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There’s a pretty good draft preview for each club here: https://houseoffooty.com.au/2023-afl-draft-club-by-club-previews/

Any thread that mentions, Goody, Club Culture, a loss, a win, the Board, Board Elections, training ground, The AFL, score review, umpires (all genres), journos, CEO (Demons or AFL), tribunal, interstate recruiting, the draft, kicking and game plan. Other than that it's pretty level headed around here.

Sounds as though if Hawthorn don’t take Watson then the Bulldogs will. It’s becoming increasingly likely that we will take whichever one of Curtin or Sanders is available at our pick. Hawthorn: Watson or Curtin Bulldogs: Watson or Sanders Dees: Curtin or Sanders

I had a word with my mate this morning whose son plays with the Pies. The young bloke has to undergo extensive testing by the AFL (due to numerous concussions) before he can resume his career. My friend was talking with Mark Brayshaw. Apparently Gus also underwent the testing procedure and has been given the all clear. I’m not sure about young Nate. Ten concussions and it took him a couple of days to recover from his last knock.

I'm surprised by this. Would have thought there were some more urgent areas for depth firstly rucks and then midfield which has lost some important depth. Just shows you how focused our gameplan and list management is on the backline.

We've got massive problems in every part of the ground at present, but it is the forward line that is the most bewildering. We have four genuine leading / marking options (Harris, Hore, Zanker & Bannan) and not one of them leads or plays in front. It's horrible to say, but Bannan and Zanker have played as though they are scared of getting hurt in recent weeks. If they can't get a cheap kick out the back, they are simply not interested. It's definitely not a talent issue, but there is something awfully wrong down there. The number of times a North player took an uncontested mark five metres in front of a Melbourne player inside our 50 was phenomenal, noting that we actually won the inside 50 count despite kicking just one goal. That's partly on the woeful disposal of some of our midfielders, but playing in front is something you learn in the under 8s. Fitzsimon was clearly our best forward yesterday, and I'd probably rate her game as 3/10. At least she was prepared to provide some effort and physical pressure. The rest were witches hats.

No way any Melb player gets off for the same high impact. Pickett got 2 weeks for crashing into Bailey Smiths torso only in R1. Smith got straight back up and ran off and played a decent game for the doggies from memory. Brayshaw was unconcious and stretchered off with medical staff after high head impact. Maynard cleared to play.

Not sure we needed to trade up to 11 to get him either. Could’ve just used 14 if we were after him

So going by this we would end up with Ryley Sanders and Caleb Windsor.... I'd be pretty happy with that personally. Really I will be happy with one of Sanders, Curtin or Watson at our pick.

I hate Thursday nights. If we’re playing it’s tough enough to watch it on TV, let alone get there if it’s in Melbourne. I’m sure ratings were solid, there’s nothing else to watch, but the question IMO is whether fans like it when their own club plays on a Thursday.

Like others I'm getting a bit over the Alice game, but obviously the club needs the $750K or whatever it is these days. Pleasing that we have an 8 day break into the following week as opposed to the usual 6 day break we have after Alice. And given how we've fared against Freo the last two year at the MCG, it might be a blessing to play them in Alice rather than at the G.

Need to be careful listening to parents of players in same team and without throwing a blanket over all of them. My boy is good mates with Aidan O’Driscoll and parents I speak with are wondering why he’s draftable, they think their kids are just as good. They couldn’t be further from the truth some kids are so clean at ground level, move so smoothly and just make things look so easy the void to Jo citizen is hard to pick up

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/11/12/why-theres-a-lot-to-like-about-the-drafts-best-key-defender/ Mick Ablett is a respected judge of young talent. He ranks O'Sullivan above Curtin and after re-watching the Allies vs WA match, played mid year, I can see why. O'Sullivan was absolutely dominant, not so Curtin. That said, Curtin was on Walter so had a bigger task. The game is recommended viewing as Sanders also played very well.

Thanks, hadn't seen this one. Find it hard to decipher if they have mail or just making educated guesses. It can read either way with some of these write ups.

