spirit of norm smith

Son of Ian McMullin - former Pies player

Phillipou would be an amazing pick. He’s got the combination of a midfielder with an agile athletic taller forward type. His marking and ground cover is A grade. Package that with the left foot style and he’d be a great addition. The knockers might say he’s from Adelaide and there’s to go home factor, but it wouldn’t think that would deter JT from picking him if available.

Interesting that pick 37 might drift in and out as the Lions will have to give up points/picks to get Ashcroft and Fletcher. Hopefully Ashcroft gets a bid at 1 or 2 and hopefully Fletcher gets a bid placed on him in the later first round picks. If we look at Midfield runners, here’s 4?excellent youngsters: Jaxon Binns Dandenong Stingrays (outside mid/ elite runner) lasts to pick 37, he’d be the steal of the draft imv. Fantastic year including in national championships. He links and runs and connects with the footy. Harvey Gallagher - captain Bendigo Pioneers - another elite runner. Half back/outside mid . Skills and running power to add more outside run to the midfield Billy Dowling - North Adelaide - impressed in SA V VIC country game. Used the footy with smart iq. Can play wing and also drift forward to score goals. Running power is elite. Toby McMullin - Sandringham Dragons - in the shadow of the elite youngsters, but he’s another young running mid who makes smart decisions and gets to the right places. Melbourne Grammar boy so he’s got some former alumni at the Dees. His 2.88s 20m sprint at combine shows he’s got pace to go with his skills and goalkicking. Would be an excellent pickup. If we look at taller options Harry Lemmey West Adelaide SA - 198cms - excellent skills and good goalkicker. Like namesake Harry Petty, can play key forward or key defender. Tom Macullum - Clarence TAS -193cms - whilst players from Tassie haven’t been too popular on draft night, this kid showed plenty in the Allies game v SA that I saw. Looks like a good contested mark and judgement, but also capable of pace and run. Might just lack a few centimetres for key position.

I like it. Pick 37 looking like a good pedigree.

Thanks DD36. Hollands would be an excellent pick and suit our future midfield needs.

Ditto. Good hands and a good kick. Gruzewski has the foundation of a very good forward. His contested marking is a real asset.

I agree it all moves around. All you can do is have it based on “the day” you go through the process. Will be interested in your thoughts on Harvey Gallagher from the Bendigo pioneers. If we go tall for our pick 13, we might look at a quicker running midfielder type. He was very impressive in the Vic country final game v Vic metro. Standout runner from half back. Whilst he’s an overage player, he had the pace and skills demanded highly in todays game. He went to the state combine and was a top performer across agility and 2km time trial. He’s not an Ashcroft or Hollands, but a very handy late draft pick imv.

Yes would love to convert our current 2x 1st round 2023 picks into a top 5 pick next year. Gotta hope Freo’s bubble bursts next year. Operation Zane Duursma sounds like a plan. Operation Ashton Moir also on the radar. Operation Harley Reid would need a huge war chest imv.

As it stands, my current run sheet looks like 1. Ashcroft BRIS F/s 2.Cadman GWS 3.Tsatas NM 4.Wardlaw NM 5.Sheezel EssFC 6.Humphrey Suns 7.Phillipou Hawks 8.Clark cats 9.Ginbey WC 10.Mackenzie stk 11.Hollands Carl 12.HewittWB 13.Busslinger WC With Ashcroft as a father son pick , our pick “13” becomes 14. - I was really hoping for some trade moves from Freo (as part of their LJ offer) to get a top 5-6 pick (ideally from the Hawks) to get Sheezel or Humphrey but unfortunately not to be. JT might have to weave some magic to utilise 13 and a future 2023 pick. - If I was in the seat and it hadn’t been done, Dees should at “14” look to put in a bid on Jaspa Fletcher (Lions father son). It’d cost Lions and squeeze their picks in the 30s out even more or remove them. (Worst case, Lions refuse … which is very very unlikely … we get a gun running skilled midfielder) - JT might look to address the key forward need (Tmcd & BBB likely have one-two year left) and Schache who is a casino spin. We need a partner for JVR. Likely either Matt Jefferson or Max Gruzewski. Jefferson is like a Max King type. Gruzewski reminds me of a taller forward version of Col Sylvia (maybe it’s the kicking style). I’d take the punt on Gruzewski if I had the choice. He just looks AFL capable in the way he is able to take contested marks and his kicking looks smoothe. Showed his values in helping Lewis Hayes finish the time trial. Harry Lemmey is perhaps the other big youngster that I was impressed with at the championships for SA. He might slide to 37 but I doubt it given clubs desire to tall ruck/forward options. - I am a huge fan of Oliver Hollands. He is a running machine, with the footy IQ and skills to become a very good midfielder. Very impressive in the carnival and I think was equal BOG in the under 18s Vic metro v Vic Country game. His win in the 2km time trial proved his elite running. I can live in hope that he’d fall to MFC but I have the Blues picking him ahead of us. - Jaxon Binns is another that I see real AFL quality in. Local boy with the Stingrays, he reminds me of Rory Sloane in his under 18s year. He just runs and gets the link play across half back to wing to half forward. Skills are good. Played some excellent footy in the championships and very impressed with his game v Vic metro. His 2km time trial at the combine showed his elite running ability , and he tested elite for agility. Others have him in the 30s-40s but I’d happily pick him as a bolter at 14. - Wildcards: Brayden George and Sam Gilbey. Both were injured and unavailable for majority of 2022. George had a great start to 2022 as a goalkicking half forward before injury. Gilbey has been forgotten but showed enough in 2021 with his skills and ball winning, before his illness and injuries in 2022. Ed Allan is another back from injury. Tested well at the combine. Anyone who wins the 20metre sprint has to be considered strongly . Back from injury, had a great finish in the WAFL colts for Claremont.

