Player Watch #10: Angus Brayshaw – retired due to concussion (22/02). Thanks for everything, Gus.

[Scythe94]

Sigh. I feel like it goes without saying, but if you're an opposition (Collingwood) fan looking to come over and get into a fight about Maynard's bump/tribunal case (again), go elsewhere.

No more warnings, cards will be handed out. Please read the room.

 

[Topkent]

Good post. I think our depth was unfairly criticised a couple of weeks back.

Depth will generally be a combo of very young and rather old players. They are usually going to be (at AFL level) a replacement level bigman, flanker or rotation mid. We at various times have been without our ruckmen, key position forwards and entire inside starting midfield. It's tough for depth to plug those gaps. I was chatting about it with a mate a while back, imagine Richmond without just Dusty, Cotchin and Riewoldt?

Yeah its not like you can have gun players running around in the reserves because they will just request a trade

Trenners Kent Kennedy Spencer etc is as good a depth as anyone in the AFL apart from GWS

Sydney lost their first 6 with a few injuries.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Good post. I think our depth was unfairly criticised a couple of weeks back.

Depth will generally be a combo of very young and rather old players. They are usually going to be (at AFL level) a replacement level bigman, flanker or rotation mid. We at various times have been without our ruckmen, key position forwards and entire inside starting midfield. It's tough for depth to plug those gaps. I was chatting about it with a mate a while back, imagine Richmond without just Dusty, Cotchin and Riewoldt?

Depth always looks good when we won, always looks shallow when we lose. I still think we're one classy ball user away from competing for a premiership. I'd love Whitfield. Some would argue we need a gun KPD. Lever would be amazing. Either of those two would definitely see us at the top end of the ladder IMO..

 

[Topkent]

Depth always looks good when we won, always looks shallow when we lose. I still think we're one classy ball user away from competing for a premiership. I'd love Whitfield. Some would argue we need a gun KPD. Lever would be amazing. Either of those two would definitely see us at the top end of the ladder IMO..

One player in the midfield don't make any difference IMO. We need ANB Stretch Brayshaw to become good players more than we need another bloke from outside the club

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

We already have what we need to win a flag. When we rolled Adelaide no one was saying 'oh we need more classy users' bc it didn't matter, the intensity was there and the clean disposal came with it

 

[Topkent]

We already have what we need to win a flag. When we rolled Adelaide no one was saying 'oh we need more classy users' bc it didn't matter, the intensity was there and the clean disposal came with it

I could argue we could use a monster key defender still but again Frost and Omac improving could cover that aswell

I'm sure we could find an outside type at the draft if we actually kept all our picks one year aswell but I don't think we are drafting or trading for anyone who can't win contested footy

 

[Cannon82]

We already have what we need to win a flag. When we rolled Adelaide no one was saying 'oh we need more classy users' bc it didn't matter, the intensity was there and the clean disposal came with it

Even Brisbane can win one off games against good teams. To compete for a flag, we need a better quality squad of players. We definitely need a few more quality players to get up into that top 4.

 

[Topkent]

Even Brisbane can win one off games against good teams. To compete for a flag, we need a better quality squad of players. We definitely need a few more quality players to get up into that top 4.

Need to develop them though. Trac Oliver Hogan Frost etc some of those need to become hall of fame players at Melbourne we can't just trade in talent

 

[Cannon82]

Need to develop them though. Trac Oliver Hogan Frost etc some of those need to become hall of fame players at Melbourne we can't just trade in talent

Yes, true, no one has the tickets to trade in a best 22 premiership side, but we can still chase after a couple of those guys from other clubs if they're available. Clearly it's a combination thing.

 

[Topkent]

Yes, true, no one has the tickets to trade in a best 22 premiership side, but we can still chase after a couple of those guys from other clubs if they're available. Clearly it's a combination thing.

Dont get me wrong mate if Josh Kelly says I wanna play for melbourne or Ditto Lever then we make them happen. But unless our blokes become superstars it wont matter anyway.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Even Brisbane can win one off games against good teams. To compete for a flag, we need a better quality squad of players. We definitely need a few more quality players to get up into that top 4.

We're about a game out of the top 4 at this stage - to say that we need to trade players in to get there isn't true. There's enough natural improvement there for us to make the top 4 going forward, and even if we were to not trade in any players over the next 5 years we should still have what is needed to compete for a flag. We can certainly trade players in to help, but it's not the case that we can't win a flag with our current list in a few years

 

[Toump Ass]

We can certainly trade players in to help, but it's not the case that we can't win a flag with our current list in a few years

Totally agree with this.

There's heaps of potato with premiership medals, I'm pretty sure a bit more experience into our best 22 and little bit of luck can see Jones and Viney raise the cup.

Trac, Oliver, ANB, Buggyman, Weedyman, Hannan, Hunt, Frost, Hogan etc. all got plenty of improvement left.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Good day for Gus.

 

[LeverPuller]

Good day for Gus.

Rapt.

 

[Sando22]

Onya Gussy boy!
Bloody great news.
Underrated user of the pill on both sides of his body, could be exactly what we missed last week.

 

[LeverPuller]

Welcome back son, bloody hell.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Update title

 

[Crusty Demon]

Huge positive for him and the club. Was massive today.

 

[Sando22]

What a massive hit out first up from a big break.
Quicker than you think, great set of hands and a really good user.
Forgot how good he is and how much potential he has.
Well played Gus!!

 

[RandB]

What a massive hit out first up from a big break.
Quicker than you think, great set of hands and a really good user.
Forgot how good he is and how much potential he has.
Well played Gus!!

A testament to Gus' character and the club in the way they managed him.

 

[Sando22]

A testament to Gus' character and the club in the way they managed him.

100%.
Was there and I had head in hands when he clashed with Stevens.
He looks a lot taller out there than I thought. Overhead contested marking was brilliant.

 

[00Stinger]

Looked like he hadnt missed a beat

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[The Dr]

Looked like he hadnt missed a beat

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Moreso than that, he looked like an improved player out there. Maybe it was the new role of half-back/wing that suits him better?

 

[LeverPuller]

Moreso than that, he looked like an improved player out there. Maybe it was the new role of half-back/wing that suits him better?

Wasn't he playing the ANB forward role previously when he was trash?

 

[The Dr]

Wasn't he playing the ANB forward role previously when he was trash?

Yep - when he couldn't make it in the midfield they tried him as that half-forward role and he was no good at all.

 

[Tulip]

The Melksham/Brayshaw switch up looks the goods early.