List Mgmt. AFLW List Management, Trades, Draft, Expansion Thread

[craig crowing]

Yes we lose 2 strong players that can take a mark up forward and in Prowse case back in defence .
Just wondered why Prowse wanted to leave .
Question is we had a lack of calls that could take a big mark or contest and who available could cover that void.

 

[cmndstab]

We went with Cronin down back towards the end of the season which wasn't a disaster, all told. She's no Prowse, of course. It's ironic that we finally gave her a proper try up forward right before she left.

We did get unders for her, but once pick 6 was gone we probably weren't going to get any better. Hell, the former pick #1 just left her club for nothing. And Port just lost last year's first-round pick for a fringe player and a very mild pick upgrade.

 

[Tas]

Yes we lose 2 strong players that can take a mark up forward and in Prowse case back in defence .
Just wondered why Prowse wanted to leave .
Question is we had a lack of calls that could take a big mark or contest and who available could cover that void.

If I recall correctly, Prowse let the club know a while ago, her partner relocated to Melbourne for work reasons and she wanted to join her partner.

 

[Fud#3]

GC were wooden spooners this year. There is potential for this to be a win. If they finish bottom 4 next year that's a serious pick. If they rise up the ladder, or if we plummet, it's a bit of a bust.

GC are probably still bottom 3 and we would be in that 8-12 range is my guess

 

[Firewalker]

That graphic on the AFLW socials of Prowse in an Essendon guernsey just looked all kinds of wrong to me

Such a shame.

 

[Firewalker]

Anyway, on to the draft next Monday… given their luck with most of their first round picks from SA thinking pastures are greener outside of SA I wonder if the club are thinking they may as well look to grab someone from interstate with that pick 4 and you can’t really blame them too much.

That said I’m still biased to local products and have had Centrals Sophie Eaton circled as the Crows 1st pick in this draft probably since I saw her play for Centrals at 16, such a quick & classy mover, then have Sturt’s Monique Bessen pushing her as the best option - would be a great replacement for Hatchard/Boileau in that bigger body mid role (but with a much, much better kick) she came a long in leaps and bounds this year, and then probably have Eloise Mackereth who has some untapped talent as a forward and who would definitely fill a need. They could also probably with a little luck land all 3.

As for the other couple top SA talents; Imogen Trengove is a star junior player but isn’t near a 1st rounder for mine, still have massive questions marks over her disposal and decision making every time I see footage of her play, is far too risky a option to take early and Sophie Threadgold who also has been highly touted but has a putrid ball drop so has loose disposal and drops out of games - both are also similar to what the team already has.


It’s also so stupid that Emma Charlton & Polly Turner are not eligible for this draft, both would be my first 2 picked for the Crows in this draft for needs and in the team for round 1 next season.

 

[cmndstab]

It’s also so stupid that Emma Charlton & Polly Turner are not eligible for this draft, both would be my first 2 picked for the Crows in this draft for needs and in the team for round 1 next season.

Hopefully that future first tied to Gold Coast can go towards one of them next year...

 

[Firewalker]

Also been off on holiday the last week so missed some stuff but has Brooke Smith somehow survived a list cut again? Surely not? Has to be one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen, surely they just constantly forget she’s still on the list like I do most the time?

 

[radiojake]

Also been off on holiday the last week so missed some stuff but has Brooke Smith somehow survived a list cut again? Surely not? Has to be one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen, surely they just constantly forget she’s still on the list like I do most the time?

Matthew Smith's brother?

 

[Caputo]

It’s also so stupid that Emma Charlton & Polly Turner are not eligible for this draft, both would be my first 2 picked for the Crows in this draft for needs and in the team for round 1 next season.

Polly Turner is Father Daughter for us and Carlton. Hoping the bright lights of Melbourne is a calling song.

 

[cmndstab]

Also been off on holiday the last week so missed some stuff but has Brooke Smith somehow survived a list cut again? Surely not? Has to be one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen, surely they just constantly forget she’s still on the list like I do most the time?

So far we've lost or delisted six players (SLT, Martin, Ballard, Prowse, Boileau, Hatchard) and only brought one back in (Egan). We have five draft picks (4, 13, 17, 39, 60). I'm guessing they don't want to draft more than five players.

Still, I'd be perfectly happy for us to just delist her, hold a list spot open, and pick up some senior player in the PSD midway through next year after the state level comps have finished. Hell, they could even take her again if they really think she's the best available option in the country, it's not like anyone else is going to snap her up.

 

[cmndstab]

Polly Turner is Father Daughter for us and Carlton. Hoping the bright lights of Melbourne is a calling song.

Not a great time for Carlton to seemingly be overtaking us...

 

[Firewalker]

So far we've lost or delisted six players (SLT, Martin, Ballard, Prowse, Boileau, Hatchard) and only brought one back in (Egan). We have five draft picks (4, 13, 17, 39, 60). I'm guessing they don't want to draft more than five players.

Still, I'd be perfectly happy for us to just delist her, hold a list spot open, and pick up some senior player in the PSD midway through next year after the state level comps have finished. Hell, they could even take her again if they really think she's the best available option in the country, it's not like anyone else is going to snap her up.

Like is it some sense of loyalty because she moved over from interstate at 18? I honestly believe it’s because due to the squad’s lack of athletically gifted players they honestly believe she’s some kind of athletic freak on the training track compared to the others around her because she honestly cannot play the code… an actual Stephen Schwerdt reincarnation in the modern era.

 

[cmndstab]

Like is it some sense of loyalty because she moved over from interstate at 18? I honestly believe it’s because due to the squad’s lack of athletically gifted players they honestly believe she’s some kind of athletic freak on the training track compared to the others around her because she honestly cannot play the code… an actual Stephen Schwerdt reincarnation in the modern era.

It might be a bit of sunk cost fallacy... figuring she's getting better, just one more season and we'll see the rewards, etc.

I have yet to see any indication that there is even a fringe player there, but hey, maybe she'll prove us wrong?

It just seems crazy to me that they buried Ballard in a landfill somewhere, when she has shown in the past that she can contribute at the level, but continue to go back to Smith.

 

[Scorpus]

Like is it some sense of loyalty because she moved over from interstate at 18? I honestly believe it’s because due to the squad’s lack of athletically gifted players they honestly believe she’s some kind of athletic freak on the training track compared to the others around her because she honestly cannot play the code… an actual Stephen Schwerdt reincarnation in the modern era.

Is she friends/partners with one of our guns and we don't want to upset them?

 

[jimvic]

I'm not convinced.

The big loss is Prowse, who will be difficult to replace.

I don't think the gap between Hatchard and Egan will be all that large comparing 2025 output. Hatchard's best days as a midfielder are over.

Boileau was a role player for us and we should improve by replacing her with pick 4 in the side. We're also getting two first round picks on top of that to strengthen our talent and role playing spots. And Gold Coast's high future 1st.

I think it's the right move and I wouldn't be surprised to see us perform around the same mark next year, while improving our squad for the future. Four first round picks including two very high ones is excellent for our talent and will leave us in a stronger position IMO

Hopefully Egan doesn't look as "solid" as Hatchard - not sure what happened there. Should also free up some salary cap. And regarding Prowse, for some reason I thought she and Gould were an item, at least when they were rumoured to be going to North Melb?

 

[Firewalker]

Is she friends/partners with one of our guns and we don't want to upset them?

One of the key factors in of the Harper/Clarke ‘family’ culture they built down there… a family where the parents have gone off to retire in Europe and your just standing there with the shirt on your back smiling & waving goodbye to several other family members as they walk off with everything valuable from the house.

Speaking of Harper there’s a rumour on X he made it known around that Hatchard suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which is apparently a reason they let her go to Gold Coast on compassionate grounds due to the weather… those middling totally inconsistent seasons post-2022 flag where the club payed her (relative to the competition) a ‘high’ amount to stop her from going to Port looking like a top list management decision now in hindsight.

 

[Scorpus]

One of the key factors in of the Harper/Clarke ‘family’ culture they built down there… a family where the parents have gone off to retire in Europe and your just standing there with the shirt on your back smiling & waving goodbye to several other family members as they walk off with everything valuable from the house.

Speaking of Harper there’s a rumour on X he made it known around that Hatchard suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which is apparently a reason they let her go to Gold Coast on compassionate grounds due to the weather… those middling totally inconsistent seasons post-2022 flag where the club payed her (relative to the competition) a ‘high’ amount to stop her from going to Port looking like a top list management decision now in hindsight.

It's not a rumour, he straight up said it on the record on the AFLW trade deadline day broadcast

 

[cmndstab]

So... some interesting selection questions heading into next year.

1) Do we still run with a three-KPD backline? If so, does Cronin become the third KPD? Alternatively, do we let Randall go back there and reprise the role she's most comfortable (and arguably safest) in?
2) Who takes over Hatchard's role of part-time forward, part-time midfielder, and occasional ruck chopout? Or do we change the structure?
3) Who takes over Boileau's role of engine-room midfielder off the bench? Given she was only getting 50% gametime anyway, do we try to replace her portion and Hatchard's portion with a single full time midfielder?
4) Will we replace the gaps with fringe players already on our squad, or try to use our new draftees?

It seems like the makeup of the squad next year will be:

Picked whenever available: Gould, Jones, Rasheed, Marinoff, Goodwin, Biddell, Ponter, Newman, G. Kelly, N. Kelly, Charlton, Randall, J. Allan, S. Allan, Egan
Fill out the squad: Munyard, Kustermann, Mueller, Tarlinton, Cronin, Boyle-Carr, Tonon, perhaps 2x draftees
Fringe players: Ewings, McKee, Smith, Leuzzi, perhaps 3x draftees

That's 15 players who we would expect to be picked for any games available (although Ponter and Charlton would be in danger of moving down a category). Perhaps McKee and Leuzzi will move up into the second category?

My prediction for our round 1 lineup, assuming no injuries, is:

B: Biddell, S. Allan
HB: Kustermann, Cronin, Tonon
C: N. Kelly, Egan, Newman
HF: Ponter, Randall, Rasheed
FF: Gould, Jones
R: J. Allan, Marinoff, Goodwin
INT: Charlton, G. Kelly, Munyard, 2x draftees
EMG: Mueller, Boyle-Carr, Tarlinton

 

[Caputo]

My prediction for our round 1 lineup, assuming no injuries, is:

B: Biddell, S. Allan
HB: Kustermann, Cronin, Tonon
C: N. Kelly, Egan, Newman
HF: Ponter, Randall, Rasheed
FF: Gould, Jones
R: J. Allan, Marinoff, Goodwin
INT: Charlton, G. Kelly, Munyard, 2x draftees
EMG: Mueller, Boyle-Carr, Tarlinton

This is still a solid AFLW team. However, the change in coach and philosophy could invigorate the squad.