spirit of norm smith

But there’s Olympic swimmers and other random athletes. Hmmmm. Can we honour our AFL retirees!!!

AFL QLD team Academy prospects Dan Annable, Beau Addinsall and Zeke Uwland proved their 2025 draft credentials with exciting showings in the Marsh AFL National Futures curtain-raiser at the MCG. The annual under-17s clash on Grand Final morning featuring players eligible for the 2025 draft saw players from across the country split into teams named after retired stars Dyson Heppell and Rory Sloane. And it was the Heppell side that came away with the win, kicking the last five goals of the game to clinch a seven-point victory. Annable is tied to Brisbane's Academy and collected 27 disposals and five inside-50s for the Heppell team, while fellow midfielder Ollie Greeves was important with 31 touches and seven marks. Tom Burton (26 disposals) also produced some eye-catching moments and Sam Cumming was in everything with 24 disposals, 11 tackles and a goal. West Australian prospect Charlie Banfield kicked three goals while Josh Lindsay, who had 20 disposals, was awarded the best player for his team. A late goal to exciting tall forward prospect Archie Ludowyke capped the comeback, while the versatility of Willem Duursma again shone with 20 touches and eight marks. Addinsall, a member of Gold Coast's Academy, had a game-high 34 disposals for the Sloane team, while Uwland, also headed to the Suns through their Academy where his brother Bodhi had a breakout season, kicked two goals from 22 disposals in a typically polished display. Addinsall was named his team's best player. Midfielder Jack Dalton had 21 disposals and kicked 1.2, Riley Onley had 20 disposals and kicked a goal and very promising tall Cooper Duff-Tytler collected 13 disposals and 10 hit-outs. TEAM HEPPELL 1.6 2.9 4.12 9.16 (70) TEAM SLOANE 2.3 6.6 7.7 9.9 (63) Goals Team Heppell: Banfield 3, Latanis 2, Cumming, Ludowyke, Schubert, Walley Team Sloane: Hetherton 3, Uwland 2, Dalton, Ison, Onley, Whan

2025 draft prospects shine in Futures curtain-raiser

👍🏻I liked the sample from Pisano. She was brought in as a small forward with footy smarts. Yesterday she showed good skills, kicked 35-40 metres and actually ran consecutive plays to link up. 9 possessions. 253 metres gained. 🤯Bombers definitely put work into Kate Hore. They negated her completely. Played the entire match. 13 possessions. Mostly in the defensive half I think as she tried to stem the flow of the game. Only 1 possession in 1st and 3rd qtr. Need somehow to get more. 🤯Was disappointed with Tyla Hanks. Listed as one of our best. 20 possessions. 160 metres gained. Her kicks were often 15 metres and barely constructive. She needs to look up the ground more to advance the footy and move it quickly.

McVee not going anywhere

❌ think the strangest part is the slow movement and then the kick into the corridor after being cornered on the wing. It’s too slow. Easy to defend. Turnover. Goal !!! That happened 3-4 times. ❌Missing 10 players from last years finals team “21”… ouch !!!!! Trade out 4 injured 6. Youngsters and depth players getting exposed. ❌free kicks 21-12 At one stage it was 19-7 !!! Clearly not getting the 50-50 calls !!! ❌contest&clearance / smashed today - need an inside ballwinner (Purcell injured & West traded) 👏👏Have to feel for Chaplin and Goldrick. They stepped up In the absence of others. 👍🏻Watt battled hard in the ruck. 👍🏻Gillard is a star and was good today (until Stinnear moved her to CHF in the last qtr and she was lost). ?? Paxy. This is her last year. Uncharacteristically not able to be in the right spots ?? Banno. Got pushed aside too easily. She’s slight so needs to get away from the contest. She was good just running running running. votes 6 Goldrick ❤️❤️❤️ 5 Chaplin❤️❤️❤️ 4 Gillard ❤️❤️ 3 Watt ❤️❤️ 2 McNamara for bravery❤️ 1 Pisano for showing us her future potential ❤️

After round 5… injury list is: + Eliza McNamara. Broken nose. TBC + Shelley Heath. Shoulder. TBC Saraid Taylor Calf 1 - 2 weeks💔 Olivia Purcell Face 3 - 4 weeks💔 Lauren Pearce Wrist 4 weeks 💔 Blaithin Mackin Calf 3 - 5 weeks💔 Eden Zanker Knee TBC💔 Grace Beasley ACL Season ❌ Tayla Harris Shoulder Season❌ Jacinta Hose ACL Season❌ Aimee Mackin ACL Season❌

Hill. Free possession. 30 metres out in defence. Handballs to teammate who was already surrounded by 2 bombers. Teammate got smashed. Turnover. Goal. Please !!!!!

Stinnear is looking lost !!

Melbourne AFLW has 8 players that would be in best 21 out !! We are playing rookies and depth players. Hard to see us winning any more games this year with this injury list. Only 6 weeks of regular season to go. injury list is: Saraid Taylor Calf 1 - 2 weeks💔 Olivia Purcell Face 3 - 4 weeks💔 Lauren Pearce Wrist 4 weeks 💔 Blaithin Mackin Calf 3 - 5 weeks💔 Eden Zanker Knee TBC💔 Grace Beasley ACL Season ❌ Tayla Harris Shoulder Season❌ Jacinta Hose ACL Season❌ Aimee Mackin ACL Season❌

💔Heath should have been kicked earlier. Instead took too long and was crunched by 2 players. And no free kick !!! Looks in trouble with her shoulder. X ball movement is slow and turnovers 😭😭 X no forwards no Harris no Zanker no movement Bannan is lost Dees kick it to Georgia Clarke for bombers !! Wotherspoon is just a rookie X Prespakis is dominant for bombers - any tag ?? X Paxman is a shadow of her prior self 😭 Chaplin 👍🏻Gillard 👍🏻 Goldrick 👍🏻 Bombers 38 Dees 7

Dyson Sharp was very impressive in the championships this year as an underage not draftable player. He’s one to watch !!!

