Delisted 47: Oskar Smartt - Delisted as of 22/09/25

[eth-dog]

Old mate Jon Ralph reporting he's "probably" going to earn a new deal

Well we know he's getting cut then

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Well we know he's getting cut then

was about to post that before but didnt want to steal your bit

cant take anything he says seriously about us, especially after his declaration on the eve of the season that drapers re-signing was imminent and it was 6 years at $800k.

 

[eth-dog]

was about to post that before but didnt want to steal your bit

cant take anything he says seriously about us, especially after his declaration on the eve of the season that drapers re-signing was imminent and it was 6 years at $800k.

Everyone is welcome in the club of disparaging Jon Ralph. As long as nobody challenges me for President

 

[ant555]

was about to post that before but didnt want to steal your bit

cant take anything he says seriously about us, especially after his declaration on the eve of the season that drapers re-signing was imminent and it was 6 years at $800k.

To be fair the Draper situation did change.
Anyway Ralph is pretty much a mouth piece for a few AFL clubs that feed him stuff to suite their agenda.
Got to love it when he says “probably “ gets another contract

 

[Old Campaigner]

To be fair the Draper situation did change.
Anyway Ralph is pretty much a mouth piece for a few AFL clubs that feed him stuff to suite their agenda.
Got to love it when he says “probably “ gets another contract

It might be contingent on some other list management items falling in to place or something

 

[ant555]

It might be contingent on some other list management items falling in to place or something

Probably is. A few of them will be waiting to see how many contracted players may move on.

 

[jannissary]

the "probably" gives him a percieved lack of accountability when it eventually is proven to be wrong. i wouldn't mind another single year contract to see what he can do with a full, proper AFL preseason behind him, but at the same time he's playing from behind in terms of performances (many points, lack of goals)

 

[Reddit Refugee]

Assuming other players playing his role depart, then I don't mind keeping him for at least one more season. An AFL, not VFL, pre-season might give him the chance to cement a spot on the team more than a six-month mid-season stint in an injury-riddled side would.

I'm hopeful for the day he does something remotely clever on the football pitch, the number of "Smartt" pun newspaper headlines would keep the thread busy for a while.

 

[faible]

Whether he goes on or not, I'd have liked to see him at least kick a goal at AFL level this year. Seems like a well liked guy who works pretty hard and has gotten to play a few games at the highest level.

 

[Yoda_]

the "probably" gives him a percieved lack of accountability when it eventually is proven to be wrong. i wouldn't mind another single year contract to see what he can do with a full, proper AFL preseason behind him, but at the same time he's playing from behind in terms of performances (many points, lack of goals)

thats all these 'journalists' do

"I think..."
"they may..."
"its my understanding..."

 

[JT_the_Man]

Old mate Jon Ralph reporting he's "probably" going to earn a new deal

Interesting, because I was just thinking with how tight for spots we'll presumably be that he could be papers stamped already having been dropped.

Assuming it'll come down to how many players want out/in.

 

[King Patty]

I'm more inclined to offload some expereinced blokes and give the kids one year deals.
Smartt is the kind that you would make wait until list is almost finalised with expected trades etc.

 

[Yoda_]

Interesting, because I was just thinking with how tight for spots we'll presumably be that he could be papers stamped already having been dropped.

Assuming it'll come down to how many players want out/in.

Even being one of the more impressive youngsters in our VFL program I tend to agree. Would love to see what he can do with a full AFL pre season under his belt but fear his omission from an already depleted side isnt great reading at this time of the year

 

[faible]

Interesting, because I was just thinking with how tight for spots we'll presumably be that he could be papers stamped already having been dropped.

Assuming it'll come down to how many players want out/in.

Might mean some of the other nominal small forwards on the list are going; Menzie, Gresham, Guelfi, Davey Jnr (though he's been down back) could all be options to trade / delist

 

[JT_the_Man]

Even being one of the more impressive youngsters in our VFL program I tend to agree. Would love to see what he can do with a full AFL pre season under his belt but fear his omission from an already depleted side isnt great reading at this time of the year

I agree in wanting to see what he can do with a full AFL preseason under his belt. I'm just not sure he'll get the chance.

 

[King Patty]

Is it Crazy that we don't actually have a ruckman signed for 2026 at this point in the year.

Draper, Bryan, Vissentini and Goldstein are all uncontracted.
personally I hope Goldy retires and Vissentini is retained, but I guess Bryan/Vissentini are waiting on Draper as it makes their contract possibly more valuable if he leaves. And for Bryan maybe assess other options if he stays.... otherwise he would have already signed.

 

[faible]

Is it Crazy that we don't actually have a ruckman signed for 2026 at this point in the year.

Draper, Bryan, Vissentini and Goldstein are all uncontracted.
personally I hope Goldy retires and Vissentini is retained, but I guess Bryan/Vissentini are waiting on Draper as it makes their contract possibly more valuable if he leaves. And for Bryan maybe assess other options if he stays.... otherwise he would have already signed.

We tried going in to 2025 with too many ruckmen on the list and it didn't work out. Now we're trying going in to 2026 with none to see if that goes better.

 

[craffles]

We tried going in to 2025 with too many ruckmen on the list and it didn't work out. Now we're trying going in to 2026 with none to see if that goes better.

Where’s Michael Quinn and Nathan Lovett-Murray when you need them

 

[Nifft]

thats all these 'journalists' do

"I think..."
"they may..."
"its my understanding..."

"if... then..."

 

[IHurley]

Seemed a waste of an MSD pick. Decent VFL player with limited upside. For talls we desperately needed cover in the MSD but it's not like you can't have midfielders filling gaps as smalls if necessary. We had four spots to go for high risk high reward and we only really went that way for one.

 

[King Patty]

"if... then..."

That sounds like Damo's famous sliding doors column.
He loves that.

If Essendon beats St kilda or Carlton. Then their coach should resign as they are basically playing a VFL side.

 

[Old Campaigner]

That sounds like Damo's famous sliding doors column.
He loves that.

If Essendon beats St kilda or Carlton. Then their coach should resign as they are basically playing a VFL side.

Pretty sure that was the joke

 

[Old Campaigner]

Seemed a waste of an MSD pick. Decent VFL player with limited upside. For talls we desperately needed cover in the MSD but it's not like you can't have midfielders filling gaps as smalls if necessary. We had four spots to go for high risk high reward and we only really went that way for one.

We weren’t exactly flush with midfielders either

 

[Yoda_]

That sounds like Damo's famous sliding doors column.
He loves that.

If Essendon beats St kilda or Carlton. Then their coach should resign as they are basically playing a VFL side.

speaking of,

Damo literally rehashed the same bullshit Jay Clark (first crack - Sunday night) and then Matthew Lloyd (Footy Classified - Tuesday night). Its now Thursday and Damian Barrett is saying the same rubbish


I dunno but the numbers suggest otherwise

 

[Yoda_]

Seemed a waste of an MSD pick. Decent VFL player with limited upside. For talls we desperately needed cover in the MSD but it's not like you can't have midfielders filling gaps as smalls if necessary. We had four spots to go for high risk high reward and we only really went that way for one.

to be fair, we need small forwards and Smartt offers something different to what we have (marking, powerful, has more midfield craft than the other small fwds) so can see why, hasn't worked or come on like we'd hoped but the reasoning was pretty evident.