2nds 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition

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davemc_lions

Premiership Player
Aug 21, 2013
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you hope they align it with the AFL fixture as well.
If we down in Melb or Sydney then our VFL games same place. Or the Richmond AFL up playing the Suns.. The VFL team follows.
Otherwise you end up with all the AFL VFL teams missing players all the time.
Although that is trying to be smart so I assume it will not :)
 

Bobby Beecroft

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I’m a bit concerned about the use of top ups in our Reserves. Many of the Victorian sides have picked up experienced ex AFL/VFL players & as a result will have strong depth.

It appears that we are using academy youngsters. If this is the case it will be a struggle, let alone if we have injuries on the senior list.
 
Dec 1, 2013
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I’m a bit concerned about the use of top ups in our Reserves. Many of the Victorian sides have picked up experienced ex AFL/VFL players & as a result will have strong depth.

It appears that we are using academy youngsters. If this is the case it will be a struggle, let alone if we have injuries on the senior list.
Also concerning is that the reason we won the final was because of the experience depth we had like Keays et al. which we don't have anymore
 

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Dylan12

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I’m a bit concerned about the use of top ups in our Reserves. Many of the Victorian sides have picked up experienced ex AFL/VFL players & as a result will have strong depth.

It appears that we are using academy youngsters. If this is the case it will be a struggle, let alone if we have injuries on the senior list.
I said that from the outset in that I was surprised we haven't brought in anyway. Sydney has signed one of the Silvagni boys delisted from Carlton last season and perhaps he was moving to Sydney anyway, hence the signing.

I do recall someone mentioning that we wanted to retain one of the delisted boys, but that obviously didn't eventuate either. Now there could be a plethora of reasons why either the club or player wouldn't want to, but given there is a salary cap of $100K for VFL players outside of the Lions primary or rookie list, it could be of beneficial for some of those delisted players staying in Brisbane to stay at the club, particularly if they are good people. Matt Eagles apparently was a good mentor and no doubt Corey Lyons would have been a handy onballer to retain, but there probably aren't too many other quality players returning to Brisbane to live that would be of interest.

You do share my same concerns though; if we have 5+ on the injury / suspended list, we're going to be a very inexperienced outfit given we have 14 guys on our list that will feature a lot for the reserves that only have 5 AFL games between them (Ballenden and Fullarton (2 games), Robertson (1 game) and then E.Smith, Joyce, McFadyen, B.Smith, Prior, B.Coleman, Sharp, Smith, Michael, Madden and Uosis (0 games). Throw in Archie Smith (16 games), K.Coleman and Payne (both 5 games), then we're pretty thin. Matheison will be one of our more experienced players with 47 games.

Southport and now Gold Coast always seem to be able to attract ex-AFL boys that have moved to the Gold Coast so perhaps they'll have more luck. Out of interest, has Gold Coast signed any mature players for their VFL team?
 
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Johnny Bananas

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I’m a bit concerned about the use of top ups in our Reserves. Many of the Victorian sides have picked up experienced ex AFL/VFL players & as a result will have strong depth.

It appears that we are using academy youngsters. If this is the case it will be a struggle, let alone if we have injuries on the senior list.
Better that academy youngsters get a run against men, than top-up players who are unlikely to ever make it to the AFL senior side. And if we get beaten, who cares, it's the VFL.
 

davemc_lions

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Aug 21, 2013
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the non AFL Melb clubs are playing to win it.
The AFL clubs always going to try new things for them a development league.
Seeing we end up playing against people more mature etc be more value to our development
 

Dylan12

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It could be as simple as the club prioritising getting games in to the academy kids for their development over trying to win the comp?
I understand that, but being on the receiving end of 100 point thrashings as our reserves dished out to GWS and the Suns isn't good for anyone's development either. We're simply talking about 2, 3 or 4 players, hardly the types of numbers that is going to stunt anyone's development.
 

davemc_lions

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Basti left a year too early.. Understand your point Dylan12 I thought Lyons and Matty Eagles kept around.
Being development they could also leave players getting beaten longer for development.
 

briztoon

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Nov 28, 2015
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I’m a bit concerned about the use of top ups in our Reserves. Many of the Victorian sides have picked up experienced ex AFL/VFL players & as a result will have strong depth.

It appears that we are using academy youngsters. If this is the case it will be a struggle, let alone if we have injuries on the senior list.
Remember the academy now goes to U19’s.

So it would be somewhat similar to us playing a dozen draftees, instead of just the four we actually drafted.

Then you can add in our top U18’s after the academy series has finished.

I said that from the outset in that I was surprised we haven't brought in anyway. Sydney has signed one of the Silvagni boys delisted from Carlton last season and perhaps he was moving to Sydney anyway, hence the signing.

I do recall someone mentioning that we wanted to retain one of the delisted boys, but that obviously didn't eventuate either. Now there could be a plethora of reasons why either the club or player wouldn't want to, but given there is a salary cap of $100K for VFL players outside of the Lions primary or rookie list, it could be of beneficial for some of those delisted players staying in Brisbane to stay at the club, particularly if they are good people. Matt Eagles apparently was a good mentor and no doubt Corey Lyons would have been a handy onballer to retain, but there probably aren't too many other quality players returning to Brisbane to live that would be of interest.

