titan_uranus

You've taken a bit of poetic licence here. He didn't say the last line at all (i.e. we're not "second"). And the only extent that they're front runners was a throwaway line at the end of his commentary on Flanders, saying "you'd have the Saints in front", immediately after saying there are four clubs and we'll have to wait to see which one he nominates. Finally, he also suggested that the only reason they're in the running at all is money. Not sure that makes them any more or less "enticing". The point is pretty clear. They went "aggressive" in 2019 and got Brad Hill, Dan Butler, Zak Jones, Paddy Ryder and Dougal Howard. They won a final in 2020, but haven't won one since (and only made finals one other time, in 2023). That final they won in 2020 is the only final they've won since the 2010 preliminary final. If I were a St Kilda supporter, I wouldn't be getting any hopes up next year. I'd believe it if/when I see it.

Nah let this one go. NWM was so blatantly best on ground. It’s as big a howler as you’ll ever see.

Gawn’s and Trac’s reactions are priceless.

As for the topic overall, I am generally in the "equalisation's not working" camp. Cutting off at 2001 is arbitrary but 25 years is a reasonable period to look at, and we know in the last 25 years Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn and Brisbane (plus Sydney) have been miles in front of everyone else. It was fun having Brisbane in the GF in 2023, given they'd been terrible for most of the previous 20 years. But seeing a rotation of Grand Finals with Geelong, Collingwood, Brisbane and Sydney for four straight seasons is boring. Perhaps we were blessed with the run we had from 2016-2021, where all bar two GFs had at least one "small" club, or a club facing some sort of drought (2016 - Dogs, 2017 - both clubs, 2019 - GWS, 2021 - us, if not both clubs). For Brisbane to get the Ashcrofts and Fletcher without proper competition, and then be able to get Allen and Draper for no cost, does not help. Some practical ways to address the issue: Either get rid of Academies and Father/Son, or keep them but increase the price significantly - if the best player in the draft happens to be the son of a club's former player, that club should have to pay through the nose to disrupt the draft to get them. I'm talking 2-3 times as much as they pay now. Amend the first round to give more picks to the bottom 4-6 and/or fewer picks to the top 4-6. Apply some sort of tax to the top 2/4/6 clubs when acquiring Free Agents - the AFLPA will never allow a ban to Free Agents joining the top clubs (that's the whole point of Free Agency), but we can't keep having good players from bad clubs walking to preliminary finalists at no cost. Conduct a proper investigation of what all 18 clubs are doing to remunerate players outside the salary cap. Whether it's sponsorship deals, third party payments, whatever it is, properly investigate it, and crack down on it. Make Geelong pay a reverse COLA tax - everyone lauds their list management as genius, when in reality they just benefit from being based in a regional town playing against 17 clubs based in big cities.

I agree about the sentiment, but not about the idea that Hawthorn hasn't "raided other clubs". For starters, their rise up the ladder last year wasn't a coincidence. At the end of 2023 they traded in Ginnivan, Chol, D'Ambrosio and Gunston (second time they've taken him off another club!), which they then backed up after one good year with Battle and Barrass. They've also traded/FA acquired Impey, Amon, Meek and Scrimshaw. Brisbane have their fair share of players from other clubs too, but nailed the 2016 and 2017 drafts (McCluggage, Berry, Rayner, Bailey and Starcevich in those two years alone) and then when they were already a good side but weren't winning finals, pulled Wilmot at 16 and Lohmann at 20 in the 2021 draft, topped off with Morris at 31 in 2023 and Gallop at 42 in 2024.

Viewed as mentorship, leadership etc, and an improvement on what we have now, he’d be a good pick up. But that sort of pick up is not a 3-year large contract sort of thing. It’s 2 years and a reasonable wage. If that’s enough to get him out of Collingwood, then away we go.

I think in context their entire 7 years has been amazing. They just went on with it after 2022, whereas we…didn’t. Of course, it helps that they had the Ashcrofts and Fletcher as father son picks. Would love a summary of what they had to spend on those three. To be fair, they’ve also had Coleman, McCarthy and Doedee on the sidelines for almost all of the last two years. If they win it next week, gee how will those three feel, the first two in particular - been at Brisbane for a while but injured when the flags came.

