Training Pre-Season 2026 chat

[Jhye Clark 13]

We are going downhill fast and unfortunately it's due to having no ruck.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

ha ha ha ha.
Scoreboard!

Like usual, you make no sense. AT least you haven't bragged about yourself so that's a bonus.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

We need a ruckman. We aren't going anywhere with SDK there. It is reality.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Taggers can still find the ball.

And Clark is ok. More talent that both those Irish hacks combined.

It would be great if he could show it then. It's just bizarre that you slag off clear AFL standard players in Humphries, SDK, O'Connor, and Mullin, and then hitch your wagon to guys like Stephens, Stevens, and Clark.

Don't get me wrong, SDK frustrates the hell out of me, and the Irish boys are far from perfect. They at least do SOMETHING though.

We breathe a sigh of relief on here when Clark doesn't look like a liability. That's how low the bar is, and he can only clear it half the time.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

It would be great if he could show it then. It's just bizarre that you slag off clear AFL standard players in Humphries, SDK, O'Connor, and Mullin, and then hitch your wagon to guys like Stephens, Stevens, and Clark.

Don't get me wrong, SDK frustrates the hell out of me, and the Irish boys are far from perfect. They at least do SOMETHING though.

We breathe a sigh of relief on here when Clark doesn't look like a liability. That's how low the bar is, and he can only clear it half the time.

AFL standard players. Oh dear.

Funny.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Have fun fanbois.

 

[small 4wards]

Mr I hate the Irish and indigenous is back in full force. flipping get a grip

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Have fun fanbois.

Again, the irony of a man with the literal username of 'Jhye Clark 13' calling anybody else a fan boy is clearly lost on you.

 

[Mr Meow]

Mr I hate the Irish and indigenous is back in full force. flipping get a grip

It's gonna be a long season.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

You seem to start from the point of view that our ruck options are completely terrible.

In reality they dominated 2 finals last year. The last two games the Blicavs/SDK combo played before Stanley came in for the GF were probably better than anything Ladhams has produced in his career. Meek was benched he was being dominated that badly.

The idea Ladhams is "definitely better than what we have at present" is absolutely laughable.

Why is the club continually asking Stanley not to retire (when he keeps wanting to retire) if our ruck options are great? Last I checked our rucks are 35 35 and 2 19-20 year olds who are not ready plus Conway who cant string more than half a season of games together.

I note that you didnt actually respond to any of my comments about the other ruckmen I listed. I offered quite reasonable alternatives that would upgrade what we have.

Ladhams is better than what we currently have because a) he actually played decent football last year and b) hes not perpetually injured.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Sad listen about Jed. If they value him this little then they should have just delisted him.
Still bizarre how badly we got beat by small forwards in the GF and Jed is still out of favour.

Jed is going to have the same vfl year this year that Duncan had at the end of last year. Not surprising if anything it says how little we rated last years draft.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Jed is going to have the same vfl year this year that Duncan had at the end of last year. Not surprising if anything it says how little we rated last years draft.

It'll be a big cleanout at the end of this year I reckon. As you mention, the only reason Jed, Stevens, and others survived last year is due to how poor the draft was.

I'm not saying all of these players will be gone, but for different reasons, it wouldn't shock me if any of them did:

• Rhys Stanley (retired)
• Jed Bews (retired)
• Jack Martin (retired)
• Patrick Dangerfield (retired)
• Mark Blicavs (retired)
• Jake Kolodjashnij (retired)
• Mitch Knevitt (delisted)
• Oli Wiltshire (delisted)
• Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)
• George Stevens (delisted)
• Joe Pike (delisted)

Dangerfield will get one more year if he wants it, particularly if 400 is within reach. Likewise Blitz, although you never rule out retirement at 35/36.

Stanley and Bews will go. Martin will probably go, unless he really stamps himself this year.

I've only got Kolo there if he has another year like Guthrie has had recently. After promising recent news, I doubt it happens, but I can't rule it out until he's back playing consistently.

The rest just aren't up to it IMO, and I doubt I'll get much pushback on that.

 

[Tony Barber]

Again, the irony of a man with the literal username of 'Jhye Clark 13' calling anybody else a fan boy is clearly lost on you.

Personally, I think it's an older woman. Not that it makes much difference.

