MadAsHell

I agree that the sport of cricket is in good health, however the ICC needs to make sure that all forms are looked after. I've heard a few suggestions of late that all have merit and could work. Someone mentioned earlier in this thread about about England and India moving to a 3 year cycle instead of 4, which I think has strong merit. Especially if to allow for the future tours program to work they start those summers off with one off tests against the likes of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland etc before the 5 test Ashes or Border/Gavaska trophy starts. Then on the 3rd year you can have two 3 test series against South Africa followed by New Zealand. Or a 2 and then 4 test series against one of Sri Lanka or West Indies followed by Pakistan. Steve Waugh came out the other day and called on the ICC to start to make separate payments to players (outside of the country boards) to incentivise selection for your country in Test match and ODI cricket. I think this is a great idea and a way to help keep players playing for their country. T20 cricket still needs Test and (to a lesser extent) ODI cricket to thrive. T20 cricket is built off the back of stars from the longer format such as Warne, Kohli, Dhoni, Gilchrist, Gayle etc. I could go on. And finally from the ODI perspective. Wasim Akram had a great idea I remember him talking about during the World Cup. He mentioned no one cares about the bilateral ODI series anymore, so that they need to get back to the old tri series. His theory that every country only plays one tri or quad series a year each and that you have to win a series to qualify for the World Cup. By the 3rd year of a World Cup cycle, any full member nation that had yet to qualify would have to host a tri series against an associate nation who would have gone through their own qualifying process (think Scotland, Netherlands, UAE, Hong Kong etc) in order to get a final World Cup squad. This allows for each ODI series to feature multiple teams with their own final and proper steaks. All really good ideas in my opinion which could all work in conjunction with eachother.

Here's a link to the last 2021 Phantom Draft by Cal Twomey. Van Rooyen listed as Defender/Forward that can play either end. *Twomey had him going at 20 to Brisbane. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.afl.com.au/news/688361/cal-twomeys-2021-phantom-afl-draft-top-30-late-picks-club-whispers/amp

4. Harley Reid - Would be fitting having Jack Watts present him his jumper. 6. Vacant. Potential new number for McVee if he wants it. 14. Jack Billings (wore 15 at St Kilda) 23. Shane McAdam (same number as at Adelaide) 27. Kynan Brown (reckon we'll grab him with our pick 42. Close to Nathan's old number) 34. Tom Fullerton (because) 39. Rookie pick.

Disagree with the above. I started working on a mock draft last night, and while I do have it coming in, I only have it coming into 40. Gold Coast have a heap of Picks before us yes, but most will be chewed up with their first academy player. Then they'll mainly be using picks with points after our Pick 42. Throw in Bulldogs and Hawks using points for Father Son selections with picks after our 42. It won't be as drastic a pick upgrade from 42 as some think it will be.

As stated in the OP. I expect Melksham to be moved onto the rookie list and we'll have 2 picks in the National Draft and 1 in the Rookie Draft. If we can package 6 & 11 up to move up to 1, then we'll use Pick 42. If we keep 6 & 11 then I expect we'll pass at 42 and hope we can get Brown in the Rookie Draft.

Poor interview, but we can't trade him today as there's no obvious replacement. Another 12 months into Jefferson and the possibility of luring a Ben King or someone like that could open up the trade possibilities for him at the end of next year.

I can't find the team at all online. But from memory JVR was named at CHB in the 2021 U18 AA team.

Melbourne should just leave future 2nd on the table and nothing more. If Adelaide refuse to play ball, then walk McAdam through to the pre-season draft with a massively front ended deal of 900K for year 1 and 150K (approx) for years 2 & 3. The advantage of clearing out the 1.5 mill with Grundy, Harmes, Jordon etc.

I would have been in the minority about a week ago and said yes as we need some rebounding half back flankers with Hibberd retiring, Joel Smith going forward and Deakyn Smith being delisted. Yes I know O'Brien mainly played wing, but he spent time at half back as well. After seeing that the filth delisted Trent Bianco the other day however, I would rather take a punt on him.

Does this really need a new thread to the Tom Hawkins thread?

Could be awkward. Pretty sure I've heard Max say at a function that Hawkins is his wife's hall pass.😬

Farm stuff.

They have farms in Gippsland to...

When Harmes is up and about, he has more strings to his bow IMO. Can win his own ball, can spread, is good overhead and can kick a goal or play a shut down role. Sadly we just haven't seen it as much as we would have liked the last 2 years.

Geelong would be a great fit for Harmes. Post Selwood & Smith, Dangerfield & Duncan slowing down and Menagola on the out. Harmes at his age could be an important transitional midfielder for them as their next crop come through. Could see him playing 50+ games for Geelong easy.

I heard he refuses to return her phone calls. Source: Trust me bro.

I've got my ticket!😂

Pretty sure they had both nominated St Kilda

There's normally a thread for the delisted free agents, so thought I should kick this years off and whether there's anything worth looking at that could suit our needs. https://www.afl.com.au/trade/list-changes For me, in order of what catches my interests. 1. Lochie O'Brien. - With Hibberd retiring, Deakyn Smith being delisted and Joel Smith being moved forward, we suddenly have a lack of rebounding defenders. Lochie O'Brien could fill this void. Traditionally a wing, but has spent time at half back. A good runner with a decent left foot could be worth a look. 2. Tim O'Brien - Former Hawk turned Bulldog started as a forward who often played 2nd ruck before switching to the Dogs as a defender. We know how many key position players the Dogs have, so could we recruit O'Brien as Max's back up who could also play either end at Casey when not in the seniors, allowing plenty of opportunity for Verrell and Farris-White to develop their ruck skills in the VFL? 3. Brynn Teakl - Ruckman from Port. Played some senior football this year and is a mature body. Could be the understudy to Max we need, though personally I'm not that big a wrap.

Makes one think, is there a chance the club doesn't recruit another ruck/part time ruck and is planning on using the likes of Schache, McDonald and Tomlinson as cover for Max if required? I hope not, but I'm starting to wonder.

Farris-White is 206cm. If he's not playing in the ruck (key position) I hope they're not banking on him being a rebounding half back flanker. And Sestan while maybe not key pillar position is a classic 3rd tall/mid sized forward IMO in the Tim Membrey mould. Can push up to play a high half forward role at a pinch, but certainly not his one wood.

I feel like the selection committee at Casey will have a hard time fitting in all these key position prospects next year. Verrell, Farris-White, Brown, McDonald, Sestan, Jefferson, Schche and another key forward/ruck that people want us to recruit. Throw in we'll already have Tomlinson, Adams and K. Turner in defence. Don't know how we can give them all a proper opportunity to develop/push for selection.

I once knew someone from Adelaide. And if they're still the same as they were when I last saw them back in 2006, I suspect they'd be disappointed to see McAdam go.🤔

I'm going to go into bat for Bali here. I don't actually hate the Casboult suggestion. Why? Well yes, he's 34 next year, but we're not necessarily looking for our future ruck prospect. We're looking for decent back up for Max for the next 2 years if required. Casboult's output the last 2 seasons has been solid up in GC. And while yes he'd well and truly be finished after a maximum of 2 years. In theory in an ideal world one of Verrell or Farris-White would have come on by then. Also keep in mind do we really want a genuine ruck (eg Preuss)? If they're not going to play in the seniors every week. Where would Preuss play at Casey while we're also trying to develop Verrell and Farris-White? It's food for thought. So IMO we need someone who can play somewhere other than ruck while at Casey. But can play ruck if called upon. Tim O'Brien is one of the only other cheap options I see out there at the moment.