DeeSpencer

Incorrect. Main list and cat A rookie can only get to 42 combined with 2 B spots. Excluding B rookies clubs have 3 choices - 38/4, 37/5, 36/6. But it’s not a choice, the latter is the only good option for the salary cap. “Primary lists must have between 36 and 38 players. Category A rookies are capped at 4-6, up to a total of 42 players on a list including primary-listed players. Each club can also have two Category B rookies.” https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/837502/afl-confirms-2021-list-sizes

No. 42 including main list and cat A rookies.

Lockhart’s close to a regular player compared with JJ who hasn’t played. Isn’t that enough?

36 main list and 6 rookie list is the only reasonable way to compose the list. 37-5 would waste 80k of salary cap space for no good reason. 38-4 would waste 160k. Every team has a super tight salary cap as they negotiate the cap decrease and player contracts. So it makes sense that JJ would be given the rookie designation. For that reason 3 draft picks and 1 rookie (pick or train on player) remains the overwhelming favourite unless we have a way to drop another player back, which I assume we don't.

A few points of interest here: 1. Essendon, another Goodwin connection or just raiding one of their deckchairs? 2. No mention if it's part time or full time, the initial plan was part time but that was before confirmation of Egan leaving. I still don't really get it, I'd have though Casey coach and development manager would be a vital coach to have full time even after big cuts. 3. McPherson making the announcement instead of Mahoney

The Dogs 3rd and North 4th were more about making sure we had the right picks to allow trading the first than betting on results there IMO. The Lions second will very likely be a downgrade from our own but that's part of the deal that saw us turn 1 first in to two. The risk concerns me. A potentially very high pick for 2 muddling picks in the most compromised draft of all time is a risk. As is targeting players in the draft. Brisbane needed a small forward, they traded a first rounder for Charlie Cameron who they knew was a gun. We traded for Kozzie, who we certainly like but is just a kid. The good news is that we should have 3 picks and so we shouldn't target them all, which I guess is similar to last year. Target 1 pick in the right range for Kozzie, take the best available elsewhere. That's hopefully what we are doing this year. Get the balance right between being confident we'll get at least 1 kid who matches the needs whilst keeping a best available focus. Drafting for need as well as trading a future pick, that's a recipe for trouble.

I agree with that, I'm just saying it's a shame he never had that development stage. He was pretty much a starting member of the side from age 20 and then when things really started to stall over the last two years he didn't get that confidence boost and to establish that he's too good for VFL level. It's not the perfect metaphor but if Oscar was a cricket batsmen he might've had a couple of 50's and a century in year 2 and was then promoted to the test side. And once he was dropped he didn't get that summer making 1000 runs to show he's ready to come back in.

The one regret I have about Oscar is he never got a consistent stretch at Casey with a mature body to show he can dominate VFL games. Could he have played like Steve May does for the AFL side down at Casey - 20 touches, 10 marks, shut down an opponent? And what would that have done for his confidence at AFL level? I doubt it would’ve mattered but he became a regular in the AFL side at a young age on the back of a few decent Casey games. And any time he was dropped over the last two years he didn’t get that chance to really re-establish his credentials. Last year they sent him for a mini preseason, this year it was the hubs and scratch matches. Im at least mildly interested to see how he goes if given a long stretch in the VFL. Does he become an intercept marker and more aggressive participant in games?

The most concerning part of the article IMO was the last line. West Coast have agreed to across the board 7% cuts. In addition to 2 less senior listed players that probably makes up the 9% reduction. Other clubs will have players hold firm on the 3.5%. Or negotiate back end deals that see them only truly give up 3.5%. West Coast will then end up with a 3.5% margin over other clubs. That’s one free best 22 player. The AFLPA should’ve laid out an exact plan on how the 9% was going to be deducted. As for Essendon - I’m sure they meant well. Better to withhold some of the cash than pay them more than they’ll end up earning and make a deduction in future pay. Every club should be holding 3.5% back because that’s the minimum all players will be giving up.

Geelong seem to do better with recruiting and retaining players than any other side. Sleepy hollow + good surf beaches seem to be a winning combination. Most afl players are in long term relationships by 25, married with kids soon after. The simple life appeals. Clearly it’s harder with Vic clubs targeting players that they don’t do to Geelong, but it’s possible. If you got Chris Fagan and David Noble to do what they’ve done in Brisbane you’d get similar results.

I’ve never seen anyone as desperate to get discounted school fees as Stevo is at Xavier. Reports on them nearly as much as he does the Kennel

We’ve got Brown and Weideman, 2 big forwards who lack mobility. Are you dropping one of them for Preuss? And why leave Jackson out of the side when he’s absolutely ready to play. He doesn’t need Casey time to be hungry. Preuss was injured for the first half of the year and has had a number of niggles last year. A second round pick and to cash out of his contract, this was the time. There’s no way his value was going up even if he played 22 games. A pick inside 30 for a 26 year old ruck, come on now? Clearly the hope was to bring Andrew Phillips in for Tom McDonald. We’ll wait a year for a different Phillips type, they’re always available. In the short term - I have full faith in a Jackson/Tom McDonald tandem holding their own if needed as they did against Goldstein. Geelong just made the grand final with a Stanley/Blicavs combination. Jackson/T Mc, Jackson/Ben Brown, Jackson/Weid. Plenty of ways to cover.

