Player Watch #33: Latrelle Pickett – Pick 12

[Topkent]

I think the optimism comes from the way we intend to play, I think most supporters are still realistically placing us bottom 4. This isn't false optimism like what we got under Goodwin where it looks like we might be more attacking only to revert to boring footy for the proper season. I think King has definitely put an emphasis on quick ball movement and won't wuss out.

Haha could easily be false though if we get belted the first 3 games because we're so open.

 

[mrmonkey]

Haha could easily be false though if we get belted the first 3 games because we're so open.

Yeah but at least we know it will be OK in the long run. I think most can accept beltings under King over 'honourable losses' under Goodwin.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Yeah but at least we know it will be OK in the long run. I think most can accept beltings under King over 'honourable losses' under Goodwin.

Well, we tell ourselves it will be OK in the long run. There's no guarantee it could be

But very much short term, i can't see anyone pointing a finger at King

 

[mrmonkey]

Well, we tell ourselves it will be OK in the long run. There's no guarantee it could be

But very much short term, i can't see anyone pointing a finger at King

Yeah true no guarantee, but I think most wanted change and change we got. My point is the intent looks good and I don't think King will hit the panic button if we start getting scored on. We know how much Goodwin hated high scores.

 

[Topkent]

Yeah but at least we know it will be OK in the long run. I think most can accept beltings under King over 'honourable losses' under Goodwin.

That's the thing, we don't know.
Could easily be the next Neeld. We all wanted whats happening but I think Gawn retiring and windsor and Langford not quite coming on and we could be cooked again

 

[ADAM_EST]

The matching mustachas are elite.

Purely based on that alone I am predicting Latrelle will be a gun.

Yep. That was fun to watch. Exciting. Confident. And great for Kosi.

 

[mrmonkey]

That's the thing, we don't know.
Could easily be the next Neeld. We all wanted whats happening but I think Gawn retiring and windsor and Langford not quite coming on and we could be cooked again

Yeah I should rephrase, we're going into a season not under Goodwin which is enough to be optimistic.

 

[Bluelegs]

You guys might be excited for the new era but what if all our players turn out to be shit and we have the worst coach in the history of the AFL? Didn't think about that, did you?

 

[Topkent]

You guys might be excited for the new era but what if all our players turn out to be shit and we have the worst coach in the history of the AFL? Didn't think about that, did you?

True, that could never happen at Melbourne

 

[Bluelegs]

True, that could never happen at Melbourne

The future is full of possibilities Kent

 

[Topkent]

The future is full of possibilities Kent

The future is full of veils and darkness my friend

 

[Topkent]

Nah for real though feels good going into a season without the weight of Oliver and Goody. If we come out and pull out a ripper high scoring performance round 1 the lid will be right off

 

[Bluelegs]

Nah for real though feels good going into a season without the weight of Oliver and Goody. If we come out and pull out a ripper high scoring performance round 1 the lid will be right off

I'm pretty keen to just ride the wave this year. If it's a year like 2014-15 where we can see something building and some young players showing something I'll be happy regardless of the win/loss. Barely been to the footy the past couple of years for various reasons but in a pretty good place to go most weeks this year so I'm pumped.

 

[Topkent]

I'm pretty keen to just ride the wave this year. If it's a year like 2014-15 where we can see something building and some young players showing something I'll be happy regardless of the win/loss. Barely been to the footy the past couple of years for various reasons but in a pretty good place to go most weeks this year so I'm pumped.

I'm bloody interested to see how I feel come round 1. It's been such a weird feeling practically gagging for us to lose every single week the last 2 years. I was literally cheering goals for the oppo that whole time.

Got a feeling I'm gonna enjoy us kicking goals again

 

[mrmonkey]

2014 would normally be a season to make you feel depressed and the second half of the season we didn't win a game. But it was a million times better than 2013. The wins in 2013 felt hollow, it took a record breaking last quarter to beat a baby gws team, the Bulldogs win we got to 50 up and almost lost it. 2014 wins much more memorable. Beating Richmond after Hafey had passed away, Pedersen kicking the sealer against Carlton, winning in Adelaide, hanging on against Essendon with Salem icing the game. Some competitive games against Port, particularly the game in Adelaide with Grimes kicking on the full. Only 4 wins for the season but we were back.

 

[Demon Attack]

Haha could easily be false though if we get belted the first 3 games because we're so open.

I agree with this, seen it before where clubs talk a big game in pre-season but blink before winter. Hope it doesn't but they can't just accept getting pumped every week if that's the way it goes.

 

[Topkent]

I agree with this, seen it before where clubs talk a big game in pre-season but blink before winter. Hope it doesn't but they can't just accept getting pumped every week if that's the way it goes.

