Bring-Back-Powell

An absolute disaster IMO, and will cost us a win in the first 3 rounds such is his importance to the team. Whenever we need a goal to stem the flow, Kozzie can be relied upon to kick a goal from nowhere. Think the miracle win against Brisbane in 2023 when Melksham kicked the winner. But It was Kozzie that kicked the first of the last 4 goals to get us back in the game. Not a direct replacement but there's certainly a vacancy for McAdam to make up the projected 2 goals a game we miss out from Kozzie.

In three consecutive losses against Collingwood: 1) We've lost a club great due to a crude hit 2) We lost out best player for the second half of that season, effectively ending our season at the time 3) Lost our gun small forward live wire for the first 3 games of the next season, potentially threatening our W/L record to start the 2025 season. What's next?

Also talk that Freo are heavily into Ian Hill from Collingwood. Norm Smith medallist that's getting paid a pittance with Collingwood ($400,000 per year)

Ask them for Josh Treacy or Jye Amiss to our address our forward line. If they can’t come to the party then he can honour his contract here. If he’s so home sick, as was reported in 2023, I have no idea why he’d sign a 4 year extension that year. Sounds as though he’d like to move to WA rather than needing to go.

In terms of trade value, and assuming Kozzie doesn't have an amazing All Australian year, you couldn't expect more that what they paid for Shai Bolton. Essentially 10 and 18 to Richmond with a few things going back to Freo (11 also went to Richmond but they gave 14 back to Freo) Bolton has an All Australian under his belt. I also noticed we play Collingwood in round 24. If he's out the door (and we're out of business) then I hope he's not on his best behaviour that night.

Is McAdam in full training? Thanks in advance.

Disco’s been in rehab for a while now.

Rounds 1, 2 and 3 could provide a bit of an answer on what life will look like post Kozzie. One tough game and two winnables on paper. He's missed 8 games in his career and we're 4-4 in those results, but 1-3 in the last 4 games he's missed through suspension. Weirdly out of the 8 games he's missed, Brisbane and Sydney have been the beneficiaries of 5 of those.

Then West Coast in round 8 which I'm sure the boys will be itching to atone from last year's disaster over there. 4-3 is good on paper, but we have a really tough 3 weeks from rounds 9-11 with Hawthorn, Brisbane (away) then Sydney. May have to win a statement game against Fremantle or Geelong in Geelong (ideally get to 6-2) to bank some early wins before that challenging 3 weeks. There's also a horror four weeks where we have Port, bye, GC and Adelaide all away.

Mostly agree with that aside from the Freo game. If we beat Fremantle, we’re making finals IMO.

Jack Lukosius should be a logical replacement for Marshall as that third key forward option. Good bit of recruiting in hindsight by Port.

Hopefully it was his first full session today and he can put his injury issues behind him. There's a vacancy in round 1 with Kozzie out.

Agreed. We get beaten over and over again by the same sides in the same fashion (ie - Freo and Collingwood running us off the park) The ladder said we were 2 wins and a chunk of percentage off 8th, but in reality we were miles off the pace in terms of being a finals contender. And we won over half our games before round 9 which tells a sorry story for the second half of the year. Some of our football in the final 3 months was unwatchable, uncompetitive and un Goodwin like with respect to never waving the white flag and respectability on the scoreboard. In 2023 we lost by 20+ points just once. In 2024 we lost by 20+ points a whopping 8 times.

Apparently it takes 6 weeks for a cracked rib to fully recover, so if you go by that timeline he’ll miss the first practice match (V maybe North around 20 Feb??). This is on the assumption they go fully conservative on him. Makes you wonder how and why May missed just one game with his fractured rib. The first key to success for 2025 is to have a strong and healthy pre season. Already we have our best 2 players missing the entire January…

Hopefully players that were in the rehab group to end last year such as McAdam, Melksham and Turner are back in full training. Hopefully Spargo can kick on and be available for the practice matches and Gawn being out for the entire January doesn't impact too much on his season.

Looks Like the male side of the bridal party borrowed their shirts from Charlie Sheen from Two and a half men.

I did see it just then and I agree it’s not overly great.

Goody’s wedding outfit. Goody angry at fans at Casey. 58er not being able to take a joke. May being at the pub. Geez we need a training report ASAP.

Hope you’re right and I’m wrong but I feel as though they had an off year by their standards (aside from taking care of business against us twice) and will be far more consistent next year. If Brisbane are hungry for 24 rounds, then they could realistically finish 1st by 3 or so games but it’s hard for a reigning premier to be up for so long the following year.

My early prediction is predicated on the following: At least 3 teams must go and in and out of the 8 each year. I hate Collingwood as much as the next person but it would be unacceptable if they don't finish top 2 given their recruitment for the now. One of Carlton or Bulldogs must miss the 8 due to at least one elimination final loser dropping out the next year (since we became an 18 club league in 2012) People will blast me for this but I expect us to miss the 8. Far too many question marks heading into 2025 and so many things need to align for us to win 14 games or 13 with an excellent percentage. 1) Collingwood 2) Brisbane 3) GWS 4) Fremantle 5) Adelaide 6) Hawthorn 7) Carlton 8) Sydney --------------- 9) Geelong 10) Port Adelaide 11) Western Bulldogs 12) Melbourne 13) Gold Coast 14) St Kilda 15) West Coast 16) Essendon 17) North Melbourne 18) Richmond

Agreed that Adrian Anderson has been an appalling representative for us over the last couple of years. We need to try our luck with someone else next year. However I could have sworn we had a major victory with Anderson at least once. Was it as long ago as Jack Viney winning his appeal against Adelaide in 2014 or JVR’s appeal in 2023 Vs GC?

Thanks Redleg for the clarification. My take is that the AFL wanted at least 3 weeks as a starting point, and sending it to the tribunal showed how serious they treated the incident. At worst they could have initially cleared him, which IMV is worse than putting up a flimsy argument at the tribunal. Anyway, what's done is done. Terrible outcome.

Don't disagree that the case put forward by the AFL wasn't overly great in the tribunal hearing. But the facts remain that the MRO in conjunction with the AFL suspended Maynard for at least 3 weeks, and it was Collingwood's right to appeal the suspension under the system available to them. And their defence team got the job done, unfortunately for Brayshaw and the MFC. https://www.afl.com.au/news/1030973/live-blog-collingwood-magpies-defender-brayden-maynard-faces-afl-tribunal-over-melbourne-demons-angus-brayshaw-bump COLLINGWOOD'S Brayden Maynard was staring at a ban of at least three matches as he faced the Tribunal on Tuesday night but had his rough conduct charge for the controversial bump on Melbourne's Angus Brayshaw overturned. the Match Review Officer and executive general manager of football Laura Kane graded it careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, referring him directly to the Tribunal.

Agreed. Everyone around here blames the AFL for Maynard getting off but he was initially suspended for the grand final. What more do you want?

Sparrow also kicked as equally good a goal in the 3rd quarter of the 2022 qualifying final Vs Sydney, but you’re right about THAT goal. He also kicked a very difficult set shot to seal the game against Essendon in mid 2021, so he can certainly kick a crucial goal when required. Doesn’t change the fact that he’s at the cross roads.