spirit of norm smith

I’m not keen on Armstrong at 5 or 9. Nor Reid. Both are good youngsters but I think others are better as well as fit the future structure.

Ok so providing you are Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong, Essendon or Hawks, it’s all fine.

I know it’s repetitive, but watching Kate Hore, you are instantly impressed by her courage and leadership. Then you see her skills, her determination and he drive to win the footy. Again today versus the Pies. What a player. Kate is a star. Sign her for life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️

AFLW Dees often have been overlooked in AA team selection. Surely they cannot overlook our Lizzie Mc. She’s been 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️all year.

We love 💙❤️Daisy but seriously… give it a rest The move to Perth went smoothly and while Pearce missed her family and consistent coffee, there was no love lost for Melbourne’s fickle weather. “We’re an adventurous, outdoors family ... my kids can ride to school every single morning because there’s not sideways hail three months a year,” she laughed.

I think once we traded out the future 1st pick, then we cannot trade out the future 2nd round pick. I am unclear on this as Hawks traded their 2025 picks to get Barrass. The Hawks sent across a future first-round pick, a future second-round pick and a future third-round pick to the Eagles while securing the 29-year-old premiership player and West Coast's future fourth-round pick in the deal.

Dees too good.💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️ Always sweet to best the Pies in any game !!! Lizzie Mc is a star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ should win the B&F , and she’s only 22 Captain Kate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ amazing again (if she played versus hawks, Dees would’ve won!!) even if Bombers get in, the team have regained their mojo and got opportunities and games into younger players !!! We get Harris and Aimee Mackin plus top 10 draft pick in for 2025

DD36. I’m happy if that’s the case. I’d like to keep 5 &9, to use on 2 elite midfielders. Question is if the Eagles come with 12 & 26 on offer, would we take it … if we thought we were wanting to pick say for example Hynes at 9, would we just trade down and still be able to get him at 12 with the bonus of getting pick 26. Just a thought.

Pisano ⭐️ smart mark and excellent kick for goal. 👏👏👏 Dees up by 46 points at 3/4 qtr time

My mate Rick is an eagles fanatic and says they will want Bo Allan (they’ll be embarrassed if they miss out on him). Says potential strong mid combo of Reid and Allan will destroy other midfielders like Clarry & Trac combo. Saints might offer pick 8 for Eagles 12 & 26 ! Though Saints likely to offer 8 to Tigers for say 11 & 23. It’s going to be a very advanced sudoku puzzle on the night !!!!!

If … potential trade backs happen Kangas swap 2 for Tigers 6 and 20. (Tigers keen to get Jagga Smith) Dees swap 9 for Eagles 12 and 26 (Eagles keen jump ahead to get Allan) 1. Tigers. Sam Lalor. 2. **Lions. Levi Ashcroft. 3. Tigers. Jagga Smith. 4. Carlton. Finn O’Sullivan 5. Adelaide. Sid Draper 6. Melbourne . Harvey Langford 7. Kangas. Alix Tauru. 8. **Suns. Leonardo Lombard 9. St Kilda. Josh Smillie 10. St Kilda. Harry Armstrong 11. West Coast. Bo Allan. 12. Tigers. Tobie Travaglia 13. ** Ess. Isaac Kako 14. Tigers. Jobe Shanahan 15. Melbourne … choices likely between Xavier Lindsay or Taj Hotton or Cooper Hynes 2nd night … At pick “26”, ends up being pick 30 … choices likely between Harrison Oliver or. James Barrat or. Hamish Davis Clancy Dennis

Ruthless? With Tassie coming in, we have already seen clubs moving on older players and others shown as being not quite up to AFL lists. Some have been brutal. Whilst a lot of water to go under the bridge, “on current age and form/performance”, there is potentially a larger turnover ahead. I do think some guys were lucky to hold onto a list spot. Maybe it was to keep some stability and also that the Dees were not well placed to attract players. Looking ahead … to the end of season 2025…potential changes retirement… McDonald, Melksham sitting on the edge are …potentially delistings 🔪 would include some of (or all of) … Spargo, Hore, Billings, Laurie, Fullarton, McAdam, Verrall, Sestan, Adams, Kentfield