Yeah we need a big win or big result early just to vindicate the work. Even if we drop off or have a crap period in the middle of the season if we start ok king will have something to point to

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

2014 would normally be a season to make you feel depressed and the second half of the season we didn't win a game. But it was a million times better than 2013. The wins in 2013 felt hollow, it took a record breaking last quarter to beat a baby gws team, the Bulldogs win we got to 50 up and almost lost it. 2014 wins much more memorable. Beating Richmond after Hafey had passed away, Pedersen kicking the sealer against Carlton, winning in Adelaide, hanging on against Essendon with Salem icing the game. Some competitive games against Port, particularly the game in Adelaide with Grimes kicking on the full. Only 4 wins for the season but we were back.

that Essendon win in 2014 was so good it pretty much carried me through the rest of the season, I don’t think I even realised until years later that we didn’t win another game after that

A young list that was clearly cooked by the middle of the year after beating three sides that finished 7-10. The Brisbane loss sucked but in hindsight it came a week after we spent ourselves coming within a goal of knocking off the rampaging Power in Adelaide, and played pretty well v finals bound North in the final round. The signs of improvement were still there even during the winless back half of the season IMO. Carried a lot of momentum into 2015 regardless which North haven’t done once

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Given that we haven’t traded our 2026 first rounder I’m perfectly happy to have low expectations and finish bottom 5 again in 2026. Better than ending up 9-13 even with the stupid wildcard thing in play, given we are clearly far off of winning a final, and especially given that this is the last uncompromised draft before Tassie.

Play some vaguely adventurous footy while also retaining a semblance of defensive mindset and structure and developing that cohesion across the season and if we win 6-8 games while challenging multiple teams above us/play well on the road I’ll be pleased, even with a few blowouts. Can’t expect much more out of this list.

And Kossie Brownlow/Max Heath AA/Kentfield Coleman obviously

 

[mrmonkey]

that Essendon win in 2014 was so good it pretty much carried me through the rest of the season, I don’t think I even realised until years later that we didn’t win another game after that

A young list that was clearly cooked by the middle of the year after beating three sides that finished 7-10. The Brisbane loss sucked but in hindsight it came a week after we spent ourselves coming within a goal of knocking off the rampaging Power in Adelaide, and played pretty well v finals bound North in the final round. The signs of improvement were still there even during the winless back half of the season IMO. Carried a lot of momentum into 2015 regardless which North haven’t done once

I sort of forgot about that Brisbane game, was disappointing but I wasn't overall disheartened. The saints game in round 1 O felt disappointed but I'm not sure why I expected a win, especially coming off 2013. I do recall some posters saying how good Billings and Dunstan look, which is funny in retrospect considering how they both ended up at the dees. This actually got me thinking now that we have our third saints player Steele and with all this talk about North melbourne. I wonder why they didn't make a play for him? Could have been another experienced player to come in for a few years and didn't cost much.

 

[Topkent]

I sort of forgot about that Brisbane game, was disappointing but I wasn't overall disheartened. The saints game in round 1 O felt disappointed but I'm not sure why I expected a win, especially coming off 2013. I do recall some posters saying how good Billings and Dunstan look, which is funny in retrospect considering how they both ended up at the dees. This actually got me thinking now that we have our third saints player Steele and with all this talk about North melbourne. I wonder why they didn't make a play for him? Could have been another experienced player to come in for a few years and didn't cost much.

I think because North are fairly stacked in the midfield, they don't really need another senior body in that spot. What they need is a Jordan Lewis/Vince style to play half back and another key defender

 

[mrmonkey]

I think because North are fairly stacked in the midfield, they don't really need another senior body in that spot. What they need is a Jordan Lewis/Vince style to play half back and another key defender

Fair enough, I was just spit balling. Just thinking they definitely need some experience, backline definitely is their biggest weakness. Bernie Vince was a great pick up and only 28 at the time.

 

[Topkent]

Fair enough, I was just spit balling. Just thinking they definitely need some experience, backline definitely is their biggest weakness. Bernie Vince was a great pick up and only 28 at the time.

They absolutely do, they should be sniffing around teams like us, Richmond, port who are rebuilding or even the dogs who have an abundance of midfield half back types

 

[Bluelegs]

They absolutely do, they should be sniffing around teams like us, Richmond, port who are rebuilding or even the dogs who have an abundance of midfield half back types

Didn't they go after Lever last year but we said no. Probably could have gotten Tmac cheap as a couple of years ago who would have immediately improved their backline.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I sort of forgot about that Brisbane game, was disappointing but I wasn't overall disheartened. The saints game in round 1 O felt disappointed but I'm not sure why I expected a win, especially coming off 2013. I do recall some posters saying how good Billings and Dunstan look, which is funny in retrospect considering how they both ended up at the dees. This actually got me thinking now that we have our third saints player Steele and with all this talk about North melbourne. I wonder why they didn't make a play for him? Could have been another experienced player to come in for a few years and didn't cost much.

From memory I think that Saints loss was saved for me by it being a relatively fun watch even though we lost, after how dismal 2013 was. Tyson was the great hope going into that game and he played a blinder (by our standards) straight up, and Vince was also really good so it offered a bit of hope. Watts also played his best game since Essendon 2012, and there were a few other guys who looked as though they might have rebounded (spoiler alert: they hadn't) under Roos like Grimes, Toumpas and Trengove. Plus we didn't get belted in the I50s for once so it was at the very least bearable, we looked almost competitive. If we'd kicked straighter in the first half we might have gotten up. It's funny even after 2013 even the gap between the Saints and us felt so big though they'd finished just one spot above us.

Plus I was riding the high of that JKH preseason game v Richmond.