titan_uranus

Some of the criticism of this pick is a bit much IMO. He might be a bust and never play a game? No [censored]. It’s pick 68. That’s an inherent issue with any pick at this point of the draft. We could have picked a runner, a flanker, anyone, and they could easily have never played. We don’t need to prioritise Casey with our list management? I hope, if you’ve said this, you weren’t someone who was bemoaning Casey’s lack of competitiveness in 2024. Mongrel/competitiveness not enough to constitute a pick? Possibly. But Schache and Fullarton copped it this year for lacking this trait. I don’t have high hopes for Johnson, but I don’t really care at all that the club’s given this a go with pick 68.

My least favourite thread of the year. I long for a year in which everyone just keeps their numbers and the only numbers to be "given out" are to new players. But, sadly, that won't be this year, with Tholstrup apparently taking 12.

Vikings, Lions, Chiefs

I'd be surprised if Twomey is wrong about his top 5. He'll have been doing little else other than ringing people for the last few weeks to suss it out. It therefore seems like Lalor, O'Sullivan and Smith are the first three, and the only issue up for debate is whether Adelaide decide to go with Langford over Draper. I'm personally surprised to read that if Adelaide take Langford, we're apparently going to take Tauru over Draper. However, I suspect in the end we get Langford and 5 and then one of Allan, Lindsay or perhaps even Tauru at 9. Also, this will have been debated before, but why the [censored] are Richmond, North, Carlton and Adelaide leaving it to us to bid on Ashcroft?

It's always folly trying to predict difficulty based on the 6 double-up matches. Someone in 2025 is going to be like 2024's Hawthorn, or Collingwood/Melbourne. It's more important to look at travel and spacing/breaks between games, and on those fronts it looks like we've done alright. So we lose two MCG games, one of which is taken off us as a home game and forced over to Marvel, but our travel is much better in 2025 - 7 games total, down from 8, but only 5 genuine away games with our NT game and a neutral Gather Round game. In 2024 we had 8 genuine interstate away games, so that's three fewer in 2025. I can't recall the last time, if ever, we only played 5 genuine away interstate games. Notably there are no Saturday night home games in our fixture - wholly unsurprising after the crowd-size debacle of our mid-winter Saturday night MCG home games. 1.20pm on a Saturday is going to suit plenty but also be inconvenient for plenty others. IMO, it's not perfect but it's better than Saturday night games. 3.20pm Sunday games are similar but they are at least on FTA which helps our exposure. The lack of Thursday and Friday night games is unsurprising given they need to cram as much "Hok ball" down the public's throats whilst still satisfying Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon. But if we're doing OK mid-year we have four big games that can net us prime time fixturing in the remainder of the fixture: Carlton, the Dogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood all at the G. Only 1 game outside of Victoria in the first 7, no genuine interstate away game until Round 8, plus no travel in the last 7 weeks, gives us a great chance to both start the year strong and finish strong. But the intensity of the 10-week block from Round 8 to 18, featuring 6 road trips, including three in four weeks around our bye, will put us under immense pressure. Let's hope the loading programme is spot on through that period...

If we don’t show up to our MCG home games none of this will matter. Carlton and Essendon are going to keep pressing for more MCG home games and someone is going to have to make way.

I just saw this: https://www.afl.com.au/news/1255357 Sunday night games in 9 of the first 15 weeks, not all of which will be before public holidays. These are almost as hard to attend for fans as Thursday night games.

Is this confirmed? For us to be on the same tier as Richmond, the wooden spooner, and behind St Kilda, is pretty poor. I get we played poor quality football for decent chunks of this season but it’s a stark drop off.

We finished a draw behind Essendon (with better percentage) but they've been given 4 Thursday night games to our 1. As you say, 1 is the same number of Thursdays that North's been given so far. However, I'm happy with that. I hate it when we play Thursday night footy. There remains Friday night footy available for prime time exposure and I much prefer that.

Packers, Vikings, Rams

Nooo.....

Bills, Vikings, Lions

The club's just published it on the website with the summary of the review findings: Letter from Brad Green | Football and Board Updates

Saints, Lions, Commanders

“In his first public appearance since his disillusionment with the Demons became known more than two months ago, the midfielder spoke positively about the Demons’ culture. Asked if he was happy with the culture at the club, Petracca said: “I think so. Culture is an interesting word. It’s a high-performance industry and for me we’re always trying to improve and get better. “For me, getting people through the door is the right thing. We’ve had healthy conversations and that’s awesome. Like any industry and any club, we’re looking to improve”. Petracca said he was not fazed by the widespread commentary generated when he privately voiced frustrations with aspects of the culture and the club’s dealings with him after a life-threatening internal injury he sustained during the King’s Birthday match. “Disappointed is a strong word. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, that’s the media’s job is to report on issues,” Petracca said. “For me, all I’m trying to focus on right now is my rehab and my injury and just being ready for day one of preseason. “I love my job, I’m passionate about footy, that’s all I’m really focused on now.”“

Ravens, Packers, Chiefs

Nope, it was our call, and he naturally is disappointed. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/10/17/foundation-giant-open-to-crack-at-third-afl-club-after-demons-delisting/ “When the decision came through I was pretty upset and even though I knew it was coming it’s not the easiest thing to hear, particularly that they value other people higher than you.”

Bengals, Chiefs, Ravens

It’s the right call. Everyone should play there.

I like it. All I hear is that this year’s draft is strong and next year’s isn’t. If we want to do something whilst we still have Gawn and May (…and Trac and Clarry…), it’s better to hit this year’s draft than wait to next year’s. The picks after 40 aren’t worth enough to us so it makes sense to release them as steak knives.