The Taciturn Demon

Demonland: Did he choose Lachie Dovaston? Me: No. Demonland: Did he choose Sam Grjl? Me: No. Demonland: Then tell me. Me: He chose Cameron Nairn. He'll be taking eleven marks and kicking three a week. Demonland: [forced enthusiasm] Amazing! Were you pleased? Me: When I heard it I was like, YES! LET'S GET IN THERE! YES!

If we can't trade up, I don't mind this at all. Especially if we can trade into next year's draft with picks from likely strugglers and get picks lower down the order in this year's that let Taylor find a gem or two in the second or third rounds. Everything I see and read suggests that realistic expectatoons with players at 7 and 8 in this draft you're hoping become solid Bs but could be Cs, with the faint possibility they surpass all expectations. Surely the top 10 is for players you genuinely think could be A-graders and are confident will be very solid Bs. (In 2024, you might even have higher expectations than that.) I know not all top 10 picks turn out this way, but I'm not sure this draft even gives you the hope. So trade out, have a look at what the list can do in roughly its current state. Get 15 or 20 more games into Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Turner, maybe Kentfield, Tholstrup, Adams and Culley. Find out what kind of influenceJiath and Steele can have, and whether Mihocek is good for three seasons or more like one and half. Then take stock at the end of the season - understand how far off we are and go hard in the 2026 draft. Of course, the other way is to say "Who cares what number the picks are? Just let Jason Taylor pick his faves and trust that he can find one or two exceptional players at any point in any draft." Not sure too many recruiters have the track record to justify such an approach - he might, though.

Pretty sure that's the arm the Predator blows off before impacing Dillon.

Yep. Goodwin marked his card. As others have said, he probably had good reasons to, although when we were flailing and bringing in the same old C-graders, surely it was time to give him a couple of full games. Interesting to see what he does in the final year of a contract under a coach who hasn't put the "never again" against his name and will, I presume, move to a game style where half forwards can be more involved. He never looks particularly exciting to me at VFL level, but I do think it's unfair to bring a bloke in as a sub every few weeks and say "based on that 18 minutes, we can't play you in the AFL".

Hore Gillard McNamara Wotherspoon O'Hehir Hanks Very close to giving Bannan votes. The pile on throughout the game, at the end of the game, and in the season, has been bizarre to me.

My 1diot eye sees a midfield version of Jack Higgins.

It all began with Matt Burgan, didn't it?

Idiotic. The final 8 system they have now is as elegant and fair as a system gets.

Mm. Maybe. I couldn't really think of two more unalike coaches, though.

Well said. We're very young - while at the same time playing a few old stagers who are right at the very end and pretty banged up. The draw was really easy, but it was a good effort to maintain consistency and finish second. And I think a really strong effort to play out a tough game against a brutal Brisbane team with stars on every line and not let it become a big loss. Players like Campbell, Gillard, Gall, Wotherspoon, Mahony, O'Hehir and Rigoni are all under 23. Add in Ebert (whose non-selection still puzzles me) and Lily Johnson who seems on the edge of our best team - both 19. All contribute, but as you'd expect from very young players, not all can do it for four quarters (Gillard can). Very interested to see how we go against Adelaide next week. Straight sets would be devastating but it's so hard against larger, more mature teams.

Getting beaten by the most unlikeable team in all of football and now there's a "walk like the Telstra guy" competition. [censored] me.

Good crowd noise on the city side. Enjoying the volume and sarcasm.

Loving Molly O'Hehir's game. Might be the making of her.

One of the greatest pretenders I've seen in 40 odd years of watching footy. Impossible to like.

What a privilege to have been around to watch Kate Hore. Stunningly good footballer.