Opinion 2024 and Beyond

[Grand Uncle Horace]

With Mills out to start the season, my 23 if playing against a team with three tall/key forwards:

B: Rampe - Melican - Lloyd
HB: Blakey - McCartin - Florent
C: Gulden - Parker - Campbell
HF: Heeney - McDonald - Hayward
F: Wicks - Amartey - Papley
Foll: Grundy - Warner - Adams

I/C: Cunningham (7th def) - Rowbottom (extra inside mid) - McInerney (extra outside mid) - McLean (7th forward, back-up ruck)
Sub: Fox

Next few players in line: Jordon, Sheldrick, Reid, Hamling, Ladhams, Roberts, Francis, Young Warner.

As pure footballers, I'd rather Jordon or Sheldrick in that 22 over Wicks but for sake of team balance overall would go for Wicks as a specialist small forward.

Melican ahead of Hamling for now for that second key defender role but hope Hamling trains/plays well enough to make that position a toss-up between the two of them.

If we were playing a team with only one or two key/tall forwards, I'd put Fox in for Melican for more agility in the team. Jordon the new sub. Melican out of the 23.

When Mills returns, he goes into the midfield, Wicks out of the team and Hayward to play more of a small forward role in place of Wicks. Parker and Adams to split time at half forward in Hayward's vacated spot and in the midfield.

I like the horses for courses selection tactic. The Dees for example have a smallish fwd line.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Because I don't think they would have got him to move to Sydney without some kind of commitment around a spot in the team. And it sounds like of all the recruits, he was the one we were targeting from a long way out.

Plus we are playing his old team.

That doesn't mean he doesn't have to perform in preseason, or it is a guarantee.

I have no opinion of him yet as a player, as I haven't really seen him play. But I think he will be named on the wing in round 1.

I can think of absolutely no scenario under which a fringe player at another club is “given a commitment” regarding a spot in the firsts.

 

[dosser]

Agree Caesar there is a lot of competition which is great to see. Based on form and team selections late last year, to start the season at the very least, I would guess there are a few more certainties or near certainties than your 13 unless the following completely stuff up their pre-season ... Campbell, McDonald, McLean and McInerney. We shall see. Potentially exciting times ahead.

Also agree that Parker, Rampe and Lloyd are becoming somewhat one-paced as happens to the best of them as time moves on. Probably add Cunningham to that list where Father Time is starting to catch up. Hopefully none of them fall off a cliff at an alarming rate.

I haven't watched a whole lot of Jordon down the years but have a sneaking suspicion he can impress in the pre-season and add something to the team if given the chance

My fear is that Rampe's fall may be faster than we expect. We could all see that, although generally pretty good, he wasn't the player last year that he had been previously, and the first two attributes to go will be speed and leap.

As an undersized defender both of those attributes are what made him so good, but time catches up with all of us. I'm not writing him off just yet, but I'm also not going to be surprised if he falls out of the team at some stage next season.

 

[mtooler]

Pre-season games will be super interesting if our injury list remains as positive as it currently is as I think we're in a position where the number of players challenging for spots is far greater than the number of players who will be guaranteed spots, giving us a lot of flexibility and options.

I think we have 13 certainties: Adams, Blakey, Florent, Grundy, Gulden, Heeney, Lloyd, McCartin, Papley, Parker, Rampe, Rowbottom & Warner.

And 21 challengers: Amartey, Buller, Campbell, Cleary, Cunningham, Fox, Francis, Hamling, Hayward, Jordon, Konstanty, Ladhams, McDonald, McInerney, McLean, Melican, Reid, Roberts, Sheldrick, Warner Jr. & Wicks.

Almost all (with the exception of Parker, Rampe and possibly Lloyd) should be net profits to last year's team, allowing us to pick from the best of the rest

Florent certainty... Campbell and McDonald challengers!

 

[mtooler]

I'd be really surprised if Jordon wasn't in the team round 1, and in the starting 18.

Yes, agree, on the wing for me.

 

[caesar88]

My fear is that Rampe's fall may be faster than we expect. We could all see that, although generally pretty good, he wasn't the player last year that he had been previously, and the first two attributes to go will be speed and leap.

As an undersized defender both of those attributes are what made him so good, but time catches up with all of us. I'm not writing him off just yet, but I'm also not going to be surprised if he falls out of the team at some stage next season.

Agreed but he'll be given every chance til then.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

My fear is that Rampe's fall may be faster than we expect. We could all see that, although generally pretty good, he wasn't the player last year that he had been previously, and the first two attributes to go will be speed and leap.

As an undersized defender both of those attributes are what made him so good, but time catches up with all of us. I'm not writing him off just yet, but I'm also not going to be surprised if he falls out of the team at some stage next season.

