DeeSpencer

That post was from Nov last year and with a good run of games Gus got right back to being a star. Was I wrong?

Bugg is hopeless and doesn’t suit any positional needs. Mainly because he couldn’t settle in a position the last couple of years I think we’ll take 4 draft picks and then look for 2-3 mature age players who fill depth needs, depending on the draft those being: Forward/3rd ruck - ie. younger Pedersen Outside kicking/run - a new Bernie Vince/Lewis type Depth inside mid - a cut price Dom Tyson/Nath Jones Crumbing/pressure forward - a new Garlett We need to replace the guys who actually got games over the last 2 years. Not find replacements for guys like Bugg who was hardly picked all year

He was around that mark and started coming in as more draft expert types looked at his skill set. Fritsch was pretty much an older version of an 18 year old draftee, very raw and with a lot of upside and skills. Instead of having a strong under 18 season it took him until his body was right to produce a strong VFL season. Lockhart is more experienced in state leagues having come over from Tassie, that kind of player who's improved steadily usually goes later in the draft. We'd also have made a pretty decent mistake if we pick Lockhart with 28 given Geelong picked up a player by sending 42 to Carlton early in the trade week. If we rated Lockhart with a pick clearly above then we should've dealt 36 to Carlton a week ago.

3 good players. Not sure about the other 3. Good club men, good guys, but they have 2 years to fix their faults and improve on their strengths.

Bear with me a bit on this but I wanted to look at the academy impacts on this draft pick: 28 will be pushed out by Blakely, Tarran Thomas, Quaynor and maybe Rhylee West and Bailey Scott. So pick 28 will become at least 31 and maybe even 33. Where as pick 36 will be pushed out 3-5 spots but move back at least 1 for Blakely and possibly one for West. If it's just the 3 picks my guess is we pick with 31 and the pick we gave up becomes 38. Harder to work out what happens with 46 but it probably stays about the same. Value wise that's not good for us but I'm sure it's about getting ahead of a bid for Bedford as well as the recruiters being more confident of landing a player in the early 30's than late 30's.

Yes, but I believe it was with the MFC's permission/knowledge. The Watts drama last year overshadowed the fact there was a fair bit of smoke around a Hogan trade. Freo had pick 2 and 5. Not sure what if anything they offered or if Hogan would even have agreed to a trade then but I'm sure both parties discussed it. My guess is Freo would've put pick 5 and some later picks on the table last year and MFC said no thanks we'll see if we can win the flag with Hogan and Lever this year and that worked for Freo who needed to get some games in to kids. Hence Hogan's comment about the 5 year plan. Hogan stuck it out in Melbourne for one last go around. I think all the media posturing and Peter Bell's carry on this year might've been because a deal was in place from a long way out.

I wonder if we pushed to include him in the trades, there was certainly a lag between the Suns first 2 mature age pick ups and their 3rd which occurred once the mega deal got traction. We've got lots of options for the 3 talls. Jetta and Hibberd the deep playing small/medium types. Salem on one flank. If KK is set for a wing then we still could do with a run and kick player on the other flank.

Oh yeah, he's not even close to someone like Jeffy yet alone a champ like Betts. I get the feeling Knigthmare watched a game or games where he had a few nice crumbs and went with it. Still apart from that line I think it's an accurate profile. KM might not be the best judge but I think he does get the vibe of a player pretty well.

The Salem description is near on perfect, especially the positives for his tackling, the little blocks and bumps off the ball and courage at a contest. JKH has moments where he'll look like a star crumber. Anyone who saw the Casey game in the wet where he was the best player by a street will agree with that. But has never looked strong or quick enough to be a deep forward. Still has the good movement in traffic and ability to make quick decisions on his day. Hopefully KK can start to fulfil his potential.

Sorry meant might not be able to be taught. That said, I look at Hawthorn, they had Cyril, just line him up and he'll go out there and get to the right spots and make an impact. But they also had Breust and Puopolo as pressure forwards. Puopolo was a state league defender. Breust played rugby growing up. Somehow the Hawks got those guys in positions to maximise their talents. Bedford might not ever get more than 10 touches a game but if he's in the right spots and it's 10 good touches and 5 big tackles that's a very handy player

Delisted players I have the absolute smallest of interest in: Cory Gregson - has the talent but terrible injury run Jed Lamb - would be his 4th team, he's mostly crap but maybe he's the latest of late maturers? There's something about him that could work in a good team, not sure if I'm crazy or not Darren meatball Michington - pressure forward type who has a crack Declan Mountford - tagger who's got just a little class and toe Jon O'Rourke - not sure he's hearts in it but his athleticism is still there Nathan Mullenger-McHugh - great name! Also he's super raw and athletic

12 touches a game doesn't impress me, nor does 1 goal a game. But 8 tackles and 3 clearances are more impressive numbers. That's a guy who can win it in tight and be a really aggressive tackler. I'd want to know why he's not finding the ball in space more. Is it work rate, is it the position the team puts him in or is it a feel for the game thing that might be able to be taught.

When Mahoney said midfield rotation it was very much implying wing not in the centre square and it looks to me like Tyson out KK in is exactly what the footy department were targeting. Correct an oversupply of inside mids for an outside mid. Wing will be an interesting position this year given the 6-6-6 rules. It won't change much in general play but from a centre bounce there might be some different tactics. If he settles on the wing KK might be required to start right towards the back of the square and be a loose defender or play half back flank which he's well qualified to do. And without the extra running off the back of the square he might have sprint to cover a midfielder bursting from the middle. Wing's are vital defensive sweepers and outlets at around the ground clearances so he'll have to do some work there but it's not impossible to improve on.

