Rumour GFC 2025 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 3

[cats_09]

2025 AFL Draft and Trade Dates:​

Fri Oct 3 - Fri Oct 10: 2025 Free Agency Period
Mon Oct 6 - Wed Oct 15: 2025 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period
Wed Nov 19 - Thu Nov 20: 2025 Telstra AFL Draft

 

[Oisin_the_Goat]

I cant believe the Lions will have access number 3 on that list. A player who looks like a midfield beast DANIEL ANNABLE

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Biggest difference is Mellor is strong-bodied, strong 1 v 1 and can break tackles + stand up in them.

Henry is the complete opposite of that.

If Henry doesn't get it done in the air or out the back door... he doesn't offer much more.

That's where Polkinghorne differs IMO, although I agree they're similar players.

He's got the ability to win 1v1s, and actually has the frame and wingspan to develop his body into one that is strong enough to capitalise on that despite his height - like other undersized KPP in Curnow, Riewoldt, and Georgiades have.

Ollie's version of 1v1 is trying to take a screamer every time. There's no body work or positioning, or he's just hanging out the back in the hope of a cheap goal as you say.

Agree though that the only similarity between Mellor and Henry is their leap. They're completely different players outside of that.

Doesn't mean he'll be better than Henry or even make it, but they just play nothing alike.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I cant believe the Lions will have access number 3 on that list. A player who looks like a midfield beast DANIEL ANNABLE

The Suns will have Uwland and Patterson too.

What's the point of the draft anynore?

 

[Pollywaffle]

Mellor can run through the middle a bit better but Henry looked very capable in defence as an U18. I'm not seeing them as that similar. Henry a higher level talent who hasn't come on

Are we seeing the demise of the ‘mid sized’ forward in the comp overall ?
Can’t think of too many successful in the comp ATM.
Is it because we are seeing more mobile ‘bigger’ medium defenders making the more elusive (often smarter, quicker) smaller forwards the preferred option?
Just a thought. Don’t tear me a new one

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Are we seeing the demise of the ‘mid sized’ forward in the comp overall ?
Can’t think of too many successful in the comp ATM.
Is it because we are seeing more mobile ‘bigger’ medium defenders making the more elusive (often smarter, quicker) smaller forwards the preferred option?
Just a thought. Don’t tear me a new one

It’s a very valid discussion.

I think ones who can apply pressure and rotate thru the midfield are worth a lot… it’s more a point of the game valuing hybrid types now who can transition and defend better up and down the ground.

Players who only can mark and kick are essentially useless these days. Even talls need to offer a lot more around the ground

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Are we seeing the demise of the ‘mid sized’ forward in the comp overall ?
Can’t think of too many successful in the comp ATM.
Is it because we are seeing more mobile ‘bigger’ medium defenders making the more elusive (often smarter, quicker) smaller forwards the preferred option?
Just a thought. Don’t tear me a new one

It's been a while since Fritsch kicked 6 in a granny. You could be on to something.

They at least need a 2nd position i think

 

[Purrfection]

The Suns will have Uwland and Patterson too.

What's the point of the draft anynore?

I guess the one saving grace, ultimately, is the salary cap. If some prospectively elite midfield players are consigned to depth players then they won’t have the extent of opportunity in their preferred position and may be prepared to look elsewhere to maximise their full potential.

 

[Lana]

Are we seeing the demise of the ‘mid sized’ forward in the comp overall ?
Can’t think of too many successful in the comp ATM.
Is it because we are seeing more mobile ‘bigger’ medium defenders making the more elusive (often smarter, quicker) smaller forwards the preferred option?
Just a thought. Don’t tear me a new one

If a mid sized forward kicks too many goals they become an undersized KPF. The line between them is extremely murky

 

[Reg Hickey]

If a mid sized forward kicks too many goals they become an undersized KPF. The line between them is extremely murky

Same thing.

Not sure the mid sized forward is dead just yet. Jamie Elliott, Ben Long, Heeney, Zurhaar, Curtis, Keays, Melksham, Membrey, Fritsch, Rayner, Zac Bailey, Danger… should I go on?

They all kicked 30+ goals this year.

I’d say Logan Morris, Jack Gunston and Mitch Georgiades could all be categorised as mid-sized too, aka undersized KPFs.

 

[Vdubs]

Same thing.

Not sure the mid sized forward is dead just yet. Jamie Elliott, Ben Long, Heeney, Zurhaar, Curtis, Keays, Melksham, Membrey, Fritsch, Rayner, Zac Bailey, Danger… should I go on?

They all kicked 30+ goals this year.

I’d say Logan Morris, Jack Gunston and Mitch Georgiades could all be categorised as mid-sized too, aka undersized KPFs.

Spot on
And in 24, 23, Ollie Henry averaged nearly 40 goals

 

[D BRIDGE]

Spot on
And in 24, 23, Ollie Henry averaged nearly 40 goals

But even when he was snagging 40 goals per year, there was still a lot of talk about Rohan being a better fit for the team.

The moment the goals dried up, he offered almost nothing.

 

[cats_09]

I cant believe the Lions will have access number 3 on that list. A player who looks like a midfield beast DANIEL ANNABLE

I can't remember well said it, but watching a Brisbane match earlier in the season just gone, they were talking about the Ashcroft brothers and then how Annable is going to be available this coming draft - a comment about the trio was that Annable was the standout amongst them

 

[geelong_crazy26]

The Suns will have Uwland and Patterson too.

