Preview 2025 Goodbye (To 2026) New; Preseason Discussion

[Peninsula Boy]

"Joe Berry Experience" aka 1960s blues band

I thought that when I typed it in.

 

[Sleezy]

There is really no harm in saying his first year was pretty vanilla, borderline bad. It doesnt mean people have written him off. Not sure why people are so defensive about it.

I reckon it comes down to four things:

• we traded out our first rounder for Rat & Soldo (lol)
• We traded Houston to get our first rounder back
• Reid was the board consensus, and was available, and won the rising star
• Berry's performance did not match the hype, and left alot of us scratching our heads as to whether he would make it

Honestly, it looked like he was played in the 1s before he was ready, and looked like a kid playing against men.

Sure he deserved some criticism, but i reckon there was a lot of angst directed his way because of how he was drafted that should really have gone to the recruiting and list management team. And Hinkley too, coz **** that guy.

 

[240volt]

What would you consider a successful pick for Whitlock and Berry? It’s really hard to compare a key forward to a small forward so early in their careers.

but, if Whitlock develops into the leader of the attack and plays 150+ games it would be a huge return on investment.

Whitlock is a generation player. i believe someone that tall and mobile doesn’t come along very often.
A couple of years time I reckon the Vic sides will be all over him offering big money.

 

[Steve Dore]

I thought that when I typed it in.

Hey Joe, where you goin' with that footy in your hand?
Hey Joe, I said, where you goin' with that footy in your hand?

 

[crafty_bernardo]

His first half of the year looked like an Aus Kicker thrust into an AFL game. By the second half he looked every bit of a 1st year AFL player.

 

[240volt]

Not saying Whitlock doesn’t but I saw something in Berry too.

Berry has shown on game day to be a bog average flanker.
Of cause he can improve and I hope he does.
He was picked as a small forward to do the same job Reid was picked for.
That didn’t work out last season so we persevere this year and hope he improves.
That’s the unemotional facts as they stand right now.

 

[Willsy10]

Berry has shown on game day to be a bog average flanker.
Of cause he can improve and I hope he does.
He was picked as a small forward to do the same job Reid was picked for.
That didn’t work out last season so we persevere this year and hope he improves.
That’s the unemotional facts as they stand right now.

Berry looked great in the pre season games last year, but he probably wasn’t ready for the rigours of the real stuff. Probably gifted more games than he deserved but 2025 will still be a crucial time in his development and he will be better this year. That’s a hunch from me, no facts but calling Whitlock a generational talent isn’t dealing with facts either, that’s more of a hunch too.

For the record I think both Berry and Whitlock will establish themselves as best 23 players in 2026. I’m not expecting them to set the world on fire but their spot should be cemented this year.

I like all 3 of our 2024 draft class, Moraes has something about him too, he looked poor at times last year too but there is enough there to suggest he is a player of the future. But none of the 3 were ready like say a Wines was for year one, they’ll all be slower burns.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

We seem bigger and more physical in these vids. Great to see

Still don't love a few of the Carr changes structurally that have been rumoured eg Mead as a back pocket, Marshall as a key back and Bergman as a permanent mid.

Mead and Marshall haven't shown a glimmer of defensive capability in any game I've seen. Hope they are required to play many many games in th SANFL in those roles.

Bergman is a capable player in the middle and I don't mind him in there for a spurt or for a role, but he's our best defender IMO. We'd be taking from an area of weakness (defence) and putting him in an area of strength (middle).

Proof is the in the pudding I guess. Just hope Carr isn't as stubborn as Hinkley and makes changes if it's not working

I largely agree but dont mind Bergman in the guts. We need better kicks out of defence and his gut running and strength is needed in the mid, especially as Wines comes to the tail end of his career.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Lmao they won't bother.

He had the plate out and has been walking and jogging laps for 2 months

He clearly did more damage than theyre letting on and he was back to square one in November.

At best he will be managed through the season.

Hes pretty much been out of action for 27 weeks and theyre still like 'nothing to see here

Didn’t they say he still had pain in his foot last week?

 

[Doctor Feel]

Forget this year for JHF at this point.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Forget this year for JHF at this point.

Basically will have to play as a medium forward, maybe get on the ball for bursts later in the year when he's built match fitness by playing.

 

[PatientMental]

Forget this year for JHF at this point.

Thats every year for him.

His body is becoming a huge issue

 

[PatientMental]

Prretty much a given now that Butters, Drew, Bergman and Wines will be our main midfield rotations with Rozee and JHF providing cameos a few times a quarter.

A bit less than ideal, but its manageable

 

[Willsy10]

Didn’t they say last week on the news they were hoping for him to take some part in the pre season games, but now I’m reading he is done for the year?

 

[soafraid]

Forget this year for JHF at this point.

lets trade him for wardlawd

 

[PJ Power]

Prretty much a given now that Butters, Drew, Bergman and Wines will be our main midfield rotations with Rozee and JHF providing cameos a few times a quarter.

A bit less than ideal, but its manageable

I’m hopeful that Brodie and Lorenz might add something to our rotations too. A couple of clips that are circulating on social media from the match sim show Brodie with important first touch out of stoppage setting up teammates with handpass out of the contest. In one, he gave Drew a don’t argue.