This is a pretty good phantom. The rationale for selections is very sound: https://houseoffooty.com.au/2023-afl-draft-phantom-draft/

Someone mentioned Hawks flew Phillipou over this time last year too so might not mean too much

I'll add that the f/s points discount is 20% or 197 points, whichever is greater. Pick 56 is designated as 194 points. That means if Kynan is drafted from pick 56 onwards we can match the bid for 0 points. As long as we have a list spot, he is ours if we want him. If he is bid at pick 55 we would need to pay 10 points, at pick 49 we would pay 90 points, at 43 we'd pay 181 points. If this cost got pushed into next year, 37 points is enough to shift pick 18 to 19. 181 points is enough to shift any pick back at least 1 and probably more picks (except for the top 3 picks). So I suspect that unless we rejig our draft hand on the night, we may only match a bid for him if it comes in the mid 50s or later.

I have no problem with 1 game a year in Alice. Quite like it in fact. We have a longish history there now and a growing fan base as well. We have done some good work there of which I'm proud of the club for. Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture and applaud the club for instigating projects like the Santa Teresa Oval Project as well other positive community work.

Three games in a row now where we have been beaten by physical pressure around the ball. Mick has not learnt that Shelley, while great at tackling, cannot actually get the ball or dispose of it. Likewise Lily. So why put these players in the middle? Last week no Paxy, this week no West. We miss the grunt needed in the engine room. This is finals football, not the free running open game which we love. And it is the same around the ground. Finals is physical and we lacked the willingness to play that way. Small wonder we had zero contributions from our forwards, especially when we had to move Kate Hore into the mid to cover the holes there. Kudos to the Irish contingent, Blaithin, Aimee and Sinead, and Hanks, who tried the whole game to show the side what was needed.

Post in thread 'PMBangers 2023 Draft Thread' https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/pmbangers-2023-draft-thread.1348092/post-81752173 Pmbangers has his phantom draft up.

I was thinking 12 hours after

Not everyone on your list improves it but you need coverage

A medal from me.

Hawthorn right into Curtin. Flew him over to Melbourne for an interview today per Cal Twomey. Likely we would end up with Sanders if Hawks opt for Curtin. Dogs would very likely snap up Watson.

I think he now has 3 VFL best and fairest awards, and a third place finish, in his last 4 seasons at VFL level. So he'd be a welcome addition to Casey in terms of quality and he would - at the least - threaten AFL selection. With the departure of Hibberd, Jordan, Dunstan and Harmes, we have lost some of the depth that drives standards and potentially fills gaps. I agree we need to make the case. But I suspect the case is pretty easy. $90k plus match payments is better than VFL payments. Plus a second life line to for an AFL career at a probable finalist is one last change to roll the dice on the dream, that was taken away by an ACL, a broken collarbone and a quad the first time. He played 14 games in his first AFL season. Combined with consistently being the best player in his VFL team I reckon he would back himself in to be AFL capable and live that dream. And if he didn't, we wouldn't really want him on the list anyway.

+1 👍👍

Couldn't agree more. Most people I know like Thurs night footy for the TV aspect and something to do but very few of them are prepared to go to the G on a Thurs night and do the whole nine yards with transport, crowds, expenses etc. I'm sure there are people here that are happy to go on Thurs night and the TV ratings are great but I personally don't like it.

No problem at all with him getting a rookie spot. You need honest toilers as many have already mentioned.

I say go over there and spoil the party.

Players we’re linked to with our first two picks according to the above; Dan Curtin (Key Defender/Midfielder) Ryley Sanders (Midfielder) Connor O’Sullivan (Key Defender) Nate Caddy (Medium Forward/Midfielder) James Leake (Medium Defender/Forward) Reid, McKercher, Duursma, Watson and the Academy picks expected to be snapped up prior to our first pick.

