diesel95 wrote:
Sidefx wrote:
keogh wrote:
It’s fairly clear the club didn’t see the coaching as the issue in how we finished in 2024
Laying largely the blame on Russell and keeping the same coaching structure
Another oversight by the club
The club didn't see the playing group as an issue and we got rid of 3 experienced players and only added 1 in return.
How we ended our 24 season, it was obvious we needed more reliable experience if we were going to stay in the hunt.
But the club (and a lot of supporters) overvalued the list and we went all in on a 'super draft' and this is where we are at.
Changing coaches would not have changed a thing, even the assistants IMO.
The game has moved on and we haven't as a list, first and foremost.
You're probably only saying that b/c Jagga Smith missed the entire season.
It's interesting to see Bam Bam and Jack Martin getting regular games at top 4 clubs and Kennedy described in media as the mature age recruit of the year… probably just over egging it a tiny bit.
I agree that Kennedy had ability to kick inside 50 with skill and to mark and kick a goal from anywhere inside the F50 arc with consistency, and that's something we don't exactly have in spades in our midfielders. But which of our midfielders would you have traded out to make room for Jagga Smith? Would you have not tried to get him?
I think Owies was a reliable forward and thought he was treated poorly by the club but I have to concede that if I was asked to pick b/w Owies and Jagga, even sight unseen and on reputation alone I'm picking Jagga.
Same for Kennedy vs Jagga, though less of sure thing. As for Kennedy + Owies for Jagga and it starts to get more difficult a decision but I still probably will be backing it if Jagga plays up to his reputation in 2026.
We desperately need an inside/outside mid who can make great decisions, dance around opponents and kick with precision. Just look at how Butters alone kept Port in the game against WCE
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1365349/coaches-votes-r18-port-adelaide-star-zak-butters-makes-a-move-brodie-grundys-incredible-streak-for-sydney-swans. The Cripps 2 Walsh 2 Cripps combo ac only works with both of them on the field every week. Hewitt has become that clearance combo player with Cripps, but Walsh did outside and running to so many contests to be the one extra who takes possession and gets it out/forward)
Not sure delisting Jack was the best move, essentially we gave him to Geelong for nothing at all and yes injury prone but so are many of our players (eg Walsh this year and last, Newman,…) and we aren't giving them away for nothing. Maybe they just did it for Jack's sake hoping his injury luck would change at another club? It didn't but he's playing in a top 4 side now, and Chris Scott is playing him much more as a transition off/def player than a goal scorer, I wonder how Blues are going at transition off/def in 2025 and could use him play more of that kind of role than he did in the past?
Nope, not saying this because he got injured at all.
I said it before and after we got Jagga also, I also said I wanted to use the 2 picks or trade one for an experienced mid.
Putting all our cards on the one player and expecting an 18yo kid to be our saviour was high risk, even if he didn't get injured he would've burnt out by seasons end.
I was strongly advocating for experienced players to be traded in that had speed and skill before the draft also, if we wanted to stay in the window.
We didn't have to trade anyone out, we could've targeted out of contract UFAs also if there were any to boost the midfield.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see what Jagga will become, I just wanted to take less risk in that draft as it was so deep.
As for Kennedy, we didn't really need him as an inside mid, so he left.
He fits in well at the Dogs because they already have outside run.
I would've loved him to stay but we are too slow already.
With Owies we lost reliability, leadership and someone you could count on to kick that goal in big moments.
Instead we backed Durdin and Motlop as younger versions to develop.
The situation wasn't Owies and/or Kennedy v Jagga IMO.
But the club took a high priority on the draft last year and we lost experience to do so.
That has an effect on our depth and experience and this is the result of that decision.
At least it has highlighted my concerns with our midfield I have been banging on about for a few years.
Hopefully we will do something about it now.
You definitely were a fan of those 2 first round picks and have been consistent on that. We have to wait and see what becomes of Jagga.
We lost 5 experienced players not 3, and gained one in Haynes.
Kennedy wasn't going to move the needle of us as an inside outside mid, but trading him opened up the spot to gain Harry O'Farrell.
No doubt, like last year, Kennedy would have been good for us this year imo. He stays on the pitch, like Hewett does. The question diesel asks is which other mids/players could we have traded or delisted instead of Kennedy? For me it would have been contracted player (which come at a cost against the SC) Binns or Motlop.
Without Kennedy we would not have got the 2 first round picks before we cashed them in for Jagga, so it made sense to get pick 38 from Kennedy trade instead of dropping Binns or Motlop for nothing...unless Freo wanted Motlop for a similar pick. I would have traded Motlop for pick 38 at the drop of a hat, because I prefer Kennedy as the 3rd tall forward than Kemp. WE nearly got something for Kemp from the Saints but that was after the Kennedy trade.
The Martin decision was a no brainer. He would have been no good to our cause this year, or next. He was injury prone and only available for 3 games last year, and 11 games previous year and missing when we needed him vs Dees in the Final.
Lets get real about Martin at Cats too. Martin MISSED the FIRST 12 ROUNDS of 2025. He's played 4 of the last 5 games. His form thus far proves to me he's now a Flat track bully, and he will be lucky to be available for Cats in the Finals. Cats are not relying on him to win them a flag. We were. Martin was part of the problem at Carlton.
AS for Owies. I saw those missed sitters from him in the last 3 weeks and his season at WCE hasnt been a world beater. He's kicked 6 goals this year after 17 games. He turned 28yo in March. Frankly, Owies may have been of some help this year, but he wouldn't have won us games we lost. Harry and Charlies costly misses in front of goals would have seen to that.
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