Player Watch #28 Kane McAuliffe

[THE_GUN]

Essendon love him and will come hard IMO

I think Mini Baker Graham Matty will be the first club to be licking his ass

 

[THE_GUN]

Hopper, Taranto and even Ross not enough experience? He may have a good brain, but that is what coaches and game reviews are for.

Not what Prestia has from whats being mentioned and his already being talked about as a person that will walk straight into coaching

 

[Moppey]

Ross is our only mid that uses the ball constructively. Hopper whilst good at getting it is a poor kick, Taranto is worse. Prestia is about their level these days with disposal. Ross may not be quick, but he's quicker than the others. The way we lumbered after our opponents last season was embarrassing.

McAuliffe replaces Prestia, as great as he has been he isn't any more.

He may be tidy and make good decisions but nothing about Ross says hurt factor. He is just meh in everything he does.

At the least Taranto and Hopper can be relied upon to win a lot of inside ball what outstanding attribute does Ross display.
Kicking well not really. And to be honest Prestia if fit offers more.

 

[Tackle Bag]

I have no idea what point you are trying to make but i will give an answer trying to predict what you tried to mean

Difference between why we kept him as a player:
We only have 3 selections and will need to delist players next year as well and Prestia provides leadership and experience as well as on field coaching as well as having a shed load of cap space and value soft cap space more than players cap space in 2026

Yes, but if we are close to the soft cap with our off field crew then someone is getting paid too much. Our coaching group is not stacked full of experience and proven success. List spots should carry far more worth.

 

[spky1234]

I have no idea what point you are trying to make but i will give an answer trying to predict what you tried to mean

Difference between why we kept him as a player:
We only have 3 selections and will need to delist players next year as well and Prestia provides leadership and experience as well as on field coaching as well as having a shed load of cap space and value soft cap space more than players cap space in 2026

I'm saying our coaching cap (the soft cap) is relatively full - thus meaning we can't employ extra coaches.

Worst case Prestia doesn't play and he is essentially an extra coach we pay through the normal salary cap, which obviously has bucket loads of space. Best case we get some games out of him and he instructs on gameday.

Exactly what you said in the next comment.

 

[THE_GUN]

I'm saying our coaching cap (the soft cap) is relatively full - thus meaning we can't employ extra coaches.

Worst case Prestia doesn't play and he is essentially an extra coach we pay through the normal salary cap, which obviously has bucket loads of space. Best case we get some games out of him and he instructs on gameday.

Exactly what you said in the next comment.

I think we were saying the same thing ?

 

[Grrr]

He may be tidy and make good decisions but nothing about Ross says hurt factor. He is just meh in everything he does.

At the least Taranto and Hopper can be relied upon to win a lot of inside ball what outstanding attribute does Ross display.
Kicking well not really. And to be honest Prestia if fit offers more.

Did you watch Prestia closely last season. He lost his touch, fumbled like I have never seen. His first game back was very good, but down-hill after that. I can't see that improving at 33 years old. Ross was far better than Prestia last season.

Ross's kicking is miles above the other 3, his hands are creative but yes he is not an inside mid more your next one in the chain. He will have to rise again to stay in the side down the track, but now that he is playing primarily midfield rather than forward or wing, he has a chance to do that. Plus he had games of 8, 9 and 11 tackles.

 

[Yze does it]

No wonder our midfield is so ****ed if Prestia is having to tell even Hopper where to stand at stoppage.

Prestia's best game as far as clearances went.
delivered a 36 point loss.

we won more games without zesty Presti on the field.

Win vs Carlton ~ Ross, Kmac, Taranto, Dow, Hopper lead in clearances.

GC win Ross, Kmac, Taranto, Dow, Hopper lead in clearances.
Lalor, Tresize, Hugo even

WCE win Taranto, Hopper Lalor, Mcaulliffe, Campbell lead in clearances.

bizzare to give him another contract ~ with 24y.o 40 gamers Dow & Sonz likely out of the club.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Prestia's best gamed as far as clearances went.
delivered a 36 point loss.

we won more games without zesty Presti on the field.

Win vs Carlton ~ Ross, Kmac, Taranto, Dow, Hopper lead in clearances.

GC win Ross, Kmac, Taranto, Dow, Hopper lead in clearances.
Lalor, Tresize, Hugo even

WCE win Taranto, Hopper Lalor, Mcaulliffe, Campbell lead in clearances.

bizzare to give him another contract ~ with 24y.o 40 gamers Dow & Sonz likely out of the club.

The priority isn't winning games in the immediate term.

