Training 2024 Pre-season training

[stefoid]

Out of interest, to all the people having melts about how much we paid to move up to pick 4 (into 6), how much are you enjoying the preseason hype for sanders?

If theres one thing weve done well over the last decade, its our first round draft picks

I thought the the trade was fine given the Croft situation, and Sanders in isolation is a fantastic talent.

The only issue is that he will be playing for tassie in 4 years time.

I read that article about his dad being 'football royalty' in tassie and it just underlined it. His family will be in his ear and the AFL will be writing blank cheques for these lads, particualrly Sanders given his professionalism and obvious leadership qualities. Lets get real.

So he needs to hit the ground running (tick) and become a top 3 mid at the club in that time, and we need to extract a kings ransom for him when he does go. none of this "one 1st rounder following your current 1st rounder" bullshit. If the compo is calculated on the contract, we call the AFLs bluff and offer him 1mil+ for 7 years or similar.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I thought the the trade was fine given the Croft situation, and Sanders in isolation is a fantastic talent.

The only issue is that he will be playing for tassie in 4 years time.

I read that article about his dad being 'football royalty' in tassie and it just underlined it. His family will be in his ear and the AFL will be writing blank cheques for these lads, particualrly Sanders given his professionalism and obvious leadership qualities. Lets get real.

So he needs to hit the ground running (tick) and become a top 3 mid at the club in that time, and we need to extract a kings ransom for him when he does go. none of this "one 1st rounder following your current 1st rounder" bullshit. If the compo is calculated on the contract, we call the AFLs bluff and offer him 1mil+ for 7 years or similar.

Yes, I’m afraid you’re right. It will be very hard for him to resist the pressure to return to Tas. But it’s still a ways off, anything could happen.

 

[Libbaaaa]

The Tassie stuff is overplayed, its a one hour flight away and the stadium won't be ready in 2029 I'd bet.

 

[doggies ftw]

Yeah I’m not losing sleep over a club that doesn’t exist

 

[doggie dog]

The Tassie stuff is overplayed, its a one hour flight away and the stadium won't be ready in 2029 I'd bet.

It will come down to money, footy players have a limited time to earn money.

If the tassie contract is the same or more than the dogs, along with the added incentive of being in the leadership group as the foundation team of his native state, nah that won't be too overplayed

 

[doggiesin08]

Yeah I’m not losing sleep over a club that doesn’t exist

Yeah I can’t see him moving back after 4 years at 23 years old to get flogged for the next 2-3 years. If he tracks as we all hope he’ll still get a good deal from us and can set himself up to consider a move to Tasmania as free agent when they’re through the s**t years.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Young people are moving away from Tassie at a larger rate than any years prior. There’s not much there for a lot of them. This would be an even bigger case for 25 year old professional sportsmen who have a lot of disposable income and a large social media following. Moving to the Golf Coast is one thing (and they even struggle with retention), Hobart is another all together.

The new team will be getting draftees and older players imo. Just can’t see them getting a big named, prime aged marquee gun as the options would be extremely limited.

 

[ScragCity]

If Sanders stays, I will stay too

 

[bobs head soup]

If Sanders stays, I will stay too

At least you are giving us a silver lining if he leaves

 

[stefoid]

At least you are giving us a silver lining if he leaves

so compo is 2 first rounders, or one end of 2nd round pick + they take Scrag?

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Young people are moving away from Tassie at a larger rate than any years prior. There’s not much there for a lot of them. This would be an even bigger case for 25 year old professional sportsmen who have a lot of disposable income and a large social media following. Moving to the Golf Coast is one thing (and they even struggle with retention), Hobart is another all together.

The new team will be getting draftees and older players imo. Just can’t see them getting a big named, prime aged marquee gun as the options would be extremely limited.

Though to be fair over the last 10 or so years this has been somewhat limited with e.g. University of Tasmania improving as an institution keeping young people in the state. Hobart has actually grown as a city and has offerings that weren't there a generation ago - the recent censuses etc prove this.

In any case, I don't think it's as huge an issue as people are making it out to be. Sanders is a Launny boy, which obviously has short direct flights to Melbourne and is over a two hour drive from Hobart. Obviously the Tassie team will be a pull factor but I think people are not fully accounting for the difference of originating from Launny/Hobart.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Though to be fair over the last 10 or so years this has been somewhat limited with e.g. University of Tasmania improving as an institution keeping young people in the state. Hobart has actually grown as a city and has offerings that weren't there a generation ago - the recent censuses etc prove this.

