Bring-Back-Powell

A pick in the low 20’s is fair for a multiple all Australian.

The round 20 2005 and round 12 2015 road trips to Geelong. In the 2005 game we had lost 7 in a row after being in the top 2 mid season. We were heading towards one of our worst collapses in history, and were expected to lose this one in hostile territory. Being 6 goals down half way through the game didn’t help matters. However we played a scintillating third quarter and Robbo played the game of his life with 7 goals. we survived a Matt Egan shot after the siren to win an epic by 1 point. The following week Jeff White nailed a set shot with 10 seconds left to beat the Dogs and then in the last round Travis Johnstone kicked the sealer to beat Essendon by 10 points and sneak into the finals. We lost badly to Geelong in the elim final. The 2015 was just an unbelievable win and the making of M Gawn. I went down to this game purely in hope that we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves and we basically stood no chance as we were in just year 2 of the Roos rebuild against the all conquering Geelong. We’d also come off a Leigh Montagna goal with 5 seconds left to lose a heartbreaker the week before at Marvel. The win was just unbelievable considering it was Enright’s 300th and we had a fair few maligned and/or VFL standard players such as Dawes, Toumpas, Matt Jones, Spencer and Aidan Riley in the side. The round 23 2021 game would’ve topped the other two but ofcourse we couldn’t attend.

Jackson finished a surprisingly high equal 13th.

Top 5 draft pick at a minimum when you consider he was pick 12, and then add in back to back 40 goals seasons from a 21 year old.

Anyone that kicks 40 goals in the NAB Under 18's league should be of severe interest.

Agreed. His goal kicking accuracy from 45+ metres was his point of difference and he also managed a very impressive 31.12 between 2019 and 2020 with regards to accuracy. Will always be remembered for nailing that game winning set shot from outside 50 against Carlton in 2019. West Coast should think about playing him at times as a forward and certainly away from the lock down small defender role.

Agreed. I seriously doubt Hunt was drafted with the future view of taking on the Tom Papley's of the league. I don't think the lockdown role suited him as opposed to Hibberd who was born to play that role (albeit not well in the Brisbane semi)

Collingwood supporters at my work don't just think they would've gotten close. Collingwood supporters at my work thing they would've beaten Geelong, .....just Coz they led Geelong at times during the qualifying final. Solid theory.

Brisbane are instantly better with the acquisition of Dunkley (reigning best and fairest and in the prime of his career ) and a champion goal kicker in Gunstan (with the proviso he's healthy).

I think we'll get two first rounders between picks 10 and 20 for Jackson. If you listen to Matt Rendell who's familiar with list management and trading, he states that the best and most professional clubs such as Geelong look for a win-win for both clubs as opposed to "I'm winning this trade and you're losing it". Clubs need to maintain a good reputation if they want to get a big trade done down the line. Geelong purchase a player at a commensurate price (eg - Cameron) and don't try and rip off the vendor when they trade out a player. My impression of our club is that we fit in the Geelong bracket of fair dealings, and therefore I'm not expecting a huge windfall from the LJ trade. We are also hamstrung by the fact that he's out of contract and had a poor season.

Add Craig Smoker to that list.

Should've been selected in the finals over a fellow second ruck who kept getting selected despite a poor season.

I don’t see Geelong declining next year. I see a club at the peak of its powers that simply knows what it’s doing.

This article from AFL website is similar to what I’m saying above, in that Sydney are unlikely to play in a Gf next year due to history.. https://www.afl.com.au/news/851881/the-history-swans-must-defy-after-grand-final-bloods-bath Whilst they have youth on their side with all their academy blokes and the seriously impressive Chad Warner, you can’t overlook the fact that the GF loss may scar the Swans for the next couple of years. It would be soul destroying for Sydney to think that they were no where near good enough to even be remotely competitive on the biggest stage of all.

Yep spot on. Good correction. Adelaide weren’t really that awful in the 2017 GF, comparative to Sydney the other day, but were hot favs to beat Richmond and accordingly haven’t recovered since.

Anyone but Sydney. Clubs that dish out a shameful performance in a grand final fall away badly the next year and/or don’t win a final. Examples: Dogs - 2021 into 2022 Gws - 2019 into 2020 Adelaide - 2018 into 2019 Sydney - 2014 into 2015 St Kilda - 2010 into 2011 Port - 2007 into 2008 Collingwood - 2003 into 2004 Melbourne - 2000 into 2001 Sydney won’t be in a grand final next year.

Should’ve played more senior games this year if the club exercised selection integrity.

Agree about the West Coast game. I’m staggered we didn’t rest half a dozen players that day. West Coast had about 11 of their best 22 out and our club should’ve easily backed its depth to beat a depleted bottom 2 side at their lowest ebb in club history. I recall Hawthorn in 2013 having lowly GWS, Melbourne and GC three weeks in a row (about rounds 9-11) and they went public in their intention of resting players. Another of a long list of questionable selections and injury management.

Swans will fall away next year, as per every other club that embarrasses themselves in a GF.

Apparently Holmes will be a late out according to channel 7. Heading to the game today. Nothing could possibly go close to seeing the boys play a GF at the G, however after no grand finals here for 2 seasons it’s still exciting to see one live.

Tend to agree with your large margin. 8 of the last 12 grand finals have resulted in that comfortable 5 plus goal margin as the winning team gets on wave of momentum and the loser loses the will to remain in the game. There is that sense of destiny and inevitability about Geelong this year, while I was very unimpressed with Sydney’s second half last week. They played to not lose the game rather than winning it. That won’t cut it today.

It was absolute amateur hour Layzie by Gawn, the club or a combo of both. The injury was quoted as 4-6 weeks post Queens Birthday (Rd 13) and he was already talking up a comeback for round 16. He ended up coming back in round 17 V Geelong and played one of his worst games in years. I really hope the club goes to school on our injury management (or lack thereof) and put a bit more faith in our players at Casey rather than flogging our stars who were clearly injured. Geelong integrated players from the VFL in the latter rounds and it didn’t hurt them.

Partially agree. However the 'never ending' Premiership celebratory caravan were for the majority of Melbourne people that missed out on seeing the GF and/or experienced the Sunday celebrations. Had it not been for COVID, it would have been done and dusted by the start of November.

Since 1998 we've been the designated home team in the final round just 7 out of a possible 25 times. Since 1998 we've travelled just once interstate in round 1 (in fairness)

You make a well made point. The only thing is he wasn't dropped after round 18. He played the following week against the Dogs in the absence of Lever and was part of a defence that leaked 17 goals. Then he got dropped. On Petty, I'd like to see him trialed up forward to start the season next year, but mindful that we'll lose his excellent contested and intercept marking down back. Is Turner ready to step up and fill the Petty void, or indeed AFL standard? Or can we bank on J Smith to actually stay on the park and be a staple down back?