Preview Changes & Preview Thread for Round 2, 2026 vs Essendon @ Adelaide Oval

[raptalia]

I realise that stats do not mean everything but, Will Brodie

23

Will Brodie

Age

27

Ht

190cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.0

5star

K

8.2

3star

HB

10.8

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.9

5star

CL

4.1

5star

D

14.0

3star

K

4.0

1star

HB

10.0

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

2star

CL

3.0

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

5.4

5star

CL

2.8

5star

who averages 22 possessions per game across 54 matches doesn't get picked but Jackson Mead who averages 12.4 possessions across 64 matches does get picked.

Ability to win the footy cannot be the reason for Jackson Mead's selection. Maybe other factors such as pace? No?

Stats aside on trial form alone I would have selected Brodie over Mead.

 

[Powerade 08]

Visentini out for Sweet is pointless. He was always going to lose to Xerri and theres an easy run of games now to build confidence

 

[raptalia]

He wasn't dropped because of his ruckwork, I can tell you that much.

Very interesting. What do you know that the rest of us don't?

 

[TazD]

He's had a mare of a week

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Na Carr, you’ve lost me. Did he even see the trial ? Mead was trash Same shit different coach.

I mean I absolutely agree with you. I dislike Mead immensely as a player.

But if you’re looking for an AFL coach to agree with absolutely everything you want to see, you’re going to be very disappointed

 

[Rash]

f**ing mead, the most shittest cnt on the whole list, watkins holds ahead of brodie what a joke.

 

[PAFCsince1870]

Not thrilled personally but glad to see Watkins given more than a single AFL game to prove himself.

 

[manureid]

Mead lol...righto Josh.

 

[afl2004]

Very disappointing carr

 

[PatientMental]

I get not wanting to pick Mead but hes the only campaigner in defence with afl experience.

They're not gonna go throwing every 19 year old to the wolves

 

[Scodges]

So Mead takes Jones spot, I don't mind this.

Like for like tbh and keeps him away from spudding it up in the midfield.

Mead is a bad AFL player in general, he can’t defend if his life depended on it. Jones is bad, but 100% better than Mead.

 

[Sewer de Lance]

Calm the farm folks, let’s give Carr a good solid month before melting into our keyboards.

 

[Windy Cindy]

So we replaced a speedy defender with a slow plodder who offers nothing…cool

Kako to kick a bag

 

[The Hobo]

Very interesting. What do you know that the rest of us don't?

I don't know anymore - sorry, I can see how it's come across that way. It was through deduction.

You don't pick a ruck for R1 and change him when he came up against an AA calibre ruck AND he held his own against him, if not beat him at ruckwork.

Dante had 30 hit outs to 16, he had 9 hitouts to advantage compared to Xerris 5 etc.

The big statistical difference between the two was around the ground.

Xerri had 16 contested possessions, Dante had 1. Xerri had 19 disposals in total compared to Dantes 6. His all round ineffectiveness around the ground is likely what cost him his spot. His ruckwork itself was as good as could have been expected, if not better.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I realise that stats do not mean everything but, Will Brodie who averages 22 possessions per game across 54 matches doesn't get picked but Jackson Mead who averages 12.4 possessions across 64 matches does get picked.

Ability to win the footy cannot be the reason for Jackson Mead's selection. Maybe other factors such as pace? No?

Stats aside on trial form alone I would have selected Brodie over Mead.

Brodie v Mead was never the match up. Mead is being picked as a small defender, will probably get the job on Kako. Lai is the one who missed out here as the closest replacement for Jones with his pace and athleticism.

Brodie would replace Watkins, but they've decided to give Jack another chance which is fair enough.

 

[The Hobo]

Brodie v Mead was never the match up. Mead is being picked as a small defender, will probably get the job on Kako. Lai is the one who missed out here as the closest replacement for Jones with his pace and athleticism.

Brodie would replace Watkins, but they've decided to give Jack another chance which is fair enough.

Mead hasn't played much at all as a small defender though, but you're right in the comparison around who was fighting for what.

Experience probably came into it, we've already got 2 players playing their second game - so didn't want to put in another first gamer. Makes sense.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Brodie v Mead was never the match up. Mead is being picked as a small defender, will probably get the job on Kako. Lai is the one who missed out here as the closest replacement for Jones with his pace and athleticism.

Brodie would replace Watkins, but they've decided to give Jack another chance which is fair enough.

That’s what disappoints me here, perfect opportunity to give Lai a crack.

 

[chachi11]

YES!!! MEAD!!
PUMPED!!

Said no one ever

 

[Schulzenfest]

Weird how the guy who has coached under Hinkley for the last three years picks basically the same team that Hinkley would've picked hey. Who could've guessed.

Brodie, Lai and Visentini should all be playing this game. We've got literally every emergency call wrong.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Mead hasn't played much at all as a small defender though, but you're right in the comparison around who was fighting for what.

Experience probably came into it, we've already got 2 players playing their second game - so didn't want to put in another first gamer. Makes sense.

They've talked up Mead's transition to defence during the pre-season, they have to try it. I just don't think he's AFL quality wherever he's played. Lai could be, especially with his pace and athleticism. They will have to bite the bullet at some stage.

 

[Shane_Mag]

Man our depth is pretty shit.

 

[Nelso]

So Mead takes Jones spot, I don't mind this.

Like for like tbh and keeps him away from spudding it up in the midfield.

Yeah let's have Mead spudding it up in defence instead where every turnover will be costly.

 

[Ant Bear]

Looks like Whitlock for second ruck

 

[raptalia]

Looks like Whitlock for second ruck

Lukosius is on the fence so he can either pinch hit in ruck or take Whitlock's spot up forward if he gets the job.

 

[RedEffingBull]

Late posting this. Last Sunday, we hosted some international visitors for their first AFL game at the NM vs PA game at Marvel.

For what it's worth, we (the coaching group) didn't seem well prepared for the game, especially compared to NM. To the naked eye, our warm up and lead-up to the first ball-up seemed relaxed and poorly organised. NM seemed fine-tuned and on a mission. As the coin was being tossed, we were still performing suicide drills, whilst NM gathered into a tight, tight huddle before lining up.

It was only a small observation, and perhaps it is a sign of the new coaching group still organising our game-day drills and schedule. Hopefully they get it sorted quickly to ensure we're good-to-go come first ball-up.