43 Delisted: Rosman, Baker Retired: Daw, Mitch Brown (r) Traded : Jackson , Bedford, Weideman free agent departure: Hunt ——————————————— Likely 1-year contracts (then retirement end 2023): Hibbo and Melksham ——————————————— Trade additions : Brodie Grundy , Lachie Hunter, Josh Schache 38 Add further to get back to squad of 42 Dees could use two draft picks and a rookie selection. Either pickup a delisted free agent or perhaps wait for mid season draft.

Good luck Oskar. Loved his game v Giants in 2020. Great energy and kicked 2 ripping goals. His pace was good, long kick but his all around game was not quite enough for AFL footy. Was an excellent VFL player and key in Casey’s premiership.

42 outs ❌ Hunt , Jackson , Bedford, Weideman ,Rosman, Mitch Brown ♻️ Ins. Grundy, Hunter, Schache = 39 2 picks (13,37) + Chandler upgrade + rookie selection. 2023 2x 1st round and 2x 2nd round picks.

I’m not a fan but if this is the deal, then it’s ok.

Yes GWS have many many picks and plenty of baskets. Simply GWS would be crazy not to pick him with the first pick. Showing all the signs of a future elite forward. An amazing resemblance in footy smarts, playing style and attributes (including kicking) to Jeremy Cameron. I just think Cadman is worth it, and the best young forward to come along in a while.

Ok so to get Cadman… what can we offer MFC offer GWS the compo we got for LJ … 2022 pick 13, Freo future 1st, Freo future 2nd, & maybe a player (Spargo?) for pick 1

Agree DD36. Excellent disposal and decision making. But FE-B definitely needs 2 years of preseason in the gym and lots of protein powder drinks.

So if we lose LJ, Hunt, Bedford and Weid, and Rosman and Mitch Brown as well, then the list is down to 36. That’s 6 vacancies. (presumably Baker, Hibbo & Melksham are offered one year contracts). Add Grundy and 3 draftees. That’s still two vacancies. Maybe we will bring in another player through trade or delisted free agent, and a rookie selection (or keep for a SSP pickup preseason).

Ok. So let’s target Lachie Ash next year. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 He has real pace and would love to run alongside our Mids. We have plenty of picks to trade him in next year. Surely he’s got to think that life’s better outside western Sydney and playing at the MCG in big games is what makes AFL footy really special.

Yes happy days. The Gawn-Grundy combo will be an experiment but it gives them options and even allows each to have a “managed” game through the year. Ruckwork can be brutal on the body and we’d like to sustain big Maxy as long as possible. At pick 27, it’s a good deal. Tim Lamb held firm. He’s welcome back into the Demonland poker night. Pies had already signed DEGOEY and Mcstay so had to move Grundy $$$ out.

GREATER Western Sydney recruit Toby Bedford says the opportunity to play more senior footy was ultimately the reason why he opted to request a trade from Melbourne. Bedford played 18 games in four seasons for the Demons, including 16 appearances this year, but the majority of those came as the medical sub. The small forward was ultimately part of a three-way trade which also saw Melbourne part ways with Fremantle-bound Luke Jackson on Monday. Bedford shed some light on why he decided to leave Melbourne with the opportunity for more game time ultimately being the sticking point. "It was quite a big decision for me and it was pretty tough to leave the Demons," Bedford said. "I had been there for four seasons and I have got great mates and made great relationships with the entire coaching staff as well. "It was a pretty tough decision but ultimately I think the move to GWS will be good for me and hopefully kick-start my career a bit more. "We had some big chats throughout the year (to stay at Melbourne) and I think they were pretty keen (for Bedford to stay). "But I think the decision to go to GWS was just more about kick-starting my career and getting the most out of myself in the AFL."

Wow. That’s the midfield gutted and a very very good goalkicker. I’d say they are aiming already at Harley Reid or Ashton Moir in the ‘23 draft.

Really wanted a top 10 pick from the LJ trade but Freo couldn’t get it done. Dees might look to trade up a few places and try to get Humphrey. Likely run sheet 1. Ashcroft BRIS F/s 2.Cadman GWS 3.Tsatas NM 4.Wardlaw NM 5.Sheezel EssFC 6.Humphrey Suns 7.Phillipou Hawks 8.Clark cats 9.Ginbey WC 10.Mackenzie stk 11.Hollands Carl 12.HewittWB 13.Busslinger WC If we are stuck on pick “13” then 14. Dees …might bid on Jaspa Fletcher (Lions father son) it’s likely that JT will look at Matt Jefferson or Max Gruzewski to grab a key position young forward for list balance or take a punt on Brayden George.

Pies will have to accept pick 27. Dees must simply hold the line. I agree with earlier poster… We can do without Grundy, they can't do with his salary on the books.

Absolutely. That’s the WCE logic