Have Richmond passed North and west coast

["The Roar Is Back"]

Mate, your mob couldn't even get Rosas to pick you.

We just got 2 blokes from the back to back premier.

Baker , Graham , young .
Please advise as which of your players we’ve overpaid for ?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Perhaps the real question is - will Essendon or Melbourne slide under any of these three during free agency and trade period? 'cos none of these three are overtaking anyone in 2026.

 

[tiger_tough]

Perhaps the real question is - will Essendon or Melbourne slide under any of these three during free agency and trade period? 'cos none of these three are overtaking anyone in 2026.

Its going to be tight for spots in the bottom 4.

You can lock the Eagles in but none of Blues, Dees, Bombers, North and Tigers would look out of place in the bottom 4.

 

[Chip Scab1]

Its going to be tight for spots in the bottom 4.

You can lock the Eagles in but none of Blues, Dees, Bombers, North and Tigers would lok out of place in the bottom 4.

We'll be 9-14. Lock it in. No chance of finals!

 

[tiger_tough]

We'll be 9-14. Lock it in. No chance of finals!

Ambitious, but something like that. 11-15 range IMO. You'll have to rise at some stage

 

[Rich01]

We'll be 9-14. Lock it in. No chance of finals!

Yep, it’s time for them to climb.
They were disappointing this year.
Next year they have to move upward.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Its going to be tight for spots in the bottom 4.

You can lock the Eagles in but none of Blues, Dees, Bombers, North and Tigers would look out of place in the bottom 4.

The AFL announced this week in amongst their sweeping changes to the game that from next year there'll be 6 teams in the bottom 4.

 

[Senor M]

The AFL announced this week in amongst their sweeping changes to the game that from next year there'll be 6 teams in the bottom 4.

Somehow West Coast will find a way to be in the bottom 4 twice

 

[Footy Smarts]

Are you concerned that 7(88%) of the 8 players Richmond drafted in 2024 have already shown great signs at AFL level in their first year?

Your doctor can probably help stop you from going off this quickly. Maybe ask them?

 

[tiger_tough]

Richmond won 5 games this year and that was very much unexpected.

They will do so again in 2026. Maybe sneak an extra win somewhere along the line but they are very much in their infancy stage. Ageing players in Lynch, Prestia, Nankervis, Vlastuin & Broad are going to be critical to their progress.
Nankervis & Vlastuin look good for another year or two but they cannot afford a drop off from the others given all the inexperience they have.

We won more games when Prestia was out of the side than when he was in this year. Not sure he lines up round 1 with a fully fit squad.

Won a couple without Lynch too but he is important structurally.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Richmond won 5 games this year and that was very much unexpected.

They will do so again in 2026. Maybe sneak an extra win somewhere along the line but they are very much in their infancy stage. Ageing players in Lynch, Prestia, Nankervis, Vlastuin & Broad are going to be critical to their progress.
Nankervis & Vlastuin look good for another year or two but they cannot afford a drop off from the others given all the inexperience they have.

Besides the 90 odd matches missed in 2025 by Richmond's 24+yo players....

In draft order 23 or younger highest pick to lowest pick:

1 Lalor - missed 12 matches
7 Smillie - missed season effectively
9 Gibcus - missed season effectively
12 Hotton - missed 16 matches
14 Faull - missed 8 matches
17 Brown - played full season
21 Trainor - played full season
21 Dow - missed 12 matches
23 Armstrong - missed over half the season
28 Sims missed - 6-8 games
28 Sonsie - doesn't look good enough
29 Banks - played full season
40 McAuliffe - missed over half season
43 Fawcett - missed part of the season
46 Ralphsmith - missed 11 matches
49 Smith - looks unconvincing to this point
51 Rioli - had interruptions
55 Green - played full season
58 Alger - available most of the season

Rookies:

Trezise - available full season
Campbell - played full season
Gray - missed around half the season

By the start of 2028 a lot of these bolded players who missed so much footy in 2025 should be displaying much much stronger output than this year. We can instantly see the 5 highest drafted players 23 or under missed on average over half the 2025 season. There are likely about 3 top draft picks and several mature trades and free agents to join these players by 2028.

The Tigers will be aiming to be more competitive more often in 2026 & 2027, but they won't trouble over the precise level of wins v losses.

