List Balance

Tbonefreo

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Feb 13, 2013
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Logie Bear is a monster mate. Johnson retired, we only really have Pearce/Hamling for size down back. What happens when just one of them goes down? Logue coming in hot although he already plays before Kersten. This is also why I think Cox should be a Cale Hooker prototype. Everyone stream-lining the tall timber into the forward equation but what's going to happen if we have injuries down back? Cox goes down there. Multiple injuries then Kersten is the depth waiting to come in.
Do we seriously have 5 rucks and only 2 tall defenders(
 
May 2, 2017
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Do we seriously have 5 rucks and only 2 tall defenders(
We are starting a new paradigm in the game. After our 2nd flag everyone will try and replicate. Gonna feed the kids growth hormones...

To be fair to us, we have at least 4 KPD options (including Cox) and Huge has played there as well. Then there is Kersten whom I personally think is great list depth. Sure he aint a world beater but he is servicable, can kick and isn't going to get poached so we can pay him low wages on his next deal.
 
Sep 20, 2014
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Do we seriously have 5 rucks and only 2 tall defenders(

Affirmative, outside the main two we have Logue, inexperienced defensive mindset Kersten and Ryan can play tall but sometimes gets exposed. Which is why I think Cox will inevitably be a swingman. Lyon never got Hooker so he can make one instead.
 

Tbonefreo

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We are starting a new paradigm in the game. After our 2nd flag everyone will try and replicate. Gonna feed the kids growth hormones...

To be fair to us, we have at least 4 KPD options (including Cox) and Huge has played there as well. Then there is Kersten whom I personally think is great list depth. Sure he aint a world beater but he is servicable, can kick and isn't going to get poached so we can pay him low wages on his next deal.
Bloody hell we are a confusing mob
 

Tbonefreo

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Affirmative, outside the main two we have Logue, inexperienced defensive mindset Kersten and Ryan can play tall but sometimes gets exposed. Which is why I think Cox will inevitably be a swingman. Lyon never got Hooker so he can make one instead.
Cox keeps on stepping up. 3rd year could break out.
 
May 2, 2017
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Ok so who are the list cloggers?
Here is my list

Apeness
Meek
Jones
Sutcliffe
Sheridan
Bennell
Grey
Hughes
Strnadica



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Take Meek and Nads out, no way to tell yet since most rucks don't play AFL till they are 22+.
Sheridan is fine as depth.

The rest I agree with (unfortunately so on Bennell).
 

TheMcManusNose

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I agree it is imbalanced but only because there are still a few s**t players to get rid of. And those who have been tried but found wanting.

And that's the essence of rebuilding really. It's always going to happen.

Down back is fine. Midfield fine just need more quality.

Ruck - Darcy solidified as future number one. You definitely need a back up developing as well so that's Meek/Jones - imagine Meek will be kept to develop and Jones will probably go.

Apeness is a bit of a remnant from a few years ago and has been cooked by injury. Him and Nads probably rendered irrelevant by Lobb so one will probably go after this year.

Up forward you have Cox who looks good at FF, Tabs who is really just ok by AFL wide standards and Cam who is probably on his last chance. Dixon still way too early.

Really the whole log jam is solved by the end of this year. Sandi retires, Jones delisted, one of Apeness/Nads delisted.

Then we have 2 main rucks, 2 fwd/rucks and 3-4 players for 2 FF/CHF positions in Cox, Tabs, Dixon and Cam. That's about exactly right for an AFL list.
 

Docker82

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I’d say Dixon goes back at Peel at the start of next season. Probably need to draft one more key defender too.

May have to pay out a ruck or two or hope some team is stupid enough to take one of them even if it is for pick 100-odd.
 

Caldera

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I think we are OK, but still need work on the medium and small forwards. Medium forwards that can play in the Freo Bermuda triangle of high half forward are definitely light on. Mundy shouldn't be the answer IMO.
 
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Our list balance is ******* mess. Has anyone put any thought into it what so ever.

I am finding this trade period the most frustrating ever, and if we get Lobb it will be like us chasing Tarrant all over again.


Rucks - 5 players into 1 position. (Far too many rucks) - no more than 3 is needed, ideally you have someone like Lobb in the 3 who can also play forward.

Aaron Sandilands
Lloyd Meek
Scott Jones
Sean Darcy
Michael Apeness

Key Defenders
Alex Pearce
Joel Hamling
Shane Kersten
Logue - if needed can play here

Key Forwards - at best two positions, and we are chasing Hogan and Lobb.
Matt Taberner
Brennan Cox - starting to show promise. Why would you relicate him to the WAFL.
Luke Strnadica


Small\medium defenders

Luke Ryan
Nathan Wilson
Ryan Nyhuis
Taylin Duman


Small forwards - not one player has express speed, and knows how to kick goals. Can we please target some people with skill
Brandon Matera
Michael Walters
Hayden Ballantyne
Stefan Giro


medium forwards - 1 position unless you are very agile
Hugh Dixon
Cam McCarthy

Midfielders (Not enough quality and quantity)
Griffin Logue
David Mundy
Nat Fyfe
Connor Blakely
Ethan Hughes
Adam Cerra
Harley Bennell
Andrew Brayshaw
Tom North
Darcy Tucker
Stephen Hill
Ed Langdon
Brady Grey
Bradley Hill
Sam Switkowski
Bailey Banfield
Lachie Neale
Mitchell Crowden
Thank * you didn't mention Freos list was imbalanced age wise because I would rammed down Freos 2008 list down ya throat as we had only 6-7 guys aged 23 or under.

Now lets look at the list you wrote.... now this might be a long rant from me again.....

Rucks: I agree 5 is too much to be on the list. I agree that 5 rucks is too much. But here is the problem. None of those rucks are in their prime age bracket o 25-30 years old. Sandilands is 35 years old, the rest are under 25. Sadly not one of them is a 30-40 goal a season ruck forward. Anything can happen in 2-3 years time. Darcy could be a very good ruckman. Meek or Jones could be serviceable like Jono Griffin. Gutted Apeness has had injuries as he would of played 30-50 games already.

Back in that 2012-5 period, we had Sandi, Clarke, Griffin and Hannath. 3 of those blokes were aged 25 or over.


Key Defenders: Could of kept Sam Collins as depth, but that's my personal opinion. Hell Tanner Smith had a good season in the SANFL with North Adelaide and he won a Grand final this year too.

Freos tall defender stocks isn't too bad. Back in 2012-15, we had McPharlin, Michael Johnson, Zac Dawson, Silvagni. Now..... Hamling aged 25 years old, is our Michael Johnson. Similar Height and Weight but can play as the 3rd tall or Centre Half back. Alex Pearce only 23 years old, is our Zac Dawson, someone that is nearly 200cm tall full back but takes on the 200 ruckman-full forward. Logue is a strange one. He isn't too bad. He can play as a centre half back or as a flanker too. can play midfield. Cox is 193 cm and can play chb and chf. I would love a Luke Mcpharlin on our list though without the injuries.


the Small defenders: I don't give 2 shits what anyone says. Nathan Wilson is a gun. This was the bloke we needed to fill Paul Duffields spot at the end of 2015. Gun small defender with a reliable and good kick. you don't want small players in your back 50 to butcher the ball with bad kicks. Ryan is another good small defender. Hughes I would want to keep even if he turns out to be another ross Lyon type role player or a fringe player. Duman, I will judge after he plays more games. you could put mids in the back flanks provided if they are reliable kicks.


Tall forwards: We need that dominant KPF. As it stands, Tabs is the most experienced. His is more of a John Butcher type. 197cm and 90 odd kg. Tall and skinny. If he plays all 22 game in 2019, I see him easily kick 30-35 goals. Hell, I would be happy if He kicks 25 goals from 20 games. Brennan cox did well. 18 goals from 17 games. Got plenty of the ball. Luke Strnadica I hope becomes a 25-35 goal a season ruckman-full forward. If we somehow get Jesse Hogan, that helps the forward structure a lot. I can live with Tabs and cox kicking 25-30 goals each next year, Its something and something is better than nothing. I am a realist here. We don't have a 60 goal a season KPF but I can live with 2 half decent talls kicking 30 each.

Small forwards: Walters kicked 46 goals in 2013. Still think if fully fit can kick 30-40 goals a season as a forward pocket. Matera, I don't know what happened with him, he should of kicked 25-30 goals this year. People are upset that Ballantye is on he list. I am not. Yeah he is over 30, he is a depth player only reason we kept him is because we have bugger all picks. Giro is only a forward flanker.

Medium talls forwards: McCarthy has skill no doubt. Kicked 19 goals from 17 games. He is another guy I can see kick 30-40 goals with the right structure around him. His is a 2nd or 3rd tall, not a spearhead. I want to see a forward line with McCarthy, Tabs and a ruck/forward in Strnadica/Apeness or lobb (if freo get him). Dixon I wont comment as I haven't seen a lot of him. Shane Kersten does get bagged on here. But he could kick 25-30 goals on a forward flank too.

Midfielders (inside): Mundy is the workhorse and can get 20-25 disposals a game but will be put up a forward flank. Fyfe fully fit as we know is elite. Neale (if he somehow stays) is good. Blakely is a solid player. Banfield, Brayshaw and Cerra look good but need 2-3 more years of development.

Midfielders (Outside): We Know what both Hill boys can do. Langdon has improved. We all know what Bennell can do. Mitch Crowden and Stefan Giro got games on the wing too.



I am going to be brutally honest here.... Prepare for some short term to medium pain for some medium gain.

Might have to spend 1 more, possibly 2 more years in the bottom 6 to develop the current crop of kids. Then have a 3-5 year finals run.
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Are there any mature age tall backmen in the WAFL/SANFL/VFL that could come be depth?

I think that Jones is gone this year thanks to Peter "Ruthless" Bell, Meek should stay as development, he could be a perfect back up ruckman. Sandi will be gone by the end of next year and i doubt Nads we'll make it. Lobb will be here then

Rucks would look like

S.Darcy
L.Meek

Ruck/Forwards

M.Apeness
R.Lobb
 

Alfonz

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We are overloaded with short people that don't have the attributes to overcome their smallness. Matera, Switkovski, Crowden, Giro, Ballantyne. Baffling to bring 4 of them in at once, and miss the one (Zac Langdon) that actually has that spark you are looking for from a midget. Horrible list management.
 
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