Bring-Back-Powell

I always thought GWS were too flawed a side to win the flag. Their coach bemoaned their inability to play 4 quarters, they had a gross reliance on Hogan and skated by the season with unsustainable accuracy. Unfortunately for them, Brisbane hit the scoreboard too regularly.

Weird to think Geelong can repeat 2022: 1) beat Brisbane in a prelim at the MCG 2) beat Sydney in a GF at the MCG.

I did think about our master piece of a finals series last year but we were too busy kicking behinds to get the unassailable lead the Giants had this finals series.

Can’t recall a bigger straight sets choke than GWS.

GWS are the 3 quarter kings. Not a flag contender in my books.

Don’t disagree in the slightest what you’re saying. We’ll move on and draft whatever Taylor deems best or try to chase another established star. However, in any other previous year I feel as though we’d have 30 pages bemoaning the fact that we fell out of the race in our chase for a genuine A Grader. Why, for this year, are most posters apathetic towards this particular genuine star? He would’ve transformed our back half use of the football.

We (one of the worst skilled clubs in the AFL) would be nuts to overlook a 2023 and 2024 All Australian and confirmed top 5 best kicker in the league. I am astounded by the lack of disappointment around here in falling out of the race for the services of an absolute marquee player.

I’d say it’s more Houston not wanting to come to us than us not willing to give up a premium pick for him. One of the poorest skilled and sloppiest teams in the league shouldn’t be knocking back highly skilled players of the ilk of Houston.

I'm only going by separate reports from Jay Clark and Cal Twomey that the player himself has essentially changed his mind. When you get the same information from multiple media sources that are independent of each other you'd probably think there's validity in the claim. In any respect, Houston is worth a top 5-10 pick given his recent achievements, and if he did nominate us (which he won't at this stage), then I'd be willing to trade pick 5 with a bit of change coming back our way due to his age. Carlton should stump up pick 11 outright for Houston if they desperately want him.

Hard to fathom that Houston basically nominated us as his preferred club until we imploded and went all MFC on everyone. We could had a 2 time reigning All Australian, a top 5 user of the football and arguably our best recruit in the Goodwin era. Another reference below in relation to Houston's initial intentions - being the MFC as his club of choice before we stuffed everything up. https://www.afl.com.au/news/1217505/inside-trading-key-factor-for-eagles-targets-swan-gets-offer-clubs-meet-for-trade-talks

16 games @ 15 possessions a game and 4.8 is absolutely commensurate value for a future 3rd rounder we paid for him. He was also coverage for Windsor when he got injured and Hunter was finished. However, imagine if we gave up our first rounder for him. He looked really promising in the early Dogs and Hawthorn games averaging 22 possessions/10 marks/1 goal a game. Could have had a big Gather Round game against Adelaide with 3.0 instead of 0.3. Then just became a meh player until he was dropped mid season for 6 weeks. Admittedly he was quite reasonable in replacement of Windsor in the last month. Unlikely to be in our best 23 next year you'd suspect.

Reportedly one of the better blokes in the league. Had a listen to him on SEN this morning and I can see why. The ANB position needs to be filled by someone. If not externally, who internally?

Goodwin is signed through to the end of 2026. So he has 2 years left. He added 2 years to his contract after a tremendous win over Sydney in round 24 last year, and easily one the best periods of his coaching career - round 17 2023 to round 24 2023. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1413693/goodwin-signs-on#:~:text=By Melbourne Media&text=MELBOURNE AFL Senior Coach Simon,contract extension with the club. I agree with you that there's no chance they sack Goodwin prior to next season, but a departure in 12 months would be the equivalent of Simpson being sacked a year before his contract was up.

Pick 5 is fair for Houston. Pick 5 is certainly too high for Cerra.

Clubs can't hold to everyone, but we let an absolute gun player slip through the net for one reason or another. His goal assist in the last quarter on Saturday where he was close to the boundary but cooly hit a Sydney player in front of goal was awesome footy smarts. You can live with Harmes going elsewhere, but this one stings. Kind of feels as though last year's trade and free agency period was the first nail in the 2024 coffin. Grundy, Jordon and Harmes out for Billings, McAdam and Fullarton was a terrible net loss.

As a poster mentioned above, kicked 30 goals from 19 games, including 14 goals in the last 6 games of the seasons. Not exactly Tony Lockett numbers, but not exactly Harrison Petty numbers either. This would have been the exact output we would've hope from McAdam in 2024 - 30 from 20. Worth a look if his body's in order. 30/31 isn't exactly old these days.

Yeah agreed. I meant ''marquee'' (in the loosest sense) because he was the only recruit that actually contributed to the MFC this year. Speaks to our non draft recruiting of late when Billings was considered out best import of last year.

If it's out of Caleb Daniel or Jake Bowey version round 1 2022 to present, you'd be choosing Caleb Daniel. I'm sorry but Bowey hasn't come along as we all hoped he would. If we do get Daniel, hopefully he's not our #1 signing from another club, but given Billings was our 'marquee' recruit last year, Caleb probably would be.

I think you've got a few too many sides outside of the top 8 that we could play twice. Freo finished 14th in 2023 and played the following sides twice in 2024 (# 2023 ranking) #5, #6, #8, #9, #13 and #18. Not overly easy.

Morris suggested on SEN that there might be some casualties in the football department. When Cornes asked if Goodwin was safe, Morris wouldn't 100% commit to the idea but that his 2 years on his contract will save him. Tells me that while Goodwin is safe for next year, he needs to have a much better year if he wants to see out 2026.

Hawks easily. GWS in a thriller over Brisbane.

Hawks any chance over Sydney at the SCG on Friday week?

A massive yes please to Matt Kennedy. Don’t be fooled by him getting subbed out of a game in the first half when he’s probably had 1 hour of sleep due to the birth of his baby. He’s simply a fundamentally good AFL player. When every man and his dog was missing shots in the first half of the Melbourne/Carlton 2023 semi, Kennedy calmly slotted a set shot after the half time break which set the tone for an accurate second half for the Blues, which was the sole reason they beat us.

And that 1 combined goal between Fullarton and McAdam was from the goal square.