Port missed the finals last year after a customary fade out and got very close to winning it all this year. There has to be some allowance for injuries, close losses, young players tiring, new players and coaches adjusting etc. Because we can pretty much repeat 2020 and change 1 result and make finals. Which won’t be satisfactory to me. Or we can change the game plan, blood some young defenders, shake up the midfield mix and persist with a very inexperienced forward line (even with BBB) and actually get closer to a flag. We should do all that and make finals, but there’s a chance we struggle at times but overall find a better formula. It can’t all be wins and losses.

I feel like the afl have to take a fair bit of blame for this one. The deal with the players wasn’t finalized, which meant the salary cap and deferment of payments and so on is also up in the air. Collingwood and the Dogs probably couldn’t get exact details confirmed. But it’s the AFL’s fault for making sure finances aren’t agreed to in trades. Then if there’s unusual amounts due to this year’s unique circumstances they could be fighting over them now. But 50k max not 200k!

That's from Mitch Cleary. Then this from the AFL press release: So it looks like the Category B isn't restricted based on the number of A rookies. It's independent of it and capped at 2. So we should be going out and finding another Cat B guy at the some stage. But the main and A list are restricted to 42 total. So we really should aim to just have 36 on the main list. Given we're currently at 34 that might be hard to achieve.

The minimum senior list is 36 not 37, but we'll have at least 37. Given we have 1 Cat B in Bradtke, I'd suggest the best thing to do is to have a senior list of 37, and then 6 A rookie spots (filling 5 initially). If we went 38 main list, Bradtke, max 5 A rookies we'd be paying 80k extra in the cap for no reason. So we either take just the live 3 draft picks or we demote someone back to the rookie list (assuming we still can) if we want to take a 4th pick or a delisted free agent on to the main list.

No clarity on whether he’ll have to be demoted to a rookie spot and then replaced or whether they’ve got all his payout in to 2020. Although it reads like they might’ve. All largely academic. As for the player - we got the medical report badly wrong. And we so badly that we were prepared to go to 3 years rather than a 1-2 year punt. In fairness other clubs probably thought 1-2 was worth a go so there was likely competition. But the lesson is don’t stuff around with guys with bad concussion histories, it’s not worth it for anyone.

Just seems odd that Hawthorn would give up on him when it was clear this year was going to be a challenge for many young players. Unless they think the lack of endurance, work ethic or injuries just aren’t fixable. Let’s get him in for a summer with Burgo and see if he can earn a list spot.

Maybe it’s the socks up look but to me he seems a bit stiff in the hips and a bit of a straight line mover. Most of his tackling is straight on and same with his ball winning. Medium forwards who aren’t proven mids and don’t project as the right athletes to be good pressure players often drop. Curtis Taylor was similar and it’s still a question if he’ll be a steal or a flop. Melksham’s declining value to us similar. At that height defenders can shut you down more often than not so you have to provide value with pressure, skills in congestion and/or midfield versatility.

Mat Walker from the Hawks is an interesting one. 188cm forward, kicked 23 goals from 15 games in his first year including 5 and 4. Overlooked by the Giants as an academy player and now cut quickly by the Hawks but he can find the goals. Might not have the tank or speed to be a good pressure and defensive player but skilled goal kickers are hard to find and sometimes make nice half backs as well. From up your way, any insight @dazzledavey36

His kids live in Adelaide I believe. If he wants to be back home I could understand that. But we’d want a proper succession plan

Gawndog has us bidding on Coleman and Gulden from the Lions and Swans pushing our second pick out 2 more. Whilst our first pick will be pushed back by at least 3 spots and possibly more. Could be 21/22, could be 25/26, or could be as above where we bid on some of the players

I think Chandler can play, I’m glad we kept him. He’s a good package of athleticism, has a decent aerial game that covers his lack of height but more than anything he has skills - can kick on both sides - and natural footy smarts. I’m not sold on the half back move but I’d like to see him play a mix of forward and on ball at Casey.

Mahoney has said the pursuit of Smith was about leadership as much as outside run. The Hawthorn system coming with Yze surely played a role. Lewis Jetta hasn’t played wing for years now and was never good at the contest, I don’t think he’d be good in that role. He’s been great at times for the Eagles at half back but he’s also had numerous flat spots and tailed off since 2018. I don’t think he’s really up for the contest any more. Theres a good likelihood Nev would like to have his cousin. Possibly Koz as well, assuming he’s also a relative. But Toby Bedford’s family is from a whole different part of WA and he grew up in Victoria. Strong indigenous representation at the club is important but I think it’s way too simplistic to suggest it does anything for any individuals. I don’t think Bedford would be impacted by Lewis Jetta at all.