ArtificialWisdom

39 minutes ago, poita said:

Joel Smith is a player who has benefited from always being injured. A couple of goals in a practice match one year, a few VFL games the next year and half the supporter base sees him as the second coming of Ablett snr.

The reality is that he has been around for five years without actually doing anything of significance.

He is an awkward size and I don't think he has the football nous or skills to compensate for that - he is certainly not a better prospect than Fritsch, Melksham or Petracca in the forward line and he is not taking one of the key forward posts.

Harsh, but I have also moved him out of any kind of best 22 calculations. Even if he gets into the side he just doesn't last longer than a few weeks without breaking down. His athleticism is exciting but it just doesn't look like he'll make it.

Happy the club gave him another year but unless he has a close to injury free year (at either level) I'd be surprised if he continued past 2020. Sad reality is not many players make it after missing this much footy. AVB is in the same boat. 

37 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Tomlinson was a key forward at under 18s with elite endurance  

194cms 96 kg 

No one should say he is being brought in for outside run.  He’s a key position player.  

I'd say he is being brought in to play as a  Westhoff/Lynch(Adel) type link man the key-wing hybrid use his endurance to roll back in support and then use his size to provide us an option on the wing and push hard forward.  Doesn't bring outside run and carry leg speed but brings outlet options that makes us faster.

5 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

And our second rounder also gets pushed by them having beginning of 2nd round pp. Double shafting

It's the old schoolyard take backs. Given they traded that pick to Brisbane last year

Let's not sugar coat it.

First and last picks in round 1 this year then a middle round 1 pick next year and another end of first round the following year

They can call it round 2 all they want but it's essentially 4 first round picks

3 minutes ago, Fork 'em said:

Both grand finalists can also hit targets when they gain possession.
Something else that also has been embarrassing for us all over the ground.
Contested ball or not we've got a long way to go.

I've always had a theory that winning comes before good footy. Richmond's list in particular  has a few exceptions (Dusty, Edwards, Reiwoldt to name a few) but for the most part their disposal level is nothing particularly special. But they work hard with ball in hand to make the average look brilliant.

Their ball use looked much like ours for the first 2 and a half qtrs of that prelim. But once they got the momentum suddenly their scrappy ball movement looked slick. Even when they missed targets, they worked harder, got there first and won the ball anyway. 

Forgive me if someone else made this point I only skim read the thread. But I don't so much get much hope from Richmond winning but I do get allot from West Coast, Geelong and Collingwood all losing. Everyone knows it's a copy cat league and after the Eagles won everyone went to controlled footy. A disaster for our scrappy contested ball list.

But the Tigers and Giants bucked the trend, particularly later in the year and were moving the ball much quicker, being brave. Richmond's 10 game run has coincided with them reintroducing real chaos footy. If everyone follows suit then that will be good for us. 

Yes they have much better defence's that handle the turnover better than us and our scoring has been embarrassing. Real success in 2020 would require a huge (probably too huge) improvement from us. But ball in dispute, fast, contested footy is where we shine. And these 2 grand finalists both love it.  

If we have any list spots open late in the DFA period or if he is available as a rookie selection then I'd be interested. Obvious talent but clearly some risk. But given he has the right to play come round 1 it might be a more calculated risk. 

On 9/4/2019 at 4:58 AM, samcantstandya said:

We haven't learnt too much these past 4-5 years we still keep nqr fringe players for too long. An example is JKH who's been on the list for 7 years for an average of 5.5 games a year.

I can't stand posts like this. Do you think that Melbourne is unique in this? I can guarantee you that every list in the AFL has 5-10 or possibly more fringe players. They are an essential part of any list build. If you think you should just have your best 22 and then your developing players then you have no hope. I'm not suggesting that we should keep all our fringe players that would be mad, but delisting them all and replacing them with late draft picks is just [censored] stupid. 

Occasionally The fringe players step up, but more often They just play VFL footy for years then get delisted. Shai Bolton and Dan Butler were both fringe players at the start of the year, Bolton has stepped up Butler is still on the fringe but people around here want to bring him to the club while simultaneously complaining we have to many fringe players. Each to their own.

4 hours ago, ProperDee said:

Don’t know if it is the Macs but I understand 2 players want out and a 3rd is leaning that way.

We know, Lewis and Maynard, they retired and the 3rd is Tim Smith who's been rumoured to retire. No need for smoke and mirrors

16 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

If we we were a halfway decent list, halfway capably coached , halfway to a decent team Jones simply wouldn't  get a look in.

He's  doing a version of a Bradbury. 

He gets a gig because  we're  rubbish atm.

But isn't this exactly the point?? Say we delist him, aside from the ugly look it would be, who replaces him on the list? Pick 78 in the draft. I'm sure whoever he is he'll be as reliable depth as Jones. 

Chunk might play 2 games next year or he might play 22 I don't know. But I can guarantee  that at his age he has more to offer than late draft pick. So we keep him. 

