spirit of norm smith

Too late. We got Preuss. Peter Wright should have been trade pickup instead of Preuss two years ago. Should have been Tyson for Wright. Suns would’ve done deal. Wright could’ve been key forward option (Gawn in ruck) or be safety measure for Gawn.

I agree. It’s not “we”... it’s where will they play the AFL grand final. Perth. Yes football mad. ✅ 60,000 top class facilities. ✅ Play at 5/30pm and screen into eastern states at 7/30 pm Saturday night. ✅

Clarry is a bloody good footballer. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. If he’s kicking and decision making get real coaching, then he could be A grade.

Outs Smith: Suns talls are Day and King so bringing in OMac for height. Lever to play 3rd defender and intercept. No excuses. Smith and Lever have been ordinary so one had to go. Rivers: unlucky. Good kid. Glad he’s in red and blue. 200 gamer imo. Tomlinson: he’s no wingman. It was a bizarre statement. Yes he’s got athletic endurance but no pace or agility. He’s a CHB or CHF imo. Last week he went half paced and one handed so paid the penalty. At $500k a year for 5 years he’s an investment that needs an spark. Hunt: poor. Very poor last week. Good against Carlton but 2 weeks of disappointing form. I still think he should be tried as a half back or wingman again. That’s where he played his best footy in 2016-17! We are oversupplied with half forwards. ins. Weid: finally. NOW PLAY HIM FOR 5 GAMES. He’s critical now. He needs to be our key forward. It’s that simple. If he crashes in the 5 weeks, then sure an EOY trade may be needed. But give him a go and tell him not to always go under the footy. Jetta: he is showing signs of ageing and tough style of play. I think he’s still our best back pocket right now. He will be busy with Rankine or Ainsworth. They are quick and skilled. Bennell: the experiment continues. Skilled. Silky. But fragile. Fingers crossed but we gotta play him on and off this year. Play in the forward fifty on rotation. Omac - in for Smith. But he has been slow and ineffective of late and needs to have a few Red Bull shots of energy. Too hesitant mostly and career imo is on the edge. unlucky - Jones : hard to see where the elder statesman now fits. I love the bloke but difficult to see him getting back right now.

We knew Langdon would add pace and run but that he’s knock was his sometimes erratic disposal. I’m still backing him as a good trade. Ed Langdon for effectively a net 2020 2nd rd trade pick was good business.

Need to get Adam Tomlinson to do the next interview with our man Ben Gibson. Ben’s usual Hard hitting Questions like: 1- favourite cafe in Sydney 2- favourite restaurant 3- favourite pizza place Adam spent 8 years at GWS and should have insider knowledge.

I love it. Optimism. I believe it has been occasionally sighted here but disappears very quickly and is hard to locate. Thank you for refreshing my memory.

I’m more worried about “Connection forward of centre” and inside 50 conversions right now.

Sorry also disposals per goal - Dees 18th kicking efficiency deferential - Dees 18th forget the gym. Hit the paddock and spend 2 hours kicking the footy at pace or under pressure. Not just kick to kick.

Best German heritage AFL footballer is the great David Schwarz!!!

Maybe look at team stats for scoring. Inside 50 conversions. Goals/Inside 50s. Dees 18th 16%. (7/45 8/40 6/46 8/43) a ratio of 25-30% is what is expected

Anyone listed who’s not in the hub injured - neitzke kk petty hore baker dunkley cwagner jWagner Chandler bradtke Preuss bedford??

Lever must have thought his Xmas had come early with our 4 year deal. The Crows then got two first round picks in 2017 and 2018. Hard to think of any intercept defender on big $$$$ in top 4-5 in their club and were traded in for 2 x 1st rounders. Hope Jake steps up as he is capable of much better. He is only 24. Might need to get rid of the 1970s touche as well.

Hunt and vdberg surely cannot stay in. Weid and Bennell are surely replacements with Jones and Jetta possibles. Melksham definitely on notice!!

Any photos of Oliver or Viney actually kicking the footy and hitting the target ... or anywhere even near the target ????? Forget the gym. It’s kicking kicking kicking and kicking

Zac Dumesny and Jamieson Murphy are two youngsters from SA that are highly skilled running midfielders. Dumesny though would be a half back in Andrew Mackie mode. Playing seniors footy in SANFL and fitting in as an 18yo. Murphy chose footy over cricket. He’s a star but flying under the radar as he didn’t go to academy program. Will probably rise up draft boards this year as SA Footy goes ahead.

Hawkins is about as likely to leave the Cats as Dangerfield. He’s never leaving sleepy hollow. I’d plead with a Carey, Lyon or Brereton for an hour a week of their time. They are masters of strategic positioning. Perhaps appeal to their sense of empathy for our team and the young Weid.

Yes I’d cover off the Wagners, Baker and any others not in the hub. They must be feeling rather redundant right now. Mentally it’s a tough year for those on the list around the 30-35 mark with no “reserves” footy to really showcase and get their opportunity.

It’s a shame they are not at Coogee. I reckon the Coogee Beach hotel has one of the very best Surf-n-Turf meals. Trac or Gussy could do a review

I think I heard they are at the Novotel Manly beach. I have stayed there. Two bedroom suites are very good. Assume family guys like Jonesy and Goody are in these suites !! Overlooking the beach. Nice local cafes for the Trac, Brayshaw and other culinary wizards. Btw Dees could use conference rooms for analysis of poor decision making and turnovers.

Yes hard to see VFL working now. Very disappointing. The lockdown makes it impossible. A lot of players and supporters will be disappointed. Community footy is great. There will be a few blokes wanting to impress and get another shot at the AFL, and youngsters who missed in the draft.

I like the thinking of Tomlinson to CHF. It’s a good option. He can mark the footy. His mobile. I don’t see him as a player for the “Wing” position that Goodwin etc highlighted him to fit into. He’s a CHF/CHB. That’s where he played all his junior footy. He can kick the footy 55 metres. That’s where he played his best footy at the Giants. His endurance is excellent and so that’s why perhaps we saw him as a winger. By midfielders standard, he is dead slow. Time to rethink where we use Tomlinson. Again he’s a good footballer that we need to get best value out of.

Agree. Revisit after 2022. Interesting to look at 2016 draft. The one we didn’t pick until 3rd round Mitch Hannan. 24 of top 30 played with this weekend gone. A very good draft. Some are now seriously top players. Tim English at pick 19 and Jy Simpkin at pick 12 look steals. It takes min 3 years for start of an assessment imo. Pick 7 the Suns got in 2016 for the 2015 pick swap for Dees to get Weideman. Suns chose Scrimshaw (who already has gone to Hawks due to inability to settle at GC) but looking impressive and excellent foot delivery !!! Scrimshaw, Florent or Simpkin would probably have been our options. Hannan #46 ?? 3rd rd 51 games * Dion Johnstone ?? 4th rd ❌ trade. Hibberd #29 #59 ?? 61 games *

Yes. DD36 We are in sync. We didn’t need Jackson. We have Gawn who has 5-6 years more. And in after 3-4 years of development, Eagles or Dockers will offer three bags of gold to get him back to WA. Could have got Green or Ash who are ready made and show great signs already. Pickett is a ripper. Be patient this year. He’s electric. Mentor and guide but just let him rip.

I HAVE BEEN SCREAMING THIS FOR WEEKS. GIVE WEIDEMAN 5-6 WEEKS. I DONT CARE IF HE DOESNT GET A KICK IN WEEK 1. He’s critical to our future and we need to back him in. If he doesn’t stack up, then ok set for trade and get best outcome for all.