binman

Thats an interesting point about Langford being 19 in 2025. It has to be a positive in terms of being AFL ready, but it's also good to keep in mind in terms of assessing his progress (and i guess his performances as a junior - he would have monstered most of his opponents). Conversely, XL doesn't turn 19 until July (aprox round 17, so three quarters through the season). And Windsor and the Kolt both turn 20 aprox round 14. There hasn't been much talk about it in the last couple of seasons, but I've long thought they should raise the age players can be drafted. I know we don't have an equivalent of college football, but if post Coates league players too young for the draft had to say play at VFL or WAFL level clubs would get a much better sense of players abilities, partic for players who are not obvious first rounders. And it would be real fillip for the second teir leagues and create some buzz I guess the counter view is that the quicker players get into an AFL club the better for them in terms of being in an elite high-performance program.

In terms of talls, Langford is a fascinating addition to the mix. I've previously compared him to Jeremy Cameron as from the vision I've watched Langford really reminds me of him in terms of how he moves, being a left footer and playing a hybrid forward role. (Langford is a mid/forward and Cameron has been playing the last couple of seasons almost as a forward flanker with license to get up the ground, as opposed to a key forward) I just checked Cameron's height and was surprised how tall he is - 196 cms. I guess i shouldn't be as he has been a true key forward for most of his career. Still, Langford is listed as 191 cms, which is tall for a mid (except for bont who is 194 cms!) - and i reckon there's every chance he'll get a bit taller. Even if he doesn't get any taller, there are only 13 players on the list taller than Langford! As Gator notes above, we may well have been the shortest team in the competition in 2024. And our best 23 might be one of the shortest teams again. Not suggesting these players (all 186 cm or above) will play in the same team, but all will be there or thereabouts for senior selection (with fringe players in brackets): Rucks Maxy - 209 cm (Campbell - 201 cm) (Fullarton - 200 cm) (Verall- 193 cm) Forwards: Jefferson - 195 cm Turner - 194 cm JVR - 193 cm AJ - 193 cm Langford (mid/forward) - 191 cm Fritter - 188 cm Melksham - 186 cm Defenders Lever - 194 cm May - 193 cm Howes - 191 cm (Adams - 196 cm) (Hore- 191 cm) Swingmen Petty - 197 cm Tmac - 195 cm That aint a tall side that's for sure.

I second your echo. Massive thanks, respect and big ups to Andy, WJ, Nasher and all the moderators. Cannot have been an easy year on the moderation front. Well done. And also huge thanks to the track watchers. The reporting has been first class. Compulsory reading.

Are we moving to VFL Park?

Indeed. And its worth noting that Howes (191 cm), Tmac (195 cm), Lever (194 cm) and May (193cm) played multiple games together last season Tmac is all of 4 centimeters taller than Howes.

Well he wasn't picked as a tall last year - in the sense that he only played man on man on a big on a small number of occasions and was basically a floating flanker for 90% of the year - but whatevs

Not to quibble, but I said he was one of our best, not the best. That said, of that list in my humble opinion only Mcvee and Bowey are better, he's on a par with salo, koz and fritter and he's is a better field kick than Chandler and Rivers. Barely missed a target last year, which given how often we turned the ball over is gold for a defender.

Well, I think he is, but given I think we are a very poor kicking team that doesn't necessarily mean I think he is a good kick.

Yes, if tmac plays as a half back flanker, which is essentially the role he played last year. Forget his height, he is an exceptional athlete (who has xlearly trimmed down), though not super quick, with elite endurance and is easily one of our best field kicks - good attributes for a half back flanker.

No he didn't (play chb). Tmac is not great one on one, and when he was forced to play as a key defender (eg when Lever or may was out, or for match up) he was exposed a bit.

Tmac played his best footy last year as basically tall half back flanker, and i reckon that's the role he'll play this year - which is perfect position for him wit his excellent foot skills and vision. He looks like he has really trimmed down and looks more like an elite cyclist than key defender.

Some interesting line ups suggested in this thread. In terms of debutants I have little doubt Langford and XL will be in our best 22 (when xl is over his pcl). Jefferson will get his shot early I suspect. And I reckon AJ is a very good chance to be in the round one team - goody really wants a second ruck to chop out maxy and whilst Roo can do the job i suspect AJ might get a shot at the role. I realise you can't pick everyone, but I'm surprised so many people don't have tmac in the their best 22. He was arguably our best defender last year. Tailed away near the end of the season, bur barely missed a game and came off an interrupted preseason. In the two training sessions I've been to tmac has been a real stand out. In ripping nick and looks very, very focused. I can't see him not being in the round one team down back.

