ended his season early and may impact his start to pre-season. Will add depth to the defenders department that has lost Hunt and with Hibberd in presumably his final year. Other players I considered in the mix at some point in the first 2 rounds. Blake Drury, Jakob Ryan, Hugh Bond, Toby McMullin, Phoenix Foster, Kobe Ryan, Harvey Gallagher, Luke Teal, Ted Clohesy, Jonti Schuback, Jackson Binns, Archie Lovelock, Max Knobel, Harry Lemmey

Give him time to grow into his body and develop in the 2’s. Just look at Taj, he didn’t leap out as a contested beast in his draft year either, but he is developing very nicely at Casey and will be a player before too long imo.

Ooze was never the hardest player going around in his day. As long as you go when it's your turn, we desperately need some silk through our side.