Dees_In_October

From https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/aflw-2024-lily-mithen-joins-gold-coast-tayla-harris-deal-in-limbo/news-story/17a3fedd881cc9d654c07c29dace9556 Melbourne list boss Todd Patterson said Mithen had been exploring a “lifestyle change” for some time, but only wanted to move if the Demons could secure a high draft pick. “Lily has been a terrific servant for our club over her journey, and as an inaugural player, her contribution cannot be underestimated,” Patterson said. “She has been an integral member of a program, and given an enormous amount to her teammates, her coaches and the broader club. To watch her grow from an 18-year-old, as both a player and a person, over the past nine seasons has been incredibly rewarding. “In recent weeks, Lily and her management team identified an opportunity and lifestyle change that could work for her. Testament to Lily’s character, she was only willing to explore an option that would put the club in a favourable position, such as a return like pick No.2. “We thank Lily for all she has given during her time in the red and blue. She will forever be part of the Melbourne family.” Nicely done. Farewell to Lily, always has my respect as an inaugural Demon and premiership player. Commitment at the footy could never be questioned. Super durable, playing 82 of a possible 87 games. I'll miss that inevitable hit-up kick to Kate that the opposition somehow always failed to predict! Wish her the best.

https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262823/six-club-trade-harris-in-limbo "Hawthorn is no longer involved in the multi-club deal, meaning it will now have to negotiate trades for Harris from Melbourne and Najwa Allen from Adelaide separately while sending Charlotte Baskaran to St Kilda. The Hawks had been reluctant to slide their No.14 pick back a few spots to secure Harris and Allen as part of the earlier version of the multi-club trade, complicating their negotiations with the Demons. Melbourne has been adamant that pick No.14 must be involved in a Harris trade in some capacity, while the club has also been open to retaining the 27-year-old despite allowing her to explore her options. Collingwood had earlier shown an interest in Harris, but the Pies are no longer in consideration for the key forward, leaving it suddenly possible that Harris returns to Melbourne for season 2025. Mithen is now the only player involved in the mega deal, with the Melbourne premiership midfielder set to move to Gold Coast in a trade that will land the Demons the No.2 selection and ensure the Suns bank later picks. Gold Coast has three Academy prospects – Havana Harris, Tara Harrington and Mia Salisbury – who could all attract first-round bids, with the Suns needing to match those selections with picks within 18 spots of where the bids land."

I feel like we could judge the end of 2023 losses much better if we'd had a less injury plagued season this year! You can look at it glass half full or half empty. Certainly the loss of West impacted us badly and in retrospect we gambled with our depth and lost. But as good a player as West is, I think we were too 'samesy' with her, Hanks and Purcell in there, when competing against the best teams, at least. If we'd known that both Beasley and Purcell would be out for much of the season, well, that's the benefit of hindsight. It's interesting looking at the list age. At the end of 2023, we had 3 players on our list aged 18-20. Heading into 2024, there were 7. Yet as our list currently stands, at the start of 2025, we'd be down to 2 players 20 or under. I just think, if you're not able to compete with the top teams, retention and failing to refresh just compounds the problem in the long run. Maybe I skew too far towards this way of thinking because I've long been concerned that we would rest on our laurels (the advantages of getting in first) and get left behind when the long-awaited boost in quality youngsters arrives. I suppose the question is, has it arrived? Our recruiters seem to think so. Though I guess if the trades go through, we'll be gambling on our depth again. Edited to add: Harris looking more likely to stay, so that's a relief. Covers a lot of positions and will be hungry.

Ugh, Carlton. You just have to look at the leak of players from there over the years to know that their program had major issues. I might be biased but I suspect our club does player movement much better, even though of course these are tough decisions and things can seem sudden because we're not privy to everything behind closed doors. And yeah, Tayla attracts some flack because she's out there taking opportunities and she's recognisable, especially to non-W fans. But I suspect a lot of what drives her comes from what she experienced as one of the faces of the league as a very young person, bearing the brunt of a lot of negative attention. None of that would have been a walk in the park given her actually quite reserved personality.

