Bring-Back-Powell

I like that jumper too but it set off a really bad chain of events from then until the end of 2025. Fitting (in a bad way) that the man on the left is pictured.

He was essentially the best player at the club in the last month of 2017 as we unsuccessfully tried to break our 10 year finals drought. Had a couple of 25 possession 2 goal Brownlow vote games during that span. A well liked versatile Dee after a slow start with the club in 2013.

AMW looked really promising in the North practice match in Feb after showing a little something in late 2024. The modern day prototypical small defender that has pace, gets effective possessions and can shut down the oppo’s premier small defender. Basically Judd Mcvee when he’s fit. When he did his knee that day my first thought was how do we replace both he and McVee for round 1? I have him in my best 23 in 2025 as the season progresses.

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in October and heard the words from Tim Lamb: “it’s Bailey Humphrey or you’re not getting Petracca”

Concerning but unsurprising. The club's got a lot of work to do to get back to 2022-2023 membership levels.

Might explain the large rehab group if training has been harder this December compared to prior years.

And you'd think the team would have taken some key learnings on how to win a close game since the semi final of 2023. Instead we've somehow managed to go 1-9 in games that have resulted in 6 point margins or less. And that even continued after Goodwin was dismissed as we lost 2 close ones to the Dogs and Collingwood. We might jump up the ladder if we can address that fine line of losing close games instead of winning them.

Don't know why he's worried. It's not as if we're contending next year. Every man and his dog has us finishing bottom 4. Anything above is a bonus.

Collingwood were all over us even before Brayshaw got knocked out. I absolutely do not subscribe to the common theory around here that we beat Collingwood had the incident not happened. Collingwood were the better team on the night for three quarters, were mentally more switched on from the get go, took their opportunities as evidenced by only kicking 6 behinds for the game and deserved the win. The semi final result V's Carlton was completely flushed down the toilet and a game the club really let itself and its supporters down.

Not denying he's a good player, but in order to get a ROI on your investment Clarry will need to kick more than his 4 goals a season. Probably one of the reasons he's polled all of 2 votes across 2 years. It's simply not enough for a midfielder, and he's shown that he is a capable goal kicker.

Give it to Gawn for one more year. Then let him enjoy his footy in the sunset of his career. Lever reeks of a captain but his body can't be trusted. Can't see Chandler getting it. All the 2025 AFL captains aside from Alex Pearce have an on field resume of achievements which Chandler does not at this point. If he could replicate his round 2 game V North, he'd be a seriously good footballer.

I think we have a quite a reasonable defence and forward line. Around mid tier compared to other clubs. It's the midfield that will preclude from winning more than 5 or so games this year. To be honest it was BOG ordinary this year even with Trac and Clarry in it.

Yes, agree on the future captaincy. His involvement in the Max/May incident was instinctive (I reckon) and showed leadership coming out from a young man. Plus, 12 months ago he stated that he wanted to become a leader in the 2024 camp interview.

In 2025, four of those 19 games he played in defence, 1 game he was swung forward after half time and the other he was knocked out before half time. So essentially he only played 14 games as a full time forward for 20 goals. That's on pace for 33 goals over 23 games and he takes the all important contested clunk from time to time. Not great but I think we're selling him a bit short as a forward.

Petty was a better forward than defender in 2025 and I’m not convinced defence is his best spot going forward. Up forward he would’ve kicked a prorated 34ish goals had he played an entire season in attack, which is quite serviceable. Meanwhile in defence he played well in round 1 but looked “off” after that. Larkey got a hold of him round 2 and he was a complete liability against Geelong. Happy for him to reset down back but I’m not convinced as a defender.

I wonder if Barnes is alluding to more midfield or forward time for Kozzie? I hope Petty remains as a forward. Aside from 1 good game V GWS, he was really poor in the early 2025 games as a defender.

Is Jack Viney in doubt for the opening rounds?

Hoping for a bit of Cody Weightman about this fella. It’s clear the drafting and list management team have prioritised some forward line spunk and dynamism this drafting season.

I’m not excited by him nor expect him to be a regular but it’s worth noting he was in our forward line/back up ruck during the 2 week period in May that we actually looked like a genuine top 8 side last year.

Can't disagree with that back line. I know May isn't there to replace Bowey, but it probably increases his chances of early round selection. And speaking of May, is there a chance he could take the smaller forward and leave Turner, T Mac or Petty for the big boys? I can recall that May split the points with Jamie Elliott in round 24 despite the former being woefully out of form and the latter about to absolutely explode in the finals. May really struggled against the likes of Ben King, Mitch Geogiardis and Jack Gunston this year, so perhaps he could be re-tooled onto the smaller defender with McVee gone and Bowey out for ages.

Thanks GW. Would have been silly having it on the weekend as you wouldn't want people heading down on a Saturday and making a day of it.

Trent Rivers - Come on DOWN (back to your favourite position of half back flank)

Good that they diagnosed Bowey's injury early. It also means that he likely won't be having a career best year if he's missing some or most of pre season. Just look at McVee as an example. Missed about 8 weeks and ended up having an atrocious year.

Extremely enticing.

Any idea on the severity of Bowey's injury? I don't want to contemplate a backline without him.