Lil_red_fire_engine

AMW injury aside that’s what you want from an initial hit out. We rolled over them the longer the game went and with 50% of our best 18 watching on. Sharp and Langford I suggest stepped closest to a round 1 lock. Laurie (lacks pressure), Jefferson (lacks any ability to contest) and likely controversially TMac (cost us 3 goals in the first half) all stepped further away from a round 1 chance. Plenty of others were in between. Our backline lacks structure without May to Marshall it. Sharp aside our speed forwards were invisible. Koz good when in midfield and a fair effort cameo from Kynan in the last was the next best. Van Rooyens 4 goals and AJ’s cameo in the last really wants me to see us play AJ forward and as relief ruck again Freo. The man loves contact and looks like he has mobility and ball smarts to go with it. Roo can negate in the middle but we lack inside forward 50 once he relieves,

Welcome Jack. Per the SSP contenders thread he was my preference based on list need and ability to impact short and medium term. Is too good not to be given an AFL chance. Reminds me a lot of Kane Lambert in how he plays.

Welcome Jack.

We are going into season with Oliver, Trac and Viney to play the main roles as normal. Plus we have a want to give Rivers and Langdon significant minutes in there. Plus we want to rotate Sparrow, Pickett and Langford through there. Unless we get hit with serious injuries again (which is not the current case) how do we think. Culley gets a game. Culley by all reports should be on an AFL list but is it ours? We have lost McAdam and Tholstrup for significant stretches of the year. Spargo is coming from a long way back. Pickett is out for the first 3 and we want him spinning through the middle. We have a gaping hole for a small forward (or two) on the list. I can see that George does some good things but I doubt he is ready for 4 quarter AFL intensity. I would be offering the spot to Jack Henderson before West Coast pounce. He may not have the upside of George but is proven at VFL and more match hardened in my opinion. We looked at him closely with the pick we took AJ with so would not surprise.

Interesting but how would this work? To my knowledge he is not injured and is contracted for the year.

You can not replace Koz but Kynan is at the top of queue to fill the role in my opinion. Has repeat speed, naturally pressures and has good drop of the ball smarts. By all he’s reports having a cracking 2nd preseason which I suggest will be rewarded.

I am confused how you can have Lindsay in the side when he has been in rehab pretty much all preseason so far and if I understand comments wont join full training til end of January. What do you base this on? Unrelated, I love Melksham and think he will offer fantastic depth and assist player development but if he is in the side more than a handful of times this year (even as sub) our list has not developed and I doubt we are playing finals. We must start to see up and coming players pass him by,

I love that your side recognises we will make change this season rather than rolling out the same players in same possies. I’m interested whether your bench is just next best or what roles you see Woewodin, Turner, Melksham playing. Noting I have not been to training but I suspect Sharp and Kynans speed and endurance combos will see them well in contention for bench and sub spots.

Thanks for those providing updates and insight. Can someone advise any obvious shifts in players in the forwards, mids and backs groupings. Particularly interested in where Petty and Fullerton were grouped but any other observations appreciated.

Howes being he is out of contract. Oliver to give us the greatest impact. Sparrow if he wants to remain in the best 22. Jefferson to prove the doubters wrong.

Welcome AJ. Our tall forwards were about to be led in age by 22 year old Disco Turner. Selecting a mature in body and age tall with a touch of mongrel and upside I can see the sense in it. Also as others have said I doubt now he has his chance he’ll die wondering.

Welcome Xavier. Smooth mover with polish. Love that we have taken two lefties.

Welcome Harvey. Size, run and inside/outside polish.

Assuming Jagga does not slide to us Langford and Allan my preferred. but wont be unhappy if Tauru or Travaglia in the combo.

Do you really think JT would take him at 5 if he does not believe he will be a gun.

I also wonder with StKilda already having Phillipou is Langford too similar in type. Or if someone trades up for one of StKildas picks will they swoop on another target to get ahead of others or maybe they do it to get their hands on Langford. It’s unlikely but I dont feel it’s impossible.

Assuming we have the choice of Smith or Langford I want Smith but would not be disappointed with Langford (in JT we Trust). When I watch Merritt, Butters, Neale I wish we had one of those types to complement our bulls. Clean, buzzy second possessions connectors who accumulate and make things happen. Jagga is not a carbon copy of any of them but he is in the mould. Anyone thinking he wont impact in 2025 should go and watch his impact in 3 VFL Richmond games without an AFL preseason or knowing his team mates. If Smith at 5 or even if Langford I am all in on Allan next up. He just has X factor attributes in his speed and size combo but also his hardness that I can see his immediate lock into a back flank whilst he develops for the inevitable midfield transition in a season or two. Whilst Jackson went home you just need to look at our depth of WA boys to know we dont draft talent with that concern and back ourselves in (3 year minimum contracts now also assist that settling period). Fantasy maybe but if we take Jagga at 5 is there a strange world where if Smillie goes 6 and one of pick 7/8 becomes a tall where Langford could fall in our laps at 9? (A boy can dream I guess).

The most interesting thing with this update is reading where we are mentioned as linked to players. All the obvious ones would “come into our consideration” at 5. However good to see us mentioned as having Allan and Travaglia linked to our considerations for 9. Armstrong and Reid also mentioned.

Love the pessimism GOTO. Who’s to say JT does not pull another McVee or we take a quality mature from the VFL,SANFL,WAFL that fits a role? We dont need a bunch of mid range picks we need elite additions which 5 and 9 offers. I would not be surprised if our third pick is on a kid we think has the right attributes to play key defence in the future.

Watching Reid’s highlights I dispute the call that he is slow. He’s not lightning but I dont see his outside running being of concern offensively or defensively.

Murphy Reid. 9 minutes of highlights and he fumbles once and he goes to ground once (pressure acts section excluded). Maybe it’s the hair but gee his movement and kicking reminds me of Travis Johnstone.

I assume Hore and Bowser fit the 1-4 year category still?

Smith at 5 if there no buts about it. Assuming Smith complement him with one of Smillie, Travaglia, Allan in that order. I do really like Reid but have nagging concern about taking two smallish mids.

Whilst not a phantom their order would have us getting Lalor and Tauru which I would not have an issue with (though probably prefer Allan at 9 even with the alleged go home factor).

I wonder if player x is available at 9 that we would take but if Richmond really want would they offer 11 and 18 or 20 for 9. As example we may plan to take Armstrong but be willing to let them trade up if they really wanted him seeing the combo of Shanahan (11) and Hynes (18)as greater overall value.