Ouch!

You were inferring it was how the AFL throwing money at the Tassie, side now it's local / state govt's I'd suggest you should also add in some inept MFC boards over the years as well. You can't just blame one factor,... It's a whole host of factors. Our current administration is, from what it would appear, attempting to prioritise finding a base. They are just doing it in a climate where securing the funding is harder than to secure.

So just some context on this, but how has the MFC been treated badly by the announcement of this for Tas. MFC has been 'looking for a home' for what?? 20 years or more? That's not the AFL treating us badly. Yes the AFL might have announced it, but not before the Tas Football Club (current name) and the state govt announced it. AFL is putting in $10mil of the $70mil, the rest is coming from the State Govt. So don't assume that the AFL is stumping up for it all. This training base will be for AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, and the junior boys and girls programs (currently the Devils) so it's perhaps got a few more teams to cater for than most, not to mention it will have community facilities too I believe.

... Burgo was a better Gibbo ;)

... and they'd still offer more value than the McKays! :)

Where are his footy's though .... Did we 'review' them out of our system??

How many stayed? I reckon more players move for opportunity than they do due to being homesick.

For those that watched the Coates league a bit more closely, I confess from the video's I don't see the knock on Brown and why he didn't go in the main draft, looks to have good speed, decent hands, and a fairly neat kick (both for goal and in general play) Is it that he just doesn't have a big 'weapon' in his arsenal? i.e not overly tall, quick, or that type of thing? .... other than pretty poor mullet, Kynan looks a pretty handy pick up for the club as a rookie.

sounds like we don't have picks to match it with, and not going into deficit, not so much that we would refuse to take him unless it's a rookie.

I think the thing that I was more concerned with is that he doesn't sound like he wants to go 'too far' from the family farm. There have been a few comments here from people that seem reluctant to draft from the tassie players, but I got a sense that this guy is a chance to get 'homesick'. So with us losing Jackson, and potentially Petty, I'm a little cautious on this.

So, I'll bite here. What happened to our 4th, 5th and 6th round picks as such... or do picks after a certain value have no point value attached and therefore you cannot use to bid on F/S and the like?

TBH, I thought his disposal wasn't great, or perhaps more specifically, it's not a smooth natural kicking action. Note, I don't mean it wasn't effective, just a bit awkward.

Greenwood also was fit to play. Not sure many clubs will take Melksham knowing that they'll likely get less than 10 games from him.

It's interesting, I'd say maybe both. The allies were very strong in the national championships, so they beat not just the vic players but WA and SA pretty handily too. The Tassie Devils in the Coates league were very well placed there too, so that possibly goes to suggest that the quality in Vic could be a little lighter this year. It also sounds like this year has a fairly shallow draft overall, and that they don't expect a lot of players to be selected overall.

There will be some Tassie players that want to come home to play for Tassie, and I've seen you post this in other threads too, but I'm curious why you are more concerned about Tassie players going home than WA, or SA or players from other states? Don't think it's been determined yet. However I suspect the list managers will be more concerned about the compromised draft. That being said, the AFL won't be putting anything in place to compel the other teams to give up Tasmanian players only. It's a set of rules that will allow the tassie team to select from any players on the list (obviously there might be some untouchables)

Rumours that Schoenmaker is a sneaky chance at a late 1st round, and there is also Jack Callinan (son of Ian Callinan) as a small forward that could also be taken. Don't remember the last time 5 Tassie players were chosen in a single draft. Let alone 3-4 potentials for the first round!

I'd like petrol prices under $2 a litre, a Hella Mega Tour announcement, and probably to lose a few more kgs. Oh I'd also like Ryley Sanders and James Leake as our picks for 6 & 11. Mick Stinear to play a role with our men's team, and Mick Warner and Mark Robinson to be sued by Goodwin after we win the flag. ... I'm not fussy.

Don't get me wrong, he looks a nice player, but not sure we are lacking outside run on the wings are we? If anything I think we are needing quality off HBF. I would have thought we are ok placed with our current wings, and Howes and Woewodin currently?

Yep thats what I thought to.... although I think May might be a bit quicker. Shoenmaker has a much more fluid kicking action than O'Sullivan as well, if I had a criticism of what I have seen, he has an awkward ball drop.

I like Arie Schoenmaker as well.... booming left boot, looks like he's got a good frame on him, and Walters, Curtin and McKercher all put pretty big wraps on him. Paid a bit of a penalty (10 weeks) early in the season for getting on the sauce, But came back strongly in the second half of the season, and his game v Vic Metro was a bit of a stand out. Guess it depends on when/if recruiters see the need for a big bodied defender. Given we have Jed Adams also on the list.

If Tas comes into the national comp in 2028. These players will be what age? 22 maybe 23? If they are good, and I hope they all are, then I assume some form of compensation, possibly like free agency. Besides not all will want to play for Tassie, or even if they do, they won't do it all at once either. Drafting from Tas really won't be any different really than WA or any other state based player for the MFC. Players like Ryley Sanders have been in Melbourne this year and played for Sandringham in the Coates League.

Tracc and Gus are 27. Oliver 26, Hardly 'getting on' ;) But I do agree that we need to be ensuring depth behind these guys, and other than Sparrow (and maybe Rivers), we do need to have the next crop coming through.

He schooled in Adelaide, and the major transport hubs (i.e airports etc still would require him to travel via Adelaide) so it's still closer to home than Melbourne.

I thought that Hunter looked good in 2023 because I don't think Langdon had a great year. .... then I had the thought that Langdon didn't have as good a year as 2021 and 2022 as we we played a large portion of our attack through him and Jordon and Brayshaw played more as a defensive wing. Phew! Two thoughts before 10am there. I'm out till lunch soz

People!!! stop with all the legitimate examples coming so fast, take your time please as requested so @IRW in turn can take a bit of time to process what just happened!

... and yet we bought Hunter into the club given his issues were known whilst at the dogs. If the club thought that they can bring someone in and they would buy into our culture I don't see a problem.