Red and Blue realist

I'm not going to trawl through old papers to find an ad for you, but when I was involved with a local club (non footy) we were approached asking if we had things students could do to get their hours up, plus my kids are involved with little aths and they have students rotate through there occasionally and at their school they also have some attend to assist with P.E (and as far as I know it's a non-paid gig). This is a very very common thing. Also the MFC didn't backtrack on the ad, they clarified for those who got offended.

Where I live the university has run ads asking for sporting clubs (local and professional) to give their students the same opportunities the MFC had. This is just another example of how people want to find outrage in everything, as compared to seeing something for what it is. Sorry if I offend anyone with the type of font I'm using.

There's always going to be variables, such as injuries, Covid, unfortunate bye timings etc. However, if you look at the majority of our existing stats they are encouraging, we averaged amongst the lowest inside 50s against, Port and Collingwood were by far the best but then the Tigs, Cats and Dogs are all around a similar mark. While our inside 50s are close to the majority of the finalists. I would hope with the changes we made during the season, and then with bringing in BBB you would hope our conversion rate is increased (we kicked as many goals as Collingwood - who played 2 more games - but kicked 16 more points), might not seem much but an additional 7-8 goals over the course of the season would have got us a few more spots up the ladder. We've only lost fringe players, but brought in a clear best 22. If we can fix our retention within fwd 50 (back to 2018 levels), which will in turn stop some of those annoying rebound 50 goals, I think we're very close to challenging for the top 4 and also having a major impact on the season.

I think it has to do with the salary cap, that if a player is medially retired then their salary doesn't count (or is only half counted) but not if a payout is reached. They probably can't come out and say he's finished but we're waiting until we can exit him in the most salary cap safe way.

From memory he score in the 90s in the VCE (or whatever it is called), so yes quiet intelligent and I'm sure he's been doing some sort of study while playing, as most do. However, I can certainly see him on a list for the next year or 2, even just as handy back up.

I hope we're trying to get enough endurance into him that he could play as a winger, much like Mitch Robinson at the Lions. I'd put him in as a defensive winger, with Langdon playing more offensively. Have Harmes start all around the ground stoppages on the defensive side, allowing him to stop any movements forward and then also have him attack when he does get access to the ball.

Both are the same height, and do offer a huge tank - as long as TMac can get fit again. TMac also started on the wing in many games in 2018/2019, then went forward, so if we could work it that either TMac or Tomlinson works to get a direct advantage on their opponent then tactically I think it could work. If we're on top then put TMac on the wing and send him forward, while if we're getting beaten then Tomlinson to the wing and he drifts back to assist. Having a tall wingman is a point of difference that can be a real asset if used correctly, it means on kick outs (against) it's easier to defend the non-ruck side, and when we kick out there's an additional outlet, just need them to hold their positions. At stoppage situations they'd both have to hold their positions on the defensive side, while Langdon can be used as more of an offensive weapon.

Don't forget the AFL wanted to try and maximise ratings/clicks and having deals fall right at 7:30 to build the suspense.

As with anything, you could make an argument about any of those sides and why they could drop out: Port Adelaide - Their best players are now all over 30 (Gray and Boak will be 33 during the season, Rockliff, Dixon, Jonas and Hartlett are over 30), so while they've got some of the best kids going around, it wouldn't take much for their veterans to drop off. Brisbane Lions - They've had a really good run for the last 2 years, and were blessed with a massive home ground advantage this year, what happens when they go on the road again, and how much time will Daniher and Cockatoo waste of the medical team. Injuries will happen at some stage. Richmond - Complacency during the season would be the biggest issue, Dusty is deliberately about 10x the player when it comes to finals, but if the whole team played like that they could struggle (they are the least likely to drop out) Geelong Cats - Age, they've sold the farm to try and get Danger a flag, but they've got 10 key players who'll be 30 or turning 30 during the season, eventually the game can make everyone look old. West Coast Eagles - They get a huge home ground advantage, but looked very suspect away from WA, so a few off games could hurt them badly. St Kilda - There team is build using others development, I can't recall a team doing much damage that has been trade for as compared to built, so the team harmony and connection might not be as strong as other teams. Western Bulldogs - they probably have the best midfield in the comp, but the forward line will rely on a 21 year old coming off injuries and a pretty ordinary year, while their backline is pretty weak too. Collingwood - they just [censored] the bed at the trade table, and while hold some class, most of that is older (outside of Moore and Adams) and the forward line struggles to kick a score. Conversely the question needs to be, well there's reasons why teams will drop out - why will the Dees come in? My answer is that our core group of players, Max, Trac, Oliver, Viney, Gus, Harmes, Lever, Salem, Langdon, Lever, May and BBB have all played between 85 and 150 games, so should be entering their prime, 7 of them have played all their games together and outside of Max, May (both 29) and BBB (28) all will enter next season aged under 27. Add in a few veterans and role players (Hibberd, Melksham, AVB, Jetta, TMac, Tomlinson, ANB, Hunt etc.) plus the youth of Weid, Baker, Petty, Spargo, Kossie, LJ and Rivers and we've got a nice balanced list that should play finals.

