Opinion Non-Crows AFL 13: Offseason

[Mr MysteryGuest]

To be fair they were ahead of Brisbane in the 2023 prelim and only lost by a couple of goals.

brisbane were asleep in the first qtr, and dominated for the middle 2 qtrs when it mattered

 

[MarcusP2]

interesting to see which players let themselves go, in retirement. Ablett kind of surprised.

Reckon Ablett has different priorities.

Stevie J is also filling out.

 

[DJ75]

I really wanted to get him somehow in his draft year.

Still think there's a player in there somewhere

We could do worse for a late pick

 

[BRL121]

WB trio, Darcy, Richards, and Naughton have all had shoulder reconstructions! The surgeon/s probably gave them a quantity discount! They were all probably lined up on trolleys in the operating theatre queue.

 

[Cromulant]

WB trio, Darcy, Richards, and Naughton have all had shoulder reconstructions! The surgeon/s probably gave them a quantity discount! They were all probably lined up on trolleys in the operating theatre queue.

Bailey Dale was in a sling at the AA night too

 

[chazwazza]

Each clubs draw

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1403472

	Expected degree of difficulty	Actual degree of difficulty	Difference
West Coast	70	54	Harder by 16
Collingwood	54	43	Harder by 11
Gold Coast	64	55	Harder by 9
Melbourne	73	65	Harder by 8
Port Adelaide	45	38	Harder by 7
St Kilda	58	53	Harder by 5
Hawthorn	50	46	Harder by 4
Richmond	73	70	Harder by 3
North Melbourne	64	62	Harder by 2
Brisbane	41	40	Harder by 1
Western Bulldogs	56	57	Easier by 1
Adelaide	64	66	Easier by 2
Greater Western Sydney	54	58	Easier by 4
Essendon	52	56	Easier by 4
Sydney	47	58	Easier by 11
Carlton	62	74	Easier by 12
Geelong	50	65	Easier by 15
Fremantle	49	66	Easier by 17

 

[GreyCrow]

Those kind of analysis is hindsight. It's the simple maths some here use to cry about our draw

 

[ABAB]

So ours was skewed as we finish bottom 4 in 2024 and 1st in 2025? It's equal 3rd highest for "actual degree of difficulty" given 3 of the double up games were not only against top 8 teams but 3 still fighting for the top 4 and the Showdown is always 50/50 despite the ladder position.

 

[GreyCrow]

As I said

 

[spenze]

WB trio, Darcy, Richards, and Naughton have all had shoulder reconstructions! The surgeon/s probably gave them a quantity discount! They were all probably lined up on trolleys in the operating theatre queue.

When I had cataract surgery there were 12 chairs in the waiting room and you kept moving one chair up every 10 or so mins until you were called in

 

[Vader]

So ours was skewed as we finish bottom 4 in 2024 and 1st in 2025? It's equal 3rd highest for "actual degree of difficulty" given 3 of the double up games were not only against top 8 teams but 3 still fighting for the top 4 and the Showdown is always 50/50 despite the ladder position.

View attachment 2412699

You do realise that a high number for "degree of difficulty" actually means that it was an easy draw? A low "degree of difficulty" number corresponds to a tough draw.

We had an actual difficulty rating of 66 - only Carlton & Richmond had "easier" draws, with Freo having the same difficulty as Adelaide.

As you say, our draw was skewed by our finishing 15th last year (resulting in us having a low expected difficulty to begin with), and having one of our (expected) "more difficult" opponents being Port - who turned out to be deadbeats in 2025.

We have often criticised the Tools for having ladder positions which were inflated by them being gifted softer draws than they should have reasonably expected given their ladder position. Having benefited from a soft draw ourselves in 2025, we can't very well turn around and deny the impact this had on our winning the minor premiership.

 

[daniel_4tw]

In fairness, by finishing first you would expect an ‘easier fixture’ on paper since we can’t play ourselves who are the top team. It’s the reverse for West Coast, they can’t get an easy game against, well, themselves.

Double ups against Collingwood, Hawks and Gold Coast is a reasonably difficult draw. Throw a blanket over the bottom 9. Is playing Richmond, West Coast, North or Essendon really any different?

 

[BRL121]

When I had cataract surgery there were 12 chairs in the waiting room and you kept moving one chair up every 10 or so mins until you were called in

I bet the charge wasn't the Fred Hollows $25.

 

[spenze]

I bet the charge wasn't the Fred Hollows $25.

Nah, I think it was 1800 per eye after medicare. If anyone has to go down that path, it doesn't hurt at all and 10 minutes later, perfect vision, worth every cent

 

[skam85]

Nah, I think it was 1800 per eye after medicare. If anyone has to go down that path, it doesn't hurt at all and 10 minutes later, perfect vision, worth every cent

So about the same as laser eye surgery then. I had that in 2020, $4200 all up. Best money I’ve ever spent because not only could I see perfectly it stopped the hannah gadsby jokes

 

[GreyCrow]

So about the same as laser eye surgery then. I had that in 2020, $4200 all up. Best money I’ve ever spent because not only could I see perfectly it stopped the hannah gadsby jokes

Hi Seeds

 

[latinoheat]

Saints cap must be under pressure now.
Tdk 1.7
NAS 2
Marshall 900k
Sinclair $800k
Wilkie $800
Steele $800
King $900

Must be playing other players peanuts

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Saints cap must be under pressure now.
Tdk 1.7
NAS 2
Marshall 900k
Sinclair $800k
Wilkie $800
Steele $800
King $900

Must be playing other players peanuts

They are spending 20% on the top 2 alone.

They will lose handy players with this strategy. May be not next year, but down the track.

Interesting the Crows don't have a top 20 paid player & only 2 in the top 50 (Dawson & Rankine).

Though Thilthorpe's next contract will change that.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

They are spending 20% on the top 2 alone.

They will lose handy players with this strategy. May be not next year, but down the track.

Interesting the Crows don't have a top 20 paid player & only 2 in the top 50 (Dawson & Rankine).

Though Thilthorpe's next contract will change that.

Rankine.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Rankine.

Imo, Thilthorpe will become our highest paid player.

 

[Scorpus]

They are spending 20% on the top 2 alone.

They will lose handy players with this strategy. May be not next year, but down the track.

Interesting the Crows don't have a top 20 paid player & only 2 in the top 50 (Dawson & Rankine).

Though Thilthorpe's next contract will change that.

The rest of their list sucks

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The rest of their list sucks

Place half of their list on the minimum salary you reckon.

Haves & don't have much...

 

[Scorpus]

Place half of their list on the minimum salary you reckon.

Haves & don't have much...

Yes.

You're better off paying players what they are actually worth, than inflating salaries of spuds for no reason

St Kilda's best players are worth decent salaries and they should be paying up to keep the stars they haven't had for years

Their bottom players are terrible experienced players worth nothing

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Yes.

You're better off paying players what they are actually worth, than inflating salaries of spuds for no reason

St Kilda's best players are worth decent salaries and they should be paying up to keep the stars they haven't had for years

Their bottom players are terrible experienced players worth nothing

I reckon paying TDK $1.7M pa is significantly inflating his salary.

He's not a gun ruckman nor forward.

 

[Scorpus]

I reckon paying TDK $1.7M pa is significantly inflating his salary.

He's not a gun ruckman nor forward.

It is, but who else are they paying money to? Zak Jones? Dougal Howard? Zaine Cordy? Dan Butler? Hunter Clark? Paddy Dow? Liam Stocker? Brad Hill?

Cull half those guys and there's the cash