Really fallen a long way the EJ game. A few years back I used to think it was great fun but I feel like year on year is been getting progressively worse. It needed a revamp....  But somehow I feel changing it to AFLX isn't going to help. 

8 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

AMON FOR NEAL-BULLEN

JENKINS FOR STRETCH

I always love these types of theories "I don't want these players so I'll use them in trades". why in earth would either side do those deals?

Unless opposition clubs come out and say they want either of our players they stay (or get delisted)

No Anzac eve, no Queens birthday, no pokies, particularity poor attendance in the run home. I suspect that will equate to a massive financial loss. If I was the AFL commission I'd be worried about that too.

2 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Damned if he signs, damned if he doesn't. 

We supporters are a fickle bunch 

Maybe the fans should meet half way. Delist then be redrafted in the mid season draft. That way we're all equally unhappy.

On a more serious note, of course he should be given another year, former captain or not, we need depth and maturity at Casey that can step up in an emergency. Lewis did it perfectly in 2019, I hope that Jones will do the same.

How I see this going.

Start here:

When they demand a first round pick move here:

Then likely end here:

PS: If anyone is interested I'm using this handy tool https://www.draftguru.com.au/pick-value-calculator

8 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

Need to show the kick after that. Love Frosty, never a dull moment.

18 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

I’d be targeting two small fwds Wise, when Liam Ryan and Willie Rioli are on it’s a pleasure to watch. Pace, skilful, kick goals and both can take a decent mark. Then there’s the tackling. Also if drafting as opposed to trading for them I go after three using all our late picks/rookie draft. We have to allow they all won’t make it.

That's all fine but keep in mind we just did that, C Wagner, T Bedford and K Chandler. Corey is a stop gap and is ok depth and the other 2 are still too young to tell. But I think we need a higher end small forward selection, someone with elite talent. I'm not sure who that is or if anyone will even be available for us in this draft.

4 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

It's the conservative approach for a desperate team which as usual we are.

Strange view. I feel like the conservative approach is taking what you have and picking the top rated player available. This is taking a risk, taking what you have and gambling that you can turn it into more

I'm all for swapping back but I'm not sure on the options. I suspect they'll at least want to remain in the top 10 

7 & Langdon for 3? Might be the most likely

5 & Papley for 3 and a 3rd round pick. I'd like this but I don't think he wants to come to us

I just don't see what clubs can offer us on the top 10 that makes it worth it. 

1. Gold Coast

2. Gold Coast

3. Melbourne

4. Adelaide

5. Sydney

6. St Kilda

7. Fremantle

8. North Melbourne

9. Carlton

10. Port Adelaide

11. Hawthorn

------------------------------------------------------------

12. Greater Western Sydney (tied to Essendon)

13. Western Bulldogs

14. Greater Western Sydney

15. West Coast

16. Brisbane (tied to Collingwood)

17. Richmond

18. Gold Coast (tied to Brisbane)

19. Geelong

What do you have to be doing so wrong that St Kilda doesn't want you? They are linked to just about every player in the competition. That alone raises enough red flags for me. 

11 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

I was thinking about this on the weekend.  The Cats have some very talented players being kept out of the senior side this year.  The first one I thought of was Buzza, who isn't necessarily that great, but there are plenty more. 

Nakia Cockatoo isn' t getting senior games. 

Narkle is being kept out by Ablett and Dahlhaus.  Jamaine Jones as well. 

Any other likely looking players we might be able to poach? 

 

Geelong is a tough side to pick anyone from given their list demographic. Their list is built mostly of aging stars who we don't want, recent trade ins who wouldn't leave and young talent they'd never give up. 

Narkle would bring some excitement and likely be a walk up start for us. But no idea how likely we'd be to get him.

Other than that your looking at other VFL talent which I'm not all that aware of.

Premiers, of course.

Lose 3 of the first 4 games, backs against the wall, coach on the chopping block, Anzac Eve beat Richmond in a nail-biter and start a huge 10+ game winning streak, finish the season on top 17-5. Beat West Coast by 60+ at the G in the qualifying final followed by a close but comfortable 20 point win over Collingwood in the prelim, before finally beating Brisbane by just 2 goals on the last Saturday in September. Gawn to take a huge mark and kick the sealer from straight in front with a minute to go. 

Norm Smith: Lever

B&F: May

Leading Goal Kicker: Pettraca

AA: Gawn, Lever, May, Pettraca

Demonlanders: We paid overs in the trades for Lever and May

Ahhhh, what it is to dream.

Closest I've come to cancelling my membership is checking the 'I buy it because it's cheaper than tickets' option in the membership survey instead of the 'because I want to support the club financially' option.

8 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Not needed this week.

Sydney used McLean last week as their starting ruck.  Grand total of 9 hitouts for the game.  Aliir used as 2nd option...10 hitouts.  Ben Reid took a few forward ruck contests, only 9 as well. 

 

Flash back to AFL X with Trac in the ruck?

12 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

I saw him over summer down the surf coast with his missus. He was cracking it because pedestrians were walking on the wrong side of the footpath.