DeeSpencer

I believe you mean the VFL/East Coast Second-Tier Men’s Competition! 15 games against half decent opposition might be optimistic

If we’re aiming for Isaac Smith why not aim a little higher? And a big physical wingman who took time to learn his craft (as Rosman will) with 99 games in the reserves? Let’s see if we can make him the next Dipper

Q: Who finished second behind Dusty in the 2017, 2019 and 2020 Norm Smith medals? A: Houli, Houli, Short. If he can handle afl pressure and get a dozen kicks across half back then he’ll prove his worth.

Jetta is a unique player, so strong one on one and in the air for his height. I don’t think we should be looking for nor expecting his role to be taken by a small in the future. A medium type with pace is the most likely to take over the lockdown jobs, whilst also providing some aerial value and versatility in the zone. Short term that should be Hibberd, longer term it could be Joel Smith. Otherwise we need to recruit for that role. 3 talls, 1 lock down medium, 3 runners is how I’d set up. I see Lockhart, Bowey and Chandler fighting for a spot to add to Rivers and Salem. If they’re good enough we can play a 3rd running flanker. Rivers’ size and Salem been good enough one on one allows it. Lockhart short term, Bowey long term if it works out. The 3rd tall battle is between Tomlinson, Hore and Petty. I’d like Petty to nail that spot, if not I think Hore will push for it, we’d lose some height but a competent all round defender like Hore provides more than shaky talls. All that said, Hore, Smith and Hibberd could all switch between roles and then the depth and make up of the backline changes entirely. I’d be recruiting a key defender and be on the look out for quick 187-192 lock down type to develop.

Hibberd took most of the lock down jobs and on a couple of occasions Smith. Lockhart and even Jetta were played as pretty standard back flankers in a lot of games and restricted to limited minutes to protect against their lack of fitness. Rivers took over Lockhart's spot in the side and averaged 13.3 which is significantly more of the ball than Lockhart's 8.8.

Can I have that again in English?

Simply doesn’t get enough of the ball at this stage and if you’re a small back flanker who doesn’t rack up disposals you better be elite at everything else and he’s not. He’ll have his chance to get his spot back over summer and I really like him but the coaches haven’t done anything wrong with him.

It's an easy decision from a depth perspective and maybe that's the most important consideration. I liked Petty at Casey as a defender, he's a very talented mark but I'm worried his lack of speed could be costly at AFL level. And his forward play was a really pleasant surprise late in 2019. The most important thing is to get him fit and healthy, but after that we need to do develop him well because his size, marking and reading of the play are valuable tools.

European migrants took up Aussie Rules because it was the only thing going at lunch time in the playground. These days African, Middle Eastern, Asian and even white kids are more likely to play basketball or soccer at lunch, and can watch Liverpool, the Lakers and the Mumbai Indians on tv just as easily as watching the AFL. Just like music, tv and other hobbies sport is going to be more fractured and less of a monoculture as society becomes more global and connected by the internet. Houli and Saad might be the only practising Muslim’s in the AFL. Aliir and Chol only Sudanese guys getting a game. 3 recent recruits in this draft in Davies, McInnes and Downie who are half asian but given 12% of the Australian population is Asian that’s a tiny fraction. Lin Jong and Peter Bell still come to mind as Asian afl players. It’s increasingly difficult for the afl to capture these audiences.

We typically haven’t had a lot of players training on. I’m not sure we’d try to fill all 6 potential spots. And I’m not sure Taj counts. Clubs usually get father son / academy players in for a look the summer before their draft, that’s different to train on players. Smith might still be cat B eligible. Farmer is obviously a special case. Otherwise I’d expect only guys they are serious about adding to the list rather than a trial group

The most interesting parts for me: - Bowey is going to start with the defenders. Which I like. Confirms what I saw in his footage that his best attribute is his ability to change angles and kick quickly and accurately. - Laurie will be with the forwards but has midfield potential. Great spacial awareness and ability to release a team mate in space - Petty resuming training with the defenders - Nietschke always finding the ball at training (which I’ve witnessed). Will be with the wingers - Sparrow made good progress last year Is Deakyn Smith still eligible to be added as a cat B rookie? If he is I’d imagine he’s a decent chance to get a year if he trains well.

