DeeSpencer

The pies have just about named a squad of 25 for the afl final where as we might have 26/27 in contention, The difference might be in the ineligible players. They’ve had a settled line up for most of the year so probably less players ruled out by afl/VFL rules nonsense

Are you sure all were eligible? I’d imagine Grundy, Spargo and possibly JJ and Hibbo weren’t. Would like to hear the club protest because if they’ve had players pulled out due to the afl bye making them ineleigible it’s a joke.

I’d rather take a chance on one of the many back ups around the league coming in to their prime than Lycett who hasn’t been able to get through a game all year. If we are after a veteran Goldy makes more sense than Lycett. Otherwise I’d be looking at Jordon Sweet, Matt Flynn, Sam Hayes, Tom Fullarton or even Ivan Soldo.

6. Heath - 11 tackles! 2 snags. Stopped Davey in her tracks and got her the other way 5. Hore - full of class and versatility 4. Mackin - exceptionally wing game, 16 kicks and a heap of penetration to them 3. Bannan - 17 touches, 3 snags, worked up and down the field 2. Hanks - just makes it look effortless at times 1. Purcell - quiet first half but got rolling late Apologies to Paxy, Tay Harris and Zanker, with goal kicking the difference for those last 2 missing out

All our forwards are fighting for spots because Aimee Mackin is going to come in and runs rings around teams very shortly (I hope)

Continuity is the Dees big advantage over the comp. For the sake of the league hopefully ever other side can get something similar.

Maybe he had it wrong to start with but Hore as a spare back to kill momentum, then on ball to get them going, Heath tagging and Paxy Pacman out of the congestion to half forward have all been excellent coaching moves from Mick.

If Banno can start clunking big grabs then she might go to a whole new level

I don’t think Choco will be happy with it if he’s watching

Better get you to Gosch’s.

Gay, Goldy and Birch have all been really bad across half back. Haven’t won many contests and barely halving many. Unusual given that’s often one of our strengths

Big Pearce looks shot but wow Georgia Campbell is talent

Clear Mark/free on the goal line ignored. Mids and defenders can’t win a contest

If we are being charitable: McDonald comes in for Melk. Perhaps Grundy and Schache are held over for Fritsch or for Gawn. Hibberd in case we need a defender. JJ if we need an on ball. Woey for the wing. Spargo if we need a small forward. But 6 hold overs is a lot. Barring a couple of unknown or late injuries that’s more than the emergencies. Grundy, Hibbo and one of the mid/forwards would’ve been enough.

Yeah back to his home state, plus cash, plus opportunity to play regularly that he was getting at the Suns. I’m not sure the Suns or Hardwick would want him to go. He’s down the pecking order as a key forward but as a forward/ruck he’d be in line to take back over for Casboult. But across the competition you’ll see guys on big money playing in the reserves sent to new homes where they can.

Must’ve played like Matthew Scarlett down back on the weekend

No to chasing him this year when he'd cost a fortune in picks. Yes to chasing him as a free agent if he's genuinely on the market. But if we trade Grundy out we'll need someone cheap but playable in next year and they might surprise and push to be a long term option. Plus we need forward help next year too.

I don’t think he’s the best key defender in the draft, but he could be the 2nd best midfielder in the draft

Clarko won 4 flags building via the draft (which some vital top ups) and got fired building via trades. He was right to pump his side up after the win and say they’d get a good player at pick 2. But I expect they’ll make a compelling offer for Reid. I know he’s had Dusty comparisons but to me the player he mosts reminds me of with his left foot, physical style and country background is Luke Hodge. I still hold out hope they don’t get pick 3 but even if they do I think they’d look to deal 2, their own future first and Port’s first rather than 2 and 3. That’s still an amazing deal for the Eagles if they are cold on Reid.

Nah the draft media are overwhelmingly saying Reid is the number 1. If North get gifted a dream draft hand they’ll at least make an offer to switch from 2 to 1. There’s 3 big obstacles against us getting Reid. 1. The Eagles don’t get cute with go home factor or trying to get multiple picks and just take him straight up 2. North might have a monster draft hand and are massively incentivised to use it 3. The eagles might be willing to trade back to get Curtin but he could go at picks 2-5 and we’ll have at best pick 6, or even the Suns pick 4 is likely 5-6 when it gets used. With Curtin moving up draft boards it’s hard to see how far back the eagles would go. All 3 are potential dangers

There’s a fair argument the Dons would be better off giving the midfield minutes to Hobbs, Caldwell, Perkins, Tsatas and banking the extra pick than keeping Parish. Even if that means taking a step backwards. Similar to Hawthorn moving on Mitchell and O’Meara

Underrated as a stoppage player and provides midfield run which we’d like. Ball use isn’t great. There’s a point at which he becomes a value buy for free on a reasonable contract. If he comes as a free agent on 5 x 600k that might be close to that point. We could play an extra mid in the current side and rotate them through the forwards more. Otherwise the easiest way to fit him in is to move Gus to a wing or half back. Or use Tracc as a near permanent forward in home and away seasons. Plus take the load off Viney. Overall though he’d have to be even cheaper than the current price I think. Because we need that cap space to go after talls, mid/forward polish and outside run. Even if those options aren’t available right now it’s probably better to hold the space for a year.

Disco v Tommo will depend how much they think Cox and Cameron will play forward which brings the additional mature body tall in to play. If they don’t think that will be a consistent threat they probably stick with Disco. Hibbo as the third tall an outside choice if they think he has enough height to go with Mihocek at times and play smaller at others. But lack of match fitness now heavily against him. I don’t expect Bowey, Salem, Riv, McVee will change. Hibbo as a small, very unlikely for mine. T Mc almost has to play. Hopefully Fritsch is right. JVR. Pickett, Chandler, ANB. Do they keep Smith in with Fritsch and McDonald? Or use Tracc as the 4th tall, have Smith the sub and bring in another mid/small forward? Smith’s pace gives him the edge over Laurie for me given the danger of the Pies counter attack and the athleticism of their backs.

I wouldn’t write off De Goey, at anywhere near his best he’s a devestating center bounce and forward half mid. He can easily break open a game. Gawn has a 50/50 record against Cox and the Pies rucks the last few years, again, not sure where the blind optimism is for that. Gus was fine, but now he’s less at the contest and less on ball he’s less at the coal face and it would be nice to have someone who can kick a drop punt in that role. We might have to use him to tag De Goey or Pendles to get maximum value out of him. He’d be soft tagging Neale if we were playing Brisbane Disco did some good but there was a lot of being caught out forward or unable to jump or hold position at a big marking contest. He looked like a promising young tall in his 3rd game who’s main strength is intercepting and is a shaky as a deep defender. That’s not a negative, just the truth.

I’m not confident. Was a good win today but; Our talls at either end are uncertain. Disco didn’t lock down the spot. No idea what our best available forward mix is. We need as many talls as possible but also as much pace as possible as we’ll get exposed for transition pace if the Pies get to the outside. Hunter and Langdon both got killed by Gulden and consistently leave too big a gap behind themselves in the zone with the half backs struggling to patch it up. Especially with Salo’s lack of speed. Gawn is a liability at centre bounces if he can’t win the hit out and we look slow and top heavy in there. De Goey’s power and Pendles ability to hold space for himself are both going to cause huge issues. Oliver showed some good signs today but isn’t exactly in peak form and Gus is now getting squeezed out and having his weaknesses exposed by being more in space. If the Swans kick straighter they might’ve had a match winning lead rather than 3 goals which would could peel back quickly. Strong win, good win, no big reason for optimism in to next week