manny100

Salem will not be traded. Time for Bowey and JvR to step up - have to make changes to a side bundled out 2 straight. T MC Hopfully ok for all of next year. TMc together with JvR and Fritter will give us a different look. Chuck in Gawny at times as well.

If he can play forward well that is where he will play. Goody laughs at suggestions that T Mac could move back permanently. Tall, mobile hard at it forwards are hard to come by. He looks as if he has a good furure forward.

I think try Weid at KPB. If it works then maybe Petty could be tried out as KPF to go with JvR.

Bowser in for any number of underperformers from last night. His disposal skills at least will give mids/forwards a chance.

If Luke wants Freo then we should demand they trade for a top 5 pick for us plus another later 1st rounder (maybe future). They got pick 6 and a future 3rd for Cerra. We have TMac and Brown 30/31 next year. JvR coming through but we need another young KPF which we could get with a top 5 pick. Our forward cohesion is letting us down ATM.

Freo got pick 6 plus a future 3rd round for Cerra. Luke Jackson is worth a lot more than Cerra. Pick 6 plus a future 1st would still be a big win for Freo for Luke Jackson. A pick 14 and a future pick 14 would be well below the value of pick 6 in terms of players available at those picks. Appears they may trade Logie to provide Cap space and some extra chips for the Jackson trade. They may throw in one of their 2nd tier rucks such as Meek. Doubt they will let Young go. Doubt they will get much for Lobb - mid 30's? We need to be careful we do not trade for loads of crap. Quantity does not equal quality. Pick 14's are ok combined with a pick 1 to 6 but teen picks i do not like without coming with a very early pick. A key in our game is 2 very good rucks and that is what Freo want. Make them pay.

Another 24 possessions today for the Oakleigh Chargers. Very good for an under ager. Look forward to seeing him in Red and Blue at the 2023 draft.

Jake Melksham rises from ordinary to high level AFL player when his confidence in his obvious ability is high. He is up and about at the right end of the season and shows his class when firing. I had him written off the list at half time of the game Vs Port at Alice and he turned it on after the break. Just goes to show what a bit of self belief can do.

Knighmare on Bigfoooty tipped him as a 2nd or 3rd rounder some ago. Its appears he has improved significantly since first selected for the Chargers. He started as a half back and moved into the midfield. He makes up for lack of size with toughness and hard at it play - the things that Goody likes. Goody also likes that together with footskills - Bowey. Footskills are the difference between 1st round and the following rounds. You are right it all depends on whether he can again rise to another level next season. I would say if he continues improving he will be drafted to the Dees for sure.

Not getting carries away at this stage but Kyan Brown tracking quite well as an under ager for Oakleigh Chargers. See link below and scroll down to Western Jets Vs Oakleigh Chargers. Listed as a game key player and 3rd in medal votes. Going ok for an under ager. 2022 NAB League Boys snapshot: Round 15 - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central Kynan Brown (Oakleigh Chargers) – 29 disposals, 8 marks, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Smith could be well worth the gamble. He plays small/medium and tall. Quick and can take a good mark. Not sure about his ability to lead well up forward. He could take pressure off Fritsch and we could play both Brown ans Gawn/Jackson forward as well.

Not a lot of breaking lines from down back - which gives teams time to flood our forward line - maybe why heaps of inside 50's for not much reward???. Could do with Bowey in form disposal down back. Gus toughness and intercept ability missed down back - but plays well as a mid - only 1 of him.. Miss TMc big time as a link from high half forward. Plays like a winger at times. Harmes speed and toughness would have been valuable. Maybe worth a go at half back? JvR probably will not play this year. He is mobile so a surprise might be to bring him in for Melksham however I suspect playing Smith up forward for Casey last week signals he may replace Melksham. That will also leave a door open to play him back on say a mobile Curnow and move Petty or May forward or during game if necessary.

With BBB and TMc hitting 30 best to develop JvR as a forward IMO. At this stage he reads the play well for a tall forward,, can mark well and has enough pace. Doubt he will be a crash and bash forward but that is ok. Probably can play forward and back like TMc. I think we have a good player in JvR.

Freo 1st round pick plus Darcy for Luke and some loose change? Darcy contracted to Freo to 2024 and allegedly on around $600k. Good chance to leave Freo in 2024 in any case.

Freo would have to find the picks and /or players. Bulldogs gave up pick 6 and their Captain for Tom Boyd. So i expect Freo will have to cough up a lot to snare Luke at his age, talent and room for growth.

I would be surprised if Freo could come up with the draft capital to snare Luke Jackson. Luke was a number 3 pick and given Ruck/forwards usually take years to develop he is playing like a number one pick. He still has 10/12 plus years with natural improvement in a lot of them. Cant swap 2 middling 1st rounders for a good player available at pick 3. There are mids galore early in the 1st round but we will need a KPF and at least one ruck. I guess Meek can be steak knives in any deal but what can Freo accumulate. Their 1st round probably around 13/14 after Father Son pick. What would they get for Lobb and Louege - probably not enough for the trade. There is a chance of course that we see a couple of really good talls around mid 1st round.

Do we have any Academy players we might draft this year?

Hoping he stays but if he goes we would expect Freo to come up with a top 6 pick. They can swap and trade to get one. Plus a another current or future 1st as well. Also Meek as steak knives on top. That is a minimum. Our first ask would be more. Freo got a pick 6 for Cerra and a future 3rd rounder. Cannot compare a mobile tall who could be anything with Cerra. We could end up being the laughing stock if he ends up a GOAT which is very possible - so it has to be a stellar deal.. I think if a satisfactory deal cannot be done he will sign for 2 years with us.

Lets hope he plays basketball next year and we get him cheap.

Looks like we will be giving JvR plenty of time to develop. Already put on 5kg and will add more before next season. A good preseason and her may play a few games next season. He will be prepared for when B Brown and or TMac finish or lose form.

Great news. He is a STAR.

I think his manager would advise him he is to young and relatively inexperienced for the pressure of a big money contract at another club. I am tipping he signs for another 2 years.

Would not mind seeing Petty play occasional forward if our talls are not giving much. At least Petty lets his balls do the talking. I remember the aggression up forward he showed in his early games.

Its a mixture of recruiting, development, player leadership, back office leadership and coaching. Also we have been very lucky with a lot of best 23 being 21 or under. These players typically earn a lot less than older, experienced players. This takes a lot of pressure off the salary CAP which in turn means we get to keep our list together for a tad longer. Maybe even the so called Dynasty. Sure some players will leave for more opportunities but the recruiters have been on the ball. Players who in previous eras' would have withered on the vine are flourishing in this new environment.

.... and tough as. Just got up and on with it after that illegal bump. Did not worry about it at all.