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

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Looks as though he is, seems like he took out the beep test drill with L.Kennedy coming second, gathering from what dogs IG posted.
Keen to see how L Kennedy goes next season
Not too sure what his role is but looks highly regarded
 
Keen to see how L Kennedy goes next season
Not too sure what his role is but looks highly regarded
Hope we find a spot for him, has a lot to work with & did some really nice things in his first year. I’ve mentioned a few times that I thought he’d make a really good halfback as his kicking is seriously elite, coupled with his running capabilities & strong defensive mindset it could be worth a try but considering we’ve now drafted Carmichael & have Jaques as well, I doubt that will be trialed.
 

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He would be very happy to see the back of the sub. Needs more opportunity.
Where do you see him long term?
Personally I thought he really developed late as a small forward who can play higher up as that link up player or deep as a genuine goal kicking threat. His leap in particular was super dangerous during the VFL finals, brought down some ripper marks. Had abit of Charlie Cameron about him.
Has also looked solid on the wing when rolled through there. Good to have versatility in his game.

Sorry for the slow reply. I'd love to see Arty play the way that we are always hurt these days. Playing off the last man, running back into space I50 and slotting goals for fun. I do worry about his injury history though, can he play that role and stay healthy.

It would just give us a different option in F50. West and Cody are fine for pressure small forwards, but we always have a tall guy there. I'd like us to all lead up sometimes, then have runners running into space behind our talls. How often are we cut open this way, but we don't hurt anyone in return.
 
Will be interesting to see how we evolve.

We were top 2 I think in points scored and so scoring isn’t a problem but unknowns:

- if we assume Naughton, Darcy, West and Weightman are locks then

—> Artie, Dolan, VDM and McNeil really all vying for one spot. None own it yet - NcNeil appears the favourite (not mine - I am stunned every time he is picked - his hands and decision making have been exposed - only reliable to goals when we are flying), Artie is the fan favourite and I think his trajectory has him in if he can get consistent health. VDM has it on paper - fast, hard, tackles, now a good mark and good kick - mongrel but he has had so many chances to perform and hasn’t taken them - neither he nor McNeil score consistently enough to be locks as forwards. Dolan - I think has the most upside - has improved his tank and bulk in his legs - had what others don’t have - elite decision making and hands under pressure but so far has not got involved enough.

Prediction: Artie will start but Dolan given chances - they see his talent. VDM and McNeil will be OK back up.

—> does Croft stay in that role. Very promising finish to the season. May even evolve to take some ruck.

Or do we rest a forward/mid? Kennedy, Harmes both had very very good games as forwards with midfield rotations.

Prediction: with new 5 on bench will do both. Croft also likely to be developed with Blicsav adaptability to be very valuable on game day. Eventually Bont likely to move into that role and so pretty fantastic options. Hynes strikes me as a future star - he has calm strength but also some sizzle with fends and marking. Will end up 191-193 and solid - will play a lot of midfield and forward this year.


Midfield is settled and top 4 in the league but aging. Bont, Libba, Trelor and Richards are locks and so barring injury play every game. Kennedy and Harmes also need lay most games rotating forward. The next in line of Friejah (for Bont); Garcia (For Libba); Sanders (for Trelor ) and Hynes (For Richards) have us in an outstanding position in the mid for some time. (Though won’t be like for like replacement - only Garcia not a potential A grader (at this stage but hopefully his disposal is cleaned up).

Wing is OK but not really settled: Truck and Davidson finished on pole position. But Williams back looks very solid. Jacques is coming and looks to add class and speed - eventually going back into Bailey Dales HHF role. Not a lot pushing them unless we play Friejah there or use other midfield rotations there like Trelor - who is very good there but a bit wasted. Predict we start with Truck and DrDave.

Back is where the action is:

Only Dale, Lobb and probably Buderick as locks.

FB: PP is JOD and he is really improving and will start there. If not Buss but also have Emmett and Darcy coming in a few years.