I don’t think I need to apologise to Jason specifically. I still think there was way too much smoke about a bolter with no form at all. But if he wasn’t so high on our board I’ll say I was overly critical of the football department staff and I’d withdraw some of those comments.

In normal years there’s a few players drafted on their under 17 form but mostly it’s assessing guys in their 18th year. In theory there should be a handful of Clayton Oliver, Bontempelli type bolters who would’ve jumped up in addition to next years crop. So possibly a few players per round in the draft more than usual. The counter to that is those guys are eligible for the midseason draft as far as I know. So if they come on strongly in the early games they could be snapped up mid year.

The club has done this for the last few years. They have draftees stay with a team mate for the first week or so. I assume it's for things along the line of getting to know a team mate as a mentor, getting some tips on routine and a chance to ask all the questions they might be afraid to ask without that closer bond. Probably just cuts down a lot of anxiety about when/what to eat, when to wake up, what to pack, which way to drive and where to park etc etc. Given all 3 are from SE Melbourne they'll probably all go back to living with mum and dad next week.

I'd rather walk in the middle of the Monash than hear the horrendous noise of a basketball stadium, no one should be subjected to that constant thump thump thump. But yes, basketball stadiums are good community facilities, well done. No one works in these areas, just subdivision after subdivision, everyone has to commute for work. Slowly as the cheap home builds start to fade and without any investment in infrastructure the area will become increasingly soulless and more unappealing. I'd have more respect for the people that live there than the property developers who raked in millions then got the heck away from it and the councillors that allowed it to happen. I'm not anti the outer suburbs or the people that live there, I'm anti how little time, money and sense has been put in to making them succeed because if they don't succeed they are going to cost everyone. For a start I'd build the transport to be ready for the housing not 30 years later, heck I'd even build a Frankston, Cranbourne, Berwick train line so these suburbs are connected to a relevant hub in Frankston that isn't an hour away. Then instead of allowing row of home after home I'd mix in some medium density apartments and townhouses around the transport hubs and some business zones to attract jobs. Maybe even get lucky and get a restaurant that isn't a McDonald's. Then I'd spread the ovals out around the suburbs so everyone has easily accessible green space that doesn't involve driving to the same facility. At the moment all they leave is a wetlands which is just code for 'this area was too boggy to build on'. Building every sporting field together is a cop out and if there's not even good transport or surrounding businesses I don't see how it helps the community. To make it sound better they've gone out to sign professional teams but so far are looking at 1.5 training bases. Good for them if they can get Melbourne City to actually play games there but the Dandenong boutique stadium makes far more sense, so I'd be hoping they can get the funding to get that happening.

Imagine it how? The entire project is a tremendous rort. Instead of building community facilities throughout the new housing estates (aka future slums) they've taken the development money and put it all in one place. Then they've splashed out on getting semi professional teams and training bases instead of actually providing the community with what they need spread around the suburbs so local businesses can merge in with facilities. It's the sporting version of an awful suburban shopping centre with the same crappy parking and soulless vibe. Just maybe when they build the train line in 30 years it might stand a chance.

They have potential for a Bulldogs style short term super rise before it falls back to earth IMO. Brayshaw, Cerra and Serong are that good that they can carry a midfield in the same way Bont, Macrae and Libba did at the Dogs in 2017. Particularly if Darcy gets fit and takes a leap. The right midfielders only need a few preseasons to go from below par to a really strong group, it's not like the big guys who need time. If the young guys carry the midfield it allows Fyfe and Walters to be a 2 man forward line rotating on ball when needed, or supported with Taberner, Lobb and Sam Sturt. Alex Pearce getting healthy would be huge for their backline, but if it doesn't happen and they are just Luke Ryan, some top end kids (Young, Chapman) and a bunch of misfits they are still so well drilled up the field that they'll be decent. Young midfield takes a big leap + reinvigorated high end talent + well drilled role players is the method for unexpected success

Both teams rebuild at the same time. The Saints rebuild went haywire earlier, so they added King, Clark and Coffield. Then topped up with the likes of Brad Hill and co. Melbourne stayed on track, but fell apart in 2019, so we added Jackson, Rivers and Kossie. We've gone for Ben Brown and added a few more picks rather than trade ins. They've got more depth, but the argument for us is May is better than Howard/Carlisle, Petracca is better than their best mids and our young talent fills the gaps they've plugged with imports the last two years. They certainly aren't too old or lackings kids though. That's a bad take.