A dedicated thread. Especially during trade period where all kinds of scenarios and players and trades all come into play !!!

2024 squad = 45. 😭ANB (crows) BBB (⏰)Gus (med ret) , Hunter (⏰) JS29, KFW, Schache. Tomlinson likely to go. So now 37. ??? Marty Hore??? Staying or delisted??? ⭐️Gawn, Petracca, Viney, May, Oliver (tbc) ❤️kozzzy (6) soldiers: Rivers, McVee , Lever, Windsor, JVR, Bowey, Chandler, Fritsch, Howes, Langdon, Petty, Salem, Sparrow, Tholstrup, Turner (15) The one more year club… ANW, Woey jnr, KBrown,… Verrall, Sestan, Billings, Fullarton, Spargo, Kentfield, Tmcd*, Melksham* (could be high turnover at end of 2025) (11) The two more years club … Jefferson, Adams, Laurie, McAdam (contracted to 2026) (4)

Sid Draper is a future star. I didn’t think he would make it past the Crows pick. 99% sure if he’s available, Crows grab him. If he dropped to “5”, definitely be very tempted to grab him. He’s a complete package as a midfielder.

Langford. He’s not perfect. He’s a contested ballwinner inside mid with good distribution by hand and foot. Btw Cripps kicking is not perfect. Trac’s kicking is not perfect. Clarry kicking is definitely not perfect. Bont kicking is not perfect. I’ve seen Langford twice live for Stingrays and kicking is good for distance (covers over 50 easily) and he can hit a target.

What a RELIEF it’s not us !!! He’s now too slow and on the decline. The bulldogs will be happy to OFFLOAD him and the contract $$$ (just like they did with Hunter).

Agree Dr M. Dees need to reassess after JT has worked through the best options and strategy. Might not be worth jumping 5/6 spots if we give up a lot.

Fremantle v Melbourne 9 Gabby O'Sullivan (FRE) 5,4 8 Eliza McNamara (MELB) 3,5 6 Mim Strom (FRE) 4,2 3 Sinead Goldrick (MELB) 3 3 Gabby Newton (FRE) 2, 1 1 Emma O'Driscoll (FRE) 1,0 Freo win after the siren. Get 19/30 votes. Freo coach 🤡goes Freo 4 players !!! 5,4,2,1. Coaches votes are a joke

Top 10 for sure. It’s where that’s the issue. I think he’s as good as Zane imv

It’s a bull rush. Houston now available. Peatling definitely testing the market. Derksen chooses Dees. Parfitt now delisted. Though I think the Dees can only really bring in max 2-3 players from other clubs Want to keep 4 picks in this years draft Yes to Houston but at what price … who and how ? How could clubs afford him ??? Yes to Peatling (if he was to leave GWS and we can beat the other 5 clubs in the offer) . Four year deal. Wow he’s pushed up the rankings this year. Best offer is future 2025 2nd round to GWS It’s a battle !!! Yes probably to Parfitt (delisted free agent). Does he have the motivation to work hard ? Yes to Derksen. Given he’s played zero games, Dees would offer pick 60 to start. Probably be fair enough Not that keen but a possible maybe to: Tim Membrey (swap for Tomlinson) Matt Owies Matt Kennedy No to … Macrae, Daniel, Ross, Taberner, Cerra, Ladhams, Jack Martin, Marchbank, Hind, Sam Day , Rosas (jnr), Haynes, Stringer, Darling, Jernaine Jones, Tom Campbell, Soldo

GEELONG premiership players Gary Rohan and Brandan Parfitt are among seven Cats delisted after their season ended in a preliminary final loss to Brisbane. Phoenix Foster, Oscar Murdoch, James Willis, Mitch Hardie have also been delisted having not played an AFL game. Former Hawthorn tall Emerson Jeka has also been axed. *** I hate the Cats. But I admire how ruthless they are. These are not easy calls as each have shown real ability. Rohan could play another year. Parfitt is capable. Hardie was excellent in the VFL winning a role in VFL team if the year. Foster is like a young Tomahawk. But they are ruthless. They see them as not quite premiership material. So they are out. They are after new youngsters. They are after Bailey Smith. They are after 1-2 Werribee players in the same way they got Mannagh. MFC hangs onto players with extensions and extra years beyond what they have demonstrated. FFS. Did I mention *** I have the Cats. Parfitt is a chance. Obviously he had talent. It’s the hard work to bring out the talent. Does he still have it ?????

And of course Swans also got Callum Mills , 1st round, from their Swans Academy. (Captain) (injured). Thats been a huge boost.

Marcus Prasad is class of 2026 !! btw class of 2028 …⭐️ Mobarede Akingbade (if we can give him a football).

We had him. Dramas. Culture dramas. Trac saga. We lost him. Ouch Was ok because he was staying at Port. Now he wants to be in Victoria. Other clubs now piling in to the chase. Blues getting war chest ready … Ouch. Time to reset !!!