Bring-Back-Powell

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.

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.