FarNorthernD

Chances are DeeSpencer that the first few matches of out season could look something like Rnd 1 Wednesday night 16th March V Dogs at the G Rnd 2 Thursday night 24 March V WC in Perth Rnd 3 Friday night 1 April V Bombers at the G Rnd 4 Saturday night V Sydney in Sydney All off 8 day breaks. If it looks even vaguely like that then the disappointment of a Wednesday night opening will be soon forgotten

Any guesses as to how many people are there?

Honestly our lack of injuries to key players had a huge factor in our success. I think it is our single biggest threat to success next season.

Yes the Mother’s Day specialists

We play 2/4 of last years bottom 4 teams, whereas Brisbane play them all. But then who knows, some teams will improve and some be worse. Particularly in the women’s game, you only need one injury to a key player and your chances of winning the comp goes down the gurgler.

Great get Fork, thank you. So many great lines throughout but when Max was asked what were his favourite games for the year (aside from the GF) his comment “all 3 times we beat Geelong were my favourites” was brilliant.

There is a quirk of human nature as to how people are regarded. After Ron left us at the end of 1964 he spent 7 years at Carlton (premiership Coach ‘68 and ‘70), 8 years at North (premiership coach ‘75 and ‘77) and another 3 years coaching Sydney. Despite 18 years and 4 flags elsewhere he is almost exclusively known as a Melbourne person and seems to regard himself as a Melbourne person too. Long live RDB!

Tom Sparrow has a touch of the Brent Moloney’s about him

Interesting that Essendon would have taken Howes at 13 if Hobbs was not available to them. The Bombers did not have an opportunity to pick him up as their next pick was at 46. Nothing is guaranteed in drafting but it does look like, through circumstances, we picked Blake up way later than perhaps he would have otherwise gone. “Essendon, at pick 13, chose Hobbs next, ending his drop down the order after several close calls went against him with Fremantle and Richmond's picks. If not Hobbs, the Bombers had Blake Howes in their sights, having met him days before the draft.” AFL site, Inside the Draft, 2 Dec ‘21

“The Demons handed over picks No.22, 79 and a future second-round selection for the 23-year-old, while the Dockers gave up Langdon, pick No.26 and a future fourth-round selection”. So to get Langdon we paid a future second rounder (pick 38 2020 - James Rowe?) and dropped 4 spots from 22 to 26 which got us Rivers (after dropping back a few more spots) In summary we got an out and out bargain

In the phantom drafts Knightmare had Howes at 15, Twomey at 19, the Sporting News at 19 and The Age also had him at 19 stating “He is known for doing ‘extras’ at training and is strongly fancied by the premiers” Blake completed his 2km time trial in 6.08 (elite) and also runs a sub 3 second 20m (elite). That combination is rare. He has great hands above his head and plays taller due to a above average vertical leap. The main knocks on him seem to be his contested ball abilities and not having a defined position. Perhaps he was overrated by the pundits but it does look like we got a bargain.

Bailey has never had problems getting the ball and having shots on goal. This year though his accuracy was infinitely more reliable. His GF spilt speccy over Gawn, cat-like and Robbie-like regather and goal is one of my all time favourites

Collingwood did have a great young list in 2010. 26 and under were Dane Swan (26) Steele Sidebottom (19) Pendlebury (22) Heath Shaw (24) Travis Cloke (23) Alan Toovey (23) Ben Reid (20) Tyson Goldsack (22) Nick Maxwell (26) Luke Ball (25) Dale Thomas (22) Dane Beams (20) and Lumumba (23) They well underperformed

I’ve just posted similar in the AFLW forum but considering Ben Brown seems to be an exceptional person and a bloody good key forward, does anyone know why North were so reluctant to keep him? Seems like madness on their behalf

Agree, Ben does seem to be a top shelf human and a bloody good key forward. Anyone got any ideas why North were so reluctant to keep him? It seems very strange.