 

[the big lebowski]

might as well put this here

The final trade between north and tigers ended up

Matt Whitlock + Blake Thergold*

For

Sam Grlj**

* technically the tigers picked went to Carlton to upgrade into Dovastan but for comparisons sake I think using the thergold pick is appropriate

** obviously north may have selected a different player

No one knows how the players will develop but north have been criticised for not taking key position players and this trade got us two

Plus, the trade allowed us to take FOS at 2 and not split and personally (rose coloured glasses) I wouldn’t trade FOS for any player in either the 2024 or 2025 drafts

 

[Meteoric Rise]

might as well put this here

The final trade between north and tigers ended up

Matt Whitlock + Blake Thergold*

For

Sam Grlj**

* technically the tigers picked went to Carlton to upgrade into Dovastan but for comparisons sake I think using the thergold pick is appropriate

** obviously north may have selected a different player

No one knows how the players will develop but north have been criticised for not taking key position players and this trade got us two

Plus, the trade allowed us to take FOS at 2 and not split and personally (rose coloured glasses) I wouldn’t trade FOS for any player in either the 2024 or 2025 drafts

Imo there was never likely to be anything wrong with this trade from North's perspective. It seems to have worked out fine for both clubs in terms of the quality and type of players drafted. Of course we don't know how the individual players will work out. The whole point to North's trade was the player available at pick 28 in the 2024 was going to rate a lot higher than an equivalent pick in most drafts, and certainly the weaker 2025 draft.

Also North would have fancied they'd finish 1-2 positions higher in 2025. A lot of uninformed Kane Cornes style bullshit reactions from people imo.

 

[Rich01]

might as well put this here

The final trade between north and tigers ended up

Matt Whitlock + Blake Thergold*

For

Sam Grlj**

* technically the tigers picked went to Carlton to upgrade into Dovastan but for comparisons sake I think using the thergold pick is appropriate

** obviously north may have selected a different player

No one knows how the players will develop but north have been criticised for not taking key position players and this trade got us two

Plus, the trade allowed us to take FOS at 2 and not split and personally (rose coloured glasses) I wouldn’t trade FOS for any player in either the 2024 or 2025 drafts

Will be interesting to see how it all pans out. The pick numbers have turned into names, but time will tell if they become good players.

 

[Chip Scab1]

Will be interesting to see how it all pans out. The pick numbers have turned into names, but time will tell if they become good players.

Time will tell in terms of if you broke-even in the Trade.

George Foreman is no superstar.

 

[Rich01]

Time will tell in terms of if you broke-even in the Trade.

George Foreman is no superstar.

Who really knows at this stage.

IMO the players picked after the first round this year were pretty speculative.

Theres always a few that turn out ok but the clubs have shown how flaky they rate it with some off the charts picks (compared to media ratings) and some highly fancied players not finding a home.

Think you got the back end of the decent players in this years draft with Dovaston but after that in the open pool it’s pretty much a crap shoot.

 

[tigerfan1961]

might as well put this here

The final trade between north and tigers ended up

Matt Whitlock + Blake Thergold*

For

Sam Grlj**

* technically the tigers picked went to Carlton to upgrade into Dovastan but for comparisons sake I think using the thergold pick is appropriate

** obviously north may have selected a different player

No one knows how the players will develop but north have been criticised for not taking key position players and this trade got us two

Plus, the trade allowed us to take FOS at 2 and not split and personally (rose coloured glasses) I wouldn’t trade FOS for any player in either the 2024 or 2025 drafts

Yep, it’s worked out okay for both sides, which is how it should be. You got 2 KPD’s which you sorely need to succeed, and we got a lightning fast mid/half back that we sorely needed.

 

[Chip Scab1]

Yep, it’s worked out okay for both sides, which is how it should be. You got 2 KPD’s which you sorely need to succeed, and we got a lightning fast mid/half back that we sorely needed.

Agree with everything except the sorely need bit. Need would be appropriate.

We sorely need a CHF, a superstar HB with pace and skill and campaignerness, yes.

But...KPD.
How many do we really need?

Comben, Dawson, Whitlock and Thredgold?

With Logue, Pink and Corr and as Senior depth.

Whereas at CHF we have 3x gamer Trembath, 35 year old Jack Darling, 189cm Cam Zurhaar and 0 game, 206cm second ruck Goodness Goad.

I hope McCartney selects us in 2026 as he will have a spot with his name on it.

 

[juss]

For 2026 I think it'll be

North
Richmond
West Coast

Beyond that its hard to tell, but I think West Coast are still the furthest away from being competitive consistently.

Improvement wont always be linear each year for the teams.

I think North will win 6-10 games next year, Richmond 5-8 and Eagles 3-5.

 

[rado]

Time will tell in terms of if you broke-even in the Trade.

George Foreman is no superstar.

Writing off a kid before he’s even gotten to the club lol

At least give him a couple of years before you make such a call.

For example, it is now a perfect time after 17 games of yuck to label pick 4 Z Duursma a flop

 

[Chip Scab1]

For 2026 I think it'll be

North
Richmond
West Coast

Beyond that its hard to tell, but I think West Coast are still the furthest away from being competitive consistently.

Improvement wont always be linear each year for the teams.

I think North will win 6-10 games next year, Richmond 5-8 and Eagles 3-5.

lol Richmond will be lucky to win 2. You really haven't bottomed out yet. You still have heaps of older experienced players.

Writing off a kid before he’s even gotten to the club lol

At least give him a couple of years before you make such a call.

