BaliDemon

Part of society’s malaise in general. It’s dumbing down. We’re all at fault too because we play along with it, willing partners in the idiocy of the Campbell Browns of the world. Meanwhile, an actual intelligence person - Rohan Connolly - wrote a brilliant piece on our finals failure and future prospects for ESPN. https://footyology.com.au/where-to-now-for-melbourne-and-port-adelaide/ No-one starts a Demonland thread on it because it’s not ‘outrageous’ or ‘controversial’ enough.

I don’t know that JVR is the ‘gold standard’. He’s just ‘the standard’ required to make it at AFL level, or at least have a chance of making it. Keep in mind JVR is still far from the finished product and nowhere near definable as having ‘made it’. He had a very promising debut season. That’s where we’re at with him so far. Jefferson is a complete unknown at this stage. He’s got pedigree as a draft pick in the 10 - 20 range but by all reports his first year at Casey was pretty underwhelming. Got no issues with being patient with him but things change, trade opportunities come up and maybe his name pops up as a suggestion in our pursuit of other interests. Who knows. He’s certainly not an untouchable commodity.

Just a reminder of the stock Campbell Brown comes from.

If Lynch is deemed too expensive then for me Casboult is the solid cut price alternative from that list. He is certainly durable. Played 41 games for the Suns over the past two seasons. 60 goals (35 last year, 25 this year). Big brute of a lad, 200cm, could provide ruck relief for Gawn. Much prefer Lynch though. It’s a no on Chol for me. Hardwick shopping him out of two clubs says a fair bit about what he thinks of his application and attitude.

That would be the smart strategy for Richmond. They are in the death zone if they erroneously believe they can still contend and end up hanging around mid ladder for the next two seasons. Bottoming out is a must for them now with Tasmania coming in. They won their three flags now need to take their medicine, like the Hawks are doing.

100% agree. Wings have become a weakness for us. Hunter in particular provides no dash, run and carry or drive forward. Would love a John Noble type from Collingwood on the opposing wing to Langdon.

No-one’s suggest a top 10 pick for Lynch. Haven’t seen it suggested in the public arena either. He’d be worth pick 16 - 25 depending on the situation of the club interested and Richmond’s keenness to get picks in and get his salary off their books.

There’s an opportunity cost in pushing hard for silverware in your flag window. Late first round pick is marginally ‘overpaying’ for Lynch (maybe) but would you be lamenting it if it was the move that brought home a second premiership with this group? No. Jefferson for ‘peanuts’ is not what I suggested. It was 13, 22 & Jefferson for pick 7. Maybe a third rounder coming back our way. There’s also an opportunity cost in gaining access to the absolute best talent in the draft. Jefferson is a speculative tall at this stage. Some ability there but reality is he’s probably only a 50/50 chance to impact at AFL senior level. That’s just the way it is with young KPP’s. He certainly hasn’t yet shown the AFL ready attributes Van Rooyen has.

Lynch isn’t costing a top ten pick or even pick 13. Not At 31yo. It’s more the salary issue - he’s on pretty big coin.

Interesting analysis. Not even sure Goody thinks that deeply about things! With you on O’Sullivan. I’m as keen and as sold on that kid as I was on Curnow in the 2015 draft. Obviously he plays other end of the ground but he’s got star quality, insane athleticism. 198cm and probably growing, will fill out into a brute.

31yo Lynch yes. Would cost late first rounder. Bigger salary though. Naughton no. Because he’s younger he’d cost at least an early first rounder.

B: McVee, May, C.O’Sullivan HB: Rivers, Lever, Salem C: Howes, Petracca, Langdon HF: N.Watson, Petty, S.McAdam F: Fritsch, T.Lynch, Pickett FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney IC: Brayshaw, Sparrow, Smith, ANB SUB: Woewodin EM: JVR Hunter Spargo

Possibly. I think a lot of us are on the same page about having a crack at a mature age key forward. It’s just a matter of who’s available and how much we’re prepared to compromise adding quality kids to the list. We likely won’t get a draft hand like this again for quite a few years so it’s critical we get the balance right. Personally I’d like to see us bring in two mature agers (McAdam & say Tom Lynch) and two kids from the top 10 in the draft, plus a back up ruckman.

Even if you could shake him out of Footscray, Naughton would cost our pick 5 at a minimum so there’s any chance to draft McKercher gone. Nick Watson also won’t then be available at our next pick - 13. This is the drawback of ‘Godfather’ offers for contracted gun 23 - 27 yo key forwards. You compromise the future by burning early draft picks.

