I agree Clem. Got some great youngsters on the list but also a lot in the 28+ bracket.

I'm not across how it all works but think it's very important that we somehow find a way to trade into the draft in the 30s picks.

As it stands we currently have our first rounder then our next is in the 60s yeah?

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#DonTheStash

13 of the Blues players who took us to Prelim were from other clubs
Pies brought in Hill Mitchell Frampton and McStay last year
Lions went and got Dunkley Gunston and Berry

Continually going to the draft will not get you anywhere when you have that window open you need to bring in players that are established and complement your list

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For me, other than a fast medium sized forward who can rotate midfield to help with our current list, our issue is more the delivery into F50 rather than who is in the F50.
Swans game:
19 scoring shots to 23 from 56 i50s to 46
i50 Marks 7 to 9

Melbourne game:
18 scoring shots to 26 from 52 i50s to 53
i50 Marks 9 to 10

Brisbane game:
18 scoring shots to 24 from 52 i50s to 64
i50 Marks 6 to 11

Brisbane was the only large differential in i50s going against us but we only managed about 18 scoring shots in each finals game from roughly the same amount of entries.
So we either need to get better at locking the ball outside our F50 for more repeat entries, which is taxing on the whole playing group or we need to inject some better skilled and quicker players who can open up our F50 more and hit better targets by foot when entering.

So once again and for yet another year, our problem is our midfield (yes, I know I keep going on about it), it's too one dimensional in pace and not skilled enough by foot, wings included.
Walsh all the time and Cerra most of the time are probably the only two players that can move the ball reliably and hit their targets going i50, IMO.
We need more skill and more speed, speed and speed.
I'd like to see how Boyd goes on a wing or in the middle next year with Williams back.
And yes I still have FOMO on Elijah Hewett.

Let these teenagers find the weight room first. I'd be keen on Sam Wicks from Sydney. Is tough, fast and a noted goalkicker. Just turned 24. I know he's a local product - but his type is what we need. Currently uncontracted for 2024.

100% agree with this Syd.
We need mature talent if we want to up the list next season.
All our added players from last year lacked genuine speed and that is what we need to easily and regularly beat teams like Brisbane, Melbourne, GWS and even the Pies to a degree.
We can't solely rely on a contested game all the time because at some point the dam walls break like on the weekend and I'd hate that to be in the GF.

We used 26 players in the three finals.

Ed, Dow, Honey, Plowman, O’Brien, Philp & Fisher are anywhere from definitely to maybe gone. Akuei & Mirkov are up against it.

Lemmey & O’Keeffe have clear paths, but aren’t expected to be a factor just yet.

Binns, Carroll, Cowan, Corey Durdin have promise with Sam Durdin, Silvagni, Williams & Young the only senior players on the fringes.

So, 26 + 8 that are capable of winning enough games to be in the mix next September.

Maybe half a dozen new faces coming in, including a couple of Irish lads.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

I'd assume the Irish boys have some speed.
The only question is can they play football?

I agree that our issue is more about delivery into the forward 50 than who's playing there.
I'm not so concerned about pace however - look at the likes of Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Daicos x 2, Lachie Neale etc - they aren't necessarily quick but are skillful, smart and have good evasive skills.

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Harry is a needed man in the forwardline

Vossy said today



https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/09/25/he-will-be-disappointed-voss-speaks-on-curnows-finals-campaign/

Saw Harry up the ground a fair bit, which I liked.

I expected more from TDK TBH . 5 kicks 3 marks ) goals 0 points

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TDK went off injured came back but had little impact after that injury.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Yep. As it stands, we have just the one pick inside 30 & no clear path to finding another one.

Dow & Fisher are our best offerings & it’s a bit harder to move future picks as a top 4-6 team.

Cuningham & Plowman are free agents, so any rival offer will net (at least) a third round pick as tier 5 compensation… BUT we’d have to put an offer on the table first. I don’t think we want to be playing ducks & drakes there.

North Melbourne would be a good landing spot for Plowman, if he wants it. They’re down two senior defenders in McKay & Logue, but they’ve got the whip hand in those negotiations. They’re not going to jeopardise their compensation for McKay - and they don’t have to.

In Cuningham’s case, I think we’re the club that’s most in need of what a fit DC can offer. Hence, we just get something done.

Fisher’s half back audition might temp someone to part with a pick in the 40s & Dow would be a good deal at the same price. If we can get those deals done early, then we might be in a position to package up some 3rd round picks to a club chasing the points - Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Sydney, Doggies and maybe North if they’re allowed to match a bid on Sanders.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Fair point, but they all have other players around them with speed.
Out of our midfield group and wings that have all of the attributes you are referring to, I'd only put Walsh and Cerra in with them and that is not enough, especially if we lack speed as a whole IMO.

... so is ginnivan & rankine. if i could be bothered i'd look up a bunch of smalls of similar motlop age who i'd take.

speek kills and we don't have much of that

yeah spot on ... it's like the bottom six of your list debate. our top six aren't that fast and our bottom six would be among the slowest in the afl.


we need an injection of speed to break the lines and surge through the middle.

What you want is not always what you get . Agree , but these types don't grow on trees .

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If Dow is determined to leave, I’d be steering him towards Sydney for a straight swap.

But my preference would be to keep Dow. So that means looking at small forward options who won’t cost us anything (eg. Ronke & Mannagh are only a year older than Wicks). I’m also banking on C Durdin bouncing back next season.

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I recall him getting hurt, and at the time I quivered, and thought about 2 rucks in a Final.
Then he was off and back on.

Charlie was on his own a lot, as Harry presented a marking link between backline and Charlie.

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While our window is somewhat open, we don’t want a repeat of O’Reilly and Mansfield giving away decent picks for players who could end up being washed up hacks. Still scarred from those days.

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- Igor Stravinsky

Great situational analysis.

North wouldn't jeopardise losing Ben McKay's compensation pick.
But Plow would be good depth for North.

I love our list.
I'm counting on TDK improving his forward craft, and SOS improve his kicking.

As we saw with Lions, the lost KPD Adams, then lost his replacement Payne, and Gardiner came in, and blanketed the Coleman Medallist.

We need depth in all areas incase.

Cuningham is what we need, but...who knows when he will be ripe.
We want Dow and Fish to stay and improve or, as at the very least depth.
Fisher knows where he is in the pecking order. Ditto Dow.
Vossy wouldn't beat around. He has a pecking order for spots.

I can't see anyone in the market place who jumps out at me for our first Round pick, nor our future 1st, but I'm always looking for a great surprise.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Exactly what I mean by moving deck chairs.

Dow for a Mansfield profile when we got him, or OReilly type, is just going backwards.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue