Cheesy D. Pun

Good post. We have so much room for growth with the current list. I think Petracca is doing what he needs to. If he puts this season on repeat for the next 5 years, he'll be an all-time great. Yes, It'd be great if he improved but we can't be relying on an elite player to get better to find our growth. I agree with the other four summaries but would add that the players you have mentioned are all good players (or better). Improving the guys underneath that tier of players is important to our growth as a team. The quality of that 8-10 players just in and out of the side will heavily influence our success.

I'm not so worried about the concussions. He's been cleared to play and feels good. The problem is we haven't seen any evidence that he can play. It's not a no from me but just an acknowledgement that it would really be a stab in the dark if we took him. I'd prefer to take him than not, if all other tall forward options fall through. We absolutely have to recruit a mature key forward in this trade period.

I love the idea of a Hogan return but can you imagine Peter Bell allowing a fair trade value after spending so much to get him there?

Agree but would also add that the goals part is secondary. We need to keep that ball in the front half. Our entire game plan depends on it. The current balance of our forward line is just off a little. Too many medium forwards who aren't quick/smart enough to bring pressure when the ball hits the ground. Brown won't help that but he demands defending which takes away an interceptor or a number when the ball hits the ground.

Is that the big fella from Happy Gilmour?

Question is, Is that the kickers fault or the fact that there's nothing to kick to? The worst thing you could possibly do in today's game is lower your eyes and make a shallow entry to a contested target. More often than not that comes back to bite you. I genuinely don't know where the accountability lies in this situation but if I had to guess, I'd say it has more to do with what's ahead of the ball than the ball carrier.

I notice there's a fair bit of love for Yze here. What is he bringing to the table that we are missing or is just the fact that he's a former Dee?

I'm not 100% sold on this notion that we can't kick the footy as well as other teams. Yes, there are a few teams that kick the ball better than us but the good teams rely on breaking down defences by creating easy scoring opportunities on the back of pressure. Also, it's a bit of a catch 22. Having Kennedy and Darling, for example, allows (or forces) you to do everything you can to create space. Creating space when you don't have that presence makes you vulnerable to the intercept mark. I suppose what I'm getting at is that you could have a team full of great kicks but if the right structure and effort isn't there, you wouldn't know it.

TMac and Brown are both in almost any identical positions, so I'm not sure that swap makes any strategic sense and it has the potential to blow up if TMac comes good.

This. His speech was the highlight.

I love what you've done here. There's plenty to discuss but the one I'd highlight is Luke Jackson. In my view, he could be a generational talent and a possible game changer. I'd want at least two early first rounders for him i.e he's off limits. I'm still reading through your list, so will probably add more soon.

That video really sold me....on how good Alex Sexton is.

Not really wanting to defend Richo but they did bring in some very handy talent after he left.

I haven't forgotten Swooper, I just rate Petracca's season slightly better. I haven't seen a Dees player do what Petracca has done this season, in my lifetime (born in the 80s). His ability to extract the ball, get rid of opponents and power away from the contest is currently unmatched across the league. Yes, there are many players that have been more prolific but none as dangerous and creative in terms of ability to get from inside to outside. I'm happy to admit, my view is tainted by the uniqueness of what Petracca brings, as compared to Gawn. However, it's also easy to under value those that perform when things aren't going as well because we're generally searching for solutions to our failings.

We've got to try something in this space, so in lieu of other options, he might be worth a shot.

Richmond were 16th in clearance differential last season and won the flag. Our mids are capable of winning clearance every week but there's no point simply winning the clearance. It has to be a quality exit/entry. With a backline that includes May and Lever, we can be better off with the opposition winning a pressured clearance than us winning the pressured clearance. What would be more telling would be to see how many clean take aways we had compared to the opposition. I'm fairly certain it's not a stat but it would provide a better marker for stoppage performance.

I really hope Trac gets it. The best season by a Demon in a long time. We wanted a genuine superstar and we've now got one. I think Lever will poll better than many think and would be a smokey for top 5 if one of the obvious choices doesn't poll as well.

Ridiculous.

There is no way that there is not something physically wrong with Tommy and I find it a little perplexing that his form was being blamed while he hobbled around the field like a shot deer. If they can find out what the issue is and remedy it, I believe we still have a very useful player. Otherwise, he should retire. As a Dees supporter of some 30-odd years, it's very easy to imagine a scenario where Tommy is traded, sorts out his physical ailments and goes back to tormenting backlines as he did in 2018. That's the stuff of nightmares, that is.

Not likely to happen. Good KPFs are usually drafted. Trade options are generally the scraps or they're big clubs offering insane amounts of money, usually to their detriment. We need a solid big body that can take a defender away. We can create a functioning forward line without an absolute star. Who are our mid-tier trade options at the moment - Brown, Daniher, Hogan? Any others? I'd take any of those options, if available.

This is exactly how I feel about us chasing half-back flankers. Yes, we need a big body but no-one is giving up a gun, so just get someone useful - the Weid needs help. Totally agree on small forwards - this is where we should be focused.

Weideman - a major disappointment? He played a lone hand up forward and has shown enough to suggest he's going to be important part of our future once we find him a partner in crime.

This guy is exactly the kind of player we need.

Looking at the lists here, I really hope we can find a way to bring in some established talent. We're in dire need of forwards. Are there any big guys coming out of contract? Daniher comes to mind but are their others we could potentially poach?

Reckon I'd prefer waterboarding over this - Freo will hang in there just enough to maintain the torture.