Jimmae
Brownlow Medallist
With one game to play, a likely outgoing coach, and two Victorian teams entering the league next season, we're in a real struggle to retain talent next year.
We're also bottoming out (literally last right now) at a time where we might find ourselves not holding the number 1 pick, leaving us to wait and see what hand we're dealt after 2-4 players head out the door.
Here's a bit of a breakdown:
Retirement beckons: Loynes, Arnell, Attard, Shierlaw, Audley, Downie
Optimal outcome: Loynes and Downie retained
Synopsis: Shierlaw played like she didn't maintain fitness over the off-season, while Arnell, Attard and Audley are creaking to the finish line. Loynes and Downie might be touch and go, but they're people you don't want to walk out of your football club, even though Loynes knees can't be in great condition.
Expansion club bait: Hicks, Hardiman, Keryk, Brazzale
Optimal outcome: Hicks, Hardiman and Brazzale tally to 100 points (current compensation target)
Synopsis: I'm sure many other names will be canvased, but we need to hold onto our talent for dear life. Brazzale, Hicks and Hardiman represent decent players in roles that we have in surplus and/or can re-draft. Keryk might have shown just enough to stay if she can lift her fitness standards for 2019, and probably won't attract value here.
Delist: Last, Plane
Synopsis: We have way too many players that project as small/medium defenders, and Plane and Last are two who have shown a limited combination of attacking flair, run and skill.
Projected 2019 side:
FB: Pound Gillespie-Jones
HB: <???> Downie Stevens
C: Gee Harrington <???>
HF: Gay Harris Vescio
FF: <???> <???>
R: Moody Davey S.Hosking
Int: J.Hosking, Li, Kennedy, Loynes, <???>
Synopsis: There's a gaping hole when it comes to quicker players and solid KPF options to allow Harris to roam, but there is a solid core to be develop upon.
Moving Bri's ball winning ability into midfield will open up a lot of space for our other balanced mids and should be a huge priority, along with developing Vescio's running capacity so she can slip into the midfield to help unlock things for our other forwards.
Remaining depth: Grieve, Webb, Cochrane, Keryk, Lucas-Rodd
Synopsis: Grieve, Cochrane and Webb are all under 21, while Keryk is developmental depth in our short-staffed midfield. Lucas-Rodd is also young, but really really really really really really needs to work on her game sense and kicking.
Unfortunately we probably cannot cut any deeper than this in one season. Assuming they survive the cut, I expect Grieve and Cochrane to be elevated to allow us 2 more code-hopping rookie signings.
Number of suggested list changes (including rookies): 9
Wish list for first 21:
2x Outside Mids (1 elite, 1 above average)
1x small forward (elite pace/agility combo with genuine scoring capability)
1x small defender (running defender with elite pace and quality foot skills)
1x key position forward (mature ager, can kick straight)
Synopsis: I'm hoping Grieve will be the above average outside mid, while we'll probably need to go to the draft and pluck a recent U18 graduate, or snag a code hopper to find that elite talent we need to inject into our midfield mix.
The real struggle is where to find that elite defender, as it will effectively be another elite mid, just with mildly reduced endurance requirements, and we really lack someone with the correct combination of skills to break the game open from half back. Hopefully we can dig up a code hopper here too, but it looms as a glaring problem for 2019.
The forward positions are relatively specialist roles, and as such we should be able to scoop talent from the Victorian pool despite two more teams entering.
Further depth/development acquisitions (one of each): ruck, KPD, KPF, tall inside mid, outside mid
Expected selections: 5 national draft, 2 rookies
Expected trades: NONE
Synopsis: Having moved Bri to the midfield, it may start to trend how AFLW midfields work more towards the men's game, so we should look to get ahead of the pack we'll create and scoop up a diamond in the rough in terms of a tall contested ball winner with a later draft pick.
A developmental ruck would be nice to allow Kennedy to find her natural position without that pressure, and we'll need to grab a tall for either end after sending Hardiman and Shierlaw out the door and Bri to midfield.
It's probably a two year project to rebuild the list, but there are opportunities for us to mildly fast track that in a safe manner, and also create some trade value for the 2019 off-season. Whoever's left of the football staff will be in the fight of their career to ensure our talent drain is along these lines, and not dramatically worse.
