binman

This. The various phantom drafts seem to grow in perceived significance every season, particularly Twomey's. As fun as they ate, they are just that - fun. Click bait. Hell, Twomey seems to have more phantom draughts than Kit Walker's brewery.

That's not the role I see him playing. One, very much unlike nibbla, he doesn't appear to have the natural, elite athleticism the role demands. Two, thst role doesn't suit his skill set - inside ball winner, elite kick (at least I hope he is - was as a junior), knows where the goals are and a real x factor. I see him as a mini tracc. A 60 forward 40 inside mid with kpis that include goals, goal assists, score involvements, contested possessions - and energy and buzz.

Is he the key?

Agree. I generally only watch the dees AFLW games, but have watched a couple of the finals. The skill level is miles better than even a couple of years ago. I watched the port hawks game. Thrilling last quarter, but what stood out is how many players looked like pure, natural footballers. For example how players use their body in marking contests, or simple things like tracking the bouncing ball and waiting 'till it pops up so they don't have to break stride to collect the ball. Once the majority of AFLW players are natural footballers, which is close, I'll be fascinated to see how it evolves tactically and to what extent it becomes a different game to AFL in tge way say WNBA is to NBA By the by, the WNBA, after stagnating for a while, was hugely, massively popular this year. A lesson there for the AFL, who to their credit created the AFLW. But since doing do not seem to know what to do with it. All the money poured into NSW and qld to grow the game and they don't seem to realise women's footy is the key to the games future. The AFL dies if grass roots participation drops off, which it had been for years. The explosion in junior women's footy will positively influence the number of boys playing footy too. For years my son and daughter both played basketball. I coached both, and it would have made it super hard logisticaly if say my daughter instead played another sport in terms of supporting both kids. And my son, who is older, helped my daughter practise and helped me coach her team. That collective vibe meant basketball was the sport of choice in our house - despite me never having played. It's no wonder it's so popular in terms of participation. My daughter played basketball in large part because her older brother was playing and it made sense for us as a family. If my daughter was the oldest and she chose footy, my son probably plays footy. That dynamic supports male participation in footy.

This quote in the article from Langford is music to my ears (and I absolutely love that he is a left footer): “I really wanted to show my kicking ability – being able to find someone up forward, whether through score involvements or in the backline, and show my in to out handballs as well: being able to get the hardball, take a few steps, get away and get the (hands off),” Langford said. “I’ve worked on driving power through my kick and find someone whether 20, 30 or 40 metres away…and finding the right option.”

It has to help there are so many WA young players in the team, and some guns are that.

I forgot Petty from that list. Taken at 37 in the draft, petts is another big tick for JT in terms of his record with talls.

Burn, baby, burn. Disco inferno.

There's none so blind as those who will not see.

Really? Given its notoriously difficult to assess talls given bigs who are 17-18 are still filling out and they don't hit their peak until mid twenties, i reckon JT's strike rate drafting tall is above industry average. I may have missed some talls, but by my recollection JT has drafted in the following genuine talls (in order): Omac, Weed, Jackson, Adams, Turner, JVR, Farris White, Jefferson, Verral and Ketfield. Of that group, only two were top ten picks, Jackson and Weed. Jackson helped us win a flag and may well help us win another with the draft picks we got from freo for him. JVR look a genius pick at 19. I have zero doubt will be in the top 3 or 4 key forwards over the next decade Jefferson was pick 15. Jury is still out on Jeffo, but they think enough of him to have extended his contract. And signs are positive that he is building an AFL ready physique. The rest are all speculative late picks. Turner looks another genius pick - a mid season rookie draft pick at 21 who is best 22 lock. Gold from a drafting perspective. We traded out Omac, but he is still playing AFL footy, and if he stays fit will play his hundredth AFL game this year - statistically very rare for a draft pick past 50. The jury Is out on Adams, Verell and Ketfield. But Adams was pick 38, and Verell and Ketfield were rookie draftees so the opportunity cost is minimal, and even if only one plays regular AFL footy JT has done super well. So by my reckoning, JT has drafted 10 talls - and only Weed and Farris White are definitive busts. Weed hurt given he was pick 9, but Farris White was a Category B Rookie, so a nothing ventured, nothing gained throw at the stumps. So at this stage, only one real bust out of ten selections. The jury Is out on four players, but really only jeffo would hurt from an opportunity cost perspective if he doesn't make it given the others were a late pick and rookies. Any recruiter in the AFL would take that strike rate for selecting talls in a heartbeat.

Very strong Logan Run vibes.

True, though none could get a game come finals in 2021, so no great loss.

You completely missed the point i was making.

This sort of rubbish is what I was talking about saty. Why the angst? Was a perfectly reasonable question. And a reasonable response is tom didn't make it as a player, but not because of effort. He was extremely well regarded at the dees in terms of his commitment to training and preparation and was extremely fit. Also was respected for his attitude and made a positive impact on culture. A great get to have him back at the club.

Sunny enough for you skipper?

Our fixture is not great from a financial perspective or for our sponsors in terms of the lack of free to air Friday and Sat night games Mitigating that a bit is we have heaps of Sunday 3.20 games, which are actually ok as they are live free to air and i susslect rate well because they run into the news. And to be honest, dees fans don't always turn up in great numbers for night games, so we won't lose too much in crowd revenue Making finals on the back of an easy draw would also mitigate the impact of less 'high commercial gain' games.

Failing to make the 8 next season and in 2026 will fix that problem.

Me too. I'll take Sunday arvo games over night games every day of the week. Well, Sunday. Add a couple of 1:20pm sat games with a red sherrin and the lions at the gabba at 3.20pm (not nearly as slippery as the night games and much better in terms of the impact of travel, ie no red eye) and it will do me nicely. And I don't mins marvel - I'm on the west side of town and by pt door to gaye one 'm there in 45 mins.

Well, you did choose to separate from the mainland.

GWS play in OR. Hopefully it's stinking hot and humid. Meanwhile we are in Melbourne chillin. If we can beat GWS, playing North then Suns at the G creates an opportunity for a positive start to the season.

Who designed the horse?

Thankfully doesn't seem like we'll cop one.

Saty, it's good that you are back posting. But, respectfully, it'd be great if you give the conflict a rest. I get your frustration with various silly comments. But much of that is just people trolling looking for someone to bite. And you often bite. Which of course is your perogrative. But to be honest it becomes tedious when the back and forth clog up threads - and it obscures the interesting things you post. I've seen this movie before. Last time I asked you a variation of above you responded along the lines that you will continue to bite. And if I don't like it dont read it. I responded that sure, that is your right, but that doing so is really just another type of trolling ie winding up the trolls and giving them oxygen. Ultimately I took your advice and put you on ignore because who can bothered with reading grown adults bickering. I took you off ignore, and hope to continue to do so because I enjoy your footy focused posts.

Not quite sure why you added a laugh emoji to whatsaywhat's post - your record with mail is worse than Tom Morris’s!