I think with KK there's a timeframe around medical retirements, so they might be waiting to hit the point where not all of his contract is counted before doing this. This is a good point, plus Gawn, Oliver, Salem and Weid would already be on very good contracts so any increase (in particular for Oliver) would be easily absorbed. The year after TMac and Lever's bigger deals also expire and while Lever will stay and if TMac can find form and re-commit, they won't command as big contracts, so signing Trac up should be easy (from a $ point of view). On the service the list management team have done pretty well.

Happy to trade one of those firsts we just got from Brissy for the Pies first next year, which they will be looking to trade. Things are not right at the filth and they could stink next year.

Assuming North and the Lions finish in the same sports this year (to make the 4th round swaps relevant), we ended up paying around pick 38. That's pretty good going from the guy most don't seem to rate!

Of course there's been discussions, I have a feeling the AFL might have told both us and North to hold off on the trade until 'prime time' tonight. Even if North end up saying no to our final offer, he's out of contract and won't be going back to North, we'd either pick him up in the draft or PSD and I highly doubt anyone else would touch him because they would have wanted to do all the medicals etc.

I think that was purely structural, as soon as he came into the team we played a lot better because we didn't have forwards running around everywhere, he held his position and gave us something to kick too. Brown will replace him in that role, although I have seen stats to show that Brown does cover a hell of a lot of ground (he was one of the highest for key forwards), so he's moving all the time in a small area. I too think Weid's best games have come when he's been moving up the ground, the Geelong final, his game against Adelaide a few years back, but this year he kicked more goals staying forward. I can actually see him moving up the ground a lot more but still kicking a fair few goals from the goal square, he's smart enough so that if his player starts to chase the ball he'll stay back, some will call it getting a cheapy but it's smart play.

Just does whatever is asked of him, ultimate team player. He's never going to be a flashy game breaker that some on here expect but he's going to prove to be a very important part of our team.

They're just reporting that they backed out of a deal they thought they had last night, not that the deal is off all together. the HUN is saying the Blues backed away from pick 8 plus a future 4th for Saad and a 3rd this year. The AFL site is saying the Blues still want a 2nd back. No-one else is in the picture, it'll get done between Ess & Blues, or he'll go PSD.

Mentioned in this article about the kids who missed out on the chance to push their case this year: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2020-the-victorian-smokies-hurt-most-by-nab-season-shutdown/news-story/6c2c4b96dc13feaf9dec6f3f222557b0 Flanker/wingman Deakyn Smith, a natural footballer who played nationals at under-16 level, had worked hard on improving his skills – one of his deficiencies in the past – over the pre-season.

I actually think he could play as a defensive wing, similar to the way Brissy use Robinson. Set him up at the back of stoppages, while Langdon can actively try and run forward more.

There has to be a limit on what we'll spend on players, just because they might be a nice fit doesn't mean we should sell the farm to get them. They might be prepared to give Phillips a contract of say $400k, but the only way to do that at the moment is if the Pies pay a significant % of the existing deal, so yes we would be better to try to continue to develop our own, rather than lose one of our best players in the future.

Maybe we just can't afford him? The rumored contract he is on is around $600k (not sure what's going on at the Pies, but they had a heap of back-ended contracts), so maybe once they said no to TMac that was the end of any discussion we could be involved with. He's not that good a player that it's worth bringing him in and then losing Oliver, Salem, Weid or Gawn who are out of contract at the end of next year, or Trac/Brayshaw the year after.

Hasn't been offered a contract yet, normally by now (Oct 31) if you haven't been offered a contract then you can make yourself a delisted free agent, but I don't know what the rules are this year?? But I would imagine it'll be a minimal type pick if anything, he went to the Bombers for something like pick 60 & 75 with pick 65 & 78 in return (not sure on exact details), so we'll get him for nothing, save $200k or so, and should get at least a 3rd for Preuss.

Cost, Preuss is on a reported contract of $400kpa, while we might get Phillips on a considerably lower contract and only for 1 year. Cheap back up is much better than expensive back up.

This is where we could get involved, assuming Essendon get pick 8 for Saad because the dogs won't want an early pick in this years draft. I'd ask about sending our 1st round (2021), pick 26 & 53 (2020) and Hannan to the Dogs and TMac to the bombers, the Dogs sending Dunkley to Ess while we get picks 8 and 14 this year. The Bombers don't have any 2nd round picks this year Dees: Out 2021 1st, pick 26 & 53 (2020) Hannan & TMac In: pick 8 & 14 2020. Dogs: out Dunkley, pick 14 In: 2021 1st (from Dees) & pick 26 & 53 (2020) & Hannan Ess: out pick 8 In: Dunkley & TMac

One has 790 more hitouts than the other, I see both as being pure break glass in case of emergency players only, so maybe it's McKernan's ability to ruck that they are looking at, but realistically they would both be in the bottom 5 players on our list, so it might be the one with that ruck flexibility? Ideally we'd have neither on the list going into next year IMO.

They might have asked about Phillips, been told the only way we get him is of we pay full salary and we don't want to pay him the reported $600k he is due. I'm sure we've asked about a lot of guys, but won't destroy future plans (signing Oliver, trac etc.) just to keep a few on here happy