3KPD: PP is Buss but he hasn’t knocked it outnof the park yet. We actually look better with Truck or Fridge playing there - lose height but get strength. Should be Coffield - just the right mix but has been really disappointing and his kick is terrible - he still leans back like a school kid and ends up very lower power/velocity- essential for a back. Depends how tall the third is - very few players have three 200cms. Walker the Smokey has shown some good things including what Buss hasn’t - contested marking - looks mobile at 193/4. I think the highest potential outcome is Croft goes back and Khamis goes forward but Khamis just doesn’t apply himself enough.

Running utility: PP is Cleary. Bramble probably loses his spot to Buderick but likely to play a lot of games. chuck Norris Sellwood hasn’t played any games yet but is already Brownlow favourite - but Sellwood doesn’t win the Brownlow - he brings Brownlow back to life to change it to the Sellwood. Jacques is the potential fast riser - he may start wing but also may start here - he has genuine defensive smarts, is good in the air and is quick but a bit small. Prediction probably Cleary.
 
Will be interesting to see how we evolve.

We were top 2 I think in points scored and so scoring isn’t a problem but unknowns:

- if we assume Naughton, Darcy, West and Weightman are locks then

—> Artie, Dolan, VDM and McNeil really all vying for one spot. None own it yet - NcNeil appears the favourite (not mine - I am stunned every time he is picked - his hands and decision making have been exposed - only reliable to goals when we are flying), Artie is the fan favourite and I think his trajectory has him in if he can get consistent health. VDM has it on paper - fast, hard, tackles, now a good mark and good kick - mongrel but he has had so many chances to perform and hasn’t taken them - neither he nor McNeil score consistently enough to be locks as forwards. Dolan - I think has the most upside - has improved his tank and bulk in his legs - had what others don’t have - elite decision making and hands under pressure but so far has not got involved enough.

Prediction: Artie will start but Dolan given chances - they see his talent. VDM and McNeil will be OK back up.

—> does Croft stay in that role. Very promising finish to the season. May even evolve to take some ruck.

Or do we rest a forward/mid? Kennedy, Harmes both had very very good games as forwards with midfield rotations.

Prediction: with new 5 on bench will do both. Croft also likely to be developed with Blicsav adaptability to be very valuable on game day. Eventually Bont likely to move into that role and so pretty fantastic options. Hynes strikes me as a future star - he has calm strength but also some sizzle with fends and marking. Will end up 191-193 and solid - will play a lot of midfield and forward this year.


Midfield is settled and top 4 in the league but aging. Bont, Libba, Trelor and Richards are locks and so barring injury play every game. Kennedy and Harmes also need lay most games rotating forward. The next in line of Friejah (for Bont); Garcia (For Libba); Sanders (for Trelor ) and Hynes (For Richards) have us in an outstanding position in the mid for some time. (Though won’t be like for like replacement - only Garcia not a potential A grader (at this stage but hopefully his disposal is cleaned up).

Wing is OK but not really settled: Truck and Davidson finished on pole position. But Williams back looks very solid. Jacques is coming and looks to add class and speed - eventually going back into Bailey Dales HHF role. Not a lot pushing them unless we play Friejah there or use other midfield rotations there like Trelor - who is very good there but a bit wasted. Predict we start with Truck and DrDave.

Back is where the action is:

Only Dale, Lobb and probably Buderick as locks.

FB: PP is JOD and he is really improving and will start there. If not Buss but also have Emmett and Darcy coming in a few years.

3KPD: PP is Buss but he hasn’t knocked it outnof the park yet. We actually look better with Truck or Fridge playing there - lose height but get strength. Should be Coffield - just the right mix but has been really disappointing and his kick is terrible - he still leans back like a school kid and ends up very lower power/velocity- essential for a back. Depends how tall the third is - very few players have three 200cms. Walker the Smokey has shown some good things including what Buss hasn’t - contested marking - looks mobile at 193/4. I think the highest potential outcome is Croft goes back and Khamis goes forward but Khamis just doesn’t apply himself enough.

Running utility: PP is Cleary. Bramble probably loses his spot to Buderick but likely to play a lot of games. chuck Norris Sellwood hasn’t played any games yet but is already Brownlow favourite - but Sellwood doesn’t win the Brownlow - he brings Brownlow back to life to change it to the Sellwood. Jacques is the potential fast riser - he may start wing but also may start here - he has genuine defensive smarts, is good in the air and is quick but a bit small. Prediction probably Cleary.

