Colm

Well that’s a disappointing end to the season but in a way I’m glad we went out in straight sets. No chance we would have been good enough to beat cats next week. If we had of got to a prelim and held our own then I would be worried that it would have glossed over how poor we have been in the second half of the season. No wins against the other top four teams this year and couldn’t win a home final against the Lions. As others have said our fitness levels are way off other teams and a million miles from where we where last year. We ran over the top of teams in the last quarter last year. Complete turn around this year. Our game plan needs a serious bit of tinkering with, we need to bring in some new players that can kick well but also cover a lot of ground. We still have a great list and are very much still in the premiership window but we need to nail our off season, there’s gaps in our list that we have to sort, we need to get our fitness back and clearly we to change things up tactical especially in our forward line.

You mean Pickett ?

I’m with WCW here @dazzledavey36 . Really enjoy your post and your one of my favourite poster but I think it way to soon to be throwing in the towel. Second week of finals next week and we play the lions who we have had the wood over in recent times. You may be right about next season but it’s too early to be switching our focus from this finals series. We should beat the lions next week and if we do then we are in a prelim. Still time to dream. Added point. If we win flag I’m willing to be a vegan for a month

I think Jack Viney plays better after a freshen up and he’s made for finals. Fully expect him to go to another level( probably his normal finals level) tonight. Our midfield has gone improved since Gus went in there, add a bit extra grunt from a fully firing finals JV and I think tonight’s performance from our midfield will be one that lives long in the memory. We really have an embarrassment of riches there and that’s why we win tonight and go back to back. Our backline isn’t too bad either.

Thanks @IvanBartul13for taking the time to compose such a wonderful and insightful response. It’s information and post like this that make Demonland such a great resource for people like myself who don’t have anywhere near that level of info or football knowledge. Sounds like there is some key forwards that we could take a punt on later in the draft. I had read a bit on Isaac Keeler and was wondering if it might be someone we are interested in. A lot will depend on how the LJ situation plays out but even if he stays I’d fully expect us to trade into the first round this year. If Jackson stays for another year or two I wonder if we might prioritise a lockdown defender this draft and sort our tall stocks when we get our picks for Jackson. As always it will be an interesting trade and draft period and will be interesting to see who JT goes for. Thanks again for the insightful post.

Well played sir

Hope Zorko has a shocker!!

Having had a look at Cal Twomeys top 30 draft picks I’m a bit surprised that theees not more tall timber in the top 30. Wasn’t this draft called the land of giants? Any of our posters who follow the draft closely know if some of the taller prospects have slipped down the pecking order? Will there be many talls available in the 2nd round? Another question for our posters that are glued in on the talent in this years draft, any thoughts on a good lock down small/mid size defender We tried to move up the first round last year to pick up Wilmot and with the Pig getting towards the end but still our best lockdown defender I assume we will look to pick somebody up.

I’m another one that’s not overly excited by the thought of us getting Grundy but I guess it all comes down to detail. Agree with other that we shouldn’t be given up a first round pick but if we can get him for a second rounder or future second rounder and not use any of the picks we get for Jackson then it makes sense. Needs to be some flexibility in his contract to so that if he is plagued with injuries and can’t get a game then he’s not on the books for 5 years. If we lose Jackson and mange to bring Grundy and draft a key forward and young ruck then that’s a good trade period for us.

Great podcast folks. I really enjoyed. Well done to all involved.

I’m not concerned by any team outside the top 4. Don’t think any of them will beat us at the G in finals. Top 4 is a different matter. Sydney looked average last night but if they click their best can be very good. I think Geelong( well mainly Danger and Selwood) would benefit from a second week off in finals and don’t think they can win it if they lose to the pies in first game. Dees to beat Sydney, Geelong and Pies in the GF.

Without a doubt BBO. The night is young.

What happened to Papley?

Big day has arrived. I’m very confident today, probably more confident than I have been for any game this season. Think we will see big Max back to his pre injury form. Think our midfield will go to another level and we win by over 5 goals. Let’s smash these one trick ponies.

Thanks for that @IvanBartul13 interesting you have Cadman going so early. Probably well out of our reach even if we get good picks for Jackson. For a draft that was called the land of giants there doesn’t seem to be a lot of key forwards. Hows does next years draft look for Big forwards?

I certainly get why your asking the question. Jack has lifted his game since he has over come his foot injury and leads by example every week. Like most of the other poster I think Max is a brilliant captain and if it’s not broke don’t fix it. However I’m not against his him having a more prominent vice captains role going into finals- given the on field pregame team talk like he did for the Lions game when he was captain.

Why not just tell Freo we want 3 first round picks and let them do the running around trying to get Brisbanes 1st rounder?

I don’t know for certain. I meant value in terms of money being offered to him. Lots of reports that Freo are offering $950-1mil. Can’t see us offering anywhere near that money and I don’t want us to either. That would have him in the same pay bracket as Trac and Oliver and probably a fair bit ahead of Max, he hasn’t earned that sort of contract in my opinion.

Yes I know but it does go to show we don’t have the same value on him as Freo.

Your probably right in terms of Jackson being worth a bit more than Cameron. Cameron was a proven key forward and had won the Coleman, but Jackson has a rising star and a premiership. It’s also hard for Freo to argue that Jackson is still unproven when they are offering him such a big contract. The only problem with that is apart from the maybe a player like Meek being included in the deal it hard to see what more Freo would be able to give us. Also GWS matched the offer for Cameron. I don’t think we will match the offer Jackson. At this stage I’d be happy to get 3 first round picks even if none of them were inside 10. I would be even happier if Freo doesn’t win another game this season and their draft selection gets better.

Really this trade should be very similar to the Jeremy Cameron deal. By the reports it for the same money and length of his deal. $950- $1mil for 5 years. He had more runs on the board but Jackson has more years in front of him. GWS received picks 13,15 and 20 with two second round picks going the other way. By the sound of things the Dogs pick might be gettable for Freo if Lobb goes there although they would have to send something else to the dogs as well. Brisbanes pick is up for grabs too so Freo might be able to trade for that with their future first. I think if we get the 3 first rounds( Dogs, Freos and Brisbanes and send back our second round picks from this year and next that should be about right. The Cameron deal really has set a marker for this one.

Just had a look at the radar and looks like a shower coming through which can’t hurt.

Listened to the interview and I think he is being honest and hasn’t decided yet. When he said that his position comes into the “calculations” I took that to mean just that maybe he will be offered more money if he is getting a run through the midfield at another club. Unfortunately I don’t think he will make his mind up until after the season is over. A lot can still change between now and then. For example if Fyfe didn’t get back playing this season he might retire and free up more cap space for Freo. Gus won’t have the all the final offers in front of him until after the season is over. If one of those offers is an extra million bucks over 5 years as D4LIfe suggest then it’s not an easy call more so if that offer comes from a club in a Prem window.

Another injury for Fyfe. The way things are going this might be his last season( think he is contracted until the end of next season). Dare I say it might free up a bit of salary space to bring in one or two new players.