deejammin'

I hope they don’t. I hope we get Cadman, but Geelong do seem to have a knack for things falling their way, I agree with you those players will play in the twos next year and might help them in the future, but I don’t see improvement coming from them in 2023. Parfitt for Selwood will be interesting, Parfitt’s best is very good but he goes missing. It may be wishful thinking but I’m hoping they’re getting worse next year.

Better? Out: J Selwood(still in their best 3 mids), Dalhaus, Higgins, Narkle In: Bowes (not getting a game at GC), Bruhn (ok mid for GWS), Henry (not getting a game at pies), I assume the last player is Hunter Clarke? They’re not getting worse but I’m not seeing huge improvement there. Bruhn to replace Selwood is a downgrade, Bowes is unproven and largely for pick 7 and Henry could be a Gary Rohan upgrade. That’s not a huge improvement. If Dangerfield, Smith, Hawkins and Duncan finally fall off the cliff Geelong will be much, much worse.

What a first week for Brad Scott, get potted by a board member in the paper the day after you get signed, who openly proclaims they wanted someone else, have a new CEO hired and fired and now watch on as the board explodes as a result. Much better than justifying terrible umpiring decisions and score reviews Brad? Jist brilliant.

Hard pass

Phew.

They won’t do it with 2 of course but they’re open to split it to get it done. Get a top ten pick if WC split, + FF + 26 for Luke and 42.

WC have just announced they want Jackson, so now we are dealing with the club with the highest draft capital. 2, 26 and a Future first gets it done. Or if they want to split 2 to get another top ten pick to trade to us that’s good too.

So we talk to WC, Jackson has done us the favour of not announcing a club, just a city. If we’re looking at a Future first I’d say WC will finish lower than Freo so that’s better, if WC split their pick two then we do Jackson for a pick inside the top ten this year + WC FF + WC second round which we trade for Grundy.

Sad to see Toby go, I really enjoyed his first half against Hawthorn, has plenty of upside, needs to learn to stay in games for four quarters. So that’s: Daw (Rookie), M Brown (Rookie), Rosman, Jackson, Bedford, Hunt gone. 2 Rookie spots and 3 senior spots (once Chandler is elevated), 2 with Grundy. We need developing ruck, KPF and speedy skilful players. With two speedy players departing the need for speed has become more acute. Interesting to see what we’ve got planned.

Rivers! Argh! I knew I forgot someone, I’d have him in for Smith.

Here’s my guess based on what we know so far: Petty May Hibberd Salem Lever Bowey Langdon Oliver Jordon JVR TMac Sparrow Pickett Grundy Fritsch Gawn Viney Petracca I/c - Harmes Brayshaw Smith Chandler Edit: saw the news of Bedford being traded.

List wise we need: One established ruck (replace Jackson) this could be Grundy one backup ruck (replace Daw) this could now be Weid One developing ruck Quick outside player with X factor and skills KPFs who can take a contested mark, could be JVR or Petty but we still need another. Unless there’s a huge surprise I think we will get Grundy for a second round pick, Jackson will net us a first rounder this year and next. Likely we will draft a KPF with this. Interested to see the rest.

That’s a seriously impressive highlight package for a kid in his first year at VFL. A bit of everything, high marking, our bodying opponents, crumbing, getting out the back and some good leads. Exciting times ahead.

Swannies were very very average. Also playing Sam Reid underdone and dropping Logan McDonald is a HUGE mistake. We would’ve done far better than this, play four quarters in the game against Sydney and we would’ve, we blew it. On to next year. Cats another year older. Bring it.

If there was 11 injuries I think our finals came down to two, Salem didn’t look himself the entire second half of the season. Especially in finals. He looked ginger, was worse than usual in one on ones and occasionally seemed to avoid contact. His disposal was even off. After our excellent performance with Bowey in rnd 23 Bowey should’ve stayed in for Salem. Either JVR or Weid should’ve come in for a sore BBB or Melksham should’ve been dropped after choking against Sydney and one of JVR or Weid come in for him as support/second KPF. Or Petty forward with BBB with Tomlinson or Smith in the backline, particularly once we knew Daniher was out. This also would’ve allowed us to have Dunstan as sub and bring him on for Trac in the second half once he got too sore. That would’ve been enough to put us in a prelim.

I agree with you that Petty would be good to trial up forward, but I still believe the time to do it was last season, JVR will be our number two tall forward, he’s 194cms and growing and already fairly built for a 19 year old with another pre-season he’ll be a lock next season. Gawn/Grundy resting ruckman, Weideman takes either Grundy or Gawn’s resting forward/ruck role if they get injured. Petty is brilliant down back and I’d say we’ll trial McDonald in the number one KPF role if fit, a traded player or Ben Brown with a good preseason before we move him forward. The other wild card is if May gets injured Petty simply must play back, particularly if Tommo leaves. Interesting times ahead and if the club decided Petty/JVR/Gawn/Grundy is our tall forward setup next year I’d be up for it. But I’d be worried about our defense, while Petty was up forward in the EF McStay beat Lever one on one to win the game, that’s the risk.