Wow. The sellout of five picks including future first round 2025 for “9” to get Hynes would be optimistic or perhaps beyond this … misti-optic!!! He’s very good. But he’s a HFF/mid. “9” will need to be our second star. I do admit I do like Hynes style of aggressive play but imv others appeal more at 9. Ps We might split “9” for Eagles 12 & 26. Surely then Hynes comes into play. Lindsay, Hotton or Hynes at “12” (15) then elite defender next gen best CHB James Barrat or Clancy Dennis at “26” (32)

@Dee Viney Intervention”Murphy Reid is another one that I personally feel is not getting enough respect”. Yes I agree somewhat. Reid is very good. Imv he has shown high possession (avg 28 possession/game excl GF, and excellent footy decision making). A lot like Jagga Smith. Reid is clearly a talented youngster. But does he impact. The answer is low impact. Like Jagga, he compiles small handballs to others. 57% of possession in Coates League this year were handballs. Sure it brings others in but as Jagga said on Gettable, he needs to run more with the footy and impact in metres gained and targets hit. Reid is very good and expect he might go between 12-15 in my view. That’s not disrespectful. It’s a strong top 20 imv

Was definitely a NO for the Dees But Cats will manage him and only need him on occasions!!!

Good news. Hallelujah!!! Jones 👏👏 Bassett 👏👏

Ruthless? With Tassie coming in, we have already seen clubs moving on older players and others shown as being not quite up to AFL lists. Some have been brutal. Whilst a lot of water to go under the bridge, “on current age and form/performance”, there is potentially a larger turnover ahead. I do think some guys were lucky to hold onto a list spot. Maybe it was to keep some stability and also that the Dees were not well placed to attract players. Looking ahead … to the end of season 2025…potential changes retirement… McDonald, Melksham sitting on the edge are …potentially delistings 🔪 would include some of (or all of) … Spargo, Hore, Billings, Laurie, Fullarton, McAdam, Verrall, Sestan, Adams, Kentfield

It’s a strong article and the journalist does know the footy youngsters quite well. I guess if footy journalism is your profession, you need to do some research. I’d be amazed if the Crows picked Langford ahead of Draper. But stranger things have happened!! It’s actually a good “40”. In fact it showcases how much talent and how deep this draft goes. Players of high quality even outside this “40” are : Kayle Gerryn - tall fwd/ruck - WA West Perth. Harry O'Farrell - tall def - Calder. Lachie Jacques - running half back - Geelong. Nathaniel Sulzberger - tall midfielder- Sandringham/ Tassie. Jack Ough - tall midfielder - GWV. Josh Murphy - tall forward - Murray. These guys should also be mid to late second round picks or at worst early third round picks.

