Wells 11

not meaning to be a pessimist here but what makes you think this is over and done with in a year? we’re heading into brand new global territory which could well also bring on the mother of all financial collapses. On top of the climate changes arriving it’s getting hard to make firm predictions about what 2021 will look like! hope i’m wrong on that but i get the feeling there is much to play out over the next year and we may not completely recognise ourselves at the end of it.

Cant help but wonder how the umpiring would change in WA sans fans.

It was the first time I’ve seen Jackson and tbh I was a bit shocked at how far off the pace he looked. He’s got a full year at Casey coming up with perhaps a game or two late in the season. He’s out of my 2020 plans but firmly in my 2021 thoughts.

It’s a pretty ordinary looking game. It’s a good physical hit out but I’m not seeing too much to get excited about in our style yet bar real endeavour.

His dad has been very unwell by all reports so perhaps his abcense is related..but Im guessing.

Wow... that’s big news. That would vfl and IF all went well that might translate into round 9 or so. Like everyone else here my fingers are crossed.

I’m not sure he’s been “ trying harder” perhaps it just looks different from a captain somehow. Max will get serious when the game is on. Imo most importantly He’s got to remain himself .

As good as it is on the replay, it was even better live. He found time and space where there was none and made otherwise very good players look foolish. Robbie was a cut above the league in his day. It always used to irritate me that Keith Greig got so much more recognition... because he played finals. Robbie was def a once in a generation player

amazing how fast the love disappears for players near the end of their careers! Jonesy was never a star of the game but he well may have been at least pushing that tag if he was playing w a finals team, where he wasn’t always expected to be the main battering ram . He sacrificed a lot to lead and stay w us...in the darkest of dark times. I still feel big gratitude to him.

There’s quite a few to choose from now with Rivers, Pickett , Jackson, Lockhart, Petty and possibly AVB ( if he counts) . I’m thinking Lockhart but I hope 2 or 3 from this list step up.

My gut gets turned upside down when I read this thread and doesnt know what it thinks.

Im not sure " we gave it up". Im not 100% Ive got all the facts right but this is my view. Its true we misread the professionalism that was entering the game and, I believe, Smith was sacked for speaking that truth strongly to the power brokers at the club. A big and brutal mistake on all fronts. But its equally true that the recruiting zones we were given, when they were introduced at that time, were not as productive as most of the others. There was awareness of this at the time and there was an agreement that they be rotated every year but clubs voted to alter that and it was changed after 1 year. We got stranded. I feel like the AFL now would protect the powerful teams as money earners but at that time we were royally shafted. The impact at that critical time of VFL ( now AFL) history has been compounding in terms of memberships and sponsorship etc etc . Then we lost our training ground on top of that and we were too poor ( and Gutnick lacked the vision) to grab the oppurtunity of olympic park which was offered to us before the pies in more recent history . So some of it was our own doing...but not all of it. Until we have a real home base Im not sure the death spiral is over.

Great post. The list is looking v strong. I also expect ( if fit)Smith and Pickett to play more afl games than vfl this year. Perhaps rivers and Lockhart too. IF Hibberd , Jones, Weideman and Jetta dont play well early they could really struggle to get a game this year. Heavy competition fr spots. Haven’t said that about our list fr a long time.

Demons to finish in the top 6 All of rivers, Pickett and Jackson to have debuted by round 12. Both Hibberd and Jones to play more vfl games than afl in 2020. Trac to be in the AA squad and finish top 4 in the B & F. Langdon also to finish in top 4 in B&F KK and VDB retire before the season ends Bennell to make a successful comeback and play 5 + games Brown plays 15 games or more in 2020.

Good on you guys. I’ll look fwd to hearing.

All of the above ! And I also love the speed at which he can get boot to ball and still look fluent and graceful. I think that skill will translate well into AFL where he will lose time and space.

yep, no doubt. And fingers crossed Tmac can get back to something like his best. Question in my mind is will Jackson be up for being the second fwd at the start of 2020? or if not, be at least fighting for that spot with the Weid. Im not sure if we can play all three, but if LJ's mobility is being likened to a midfielder then maybe. Will be eagerly awaiting what LJ and Kozzie look like at AFL level.

This convo really is getting repetitive...and Im someone that can usually do a lot of repetition before I get sick of it. Thank god the draft is tonight and this discussion can be put to bed one way or the other....at least for now. I suspect though , sadly, this convo may be ongoing for the next few years. GF 2021... dees down by 2 points , 30 secs to play Jackson pack marks marks at CHF, pack falls over while he keeps his feet and wheels nonchalantly onto his left , kicks it 65 metres into the teeth of goal, pickett of the pack dribbles it home. THAT would finish this argument forever. May it be so.

Happy to have him fit and simply slot back into the side for a few ( finals) games at the pointy end of the season a la Marlion Pickett. 3 or 4 September games is all we need from him. Imagine the lift to the team a fit Bennell would bring playing his first game in a semi or a prelim. One can only dream.

Agreed. Seems like many really want him but would rather risk losing him than taking him with pick 10! Its just not a philosophy I really get. He's almost the prototype of the exact type of player our team is crying out for... and he'll be available. Yes, granted his unproven but ALL the recruits are in the same bracket. Hope the MFC has the balls to do this.

Interesting observation. It did sound like, from that interview, that jack was hoping to be co with max and that max had it either on his own or sharing it.

Yep. I remember many going off their trees when we didn’t pick Parish because he was the “safest bet.” Surely, this club in particular, with Watts, Scully, Trengove, Morton etc etc who everybody rated as sure things has learned some things. Trust the recruiters and Pick the players you think will make it. We have as much chance of an error with a so called “ safe” bet as we do just backing our talent judges.

Oops yes, reiwoldt was 2000. But in 2001 it was hodge, ball, Judd. Same essential meaning.

I remember the 2000 draft when Riewoldt, Ball and Judd were selected as the top 3. And realistically were the top 3, although you could argue about which one came where. But that seems to be far more the exception to the rule than the norm.

I’m on the Jackson/ Pickett wagon. They’re both players I’d be excited about having on the list with huge upsides. Without having any of the knowledge that recruiters have I just feel that so much of what goes into the thinking process must be re how we realistically imagine they will develop or cope with the next level. So many Players that dominate in underage footy don’t make the step up. Weid may yet come on but he’s a prime example. Keogh was a much less polished player in that draft but in all likelihood is going to be twice the player weid will be. You cant pick players only on exposed junior form. So if the recruiters choose these two I’m right on board.