RyanD

Before I go on, I think he still will get there...but I don't see the X-factor atm. What is this vague term 'getting to contents'? Most of the young midfield/forwards have very similar aerobic ability. But, if he is getting to 'more contests' he certainly doesn't know how to get the football when he gets there. Averaging 11.5 disposal tells me he isn't getting to contests OR, he is and doesn't know how to get the footy. What are you basing this 'getting to contests' off? Like what data. If it's subjective, there is no way you can accurately 'get a feel' for him getting to more contests than other young footballers.

I just don't see it with Tholstrup. Reminds me of a poor mans Callum Ward. All the draft write-ups were about X-factor, but all I see is a work horse type. Can someone tell me what or where the X-factor is?

You can see the club turning-over the list ASAP. Pick 5, Pick 9. Windsor, Thulstrup, McVee, Van Rooyen, Bowey, Pickett, Rivers, Sparrow, Chandler, Petty. IF we can nail these two picks, there is hope we don't bottom out hard in 3 years time.

This is 100% a Chat GPT summary, but thanks lol.

You are correct, he was something we may never see again, particularly the consistency. He was the symbol for our club finally turning around. But, never forget, the club is always bigger. Sometimes you need to move on.

Such an important perspective. Ironically, its as important to the get the later picks correct. If we are going to have sustained success, it's this model that needs to work well. Hopefully next year we won't have a pick inside the top 15, hence why this is so important going forward.

Sam Laylor's high grade hamstring (out for 10 weeks) worries me. Your risk of re-injury is so much higher with these types of injuries. It's also not a great sign for someone at his age. It was also mentioned on the AFL site he has have multiple other injuries scattered throughout the season. There are two ways to look at this. His body isn't coping and he hasn't even started the loading necessary to compete at AFL level. OR, his body hasn't been prepared well enough to cope, which is a positive as he will receive the required conditioning once in the AFL system.

Looking like the Saints will get a first round compo for Battle. Thank our lucky stars they kicked that goal in the last 20 seconds, effectively taking us from pick 7 to pick 5.

Due to FS and academy selections Fremantle effectively have pick 10, 11 and 20+. 10 or 11 goes to Bolton. Pick 10 + a 2nd rounder is definitely not worth it. One of the most exciting players in our history, just turned 23 and we get pick 10 and MAYBE something else? You have to be kidding me.

That is hands down the most ridiculous thing I have heard in about 10 years. "Melbourne should hand another club Clayton Oliver and their first round pick". What on earth is Kane on? I actually agree with a lot of what he says, but that's totally off this planet.

Trac gone for the season. radio.

6. Lever 5. Turner 4. May 3. Kozzie 2. Rivers 1. Max

This is niche, but that's a shocking draw for anyone that doesn't live in Victoria but gets a premium membership. We often pay big backs just to watch 3-4 big games during the year. This year, most of the big games are not home games and any big games at home e.g. against Brisbane are on a Thursday, which interstate fans won't go to. When the team travels to our state, we then end up having to buy tickets anyway because it's cheaper than adding 'all games' to our already expensive membership 😂 This literally leaves the only big home game for the year against Collingwood in the last round. I don't even think the Geelong game will be a good one as I expect them to drop down further next year.

I thought it had to be allocated under the soft cap between both men and women?

You are definitely having a laugh.

What on earth is going on here? We literally have a potential forward at 23 years of age at 197cm and we want to trade him?

This tends to happen in the European leagues in soccer a lot, but doesn't seem to occur in the AFL. Definitely something that should be thought about more often.

It doesn't make sense to me. If he has only 1 year left on his contract, why would GWS need a salary cap dump? Unless they are getting in a player this year for 800k, what's the point? Keep him 1 more year, save your draft pick and let him go at the end of 2024.

Pretty is a 197cm premiership player at 23 years of age and could possibly turn into a forward. Why on earth do people want to let him go for pick 10 + maybe something in the 20's? Madness.

Wow! that's passion, we are lucky to have Petracca.

I don't think there has been another team in the last 30 years that loses so many games when they dominate the scoring shots or inside 50s. To me there are 3 variables that keep causing 'outlier' games and costing us premierships. 1. Kicking inside 50 2. Efficiency inside 50 3. Kicking for goal All top 4 teams are usually good at 2 out of the 3. We are bad are all 3. Therefore, when you have an extra 'variable' that can cost you a game, these 'outlier' games are more likely. You could argue our goal kicking at times has been ok, but it's usually against the poorer teams. It cost us last year and this year when it really matters, in finals. Even if you take out our goal kicking and say its ok, we are still poor at 2 out of 3 categories. I love Petracca, but year after year he kicks so many floaters inside 50. There was a crucial one in the 4th, all he had to do was kick it over the top, but he floated the ball and genuinely cost us a goal.

This game is brutal. I have spent so much of my life invested in this and I wouldn't have it any other way. But I just want to see my team win finals at the MCG. 2018 is my only memory of this. I fly from interstate and clear everything else to attend this game, as I do every year (and during the season). I then sit there and watch a complete shambles for 3 full quarters, its emotionally taxing. I can't get my head around how we can have so many stars at the peak of their game and we were barely kick a goal for 3 quarters....someone tell me how that even happens? in the biggest game of the year with 90k watching and we dont get any momentum going until the last Q. Thanks for vent!

I agree with some of that. But the ball was skidding still in the last Q, the ground was definitely wet. I just think we are atrociously skilled AT TIMES and the wet makes it worse.

That is exactly my point. Teams like Collingwood and GWS don't do that and still beat us. 240 minutes of football against GWS and Collingwood in similar conditions and we lose both games. Sure, you might be more vulnerable by playing a different way, but you are likely to also be more effective going forward. You are a stats man. Think about the sample size here, 240 minutes of football in the wet. We lose both games with +72 inside 50s. There is something fundamentally wrong there and I have not even included the Essendon game and I think there is another one I am missing.

This!!! Anyone who speaks about the forward line is letting off players like Trac, Oliver, Viney and co. Champion players, they are the reason we dominate contested ball, but they are also the reason we are so poor going inside 50. It's pretty damn simple. Work out who kicks the ball the most going inside 50 and those players are the ones causing the issue.