spirit of norm smith

Apparently 6 Victorian clubs into Peatling would good offers. The Giants increased their deal which was then bettered by some Victorian clubs. Giants will have to go again !!! 5 year deal likely.

Forward half pressure. It’s a must. You see it as clear as anything during finals. Lions. Swans. Both have it. Stringer would add nothing to our group and cost a big $$$$ pot. No.

That may be possible or a pick this year in the 50+ region. Hopefully Lamb has found his vertebrae for any negotiation.

The Academy system really helps the 4 northern clubs. Lions. Swans. Giants. Suns. They don’t have to rely on youngsters being in the right multicultural classification or where their parents were born. These academies are very professional setup. Lots of youngsters being listed and developing strongly. They are fully run under the clubs control. They are run and developed with head coaches and full time staff. For example , the Lions academy has” a team of seven full-time staff, four part time staff and 85+ casual & volunteer coaches, managers, physios, sports trainers, and strength & conditioning staff”. Brisbane academy covers Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and covers northern Qld through school board and development processes. In Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane, the NRL and Rugby scene is mostly dominated by young Polynesian origin boys. Big, strong, quick. Powerful. For boys who are more lean athletes or tall or short or who love AFL, it’s the AFL and the academy programs. Brisbane academy has over 60 boys in each of the 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 groups. The big winner for the clubs … they have confidence that they can solely develop the youngsters & then they will have GUARANTEED ACCESS. This year Suns get Lombard (top 10 player) after they got 4 players last year within top 25. Then they have more coming through. Beau Addinsall is a gun and top 10–12. Zeke Uwland is top 20 quality for next year. https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1384198/suns-academy-dominates-u16-all-australian-boys-squad Footy is very popular in the Gold Coast. More boys between 8-18 play AFL. Well above the other codes combined. The 7 primary AFL clubs in the Gold Coast are very well setup for junior development. Southport. Bonbeach. Palm Beach. Surfers. Coolangatta. Burleigh. Labrador. AFL culture is very strong. Giants will get Logan Smith. One of the best young ruckman. They’ll probably hate to match around pick 35-40. Next year they get access to gun Ryder Corrigan who is top 20 quality. Swans get Joel Cochran this year. Again probably around pick 35-40. He’s an interception key defender type. Next year they get Max King who starred in under 16s and is top 15 likely. Lions get Sam Marshall who just keeps improving and will be top 14-15 ranking this year. Lions get Dan Annable next year who’s also top 9-10 draft pick quality). There’s plenty more in the Lions prospects in the production line. The future is very bright for all 4 of the clubs and their academies Footnote … the Swans and Lions get BOTH Father-son and Academy youngsters. Thats a bonus. (Ps. They are both in the 2024 Grand Final).

Post of the day 👏👏👏👏👏

@Gator agree … Reid was under pressure and slipped out little handballs to no one !! Wasn’t as composed as usual. Perhaps it was when physical pressure got applied. Interesting was that he also didn’t defend when Unwin got clear.

6 hours ago, BigMacjnr said: Appreciate opinions from our resident youth track watchers as the best but realistic sliders we could pick up if we obtain Brisbane's first round pick? Given Lions have now made to preliminary week, their 1st pick “live” would be 15 (lose prelim ) or 17 (lose GF) or 18 (win premiership). in this range, are players like Jobe Shanahan - Bendigo. key position forward. Cooper Hynes - Dandenong. Tall mid. Alix Tauru - Gippsland. tall fwd/back Bo Allan - WA. Mid Joe Berry - Murray. HFF/mid Tom Gross - Oakleigh. Mid. Alex Dodson- SA . Ruck

Lost it in the 3rd quarter. Didn’t take our chances. Skills again were poor for most of the day Too few were carrying the team. How must McNamara feel ?? She starred and has at least been a bright light this year. By the way, 30 seconds and Kate Hore kicks it straight out of bounds in defensive 50. Very strange. Panicked. Skill error was horrible.

MFC. Pert. Green. You must put your “kahunas” on the line. The AFL needs to recognise the multi cultural pathways to include Polynesian origins. Melbourne Storm pathways shows 30/32 kids in their under 16s/under 18s are of Polynesian background. Yet AFL is failing in that cultural group and you fail to recognise the role model and development benefits of this ethnicity. AFL created academies for strong Northern state clubs like Swans, Giants and Lions. 3 of the top 5 clubs. Yet restrictions on other pathways for Melbourne based clubs. Dees need to beat the war drums to get Polynesian kids included under NGA. Not just for this kid but for others to start to come through.

