Bring-Back-Powell

I’d take even take Simmo over Simon.

Let’s cut to the chase, can Hawthorn beat Sydney at the SCG or GWS at Giants Stadium in a prelim?

Blows the mind that we had our 2 most comprehensive wins of 2024 against these high quality sides. Dogs and Hawthorn have left us for dead.

The first to four year players usually start around 10-12 November for teams that miss finals. The balance commence 2 weeks later. I firmly believe that our 23/24 pre season ruined our season proper this year. So many blokes in rehab in January and February.

Looks like we might be seeing a repeat of 2009 - 2010 - 2011.

You'd imagine tonight's winner will be going to a prelim to play Sydney or GWS up there. Massive opportunity for someone tonight.

Bulldogs and Hawthorn the least. I'm not even considering Carlton as a flag contender. I don't like Geelong, but I wish we were half the club they were from top to bottom.

Agreed on the basis that Houston is one of the best players to be reportedly on the market in recent years. And to have a star allegedly interested in coming to our club and then turning us down is an absolute kick in the guts and shows exactly where we are at the moment. The apathy toward this player is something else and I’m convinced people around here aren’t aware of how good he is.

I watched a bit of him last week and he was too good for VFL and suggested in an earlier post that he could be selected. His mid season form at the Dogs was good before he got injured and unlike last year he was hitting the scoreboard for the Bulldogs.

Well given you and most posters detest the idea, you all have 3 years to come around to the idea. With 19 teams in 2028, the wild card weekend will most likely come in then. And the wild card rewards a top 6, not a top 8. 7th and 8th will become also rans and I don't see that as a bad thing.

Is Jed Adams close to a game yet? With Tomo gone we're down a player in the defensive depth chart, and we're going to need coverage for when May and/or Lever are unavailable. Despite Petty's ordinary season, he's a key re-signing as we can use him as defensive cover.

Port or GWS would disappoint me the least. Absolutely no interest in Bulldogs, Hawthorn, Carlton and to a lesser extent Geelong winning it. Brisbane and Sydney = meh.

You guys can rejoice for another 3 years. It should but won't be happening until Tassie enter the comp. The Wild Card round doesn't reward mediocrity. It rewards high performance by guaranteeing the top 6 teams qualify for finals. The top 8 essentially becomes a top 6 after round 24 is completed. How is that rewarding mediocrity?

The boys on the Tackle last night were egging Melbourne to be one of the teams, setting us up for another media lashing. The Petracca narrative. The Oliver narrative. The Goodwin narrative. As I've said before, happy for the Dees not to participate in OR next year, and focus on a low key round 1 match up. They also mentioned that Wild Card round probably won't be happening until Tassie come in.

The club needs to fly under the radar early next year after all the negative PR it’s copped for a long while now. Therefore I think it’s best we don’t participate in OR and risk the media sinking the boots into us if we lose yet another prime time game and further upsetting the fan base. Plus it does nothing for membership as the game would be interstate. Another factor is that won’t be tempted to rush players back who aren’t ready, like we did with Spargo. A WC or GC on Sunday 1:10 at the MCG in round 1 proper would be ideal for the club .

His failure to kick from 40 metres out was staggering in his brief appearances with us. I recall he nailed a shot on the boundary at Kardinia Park in 2022 or 2023 where the 50 meets the boundary line. One of the toughest kicks in footy. I'm not giving up hope, but if he's in and out of rehab again all summer, then it will be 2024 all over again.

I am truly staggered by the lack of interest around here in Houston. "we dodged a bullet", one poster said. If missing out on a genuine A grader is "dodging a bullet" then I need to follow another sport. Do people not watch Port games? This guy is a genuine star of the game as validated by his back to back All Australian blazers. We're not just talking about sneaking into the squad like a Massimo D'Ambrossio. We're talking back to back starting 18. He will dramatically improve the MFC next year and he's in the age bracket which suggests he's in the peak of his career. His ball use is exactly what we need. If you need anymore convincing, check out the below:

I hope not either. But still, Houston is a reigning two time All Australian who can nail the passes from half back that nobody in our side can dream of doing, and would also solve our deplorable inside 50 entries when given the opportunity. He would transform our side I believe, and assist greatly in our offensive game plan. he would set the field up with his kicking from defensive 50. Something that Salem and Bowey should be doing consistently but don't. Pick 5 will likely (but not 100%) be a great player for our club. Houston will 100% be a great player for us.

Is that new for Opening round next year as Richmond were involved this year and they didn’t play finals in 2023?

I reckon that’s pretty fair. Port will gamble on us being bottom 6 again, so essentially pick 6 and 22 valuation for Houston.

Jon Ralph has joined in the chorus that we’re still in this. We absolutely should be chasing Houston,

As we shouldn't. We're not crying out for a player of Houston's ilk. We're screaming out for a player of Houston's ilk.

I don't think we're a snowball's chance of winning a premiership. We simply don't have the skill level required. Our goal kicking is league average and some weeks can be really good. However our field kicking and decision making is atrocious and getting worse under Goodwin. Our pressure isn't up to scratch unless our backs are against the wall and/or we've had a poor loss the prior week. Our pressure is generally conditional while at other club's it's generally unconditional. Most of this year's final 8 have both of the above ingredients in spades that we have lacking.

I know you don't rate him, and he had a poorish season, but he should be picking himself and causing all sorts of trouble for the opposition. I don't know how to get the best out of him at the moment, but he should be beating the oppo's 3rd or 4th defender considering Petty and JVR are probably copping defenders #1 and #2 - eg Harris Andrews and Jack Paine.

No. I believe their most off broadway game was against North in Canberra, 2001. They've never played in Darwin, Hobart, Launceston or Alice Springs. They probably feel insulted when they cop Gold Coast and Giants Stadium.