In any case, I don't think it's as huge an issue as people are making it out to be. Sanders is a Launny boy, which obviously has short direct flights to Melbourne and is over a two hour drive from Hobart. Obviously the Tassie team will be a pull factor but I think people are not fully accounting for the difference of originating from Launny/Hobart.

Pretty sure the stats I saw were from the last year or two. More younger generation heading to the mainland than ever before. I’ll see if I can find it.

Agree, Hobart is a great city. It’s become pretty hip in certain areas, particularly the cbd and Nth Hobart with lots of cool bars and eateries. The lay out and architecture of the cbd and surrounding inner suburbs is great.

I just think that even with the home town pull, Hobart/Launy/Tasmania would have to be bottom of the list of destinations young players would want to be traded too. It’s just not a big enough city/state. Yet.

Also need to consider there’s a large number of the Tas population that doesn’t want the stadium being built. I suspect support and member numbers might be tough getting off the ground in the first 5-10 years will be a difficult period for the club in general, meaning an even lesser attractive destination.

I also think being from Launceston and not Hobart works more in our favour. Hobart shits all over Launceston.

 

[dergert]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

 

[Golden_6]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

Walk up start now that Smith is out. I’m expecting him to play pretty much the exact same role, albeit a little more defensive.

 

[Foxman98]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

More 10-15 goals

 

[Angak]

Busslinger is like the new Fletcher Roberts. Pretty average player who could get lucky and play in a premiership...

My feeling exactly. I think he is a much better kick than Fletcher was but everything else seems below AFL average level. We missed out on Josh Weddle who by all reports is elite level talent. Hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Sentinel]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

Generally agree but he has regressed over the past couple of seasons. Hopefully a fresh start gets him back to his best.

 

[BLACAE]

Bulldogs Media | Western Bulldogs

Watch the latest videos from the Western Bulldogs

www.westernbulldogs.com.au

Seems a pretty good bloke, Lobb. Couldn't stand him at GWS, but that was largely because it felt like they were going to steal something we had been waiting for for so long.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[BLACAE]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

I don't know how many goals he'll kick, but he's the sort of player that would get off the chain against us. We cover everyone bar one who kicks a bag. When playing us, teams will have to cover Naughts, Marra, Lobb, and Cody as they're all capable of kicking a bag... that hopefully leaves Harmes and Westy to prowl and apply nuts pressure and hopefully get some mismatches.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bulldogs85]

For anyone that enjoyed the last one

 

[dogwatch]

For anyone that enjoyed the last one

Handy with a brush!

 

[Struggle]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

Overestimating the goals but he should be a very significant upgrade on Baker/Poulter on a wing and is more than capable of taking minutes in the middle/being thrown to lock someone down

Very good get for essentially nothing

 

[ScragCity]

Looks like we finally invested in our media team. Good decision by the club. Our previous pre-season offerings were pathetic.

 

[LondonBulldog]

Am I overestimating Harmes?

He is a walk up start in our best 22 imo.

He has the runs on the board as a HFF and could possibly kick 20-30 goals and play some defensive midfield minutes. We all remember his jobs on Libba during 2021.

He is only 28 so could eek out another 3-4 years of solid footy.

Yes you are overestimation Harmes. his form dropped at Melbourne from being a regular solid contributor to not getting a game. My mum and brother are Melbourne supporters and vouch for this.

Can he turn it around. Yes as you say he is still young and a fresh start can do that. I'm sure he will play round 1 and play well early, most do. His challenge will be to maintain that form for the whole year. Lets hope so, yet as the year progresses, he may be fringe 20 to 25 range.

 

[dogwatch]

It's a great time of year. Every list is chock full of AA candidates. Problem players have turned it around. New arrivals have plugged all the holes in the list. Everyone is training the house down and the pundits are writing up every team as if they are likely finalists. It sells papers and gets plenty of clicks.

Then Round 1 arrives and reality sets in for all but a very small handful of clubs.

I'm hopeful, as I am every year, but that's about as far as it goes.