Another interesting thing about ange in terms of intersections with AFL is the coverage of his game style over there in terms of the gap between reality and perception. That's well captured in this quote from the article linked below: 'It is instructive that only coaches who have a clearly defined and recognisable style seem to have that style blamed for every single shortcoming, even if the logic doesn’t always hold up to scrutiny. Postecoglou’s football is, indeed, serving a secondary purpose: it is exposing just how much of modern football discourse is based on tired old tropes, flimsy premises and Colbert-style truthiness. It feels right to say United’s second-half surge was because Postecoglou is stubborn and didn’t tell his players to “get hold of that game”, even though it only happened because of freak individual errors that had nothing to do with anything else. It feels right to criticise Spurs for being “too open” and “chaotic”, even if their stats show they are one of the Premier League’s best defensive teams, and that they’ve not lost a single game this season by more than a one-goal margin.' https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/are-you-not-entertained-postecoglou-is-two-steps-away-from-vindication-with-spurs-20241220-p5kzwp.html

That made me laugh too - particularly his deadpan follow up that Carragher 'apparently' likes him and 'that's nice'. The irony of caraaghers criticism (that ange ball causes them to almost lose a game they were 3 nil up in), one that was strangely not pointed out by ange or any of the journos, is they gave up those goals when they went defensive and had stopped attacking (perhaps because they were out on their feet). The two brain fades from the keeper (forster) came after they passed back from the centre line instead of pressing forward. Imagine ange at an AFL presser - he'd make bevo look like a peacenik.

I think he said 'are you not entertained'. That made me laugh- quoting Russell crowe in the gladiator.

It's really interesting you should highlight this. As a kid in the 70s soccer was a foreign sport, at least for me and my Anglo mates, and I never got into it. I have enjoyed it as a sport since the so called golden era for the socceroos - and have enjoyed watching the Australian mens and women's teams since. But I've never been able to get into epl, serie a etc ' or the A league as i haven't had a team to follow. But I've been following spurs since Ange became manager - not forensically, but watch the highlights and listen to his pressers. I subscribed to bein sports last Friday so I could watch the spurs man up cup game. Super entertaining. And speaking of entertaining, I have listened to a couple of ange's post man u cup game pressers. I was thinking of posting about those pressers, and the ones after the Chelsea loss, rangers draw, southhampton win and Bournemouth loss. In particular I was interested in ange's repeated emphasis after both wins and losses, on how many of his best players were out injured and the impact it has had (and has in general - ie the impact of injury on performance). None of the soldier out, soldier in, no excuses rubbish that AFL coaches fall into. Ange just say it like it is and states the facts - having so many players injured makes it very, very difficult. And not just once - repeatedly (he must have mentioned it 5 times in the presser the day after the man u game - linked below) across multiple interviews. At the same time he has also pumped up the players who have stepped up, particularly the several 18 - 20 year olds he's playing. So refreshing. 'If I lose anyone else I'll go nuts' - ange's last presser here: https://youtu.be/4QFFF6vjEME?si=XSc68DHbiD-Nygx3

Not just that. Two grounds means one can be the exact dimensions of the G and the other configurable to other grounds and/or permanently marked with things that assists others training drills, eg lanes or grids.

#Demonland myths #I wonder at times if I'm watching the same game I agree we were borderline unwatchable at times this year - when we couldn't effectively implement the fast transition game we were trying to implement or defend it. The latter was one of two most important reasons (the other being fitness) we regularly had opponents scoring 100 plus points and/or beating us by big margins up for the first time since 2021. Ironically, we were often at most effective when reverting back to our slow methodical, predictable, clearance focused and down the line game plan.

One and a half questions in and my head hurts. The first question felt like it went for 2 hours - 99% of which was the fella providing important 'context' to frame his question - including referencing mutiple articles. Green gave an answer (of sorts) and asked if that addressed the question, to which Mr 'I have dealt with bs all my life' responded with something like 'well that's your answer, wether I accept it or not....'. Jesus wept. I'll bet green is ruing his commitment to transparency.

When spargs reads a mean comment about him on demonland he be like:

Is literally the most abused, misused word in the English language? Does my head in. The above post is literally a perfect case in point. I mean, literally, there are many reasons that could be factors in why we regularly lose to Collingwood. And ironically, another frequently misused word, us enjoying losing to the pies is almost certainly not one of them. Apologies in advance for giving this absurd notion any oxygen.

Build it and they will come.

The track watchers equivalent of a bowler sending a loosener down first ball of a new spell.

Yeah, you're right, he broke his toe playing basketball in his backyard. Harvey probably completed a risk analysis of all non football activity when he was 12 and long ago ruled out backyard basketball.

And he injured his back playing basketball in his back yard (with some mixed info about exactly how). Am I right in thinking tracc has never been in the leadership group? That said, everyone matures at different rates and perhaps tracc has some personal growth opportunities. Tracc is a natural on field leader, both in terms of his voice and actions I wonder if having an infusion of young gun mids might help tracc develop his off field leadership, something that can only be a positive for him and his teammates.