seventyfour

I feel bad saying this about the kid, but why did Laurie get a three year deal? They probably locked him away on average coin but it's still a list spot. Confusing. He was called the star of the 2024 pre-season, had senior exposure and no injuries in 2024, and from all reports was fully fit and training well in 2025. Looking at comparable players in the team for Sunday, we've got two 18 year olds, a VFL player drafted three weeks ago, and second-club player drafted 22 picks after Laurie in the same draft. Then there's Kozzy, Spargo, Melksham and Billings who should all be available within weeks. Hasn't shown anything at AFL level and seems a mile off the team this year.

Johnson has to play. I don't want to see JVR is in the ruck. I'll take the team as named on the field, with Billings, Langford, Johnson and Sharp on the interchange. Sub - no idea. Maybe TMac as tall insurance. Thrilled to see Petty back in the side and playing down back. Lindsay can wait for his debut. Howes is keeping a spot warm for the return of McVee. Billings and Sparrow are fighting the next three weeks to not be dropped for Kozzy.

150 games on Sunday. A great recruitment story. Averaged 50 goals a season in the three years we made top four. Over that period I believe he was top 5 in the entire AFL for goals. Kicked 6 goals in a Grand Final including the two crucial goals in a row to get momentum our way. Had a down year in 2024 yet still kicked 41. 7th all time for the Dees in goals, needs 8 more to pass the Wiz for 6th. Could do more with the pressure side of his game but honestly I think we're harsh on him as fans. Turns 28 this year. As a player who relies on skill and smarts, not athleticism, he could easily have 4-5 more strong seasons in him. Our Luke Bruest.

That's one player, who from all reports is going 'okay' but not banging down the door. If he doesn't turn out, who is next? My issue was that we haven't drafted any other key tall defenders, even rookie projects. If Adams doesn't turn out then we are stuffed when May is gone.

We don't have them on our list and it's been one of my frustrations in our recent recruiting. Maybe we're hoping to build it through trade like Lever and May.

Soooo many reasons! Adds further imbalance to already unfair fixtures. Look at us last year - 5 games in 28 days to start the year. Why should some teams get one less week of preparation than others? Why should more than half of the AFL's fanbase have to wait an extra week to see their team play? It ruins the excitement of Round 1, whether it's for going to the games, watching on TV, and even tipping comps. I also get annoyed trying figure out where teams actually sit on the ladder when some have played less games than others.

VFL curtain raisers on the MCG.

Richmond were bad last year and will be worse this year. Grimes, Baker, Martin, Bolton, Graham and Rioli all left with only 18 year old draft picks coming in to replace them. Hopper and Taranto are the only players left on their list in their prime. They are good players but neither are good enough to carry a team. Outside of that, their most experienced players are Vlaustin, Prestia (injury prone), Lynch (injury prone) and McIntosh. When it get deep into winter and the kids start tiring I could see a bunch of 100+ point losses. I feel bad for Yze.

What the list looks like at the end of the year is more important. If you ran this again in September based on the 2025 season, with Petracca at 5, Gawn at 21 and Oliver in top 50, we'll be playing finals. If you expanded this list to 100, the 51-100 range is where we could shine this year. Pickett, Viney, Rivers, May, Lever, Langdon and Fritsch could all easily be in the top 100.

Far from ideal but two are meaningless to our AFL team (Fullarton and Kentfield) and two others were replaced in the SSP.

They started the season 0-3, which means they went 18-1-5 for the rest of the season (including finals). One straight kick in 2023 and they'd be back to back Premiers. Joe Daniher is a massive loss, but they get back Coleman, Gardiner, McCarthy and Doedee who all missed the 2024 season. They also added young Ashcroft who, if anything like his brother, can have a a big impact from game 1.

Game length is fine, just wish they'd get rid of 7.50pm games and make them all 7.20pm or even 7.10pm.

He can also get taken by other clubs first. Assuming we're playing well there might be 4-5 other teams with spots who could pick before us.

Turner was playing country footy when we drafted him. Billings played 150 AFL games before he came to the club. Which would you prefer if we had to make a choice? Sometimes you need to take a chance on potential. Culley just seems like a depth player to me. The reports from West Coast fans on Culley are that he's too slow for AFL. Has a quick burst for stoppages but offers nothing else around the ground.

3 year deal, so he's still contracted next year. Might make sense to go down the Hunter route and pay him out. Culley or George, here's your chance...

2:42... Langford marks on 50, kicks it from the edge of the centre square and goals. Didn't even look like he was really giving it his all too.

When hasn't he? We could question his defensive efforts at time but as a fanbase I reckon we still somehow underrate him.

The challenge with Salo is that he seems to get injured or sick, misses a few games, then can't get back to his best. Lever is the same way.

It would surely be West Coast that goes after him hardest. Could offer a long deal that is heavily front-ended while their young list develops. We should be able to match it, it's just whether he just wants to go home. Can't stop that. If he does, put him in the trade for Harley Reid 😁

Sounds like JVR is ready to explode. Please no ruck work for him this year. How is Disco travelling? Sounds like he was flying pre-Christmas, but mayne not so much since the sad news about his parents house being lost in the fire and there may have been an injury too? It's easy to worry about our forward line, but if players deliver on the potential they've shown, it could quickly become a handful with a good mix of youth and experience.

I would not trust at all that he isn't sending information back to the Cats

IMO it could be Langford. While they are completely different heights, Langford offers the dual clearance/forward option in the same way Kozzie has been training this preseason.

Kolt strikes me as more the Petracca type, i.e. we won't see him explode until season 4-5 when his body really matures. He'll then beating most other senior players athletically and we've all seen his effort levels on display already.

Still way better than last year though. The early season run in 2024 - something like 5 games in 25 days - was ridiculous. We were never a chance to beat Brisbane at the MCG that night.

Our Round 7 game is against Richmond, so we'd be 5-2 if results went the way of the above. Would be a brilliant start to the year. I'd take 4-3.