MELBOURNE has welcomed two additions to its AFL coaching panel, appointing Nathan Bassett and Nathan Jones for the 2025 season. The duo will join AFL Senior Coach Simon Goodwin’s team, with Bassett to oversee the backline and team defence, and Jones to head up the midfield. They will accompany Troy Chaplin as part of next year’s line-up, who will make the switch to lead the team’s forwards, having spent the past seven seasons looking after defence. Bassett arrives at Melbourne with experience aplenty, coaching across ten seasons in different roles at Essendon and Port Adelaide. He joined the Power as a defensive coach ahead of the 2016 season, spending the two years prior at the Bombers, before switching to look after the Port forwards in 2019. The 47-year-old finished up his time at Alberton at the end of 2023, following eight seasons of service. General Manager of AFL Football Performance Alan Richardson said Bassett’s knowledge and perspective will be of significant benefit to the program and broader club. “We are thrilled to have Nathan join our club in an assistant coaching capacity,” Richardson said. “Nathan’s coaching experience over the past 15 years is incredibly impressive. From winning two premierships with Norwood in his early years of coaching, to spending time at Essendon and more recently Port Adelaide; we are excited by what he can add to our program, with specific focus on our backline and team defence. “We look forward to welcoming Nathan, his wife Nicole and his children Charlotte and Will, in preparation for the 2025 season.” Melbourne will welcome home a favourite son in Jones. The much-loved Demon, who is a Life Member and played 302 games for the club, had his first official taste of coaching in 2024, leading Peninsula Grammar’s Boys First team. With an existing understanding of team structure and game style, Jones will return to help bolster the Demons’ stoppage work. He will work alongside Sam Radford, with the pair aiming to maximise the group’s strengths, while integrating new talent into the midfield mix. Richardson was equally as pleased to bring Jones back into the fold. “It’s really exciting to be able to welcome Jonesy back to the club,” Richardson said. “He has an incredibly thorough understanding of our foundations and the game, and obviously has some strong relationships within the program. He’s ready to hit the ground running and have an immediate impact. “Jonesy is a passionate Melbourne person, and we look forward to welcoming him, his wife Jerri and kids Bobbi, Remy, Odie and Dove back to the club they called home for 16 years.” Jones was drafted to Melbourne in 2005 and went on to play the second-most senior games in the club’s history. He retired during the Demons’ 2021 AFL campaign after captaining the team across five seasons and being awarded three best and fairest titles. Prior to coaching, Bassett enjoyed a 12-year playing career, initially drafted to Melbourne as a rookie in 1997. He made the move to Adelaide the following season, where he went on to play 210 games across 11 years as a Crow – all alongside Demons AFL Senior Coach Simon Goodwin. Retiring at the end of 2008, Bassett made the switch to coaching in 2010, taking up a position at Norwood where he was part of two premierships. Bassett and Jones join the red and blue following the departures of Greg Stafford and Andrew McQualter in recent months.

Here’s a reminder … Langford is seriously very very good. I have seen him live at Stingrays games and for Vic Country v Metro. Seen him on multiple Coates leagues games off the app. Don't worry about the potential phantom drafts others put out where he might be 15 or 20. He’s top 5 in my books alongside Lalor, O’Sullivan, Smith & Draper. All could be number 1. If he’s available, I’m taking Langford. He’s footy winning ability, marking , endurance, strength, kicking and footy IQ are high quality. Sure he doesn’t run 20metres in 2.88 seconds but his game is build differently.

Analysis of our list, best 23, draft strategy and likely 5 & 9. He covers with good insights (for an Eagles supporter) and knows the history of our drafting with reasonable detail. Worth a listen imv.

Not crazy but with these picks, he should have a beer in his hand …in my view, Dees would be crazy to miss Langford

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1245422 end of trades, delistings and retirements pre the draft in my view, clubs are seeing this draft as being very deep and will look to add in some cases between 4-5 new draftees. I can see the stretching of picks, and going into the early 70s perhaps in this years draft.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1250598 good story about Harrison (Harry) Oliver on the AFL website. He’s a Dees supporter and had an excellent year both personally as a skilled & tough half back, but also with 3 Premierships (Vic metro, Brighton Grammar and Sandringham Dragons). He showed his ability and toughness, especially in the APS game v Haileybury where his marking and defensive spoils in tough conditions were critical to the BGS win. It shows the strength of this years draft that he is ranked about 25-28 in most draft predictions. He’s a ready to go type. Great left foot disposal will be an asset wherever he goes. Plays like … yes Luke Hodge is a fair comparison. No backwards steps.

To summarise 2024: Gus medical retirement Trac injury ends season halfway Pies beat Dees twice team finished 14th Trac wants out Clarry wants out media negative pile on to the Dees President resigns CEO resigns JS29 Four year ban did I leave anything out? I know there’s some good news lightly sprinkled through the year but it’s a damaging summary