The priority is players learning and perfecting a system of play that will win flags in the medium and longer term. If Prestia's presence is thought likely to accelerate that process then he should be playing. In fact this is precisely why he is present on the list and in the team.

 

[partycorolla]

The priority isn't winning games in the immediate term.

The priority is players learning and perfecting a system of play that will win flags in the medium and longer term. If Prestia's presence is thought likely to accelerate that process then he should be playing. In fact this is precisely why he is present on the list and in the team.

Yeah/nah, the priority is always winning games. The only time it isn't is when you are trying to develop youth. Developing youth by leaving them out for a 33 yr old who seems less likely to play in wins (as pointed out by another poster) and isn't contributing a great deal seems somewhat counter-intuitive. I love Dion but he is yesterday's hero. He can play... for the VFL side, developing the young mids and others playing at that level.

 

[THE_GUN]

Yeah/nah, the priority is always winning games. The only time it isn't is when you are trying to develop youth. Developing youth by leaving them out for a 33 yr old who seems less likely to play in wins (as pointed out by another poster) and isn't contributing a great deal seems somewhat counter-intuitive. I love Dion but he is yesterday's hero. He can play... for the VFL side, developing the young mids and others playing at that level.

Development is learning and sometimes kids need to learn from older players both on/off the field
the youth have to develop so they over take the senior players on merit and not just be gifted games also
Balance is the thing

 

[Tackle Bag]

Development is learning and sometimes kids need to learn from older players both on/off the field
the youth have to develop so they over take the senior players on merit and not just be gifted games also
Balance is the thing.

Yet we are going to gift games to a declining old player who upsets our midfield balance and no longer sprints at all?

We have mature players in the midfield that are very capable of playing at the level. We don’t need to carry another slow mid.

Give me a young player who’s developing and will make mistakes along the way any day.

They will learn and develop far more from playing game time in the middle against strong opposition than they ever will watching Prestia run around in his current state.

Prestia is going to take those minutes.

VFL as a depth player or holding a whistle during the week is the right spot for Prestia and I just don’t see them playing him in the VFL.
He should have been given a development role.

 

[THE_GUN]

Yet we are going to gift games to a declining old player who upsets our midfield balance and no longer sprints at all?

We have mature players in the midfield that are very capable of playing at the level. We don’t need to carry another slow mid.

Give me a young player who’s developing and will make mistakes along the way any day.

They will learn and develop far more from playing game time in the middle against strong opposition than they ever will watching Prestia run around in his current state.

Prestia is going to take those minutes.

VFL as a depth player or holding a whistle during the week is the right spot for Prestia and I just don’t see them playing him in the VFL.
He should have been given a development role.

Last season we didnt gift any older players games and some weeks were struggling to have a midfielder in the VFL
Injuries , Suspensions usually wipe out 10 players sometimes more and form drops off and young kids get tired

 

[Moonatic77]

The priority isn't winning games in the immediate term.

The priority is players learning and perfecting a system of play that will win flags in the medium and longer term. If Prestia's presence is thought likely to accelerate that process then he should be playing. In fact this is precisely why he is present on the list and in the team.

Couldn't like this post enough. You're spot on mate!
The development of our recent draftees and/or soon to be, relies on blokes like Prestia showing them how it's done. Yeah he's passed his prime but a bloke like that would impart training standard and footy/game knowledge to our young cubs. That is important, very important actually for our 2030's dynasty.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Last season we didnt gift any older players games and some weeks were struggling to have a midfielder in the VFL
Injuries , Suspensions usually wipe out 10 players sometimes more and form drops off and young kids get tired

Having a younger, less injury prone player filling Prestias spot on the list helps that. Prestia missed half of last season.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Having a younger, less injury prone player filling Prestias spot on the list helps that. Prestia missed half of last season.

Which players did Prestia deprive of senior experience last year that concerns you?

 

[THE_GUN]

Having a younger, less injury prone player filling Prestias spot on the list helps that. Prestia missed half of last season.

At pick 126 the chances of that player having an impact is probably less than 5% and most likely provide nothing
Prestia on the other hand provides leadership experience and professionalism and on ground direction for the young players that walked into the club yesterday and more tomorrow

 

[Tackle Bag]

At pick 126 the chances of that player having an impact is probably less than 5% and most likely provide nothing
Prestia on the other hand provides leadership experience and professionalism and on ground direction for the young players that walked into the club yesterday and more tomorrow

It’s been argued already, the reasons why he’s increasingly a liability.

There are other options to get players onto the list other than going to the draft with pick 126.