2023 AFL Draft Preview: Melbourne https://central.rookieme.com/afl/2023/11/12/2023-afl-draft-preview-melbourne/

We've been linked to almost every player predicted to go in the top dozen or so, wonder when the real mail is coming

I may be in the minority, but I don’t think he will improve our list

We're probably the match of the round in a stand alone game on a Thursday night so as supporters have an opportunity to get in and out before all of the hoi polloi descends on the place.

Been watching some 2021 games. Thee is no doubt we played with more freedom in 2021. We were extremely unselfish and looked for other players nearly every time. Lots of pats on the back, helping players up when they were on the ground, stepping in when an oppo player was trying to be tough etc That care for our team mates and 'selflessness' disappeared in 2023. Maybe the 2021 hub was conducive to playing like that but thats what we have to get back to.

Last year some of the posters said Judd McVee had a poor season and should have been delisted, guess what he proved that he is a good player in the making. Judging players like Jed Adam, Matthew Jefferson and Will Verrall by their development season is like saying Max Gawn will never make it after 3 seasons since he had 2 reconstructions without a pre-season, give them another pre-season and they may blossom?

100% agree as well Kat and Jane I cannot accept that Maynard decision it makes no logical sense and neither did the Patrick Cripps media fiasco in 2022.

Dees in the NT The Demons will play Fremantle at TIO Traeger Park on the Sunday afternoon of round 12 (June 2).

Happy 1200th page day.

I’ll go with this as well

Forget all this gloom and doom ---- if that thumping doesn't motivate the girls, nothing will. I'm backing them to bounce back with three wins in a row. They have the talent and a wily coach who will address today's shortcomings. Better to have an off day now than in a grand final.

Again ...WHAT AN ABSOLUTE FRIGGEN DISGRACE!

Just got back from the game and obviously pretty disappointed but not overly surprised. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be close, either after six consecutive wins for us the law of averages would go their way and they'd win and win big, or we might get a break early and they'd start doubting themselves against one of the big three and drop their bundle. My fear is that with our easy start to the season we got into some bad habits. Too much Harlem Globetrotter football, flipping it around too much and it not really mattering when we did so. So we got out of the habit of playing direct, efficient football and that's now killing us against the better teams. We can obviously match the physical stuff, we did it so well last year, we were as hard as anyone. But, as I said, we've gotten into the habit of beating weaker teams with our big skill advantage and not being direct and efficient. Geelong are, in my opinion, comfortably the best of the rest. If we play the way we did today there is a real chance we will get done. But if we get back to how we can and should be playing, we can still win the flag. I'd like a rematch against both the Lions and Kangas (or the Crows for that matter), and if we are on our game I would really fancy our chances. I just worry we may not be able to fix our problems fast enough.

The point is to get a tourism department to give the AFL heaps of cash for the honour. It works.

I don't think it's hyperbole to say it's probably the worst game we've ever played, considering the occasion. Hopefully we come up with a solution because Geelong will have a very clear game plan next week.

Doesnt matter whether anyone can launch a case in favour of Maynard or not. Imagine if May or even Joel Smith crashed into Daicos knocking him unconcious in exactly the same action as Maynard. The TV and radio commentators would be going nuts and demanding it go straight to the tribunal. The media would be screaming for blood right up to Tuesday night . Bang! 4- 6 weeks. Season over. We wouldnt appeal. AFL made no serious attempt to suspend Maynard and no appeal. Afl is a rabble propped up by corporate media. Loath them.

Saw an old but good mate at the dog park who is very fair and considerate. He is mad Pies fan. Not a member. He hurried up to me. I offered my congratulations. I dont think he noticed my lack of enthusiasm but he went on how MFC must be disppointed in their season. He then said Angus should give it up. I said Maynards actions were a footy act, were they? He said anyone going through the air cant change the outcome. We are both of a certain age and I replied that you dont have to come down like Abdullah the butcher with the butchers chop! I said "George you were the very model of Justice on top of the Supreme Court. As a judge, I cant believe youve put on the blindfold". He said, underneath Im just a defence barrister.

I hate booing. I never boo at the football. I will, however, hold an exception to that rule for that dog Maynard. Can't stand him.