Rumour Speculation, Rumours, Lies Thread 2025 - Part 2

[Syd Crow]

I still cannot fathom why after an eternity of an awful midfield that NVB's job has never been questioned.

I know you need the cattle, but our group seems to be so tactically inept that opposition can literally tell you how they are going to beat us and then do it unencumbered.

Surely with Burgess off the books soft cap could've allowed us to aggressively target some great assistant coaches. Hombsch seems great, but Rahilly leaving has clearly hurt and Burns/NVB seem very much like yes men. The problem is that the man they say yes to is about as straight lines, unimaginative as you can get.

Roles & structures remember!

 

[Slim258]

Sorry,are you saying draper will take Curtin's spot in the 23?

No, so Sid takes Berry's spot in the 23, but Curtin takes Berry's spot in the Midfield and Draper to the Wing

 

[dylan123]

Berry is still in the best 23 imho atm.

Last game certainly the one he's been judged on - possibly fair.

He was looking like one of our better midfielders v Collingwood with a couple of strong center clearances. Issue is he doesn't seem capable of being a lockdown player, hasn't shown the ability to find a lot of the ball and isn't exactly the most damaging with ball in hand.

Needs to focus on one of those three areas for him to excel in the team longer term.

Does feel he's normally got one of the more defensive roles when in the center square so he's not exactly hunting for it like he possibly could yet he hasn't really figured out how to take someone out of the game - which I think is his best avenue to a long term spot in the team.

 

[FR0GGY]

His effort on Newcombe was as "papers stamped" as you'll ever see

Being the poorest mid in a poor midfield, isn’t the greatest sign.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Not only that, but you can’t have a starting mid who isn’t playing as a tagger, average 15 possessions. Berry has to be upgraded if we are fair dinkum about improving our midfield.

 

[jenny61_99]

No I’m called George because I’m funny and pull chicks

 

[WheresGroomgone]

Being a midfielder for the AFC waiting on ROB to compete the ruck would be the hardest job in the AFL, he doesn’t even know where the balls going.

Curtin will be an interesting watch after his huge rise this year, if he’s ready he could be our gem in there as his attack on the footy, size and evasive skills are top notch.

Dawson playing the outside, Peatling the incredible elastic man role and Soligo getting over his body issues - Sid could be a welcome addition however, although often argued against and downplayed but our midfield needs a better ruckman - even a more predictable ruckman would be good.

Everything looks cleaner and smoother when the Thriller goes in there - yes against the second ruck but you can see it.

Baffled as to why we haven’t drafted a young ruck in the past few years to develop.

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

No I’m called George because I’m funny and pull chicks

Just like George?

One of my favourite episodes; “Hi I’m George, I’m bald, unemployed and I live with my parents”.

 

[crow2crow]

Berry is still in the best 23 imho atm.

not for me

 

[George CantStandYa]

Just like George?

One of my favourite episodes; “Hi I’m George, I’m bald, unemployed and I live with my parents”.

And it worked

 

[crow2crow]

And it worked

"The opposite" worked better

 

[Syd Crow]

"The opposite" worked better

That was the opposite

 

[George CantStandYa]

Jenny it’s not going to work, the board knows

 

[George CantStandYa]

That was the opposite

Is crow actually Homer?

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Is Dylan Sheil at 32 worth a SSP spot?

 

[Cromulant]

Good god no.

 

[Eddie Murphy]

We basically have to develop players now that we've moved on experienced depth like Crouch, Smith, Murphy, Schoenberg and Burgess

Not sure if some are underestimating the massive difference between some of our AFL players and our depth

For example, the fall off from Curtin to Sholl (our next best winger) is enormous. I like Taylor and Pedlar but they are significant downgrades on Neal-Bullen or (now) Ah Chee. Berry is quite far beneath even Peatling in quality IMO.

Some also want Walker out of the 22 (including me) but the reality is the next best forward we have for that role will be far off what Walker provided in 2025. There is no depth player in our squad I'd be confident of getting 40 goals out of next year.

I think these are all valid arguments against us improving or even replicating our 2025 season. But your initial claim was that we needed a clean injury just to make finals. I don’t think losing a couple of our non-elite players for an extended period makes us four wins worse. Of course, if we lose one of our elites (Dawson, Rankine, Worrell, Thilthorpe) that’s one thing but you can say the same about any team.

I also wouldn’t put our 2025 availability too far below the median availability of an AFL list. We lost Rachele, who is IMO our fifth best player, for 11 games. Lost our third best player in Rankine and another top dozen player in Michalanney for a month. A fully fit Crouch (think backhalf of 2023) is an immense upgrade on Berry. It’s not like our depth is untested - it’s not elite but it’s finals-worthy.

 

[crow2crow]

I think these are all valid arguments against us improving or even replicating our 2025 season. But your initial claim was that we needed a clean injury just to make finals. I don’t think losing a couple of our non-elite players for an extended period makes us four wins worse. Of course, if we lose one of our elites (Dawson, Rankine, Worrell, Thilthorpe) that’s one thing but you can say the same about any team.

I also wouldn’t put our 2025 availability too far below the median availability of an AFL list. We lost Rachele, who is IMO our fifth best player, for 11 games. Lost our third best player in Rankine and another top dozen player in Michalanney for a month. A fully fit Crouch (think backhalf of 2023) is an immense upgrade on Berry. It’s not like our depth is untested - it’s not elite but it’s finals-worthy.

hold on you have rankine third?

 

[Scorpus]

Wasn't Port going to pick up Shiel?

 

[Vader]

hold on you have rankine third?

Why do you laugh? Dawson is clearly our #1 player, and suggesting that Thilthorpe was #2 in 2025 is far from ridiculous.

 

[crow2crow]

Why do you laugh? Dawson is clearly our #1 player, and suggesting that Thilthorpe was #2 in 2025 is far from ridiculous.

rankine as pure player (take leadership out) is no1.

 

[jimvic]

That means day 1 preseason in my eye

Hopefully he is getting in extra training right now. He has the opportunity to live his dream!

 

[Mutineer]

rankine as pure player (take leadership out) is no1.

 

[jimvic]

Being a midfielder for the AFC waiting on ROB to compete the ruck would be the hardest job in the AFL, he doesn’t even know where the balls going.

Curtin will be an interesting watch after his huge rise this year, if he’s ready he could be our gem in there as his attack on the footy, size and evasive skills are top notch.

Dawson playing the outside, Peatling the incredible elastic man role and Soligo getting over his body issues - Sid could be a welcome addition however, although often argued against and downplayed but our midfield needs a better ruckman - even a more predictable ruckman would be good.

Everything looks cleaner and smoother when the Thriller goes in there - yes against the second ruck but you can see it.

Baffled as to why we haven’t drafted a young ruck in the past few years to develop.

didn't we just trade in a "young ruck"?

 

[crows dude]

rankine as pure player (take leadership out) is no1.

Nope. Dawson is our best player. Rankine and Thilthorpe toss a coin