Dees_In_October

Super bad luck for Jacinta. I like that we've signed a contact extension in the aftermath - we look after our players. Look forward to seeing her out there in 2026. An Ebert is only an Ebert from the Ebert region of France. Jokes aside, looks like Laela will provide some good coverage for a few positions. Always good when a player is described as "coachable" especially if they've missed out in their draft year. Something to prove!

And let's be clear about what are and are not football acts. I.e. If you never or very rarely see anyone else doing that act on a football field you can safely assume that most players have deemed that act to be dangerous, reckless, likely to result in injury - and so, not a football act. Just as a random example, if a player is running towards you, looking down in the action of kicking the footy, there's an expectation that an opposing player isn't going to leap into the air at velocity in a fashion that is likely to result in them landing on you above the shoulders. Just as an example...

Yes, it should first and foremost be about the action that they're trying to remove from the game, due to its potential for injury. The outcome should be a secondary consideration because the same action on different people will have different results.

On the topic of non-mainstream analysis, Credit to Du Bois (Emyln Breese) creates great charts on various aspects of the game, like this one today on how clubs have retained and used draft picks in the last 10 years: https://credittodubois.com/blog/draft-pick-and-mix Here’s the Melbourne one specifically: https://public.flourish.studio/uploads/1229741/1a5fe616-6eec-4922-af8c-012b4d7ac709.png

Lil's perspective on the trade - loses no respect from me. Made over 80 phone calls to people at the club to tell them of her decision personally. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1286681/three-weeks-of-tears-80-phone-calls-inside-lily-mithens-move-to-gold-coast-suns

It would make sense to have a flag somewhere in our emblem. A high flying one. Since that's what our song says.

In that case, we could never question the club's scouting abilities ever again 🤣

Is the list size now 31? I remember talk of it expanding to 31, was that confirmed? Good news if so. At current count I have us at 30 players plus Aimee. That 30 includes Beasley though, who I guess is a question mark with her ACL.

Thanks to all the trackwatchers this preseason! Loving the reports in all shapes and forms. Every year I say I'll have a break from footy content over the offseason, but every year by December I'm back reading about us training the house down and it's largely thanks to the top-notch reporting here. Kudos to all!

A lot of talk on the other side of the board about the club's social media efforts and the improved content of late. Great to see it carried through for both sets of draftees. Molly handled it all really well. Plus it showed what we already know about the quality of our coaches and leaders. The welcome by the players at the end of the night was a random end to a bit of whirlwind!

I'm guessing they meant 'high ceiling' but completely bungled it. Maybe they thought a glass ceiling was even higher than a high ceiling.

Sounds good to me!

I thought there might have been some purpose to this that I was missing! If there was no agreement, could it have been sort of on principle or because we could? I'd like to think we wouldn't go against an agreement, so maybe there wasn't one. Anyway, I'm just trying to understand the process better but maybe no answer to this one!

Found this article, which suggests it's more a "wait and see" on Aimee's recovery (she's about 7 months post ACL), not quite so definitive as what the draft coverage suggested. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/uncertainty-over-mackin-sisters-aflw-involvement-for-2025-IRVIYLI43BB6PHX3AMFWR35CDM/ The coverage also implied that we had an extra draft spot because of Aimee not returning. But we already had three spots available for draftees anyway. From my understanding, Aimee's list spot could only be filled with a draftee if she was delisted, which is not the case. For both Mackins, as mentioned in the article, there's the Gaelic season to consider as well. Finals run through July, with the All-Ireland Final at the start of August, and AFLW starting the week of August 11.

Nice to have draftees who are friends as well. Important for young ones!

Is it sort of an unspoken agreement that clubs won't do that with a pick traded in like that? Just trying to understand why it was a surprise and what the purpose was.

Absolutely, I meant that more positively than it came out!

Spot on, and the similarities go right down to the deficiencies by foot, although a more natural action, so hopefully can clean that up with some time.

I'm going to put her in the "could be anything" category. Clearly an athlete! And has at least played some school footy.

Summary so far: OUT Mithen, Pick 10, Pick 28, Pick 46 Watt (retired) Madigan (delisted) Hill (delisted inj. rep.) A.Mackin (remains inactive - possibly indefinitely?) IN Pick 3 O'Hehir Pick 21 Mahony Pick 63 Dethridge Hose (returns to active list) Assuming Beasley is also inactive, that leaves two spots, to possibly retain Denby Taylor and add one more.

Got to love a surprise!

All that time wasted wishing we were taller, when low to the ground is where it's at. The ball does often end up there... hopefully from the other team fumbling it, more than from us, of course.

Several draftees (mostly outside Vic) saying they picked up footy during Covid. Interesting.

SNAPSHOT: “A competitive onballer who thrives on the inside with a high running capacity and elite defensive pressure, while being able to go forward and impact the scoreboard.” Has played in the VFLW for the Pies.