5 grand finals in 22 years is something we could only dream of. The easy argument is he should’ve called time around 2011 ish. A premiership, 4 grand finals, a home base and financial riches. But he’s also guided in the Buckley era and 90 seconds from winning the 2018 flag. Their footy department has made errors since losing Balmey, that’s hardly a shock, and it’s time, but hard to be too critical. Same goes for staying until the end of 2021. It’s disappointing for members that clubs aren’t democracies and boards get to handover power but a smooth transition works best if you get it right. And there’s not a single club that seems keen on elections anyway.

I have about 15 questions about the leaks and need to better protect our draft board but I’ll save those. 1. Obviously I’d like to know what role they see the new guys in and if he’s concerned about Bowey’s size or Laurie’s speed (he won’t be but it’s worth asking). 2. Plans for the 2 remaining list spots and train on players? 3. Tall and medium defensive depth and lack of list changes there. 4. ‘Targeting’ certain attributes in recruiting, why? Sounds like it goes against best available which is dangerous 5. A review of previous drafts. What’s his process? Did the clubs mantra of ‘competitors’ overshadow the need for skills and run and lead to us playing catch up?

Collingwood is all meant to be public space, they never close anyone out in normal times I don't think. Hawthorn you can wander around Waverley. The Saints and North you can easily wander around unless they've upgraded the fences for AFLW games. Essendon you might have to stand in Melrose drive but you'll see in. Same goes for Richmond and the Dogs if you're willing to stand next to Punt Road or Gordon st. Of the Melbourne teams it might only be Carlton that can truly lock down their ground. That's why the teams agreed not to spy on sessions that are deemed closed for all clubs. Most clubs wait until their camps or train at special venues for there more secretive game plan sessions anyway.

His playing days at Melbourne consisted of a whole lot of shirking contests and responsibility. 300 games means he’ll have something to offer but I’d rather an experienced qualified coach who has a commitment to the club. If Lewis’ is just going to hang around over summer before resuming media duties I don’t see that as value for money.

What does Lewis have to do with quality people? No idea why we keep topping up his superfund

Moving on Junior was the wrong cultural decision because it didn't value leadership and experience. Playing Jones if he doesn't deserve it would be the wrong cultural decision because it would be gifting games. He wasn't gifted games last year, they made him work to get in game shape and from round 8-12 anyway he was actually better than he got credit for and better than the other options. If we're thinking lets get 6 games in to him and then wind him up we're kidding ourselves. The aim should be to trust him to get as close to 6 on merit and if he's 1 or 2 short then maybe we can bend the rules. If he hasn't earned any games or if he's only earned a few and we're in finals contention then he'll just end up short of the mark but can hold his head high that he's had a heck of a career.

Is or has Isaac Smith relocated to the Geelong area? If not, he's managed to get to Waverley for a decade, I don't think he'd be too worried about another 20 minutes on the freeway to Casey for 1 covid summer and maybe 1 day a week in season. We do have a perfectly adequate facility as is, we've just temporarily relocated to give the women and other AAMI teams more room. Overall I think it will be a positive. Brand new facilities, privacy, a chance for some team bonding on the car pool down. A really bold move for a club would be to build a training base on the Mornington Peninsula and relocate players down there. Even bolder would be to relocate the entire club to a new ground in Frankston or Mornington. The Saints move to Seaford was about a 1/4 measure, if they shipped whole club the other side of Frankston it could've worked. Fortunately they've been bailed out with great new digs at Linton St. But the number of gun players from the Peninsula might out number the Geelong guys. Tom Lynch, Weitering, the Jones brothers, Hunter Clark, Hibberd, Sam Sturt, Will Hamill, Hayden and Lachie Young, Whitfield and so on. Given so many players want to live in Torquay it's hard to imagine they wouldn't like somewhere on the Peninsula just as much.