DeeSpencer

I really mean get a game each week and play a role. If you want a numbers metric then not many midfielders played week in/week out for decent sides and had an AFL rating <8 (or Windsor's 7.94). Some of that is because they're often the sub but even adjusting for that it's probably true. Windsor was the 105th best mid in the comp last year, or just better than 6th best per side. 2 wingers establishing themselves in the side and achieving a rating >8 would be a good result. Anyone going better than 7.5 would probably do the job and let us leave Windsor and Langdon to different roles. https://www.wheeloratings.com/afl_stats.html?comp=afl&season=2024 He has different traits but Lindsay will do very well to match Windsor's output given a slower start to his preseason. I'm not convinced by Woey. Sharp has a little bit of something but I like him better at half forward. I'm not willing to buy the Billings hype, although he's kind of the perfect candidate to hold down a spot at an acceptable level.

"All guys who can take various roles on ball or the wing."

I'm not sure Billings, Lindsay, Woey and Sharp are good wing options. If 2 of them can get close to league average that will be a good result. We're just going to be prepared with being just ok on the wing to be better in other spots.

I think Langdon was far more effective playing 90% game time than 100%. Really felt like the cost outweighed the benefit on that one. He should still be able to play 90% in any combination of mid/wing/forward. The other factor is our forwards should include Chandler (had a nice taste at the end of the year on the wing rotation), Sharp, Tracc, Pickett, Langford, hopefully Kolt. All guys who can take various roles on ball or the wing. Whether we go 3 talls and Fritsch or 2 talls we should be able to have enough rotations.

FB: Petty May McVee HB: Windsor Lever Salem C; Billings Rivers Wing2 HF: Sharp JVR Langdon FF: Chandler Turner Fritsch Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Tracc, Langford, fwd/mid, half back S: McAdam Half back: Bowey vs Howes vs Hore Wing: Lindsay vs Woey vs other Fwd/mid: Sparrow vs Laurie Do we go an extra tall? Do we slide Windsor back to the wing so we get the height of Howes and keep Bowey in the side? Do we roll Sharp or Langdon to the wing to open up another tall or medium forward?

We’ve had a few skin infections over the last year or so yeah? Do they share showers with the storm and victory players at aami park?

Windsor’s a second year kid still building his tank and strength. He should eventually fill a midfield role but there’s no hurry to rush him. Ed has a light build but a decade of afl weights and a huge tank

Centre bounce I'm still a bit dubious on but his pace could be useful there if he can hold up in contested footy, I think it will be more rotating in as a high half forward when Tracc or Kossie go forward. if you want run and carry and quick kicks through the corridor you need midfielders who have big tanks and keep presenting for the mark or handball options. It's absolutely worth trying.

Round 1 of the practice match series at least. Let’s see how he goes against North

Sharp (and Chandler) are probably already in the team already in this hypothetical. Have to remember the game plan is for a lot more run from behind and corridor play. Wings are decoys or the safe result. It’s certainly a different approach to move Langdon and Windsor but it’s time to try something different!

It’s happening right now and without Pickett for the first 3 rounds is perfectly logical. The question is do you prefer 2 of Billings, Lindsay, Woey on the wing? OR no speed in the forward line - perhaps Kynan Brown or Laurie? With those options I’d rather Langdon forward.

Very close, recruited from a similar area and the games played/clubs is close too!

I believe you need to go back a bit further and look for a Daniher era defender

Right now, I think the likelihood that Tracc starts forward and the emergence of Langford means they’ll go small. And without Kossie I think we’ll see Langdon in a forward and possibly even a fraction on ball. Sharp looks the favourite to start in the defensive forward role. C; Lindsay Rivers Billings HF: Sharp JVR Langdon FF: Fritsch Turner Tracc Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Langford, Chandler, McAdam Sub: Sparrow/Kynan Brown Assuming Tracc, McAdam and Chandler are right to go, but we could see Langdon or Sharp slide back to the wing to open another forward spot and we could go tall to spread the load on the big guys.

There is no long term injury list. The pre season draft was in November. There’s an Inactive List where by a player is medically ruled out for the year and can be replaced by a pre season supplemental selection period that ends on Feb 21 or with the mid season draft. Unless Luker has lost all physical condition or there’s more going on I struggle to see how he’d be deemed out for the year now due to an illness suffered in January. It could happen, but I’d say the more likely outcome is he’s given a chance to come back and if he’s still no good then he gets shut down before the mid year draft.

Wasn’t heavily involved but looks lean and had a couple of classy moments, his change of direction and confidence in his skills are obvious

Tall backs and Forwards did some marking work Mids some rough stoppage on the wing stuff. Laurie copped a nice one from Rivers in a tackle and went off with a blood nose Some different running, sprints for some, longer runs for others. Lindsay dropped by Bowey and Howes in a longer run. Judd McVee is out there, did I completely miss him? Tracc’s doing set shots. Yze, Culley, Roy and Mitch KS were the fill in players today.

Shuffled the teams and pulled a few out so it’s opened right up. Clarry prolific, Langford still finding the ball. May has dominated defensively in both drills really. Ollie Sestan is a lovely user at half back, not sure if the rest of his game will stack up but his kicking is lovely. Jeffo (I’m watching closely) with a beautiful turn of pace, run through a couple of tackles and corridor kick

Spargo and McAdam doing laps with Conca. Fullarton, Tracc, Chandler doing another stuff McVee, Lever, Verrall and Kossie unsighted. Plus Kolt and Luker

I don’t think the Jeffo, Aj, Yze, Ricky Mentha, Roy George forward line will get a run at Afl level but they’ll be fun at Casey

Jeffo juggled contested mark on the wing, in to Andy, picks out the Yze lead to the picket who nails a tight shot under plenty of Viney sledging

Back: May, Petty, Howes, Windsor, Salo Mids: Gawn, Riv, Viney, Sparrow, Billings, Lindsay Fwd: Disco, JVR, Fritsch, Sharp, Langford, Langdon Sharp busy, Langford found good space for 2 snags, Fritsch a class above, Disco with a nice grab. Salo with a lot of the best patches of ball movement with some Windsor moments too. White backline: T Mc, Adams, Hore, Bowey, Sesto, AMW were under the pump.

I think this year is still more about Jeffo getting a taste before pushing for a more permanent spot in 2026. But the match sim highlights show how quick his feet are and how he gets to positions to kick goals. Easy to be optimistic at this time of year but I imagine he’ll have an up and down year but overall he’ll be getting closer. Excited to see a debut at some stage.

Still 6 weeks until round 1 so the good news for Kolt he could miss less than a month. Need Judd and Chin back in the main group sooner than later.