They actually went out in straight sets in 2019 and 2021, @Lucifers Hero Indeed, there’s a small argument that their win over us in the 22 SF was the monkey off the back that they needed to charge into the 23-25 period of utter dominance. In 19-21 they went 1-5 in finals, including the aforementioned straight sets exits, plus losing the 2020 prelim at home which would have led to a home Grand Final. They hadn’t won at the G in years, IIRC. But after winning their EF in 22, they knocked us off, and despite losing the prelim to the eventual premiers in Geelong, they may well have developed the confidence that’s led to them going 8-2 in finals since 2023.

So after winning the flag in 2023, Collingwood have won 1 final, against an Adelaide side that [censored] the bed supremely. They’ve clearly prioritised the now and not the future in those two years, trading multiple good picks for Schulz and Houston, adding Membrey too. It’s not Melbourne 22-23 levels of failure…but how far off is it?

Falcons, Packers, Chiefs

At Sydney, for those like me who weren’t sure initially:

I think this is the second thread on this topic already. In September. Before the trade period and draft. Are we that desperate for stuff to talk about? There is no such thing as an "upgrade" to a jumper number.

I still believe Trac offers more to us than what we would get in any trade. I also believe it makes no sense for us to be contemplating a trade until King and Trac have met and discussed what King sees for him in 2026, nor any sense for Trac to start looking around until he’s met King.

Presser at 10am, too.

Well he was asked about Clarry and Trac and responded as he did on Saturday - they’re contracted and we’re lucky to have them (but in that order).

Guerra on radio this morning said that our aim, and what King spoke about in his interview, is to be more attacking, “defend with ball in hand”, and score 100+ each week, so that we’re more attractive to watch.

Spoke well again IMO. He said the expectation is finals next year, but that’s a pretty easy thing to say in mid-September.

Yep. And then look at the upcoming FA/trade period: Brisbane will get Draper and Allen for no cost, and are in the running to get Ridley Geelong seems to be the likely landing spot for Rowan Marshall Hawthorn is the likely landing spot for Zach Merrett Can’t see any of them not being in contention again next year (Collingwood I’m a touch less sure of given their age).

Dear’s played 9 games this year. Didn’t play last night through injury. Not sure he’s all that integral to what they’re doing.

So the four preliminary finalists this year: Geelong - 14 prelims in the last 19 years, 4 flags Brisbane - 5 prelims in the last 6 years, 1 flag Collingwood - 10 prelims in the last 19 years, 2 flags Hawthorn - 7 prelims in the last 18 years, 4 flags They have also won 14 of the last 24 flags (soon to be 15 of the last 25). Not the most exciting, novel or motivating final four.

-31 CPs, -6 clearances, -21 inside 50s. Their backline kept them afloat all year but when they heat went up Dawson was left to battle on his own. For a side that opened the season scoring at will, they scored 67, 55 and 59 in their last 3 games against finals sides.

Ugh. A Geelong v Hawthorn prelim is a nightmare. Also, Adelaide, wow. They’re on track to lose all 8 quarters of finals after finishing on top.

Per The Age: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/steven-king-appointed-demons-coach-in-shock-move-20250912-p5mulr.html “Steven King’s outstanding presentation and “clarity” about how the Demons would play were key factors in his surprise choice as Melbourne’s new senior coach. According to a separate source with knowledge of the discussions, Buckley had informed the Demons that he would be meeting with Tasmania Devils chief executive Brendon Gale next week. Buckley had been the perceived favourite for the Melbourne job, and is now a frontrunner to be inaugural coach of the Devils, who are slated to enter the competition in 2028. Guerra said King’s “presentation was a standout ... [he had] real clarity about how he wanted to play the game”. Guerra told this masthead that King, a former Geelong captain and seasoned assistant coach with experience at the Cats (where he still works alongside Chris Scott), the Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast - would bring the Demons “a contemporary game plan from a successful program”. And to me, most insightful: “Asked how King matched Melbourne’s needs as a football club, Guerra said: “How do we be competitive and stay competitive.” The new Melbourne CEO described the Demons’s aspirations: “We want to get competitive really quickly and then hopefully contending (for the premiership) in the not too distant future.”

This is so predictable (I haven’t opened the link): https://x.com/3awisfootball/status/1966424495150825548?s=46&t=TxNWR8IQfpnCS5ZUkmzG9A