For example, it is now a perfect time after 17 games of yuck to label pick 4 Z Duursma a flop

Hilarious, Duursma is better than any kid on your list. Literally twice as good as Hammies.

That he scrapes into our top 10 kids shows that you still have 7-8 years left of your rebuild, in even more compromised drafts.

And even more hilarious is that you couldn't attend one of your flags.

 

[Rich01]

Agree with everything except the sorely need bit. Need would be appropriate.

We sorely need a CHF, a superstar HB with pace and skill and campaignerness, yes.

But...KPD.
How many do we really need?

Comben, Dawson, Whitlock and Thredgold?

With Logue, Pink and Corr and as Senior depth.

Whereas at CHF we have 3x gamer Trembath, 35 year old Jack Darling, 189cm Cam Zurhaar and 0 game, 206cm second ruck Goodness Goad.

I hope McCartney selects us in 2026 as he will have a spot with his name on it.

Clubs normally win flags when the talls are at mature and developed in the 25-30 year old range.

Trembath, Goad, Combden, Dawson, Thredgold and Whitlock may be promising names on paper, but the reality is they need another 5-7 years of playing together before the side will contend.

That’s the issue with picking talls so late in the rebuild.

Guys like Zuurhaar, Larkey and Xerri will keep the club competitive until then, but they won’t be around for their tilt if it comes.

That said I’d pencil them in for 6-10 wins next year and there will be optimism at kanga land that the long awaited revival is here.

 

[rado]

lol Richmond will be lucky to win 2. You really haven't bottomed out yet. You still have heaps of older experienced players.

Hilarious, Duursma is better than any kid on your list. Literally twice as good as Hammies.

That he scrapes into our top 10 kids shows that you still have 7-8 years left of your rebuild, in even more compromised drafts.

And even more hilarious is that you couldn't attend one of your flags.

Whatever helps you sleep at night scab chip. Can see him being a real central piece rofl

Makes me smile that your insult includes ‘one of your flags’

Stay irrelevant cutie xoxo

 

[Chip Scab1]

Clubs normally win flags when the talls are at mature and developed in the 25-30 year old range.

Trembath, Goad, Combden, Dawson, Thredgold and Whitlock may be promising names on paper, but the reality is they need another 5-7 years of playing together before the side will contend.

That’s the issue with picking talls so late in the rebuild.

Guys like Zuurhaar, Larkey and Xerri will keep the club competitive until then, but they won’t be around for their tilt if it comes.

That said I’d pencil them in for 6-10 wins next year and there will be optimism at kanga land that the long awaited revival is here.

Disagree on Larkey. No reason he can't play another 7 years. And disagree on your timeline. We'll be hard to beat from 2027 except Bris, GC, Adel, GWS or Geel away

Clubs normally win flags when the talls are at mature and developed in the 25-30 year old range.

Trembath, Goad, Combden, Dawson, Thredgold and Whitlock may be promising names on paper, but the reality is they need another 5-7 years of playing together before the side will contend.

That’s the issue with picking talls so late in the rebuild.

Guys like Zuurhaar, Larkey and Xerri will keep the club competitive until then, but they won’t be around for their tilt if it comes.

That said I’d pencil them in for 6-10 wins next year and there will be optimism at kanga land that the long awaited revival is here.

We'll be hard to beat as early as next year, more likely 2027.

Ok, I'll put it another way. How many years will you need to draft well in the midfield before you can compete with us?

We started in 2018 and we've made 1 error (W Philips at 3 2020). Yes, I understand you'll get better FAs than Norf, yes. But you are sooo far back. Could be 2040.

2026 R1 - you think Carlton wanna play us "Wildcard Weekend" for example. Please.

...

B: Archer - Dawson - Logue
HB: O'Sullivan -BT- Hardeman
C: Goater - Sheezel - George
HF: Duurs-Comben-Trembath
F: Curtis-Larkey-Dovaston
R: Goad-McKerch-Wardlaw
I/C: Parker - Xerri - Powell - Darling - LDU

Em: Harvey Pink Daniel JK Whitlock Hugo McDonald Urquhart Simpkins

 

[Chip Scab1]

Whatever helps you sleep at night scab chip. Can see him being a real central piece rofl

Makes me smile that your insult includes ‘one of your flags’

Stay irrelevant cutie xoxo

I sleep well knowing you've seen 2, I've seen 2 and we're infinitely closer to 3 than you, despite you being 3x bigger.

I know Richmond fans, the majority are tradies and live in Scoresby or further east, it's ok, my sister married a jungle-themed onesie wearer. I know all about you.

You waited 35 years for a flag and won 3, shame you could only see 2. You also got to see GWS so really only 1/2 a flag. Not like you saw your team beat Carlton or a Sydney. Genuine hateful organisations. You waited all that time and you got 2 expansion clubs one being the Crows who are actually likeable. That would have me on suicide watch.