Lord Travis

Our backline is just so much better with Tomlinson in there. He’s not superstar, but he plays his lockdown role well enough (88% one on one win rate, best at the club). He allows the rest of our backs to play to their strengths. It’s almost become comical now watching our defense turn to water when he’s dropped. We’re just cruising today so fingers crossed for no injuries.

Reckon the Swans will be fired up at home and beat us. They’ve got a home final to play for. We’ll give a decent account of ourselves but ultimately fall short and have key players spend long periods on the bench.

In all seriousness, I can’t see how this will happen now. They’ll likely only trade down if they can get the local lad Curtin. His stocks have risen and he likely won’t be there for them at pick 4/5. If he’s off the table, then I’d think Reid is off the table. More likely now they either take Reid or Curtin with pick 1 rather than trade it.

Wow what are North doing?! Reid back on the cards here?!? The twists and turns of all the death rides and scenarios confuse the [censored] out of me!

Looking like the worst possible result today with Freo starting to belt the Hawks and Gold Coast barely scraping by. Still a decent result all up to get pick 5 from the Jacko trade last year.

Fingers crossed the Hawks lift and win this. Also hoping the Suns belt North from here as insurance.

The great Isaac Weetra getting a gig!

No stats support what the AFL site says there. Quite the opposite in fact! See an extract from a previous post of mine regarding Ben Mckay stats: "On 2023 form, he's lost 41% of one on one contests, which ranks him as the worst key defender in the league. Outright statistically worst tall defender in the league. He's averaged a bit under 2 intercept marks a game. For context, May has lost 21%, Lever 25%. Tomlinson surprisingly has been our strongest defender in the contest, and has only lost 12% of one on one contests and averages a bit over 1 intercept mark a game, including matches where he's been subbed off. Statistically, Ben McKay is work the Tomlinson, so if Ben McKay is worth a first round pick, then so is Tomlinson, and we all know neither are". In no way is Ben McKay worth anything more than 2nd or 3rd round compensation. If a club is willing to pay him $800,000+, then they're run by a drugged up lunatic mid-[censored].

Not yet. Would be happy to throw Freos second rounder their way if we don’t use it to trade up for another pick in the top ten. Flanders is AFL ready and performing well in the midfield now he’s got his chance. Can play inside or outside and form part of our rotation after our big guns.

Ladhams is an almighty spud (known unaffectionately to swans fans as “the peanut”). He’s 26 next season and yet to show anything at AFL level. Completely ineffective around the ground, in the ruck, and is as stupid as they come with fake tough guy stuff. My swans supporting mates all sink in shame when he’s named and would rather play without a ruckman than have that dumb spud run around in their jumper. I’d be devastated if we traded away Grundy only to bring Ladhams. We’ve for currency to try and shake loose a gun tall forward like Harry McKay or Ben King again. May as well have a crack while we can and if it doesn’t work out then we just take the good picks to draft.

I get your point, but teams don’t mind Saad having the ball as while he provides run, he generally kicks it 60 metres straight upwards and isn’t overly effective. Had a good year last year, but bit of a butcher. Rivers is already producing more goals assists, more score involvements, more score launches. Testament to Rivers that he’s already surpassed Saad as a player at such a young age!

Rivers copped a tag in the last quarter. Goodwin acknowledged it and shows how highly regarded Rivers is!

Thought this thread was going to be a trade related rumor about Finn Callahan or something juicy… Hope all is well and no heads go missing WCW

Perfect fit for us with our teens pick if he’s available!

If we can’t get Reid, then wouldn’t bother trading up for pick 2. None of the other top picks seem like they could be that absolute game breaker mid forward type. Duursma perhaps, but less likely as he was disappointing in the midfield this year and is less competitive inside. We’d be better off taking multiple first rounders to draft or trading them. A real shame, as a Reid/Petracca combo was a tantalizing fantasy!

Our attendance numbers are phenomenal compared to other clubs with higher membership numbers. The old fair weather gone skiing stereotype is well and truly wrong now. Dees supporters turn up and are more loyal than any other clubs supporters. Any talk of disappointing crowds or low numbers at Melbourne games is flat out wrong and disrespectful. Some spuds in the media like Caroline Wilson and Damien Barrett are flat out liars and owe the club and its supporters an apology for the way they speak about our crowds. Hats off Dees fans. We’re the best!

Poor signs early but plenty of time to steady. Thank god for Trent Rivers. He’s having a great year off half back. Wish I could say the same for his mates, but Salem and Bowey have both had poor years and don’t deserve a game at present.

Correct. It would also be poor budget management from us to spend over $600k on a backup ruckman who plays VFL. The Gawn and Grundy partnership doesn’t appear to be working, and it’s best for both Grundy and the Dees if he’s traded elsewhere now unfortunately. We can spend far less on a backup for Max until we have a proper successor.

He sure is good at beating up on the bottom teams eh!

Saw a post that Kynan Brown won Vic Metros best and fairest award. Can anyone confirm? Though he’s small, looks like we might be getting a decent talent with a late pick. He’s a very hard worker and hopefully can make it in the red and blue!

Any new bird related rumors from The Riddler?

Easier said than done when he routinely gets half that amount.

Yep agreed. If we wind up with our pick being in the 15-18 range and don’t trade it, he’d be one I hope slips to that range for us. Promising tall defender with good size and ability who fills a longer term need.