Lucifers Hero

Here is a 'ready reckoner' for the season. Can't fault the draw. Something for everyone: Fans get day games. Very fair lot of teams played twice Roughly consistent days breaks which helps players with recovery then prep etc Players don't leave Vic in the last two months 1/state games well spread. A good break after Alice game The 3.20 Sunday games (plus Anzac Eve and KB) will be FTA (so sponsors should be ok). Anzac Eve and KB should make the financials ok. Day games should also help financials with more fans to games Hopefully, we get the full 14 day bye unlike the shortened 8/9 day break of recent years. On the back of that we should make top 4. If we don't make top 8 well ...

tbh, I don't wish any team well but right now that new 'love child' is in the same category as the loathsome bombers! 'Death ride' them both!!!

Hope the the AFL's new love child upon which much has been lavished, crash and burn! No, it isn't the bombers altho I don't wish them well either!! I will happily 'death ride' both with the only benefit being the dark pleasure of their demise.😁

That is the easiest we could have had. Based on 2024 5th - Hawks (7th pre finals) 9th - Pies 12th - Saints 13th - GCS 16th - WCE 17th - North I don't see any of them being top 4 and only a couple top 8 candidates. In terms of groupings: 1 from top 6 2 from middle 6 3 from bottom 6 No complaints there. Its now up to the team to capitalise on that fixture and romp into the 8 and maybe top 4.

I read somewhere that there will be lots of Sunday night games, often on the eve of a public holiday in Vic or Qld. Most others will be in WA which will be an early evening start in WA so broadcast at night in eastern states. My mfcss has kicked in and we cop a double whammy: Sunday night and travel to Perth 😢 Not expecting much good in this fixture for the club/players re travel, breaks, revenue.

The AFL know dees have poor crowds at many night games. It would help if they didn't schedule them in midwinter vs Port, GWS, Freo etc whose fans don't travel. Schedule the night games vs Carlton, Coll, Rich etc and it is a different story. Dees fans will probably be outnumbered but there will be a decent crowd and many watching on TV. I prefer day games but am ok with night games but not in midwinter at the G. If the AFL want midwinter night games they should be in the warmer states or undercover at Marvel.

A and B rookies have a portion of their sal outside the cap. It was the first $80,000. Not sure what that is now.

Thanks. Unfortunately the article isn't dated. Given the players in the pic and the sponsors on our jumper I would say that is pre covid list size/rule changes.

Thanks, could you post a link please ... it isn't the easiest of sites to trawl through!

Yes, great to watch games at home. Not great for crowds especially during winter. We seem to get Home games vs i/state teams at night guaranteeing small crowds. This is not good for revenue nor the 'optics' and narrative of Dees get small crowds/don't go to games. It is worth noting that the 'Big' Vic clubs generally get their Home games vs i/state teams in a mid afternoon time slot. Their Home night spots are usually for other big Vic teams. Both great for their revenues. I would like to see a fairer sharing of time slots vs i/state Home games.

The info is out there but not collated ... hence why the great work by @red and blue forever in the Contracts thread is a handy reference Yes, we can draft either as an A rookie or as a senior player. Only 2 B rookies since covid list rule changes.

I won't be Swann: "... Healy believes the AFL have a duty to pick up the phone and at least pose the question to Swann who has committed to the Lions for the upcoming season... " to join AFL HQ. why-the-afl-should-consider-making-a-play-for-lions-ceo-swann

There's an assumption that AMW has been 'promoted' from B to A rookie. It wouldn't be a 'promotion' per se as there is no difference in A and B except how they were recruited. Senior game eligibility and salary rules are the same for both. And, I'm not sure such a 'promotion' is even allowed under the rules as 'promotions' are to/from the Senior list. If a rookie list change is allowed for AMW, the only benefit I see is the club can recruit 2 B rookies eg Andrew and Mentha. But the downside is it looses the ability to take an A-rookie (assuming we fill the 3 senior spots).

Trust me, it applies to both. If it applied to only one it would have said so.

And while I'm dampening the mood on the fixture, 14th may not give us an 'easier' draw re teams we play twice. It could be 2 from top 6, two from mid 6 and 2 from bottom 6, which could be the same as having finished in the top 6!! 🙄

Before everyone gets too excited about day games (which I keenly hope we get) according to SEN there could be to 21 Thursday night games. thursday-night-football-set-to-dominate-2025-afl-fixture Just let that sink in! More 5 or 6 day short breaks ... !!

Yes, if we fill all the spots.

The Age have it wrong! Edit: Rookies – time on list The AFL will introduce a trigger for an additional fourth year on the Rookie List where the Rookie has played less than ten career AFL matches, which will then apply in same way for access to an additional fifth year. Total aggregate years on the Rookie List will be capped at five years (5.5 years for Mid-Season Rookie Draft). player-movement-and-list-management-changes

Not the guy for us, so NO!!!

We have: 3 - Senior spots after promoting McVee and Melksham 1 - A-Rookie spot. AMW is still a B-Rookie as has played less than 10 games. See below. 1 - B Rookie spot From the Contracts thread.

Dazzle, I believe we can use draft picks from rounds 6 to 10 (which will come in to the 65-75 range) to promote them. (pick 79 is round 5) Edit: Our picks in rnd 6 and 7 aren't listed in Cal's chart and I'm guessing we have flagged to the AFL we will use them to promote McVee and Melksham so no longer available at the draft.

🥹😢😭

Impossible !!!

We live in hope that one day Gus #10 is active with the club again.

In so many ways the best possible news! 🥰 ... is it too much to hope for 'Gus and Gawny' again ... too soon ... And many thanks for the report, Kev.