spirit of norm smith

2024 squad = 45. Minus😭ANB, BBB, 😭Gus, KFW, Schache, Tomlinson & JS29 likely to go. Plus Campbell and Sharp. So now 40 on the list. Dees likely to look at drafting 3 players in the draft and either a rookie or one spot for a SSP train in player over the summer.

Again injury cursed his year. He looked okay in the limited games through the year. He’s depth cover in the backline. He is versatile and reliable. Given we grabbed him back into the system at start of 2024, it’s fair enough that he gets another year. With Tomlinson gone and Adams being a 50/50 prospect still under development, I thought Hore would get one more year.

Would love to give JT spin the wheel for a genuine diamond in the rough!! It’s a very deep draft and there is excellent youngsters all through this years group With picks being used in all the father son and academies matched bids, we might see the last round and final picks being again around 65. That’s where I’d like to see the Dees give an opportunity to at least one more youngster (as well as to 5&9). There’s talent right through this draft. Here’s some late draft pick options Oliver Warburton. Hbf. Murray Will Hayes. Mid. WA Claremont. Gabriel Stumpf CHF . Northern Patrick Retschko. Hbf/mid. Oakleigh Oliver Depaoli-Kubank. Running mid. Tassie. Noah Mraz. CHB. Dandenong. Luke Kennedy . Mid. Sandringham Cody Angove. Running mid. WA Claremont Kade Herbert. Mid/hff. SA WWT eagles Jett Hasting. Hbf. SA WWT eagles I agree that Jack Henderson (Mid/utility. Werribee) is a likely mature aged option given his excellent 2023 and 2024. However it is more likely that the Cats use one of their 3 draft picks to grab him Henderson is a local and the Cats like getting in mature ready to go players.

Can you imagine the Viking marketing opportunities

Armstrong has impressed me and presents as a genuine top 10 draft chance. Lovely stylish left footer. But I was disappointed in his preliminary final when matched up against Riak Andrew. Andrew negated him and used his reach to spoil Armstrong’s marking. Armstrong then appeared lacklustre. Didn’t work hard enough to run his opponent up and back. Maybe because the Dragons won easily and he didn’t have to work hard to get the team result. I am looking for Dees to grab running midfielders in this draft so probably give him a pass. Neverless he will become a very good player wherever he gets to.

What’s the DL senate view on drafting Bo Allan? He looks a very strong midfielder with good strong contested footy in centre clearance and stoppages. Tackles extremely well. Good long left foot kick. Whilst didn’t always hit targets, he played above his years and under pressure. His pace is good. His body size 190cms and shape is a plug and play in today’s AFL World. Because MFCSS, only knock is the WA go home factor. I’m still perhaps scarred by Jackson. Thankful and hopeful that we can retain Kozzy, Riv, JVR, McVee & Kolt. JT shouldn’t be afraid of Allan’s WA origins.

Josh Smillie was probably in the top 3 most likely as the (available) number 1 pick for the 2024 draft … alongside Jagga Smith & Finn O’Sullivan. At 194cms and an imposing midfielder, his ability to burst clear and kick it easily 50-55 metre was very appealing. He had an excellent year at Coates League level , with 12 games showing avg disposals 27, avg tackles 4, avg marks 5 and avg goals 1.33. He’s was certainly impressive in 10 of the 12 being named either best or best 3 for Eastern. However, his star has waned as he under performed during the U18s national championships. I think his defensive game was lacking as he battled against similar star midfielders and it showed that a dominant junior who wins the footy so much, does have it adjust given the competitive scenario against other talented players. No doubt in my mind that he is top 10 and will be seriously in JTs mind on draft night Interesting article from the Code sports THE ‘BORN LEADER’ LEANING ON ADVICE FROM CRIPPS Big-bodied midfielder Josh Smillie has revealed he leant on advice from a two-time Brownlow Medal winner this year as he battled “some challenges” after entering the season as a highly-touted No. 1 draft pick contender. Smillie met with Carlton star Patrick Cripps earlier in the year and made notes from the conversation, which he continually went back and reflected on. A 195cm onballer, the 18-year-old has drawn comparisons to Cripps and Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Green, two players who he watches closely. “I’d want to be half the player Patrick Cripps is now,” Smillie said. “He’s the best player in the game at the moment. I really look up to those two (Cripps and Green) just because they’re big-bodied midfielders and I watch all the work that they do and try and implement it in my game.” Smillie’s form was a little up and down at times this year, not helped by some minor injuries and illness. He was required to spend significant time outside of the midfield during the under-18 national championships with Vic Metro, including roles in attack and defence. “I’m very versatile so I can play any position and I grew up playing any position,” Smillie said. “I can go forward or play across half back, but the midfield is my primarily position. “The year’s done and you reflect on your year. You take out some negatives but you also want to look at the positives. If you said last year I’d be in the position I am now, I’d be pretty proud of this year so far.” Smillie captained the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League this year as well as serving as skipper of the AFL Academy team in two exhibition matches earlier this season. Alongside his power and ball-winning abilities, leadership is another key trait that he prides himself on. “I was raised from my parents being a real leader and a careful person to others,” Smillie said. “Leadership is something I take pretty seriously. I’m a very caring person that likes to put others before me and see them succeed. It’s just something I’ve grown up with and it just comes natural.”

We all laughed at the Chris Judd deal to be an ambassador to Visyboard, one of the Blues major sponsors. It was ticked off as okay but in hindsight even Judd himself laughs that his actual hours were low and his hourly rate was astronomical!!! now this … Geelong coach Chris Scott has been appointed Chief of Leadership & Performance at Morris Finance - a key Cats sponsor crazy!!!