Loving the discussion. If it were up to me I'd struggle to be cut-throat about it. But I also want our club to make bold moves and not to get left behind in a competition where the value of experience vs. talent of the youth can be skewed in unintuitive ways. Looking at our list, one of our trade strengths is players who we can upgrade on in terms of on-field performance, but who other clubs are desperate for in terms of their experience and culture-building skills. It's tough to look at players this way, but it's an advantage we won't have much longer. Having looked at the Rookie Me Central guide, it's clear we finally have the opportunity to get the kinds of players we need (thankfully, unlike last year!). There's no point messing around with later picks; if we're going down the youth path, we have to really commit and go for quality. And that means making moves to get those picks... Of course, doing so without tearing apart the fabric of the team or destroying morale is important, but I'd like to give the club some credit for its track record in handling things professionally. And to trust that players can do the same. After the injury plague of this season, we've never had a better idea of exactly what we've got (on-field in terms of positions and off-field in terms of leadership and resilience) - and also our ability to develop players even when having to throw some to the wolves. That's quite different to where we've stood before and I think it's shaped our draft strategy. I've also got my eye on some uncontracted players on our list (Gall, Gillard, even Chaplin) that it would be really detrimental to lose - for the long-term and we need to offer something to retain.

Thanks for writing this. I'll admit that my perception of her was misinformed before she came to the Dees, not that I was a hater or anything, but the media had shaped my perception wrongly. I did always admire her stance on the online harassment stuff though. In fact, seeing her actual personality type has made all that more impressive if anything. One thing I've never doubted is that she has particular skills in the game that few players in the league have. Even if she's traded out now, bringing her in was a huge win for us and I hope Tayla would still say it was for her too.

The intensity of scrutiny/resources must surely be far below what exists in the men's. But because of that, in some ways, moving up the draft in the W might be MORE worth it, since the depth of quality is shallower and presumably the players at the top are the most known quantities in the pool. Interesting to think that these draftees would have been 11 years old for season 1 - a big shift at a pivotal time in a young athlete's career. We've rarely had much to work with in terms of high picks. But there's been creativity and effort in our recruiting outside the draft, which is still coming to fruition. List manager Todd Patterson was apparently in contact with Grace Beasley for six or seven YEARS while she was playing basketball (including overseas) prior to her signing for 2024. But aside from the 2023 draft which is too early to judge, 2020 is really the only year we've had access to high picks since early in the comp. That year we got: Bannan (pick 5), McNamara (15), Caris (17, now at Geelong), Fitzsimon (35), Kendall (41), Simmons (48, played a few seasons at West Coast). Looking at the other draftees that year, our decisions look as good as they ever do with the benefit of hindsight.

Bit going on at the Suns, with the coach sacked and the captain requesting a trade. Charlie Rowbottom also uncontracted through apparently likely to stay. More names being thrown around with trade period starting on Thursday, nothing regarding the Dees aside from Harris and Mithen though.

Yes. Prescient analysis. And kicked the first goal in the first ever AFLW game. Nice that it was a player who went on to great things rather than some random. Needless to say, Garner is welcome back at the Dees any time!

Mithen apparently weighing up a move to Gold Coast, with the Dees looking to move up the draft order. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262111/suns-plot-shock-move-to-land-heart-and-soul-dee You can see the logic from both sides. How much upside does she have left for us compared to a team like the Suns and compared to the quality apparently available in this draft. You wouldn't say that Lily's on the fringe of our best team quite yet, but in a few years? Would be sad to see an inaugural and much-loved premiership player go, of course.

I'm in two minds on this one. Start of this season I'd have wanted to keep her at pretty much all costs. But if she's keen to go, for adequate compensation and considering the gaps we've got to fill, if we drive a hard bargain... As to what the sticking point is. Could be role? We intended to play her backline this season apparently and with the progress of the young talls, things may have shifted in a direction she doesn't like or maybe she wants security of a longer contract than we're willing to give. All speculation. At 27, with her stocks relatively high and plenty of teams looking for experience, it's wise to explore options. But. Despite missing the season, she's still 10th on the all-time goalkickers. 1st for marks i50. 1st for contested marks. And she can cover forward, ruck and back positions. She's handy like that, assuming the shoulder is sorted now.

Enjoyed this video with EMac. Honest and humble. Interesting to hear the progress with her back injury, this season being the first she was freed to work on other things aside from getting her body right. We saw the results. Shouts out Fitzsimon's season - she won't get the attention, but obviously valued internally at the club. A player that does a lot of those little things. And reading between the lines, a bit of insight into what went wrong in 2023 and how that played out this season. Learning how to bounce back from losses more quickly as a team.

Ditto to this. With a special mention to Banno for her second half of the season. I thought she really lifted after the Essendon loss and was a big part in steadying the ship.

