Lil_red_fire_engine

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

Ok Ok here it is....The Gospels according to Picket Fenceology

B AMW. PETTY. DISCO

H.B TAYLOR LEVER. JIATH

C LANGDON. LANGFORD. WINDSOR

H.F. FRITTA. JVR. SPARROW

F L.PICKETT. MIHOCEK JEFFO

R GAWN KOZZY. CULLEY

INTER STEELE. HEATH. LINDSAY, MELKY VINEY

EMERG LUKER KENTFIELD ( MIGHT SURPRISE AND IF HE DOES HE GETS MOVED TO BREAKOUTS) SHARP. LAURIE. CHANDLER, SALEM. TMAC HOWES

BREAKOUTS

1 L PICKETT

2 AMW

3 JEFFO

4 TAYLOR

DRIFTERS

1 CHANDLER

2 TMAC

3 THOLSTRUP

4 MAY

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

Thanks for posting this. Have you forgotten Rivers?
Like the positional flex and attack in that backline.
Forwardline really lacks defensive pressure and crumbers,

37 minutes ago, Redleg said:

I have written him off previously, but this is the year where he has his best and probably last chance to make it with us.

I have a funny feeling he just may do it.

Good luck Bill.

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.

35 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Chandler is the MOST overated player on the list!

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.

1. 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.

4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Mids:

BLUES: Kozzy Campbell Sparrow Kolt Wings: Onley Culley

white

Heath Windsor Steele Chandler Rivers

Wings: Sharp

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.

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

Prepare for your houses to be trained down. Taylor just collected a ground ball sold some candy whilst moving laterally through traffic gave off a hand ball kept running and received it back before pin point kicking it long down field.

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

17 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

If greeves, phillipou or Higgins-hargrave are available I’d have to imagine they’ll be too good to pass up.

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

5 minutes ago, adonski said:

Looking forward to them thawing out Mick Ablett for another year

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

32 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

37… ? Assuming we keep it as is and don’t trade it up , down or out

It’s now unlikely that Latrelle Sumner-Pickett will be available , but it’s the draft so you never know.

I had optimistically thought Cam Nairn might slip down into this 2nd round range but now seems unlikely. JT might have to call out his name on night 1.

There is still going to be a very good youngster available by this mark. I agree with a few prior posters here that it may depend on our player types chosen at picks 7&8 and if JT wants to add a taller option or top up on a young midfielder

WA: Fred Rodriguez, Sam Swadling

SA: Matthew Leray, Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier, Jett Dahlitz

Vic country: Riley Onley

Vic metro : Rory Wright, Sam Allen

This pick will be our final pick , with Kalani White likely to get our last pick as a matched father son bid.

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

2 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

I wonder if you could swap the Blues 7 for 9 and 11 if they thought they could get ahead of the bid on Dean?

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?

8 hours ago, KoltTheRam said:

I find it very interesting in the November phantom form guide we aren’t linked to Sharp, Grij or Schubert at this point in time. Cal is usually pretty spot on, even this early.

As to who we are linked to, we are named under Robey, Cumming, X Taylor, Farrow, Dovaston, Pickett and Nairn (That’s 2 draft experts saying this now)

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.

8 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Yes but none were rated as low as Nairn this late

Nairn would be the biggest reach we’ve ever had

I usually back JT to a fault but this would be a massive swing and potential miss based on who else would be available

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

42 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Lmao in what world are we taking him with 7 or 8

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.

11 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

I wonder if Blease, Strauss, Bartram, Morton, Toumpas and all of these guys would have ultimately become better and more competent AFL players in the current MFC with the ability to develop players?

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.

4 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

@Turner Grlj at 7, Josh Lindsay at 8. We instantly improve our pace & run, and instantly improve our half back distribution. We can use speed on the ball or creativity to move it. Does that align with the King philosophy? I would think so

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

7 minutes ago, adonski said:

I could live with taking a tall if we split pick 8

Not keen to take one straight up at 8 though

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.

6 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

likely run sheet

1. West Coast - Duursma

2. Matched bid

   Suns - Uwland

3. West Coast - Duff-Tytler

4. Matched bid

   Suns - Patterson

5. Richmond - Robey

6. Matched bid

   Lions - Annable

7. Richmond - Grlj

8. Essendon - X.Taylor

9. Matched bid

   Blues - Dean

10. Essendon - Sharp

11. Melbourne - Josh Lindsay

12. Melbourne - Lachie Dovaston

Gets us … an elite half back with excellent skills and decision making AND a dynamic small forward who loves to kick goals and tackle

(37)Add Rory Wright as a classy onballer to the Dees future midfield mix.

(60) Add Kalani White - father son

Rookie -pick - NGA - Toby Sinnema

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

9 hours ago, FrothiesLiam said:

No chance Essendon is taking cumming over Robey I'd be ecstatic if they did but I think it's a very long shot

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.