aboynamedsue wrote:
So….have we sufficiently improved our list?
Here are the changes since January 2022 (I’m happy to be told if I have missed something!)-
Out:
Setterfield
Stocker
Newnes
Williamson
Parks
OMac
2023 Rd 2 pick
2023 Rd 3 pick
(I haven’t included Jones because he was gone before January 2022 or Hayes because he came and went within that time period)
In:
Acres
Hollands
Cowan
Binns
Lemmey
S.Durdin
2023 Rd 4 pick
It will take 3 years to properly judge this trade/draft period, but here’s a few random thoughts at this point FWIW-
* This has been the most “needs based” approach I can remember us taking since 2010 (the Watson, McCarthy, Mitchell, McInnes draft) - hopefully it turns out better than that! I’m glad we brought in some outside run, but I do wonder if we overcorrected somewhat.
* Setterfield & Stocker leaving and us getting nothing in return was disappointing. What people say about Stocker’s work rate may or may not be true - but I can only go by what my eyes see on game day. He wasn’t a perfect footballer, but I think he was in our top 30. People pulled the same “just get him out, he’s bad for culture” card when we let Mitch Robinson, Jeff Garlett & Jeremy Laidler go for nothing. The Setterfield situation reminds me of the Shaun Grigg scenario.
* I’m seeing Acres as a minor upgrade on Newnes - that’s not a pot shot because I thought Newnes gave us good service (he just found himself in the backline one too many times in the end…).
* You can have the best list in the world but it doesn’t do you much good if you keep getting more injuries than your competitors. It has to be more than bad luck. We MUST get better at injury prevention/management and building resilient players.
* It’s interesting that we traded out of the 2nd & 3rd round of next year’s draft. That says to me that the club is backing itself to finish higher up next season. It also could suggest the club doesn’t expect any of our father/sons to be rated in the top 50 next year.
* Excluding our new draftees, I consider Akuei, Fogarty, Philp & E.Curnow to be our bottom four going into 2023. Special mention to Cunners (not on ability, simply because he never plays!) and Mirkov (who is still raw, but I’m a little more optimistic than some that he will make it). All the aforementioned - plus Dow, Honey, Kemp, Marchbank & S.Durdin - have the onus squarely on them to prove why they should be retained beyond 2023.
Go Blues!!
That's a good summary abns.
Stocker will be a controversial decision. A lot of emotion attached to the pick on draft night, and with that expectation. Time will tell.
Setterfield wanted to stay. His situation was more similar to the Tuohy push imo. Grigg the sleezebag was staying till he returned from holidays with his Bluies mates and shafted us. Setterfield nothing like that sleeze Grigg situation other than the pick in return.
Amazing how Philp is only 21yo and looked amazing in his first and only games before injury with his pace and tackling and good shot at goal. Says more about our list than the quality of Philp. Binns, albeit shorter may go past Philp with his endurance and pace...did I mention his 39 possessions vs Allies.
I see a group continuing to grow together. Injuries and age have crueled us, but on the flip side the youthfulness of the group gives us a lot of upside.
For me, we have the list to contend, (if we stay fir) and our improvement will come from our ruck division. If TDK can become that reliable forward and builds strength over summer, watch out AFL. Like most coaches these days, Voss will play 2 rucks. SOS and Grigg were plugs in the past.
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