We're also bottoming out (literally last right now) at a time where we might find ourselves not holding the number 1 pick, leaving us to wait and see what hand we're dealt after 2-4 players head out the door.
Here's a bit of a breakdown:
Retirement beckons: Loynes, Arnell, Attard, Shierlaw, Audley, Downie
Optimal outcome: Loynes and Downie retained
Synopsis: Shierlaw played like she didn't maintain fitness over the off-season, while Arnell, Attard and Audley are creaking to the finish line. Loynes and Downie might be touch and go, but they're people you don't want to walk out of your football club, even though Loynes knees can't be in great condition.
Expansion club bait: Hicks, Hardiman, Keryk, Brazzale
Optimal outcome: Hicks, Hardiman and Brazzale tally to 100 points (current compensation target)
Synopsis: I'm sure many other names will be canvased, but we need to hold onto our talent for dear life. Brazzale, Hicks and Hardiman represent decent players in roles that we have in surplus and/or can re-draft. Keryk might have shown just enough to stay if she can lift her fitness standards for 2019, and probably won't attract value here.
Delist: Last, Plane
Synopsis: We have way too many players that project as small/medium defenders, and Plane and Last are two who have shown a limited combination of attacking flair, run and skill.
Projected 2019 side:
FB: Pound Gillespie-Jones
HB: <???> Downie Stevens
C: Gee Harrington <???>
HF: Gay Harris Vescio
FF: <???> <???>
R: Moody Davey S.Hosking
Int: J.Hosking, Li, Kennedy, Loynes, <???>
Synopsis: There's a gaping hole when it comes to quicker players and solid KPF options to allow Harris to roam, but there is a solid core to be develop upon.
Moving Bri's ball winning ability into midfield will open up a lot of space for our other balanced mids and should be a huge priority, along with developing Vescio's running capacity so she can slip into the midfield to help unlock things for our other forwards.
Remaining depth: Grieve, Webb, Cochrane, Keryk, Lucas-Rodd
Synopsis: Grieve, Cochrane and Webb are all under 21, while Keryk is developmental depth in our short-staffed midfield. Lucas-Rodd is also young, but really really really really really really needs to work on her game sense and kicking.
Unfortunately we probably cannot cut any deeper than this in one season. Assuming they survive the cut, I expect Grieve and Cochrane to be elevated to allow us 2 more code-hopping rookie signings.
Number of suggested list changes (including rookies): 9
Wish list for first 21:
2x Outside Mids (1 elite, 1 above average)
1x small forward (elite pace/agility combo with genuine scoring capability)
1x small defender (running defender with elite pace and quality foot skills)
1x key position forward (mature ager, can kick straight)
Synopsis: I'm hoping Grieve will be the above average outside mid, while we'll probably need to go to the draft and pluck a recent U18 graduate, or snag a code hopper to find that elite talent we need to inject into our midfield mix.
The real struggle is where to find that elite defender, as it will effectively be another elite mid, just with mildly reduced endurance requirements, and we really lack someone with the correct combination of skills to break the game open from half back. Hopefully we can dig up a code hopper here too, but it looms as a glaring problem for 2019.
The forward positions are relatively specialist roles, and as such we should be able to scoop talent from the Victorian pool despite two more teams entering.
Further depth/development acquisitions (one of each): ruck, KPD, KPF, tall inside mid, outside mid
Expected selections: 5 national draft, 2 rookies
Expected trades: NONE
Synopsis: Having moved Bri to the midfield, it may start to trend how AFLW midfields work more towards the men's game, so we should look to get ahead of the pack we'll create and scoop up a diamond in the rough in terms of a tall contested ball winner with a later draft pick.
A developmental ruck would be nice to allow Kennedy to find her natural position without that pressure, and we'll need to grab a tall for either end after sending Hardiman and Shierlaw out the door and Bri to midfield.
It's probably a two year project to rebuild the list, but there are opportunities for us to mildly fast track that in a safe manner, and also create some trade value for the 2019 off-season. Whoever's left of the football staff will be in the fight of their career to ensure our talent drain is along these lines, and not dramatically worse.