 

[Tony Barber]

Why is the club continually asking Stanley not to retire (when he keeps wanting to retire) if our ruck options are great? Last I checked our rucks are 35 35 and 2 19-20 year olds who are not ready plus Conway who cant string more than half a season of games together.

I note that you didnt actually respond to any of my comments about the other ruckmen I listed. I offered quite reasonable alternatives that would upgrade what we have.

Ladhams is better than what we currently have because a) he actually played decent football last year and b) hes not perpetually injured.

PO. You are the only one that I've ever seen say that Stanley wanted to retire.

Do you have any info that you can link regarding this?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Jed is going to have the same vfl year this year that Duncan had at the end of last year. Not surprising if anything it says how little we rated last years draft.

Shockingly undervalued. Better defender than a few we'll play down back this year.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

How did you guys see Knevitt's game

The curious case of the player with no role.

 

[joe444]

Why is the club continually asking Stanley not to retire (when he keeps wanting to retire) if our ruck options are great? Last I checked our rucks are 35 35 and 2 19-20 year olds who are not ready plus Conway who cant string more than half a season of games together.

I note that you didnt actually respond to any of my comments about the other ruckmen I listed. I offered quite reasonable alternatives that would upgrade what we have.

Ladhams is better than what we currently have because a) he actually played decent football last year and b) hes not perpetually injured.

I'm with you on Ladhams. I think our ruckman is Blicavs.

But who knows? If leapers are required, find out who of our dispensible players has the best standing jump and there's your ruckman.

 

[joe444]

Shockingly undervalued. Better defender than a few we'll play down back this year.

How to lose a final under CS: screw around with the ruck, freeze when dealing with an injury and get chewed up by a small forward without even selecting Bews.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I note that you didnt actually respond to any of my comments about the other ruckmen I listed. I offered quite reasonable alternatives that would upgrade what we have.

How many finals do our rucks have to dominate before you stop blindly repeating that a collection of spuds, journeymen or kids "would upgrade what we have" in the ruck?

It's just incredible that you can watch Meek be benched in a prelim final cause Blicavs and SDK killed him and come away thinking our ruck group desperately needs Peter Ladhams.

 

[Gavin Excell]

We need a ruckman. We aren't going anywhere with SDK there. It is reality.

We basically need the lion hearted Blicavs to put in at the coal face for another year

 

[joe444]

PO. You are the only one that I've ever seen say that Stanley wanted to retire.

Do you have any info that you can link regarding this?

He wanted to retire at the end of 2021. Pretty sure that much was confirmed.

 

[Sttew]

Plays zone against Carlton every time and let's their runners and poorer players look like Ablett jnr.

?

 

[Goggin Our Best]

We basically need the lion hearted Blicavs to put in at the coal face for another year

Yes - and unlike some other posters i dont want any of the talented veteran Geelong players retiring anytime soon and in a clump , otherwise you end up like Richmond , sitting on the bones of your aarse

But your comment lion hearted Blicavs , the thing you want to remember - like all AFL players today he is being very attractively remunerated - its not the 1970s where Monday to Friday hes working on the Ford assembly line , and on Saturday hes got to carry the rucks

 

[Pollywaffle]

The Irish are attackers in their game. If you're recruiting them to be negating players you may as well give young players with some talent an opportunity.

Good point. Also stifles their natural attacking mindset. They are sh*t scared of making a mistake.
I guess the theory is that as negators they learn the game via the ‘trickle down’ effect. Not convinced that works.
A stint as a mover and shaker in the magoos might be better.

 

[calder_daddy]

Unfortunately you need players to still be able to find the ball. I'm guessing you think O'Conner is best 23 as well - if you like players who run around in circles. Next you'll be telling me SDK has urgency and desire and gets out of walking pace.

I don’t actually
I think he’s good depth and that’s about it

The Irish are attackers in their game. If you're recruiting them to be negating players you may as well give young players with some talent an opportunity.

I’ll explain this as nicely as I can, not that you will agree anyway.
There’s a reason why when most kids and most young forwards come into the league they have some time playing back first.
The same reason why 18 year olds go to a backflank, key forwards go defend in some
Vfl games.

Before you can attack, you need to learn how to defend