Rumour Speculation, Rumours, Lies Thread 2026 - Part 2

[TubbsFarquhar]

Hayward is fine, but not really a need for us. Maybe if Ah Chee wasn't coming, but not both.

If we were to bring in a forward, it needs to be a genuine small crumbing forward.

Rosas would've been good, but I think he was set on Sydney.

 

[DangerSloane]

Hayward is not very good? I'll have what you're smoking.

Wasnt top 10 in Sydneys B&F and they didnt make the finals.
Played 21 games.
11 disp and 1 goal a game.

Behind players like Sam Wicks.

Yeh nah.

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

Richmond smashed it last year, they'll leapfrog a bunch of teams currently around them. Apparently most clubs were offered North's future first on draft night too:

"I'm told the Kangas put their (2025) first-round pick on the table to every single club starting with St Kilda at pick 8 ... they didn't find a buyer until Richmond with the final pick (of the night)," AFL.com.au's Riley Beveridge said on Draft Night Live.

Unpacking North's 'big call', why Kako trade made sense

Take a closer look at the trades and bids that were matched on the opening night of the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft

www.afl.com.au

What happened to that sri lankan bloke who almost left for freo for us who was supposed to predict these things

 

[Mutineer]

What happened to that sri lankan bloke who almost left for freo for us who was supposed to predict these things

Binuk Kodituwakku - Chief Football Strategy Officer - Staff Directory - Duke University

Binuk Kodituwakku joined the Duke Football staff in June 2023 and serves as the chief strategy officer. In this role, he oversees the program's Name, Image a...

goduke.com

 

[finn]

Only in the movies mate... he suffered pretty bad from that, they hopped the counter with sawn off shotguns in the second one, not a good time.

Had a similar experience at NAB St Morris where the guy ran in, put a shot through the roof and then pointed the shotgun at my face.
State Office staff came out and tried to talk us into re-opening that afternoon; we were much keener on hitting the Tower Hotel. Staff welfare in banking in the late 80s was pretty rubbish.

As an aside, it’s my understanding that part of Adelaide’s pitch to Ah Chee was that he‘d get midfield time as well as forward flank.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Yep Rankine full time mid
Hayward and Ah-Chee forward
Rachele with the odd CBA

FF: Rachele ~ Thilthorpe ~ Hayward
HF: Ah-Chee ~ Fogarty ~ Keays
C: Soligo ~ Curtin ~ Cumming
HB: Milera ~ Murray ~ Laird
FB: Michaelanny ~ Keane ~ Worrell
R: O’Brien ~ Dawson ~ Rankine
INT: Walker ~ Neale-Bullen ~ Hinge ~ Peatling ~ Draper

I'm 100% with you on Rankine as a Full Time Mid .....sorry DangerSloane

Give me one of the league's best players around the ball as often as possible .....rather than sitting in the FWD50 waiting for an entry ....plus, he's one of the best deliverer's inside 50, and decision makers .....so I want him with ball in hand as much as possible

 

[Velvet George]

Why is Hayward being discussed? Zero chance he’s coming here

 

[UcantCme]

If we are still keen on Hayward shocked Swans haven’t approached us , may still do?


Adel : Hayward
Sydney : Curnow
Carlton: 11,16, future 1st

When we chased Hayward last year the messaging was his GF didn’t want to live in Adelaide, she is a Melbourne girl and prefers Melbourne or Sydney

I doubt that has changed

 

[DangerSloane]

I'm 100% with you on Rankine as a Full Time Mid .....sorry DangerSloane

Give me one of the league's best players around the ball as often as possible .....rather than sitting in the FWD50 waiting for an entry ....plus, he's one of the best deliverer's inside 50, and decision makers .....so I want him with ball in hand as much as possible

Hes also our best and only crumbing forward.

I understand the want to have him around the ball more, and he should play a lot of midfield mintues, but not full time.

 

[Crow till I die]

Do we have a horse meat BBQ on Thursday?

In the end, maybe they are just all mortadella??

 

[Crow till I die]

Agree - he's our luke hodge.

He could be OR he could be that very mobile pack marking long kicking 3rd tall in the forward line as he ages

 

[BunjiMac]

Agree - he's our luke hodge.

Yup another perfect example.

 

[FR0GGY]

As an aside, it’s my understanding that part of Adelaide’s pitch to Ah Chee was that he‘d get midfield time as well as forward flank.

I don’t think anyone has brought up the idea of him playing midfield.
How do you think he’d go?

 

[BunjiMac]

Hes also our best and only crumbing forward.

I understand the want to have him around the ball more, and he should play a lot of midfield mintues, but not full time.

Did I see that Rankine was our best contested player?

I think that's his strength, you know he's going to win most duels and contest he is in, especially if they are one on one.

I love great one on one players and he is our absolute best. They are critical come finals time when the pressure is highest.

I also saw that Burgess called him the one the biggest athletic freaks he's ever come across in any sport.

He therefore has the ability to play anywhere but I would simply use him where we needed him most and that would be game and scenario dependendent.

If you needed an impact in the midfield send him there, similarly if you need goals send him there.

Yes, this will impact his overall stats as they won't be as consistent, but he has a much bigger impact on our side winning being played like this, which is way more important.

I felt they really started to get the hang of where best to use him (and at what time) towards the end of the season. I want to see them continue to do this.

 

[Danger in Texas]

I think we forget how average Rankine looked as a mid this year, at times

He’ll look a lot better with harder bodies that are actually productive around him

 

[BunjiMac]

I've noticed that with Rankine if we are winning and cruising, he'll take the peddle off.

We see him at his absolute best when the games is on the line.

Although I admire the latter, he needs to not do the former. He needs that Jordan or Black Mamba mentality that doesn't ever give you an inch and wants to beat your every single time.

That to me is the area I want him to work on most.

 

[jackster83]

I think we forget how average Rankine looked as a mid this year, at times

He’ll look a lot better with harder bodies that are actually productive around him

His lack of defensive action costs him dearly in defensive 50 stoppages.

Also, our midfield quite often looked better late in quarters.

We seemed to get on top with Thilthorpe beating up the opposition second ruck (often a big size advantage).

You almost want to time Izak going in there when Thilthy goes into the ruck.

 

[Caputo]

I think the changes to the Draft Point Index has had unintended consequences to be able to trade. Good that it is trying to make fair value for F/S, NGA & Northern Academy. Moving back the values from Pick 73 having a points value to Pick 54. So the compression has made our 3rd Round Picks nearly worthless and hard to trade or improve a teams Draft hand.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

And that's how I ended up in Ceduna halfway through year1 at school...

Should have played a few games for Thevenard!

 

[Pugsley]

Your favourite time of year... when all your rumours become not so true lol...

The ignore function works well in this case

 

[thebirdman 24]

Thought everyone had to have a father unless it is another immaculate conception.

Aniken Skywalker says hello.

 

[TryAnHit]

I'm 100% with you on Rankine as a Full Time Mid .....sorry DangerSloane

Give me one of the league's best players around the ball as often as possible .....rather than sitting in the FWD50 waiting for an entry ....plus, he's one of the best deliverer's inside 50, and decision makers .....so I want him with ball in hand as much as possible

Not to mention mids go down there when the ball is. So he still gonna be around the ball at stopages when he is the most dangerous

 

[Crow till I die]

How Swans star’s head was turned in Curnow boost; three clubs eye Cat — Trade Whispers

How Swans star’s head was turned in Curnow boost; three clubs eye Cat — Trade Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

It comes as fellow Cats depth midfielder George Stevens remains unsigned amid reported interest from the Adelaide Crows

 

[CROUCH #2]

Regarding loose rumours I heard this off season on Steele and Stevens.

My friend who is credible (from my perspective), feels any deals will likely not happen purely because we will only bring in fringe players if it is a massive bargain last minute. Steele was talked to apparently but the cost is too large to entice him to move the border for a player seen as a Crouch 2.0. So safe to say this rumour is dead.

Stevens will only be an option if it means staying in the AFL, he very much rather stay in Geelong.

Ive asked if these is any other players we are talking to and it was said "we are fishing in a pond with no bait".

 

[GreyCrow]

Regarding loose rumours I heard this off season on Steele and Stevens.

My friend who is credible (from my perspective), feels any deals will likely not happen purely because we will only bring in fringe players if it is a massive bargain last minute. Steele was talked to apparently but the cost is too large to entice him to move the border for a player seen as a @CROUCH #2 So safe to say this rumour is dead.

FTFY