spirit of norm smith

Clearly Rugby Australia wanted to cut out one of the teams. They killed off the Force, then Twiggy saved them. One of the damning issues is the funds allotted from Rugby Australia. They “develop” the game through big contract offers to players to play with the Reds or Waratahs. Rugby Australia recently chose to provide millions of dollars in financial support to the NSW Waratahs to keep them paying bills!!! Unfortunately decided to knife the Rebels and provide not a cent to the Rebels. So watch as half the Rebels squad move up to the Waratahs. Rugby Australia plan succeeds again.

Clearly the Dees identified the key forward position as still needing depth and opportunity. Likely that Ben Brown retires and Schache is delisted. That leaves JVR (only just turned 21) , Jefferson and Fullarton (ruck/forward). Kentfield adds another young big bodied forward to develop. He looks like he enjoys the contest. A good sign already. Dees definitely will look to build their next generation of mids over the next 2-3 drafts.

Welcome aboard LUKER as the age reported “Melbourne will hope they have found another weapon to use in attack after drafting 194-centimetre target Luker Kentfield out of Subiaco. The Demons have experimented with various players up forward across the past few years, so Kentfield joins that eclectic mix.”

The search continues in 2024 Since Neita retired in 2008, Dees have tried to find the TARGET key forward The Kernahan, Lynch, Pavlich, Lloyd, Sumich, Modra, Brown, Riewoldt , Dunstall, Carey type of forward to kick 5 or more and on occasion save the day. It’s the hardest task to do. Rare yes. Every club is trying and few succeed. Perhaps only Darling, Curnow, Daniher , Hawkins, Franklin, Kennedy, Dixon, Walker, Cameron, Lynch would be successes of the last decade We’ve traded and drafted a few over the past 15 years Liam Jurrah Jack Watts Mitch Clark Lucas Cook Chris Dawes Jesse Hogan❤️ Sam Weideman Liam Hulett Ben Brown 🏆 Jacob Van Rooyen*🤞 Matthew Jefferson*🤞 Josh Schache Tom Fullarton and tried to remodel a few defenders into forwards like Tom McDonald 🏆 and Harry Petty. Some were short term successes then for a variety of reasons- such as injury, personal circumstances - didn’t quite make it The search continues …

Assume Dees will take 23 plus 3 travelling emergencies again this week up to Alice Springs. Likely to see Casey with only 8 or 9 listed players. Might be a tougher assignment this week to get over the line.

Cooper Lord to the Blues. Another of the young Sandringham Dragons 2023 premiership team to make an AFL list. Dragons are an absolute footy factory producing top players each year. I’m surprised to see Collier-Dawkins not get picked. He’s shown good strong consistent form this year and against AFL listed competition. Not sure why he missed out.

Definitely a development longer term selection. 2024 output is modest so far. Still only 19 so another waiting game. ROUND COMPETITION OPPOSITION K H D M T HO FF FA G B Round 8, 2024 League East Perth 7 2 9 1 1 9 1 1 1 0 Round 7, 2024 League South Fremantle 5 5 10 1 0 5 1 0 0 0 Round 6, 2024 Reserves East Fremantle 3 4 7 1 4 6 2 1 2 0

Luker Kentfield. Definitely a project player. Big key forward. Good mark. Skills are ok. But needs to work on his movement. I thought Noah Howes offers the same so perhaps a 50/50 call. Likely Dees see BBB as done, Schache is done, Petty is 50/50 staying and Jeffo is still in development. Need to have another young big forward option.

Mitch White 👏👏👏👏huge game as skipper also outside of the MFC listed players , a special mention for Tyler Edwards. Another good showing. 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles. Looks very comfortable at this level and deserves a weekly game right now.

