Player Watch Nathan Murphy (Retired 2024)

[sr36]

Look, there's a possibility they looked closely into other options and decided there were none suitable, but the reports are that we kicked the tyres on Keane, Battle and Tomlinson, when none of them are really the right kind of player, and that there was no mention of us being interested in players like Barrass, or even as a low level guy, someone like James Borlase, who was a UFA because he'd been delisted and rookied by Adelaide previously.

I'm not saying the guy was necessarily available or gettable, but the three names we did hear ourselves linked to weren't really the type of player I would have sought out to replace Murphy, so even if that had panned out, I'm not sure how effective that would've been at replicating Murphy's role, compared to the guys that we already have.

I'm encouraged by things like Billy Frampton having played 18 games last year, almost entirely in defense, and did well playing on okay forwards at times (I'm specifically remembering him doing fairly well on Harry McKay in the win against Carlton for Pendles' 400th) and I think he had a run of games early in the year where he was quite good also. We were actually 10-2-6 with Frampton in the side, so if he'd played all year we probably make the finals, and we beat Brisbane twice, so we know were were good enough to make noise.

I also am hopeful about Reef McInnes' potential as a defender - Murphy was in his 5th year on the list before he finally found his home as a defensive partner to Moore, and Reef is coming into his 5th year on the list now. I've always thought he was super talented, and maybe, like Murphy, or like Liam Jones, it's a positional change that will unlock him as a player.

I'm not potting the club for not being able to pull a short notice replacement out of their arses, I'm just concerned that even the potential options being explored wouldn't have necessarily been the right type to replace Murphy's unique role within our defense.

The defense was good enough to win a flag without him for 3/4 of the 2023 GF, so I know they can get it done, it just remains to be seen who the personnel to get us back to that level actually will be.

Barrass is a good player, but he's a 29 year old with a back injury that requires ongoing management who was traded for a heap. Hawks can have him.

Borlase? Why?

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Borlase? Why?

It's not like I'm campaigning in the streets for him, I'm just throwing a name out there who has played AFL footy and was at least the right kind of player to consider.

I don't think he's a world-beater... But I also don't think that about Charlie Dean or Billy Frampton.

Here's a post by you saying "never say never" to a 23 year old country footy defender who's never shown anything at any relevant level, so I'm not sure what the derisiveness is about. We're not talking about the cream of the crop being available to us.

 

[sr36]

It's not like I'm campaigning in the streets for him, I'm just throwing a name out there who has played AFL footy and was at least the right kind of player to consider.

I don't think he's a world-beater... But I also don't think that about Charlie Dean or Billy Frampton.

Here's a post by you saying "never say never" to a 23 year old country footy defender who's never shown anything at any relevant level, so I'm not sure what the derisiveness is about. We're not talking about the cream of the crop being available to us.

"Never say never" is different to advocating for someone. I'm genuinely curious why Borlase. He's one I've watched a bit as him ending up at Adelaide and not Port is pretty funny. Not sure why you'd be suggesting him when saying Keane wouldn't be quite right.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

"Never say never" is different to advocating for someone. I'm genuinely curious why Borlase. He's one I've watched a bit as him ending up at Adelaide and not Port is pretty funny. Not sure why you'd be suggesting him when saying Keane wouldn't be quite right.

Exactly. Don’t know anything about Borlase but Keane would have been perfect ( or at least best available like for like Murphy replacement) and not sure why the assumption that somehow he wasn’t. Shame the club didn’t want him or vice versa when he returned from Ireland. Unfortunately he was on our list during the Covid era, wrong time wrong place for a developing Irish player.

But the club tried to land him this year and he decided to stick with the club that gave him a second chance. Fair enough and good luck to him.

 

[sr36]

Exactly. Don’t know anything about Borlase but Keane would have been perfect ( or at least best available like for like Murphy replacement) and not sure why the assumption that somehow he wasn’t. Shame the club didn’t want him or vice versa when he returned from Ireland. Unfortunately he was on our list during the Covid era, wrong time wrong place for a developing Irish player.

But the club tried to land him this year and he decided to stick with the club that gave him a second chance. Fair enough and good luck to him.

Borlase got a 2 year extension, so Crows quite like him. It will be years 5 and 6 with only about a dozen games under his belt. He's a good athlete and tries hard. Talented family. Dad was a Sanfl star. Sister was at the olympics with the Opals. James might make it. I wouldn't be confident though. He wouldn't have been the worst acquistion, but I'd be surprised if he had any intention of leaving SA.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Borlase got a 2 year extension, so Crows quite like him. It will be years 5 and 6 with only about a dozen games under his belt. He's a good athlete and tries hard. Talented family. Dad was a Sanfl star. Sister was at the olympics with the Opals. James might make it. I wouldn't be confident though. He wouldn't have been the worst acquistion, but I'd be surprised if he had any intention of leaving SA.

We had one of those! ( a defender with a sister playing for the Opals). Let’s get him back!