Dragons lead easily from start to end. Clearly the guns Ashcroft and Marshall were equal BOG in today’s GF. Marshall showed he’s definitely a round 1 draft pick and the Lions are blessed to get both for 2025 and beyond. Armstrong impressed in bursts. Top 12-13 ranking confirmed for him. I really liked Harry Oliver’s game. Solid. Composed. Brave. Classy left footer. Mitch Kirkwood-Scott across half back also impressed. Great kick. Setup several rebound attacks. Captains Haileybury and has leadership. He’s just 178cms so that’s hard to judge where clubs could place him. Ollie Hannaford clearly best for Rebels and will have impressed recruiters.

Ashcroft & Marshall !!! Lions are blessed. Especially Ashcroft .Three goals and so classy. Hannaford impressive and moving up draft boards.

1/2 time. Dragons. 69. Rebels 14. Too many guns for Dragons Marshall. Sulzberger. Ashcroft. Again too good. Ashcroft was quieter that qtr but his goal from the boundary showed his skill. Oliver excelled as did Kirkwood-Scott and Bater across defence. For the overwhelmed Rebels, Hannaford was very good and Ough trying hard.

Burmeister. Special for rebels 2nd !!! 👍🏻

Bang. Ollie Hannaford. Rebels first. Kicked it 55/60 metres👏👏 Dragons 57. Rebels 8

1/4 time. Dragons. 37. Rebels. 0. Ashcroft. Marshall. Sulzberger. Reid. Dominant. Marshall especially was agile and competed hard. Snagged 2 goals. Sandy defence was rock solid. GWVs Ough and Unwin trying hard.

Given Lions have now made to preliminary week, their 1st pick “live” would be 15 (lose prelim ) or 17 (lose GF) or 18 (win premiership). in this range, are players like Jobe Shanahan - Bendigo. key position forward. Cooper Hynes - Dandenong. Tall mid. Alix Tauru - Gippsland. tall fwd/back Bo Allan - WA. Mid Joe Berry - Murray. HFF/mid Tom Gross - Oakleigh. Mid. Alex Dodson- SA . Ruck

@picket fence“Grundy was sensational in the Ruck“ We must have watched a different game. He just probably broke even with Sweet. Shaded for hitouts. Gave away 6 free kicks where Sweet was too strong for him. Zero contested marks. Grundy was ok.

@Whispering_Jack thanks. Dragons should win and by 5+ goals. Very talented lineup. Numerous stars in midfield, attack and defence. Trainor out but Dragons can cover him. Faulk and Hannaford will need to kick a bag for the Rebels to get even close imv. It’s unfortunate that Lalor is injured as it would have been interesting with him in the lineup.

Suggest rumours only … perhaps by blues list management 🤣🤣

Draft 2023… started with 6, 14,27,35,42,46 Swans secured Grundy with selection 46 in the 2023 AFL Draft (MFC used in Tom Fullerton trade) and a future second round pick. Demons secured the No.11 pick in exchange for picks No.14, No.27 and No.35, which went to the Suns to help them pay for academy players . (We got Thtolstrup instead of Darcy Wilson). That was interesting business. got 6,11,42 got 6 Windsor, 11 Throlstrup 42 was passed. Turned 5 draft picks between 14,27,35,42,46 into Throlstrup and Fullarton. Wow 😤🤮🤯 do we trust Tim Lamb etc again !!! FFS

Swans. Heeney. Mills. Gulden. Blakey. Campbell. (Cleary) Lions. Ashcroft x2, Fletcher, Coleman , Andrews

Swans had 10 better players last night than JJ and Grundy. But I agree they are pivotal to their overall team. JJ as a tagger and Grundy in the ruck. Grundy and Sweet broke even imv. Butters & Rozee won the footy but didn’t lower than eyes kicking inside fwd50 (aka MFC style) so their impact was less.

Boak. Playing well but … 7 turnovers. 5 swans goals. 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

Boak turnovers again. Costly. Game over ???

Both having quiet nights. Blakey. Heeney. Gulden. Too much run for port.