I’m sure it would all be discussed. It was PCL (not ACL) so running within 8 weeks (from 1/9/24) . Should be into pre season by 1st week of December. Given draft is on 20 November, youngsters are on modified program until early January so unlikely to be an issue. One of the top group might slide so all academic on the night. Alternatively happy to pick Travaglia or Allan at pick 9. All the top 15-18 in this draft are very good.

So let’s see your (realistic) Dees likely picks and your top 20 (excl academy and father son) … is …

Here’s my top group 1. Richmond. Sam Lalor. **Matched bid**Lions. Levi Ashcroft. 2. North Melbourne. Alix Tauru 3. Carlton (via West Coast). Finn O’Sullivan 4. Adelaide. Sid Draper 5. Melbourne . Harvey Langford 6. Richmond (via Gold Coast). Jagga Smith **matched bid**Suns. Leonardo Lombard 7. St Kilda. Josh Smillie 8. St Kilda (via Josh Battle compensation pick). Harry Armstrong 9. Melbourne (via Essendon). Xavier Lindsay 10. Richmond (via Fremantle) Luke Trainor 11. Richmond (via Fremantle, Collingwood) Tobie Travaglia 12. West Coast (via Carlton) Bo Allan **matched bid** Ess. Isaac Kako 13. Port Adelaide (via Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs). Joe Berry 14. Fremantle (via Richmond, Hawthorn, Carlton). Taj Hotton. 15. Greater Western Sydney. Jobe Shanahan 16. Greater Western Sydney (via Harry Perryman compensation pick). Murphy Reid. 17. Western Bulldogs (via Geelong). Cooper Hynes **matched bid** Lions. Sam Marshall 18. Richmond (via Fremantle, Port Adelaide). Jack Whitlock. **matched bid** Blues. Ben Camporeale 19. Sydney. Harrison Oliver 20. Richmond (via Brisbane). Alex Dodson

I am still a big believer in holding 5 and holding 9. Don’t drift too far down by pick splitting. Don’t try to dilute picks by grabbing 2. There are an elite group in the top 10. We will grab TWO of them 👏👏

CARLTON midfielder Jack Carroll is among three players delisted by the Blues, despite playing 15 games this season. Blues being ruthless. They have cut a few and are loading up in this draft. Whilst it’s tough on these young guys, they are seen as not quite good enough. Carroll can still be a good AFL player so it’s likely he will go home to WA and would be picked up by the Eagles or Dockers.

Casey Demons need to ensure they get 2-3 more mature players to replace the departures. The sign up of Jai Culley is probably in my view the number 1 objective. Also again look to sign up some of the young non-drafted graduates from the Gippsland Power and Dandenong Stingrays. Likely players would be Charlie Orchard, Ben Hopkins and Harry Doughton from Stingrays, and Asher Eastham from the Power. Potentially young Charger listed Jasper Alger (a Warragul lad) if he’s undrafted.

He’s signed at Thomastown for 2025. Not sure he’s also going to be on Casey’s books ?!?!

Ouch and interesting if they EACH take a set 5%-6% individually of the cap for example.

fr_ap 2,444 22 October Not different - right & wrong 😄. Happy to call it here - Toumpas level bust if we draft Lindsay. fr_ap … I will strongly disagree. Lindsay presents as one of the most likely players in this draft to succeed. Kicking is elite efficiency. Covers distance easily. Makes smart decisions with the footy. Can win it in close or spread from a contest. He’s not physically ready like Lalor or Travaglia but his skills, leadership and footy IQ would quickly elevate him. Pick 9 is probably a choice between Travaglia, Lindsay or Tauru. Any of these youngsters is an excellent additions. Ultimately let’s leave it up to JT’s closer and deeper examination to pick our best fit.

With pick swapping, unfortunately the Dees are now out of the frame for Hynes. He’s likely to go at live pick 18-20 so GWS, Tigers or Swans most likely his destination.

Roughly in 2025 … Oliver $1.1m Petracca $1.1m Gawn $1.0m Viney $850k May $800k Lever $750k $5.60m !!! 32% of the salary cap. Works out to the industry norm for the best paid group.

Under the collective bargaining, the AFL salary cap will explode over the next few years It’s expected that 50 players (roughly 2-3 per team) will be on $1m a year contracts Wow!! The total player payments will jump from $15.023m in 2023 to $15.788m in 2024 to $17.76m in 2025 (yes that’s a jump of just under $2m or 12.6%) to $18.29m in 2026 to $18.44m in 2027. wow !!! That’s is serious $$ between 44 players. The “average player salary” is likely to $480,000 in 2025. Obviously it’s skewed as Other research done in prior years shows that 30% of just under, is paid to the top 6 players in the club. Oliver. Petracca. Gawn. Viney. May. Lever. Likely to be getting around $5.4m collectively. Sounds about right. Then around $12.3m for the other 38 players. This is considering a blend from the top to the bottom , given the youngsters get paid peanuts by comparison , with a top 10 draft pick set to receive a base salary of $150,000. For players drafted between picks 11 and 20, the base salary decreases by $10,000 ($140,000), and for those between picks 21 and 50, it decreases by a further $10,000 ($130,000). Players drafted from position 51 onwards will have a base salary of $120,000. However it’s not bad for an 18 or 19 year old fresh out of school, who by the time they are 22-23 could be on $500,000+. Wow!!

Agree. Lennox Hoffman is in Saints NGA because his parents were born in Switzerland. It’s all an inconsistent joke.

This shows where the money now is … in the country or suburban footy. VFL: Williamstown pair Will Fordham and Corey Rich on the move? They're being linked with an Ovens and Murray club. Fordham joined the Towners this year after three best and fairests at Frankston. Been a fine VFL player. Rich is also an ex-Dolphin and team-of-the-year pick

That’s a YES from me. Both as a combo add inside and outside midfielder capability.

Another young potential key forward for the Dees … 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