You do share my same concerns though; if we have 5+ on the injury / suspended list, we're going to be a very inexperienced outfit given we have 14 guys on our list that will feature a lot for the reserves that only have 5 AFL games between them (Ballenden and Fullarton (2 games), Robertson (1 game) and then E.Smith, Joyce, McFadyen, B.Smith, Prior, B.Coleman, Sharp, Smith, Michael, Madden and Uosis (0 games). Throw in Archie Smith (16 games), K.Coleman and Payne (both 5 games), then we're pretty thin. Matheison will be one of our more experienced players with 47 games.

Southport and now Gold Coast always seem to be able to attract ex-AFL boys that have moved to the Gold Coast so perhaps they'll have more luck. Out of interest, has Gold Coast signed any mature players for their VFL team?
The only player that GC have picked up, that I’m aware of, is one of the top SA KPF’s who has moved up to the GC for University. He’s joined their academy. Didn’t get drafted because he did two acl’s when U17 and U18.

But GC still have a larger list than every other team, 48 I think, so they don’t really need to sign any reserves players.
 

Dylan12

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Basti left a year too early.. Understand your point Dylan12 I thought Lyons and Matty Eagles kept around.
Being development they could also leave players getting beaten longer for development.
Yeah, I think if anything it is to just protect all these youngsters that we'll be playing. I know as a club we aren't going out to win the premiership, but some of the stand alone clubs will annihilate us with all of their big mature men playing for them and having some big boys like a Matty Eagles and 1 or 2 big bodied mids to provide some protection and lead from the front can't be a bad thing.
 

briztoon

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Yeah, I think if anything it is to just protect all these youngsters that we'll be playing. I know as a club we aren't going out to win the premiership, but some of the stand alone clubs will annihilate us with all of their big mature men playing for them and having some big boys like a Matty Eagles and 1 or 2 big bodied mids to provide some protection and lead from the front can't be a bad thing.
Mmmm I don’t know that the VFL teams annihilate us.

I remember the 2018 National U18 academy beat a VFL team with listed AFL players.

That was a team of 17 year olds beating men.
 

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BangyBangy

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Oct 16, 2013
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I might be eating my words in a few weeks but not overly concerned.

The standalone VFL teams may be full of mature players but they are either over the hill ex afl players or just not up to AFL standard senior players.

The players (some) we delist from our list go on to other (albeit) struggling AFL clubs & contribute ;)

We might not be at the pointy end of the comp, but i'd be surprised if we're on the wrong end of any beltings.
 

marooned

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I heard Southport had 19 AFL listed players on their roster for this year. With Billy Gowers probably the biggest name this year.
 
Nov 26, 2018
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I heard Southport had 19 AFL listed players on their roster for this year. With Billy Gowers probably the biggest name this year.
Not sure how many on their list but they signed 5 new players for 2021

Jacob Dawson - Suns - 9 AFL games
Jess Joyce - Suns - 64 AFL games
Lukas Webb - Bulldogs - 24 AFL games
Billy Gowers - Bulldogs - 33 AFL games
Brad Lynch - Bulldogs - 9 AFL games
 

Comeback Lions

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The harder it is, the better for our development. The new comp has to be a big plus. If you can’t compete in the VFL, then what chance AFL? We’re not that young with only 4(?) new players, and the players from the last couple of drafts turning 20 or 21 this year.

I’m all for a young side and maybe players like Cox and Lyons would have made it with tougher competition right from the start. It was fun winning NEAFL premierships, but development is more important. If it is a disaster because of injuries we can reset in 2022, but I don’t think we’ll struggle as much as some are suggesting. Fitness alone can even out bigger bodies. Looking forward to a twos comp again.
 

Bobby Beecroft

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Mmmm I don’t know that the VFL teams annihilate us.

I remember the 2018 National U18 academy beat a VFL team with listed AFL players.

That was a team of 17 year olds beating men.

I'm not overly concerned with the VFL Stand alone sides it is the AFL sides (stand alone & aligned) that have bought in that 5/6 strong experienced players to support there drafted & rookie list players eg. Hawthorn/Box Hill & Carlton to name a couple. That said with a 16 round draw & 22 sides we may avoid some of these, let alone if a hub arises at some point which appears a chance.

As per Dylan if we have 5/6 injuries and use top ups via the academy I fear there will be some hidings and I'm struggling to see how that is beneficial to a players development. Our 2019 NEAFL would comfortably beat what is likely to be our 2021 VFL side. We aren't up against some weak NEAFL teams now, there will be some seriously good VFL sides based in Victoria in 2021.

Not after a premiership, just a competitive side that will able to promote development. Hopefully that's what we get.
 

Johnny Bananas

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As per Dylan if we have 5/6 injuries and use top ups via the academy I fear there will be some hidings and I'm struggling to see how that is beneficial to a players development.
You don't learn by winning all the time. Having to adapt to better players and better teams is what creates real improvement.
 

davemc_lions

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Aug 21, 2013
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You don't learn by winning all the time. Having to adapt to better players and better teams is what creates real improvement.
I agree think it was said last year with the scratch matches.. The players 23-30 in a lot of top sides are fully AFL ready.
Rather than a big bodied semi professional who did not get drafted juggling work and Footy,
 

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