I think as third tall Rampe will more likely than not last out the season. His leadership is so valuable and as third tall he can get away with less height / pace.

If he is displaced though, I think it will be a positive sign for overall team performance. You don’t drop a leader and organiser like Rampe on poor form alone, you need to have another bloke banging down the door with irresistible form and other players in the 22 stepping up as leaders.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Just for fun - my 2028 team. Using ONLY players on today's list. 2028 ages shown.
Amazing how many are in today's best 22!

FB Roberts24 McCartin28 Blakey27
HB Mills30 Edwards24 McInerney27
C Gulden25 ChWarner26 Campbell25
HF CoWarner24 McDonald25 Heeney31
FF Papley31 Maclean29 Wicks28
R Green22 Sheldrick24 Rowbottom27
IC Florent29 Buller26 Cleary22 Hayward29
Sub Jordon27
Just two players over 30. Many in that 24-28 range.
IMO only Edwards is a Hail Mary for a KPD but it could be Francis, Melican (?), Arnold or Snell. They're all young enough if good enough.
I'm guessing that Amartey's body lets him down but the rest survive OK. Need to draft one.
Green goes past Ladhams and Stretch who remains as backup. Need to draft one.
Midfield might be a bit young but not lacking experience. Some decent players will have left for opportunity.
This team could still be playing in 2030. Most of them for nearly ten years.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Just for fun - my 2028 team. Using ONLY players on today's list. 2028 ages shown.
Amazing how many are in today's best 22!

FB Roberts24 McCartin28 Blakey27
HB Mills30 Edwards24 McInerney27
C Gulden25 ChWarner26 Campbell25
HF CoWarner24 McDonald25 Heeney31
FF Papley31 Maclean29 Wicks28
R Green22 Sheldrick24 Rowbottom27
IC Florent29 Buller26 Cleary22 Hayward29
Sub Jordon27
Just two players over 30. Many in that 24-28 range.
IMO only Edwards is a Hail Mary for a KPD but it could be Francis, Melican (?), Arnold or Snell. They're all young enough if good enough.
I'm guessing that Amartey's body lets him down but the rest survive OK. Need to draft one.
Green goes past Ladhams and Stretch who remains as backup. Need to draft one.
Midfield might be a bit young but not lacking experience. Some decent players will have left for opportunity.
This team could still be playing in 2030. Most of them for nearly ten years.

That’s a pretty stacked list for three years out!

 

[Kiama Chris]

That’s a pretty stacked list for three years out!

That was the conclusion I reached too! Presuming Grundy, Parker, Rampe, Adams, Lloyd, Fox and of course Reid retire and Amartey succumbs to his stringy hams. There will be some who aren't offered new contracts but I'll be surprised if any of those 23 aren't.
Even if a few lose form or fall by the wayside for other reasons (eg homesick) there will be others coming through for sure. Guys like Mitchell who look to have promise.

 

[wolftone57]

Respect the view, just think it is nonsense that Geelong would be doing anything that every other team would be trying to do.

Doesn't mean they don't have an advantage over teams like us in attracting players, also doesn't mean they are cheating.

They actually got fined about 5 years ago for breach of cap. Cats use a loophole in the cap laws to boost players salaries. If a business wife or family member of a salary to do say a job that does not really exist then that is not illegal as the player does not directly Benefit. They could also buy a business for them. Just as long as the business is not a sponsor of the club.

Many Victorian clubs have these exofficio agreements. The business deals directly with the family member of the player. As long as the club is not involved it is signed off on

On CPH2471 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[wolftone57]

With all due respect, I'm not sure why Jordon not being in the team or the starting 18 would be surprising. Considering the competition for spots in that wing rotation, and the fact he's shown less than pretty much any of our options for that wing rotation (with the exception of Warner Jr.), what are you basing your confidence in Jordon on?

Jordan is not a winger, he's an inside mid. Played on the wing for Dees because the mids were full. He played inside when they had injuries. He left to get more inside mid time

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[wolftone57]

It's not that I support them, I've got my issues with each of them individually (besides Gulden). I'm just realistic. None of them are going to be anywhere but in the best 22 if they are fit.

Not sure what Jordon has to do with them though? Jordon will likely be playing on the wing/half forward.

Why wing or HF? He is an inside mid who had to play wing due to Dees having a strong midfield. He also played HB but not much forward. Very few games forward, if any

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[caesar88]

Jordan is not a winger, he's an inside mid. Played on the wing for Dees because the mids were full. He played inside when they had injuries. He left to get more inside mid time

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Not sure I agree with that. He was almost exclusively played on a wing and flank as a junior. The only times he'd play on the inside is when there were injuries, and he hardly set the world on fire. And since being drafted at Melbourne it had been pretty much the same story.