I probably should've pencilled them in but not bolded. They'll be competing with the likes of Fritsch, KKolo, ANB, Spargo, Hunt, Baker, Stretch and draft picks or delisted free agents/state league pick ups so it's an even field of flanker/runner types. I can't see Lewis improving at 33, so we've had a bad year if he's still in the side but at 31 and finally out of the midfield I'm actually excited to see where they use Jones and what he can do.

Freo might have a new coach which could change his tune on going there and the Eagles could put a first and a future first on the table which is the going rate for a gun player. That might be much better than 19 and 20 or whatever it was this year.

Exactly. You can see why clubs traded their pre agent (guys 1 year removed from free agency) players. The uncertainty benefits no one. Geelong are willing to wait it out because he's young and healthy and whilst they lose leverage he can increase his value with another amazing season. Plus they want to win games! Does Kelly give his absolute all or does he get through to about mid year and start counting down the days until he's back to Perth?

No club would want him. There's a provision this year to replace a retired player with a rookie pick prior to the start of the season. I'd imagine that will be the move for Jeff. I get the feeling we couldn't fit his pay out in this years salary cap so we're waiting for next years. Hey if he does come back from summer break in career best shape maybe things can change but I'd have it as a <1% chance.

FB: Hibberd May Jetta HB: Lever ????? Salem C; Fritsch Brayshaw Kade Kolo HF: Spargo T Mc Petracca FF: ##### Weid Melksham Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Harmes, Vanders, ?HBF, ?forward/mid They'll be a battle for the best CHB option. Then there's lots of competition for the last few spots and some options with guys like Fritsch, Kade Kolo and Vanders capable of multiple roles. Depth: Oscar, Preuss ANB, Hannan, Stretch, Baker, Maynard, Wagner, Jones, Lewis, Hunt, J Smith, T Smith, JKH, ?Garlett Development: ?Keilty, Petty, Bradtke and draft picks Key defenders: May, Frost, Oscar, Petty, ?Keilty 3rd tall: Lever, J Smith Back pockets: Jetta Flankers: Hibberd, Salem, Hunt, Lewis, Wagner Inside mids: Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes, Maynard Outside mids: Kade Kolo, Fritsch, Jones, Stretch, Baker Ruck: Gawn, Preuss, Bradtke Mid/forward: Petracca, Vanders Key forwards: T Mc, Weideman, T Smith 3rd tall: Melksham Flankers: Spargo, ANB, Hannan Crumbers: ??Garlett I think filling the remaining list spots the focus should be on a gun crumbing small forward as number 1 priority but after that just look for more class and run.

He was and is still on the draftee wage scale. Best part of 100k per year plus 5k a game. He made 190k last year and will make over 200k if he plays every game this year. Unless those kids eat caviar they’ll be fine. The Eagles offered him 600k from 2020 on. They can’t change his draftee deal. The question should be whether he had to be drafted at all given he missed out in about 4 drafts. But given he was the Cats and Eagles operate under the rules they’ve been given

Here's why I wouldn't worry so much. 1. We have a guy for Hogan's best spot - a guy who really stole it this year in T Mc. He's the CHF of our side. 2. The full forward role Hogan often played this year can be covered by Weid. Who has shown - maybe not enough but he has done it - a few really nice things: A) An ability to beat up on bad teams on the rare occasions he got great supply at Casey. In his first year he had a couple of 4 goal games, a couple of 3's. In an interrupted second year he had a game where he kicked 6. And last year at Casey in 10 games he had a 7 a 5 and a 4. B) The ability to go in to the ruck C). A growing inclination to tackle and pressure It's too hard to be a reliable full forward these days and consistently take marks and kick goals. The better player to have in that 2nd tall role is one who can kick some goals on their day but contributes in other ways. 3. We have multiple players capable of beating one on one match ups deep - Petracca, Melksham, Hannan. These are often the guys you want inside 50 now. It's the balance of options and roles that not only covers the loss of Hogan but makes us better due to versatility and match ups.

Looks like he’s sunburnt in Bali but yep that was a great interview and a strong endorsement for Goodwin

Did well, I don’t think we were in a strong position in either deal. But our list management team made the right call on sending Hogan (and Tyson) and bringing in May. Keeping Vanders, adding Preuss at a good value, adding KK. More than anything I think we have to cash in on free agency at some stage. We’ve kept momentum and the list improving, that’s important

I don’t agree with that. There’s lots of chances to move up and down the draft order these days. I think with more time we could’ve tried to move the 6 and 23 we got for Hogan in to something like 10 and 15. Then offered the Suns various deals that allowed us to keep a first round pick. If hypothetically we had pick 2 we would’ve surely traded it down before sending it to the Suns. But we didn’t have the leverage in either situation. Freo and Gold Coast both knew Hogan out and May in was an acceptable result for us. Anyway, we seem to have a philosophy that it’s better to not haggle over the last bit of change in a deal. I don’t always believe in it. But the player managers organized the big 7 team deal today. Keeping player managers happy might have a lot more value than people think

Who did he play on? The question has often been Oscar or Frost. My answer is neither. Give me May, Lever and a 3rd tall option depending on match ups that could be Oscar or just as likely could be Hibberd or Joel Smith.

I think moving that 2nd pick ahead of any Toby Bedford bid. We'd hate to have kept pick 36 and had to use it to match Bedford. Now we can draft with 23, 28, then match a bid for Bedford that comes in the 30's or 40's, then take a late flyer on someone. Similar draft to last year, 3 picks in the 2nd round and then a later flyer. Not sure how we fill the remaining 3 spots on the list but I'm not too worried about it either.