fr_ap

Good get for the Dogs tbh - 28 year old mid with power, pace, and aerial prowess with 150 games. Always felt our midfield was better with him as the 4th / 5th. I know he tried too much this year, but feels a loss overall to me.

He was a beneficiary of our more open game style earlier in the year. Hard worker gets a lot of good looks unmarked on the way back to goal. Like so many of our forwards, struggles in congestion or to beat a man 1v1, which doesn't bode well for our status quo defensive game style or the way the game is played in finals. Not uncommon for small forwards though.

I don't think you are - you're right on the money. Rozee currently far more damaging. Walsh more rounded and a far better defensive player too, but ball use can be very hit or miss. I feel Rozee isnt far off his ceiling. Walsh has some levels to go yet....

Why do people keep fixating on this? Schache is 25 yo kpf/ruck depth that has a reasonable amount of AFL experience but isn't necessarily asking for too much more. It's very hard to find. Even if he plays the year at Casey - he takes the best defender and helps them win, all of which helps our other young players develop. For the 1s he's a total emergency backup who can at least follow team structures and at best, could neutralise an opposition player. Not every player we sign or re-sign needs to be best 22 or even best 30. It takes a whole list to get this stuff done.

How do you guys have the music coming through? I'm getting nothing

Like a lot!

Thoughts on Bonner instead as a delisted FA?

Wouldn't mind us throwing Roan Steele a chance. Always a standout at Casey.

Agree with this - club LOVES Humphrey. He did sign during the year though and appears happy. Would be an unexpected twist for him in his early career

He's actually not got a good record with taller or key position players at all. Petty the only pick he's nailed in that department.

Wouldn't be duursma. Mckercher.

No- it's not. Read the 7news article. Club has confirmed.

You're going to stop supporting the club for trading one player? Beyond pathetic. If this happens, the reasons will be valid. Based on information you don't have.

Yes, that is what is happening and the club has confirmed it, if you care to read one of the articles on AFL.com.au, channel 9, channel 7 or The Age.

Pathetic

When was he on 360? Wouldn't mind finding the episode and listening

It's not made up

Dreadful player

I think if he was in the ground he'd struggle aerially. Not sure on this

How do you sell the idea to anyone then? Everyone's seen that Max is better as the only ruck. Whoever comes needs to be comfortable with that unless they are a genuine forward-ruck. From our perspective that's an issue though because we do need an able backup in the increasingly likely case of injury or decline to Max. Whoever we approach, we can't say 'you and Max can play together' because we couldn't do that with just about the best and most different ruck that was available last year

Worth a look but he'd need some arms/coaching wrapped around him imo. That club has completely shattered his confidence, has looked a shell for a little while now

Good discussion guys

No, they likely won't. We all said it about the demons of 21 and the Bulldogs of 16. They had a lot fall into place and played well on the day. As their rise showed and as our stagnation post-21 showed, things are never as good or as bad as they seem. The reason for this is that honestly - most lists across the comp are pretty even. Every team has their 3/4/5 stars - and if they roll, you can throw a blanket over the rest. It all comes down to coaching, connection, mentality, and a bit of luck. Players matter far less than everyone thinks they do.

The luck I'm referring to is their statistical profile, not luck within the game which they clearly deserved to win on the day. Statistically, they are the weakest premier since the 16 Bulldogs and I think the 94 bombers before that. Every footy model out there has been saying this. They don't rank in the top metrics anywhere near where most premiers do. Whether it's a statistical anomaly (luck) or whether they have found 'new metrics' is open to interpretation, but 1 premiership and 2 years of close finishes is a small sample size and does little to dissuade. Mathematically, they were lucky to win the flag. I'm not saying their players aren't good or that they didn't own the moments, which they did, very well. They have unbelievable chemistry as a unit and work harder off the ball than any other team. I'm just saying that over the 200 year history of our game, very few premiers have played like that. People will say it's a new age or a new paradigm, but these things are rarely true.

Honestly the discussion on Hill is nonsense. Pure utter nonsense. Fair play he turned in his best ever game at the best possible time. But that was his career high. Kozzie Is younger and has already had several bigger days than that, and regularly kicks more goals and has more involvements and defensive acts than Hill does. We all dislike it when he flies unnecessarily, but let's not get lost in the moment. 2 (3?) of his goals were as simple as getting loose and receiving a hit up kick for a simple set shot. Koz also does this - not as often as he should which says more about our ball use not finding him. The one snap Hill did back on his left is a goal Kozzie has kicked many times. The guy had a good day in a team that is statistically one of the luckiest sides to win a flag. Don't overplay it. Kozzie's output puts just about every small forward other than Charlie to shame.