Tolstoys Nudge

Loads of ducks and drapes so it hardly a big call when many say Langford won’t go past 5-6 lol But RN he’s the one in frame and Tauru more in frame for 9 for mine. Dattoli also outside chance as a bolter apparently alongside Allan whom we know is in frame. Warming to Langford now I’ve watched more film but as I have for 12m — Smilie is highest ceiling in draft, Armstrong also a huge ceiling but Jeffo Nick pre-season has our interest cooked on him despite JT infatuation. Langford’s not Smilie or Smith but he is def a bull who’ll add great depth. Depending what occurs picks 1-5 still think we’re a very small chance of making a surprise at 9 - but be it Viking, Allan, Dattoli, Lindsay in JT I trust.. For record, anyone thinking ANY amateur can do a better job than recruiting teams is an absolute [censored]-taker — Amatuers do work based on info out in media and small batches of footage, JT for instance spends hundreds of hours watching and interviewing the planter or coaches/family/friends of each player in their radar all in name of getting a 1% advantage of any other club!!!

Great points. Jeffo is a hit for mine — jury still out of course but I expect him to deliver in spades, development been sound and the club are wrapped with how he is shaping up right now.

As suspected today JT said C:EARLY our strategy this year is solely BEST AVAILABLE player as opp to any positional needs or allowing one pick to influence the other which fills me with joy and hope this means were bound to get best 2 players possible!!! exciting stuff

Langford for me just doesn't bring much different but as a compliment to Windsor, fact he is a left-footer boosts him a little I guess so I am starting to warm to this.. Allan still spooks me as far as go home factor foes though

Lets hope not. I still hold out hope, has limitless skill and if he can get fit and do 90% of pre-season (which hasn’t commenced yet) I think he will be an asset, but yep you are correct, could be. Although chances of a 2nd round pick being a bust are much higher, statistically speaking anyway, so trying to focus on up side :)

Unsure that is fair... we dont know what situ is, he may not be right or was told to hold-off, lets just wait and see!

Sorry.. seeing the words low kick and Viney in same passage still hurts far far too much!

Yep keys hope it somehow s still eventuates — I’d love to have Murphy over Bo 💯

Seems to be the way but either way Smith is gone most likely and Langford for me isn’t the one — love to be wrong though

Both good points.. coming round to Tuaru now.. a little albeit shattered re Smith he’s a bloody ripper and still maintain Smilie has highest ceiling in draft (Smith prob the lowest floor also)

Definitely a title shattered hearing latest that Smith is gone and Smilie now seemingly also gone by 2nd pick.. If we do Tauru/Allan I’m sure they’d be great but I’d be shattered to miss a generational mid like Smith/Smilie or even FOS. Let’s hope north slide down and FOS gets to blues meaning we still have a shot at Jagga, but whilst I love Tauru he’s not a longer term prospect for sure and less certain than others. Allan I’ve not looked into as he screams go home factor to me and always has — but I trust JT implicitly so let’s see.. Maybe we can somehow steal Smilie at 11-12 who knows — and it’d be cool to have the Flying Viking I guess.. Maybe we shock all and upgrade to 2 ourselves for Jagga 😂😂😂😂😂 and get say pk16 back and can take Horton, Lindsey, Armstrong (def reaching here lol)

It’s pretty simple no smart-[censored]-ery intended — just means next player they have on their list still on board, irrespective of needs..kind of like doing a Top 50 players and list and there being no parameters other than whom you think is the best player each pick w/o contextualising it whatsoever.

They somehow managed to make the mundane look supine

They’ll take best player with top 2 picks — it’s not about fwd depth necessarily it’s that they Think Armstrong is that good and many agree — unique kick, crazy good crash and bash at packs.. it’ll depend who’s left it’s that simple!