 

[Yze does it]

Which players did Prestia deprive of senior experience last year that concerns you?

list wise Dow and Sonsie.
24 y.o. 40 gamers.

have a good look at MRJ in the middle.

If we can't make salary cap, I hope like hell that neon Dion plays a lot of VFL games.

like Bruest did his last season.

sadly at punt road ~ flag winning players in the VFL? no f...g way

 

[Yze does it]

The priority isn't winning games in the immediate term.

The priority is players learning and perfecting a system of play that will win flags in the medium and longer term. If Prestia's presence is thought likely to accelerate that process then he should be playing. In fact this is precisely why he is present on the list and in the team.

In a season where the club was widely tipped to win zero games ~ I celebrated the wins like flags

Prestia mic'd in a game of football which we lost, fargot posted ~ no wonder we are crap cos Dion had to give instruction to the other mids.

already got a midfield coach I hope like f... the message was the same or Prez just making it up?

 

[Meteoric Rise]

In a season where the club was widely tipped to win zero games ~ I celebrated the wins like flags

Prestia mic'd in a game of football which we lost, fargot posted ~ no wonder we are crap cos Dion had to give instruction to the other mids.

already got a midfield coach I hope like f... the message was the same or Prez just making it up?

Every team would have a certain mid calling the shots to the other players. In most cases this would probably be the most experienced mid. In our case, that is Prestia when he plays. Him telling Hopper where to stand is not evidence that Hopper doesn't know what he is doing. It is simply evidence that Prestia sets everyone up at each stoppage according to who is present for each team. This stops Prestia from instructing say McAuliffe to stand at 9 o'clock while Hopper is simultaneously thinking "I will go and stand at 9 o'clock."

 

[Meteoric Rise]

list wise Dow and Sonsie.
24 y.o. 40 gamers.

have a good look at MRJ in the middle.

If we can't make salary cap, I hope like hell that neon Dion plays a lot of VFL games.

like Bruest did his last season.

sadly at punt road ~ flag winning players in the VFL? no f...g way

You think if Richmond is trying to develop and educate say a Kane McAuliffe to be a part of its future premiership midfield, that this is better achieved by playing him next to Dow and/or Sonsie than by playing him next to Prestia?

I think you need to re-think that one.

Where Prestia fits into the 2026 picture is just speculation at this stage. But there was nothing about Prestia playing midfield in 2025 that was costing us development of our future premiership midfield. Sonsie and Dow are not going to be part of that. Rioli is highly unlikely to be any more than a bit part mid in our strong teams of the future as well.

 

[Yze does it]

Couldn't like this post enough. You're spot on mate!
The development of our recent draftees and/or soon to be, relies on blokes like Prestia showing them how it's done. Yeah he's passed his prime but a bloke like that would impart training standard and footy/game knowledge to our young cubs. That is important, very important actually for our 2030's dynasty.

Taranto, Hopper both played in grand finals.
Nank ~ 3 flags.

training standards ? neon is never out of rehab!!!

there was no one better than Kmac ~ he's gone Taranto is the running machine in games and preseason.

Dion never been even vice captain ...looks like Timmy T to be the next captain.. 2 JDMs

 

[Yze does it]

You think if Richmond is trying to develop and educate say a Kane McAuliffe to be a part of its future premiership midfield, that this is better achieved by playing him next to Dow and/or Sonsie than by playing him next to Prestia?

I think you need to re-think that one.

Where Prestia fits into the 2026 picture is just speculation at this stage. But there was nothing about Prestia playing midfield in 2025 that was costing us development of our future premiership midfield. Sonsie and Dow are not going to be part of that. Rioli is highly unlikely to be any more than a bit part mid in our strong teams of the future as well.

ever seen a senior player play VFL at punt road?
ANS no

 

[Grrr]

Every team would have a certain mid calling the shots to the other players. In most cases this would probably be the most experienced mid. In our case, that is Prestia when he plays. Him telling Hopper where to stand is not evidence that Hopper doesn't know what he is doing. It is simply evidence that Prestia sets everyone up at each stoppage according to who is present for each team. This stops Prestia from instructing say McAuliffe to stand at 9 o'clock while Hopper is simultaneously thinking "I will go and stand at 9 o'clock."

You are not exactly backing up your argument here... every club has a senior player setting up. Hopper, Taranto and Ross could all do it.

You see it in every level, players pointing and directing traffic, it's not about telling some junior player where to set up generally, but making sure the set-ups are correct and players know where to go. If two players go to 9 o'clock, one of them will always see that and go the correct position. They don't need to be told that or they shouldn't be in the midfield.