What's the point of the draft anynore?

When a team that made a gf then won b2b flags and in that time is going to draft 3 consecutive top 3 picks… you do wonder.

If academies are here to stay, we may as well just go back to zoning rules

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Spot on
And in 24, 23, Ollie Henry averaged nearly 40 goals

He doesn't offer enough outside of that for it to be a consistent pathway to get him into a contending side.

In 2024 amongst Geelong players:
24th for pressure acts on average
21st for one percenters on average
10th for tackles inside 50 on average
32nd for total tackles on average
32nd for disposals on average
20th for marks on average

Sure, the goals sound great - but what we're essentially seeing here is a player who has to kick 1.6-2 goals a game just to ensure he's not a net negative on the team.

It's just not sustainable long term in a team that's contending. He'd be better off bumping all of those numbers up and forgetting about the goals for now, a bit like Stevie-J back in the day.

I still think he can make it, but it's all icing and no cake right now. Like SJ, the goals will come eventually if you're doing the hard stuff first.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

When a team that made a gf then won b2b flags and in that time is going to draft 3 consecutive top 3 picks… you do wonder.

If academies are here to stay, we may as well just go back to zoning rules

To be fair they weren't consecutive. 2023 their first selection was 31, where they selected.....

..... logan morris

 

[Pollywaffle]

Same thing.

Not sure the mid sized forward is dead just yet. Jamie Elliott, Ben Long, Heeney, Zurhaar, Curtis, Keays, Melksham, Membrey, Fritsch, Rayner, Zac Bailey, Danger… should I go on?

They all kicked 30+ goals this year.

I’d say Logan Morris, Jack Gunston and Mitch Georgiades could all be categorised as mid-sized too, aka undersized KPFs.

A number of those guys can rotate ‘through the midfield’ or other positions. Not as one dimensional as Ollie…
Where are we drawing our mid size limit? Jamie Elliot is 5’ 10 ….just splitting hairs I guess. Size is overrated
The bottom line is that ,in our current setup, Henry seems surplus to requirements. Maybe without Danger there he may have a role again provided somebody like Polkinghorne doesn’t move past him.

 

[jim boy]

27 next January.
If he was on our VFL list "with a view", we could do a lot worse, imho.
He has the ability of an Ollie Dempsey, if not more, and if what he says is true, that he has grown up a lot, he realises it's his last chance.

He reminds me of Nathan Ablett in that he had heaps of talent, but doesn't want to put in the hard yards, so drops out. Then a year after leaving, they want back in, but still without putting in the hard yards and ends up going nowhere.

 

[bulletproof]

Stephenson was literally one of the worst players in the entire competition when he was at North. This was not a behavioural issue like Tarryn Thomas

26

Tarryn Thomas

Age

25

Ht

190cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

5.7

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

3.3

5star

CL

0.9

3star

D

7.8

2star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

1.3

1star

T

3.2

4star

CL

0.2

2star

D

12.8

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

0.4

3star

, he was just absolutely hopeless.

North could not get rid of him quick enough.

There is absolutely no world where this guy ever gets close to an AFL set up again. Move on.

Sorry for rant.

 

[iameviljez]

Are we seeing the demise of the ‘mid sized’ forward in the comp overall ?

Lions just won a flag with a whole phalanx of them.

 

[thegerman]

I could’ve gone further into it but then we can trade our 2nd and 3rd pick to a club for points
It makes sense in my head I swear

I also firmly believe we are less than zero percent getting butters

Agree. We don’t have the capital, the only thing in our favour is that he’s out of contract so Port’s hand is a fair bit weaker if he did choose us.

 

[Reg Hickey]

But even when he was snagging 40 goals per year, there was still a lot of talk about Rohan being a better fit for the team.

The moment the goals dried up, he offered almost nothing.

Rohan was also a mid-sized forward btw.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Latrelle Pickett quickly becoming my choice of pick… will he be available??

 

[foxdog50]

Does Geelong have today until they have to nominate if we will take Mellor?

 

[Phill Hendo]

Assuming we get Mellor, I would asign him to train with the mid field group. I would do the same with Ollie Henry and Polkinghorn. These days you just cannot afford guys who do not chase and tackle.

Just my opinion but I think Jacob Molier will be the replacement for Jez and will see games in the AFL side this year. Don't see him as a Ruck except occasionally at forward stopages.

I understand Wells will always take the best available, I just want that player to be an inside mid.

 

[goyoucatters]

27 next January.
If he was on our VFL list "with a view", we could do a lot worse, imho.
He has the ability of an Ollie Dempsey, if not more, and if what he says is true, that he has grown up a lot, he realises it's his last chance.

You take that back!

Seriously, though. that seems a fairly wild assertion to me. Stephenson has some wheels and a couple of tricks. But I think Ollie has him covered in his sleep for pure talent, incredible hops, and the ability to pull off seriously freakish moments.

Anyway, given how many light years away I think Jaidyn is from getting back onto an AFL list, I seriously doubt a proper comparison of their worth will ever be possible. And I have to say that is absolutely fine with me.

#olliedempsey
#humanhighlightreel
#longmayitlast