Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

[_Mike_]

Opposition supporters coming to troll , you have been warned

 

[Dogsfan1]

Still have some major doubts about Croft but was glad to see him perform well at AFL level for those two games. Hopefully he can continue to be the reverse Schache. Hopeless in the VFL but a star at AFL level.

Are u serious

 

[Hobdog]

Still have some major doubts about Croft but was glad to see him perform well at AFL level for those two games. Hopefully he can continue to be the reverse Schache. Hopeless in the VFL but a star at AFL level.

“Major doubts” would imply you don’t expect him to make it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I’d be keen for you to unpack this one for us?

 

[JohnnySteel]

Croft is one of the most exciting talents on our list. Could seriously make a case for him to become a very good player on every single line (forward, back, ruck, wing), all depends on where we settle him but we may see this versatility become his biggest weapon on game day.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

A lot of blokes are understandably bitter when they are moved on as a coach and are detached from the club.

Not Rohan Smith.

Bleeds red, white and blue.

Champion.

Have to admire his commitment to the club.

Terry Wheeler is much the same.
Still a heart & soul Doggies man who has never seemed bitter about being sacked.

Love blokes like that.

 

[grassman75]

I really like this photo because it sends strong signals of two important concepts that we supporters need for the coming season : excitement and hope.
I am excited by the talent that some of these young players have already shown and by the potential of the new additions to our list. The talent ranges across a variety of different roles and skill sets.
The hope is what they can achieve for our club in the future as they develop. Obviously, they won't all succeed in the AFL environment but I'm confident that many will be very good footballers for a long time and contribute to our sustained success.
A most uplifting photo!

Old mate from Sydney al ost cracked a smile too….hanging out with Bubba helps

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Old mate from Sydney al ost cracked a smile too….hanging out with Bubba helps

Not everyone can be Brad “Smiling Assassin” Johnson. Maybe he’ll be our Unsmiling Assassin.

 

[Mofra]

Old mate from Sydney al ost cracked a smile too….hanging out with Bubba helps

Toby McLean rarely smiled as well.
A premiership hero.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

A lot of blokes are understandably bitter when they are moved on as a coach and are detached from the club.

Not Rohan Smith.

Bleeds red, white and blue.

Champion.

His passion for coaching and development has been stronger than holding a grudge. Wonderful to see. The players love him.

 

[Testekill]

Still have some major doubts about Croft but was glad to see him perform well at AFL level for those two games. Hopefully he can continue to be the reverse Schache. Hopeless in the VFL but a star at AFL level.

In the VFL, Croft is a skinny kid with two people hanging off of him at all times because he was the most obvious threat. In the AFL he's the third option behind two of the best key forwards in the league.

 

[TiAn_]

Croft is over 200cm, has athleticism in spades and he’s highly competitive and aggressive attacking the ball or opponents. That’s probably 50% of the way to being an effective tall at AFL level. If we played him in defence I think he’d bound past Busslinger as early as next year. But he probably has too much potential as a forward to shift him back any time soon.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Croft is over 200cm, has athleticism in spades and he’s highly competitive and aggressive attacking the ball or opponents. That’s probably 50% of the way to being an effective tall at AFL level. If we played him in defence I think he’d bound past Busslinger as early as next year. But he probably has too much potential as a forward to shift him back any time soon.

Josh Schache dislikes this

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Croft is over 200cm, has athleticism in spades and he’s highly competitive and aggressive attacking the ball or opponents. That’s probably 50% of the way to being an effective tall at AFL level. If we played him in defence I think he’d bound past Busslinger as early as next year. But he probably has too much potential as a forward to shift him back any time soon.

I suspect his rapid improvement also contributed to the club washing its hands pretty quickly of the guy who's now at the Gold Coast who decided it was all a bit too hard for him.

I always had him as a CHB. But the opening up of a slot for a tall in the forward half has me excited at the prospect of Croft and Naughton using their athleticism and aggressiveness and being used as the safe get out option from defence. I can see them working up and down the ground like Richo and Riewoldt in days of old.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

I suspect his rapid improvement also contributed to the club washing its hands pretty quickly of the guy who's now at the Gold Coast who decided it was all a bit too hard for him.

I'm lead to believe you aren't far off.

I'd suspect Croft gets all available games next season, fast-tracking as you would someone of his talent.

 

[JohnnySteel]

I suspect his rapid improvement also contributed to the club washing its hands pretty quickly of the guy who's now at the Gold Coast who decided it was all a bit too hard for him.

I always had him as a CHB. But the opening up of a slot for a tall in the forward half has me excited at the prospect of Croft and Naughton using their athleticism and aggressiveness and being used as the safe get out option from defence. I can see them working up and down the ground like Richo and Riewoldt in days of old.

Agreed - I think the recruitment of Emmett and our statement of wanting to start him as a back, as well as Darcy means he’ll probably stay forward / wing / relief ruck now. If they kick on of course.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

I'm lead to believe you aren't far off.

I'd suspect Croft gets all available games next season, fast-tracking as you would someone of his talent.

Even at this stage of his development and taking into account the tiny sample size of his career.

He's shaping as a scary prospect for a 3rd defender to guard.

Too tall for a small. Too agile for a tall.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Even at this stage of his development and taking into account the tiny sample size of his career.

He's shaping as a scary prospect for a 3rd defender to guard.

Too tall for a small. Too agile for a tall.

