binman

Agree George. And the other thing he seems to have is an elite focus and mindset - attributes that will help ensure he does everything in his power to achieve his potential. No coincidence XL seems to have the same ulra professional mindset as Taylor puts a premium on it. I'd be very surprised if Langford, barring injury, isn't in our round one team - he's the very definition of a plug and play, AFL ready draftee. The exciting thing is unlike some such players (eg wines, Horne- Francis and even Harley Reid) he's still got plenty of scope for improvement, in large part because he'll continue to fill out and get taller over the next 2-3 years.

Nup. Never do. As I have noted many times i decided to stop getting caught up and wound up by players leaving or rumoured to be leaving after being devastated and furious when Gerard Healy defected to the swans. That decision has saved me much angst over the years - not least in the last six months with all the tracc, clarry and koz want out, where there's smoke there's fire nonsense. If he goes, he goes. Just as I said about tracc we hold the whip hand in any negotiations so we'll do fine.

Oh goody, a full season of koz watch. I'll tap out now I think.

We open with a bye.

And the annual sack Hinkley noise from Port fans will start up.

Agree. Will cover the loss of nibbla too a bit because he was critical to our defence - how often last year was nibbla that last one standing inside the oppo 50?

I actually think the defensive unit will continue to sit high. The transition game doesn't work properly if the defensive line is too close to the opponents goal. The key to effective transition is compressing the ground and winning it back as close to your goals as possible. It's why for example, even in 2023 when they were playing their best footy, the pies were always a chance to be scored against on the rebound. That was one of the key reasons we struggled defensively last year. In most games our defensive line was set way higher than previous years and that totally stress tested our structure, leg speed and fitness (because once the ball is turned over up the field the defensive unit has to bolt back to defend the turnover). Steve May, who was absolutely gassed, spoke to that very issue in his post game, on ground interview after our win over the tigers. Because of his leg speed, having Windsor behind the ball will really help with our transition. But i reckon just as importantly his leg speed will help us defend turnovers because he will be able to get back quickly - something tmac, may and Lever all struggled to do last year.

I hate to see any player cop that sort injury, particularly in the preseason.

A road i have travelled many times with my mates over the years. Fair to say it's mostly been a very rocky road. I plan to keep my car in the garage for a few months this season. Well, I plan to try.

I thought the same thing- starting to look chiselled in the way he does when in top nick. That includes his face looking more chiselled, which jumped out at me in one of the photos posted from Gus's wedding. Great signs- in particular that he looks in better nick than he did right before their break (suggests clarry worked hard over the four week break and avoided too much Xmas pudding).

How many training sessions have you been to?

KP is surrounded by parkland, including a footy oval. Its the home ground of a local footy club (and looks a ripper ground), but presumably not in use during the day during the week.

Whistle blower. Cranky, you write some funny [censored], but that takes that the case. Whistle blower. You are an alchemist. Merde into pure comedy gold. That's some skill.

Why would he disguise himself as something a snake might climb? Some sort of sexual, only fans side hustle? Personally I'd disguise myself as a predator that eats snake. So perhaps rock up in a Hawks or Eagles jumper.

Which is why many of our players get caught with the ball - they don't have a strong side.

And you've done it twice within seconds! Banner day in fashion.

Agree. I loved the little nugget too.

Dpositive, did you ask a question at the AGM?

Do you under appreciate Laurie Cranky?

The problem I have with these posts Ethan is not that they aren't funny - they are very funny - but that they don't work as satire. Sadly, they are way too well written to work as satire of AFL journalism circa 2025.

People - or person?

Agree on fritter being at his best leading out from the goal square an on the fast break when he can get one out and/or lead into space. Jeffo is interesting because I reckon he's similar. Can you have two such players in the same team? Perhaps. But only with fast ball movement. Jeffo and Fritter leading from the square with Turner and JVR waxing at CHF. From what I saw at training it would be folly to underestimate melk. Looks is ripping nick, and his field kicking in matcch sim drill was sublime - 50 metre darts that opened up the play or hit leading forwards lace out.

He is indeed - pound for pound one of the best one on one marks in the AFL. And a brilliant kick. He's a gun, one of my favourite players. And to be clear, I expect him to be in our best 22 In 2025. He should be, he is one of our very best players. But as I've noted intensity is a non negotiable. As is defensive pressure, one percenters and defensive gut running. It's been a long time since a player can be poor in those non negotiable areas and not be at risk of being dropped, regardless of the number of goals he's kicking (well I guess if we was kicking 100 a season he might be safe - but fritters not in that camp). Leaving aside selection, players who meet those non negotiable kpis play their best footy. It's no coincidence Fritter's two highest goal scoring seasons (2021 and 2022), and the two best seasons of his career, correspond to his two highest number of tackles in a season. Fritter has plenty of credit in the bank, but lost a little bit of that credit last season. But as Redleg noted he had several barriers to playing his best footy last season - one of which was, like many teammates, he was never fit enough (another player who had an interrupted preseasons). He looks very focused at training, and is working very hard so I'm confident he'll be come our firing and be the best 22 lock he deserves to be.

IMO his intensity dropped to a level that is not sustainable, as evidenced by his tackle numbers: