How are we for depth in each position?

[Cleric]

We have been blessed with injuries so far, but when or if they come, I was wondering how we are set for the second batch to come in and fill the spot.

Ruck - We are screwed.

Backs - I think with Butts, Nank, Bond and Borlase in the wings we can cover a spot or two ok.

Mids - I think with Dowling, Schoenberg, Jones, Edwards, Berry and Taylor we are ok for a decent back up. Nothing that can replace Dawson or Rankine, but no club has players of that quality in their seconds.

Forwards - A little light on really. Murphy, Burgess, Murray, Cook, Welsh and Pedler. Pedler the only one I have confidence to step right in, and someone I think has a future.
We have the ability to move Milera in to the forward lines and lose nothing goal kicking wise, and then bring in another defender to cover him.

All in all, I think we have decent level of depth that can cover us, except the ruck department.

 

[SugarShane]

McAndrew is at least serviceable in the ruck isn't he? I didn't see a lot of the preseason stuff but I thought word was that he was at least capable (and potentially an upgrade on Strachan?)

 

[Mutineer]

We have been blessed with injuries so far, but when or if they come, I was wondering how we are set for the second batch to come in and fill the spot.

Ruck - We are screwed.

Backs - I think with Butts, Nank, Bond and Borlase in the wings we can cover a spot or two ok.

Mids - I think with Dowling, Schoenberg, Jones, Edwards, Berry and Taylor we are ok for a decent back up. Nothing that can replace Dawson or Rankine, but no club has players of that quality in their seconds.

Forwards - A little light on really. Murphy, Burgess, Murray, Cook, Welsh and Pedler. Pedler the only one I have confidence to step right in, and someone I think has a future.
We have the ability to move Milera in to the forward lines and lose nothing goal kicking wise, and then bring in another defender to cover him.

All in all, I think we have decent level of depth that can cover us, except the ruck department.

I think T Murray's rate of improvement since he's come into the full time footballer ranks to my eye he's a definite keeper and better than just a depth option.
Then again I saw enough of Toby's U18's to have rookie listed him straight out of the Murray Bushrangers program well before we added to him to our SANFL roster.

 

[Mutineer]

McAndrew is at least serviceable in the ruck isn't he? I didn't see a lot of the preseason stuff but I thought word was that he was at least capable (and potentially an upgrade on Strachan?)

We'll soon find out because at his size he should absolutely obliterate the generally shortarse SANFL rucks.

He's 25 in a couple of months and even if he shows enough we should still bring in a young development ruck via the draft that can usually be picked up later in the draft or even via the rookie draft.

Max Ramsden looks an option given he has Lloyd Meek and Ned Reeves in front of him at the Hawks.

 

[Scorpus]

I think we have excellent defensive depth and some solid midfield choices.

Our forward depth is quite shallow and probably the biggest question mark

 

[119others]

Generally its good and the positions needing further investment IMO is ruck (ROB replacement at least for the medium term), small pacy forward (CC type) and perhaps another raw KPF (but we do have T Murray, Welsh - both perhaps 2-3 years off and Burgess who doesnt appear up to it)

We dont need smalls with 6-8 guys ready to step right up (Pedlar, Taylor, Nank, Jones, Berry, Schoey, Dowling, Bond) and the 2023 draftees Edwards and Ryan who both seem promising. KPP we really only have Butts as AFL level and Burgess who is extremely marginal

Only obvious delists to me are Smith, Murphy, Cook and Burgess so we may need to flog off a couple of these guys who cant crack the team currently to upgrade draft picks or be part of a trade for NWM ideally

 

[Cleric]

I think T Murray's rate of improvement since he's come into the full time footballer ranks to my eye he's a definite keeper and better than just a depth option.
Then again I saw enough of Toby's U18's to have rookie listed him straight out of the Murray Bushrangers program well before we added to him to our SANFL roster.

I haven't seen enough of him to really judge, but if he is half as good as his brother he should go alright.

 

[Cleric]

Generally its good and the positions needing further investment IMO is ruck (ROB replacement at least for the medium term), small pacy forward (CC type) and perhaps another raw KPF (but we do have T Murray, Welsh - both perhaps 2-3 years off and Burgess who doesnt appear up to it)

We dont need smalls with 6-8 guys ready to step right up (Pedlar, Taylor, Nank, Jones, Berry, Schoey, Dowling, Bond) and the 2023 draftees Edwards and Ryan who both seem promising. KPP we really only have Butts as AFL level and Burgess who is extremely marginal

Only obvious delists to me are Smith, Murphy, Cook and Burgess so we may need to flog off a couple of these guys who cant crack the team currently to upgrade draft picks or be part of a trade for NWM ideally

Cook has another year left, and I think he has ability. Wasn't long ago this board was pretty happy with what he was doing in the firsts.

 

[119others]

Cook has another year left, and I think he has ability. Wasn't long ago this board was pretty happy with what he was doing in the firsts.

I havent ever really seen him do enough. He can look great a handful of things per game but 5 years in he just doesnt get the ball enough and I dont think he is up to it. Would love to be wrong though

Thanks for confirming he is still under contract. For some reason I had thought he was OOC at the end of this year. Makes delistings even tighter then so reckon we could bundle up a couple of others for trades (Berry, Nank, Shoey etc and possibly even Edwards or Ryan under the right circumstances. We cant play them all - thats the issue going forward)

 

[Coopers]

Cook has another year left, and I think he has ability. Wasn't long ago this board was pretty happy with what he was doing in the firsts.

Definitely happy when he gets the ball, not so happy with his ability to get it, stay involved, stay intense.

If he can work on his deficiencies, could still be a hell of a player.

 

[Captain Furious]

Cook has another year left, and I think he has ability. Wasn't long ago this board was pretty happy with what he was doing in the firsts.

Cook could blow up at anytime, has a ton of talent. Could just as easily spend the year getting sub 10 touches in SANFL. I'm starting to lean towards the latter after being previously more inclined to the former.

For mids, we have some leftovers of the 'grunt' drafting period that need to go but Dowling and Taylor have potential, they both showed they were up to the level last year. Dawson barely played until his 3rd year and only showed any kind of clue he was going to be the player he is in his 5th year. At the worst, those two can be reliable, quality depth. Edwards I'm less sure about but he has time, felt he was a draft reach at the time and haven't seen much to suggest that's not the case.

Oscar Ryan is the one that hasn't been mentioned here, stuck behind a few but have a feeling he may be a guy who gets his chance and explodes. Has some tools and plays the modern game.

Our biggest need is absolutely small forward, especially when we want Rankine up around the ball. Keays and ANB are great in their roles but not small forwards, neither really is Rachele, as good as he is - who plays more of a Jamie Elliot type game. A Bobbly Hill, Charlie Cameron style speedy, nimble, crumbing forward would really round us out.

And obviously a ball playing ruck. Please no more rucks that you have to hold your breath when they get the ball. It's 2025. No one cares about getting taps anymore.

 

[Cleric]

Cook could blow up at anytime, has a ton of talent. Could just as easily spend the year getting sub 10 touches in SANFL. I'm starting to lean towards the latter after being previously more inclined to the former.

For mids, we have some leftovers of the 'grunt' drafting period that need to go but Dowling and Taylor have potential, they both showed they were up to the level last year. Dawson barely played until his 3rd year and only showed any kind of clue he was going to be the player he is in his 5th year. At the worst, those two can be reliable, quality depth. Edwards I'm less sure about but he has time, felt he was a draft reach at the time and haven't seen much to suggest that's not the case.

Oscar Ryan is the one that hasn't been mentioned here, stuck behind a few but have a feeling he may be a guy who gets his chance and explodes. Has some tools and plays the modern game.

Our biggest need is absolutely small forward, especially when we want Rankine up around the ball. Keays and ANB are great in their roles but not small forwards, neither really is Rachele, as good as he is - who plays more of a Jamie Elliot type game. A Bobbly Hill, Charlie Cameron style speedy, nimble, crumbing forward would really round us out.

And obviously a ball playing ruck. Please no more rucks that you have to hold your breath when they get the ball. It's 2025. No one cares about getting taps anymore.

When you watch Cooks highlights from his U18s, you can see the talent and what he is capable of.
I think is so concerned with structure and discipline that he isn't playing his natural game.

 

[Cleric]

Definitely happy when he gets the ball, not so happy with his ability to get it, stay involved, stay intense.

If he can work on his deficiencies, could still be a hell of a player.

Agreed. The only issue for him now is he is going to have to wait for a number of injuries before he gets another opportunity. He is about three back at the moment.
I think Pedler is next up, and then I would probably bring Milera into the forward line and bring Nank to cover for him before going Cook. That's not a knock on Cook, but I think Milera is an exceptional forward.

 

[WeeBlake]

Cook could blow up at anytime, has a ton of talent. Could just as easily spend the year getting sub 10 touches in SANFL. I'm starting to lean towards the latter after being previously more inclined to the former.

For mids, we have some leftovers of the 'grunt' drafting period that need to go but Dowling and Taylor have potential, they both showed they were up to the level last year. Dawson barely played until his 3rd year and only showed any kind of clue he was going to be the player he is in his 5th year. At the worst, those two can be reliable, quality depth. Edwards I'm less sure about but he has time, felt he was a draft reach at the time and haven't seen much to suggest that's not the case.

Oscar Ryan is the one that hasn't been mentioned here, stuck behind a few but have a feeling he may be a guy who gets his chance and explodes. Has some tools and plays the modern game.

Our biggest need is absolutely small forward, especially when we want Rankine up around the ball. Keays and ANB are great in their roles but not small forwards, neither really is Rachele, as good as he is - who plays more of a Jamie Elliot type game. A Bobbly Hill, Charlie Cameron style speedy, nimble, crumbing forward would really round us out.

And obviously a ball playing ruck. Please no more rucks that you have to hold your breath when they get the ball. It's 2025. No one cares about getting taps anymore.

Agree with all of this plus I think we need a top-end, NWM/Blakey type attacking half back

 

[Cleric]

Agree with all of this plus I think we need a top-end, NWM/Blakey type attacking half back

We need a young ruck like Smith or Goad and a classy, speedy half back flanker like you say. I would also add a good young KPF to the wish list and another quality, line breaking mid like Sharp.

 

[Mutineer]

We need a young ruck like Smith or Goad and a classy, speedy half back flanker like you say. I would also add a good young KPF to the wish list and another quality, line breaking mid like Sharp.

 

[Kraven]

As far as ruck depth goes. I don't know if it's already known. But Strachan has no desire to play on next season. Bumped into his mum here in Bendigo and she said that he doesn't have it in him anymore.

 

[jimvic]

I think we have excellent defensive depth and some solid midfield choices.

Our forward depth is quite shallow and probably the biggest question mark

if one of the big forwards go down, isn't Curtin the next man up? Not many clubs would have someone like him waiting "in the wings"

 

[1990crow]

I'm not actually sure. SANFL hasn't started yet.

 

[CDC60]

Being a first round draft pick doesn't guarantee a decent AFL career but it should signify talent. We will have six first round draft picks playing in the SANFL this weekend. That may signify depth but it might also indicate some have not lived up to potential?

 

[Alwaysacrow]

Well we certainly have a lot more depth than our flog brother down the road.

 

[Mutineer]

Being a first round draft pick doesn't guarantee a decent AFL career but it should signify talent. We will have six first round draft picks playing in the SANFL this weekend. That may signify depth but it might also indicate some have not lived up to potential?

Some 1st round picks are way more valuable than others


Oscar Ryan pick 27 - 2023 draft...way way too early to judge
Charlie Edwards pick 21 - 2023 draft....way way to early to judge
Brayden Cook pick 25 - 2020 draft....needs to pull his finger out pronto
Luke Pedlar pick 11 - 2029 draft....has the talent of his pick but body keeps letting him down.
Chayce Jones pick 9 - 2018 draft....disappointed to now but none the less 92 AFL games to date.
Brodie Smith pick 14 - 2010 draft...33 y.o. ....experience SANFL depth for the young draftees coming through.

 

[50BC]

Cook has another year left, and I think he has ability. Wasn't long ago this board was pretty happy with what he was doing in the firsts.

Cook has some natural talent but I haven't seen any real improvement in him after 4 years. IMO he should consider himself very lucky to be contracted for next season.

 

[Golumless]

Strong enough, but in desperate need for a cull, seeing we're accrued a lot of players in no-mans-land.

Only thing would be a genuine need is a ruck to overtake Jacobs ROB, and just more star power - especially in the midfield and on the half back flank.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I think we have excellent defensive depth and some solid midfield choices.

Our forward depth is quite shallow and probably the biggest question mark

We can play Curtin as next tall forward.

Have likes of Pedlar as small forward.

Losing Thilthorpe would be the biggest risk as would need to play the raw T Murray as backup forward/ruck.