Not sure what intervention meant. I also thought surgery but usually they say so. It’s a mystery still imv

March. Before round zero. “Charlie had some Achillies soreness with a bit of posterior ankle impingement as well and we’ve been able to get on top of that over the last few weeks. He completed a really good re-conditioning session last week and completed main training today, so he’s available for selection this week.” Then he plays v swans listed as injured before dogs match now 12 weeks later Charlie’s achilles must be a problem. “he’s had an intervention and will be off legs right now “. what happened? ruptured ??? Strain would be a few weeks so this is a huge setback again to be having an intervention

Obviously the club works through available players for current and future needs. They’d assess our current 2024 squad and see how it might need boosting with additional player that 1/could fill a spot if we hit injuries or 2/ add to an area where the current group is thin or ageing or 3/ be a wildcard pick to bring some extra to the squad. Thought I’d do a list assessment to see where our structure sits right now key defenders: May, tmcd*, Tomlinson (Adams) tall defenders: Lever, D.Turner, Hore. JS29# med/sml/running defenders: Rivers, Bowey, Salem, Mcvee, Howes (ANW) inside Mids: Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Sparrow, Laurie, Tholstrup outside Mids: Langdon, Windsor, Woey jnr, Hunter key forwards: JVR, Petty*, Schache, BBB, Fullerton (Jefferson) tall forwards: Fritsch, Melksham (Sestan) small forwards: ANB, Pickett, Chandler, McAdam , Spargo Rucks: Gawn (Verrell) (Farris-White) Maybe there is a thought that our key forward stock looks vulnerable if Petty takes up the Crows football/golf lifestyle combo. Can see why youngster like Kentfield (whilst raw) is being considered. I’d like another young true mid to supplement our squad. Wait and see.

Steven May is an absolute champion. Probably the best full back in Dees history. And of course a premiership player 🏆 His partnership with Lever has been one of the keys to our success.

in JT we trust 👏

Agree. Bo Allan goes top 35 at least. Aside from him, WA is a lottery this year.

Our MFC listed youngsters at Casey are “fillers” In my view in the midfield. Sestan will not be a midfielder. He is a smart goalkicking player. That’s his future role. Laurie is a small forward like Spargo. They are not AFL potential mids. Given the loss of our depth, Harmes, Jordon, Dunstan, Munro and Gus as a first rate mid, we need to restock. We have young talls and mid sized flankers both front and back. We need more ball winners and midfield runners. We are lucky our midfield depth hasn’t been tested and we’re healthy right now. I’d get a young midfielder in as our mid year draft pick.

Wow. $1m a year for 6 seasons. That’s ridiculous money. Though North are in desperate times and need to stabilize their defence.

Scoring power. Dees still not achieving our best outcomes - goals - from inside 50 dominance We had the most inside 50s on the weekend yet had =5th highest score Dees. 61 inside 50s. 14 goals. Power 60 inside 50s. 16 goals. Crows. 59 inside 50s. 21 goals Blues 51 inside 50s 15 goals Hawks 51 inside 50s 15 goals Swans 46 inside 50s 16 goals Connection forward of centre and inside 50 must get better and our goalkicking still needs to sharpen up

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1139194/father-son-trio-tyler-welsh-and-ben-and-lucas-camporeale-shine-as-south-australia-downs-allies-in-under-18-national-championships-opener/amp Crows and Blues definitely would be happy. Tyler Welsh is almost ready to go for 2025. Camporeale brothers will be drafted early and matched by the blues.

Wonthaggi boy Jack Hutchinson is expected to be picked early in the mid year draft. Now at Collingwood VFL this year, his “Schwartz like” high marking has been a highlight and he’s a capable key forward goalkicker. Likely the Eagles or Hawks might call out his name.

https://m.facebook.com/AFLTAS/videos/devils-play-of-the-week-composure-power-precision-this-oscar-van-dam-goal-on-sat/176349932070603/

The top 5 choices for me are Geordie Payne. Tassie under 18s Riley collier-Dawkins. Williamstown VFL Trent Bianco. Footscray VFL Max Hall Box Hill Hawks Noah Howes Sth Adelaide SANFL and my wildcard is Oscar Van Dam. Tassie under 18s … Love his name and he’s a good young footballer too

Josh Battle. My vote is YES

I like what AMW also does when he doesn’t have the footy. Still moves well and reads the play. Not bad for someone with a rugby background. His tackling is good. I’d like to see him as the sub this week. Would like to see how he goes.

Like to see some work being put into Clarry’s disposals. firstly yes the short little handballs hit targets but mainly are blokes under more pressure than him. Decision making ? secondly is there anyone else who kicks rainmaker air balls into the forward line - you know the kicks that “ go up as far as they go along “ . Clarry used to bullet some kicks. Not anymore. Maybe again a confidence thing.