Silly excuse. No-one would’ve prevented or cared had we activated him. “Spargs has got a bit of a hammy. Better come off.” No worries.

Clickbait drivel from an industry bottom feeder desperate to stay relevant.

I think he (whoever came off for him) would’ve felt wonderful knowing his teammate was able to share the glory and joy of having had a chance to be out there on the ground, just like he’d been able to for the previous 3 quarters and 20 minutes. I think whoever that player may have been would’ve loved sharing that lifelong memory with James. The match was won and over as a contest. Nothing at all to do with being ‘dragged’. Everything to do with thinking about the moment and an experience of a lifetime for a young man who was part of the team. It was a crappy thing not to have done imo. I was embarrassed for him and disappointed in the coach it didn’t happen.

I’ll never understand why our coach didn’t bring him onto the ground in the final 10 minutes or so of the Grand Final. Yeah he got a medallion but it wouldn’t have hurt anyone to give the lad the memory of being out on the green stuff during an AFL premiership win. The game was well and truly iced. There was no reason not to. Pretty thoughtless from Goodwin I reckon. All the best to you James. You played 20+ solid games in 2021 and deserved to be in that photo as much as any bloke out there. You are an MFC premiership player.

Part of it is definitely psychological. Not sure if it has ever been used in the AFL yet but elite sporting organisations in a range of sports in the U.S now use ‘artificial crowd and stadium noise’ to acclimatise their players to performing under those same conditions on game day. Major League Baseball clubs use it, NFL teams, NBA clubs and so on. I think even a few rugby league clubs in Australia have experimented with it recently. Something to consider. https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2020/08/29/denver-broncos-will-use-fake-crowd-noise-at-stadium-practice/

100% this. Brayshaw plays out that QF and we win. Through to a home prelim and a big chance to make the GF. Also Petty out, Melk out. The stars just didn’t align unfortunately. You do need a run of good fortune to win this thing. Gut tells me no-one’s beating Brisbane this year anyway. They’ve just got that ‘feel’ about them. Fix our forward line and we can get back there I’ve got no doubt in mind. The heart burn of these two close losses might actually be a blessing in disguise and propel the lads to glory in 2024. All this hand-wringing from the talking heads … they can stick it where the sun don’t shine.

And if not Jefferson then definitely Van Rooyen. Still only 20yo and far from the finished product physically and in terms of experience. I think we need to be very careful we don’t develop ‘JVR the Saviour’ syndrome at such a young age. Tom Lynch at FF while May & Gawn have probably two more prime years left makes a lot of sense to me.

Well there are first rounders and there are first rounders. Our future first is likely/hopefully to be pick 15 - 18. Shuffle that along another few with the charity academy and whatever selections and it would seem about right. To put it in perspective we picked Bailey Laurie with pick 22.

Salary wise yes not cheap but he wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg in draft capital. Pick 5 wouldn’t be touched. We might get away with our 2024 first rounder which should be in the 15 - 18 range. 31yo doesn’t phase me. It’s just his body. That’s certainly the question mark. I don’t know that JVR is ready to take the next step at this stage. He’s got some filling out to do and got monstered a bit too much for my liking against the big boys. He’s only 20yo. As a combo with Petty with a shot at a flag at stake it’s too big a risk imo. We need a proper gorilla coming out of the square.

I don’t know about that. JVR/Petty is not as good as the Lions, GWS or Blues combos, maybe the Pies duo yes but still a big gamble placing that much pressure on JVR in his second year. Can we afford to take a gamble like that with two solid years left of a premiership window? I’m not sold on it. Get Tom Lynch.

How about this for a scenario: - Pick 5 take Nick ‘Wizard’ Watson - Send 2024 first rounder to Richmond for Tom Lynch. - Pick 32 to Adelaide for Shane McAdam - Send Grundy to Sydney for pick 22. Then package up picks 13, 22 & Jefferson to Geelong for pick 7. They can use those picks to regenerate their midfield and forward line in the post Danger/Selwood/Hawkins era. - Pick 7 take Conor O’Sullivan McVee May O’Sullivan Salem Lever Rivers Langdon Petracca Brayshaw Watson Petty McAdam Fritsch Lynch Pickett Gawn Oliver Viney Sparrow Smith Bowey JVR ANB Hunter Tomlinson