Garbo

Damage is already done, keeping it going longer will only make it worse. Sure a few clubs got a massive benefit like Suns and Lions, likely why the AFL has only stepped in now that lions went back to back and suns look like they will have a period of dominance to but before everyone else gets the same benefit and nullifies it.

Supposedly afl looked at demographics and tried to even it all out between the vic clubs, taking into account population and number of immigrants and indigenous people that would be eligible. Knowing the AFL they screwed the pooch and we got the short end, us and the hawks were the only 2 sides to lose zones and get nothing back while cats and saints appear big winners both gaining zones while losing nothing. Everyone else got shuffled round. Not sure why the afl even persists with these club run academies at all, it just seems to distort the entire draft for minimal benefits. We went through this prior to having the draft and the whole competition become a pay to win and luck of what zone you had.

Basically they have recently broken contracts with other sports rather than continuing to over pay, word is they are also not happy with the AFL deal and the story speculated they could potentially try the same thing, big caveat is they had clauses in those deals allowing them to pay a contract break fee to get out, unless the AFL was stupid enough to include one then it’s probably not a comparable situation. My opinion if came down to it there is basically 3 scenarios AFL bend the knee and renegotiate the deal in some fashion in order to keep good relations going fwd, much like what happened during Covid AFL hold them to the contract potentially damaging that relationship to AFLs detriment next time tv rights come up. If the AFL play hard ball the new Foxtel owners DAZN pull AFL from the service and stop payment and it all ends up in court, not very likely imo

Shows how much they know

Never understand these ratings immediately after draft, who is to know who was a fail and who is a steal at this point, seem purely going off some fantasy draft order vs the reality and calling any sliders a win and marking anyone down who took a player earlier than they expected

Just to add anything under 3 seconds is considered elite

Lions don’t have a good key fwd and it didn’t stop them going back to back, a top end key fwd is not a requirement for flags, small and mid size fwd are however and that is something we are trying to address in this draft

Think that’s another player, the one week took is a small fwd 171 cm

We still need more mid types so you have to assume we go for the best available of that sort after not getting one with the first 2 picks

If Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves is still on the table at our pick you would have to take him I’d think, was one of the top prospects coming into this year after a great underage season just wasn’t able to get the consistency this season but the talent is hard to ignore once you get to this part of the draft.

If he’s so far off it why was every club in the immediate picks following ours also looking to take him, they certainly didn’t need a family connection on there list to see his potential.

Helps that he has had to go through a few hardships to get back into the system, moved away from home and his friends and family to pursue the dream, shows he has really matured since he missed the draft as an 18yo. Should be able to have an immediate impact if he puts his head down over the preseason

Saw that max Holmes has a brother in this years pool, maybe we get one this time round

My guess is Pickett next pick