They could do a "Draft Rewind" with similar content. So, 2025, release some video of such discussions from 2020 or 2015 (whatever's available). Super interesting and even more so with a bit of hindsight - and more likely to include interesting aspects of that content if some time has passed.

Love your work @red and blue forever! I think the top-up players are not technically on the list so don't really "count" so to speak. So D'Arcy, Lin and Casey drop off automatically. Hill and D.Taylor also go when the players they were replacing become "active" again (Mackin and Hose), though we could extend them, in which case we'd be at 30. Something's gotta give...

Pretty happy with this. The league is slowly clawing its way to a somewhat legitimate fixture. Once it gets to around 80% of teams played (14/17), the impact of which teams played or not will reduce, and it becomes more like the men's where fairness is certainly compromised (e.g., by who teams play when or who they play twice) but not completely skewed like it is in AFLW now. And with more games, losing a couple because of a tougher fixture shouldn't impact ladder position so much; teams that deserve to be there will be more likely to make it. Of course, it might still take several years to get there, and we'll complain about the fixture even then! Still, it's funny/frustrating to look back at what an absurd ride of too-fast expansion it's been. H&A season % of teams played League size 2017 100% 8 teams 2018 100% 8 teams 2019* 78% 10 teams 2020** 62% 14 teams 2021 69% 14 teams 2022A 77% 14 teams 2022B 59% 18 teams 2023 59% 18 teams 2024 65% 18 teams 2025 71% 18 teams * Conference system (we were robbed!) ** Planned fixture but not fulfilled

In the interests of Kate appreciation, this is a great visualisation of her rise to the top of the all-time goalkickers list across the first 9 seasons: https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/20167163/embed?auto=1 (as of the weekend gone, Ponter drew equal at 81) Courtesy of: https://credittodubois.com/blog/aflw-goals-goals-goals

I'd love to keep D.Taylor in particular, but with Hose and A.Mackin potentially back on the active list, there's a squeeze. Has anyone heard anything regarding Aimee's recovery and if she's keen on coming back? Harris staying or going will probably impact decisions regarding a couple of tall defenders on the fringe. Some ruck depth would be good to replace Watt, with Hose apparently a few years away. Although, Pearce is perceived (including by me until I actually looked it up) as being more injury prone than she really is - 2024 aside, she hasn't missed more than 1 game in a season since 2020. Across the 9 seasons, 72 out of a possible 87 games. Not getting younger, of course. Maybe a retirement to come from Paxy, though we've been counting her out since about 2020! I won't believe it til it happens. Keeping an eye on the un-contracted, if we could re-sign Gillard and Chaplin ASAP that would be nice. Also Gall since I saw she has interest from elsewhere. And Beasley because I'd hope we'd do the right thing even if she won't recover til September at the earliest and we must cling to midfielders even if they're on one leg.

Yeah, it's the winger's lot in life, unfortunately. Tbh I'd be surprised if Chaplin makes it, just given our win-loss.

Glad to see some recognition for Chaplin, our only player named in the AA squad for 2024. Well deserved, just hope she makes it through to the final team. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1255252/aa-squad-six-hawks-named-dee-misses-roos-streak-over

Finally a role reversal after he carried us for years!

I also remember reference to "simplifying things," which I reckon helped a lot too. With so many young/less experienced players, you have to lean into their instincts to some extent. On topic, great season by Maeve. Best disposal efficiency in the team (for players averaging 10+ disposals). Makes great decisions with and without the footy and is a nice long kick too. You can see how a good offseason helped her get to more contests and she was often prominent late in games.

Yeah, it can be surprising. Even Purcell only missed being eligible by a few months, which seems ridiculous as well.

My wish list: inside mid via trade inside mid via draft inside mid via anywhere, please.

KEY AFLW PLAYER MOVEMENT DATES Monday, November 4: First Rookie Signing period opens Wednesday, November 6: AFLW Draft nominations open Wednesday, November 27: AFLW Draft nominations close Wednesday, December 4: Restricted Free Agency and first Delisted Free Agency Period opens Thursday, December 5: AFLW Trade Period opens Wednesday, December 11: AFLW Trade, Restricted Free Agency and first Delisted Free Agency periods close Thursday, December 12: First Rookie Signing period closes; second Delisted Free Agency period opens Friday, December 13: Second Delisted Free Agency period closes; 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft order finalised Monday, December 16: 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft (the AFLW's first fully national draft) Monday, February 3, 2025: Supplementary Signing Period opens Friday, February 28, 2025: Supplementary Signing Period close