If Michael Sellwood can fix our defence we will be unbeatable
 
I know we like to take the piss abit with Selwood around here but I actually see a lot of potential in him in the afl side, has that campaigner in him that hates losing and looks solid in the vfl. Clubs done the right thing bringing in half backs in buddarick Jaques Carmichael etc which will be huge for us if they hit their potential
 
Too many people writing off VDM. Seems a lot have forgotten just how well he started off this last season, and carried that form for about two thirds of the season. If he stays fit then I’d be willing to bet he’s there in Opening Round.

I really want to see Arty or Dolan claim that spot as their own, but realistically it’s VDM’s to lose
 

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Too many people writing off VDM. Seems a lot have forgotten just how well he started off this last season, and carried that form for about two thirds of the season. If he stays fit then I’d be willing to bet he’s there in Opening Round.

I really want to see Arty or Dolan claim that spot as their own, but realistically it’s VDM’s to lose
He’ll definitely be there, I’m just not happy about it
 
Too many people writing off VDM. Seems a lot have forgotten just how well he started off this last season, and carried that form for about two thirds of the season. If he stays fit then I’d be willing to bet he’s there in Opening Round.

I really want to see Arty or Dolan claim that spot as their own, but realistically it’s VDM’s to lose

doesnt hit the scoreboard or apply enough pressure as a small forward for my liking!
 
If this exact version of VDM played for the Cats or Giants the discourse around here would be…

Anyway, the concern with his early season form was that it was not many games running contrary to a much larger sample size of games of subpar production. The “unrewarded” angle is a bit of a stretch too. True to some extent but not close to justifying the…three year deal we gave him. Not long after that was signed he was dumped from the side, including a telling omission from a must win game (which was correct, and the same should have been done for McNeil - not even a hindsight call). I suspect this contract goes the way of the Gardner extension; not a salary cap killer by any means, but unnecessarily long and prematurely given and generally annoying as it lingers over our list turnover.

We’ve had some issues with small/pressure forward depth over the last few years, so it’s been more of a list management issue than a VDM/McNeil issue, to be clear. There hasn’t been a lot of choice and one season long Weightman injury really showed how bad it was, and might still be - a lot hinging on AJ and Dolan getting regular games. positive on both of them, Aj at least impacted that Freo game in a way the other two never could, think it should pay off, but neither a sure thing for 2026. Dolan obviously a big talent long term though.
 
Too many people writing off VDM. Seems a lot have forgotten just how well he started off this last season, and carried that form for about two thirds of the season. If he stays fit then I’d be willing to bet he’s there in Opening Round.

I really want to see Arty or Dolan claim that spot as their own, but realistically it’s VDM’s to lose

He’ll be there opening round because he gets a free pass year after year from our coach and we haven’t recruited well enough to replace him.

He had a decent patch relative his otherwise shitty low bar but the overall body or work is what people are assessing him on which is completely unreasonable.
 

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He’ll be there opening round because he gets a free pass year after year from our coach and we haven’t recruited well enough to replace him.

He had a decent patch relative his otherwise shitty low bar but the overall body or work is what people are assessing him on which is completely unreasonable.

Not exactly, I’d put Arty in over him:

Jones - Naughton - Kennedy
Weightman - Darcy - West

That’s approximately 738 goals right there.
 
If Hynes has really improved his fitness base that much, then that opens up his long term game so much more. I think a lot here were under the impression that he was one of those guys that had a poor natural fitness base (like Stringer) and would struggle to improve it.

All the sudden we have another long term midfielder on the list instead of a half forward.
 
If Hynes has really improved his fitness base that much, then that opens up his long term game so much more. I think a lot here were under the impression that he was one of those guys that had a poor natural fitness base (like Stringer) and would struggle to improve it.

All the sudden we have another long term midfielder on the list instead of a half forward.
Loved his midfield work in the VFL, so clean, creative & has good burst from the stoppage. Definitely see his future as a mid that can rotate forward and be a very dangerous goal-kicker in a similar way that Petracca / De Geoy play.
 

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

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