Norm Smith's Curse

Cameron Bruce is tactically intelligent, considered and has done his apprenticeship. Hinkley can't take the next step, the other options seem flakey or not available. But for mine, I don't rate the assistants. We need someone who genuinely understands forward craft. But you can't complain about bombing it long and then not recruit better ball users.

It's a team that looks and plays like it had players that were desperate to leave. The evidence that the view that Uze and Burgess were the driving force behind 2021 just grows and grows. What is the game plan we are trying to implement? Who lets Geelong get uncontested marks all night? And then this listless effort. Until this year we were basically propped up by veterans. Max just looks over it mentally. We should have let the players that wanted to leave go. Instead we desperately held on to an aging and slow midfield while seeking Houston which suggests we still thought our window was open. Drafting has been the only real success since 2023.

Probably should have just traded tracc or Oliver at the end of 2024 and actually followed through.

I heard pretty emphatically that Uze was actually a driving force in 2021 and strategically things aren't the same.

I suspect this was just his speculation entirely with zero evidence to back it up.

Time to rebuild now? Gees whizz if the club really was as ruthless as it pretended to be we may have played the bluff of a few players while they had trade value and replenished in a ruthless way at the end of 2024. Instead we desperately held on to players who openly told the media they wanted out or who were behaving in a way that many would not get away with. Don't get me wrong, these blokes got us the flag we often thought we would never see, but it's like with Jack Watts - we just kept holding on and on for something that was never going to happen. And now suddenly we have a defensive unit relying on two blokes over 30, no real replacement for Gawn on the list and where Melksham's return is the most promising attack option promised. I suspect there is a bit of Premiership romance still playing at the Dee's yet suddenly it's four years down the road.

Real mongrels become hunched with anger so not sure about that. This bloke looked a class above, had time, great footy thinking and the disposal we desperately need.

I thought Bowey had some massive moments and real intensity and some good disposal. Lindsay looked a class above. Thought Langdon went missing second half but it happens. Sharp was very fast, good poise and footy brain on display. AJ is the big lumbering tall we need to at least draw a defender

I heard it from someone who knows a player agent and I never made any comments about Kozzie. Someone else also posted it but no idea.

I glad the club went with best talent and not position as I think a bit more depth in the midfield is essential.

I thought McAdam looked ok at Adelaide in one game I watched. Not sure where he fit in our attack though - as a third forward option that was neither tall or small? Not fast and wasnt able to kick distance but its possible these were injury limitations. I think he was playing a very strange role in the game I saw him at for the Dees, whether he wasnt sure of his role or was not playing it properly I dont know. People forget Lever's first game at the Dees had a few worried.

The exact kind of player I was hoping we would target.

Thanks!

Anyone got a photo of him being drafted on stage?

Heard today on the golf course of whispers that McAdam is considering his future and is no certainty to play on.

DOnt want to be a Debby Downer but I also heard today that McAdam is contemplating his future.

Gees Goodie is looking fit? Captain Coach?

Did we approach Cam Bruce? He has some coaching runs on the board.

This wasn't really the media though - Houston and Tracc are managed by the same management so he would have more inside info than we got.

I just hope everyone arrives with their shoes this year if we have a preseason camp!

Haha come one we fielded whole sides that were not at AFL level. Sure he is skinny, seems slow and can't kick long distances but he has a pulse!

Put last pick 9 was Sam W.

It's as impossible as Petracca to get a trade even if either player wants one.

No keen to go after he was shopped.

I heard a few weeks back that Clarry was keen to go, havent had an update since.