Dee Boys

According to you. But not according to any experts.

We were desperate for Max Holmes to slip through to us at this pick - unfortunately Geelong traded into the pick beforehand to take him from under our noses.

Every supporter base thinks the AFL hates their club 🙄

https://www.3aw.com.au/clayton-oliver-surprised-that-he-was-shopped-around-to-rival-clubs/

THE KEY FORWARD WHO ‘COPIED’ ESSENDON CHAMPION’S ROUTINE The best key forward in this year’s draft class copied the goalkicking approach of a former Essendon champion but could instead be pulling on a Melbourne jumper next year. Recruiters lauded Harry Armstrong for his marking this season, along with the fact that he “kicks goals, not behinds” when opportunities present. That has not always been the case, though, with Armstrong being forced to get to work on his goalkicking last year. He regularly stayed back after training and worked to bed down a routine with his school coach at Haileybury College, Matthew Lloyd. “It wasn’t always natural. It’s something I’ve worked hard at,” Armstrong said of his goalkicking. “It’s pretty much thanks to Lloydy, to be honest. Last year I kicked a lot of points and then I got to work on it after almost every training session with Lloydy. He showed me the technique he thought was best and I just copied it, pretty much. It hasn’t let me down so far.” Across three games for Vic Metro during the under-18 national championships this year, Armstrong kicked 9.3 at 75 per cent accuracy. In the Coates Talent League with the Sandringham Dragons he kicked 27 goals at 61.4 per cent accuracy, while there was also a 10-goal haul for Haileybury this year. “He’s been an inspiration,” Armstrong said of Lloyd. “I’ve learnt so much from him as well. Playing as a key forward, having him as your coach, there wouldn’t be too many better. He’s so invested and I’ve got so much out of him.” A Geelong fan, Armstrong models his game on Jeremy Cameron and similarly works hard up the ground to provide a marking option. The 195cm forward’s contested marking stood out this year, along with his speed, athleticism and an improved ground ball game. Rival clubs believe Melbourne (pick five) could be first to pounce on Armstrong in next month’s draft, potentially getting in before St Kilda. Armstrong said he felt he had developed strongly this year after not being exposed to the Coates Talent League in 2023 due to a “random” hip infection late in the season. “Coming in this year I was just wanting to play as many games as possible,” he said. “The more games I played, the more confident I was in myself.”

Try to draft the best players possible? Let's hope Jason Taylor's reading!

Or Setterfield.

Well this is just idiotic I’m afraid - “sliding for good reason”. Smith might not have the ceiling of some but his floor is higher than anyone else’s - at worst he’ll be a 200 game A grade midfielder. And his character is absolutely flawless. He’s the “can’t lose” pick of all of them.

Who is “eth-dogs”?

Saty if you think it’s only a “rather small and vociferous” supporter cohort who are feeling some disenchantment with the club then I can’t help you. I’m generally pretty glass half full but it’d take me 10 minutes to write out the list of on and off field [censored] ups from the last few years. I love Nathan Jones for his on field performances and his loyalty, sacrifice and dedication to the club. But if he’s not the absolute best person for the job he’s been linked with then the move shouldn’t just be blindly applauded.

I love Jonesy. So I feel conflicted writing this. And it’ll probably be a wildly unpopular opinion. But I don’t like it, for a number of reasons. Sounds like he’d be coming in as our midfield coach. It’s bloody hard to coach and give strong feedback to blokes you’re mates with as he’ll have to do to our midfielders. Secondly he never seemed to have any burning passion for coaching. I don’t mind listening to him on commmentary but he’s never struck me as an incredible tactical brain and he’s never overly insightful. I was also excited about the idea of Teague coming in as he’s regarded as one of the best ball movement guys in the business. You’d think it’s one or the other with him and Jones otherwise with Bassett coming in and Chaplin and Choco there too, the soft cap would prevent it from happening. What experience does Jonesy have for what’s probably the most important line coaching role a team has? If it’s Teague OR Jones it’s Teague all day long for me. Also just reckon it feels like a bit of a token feelgood move to appease an angry and disenchanted supporter base. Would absolutely love to be proven wrong but they’re my initial thoughts.

Think of it this way. Yes we’ve potentially given up more than necessary and are banking on moving up the ladder again next year. But if we have another poor year then Petracca and Oliver will no doubt want to leave again and we’ll get first rounders for them anyway. So we can’t lose! 🤪

Well it’d be telling if she said anything relevant about whether he wants to stay or not.

Fill that hole? He played 3 games mate. With the output he gave us me or you could’ve filled that hole. There’s absolutely no way you could justify the trade at the time, and especially so in hindsight. I’m not as down on Tim Lamb as some, but it’s certainly an enormous blot on his copybook.

Well it’s this, clearly. Obviously the club thought it’d be more like pick 35 than 25 but even still, it should’ve been a 3rd or future 3rd for a 28 year old who’d only played 50 games and been in and out of his previous side. Reckon the ANB value’s about spot on.

CEO?! In absolutely no way would he be qualified 🤨

One was a pick 15, the other’s a mid season draft pick. Apples and oranges.

Yep as competent backup to Max, on minimum wage, happy to toil away in the 2’s. Something we’ve been crying out for for years. He’s not supposed to be Polly Farmer.

Enjoyed this at least

Ball movement is his speciality so makes sense.

Absolutely not true Tom Morris, @SthSea22 assured us it was a done deal

The count itself is only a few hours of the festivities.

100% fact.