The time for this was round 20- finals 2022. If we didn’t play Petty as a permanent forward when we had a misfiring forwardline, TMac injured, BBB sore and out of form, JVR too young, Weideman learning a new role and Tomlinson, Turner and Smith all capable of playing back we’re not doing it next year. It was a great solution so we could compete short term, that Goodwin was too stubborn for, but long term Petty will be one of the great backs of the modern era and we have time to find some forwardline solutions. As it stands next year we will have TMac, BBB, JVR (bigger and fitter with the confidence of a great VFL season), Weideman, Gawn/Grundy, Fritsch. Then we could bring in Colbert and draft another tall forward, that’s more than enough tall forward options. We need to work on our system and connection or none of those 8 options will work. If we lose Tomlinson then our KPD cover is thin, Smith is injury prone, Turner young, if we send Weid back we have no guarantees he’ll be capable. Even if the club wants Petty forward one injury to May or Lever and he’s straight back.

Here’s my prediction for our initial off season moves. Delist: Baker, Melksham, Rosman (re rookie?) Retire: Daw (Rookie) M Brown (Rookie) Rookie Elevation 2023: Chandler Leaving: Jackson Possibly Trade: Bedford, Tomlinson, Hunt, Weideman With Chandler probably being elevated from the rookie list there are three free primary list spots with Melksham delisted (maybe not) and Jackson leaving. It’s likely we need one or two more to leave, depending on what we get for the Jackson trade and the possible movements of Bedford, Tommo, Hunt and Weid. We can also go into next year with less rookies and take one or two more onto the main list with Brown and Daw likely to leave. Hibbo showed enough to choose to go around again although I would really like Bowey playing seniors regularly next year. IMO our needs are, one senior ruck (apparently Grundy) and at least one developing ruck (more if Weid leaves), a KPF, quick skilful players with x-factor. I would prefer to keep the backline trio of May, Lever, Petty together so would look at trading out Tomlinson to help get a KPF. If that doesn’t happen then JVR must play next year with Petty forward and one of Smith, Turner or Tomlinson stepping up into Petty’s spot. Turner looks likely. As crazy as it is to say given our paper thin rucks stocks and misfiring KPF if I could have one player in the league join us it would be Shai Bolton, we simply don’t have enough out and out game breakers to complement the hard workers of our midfield.

If I were his manager I’d go with the opposite. Adam’s value is the lowest it’s been in some time. He’s one year off a serious injury, I would encourage him to back himself in to continue to improve his speed and mobility of pre-season and fight to get back into a seriously good backline for the last season of his contract. Even if he’s fringe at the end of next year he will have shown more upside than this year and other clubs will come with better offers. Atm he’s not getting big years or big coin on this years form.

I hope Toby stays, he has skills that our list is lacking, speed and X factor. I hope he breaks in to our AFL team again next year. Wet congested VFL footy doesn’t suit him, he had some great games for us this year in the AFL, just needs to learn to stay in the game for four quarters. The one thing that may encourage him to stay is that Essendon is an absolute basket case. It’s a risk to go there atm and several of their stars are making noises about leaving, particularly if Jabs Hird gets the gig.

Tough as always but I think no change. The obvious one that makes this controversial is Salem for Bowey but Salem has been down on his best the second half of this year and Bowey has more than earned his spot back. That said I wouldn’t be surprised if Salem comes in, his best is outstanding, Bowey being extremely unlucky. TMac, Smith or Weid to sub. Given that our team is not tall we have the luxury of throwing Melk, Spargo, Harmes, Sparrow, ANB even Frittata or Kozzie into the mid/wing if a mid goes down, allowing us a tall sub. TMac has ruck, forward and backline experience, making him ideal, obviously the question is fitness. Smith has the forward/backline experience, Weid the ruck/forward. Line ball really.

It was painful wasn’t it! There were periods in the game where they were so busy praising Adelaide they missed calling Melbourne marks, goals and transition. The final highlights package also featured 4 Adelaide goals and only one MFC goal even though we won the game! Get stuffed Adelaide!

You beauty! Awesome win. Purcell and West enormous in the guts, Maddy Gay huge at HB, Birch, Gillard and Lampard excellent. Kate Hore could’ve kicked 4, goalkicking this week. Great game, ground it out against our nemesis away, without Daisy, Bannan or Zanker dominating! Huge win with upside! Perfect! Looking forward to seeing them play live before our big swans game next week!

Maxy had gone well beyond Dean Cox at this point, compare the pair: Dean Cox: 290 Games 1 Premiership 6 AA 1 B&F Max Gawn: 179 Games 1 Premiership (Captain!) 6 AA (1 AA Captain) 2 B & F 1 AFLCA Maxy has achieved everything Cox has, and more, in 111 less games, in a comp with more teams, far higher standards and he’s far from finished!

You’re right that Jackson isn’t as good as Witts this year statistically, but I’d say Jacko’s possessions and score involvements are more valuable than a lot of Witts key stats, though his hit outs to advantage are excellent. Freo’s Darcy is stiff, much more consistent than Witts statistically. Gawny in a league of his own (sorry for the seperate posts couldn’t get it to let me post pictures and text, mids feel free to merge).