Nope exactly — it was industry wide. Key fwds esp are difficult to get right but I still think in hindsight he was less of a risk but what they can’t measure is self belief and Weid els way his career transpired, just could never get out of his own head, but behaviourally exhibited better work ethic, had better hands.. as shown in that 2018 finals series — however having the pressure of Jesse leaving and being ‘the guy’ was something he admitted he never was able to handle and the form he showed became something of a nightmare for him to try and live up to. Curnow was seen as a loose unit with huge behaviour issues that at time were seen as a no-fly zone when combined with his previous injury problems! Despite the obvious talent! Anyone who looks back with hindsight and sues it to knock JT has no idea and no concept of recruitment and the plethora of what-ifs that carry weight — it’s more about the players he has plucked that NO ONE else rated as highly and the sheer amt of picks he has gotten right! Inc ones he wanted but got usurped on ie Holmes, Georgiadis etc

Smith & Smilie

Armstrong disheartening? Crikey.. seen the kid play have you? Give me strength

Were not taking Allan — just aren’t

Numerous — and Nope it doesn’t - just has Langford slightly ahead but I can’t see that and maybe am Hoping it’s still Smith but does seem to be much more a guessing game than usual which makes sense given tightness of draft. Still think Crows take Draper and Blues FOS Langford massively lees exciting for me than Jagga not even close in my book I’d prefer Smilie to Langford by a street too

Seems latest mail is still Smith & Armstrong — only curveball might be (other clubs changing thoughts obv) Roos trading #2 back and splitting pick or Saints taking Armstrong with a late rethink.. if this hold I’ll be happier than David Foster Wallace reading reviews of Infinite Jest!!! Has the feel of a sliding doors moment for sure — Windsor, Kolt, Judd, JVR, Riv, Kos plus Smith and Armstrong with Jeffo to potentially debut I’d say our next gen is well and truly top-tier.

It’s merely an extra set of ideas peeps.. that’s it.. mentor is media word not clubs

It’s not leaks it’s just basic PR and getting our in front of it before the full thing drops it’s just how this stuff is done to exert some small form of control of narrative but after hearing [censored] Korn and Dumby Edmund this morning it’s just gonna be more doom gloom and nose rubbing by footy media until R1 so I hope to avoid much of it

It’s a lot and it’s a sign of how resilient Perf was given we took it right up to 3 of the final 4 left in the race for the flag and didn’t play the 4th while they were rampant.. 11 wins and best player out half year inc when we took it to their 3 teams.. picks 5/9 and a heap of young resent to improve this year.. The list above is also largely media driven ie Trac/Clary — it was awful but it’s over and it’ll now all depend on how we go this pre season we need some luck and to get 90% doing 90% of it but if we do I’m confident both will be happy and content again.. but worst case we have a new young core to build round and if we lose them we lose them and get more young talent in without needing to bottom out. But I’d punt on both being dees for life right now. Trac clearly still playing games sending sublimation to club to express his frustration but once he hits the park I think it then turns to being his turn to act and put best foot fwd. Bring on draft and 2025.. can’t wait to see Windsor with another pre season, Clarry with a full pre season & May/Lever returning to their best as well. The could fuel us to a flag or tear us apart but it’ll largely come down to that 90% doing 90% of the PS.

No indication re needing help whatsoever.. was told to lighten up and to not show the pressure so much in interaction with players and he has full backing of playing group. They mean he lmk they want him to have full support of the club not that he needs more support.

I disagree slightly but all said its a pretty good snapshot but for me Smilie is more of a threat aerially and has solid hands Langford maybe surer hands but obv much less of a threat — Smilie Dump Kicks aren’t a skill-based error therefore can easily be coached out of him he just hasn’t played inside enough at the higher levels due to being so gifted in outside.. for me he’s closest thing to Bont I’ve seen due to his size but is a better kick! Obv doesn’t have the inside mastery of Bont and doesn’t read play as well in terms of fwd impact but is better on outside and hits targets while running full speed. Either wld be good but I’d much rather Smith/Smilie than Langford. Armstrong will be a demon I’m almost certain he’s the target at 9 and can’t see us doing that if we thought saints wld steal him but of course there is also Tauru whom can go anywhere from 2-12, but if we do miss Armstrong then I’d happily have Langford and Smilie that’s for sure 🙌🙌🙌