It’s a shame about JHF

 

[RangaInTeal]

Prretty much a given now that Butters, Drew, Bergman and Wines will be our main midfield rotations with Rozee and JHF providing cameos a few times a quarter.

A bit less than ideal, but its manageable

I actually think this IS ideal, it spreads our talent and invested funds, gives us speed and Dash out of the Back Six, it gives us a Forward who makes others walk taller and plays with a bit of bravado, while keeping one of the games best players where he plays his best footy.

Possibly by circumstance we are going to be better for balance because the set backs.

If Lorenz has genuinely come on, if McKinley or Watkins can be serviceable, if Drew, Wines and Brodie can give us enough grunt at stoppage and spread well enough, if Burgmann develops to become a great accumulator and continues with his stoppage development he showed last year - the mix is great.

So yes, Butters, Burgmann, Drew, Wines, Lorenz, McKinley/Sinn/Watkins/Richards/Berry/Evans/Moraes/Mead, Brodie, JHF/Rozee looks serviceable.

 

[PJ Power]

Didn’t they say last week on the news they were hoping for him to take some part in the pre season games, but now I’m reading he is done for the year?

I think it’s more that without a preseason he can’t be expected to dominate as a midfielder this year. Could still have a Cam Rayner like impact as a forward though.

 

[StueyDaDew]

Thats every year for him.

His body is becoming a huge issue

JHF is not the type player that needs to work on his skills, so wouldn’t bother me if he sat out most of the season to get his legs, ankles & feet right and build up his fitness.
If we’re a chance to make the finals after the mid season break, maybe introduce him then in burst.

 

[Cosmicwinduptoy24]

People love an overreact when there’s a differing opinion.

Berry’s first year was super concerning, there’s not really any other way to look at it. Was slow, showed poor skill, missed shots on goal, lacked composure and seemed really weak around the contest. That’s just the way it is.

Doesn’t mean he’s a bust, we really need him to hit and play the Zac Bailey damaging half fwd role. Big year so hopefully there’s improvement.

I can’t speak for everyone, but some of the comments being made about Berry are pretty frustrating because they’re just not accurate. He clearly has AFL-level traits. His repeat sprint work last year was elite for a first-year player, and the idea that he’s slow or unskilled doesn’t stack up at all.

What people are really doing is judging a kid who’s still finding his feet at AFL level as if he’s already the finished product. Anyone who watched his under-18 season knows he’s quick, skillful, can crumb properly, and can kick a big goal when his team needs it.

He’s not a guaranteed star, no one is, but he’s got the tools to get there. The same people being overly negative now will forget all about it if and when he comes good, and then move straight on to doing the exact same thing to the next whipping boy. Zero self-awareness.

 

[Tibbs]

I can’t speak for everyone, but some of the comments being made about Berry are pretty frustrating because they’re just not accurate. He clearly has AFL-level traits. His repeat sprint work last year was elite for a first-year player, and the idea that he’s slow or unskilled doesn’t stack up at all.

What people are really doing is judging a kid who’s still finding his feet at AFL level as if he’s already the finished product. Anyone who watched his under-18 season knows he’s quick, skillful, can crumb properly, and can kick a big goal when his team needs it.

He’s not a guaranteed star, no one is, but he’s got the tools to get there. The same people being overly negative now will forget all about it if and when he comes good, and then move straight on to doing the exact same thing to the next whipping boy. Zero self-awareness.

I wanted Reid badly, and was furious with the club for not picking him ... But it is what it is! Berry is our man, and I will back him to the hilt.

IMO, the overly negative comments here are really out of frustration at the club, not particularly the player. Players mature and develop differently, and Berry seems to have a different trajectory to Reid. Where are their ceilings? Time will tell. But I think Berry will end up being a very good player for us for many years.

So from now on, it is Reid who?

 

[Willsy10]

I think it’s more that without a preseason he can’t be expected to dominate as a midfielder this year. Could still have a Cam Rayner like impact as a forward though.

I like JHF as a half and half like Robbie was anyway. He should be still getting good km’s into the legs but probably don’t want too push it too hard too early. Once he had that set back on day 1 of pre season he was never going to be lighting it up in January.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

If the Hornet has injury problems and needs to play other than the midfield, I would put him down as the third tall in the backline.

He should be able to dominate there with not much effort. The Hornet can use all of his skills there and gain confidence and it's a position we need to fill.

 

[RangaInTeal]

If the Hornet has injury problems and needs to play other than the midfield, I would put him down as the third tall in the backline.

He should be able to dominate there with not much effort. The Hornet can use all of his skills there and gain confidence and it's a position we need to fill.

Until he has to chase/react to an opponent’s movement one to many times.

I’m not saying Dusty is the best comparison, but look at his influence on that club throughout his career, to the point last years #1 - name escapes me at the mo, and Cam Reyner’s allocation to playing as Oxen Small Forwards.

If JHF isn’t playing on the Ball and Rozee is already at Half Back, I’ll take a Forward that makes other around them walk taller over another Defender.

 

[Willsy10]

If the Hornet has injury problems and needs to play other than the midfield, I would put him down as the third tall in the backline.

He should be able to dominate there with not much effort. The Hornet can use all of his skills there and gain confidence and it's a position we need to fill.

JHF a Tall Defender? Huh?