DeeSpencer

Which they’re converting to a 4 x 600, a decent salary but maybe 250-300 per year extra. The dodgy part of the deal to me is Geelong having inside knowledge of every teams cap as their CEO was at the league office a year ago. And of course the Suns continued incompetence. They could’ve split their pick 7 with us or another side and sent Bowes to market with pick 15 or so. Plenty of clubs would’ve still taken him. Yet they don’t seem to have any idea how to negotiate

Bruhn saw out his contract, played 30 games and gave it a crack. He’s also a pick 12 who fetched the giants a pick 18, not a huge amount of damage done. JHF quick about face is not good for anyone. Though I hardly blame him

Dunstan, Baker, Mitch Brown, Munro, White…Casey was loaded with experienced footballers who contribute to winning. There’s a big difference between that and playing AFL level footy. Tomlinson’s positioning, work rate, skills were all really good in helping Casey win. When it came to other aspects of his game he was a mile off and at no stage did it really look anything like it was improving. I don’t know what he’ll be like next year, hopefully much better, but he was the key defensive version of Oskar Baker this year. Did a lot right but didn’t look like an afl player

3-4 months wasn’t it

If you think Tomlinson was good in the VFL this year then you’re outing yourself as not watching Casey. Did he do good things - yes, plenty. Did he look as stuffed when forced to change direction as he did at afl - yes.

We’re unlikely to ever be a huge destination club and even if you are you need luck to get a gun forward when you need them. The draft is generally the answer and we had a crack last year with JVR and it sounds like we tried this year and will try again next (both draft and trade). The short term answer last year was Levi Casboult at 100-1. No way I would’ve had that. The only realistic answers I’ve seen this year were McStay, Lobb or a change in game plan with Gunston. We’ve gone for Grundy over McStay/Lobb. Defensible. After that you get in to big outsiders like Bruce, Elliott Himmelberg, Burgess or Corbett, Esava, Fish McAsey, Oscar McDonald, throwing a boat load of cash and way too high a pick at Amartey or McLean, unretiring Josh Kennedy or hoping you can find a cheap quality key defender like Aaron Francis to allow Petty to be a swing man. I guess we should take one or these swings if they’re cheap and available. But I’m not expecting much. Just got to be patient until we can strike with a big name or draft pick. Unless Bruce really impresses the club I’d focus on cheap key defensive depth which is generally easier to find. If you have good competition between Turner and another solid prospect you’ll find cover for Petty forward.

I’ve seen a lot of we lost Mitch Brown but he played 4 games in the last 2 years, all one off cameos. And JVR is now ready as the 3rd key forward behind Ben and Tom. Weid is 3rd ruck as well as 4th key forward so in theory could be stuck trying to be 2 places at once but the hope would be one of Gawn/Grundy are available for most of the year. Melk’s also staying on as emergency 5th key forward. That’s all without Petty forward or something more out of the box like Howes as a hit up tall. My point is I don’t think we actually need more depth for depths sake unless we think McDonald and Brown are in serious strife and/or we think Bruce is quick fix fitness wise and an upgrade. Maybe he is?!

We also had a bunch of injuries early in the year and there’s only so many players on the list. It’s entirely possible that Howes was an emergency and close to the best 22 but is still a long way from playing consistent footy. I expect him to push his case next year and earn a debut if things go well. But no matter how talented he is and how he develops I don’t think he’ll be physically ready for a lot of games.

I reckon Woey pushes for games too. He’s limited but made of the right stuff and can cover off a wing or defensive half forward. Judd McVee showed signs of life late in the season too. Not tall, not fast, not strong at the contest, doesn’t rack up the ball, there’s a lot against him. But he does have a touch of class and could play some strong VFL footy next year. Outside chance of being a player in ‘24.

JVR - 10-15 or so games, up and down, more a role player than good stats. Doubt he’s ready for finals but let’s hope so. Turner - 8-18 games, Depends if Petty goes forward. Will be rather plain. Doesn’t intercept all that frequently, can read the play and out mark smalls but doesn’t climb over talls. Doesn’t provide much offensively. Obviously won’t be ready to take the games best forwards. But competes and is a natural footballer. Needs Lever, May and a dropping ruck to provide support Howes 5-7 games, has some tricks and a tank but has to get much stronger with tackling and ground balls to be any chance on the wing at afl footy. Probably more of a half forward than a wing anyway but Goody’s rarely been interested in attacking tall half forwards (probably rightly so). Chandler 5-10 games, needs to adapt his very good VFL form to afl footy. Defensive attention goes missing which it can’t because he just isn’t quick enough. Same in attack, tries to fend and do too much and lacks the strength and speed for that style of play. Needs to make simple quick decisions Laurie 0-5 games, has exception skills but just too slow and doesn’t win enough of the ball. Position-less. AMW - 0-4 games. groins didn’t make it through year 1, needs time to learn how to get consistency with his defensive game and playing 4 quarters. 2024 prospect.

