Lil_red_fire_engine

As you know I was hot on him this time last year but whilst he dominated at Casey he did not get a fair look in by the old regime compared to some others. I hope he realises his best bet with his skillset is to duplicate the Miers style role at half forward. He now has a reset with a coach that has seen it up close and is on record of wanting to play smaller ahead of the ball and more attacking and instinctive in general. Agree 2026 is his best chance to earn and maintain a best 23 spot.

Thanks for validating my point. Lets check in at end of season to see. I assume you didn't rate ANB either? His workrate and pressure numbers are already elite for a high half forward and his disposal numbers are above average in a role where consistency in that area is difficult. Needs to increase his score involvements in 2026 which I suggest a less constrained game style will show quickly.

Culley 2. JVR 3. Lindsay to be the three to have the highest increase in consistent impact compared to last year. Special mention to Chandler who will start to get better recognition outside of just being a role player and Kentfield who at minimum will start consistently dominating at VFL.

A thread about a mature aged role player taken at pick 64 who did not come through academy paths and played 5 games in his first year may not make it. A quarter of players taken 60-70 never play a game, almost half play less than 10. I don't think he'll be a world beater but seeing his body shape significantly change in a year and his application to not die wondering I would not write him off. At worst he will put pressure on our other forwards to perform and bring their all constantly. Not every player on the list can be in the 23 but everyone needs to make the most of what they bring if their opportunity arises.

GO YOU LIL RED FIRE ENGINE. Great news. Such an important part of our current side and future success. Now just need Chandler to sign up then really aside from Sparrow the remaining are unproven or mainly veterans (30+) and can see how the year plays out.

1+1 will not equal 2 in this situation. Oliver having a good or great year at GWS does not mean regret and it certainly does not mean he would have had the equivalent output at MFC. If anything it will justify moving him on being best for club and player/person. In my view both were too comfortable in the existing situation. Granted he would have had a new coach as a changing factor but the time to cut our losses for the overall good was still the best move.

We lose a mass of possessions and first hands at stoppage without Oliver and Petracca and you lose a high score involvement volume with Petracca but not much else based on 24/25. You don’t lose anything defensively at stoppage or on transition and we lose little in quality clearances. A recharged Steele and a mix of Rivers, Culley, Windsor, Chandler…. looking to make it as mids to complement Kozzie may not look as pretty on paper but statistically will end up more balanced and dynamic than 2025 and certainly less predictable. There might be a want to push Langford and Lindsay in there but I would look to keep them on flanks and wings to continue to build their game and protect their bodies in 2026.

Sharp's endurance is SO GOOD he can cover both wings 😀

I am quietly confident we will finish higher than 2025. I don’t think we will surge into top 4 but with a good run with injuries and a strong preseason we will improve particularly second half of season as the best 23 settles and game style starts to gel. Yes we have lost McVee and Oliver but neither of them were the best versions of themselves in 2025. The loss of Trac and how big an impact this is on field is the unknown. The recruitment of Steele and CJ will balance out the form loss of Oliver and McVee. Whilst not a like for like Mihocek will be a major boost to our tall forward game and should have strong flow on to the development of JVR, Kentfield, Jefferson. Again injuries aside whilst we moved on some other mature age back ups and profile younger, the depth of AFL potential quality on our list is better in my view and should mean pressure for spots across all roles which is always a good thing.

I am sure we will coach all of that out of him before games kick off. No wait it's a new era 😁

@Ted Lasso If all three are there which one are you taking?

And everyone got a bargain and every pick with no single player having a flaw in their game.

Ross Lyon is such a control freak he won't even let someone else present the jumper of whoever they take with pick 50 LOL

BOB or Wright would be good solid additions from my limited viewing and knowledge.

Assuming he is not bid on before us could we force it by saying we will bid on Dean and give them the option of 8 for 9&11? I get confused with the points whether there is a clear benefit to them with that swap?

My sense reading between the lines with Twomey its 2 of Robey, X Taylor, Cumming, Farrow and Nairn possibly in that order at 7&8. No mention of us with Grlj or Sharp.

Twomey has Nairn at 24 in his October guide. Pickett was not even mentioned in his year.

The same world where JT plucked Jackson, Pickett, Windsor, Tholstrop higher than any phantom was anticipating this far before the draft. I cant wait until at least one of his picks is super left field and earlier than the expert groupthink.

More competent yes. Validate where they were selected no. I would exclude Bartram from that bunch being he was a pick 60 who knocked out 100 games.

I know it was a later pick duo but why does Grlj/Lindsay feel like Blease/Strauss to me?

Tend agree that top 10 on a tall feels a reach on exposed form but JT generally does not go with the grain. This feels like a draft where you don't necessarily draft best available or for needs but maybe for best 23 highest confidence which is a touch between the two and leans on attributes to play required roles. Key forwards are generally speculative and come with risk and it doesn't feel like the best potential bang for our buck at 7/8

I would prefer us not draft a key tall but it is no surprise that we still might if we spot value. Our forward half keys outside of Mihochek as the interim veteran are no sure thing. Kentfield showed good first full year development, Jefferson at best will be a third tall if he makes it at all, JVR more your second hard working forward foil. With Petty and Disco likely to settle back, Melksham likely in his final year as an undersized stop gap and Fritsch out of contract it is far from set for the future years at this point.

Not many pundits think Cumming would drift passed 10-12 with Herald Sun reporting we are strongly linked.

Agree with this. The number one thing they need is a big bodied mid. Vic boy who barracks for Essendon. Unless they do not rate his footballing ability (unlikely) or rate Sharp higher there is low chance he gets by. Unlike JT who sees attributes and backs himself in I suggest some clubs reduce their view if they have not seen them best vs best at championships but I think chances are slim. I can see a world though where X Taylor is available at our pick.

I disagree. Surely if one team involves two of their players in the ruck contest then they are penalised. Does it matter which one was right or wrong? They should have just got rid of nomination and let players work it for themselves and penalise accordingly.