VFL Games 2026

[ugg]

The team for tomorrow's match against the Dogs, which is on at the strange time of 11.05am. Did the VFL think it was a public holiday? It looks like Bowman could be this year's mystery player?

B: L. Melican (43), J. Hamling (29), T. Forrest (72)
HB: M. Geddes (61), L. Giacometti (51), P. Snell (41)
C: N. Chamberlain (42), N. Shipley (52), J. Harrison (65)
HF: J. Phillipou (18), C. Warner (37), T. Hanily (40)
F: J. Longmire (56), J. Dattoli (9), H. McLean (2)
R: P. Ladhams (19), H. Kyle (32), C. Cleary (33)
INT: K. Gibbs (70), M. Mellis (50), C. Peters (53), J. Callegari (59), T. Ryan (64)
23rd Player: T. Forrest (72)
EMG: J. Tidemann (57), N. Andreacchio (67), J. Ellwood (58)

IN: T. Forrest, M. Geddes, J. Hamling, J. Longmire, C. Warner
OUT: B. Cootee, W. Edwards (AFL), L. Hetherton (injured), N. Andreacchio, J. Tidemann (omitted)

At a guess, the Swans wanted the game to finish early so they could fly back to Sydney before the weekend?

BTW does anyone know why the VFL (as well as the SANFL and WAFL) was removed from the Footy Live app.

[Thunder Shaker]

BTW does anyone know why the VFL (as well as the SANFL and WAFL) was removed from the Footy Live app.

I have no idea, but the AFL website has live streams of every game. Perhaps you could try that?

I just caught the end of the second quarter after getting home from shopping. Snell kicked a goal on the half time siren for his first VFL goal. Swans kicked 10 goals in the second quarter to lead 12.6 (78) to 5.4 (34). Bulldogs appear to be in trouble with more injuries.

[Thunder Shaker]

Goals to half time: Phillipou 4, McLean 2, Ryan 2, Datolli 1, Shipley 1, Snell 1, Co. Warner 1.
Leading disposals to half time: Ladhams 19 (and 22 hit outs), Co. Warner 18, Cleary 16, Hanily 15, Shipley 12, Mellis 12.

[Dooloo]

3/4 time 14.7 to 9.8. 29 Point lead to the Swans

[Sandridge]

Great win for our boys!

GO BLOODS!!

[Dooloo]

Big win in the end by 59 points.
22.8. 140 to 12.9. 81. 5 goals each to McLean and Phillipou

[Thunder Shaker]

Ladhams: 22 kicks, 18 handpasses, 47 hitouts, 5 marks, 3 tackles and 1 goal. The Bulldogs don't have much of a ruck division right now due to injury, but that's still a good set of numbers.

[Dooloo]

Ladhams: 22 kicks, 18 handpasses, 47 hitouts, 5 marks, 3 tackles and 1 goal. The Bulldogs don't have much of a ruck division right now due to injury, but that's still a good set of numbers.

Should at least be on the bench as a relief ruckman in the seniors

[imuninformedtwo]

I'm a long-term believer in Logan McDonald, but right now, the demand for spots is growing, and I wouldn't mind seeing either Ladhams in particular but even Hayden given a run as a second ruck to give Grundy some relief in the coming weeks where we have a 'softer' (I know, that will bite me on the bum) draw and so we can take a peek at what that looks like. They're both doing everything that they can right now.

[bandwagon]

I'm a long-term believer in Logan McDonald, but right now, the demand for spots is growing, and I wouldn't mind seeing either Ladhams in particular but even Hayden given a run as a second ruck to give Grundy some relief in the coming weeks where we have a 'softer' (I know, that will bite me on the bum) draw and so we can take a peek at what that looks like. They're both doing everything that they can right now.

Completely agree with this. A patch of games where Grundy is at 50% TOG I think would really help his performance later in the year, and prepare a backup in case he cannot play for any reason. I would hate to see him play lone ruck for 23 rounds until he is beaten up and exhausted.

[imuninformedtwo]

Completely agree with this. A patch of games where Grundy is at 50% TOG I think would really help his performance later in the year, and prepare a backup in case he cannot play for any reason. I would hate to see him play lone ruck for 23 rounds until he is beaten up and exhausted.

Yep. He was dragging his arse around the ground in the last third of '24. I suspect it was an injury, but the point remains.

[bandwagon]

Anyway, that was a very enjoyable afternoon in the sunshine watching a dominant two quarters from the Swans against the previously ladder-leading Dogs with a bonus of the best hot chips in the VFL. Against the wind they scored 4.3 and the Swans scored 4.3; with the wind they scored 8.6 and we scored 18.5. Top marks to the coaches for adapting perfectly to the conditions.

I sat at the scoring end, so vision wasn't the best but here are my impressions from the ground:
As mentioned by Thunder Shaker, Ladhams was completely dominant (don't forget 19 clearances), the Bulldogs' undersized rucks were completely overwhelmed.
Hamling was very good, played full-forward with the wind and full-back when against the wind.
McLean was excellent, not only in front of goal where he was very accurate but taking contested marks down the line.
Clearly was relentless as usual. Most of his 37 disposals were 2 meter handballs to a player in a better position, but he ran and provided a contest all day.
Phillipou kicked 5.1, but mostly through clever positioning and efficient kicking rather than anything spectacular.
Dattoli kicked 2.1 but roamed further from goal than Phillipou and got more involved in general play.
Corey Warner had 28 disposals and kicked a 50m snap, worked hard but his disposals were a bit hot and cold.
Snell played loose in defence when against the wind, worked really hard and provided plenty of rebound.
Melican was solid and reliable, but was overshadowed by Hamling I felt.
Hanily was very busy and ran hard to provide an option across the ground.
Kyle was very quiet.
I kept a close eye on Chamberlain as he had been very quiet in previous weeks. He ran with Vandermeer for virtually the whole game and was not outshone by an experienced AFL player. He ran hard all day on the wing, but the Swans' gamestyle meant he didn't gather many possessions (17). He did display his athleticism with a prodigious leap and pace. Another season of improvement and we might have a serious player.

[Thunder Shaker]

Completely agree with this. A patch of games where Grundy is at 50% TOG I think would really help his performance later in the year, and prepare a backup in case he cannot play for any reason. I would hate to see him play lone ruck for 23 rounds until he is beaten up and exhausted.

2005: Ball and Jolly.
2012: Pike and Mumford.
These are the rucks from premiership-winning teams.

The selectors really should consider playing two rucks.

[UUaswan]

I'm a long-term believer in Logan McDonald, but right now, the demand for spots is growing, and I wouldn't mind seeing either Ladhams in particular but even Hayden given a run as a second ruck to give Grundy some relief in the coming weeks where we have a 'softer' (I know, that will bite me on the bum) draw and so we can take a peek at what that looks like. They're both doing everything that they can right now.

Missing the point though

3 fwds plus 2 rucks

Drop Logan for a relief ruck and its the same net benefit.
Freo is the standard, no team can go with 3 permanent tall fwds. Amiss is a spud and he is kicking bags

I'd be dropping Coote and Lloyd/Cunningham for
Ladhams and Heeney

Still plenty of small fwd options to crumb and mark

Even throw Melican back in for Lloyd/Cunningham freeing up our running backs even more