DeeSpencer

Predicted North team FB: Hardeman Logue Pink HB: Daniel Comben O’Sullivan* C: Simpkin LDU Powell HF: Konstanty Darling Duursma* FF: Zurhaar Larkey Dovaston Foll: Xerri Parker Sheezel Int: CCJ, Scott, Stephens, Harvey, Hansen, Becker Not sure where Duursma and FOS have been training. They’re missing McKercher and Wardlaw from their midfield but still have some talent, same for the forward line missing Curtis and Trembath. Becker’s a rebounding third tall type. He might be one to watch. Hopefully we can stop kicking it to Comben and our forwards can create some mismatches.

FB: Howes T Mc Lever HB: Salem Turner CJ C: Langdon Steele Langford HF: Chandler JVR Fritsch FF: L. Pickett Mihocek Jeffo Foll: Heath Windsor K. Pickett Int: X. Taylor, Tholstrup, Rivers, Lindsay, Sparrow Potential Subs: Kentfield, Adams, Mentha, Laurie, Sharp And I expect guys like Mihocek, CJ and Salem might only play a half. Might only leave Matthews, Onley and Berry for the Casey hit out.

Pretty much. But I think we had a lot of poor leadership the last few years that then gets put at the blame of the players culture.

The thing that annoys me and probably annoys our senior players is that there’s this narrative that we’ve tumbled down the ladder on the back of a few bad apples not being well managed in 2022/2023. And whilst it hasn’t helped I really think that’s a load of junk because the vast majority of our players fronted up well in to 2024 at least. We had club wide failures from the board, the ceo, the footy department, list management, coaching that impacted far more. Hence why most of those people are gone. And we also had some bad luck with really good apples like Brayshaw and ANB leaving from matters outside our control. Even if we could’ve handled it far better Tracc’s injury wasn’t our fault. Collingwood players took out more of our guys than our bad culture did! The Dogs have lost Jamarra and Bailey Smith for peanuts. The Cats have had Stengle need medical assistance in a nightclub and now on personal leave, Tom Atkins nearly killed someone driving off the road, a rookie allegedly assault a woman and Bruhn find himself in a highly compromising position even if he was cleared of a crime. Not to mention the coach and Smith firing off on women in the workplace. And up in Brisbane they’ve now got 2 former captains who will screw anything that moves.

I thought Luker jumped just well enough to make sure Heath didn’t have the centre bounces all his own way. But at boundary throw ins he was often 5m off the drop trailing in which was concerning. He did a few nice things around the ground, he’s a quality contested mark and great kick. If we’re going to use the 5th bench spot on an extra tall it may as well be Heath just rucking 40% of the game. Luker won’t be more impactful than JVR in the ruck and then we’ve got 4 key forwards to try to rotate, it will either clog the forward line or ruin their momentum in the game.

Previously you’ve been able to at Casey, although during the intraclub they had a couple of decent sized temporary stands on the outer side which would do the job better than byo chair.

I forgot about that. In that case Heath comes in, there’s every chance Max will be on light duties not risking his tight hammy. And a couple of runners to replace the other 2. Maybe Mentha and Onley if CJ isn’t right.

AJ has a real go in the ruck and the air but he’s actually a far better athlete and less of a bruiser. Strong endurance and good agility, he’s much more similar to a JVR or Mihocek, just with a country footy look about him and the bald head. The big questions for AJ are whether he can stay healthy (the intraclub wasn’t a good start) and whether he has the skills/forward craft at the level. Big Ah-Mu probably compares with Kentfield but with another inch of height to get him even closer to ruck size. He’s probably competing for a list spot with the likes of Luker and Kalani White. For a young developing list there’s room for all 3 but I’m going to need more than a good quarter and a bit with good service against tiring defenders to be convinced he’s a must add.

FB: Howes T Mc Lever HB: Tholstrup Disco Lindsay C: Langford Steele Langdon HF: Chandler JVR Fritsch FF: L. Pickett Jeffo Mihocek Foll: Gawn Windsor K. Pickett Int: X Taylor, Rivers, Sparrow, Laurie, Sharp Second half subs: Heath, Melk, Kentfield, Mentha, Adams, Onley, Matthews, Berry Might play: AJ?, Salem, CJ, Petty Inj: Culley, AMW, McAdam, Henderson, May, White, Viney, Campbell, Bowey Just hope to see plenty of pace on the ball, switches and run. Our forwards getting chances in space. Then hopefully our backline and particularly our transition defending can hold up against a North side that are dangerous when they get out in space.

Page 113 from here if anyone wants to check and copy and paste it properly

Apologies for the dodgy iPhone text capture above, it didn’t let me copy paste from the CBA PDF. Either way, I guarantee it’s the real thing and not some dodgy AI that has no clue what it’s saying.

LTI is an outdated term, it doesn’t exist now in the AFL list management rules. Inactive List is the updated term used since the SSP/mid season draft was introduced. From the AFL CBA 2023- 2027 Schedule 5A - AFL Player and List Management 1. AFL Player Lists Each Club will maintain their AFL Lists during the Terms as follows: (a) Thand mot less fra layers on the Club's AFL Primary List will be not more than (b) The number of AFL Players on the Club's Category A Rookie List will be not mor himany Listand Cata or A Rokie Lavat any time: A FL Players on their AF (c) Than Lumber of AFL Players on the Club's Calegory B Rookie Lit will be not more 2. AFL Inactive List (a) A Club may apply to the General Counsel or Executive General Manager of Football to transfer an AFL Player suffering a season ending injury from its AFL Primary List to its AFL Inactive List. A season ending injury means an injury or illness suffered by an AFL Player which, in the opinion of the AFL Chief Medical Officer, after consultation with the Club Doctor, will prevent or is likely to prevent an AFL Player, having due regard to their health and safety, from participating in AFL Matches for the remainder of the relevant AFL Season. (b) An AFL Player may only be transferred to the AFL Inactive List with the AFL Player's consent and with the approval of the General Counsel. (c) An AFL Player who is transferred to an AFL Inactive List is ineligible to play in the AFL Competition or in any other Australian Football competition for the period from the date that AFL Player is transferred to the AFL Inactive List until the conclusion of the relevant AFL Season. (d) Where an AFL Player is transferred to the AFL Inactive List, a Club may replace that AFL Player by selecting a replacement player during the AFL Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period or at the mid-AFL Season Draft Selection Meeting. A Club is unable to replace an AFL Player transferred to its AFL Inactive List after the conclusion of the mid-AFL Season Draft Selection Meeting

The issue is it’s not a LTI list it’s an Inactive Player list that requires a player to miss the entire season. Campbell, May or McAdam would effectively be retiring if they didn’t play at all this year. Bowser we need back whenever he can be. White should hopefully recover quickly after time off. And good luck to anyone who tries to tell Jack Viney to sit a year. We’ll also probably be picking early in the mid season draft so we have to make sure we’ve got a pick then.

JVR started very well, might’ve even been better than that, who knows what happened in the 5 minute dead period. Once they flipped the teams to have good forwards vs good backs and jumbled midfield he was less involved and dropped a few marks but was still presenting well. Trell probably tried to a bit too much early evading traffic but he would’ve had plenty of score involvements and looks particularly dangerous sprinting to space. Unsexy player comp - Brad Close from the Cats.