Not saying he couldn't prove a good option on the inside if needed, but there's almost no evidence to suggest it. Unless you think he might have the right attributes for it in theory? In which case I don't entirely disagree.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Not sure I agree with that. He was almost exclusively played on a wing and flank as a junior. The only times he'd play on the inside is when there were injuries, and he hardly set the world on fire. And since being drafted at Melbourne it had been pretty much the same story.

Not saying he couldn't prove a good option on the inside if needed, but there's almost no evidence to suggest it. Unless you think he might have the right attributes for it in theory? In which case I don't entirely disagree.

Rookie me quotes him after being drafted as:
"His best work done on the outskirts of the ground and delivering the ball into the forward 50. Renowned for his accuracy by foot and good decision making" seems very much to describe an outside player, not inside.

 

[caesar88]

Rookie me quotes him after being drafted as:
"His best work done on the outskirts of the ground and delivering the ball into the forward 50. Renowned for his accuracy by foot and good decision making" seems very much to describe an outside player, not inside.

I remember watching him for Oakleigh and there was a stretch where all the first-choice mids were out playing in the U18s, so Jordon went inside out of pure necessity more than anything. Was night & day as far as him looking a likely player in his usual spot on the wing vs looking out of his element in the guts. I remember hearing we were into him and low-key hoping we'd steer clear.

But he's bigger, stronger, more experienced now presumably. Maybe he could make a better go of it. I'd think it'd be a worst case scenario though as with all the inside mids we have, if we're turning to someone like Jordon for hope then something's gone wrong.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I remember watching him for Oakleigh and there was a stretch where all the first-choice mids were out playing in the U18s, so Jordon went inside out of pure necessity more than anything. Was night & day as far as him looking a likely player in his usual spot on the wing vs looking out of his element in the guts. I remember hearing we were into him and low-key hoping we'd steer clear.

But he's bigger, stronger, more experienced now presumably. Maybe he could make a better go of it. I'd think it'd be a worst case scenario though as with all the inside mids we have, if we're turning to someone like Jordon for hope then something's gone wrong.

Looking at my little fun 2028 team I felt it had 3 good inside mids (Sheldrick, Rowbottom and Cleary) and 4 good outside players (McInerney, Gulden, Campbell and CoWarner) but only Chad as an inside/outside unit. Perhaps that's where Jordon is destined.

 

[caesar88]

Looking at my little fun 2028 team I felt it had 3 good inside mids (Sheldrick, Rowbottom and Cleary) and 4 good outside players (McInerney, Gulden, Campbell and CoWarner) but only Chad as an inside/outside unit. Perhaps that's where Jordon is destined.

You should consult with rustycrate on doing a fancy team list, but the 2028 version! Would be fun to keep in the archives and then dig up in 2028 to see how accurate it ends up

 

[tombomb]

They actually got fined about 5 years ago for breach of cap. Cats use a loophole in the cap laws to boost players salaries. If a business wife or family member of a salary to do say a job that does not really exist then that is not illegal as the player does not directly Benefit. They could also buy a business for them. Just as long as the business is not a sponsor of the club.

Many Victorian clubs have these exofficio agreements. The business deals directly with the family member of the player. As long as the club is not involved it is signed off on

On CPH2471 using BigFooty.com mobile app

You should email the club with your theory on how we can circumvent the cap and pay players extra money like the Victorian clubs do. We are missing out.

And Geelong received a tiny fine for issues relating to GST. It had nothing to do with using 3rd parties to make payments to players to breach the cap.

 

[Kiama Chris]

You should consult with rustycrate on doing a fancy team list, but the 2028 version! Would be fun to keep in the archives and then dig up in 2028 to see how accurate it ends up

I'd hate to waste rustycrate time!

 

[Jewelsbon]

You should email the club with your theory on how we can circumvent the cap and pay players extra money like the Victorian clubs do. We are missing out.

And Geelong received a tiny fine for issues relating to GST. It had nothing to do with using 3rd parties to make payments to players to breach the cap.

Yeah, that particular poster has never let facts get in the way of good story.

 

[tombomb]

Yeah, that particular poster has never let facts get in the way of good story.

It wasn't even a particularly good story ...

 

[Bloods86]

Yeah, that particular poster has never let facts get in the way of good story.

Just wait til they DM you with an essay about how bad South Australia is.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Just wait til they DM you with an essay about how bad South Australia is.

Oh my god I can only imagine!!!!!

 

[Wheresbuddy]

If any combination of Sheldrick, Roberts and Corey Warner come on this year, I expect we will lose at least one of Rowbottom, Florent or Hayward.