What he has you can't teach, and that's aggression and fight. He has it in spades and I suspect you'll see him scare the shit out of some defenders with his careless leap at the footy.

Reminds you of a younger Naughton.

 

[Mofra]

What he has you can't teach, and that's aggression and fight. He has it in spades and I suspect you'll see him scare the shit out of some defenders with his careless leap at the footy.

Reminds you of a younger Naughton.

TBH if there is any player in the comp I'd compare him too, it's Blicavs.
Arguably the only tall in the comp with a similar running profile.

Croft would me more aggressive in the air, less reliable by foot. His goal kicking has improved a bit in the system though.

 

[go the dogs]

Hoping Croft is being tried as a backman. Our forward line functioned so well when we had just Naughton and Darcy as the 2 talls. Adding Croft whilst playing ok disrupted our structure completely

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Hoping Croft is being tried as a backman. Our forward line functioned so well when we had just Naughton and Darcy as the 2 talls. Adding Croft whilst playing ok disrupted our structure completely

Agreed.
Darcy, Naughton
West, Weightman, Resting-MID (Bont/Kennedy etc), Dolan/VDM/McNeil - Generally how I see our forward line functioning going forward.

I see some big Moore / Easton Wood type vibes from Croft, really would like to see him down back long term.

 

[Doggy]

Agreed.
Darcy, Naughton
West, Weightman, Resting-MID (Bont/Kennedy etc), Dolan/VDM/McNeil - Generally how I see our forward line functioning going forward.

I see some big Moore / Easton Wood type vibes from Croft, really would like to see him down back long term.

Big IF .... but IF Emmett and Will Darcy work out down back, then there is a fair bit of backline cover with JOD, Busslinger, Darcy and Emmett. Perhaps croft could be a swingman, but primarily forward.

 

[TiAn_]

I suspect his rapid improvement also contributed to the club washing its hands pretty quickly of the guy who's now at the Gold Coast who decided it was all a bit too hard for him.

I always had him as a CHB. But the opening up of a slot for a tall in the forward half has me excited at the prospect of Croft and Naughton using their athleticism and aggressiveness and being used as the safe get out option from defence. I can see them working up and down the ground like Richo and Riewoldt in days of old.

Croft’s size, speed and interest in applying defensive pressure will hopefully offset not being as developed as a forward as JUH. Similar to Naughton in a sense, who was criticised a lot for not always having the forward instincts of a Jeremy Cameron (not many do), but has always brought a ton to the table on both sides of the ball as a KPF.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Hoping Croft is being tried as a backman. Our forward line functioned so well when we had just Naughton and Darcy as the 2 talls. Adding Croft whilst playing ok disrupted our structure completely

Agreed.
Darcy, Naughton
West, Weightman, Resting-MID (Bont/Kennedy etc), Dolan/VDM/McNeil - Generally how I see our forward line functioning going forward.

I see some big Moore / Easton Wood type vibes from Croft, really would like to see him down back long term.

I think our recent and clear emphasis on recruiting backmen with Walker, Darcy and Emmett. Not to mention Sellwood,
Carmichael, the recruitment of Bauderick and other guys already on the list that may continue to be developed in defence.

Means that the likelihood of Croft being sent to defence seems remote.

It also goes a long way to explain why the club only really went for moon shots during the trade period when they were casting about for potential fullbacks. And when that didn't happen despite all of the outside noise. They were content to move onto the draft. Its the hallmark of everything that Sam Power and his list management ethos seems to stand for.

It feels weird to say. But for the first time in forever. We're stacked with gun and developing talls.

Its now up to the coaching group to make the most of them.

 

[Pencil case]

Yeah, but you already have Sanders as a superstar so..

I have Sanders a few tiers above Croft yes.

In the VFL, Croft is a skinny kid with two people hanging off of him at all times because he was the most obvious threat. In the AFL he's the third option behind two of the best key forwards in the league.

I agree, and it was great to see him perform in the AFL.

Right, major doubts about a 200cm+ player who had various injuries in first two years, played a couple of games and showed a fair bit in those ?

Last 200+ cm player you had those major doubts on after year two must have been Darcy

Nobody had doubts about Darcy, we knew he’d be a star from day one. Croft and Darcy are very different propects, the only similarity is their height. Croft’s speed is his major weapon.

 

[VitalDread]

Croft will become a wingmen within three years time

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Nobody had doubts about Darcy, we knew he’d be a star from day one.

Disagree. Of course the confidence was found in his tantalising potential, athletic traits, pedigree which all materialised into his draft position. But there were some doubts given his lack of exposed high-quality form against the best key defenders of his draft class, Covid factors influencing development, uncertainty over which position he might play, and the fact that he was a ruckman height, but didn't really have a tapwork/ruck craft pedigree (still doesn't), but might be too tall (ie too immobile, not strong enough in terms of core strength, powerful arms) to be a key position player.

If we "knew" he was going to be a star he would have been bidden on with pick 1.

I personally had my doubts - not in the sense that I didn't think he would be a very good AFL player, more just that I didn't even (personally) had him as a top 5 draft prospect. Obviously as a pick 6-10 range player I still expected him likely to have an excellent AFL career but I personally had some 'doubts' at the time he was drafted in comparison to the player he's become now.

Yes he was likely going to be a star, people were rightfully confident, but there were not no doubts and no uncertainty.