Can’t hit the side of a barn by foot, a little shaky at the contest and is more of a kick chaser than a reliable position player from what I’ve seen. His move from Collingwood was partly a salary dump, but he’d come down from this best form before that already.

Hawthorn got a new coach who realised players like Phillips were going to take them absolutely nowhere.

That’s a good idea. GWS have too many early picks this year and would surely be better off backing some out until next year. Could even get Geelong’s 2nd thrown in with 18 for Bedford and a future first.

They didn't have to join. We really should go back to the VFL and just poach the best WA talent when they're in their physical primes.

I've always grossly disliked him. Managed 1 season where he gave up the booze and looked half decent and he managed to unfortunately end that year with a ruptured ACL. But if it comes down to Bruce or Tomlinson then I have more faith in our key defenders than I do our key forwards.

For pick 25 I'd be asking Ollie if he wants to sign back up for Collingwood or try his luck at North.

Yes that’s my point. We didn’t prioritise the super draft. If we get a chance to draft a top player this year I doubt JT and co will be worrying about who’s coming next year.

2018 super draft: Incredible top 10 (that we traded out of). Butters (we tried), Quaynor 12, 13. Not sure there’s a definitively better player than Tom Sparrow outside the top 14. Rowbottom and maybe Clark I guess, then daylight. Whats my point: don’t be surprised if we trade up in to this year and go the bird in hand rather than 2 in next year. With no guarantee they’ll be right at the top or that anyone would trade back it doesn’t really help us. I believe recruiters when they say there’s special talent at the top of a future draft. I’m not convinced they can accurately project depth a year out. The talent it takes to get on a recruiters radar vs what it takes to get drafted are very different things. A lot of quality bottom agers don’t step up

What I’d accept: 13 Future first Future second (Freo) Future 3rd (North) Jackson Future 3rd (Melb) Not ideal but then we trade 13 OR our future first AND Freo’s future 2nd + North future 3rd round pick for something 7-10. End up with what we want.

Exceptional reporting from Tom. Freo are going to offer something different to exactly what we want but he doesn’t know what it is. Great stuff. If Freo give us 13, a future 1st and a nice swap of a good second for a future 3rd or similar we’ll probably do that and then go to market for our top 10 pick. Ideally we get it all done in one go hit but it seems on brand that we’d accept a decent deal and go do our own work.

It hasn’t, but they’d be mad no to. If they’re bringing in 4 or 5 new players you’d surely prioritise getting rid of the pay outs to former players. Either way Grundy will be getting paid by 2 different clubs so you’d expect some front loading, or at least more than the original deal that was signed by cash strapped Collingwood. More cash up front = an incentive for Brodie to have a small wage deduction. There’s no way his manager would agree to it otherwise.

Pretty sure the pay cut is a furphy. The pies will try to pay as much of the 1.5M or whatever it is they are contributing as fast as they can, the bulk of it in the first 2 years. And if our cap management has been good we’ll do the same so he’s not on 650 aged 32. The net result is Grundy gets front loaded by a significant amount. He might get as much as an extra million (pre tax) over the first 2 years of the deal than in the last 3. Enough to buy another investment property ahead of time and easily collect the amount he’s given up.

He’d probably have to go to Essendon for that, where he’d get poor coaching and fitness advice and be out of the league in 2 years. This way he gets the Geelong special home cooking that sees all of their players add 5kg of bulk instantly and he’ll probably get a deal with Cotton On to sell undies. Plus he’ll play until he’s 33 rather than 26.

Needs to do preseason with Lance Armstrong, Stephen Dank, Ben Johnson and the Chinese swim team to be any chance

Do we have anyone to who fits that category? Harmes and Gus are best 22 and I’m sure we investigated both going. Bedford and Hunt, by choice or otherwise are doing exactly that. Tomlinson is the obvious one and we’re clearly trying. T Mc and Ben Brown I doubt we could move without significant dumping. Probably take 2nd round picks and/or paying significant amounts of their wages to find them new homes. Both still arguably best 22.