Pre-season 2020

[Legs Akimbo]

Maybe Adam has had a gender reassignment too, like Papley. Wolfy?

Haha. Damn keyboard. You know what I meant.

[SeanM]

That could have been footage from last Friday.

[KSAS]

Joe Daniher on his way to Ireland (again) to see groin specialist

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/daniher-bound-for-ireland-again-to-visit-groin-guru-20200115-p53rif.html

[Mel_C]

Joe Daniher on his way to Ireland (again) to see groin specialist

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...15-p53rif.html

We dodged a bullet!

[stevoswan]

We dodged a bullet!

Hell yeah!

[Markwebbos]

Hun says it’s a positive development

Category: | Herald Sun

Essendon is happy with the full-forward’s progress in recent months but wants the star father-son to check back in with his specialist before stepping up his training workload.

Essendon football manager Dan Richardson said the club was taking all steps to ensure Daniher was completely over his groin problems before he returns to playing.

[Faunac8]

Some interesting statistics within this article which left me feeling quite positive about our team which although it will technically be even younger this year is actually more experienced
The interesting take for me regarding this was in the comments where the originator of the article made this interesting observation in the comments where he drilled a bit deeper
“Makes a huge difference for Sydney – suggests that despite a massive number of games of experience coming off the list, they’re not necessarilly losing a lot out of 2019’s best side.”

How AFL lists have changed ahead of season 2020

[Auntie.Gerald]

true
Hodge at Brissy featured alot last year vs say Grundy, Smith, Jack or even McVeigh

we do bring in some good middle aged experience in Grey and Squizzzzy plus Brand

arguably very ready draft picks in Stephens and Gould plus I wouldnt be surprised if Taylor got a few games mid season onwards once his base can handle AFL Snr footy

Taylor could do a James Rose or Ronke and win a game or two by kicking 4 goals plus in a debut game

As a club it still appears we have taken a longer path to fight for a top4 vs some teams that have rebuilt on the run with a very different recruitment strategy.......There are some seriously good teams out there for 2020 in comparison

I dont see that we have given ourselves the best opportunity to remain season to season top8 competitive vs some other clubs ie Geelong, Pies, Hawks

no one on this forum seemed to rate the Dogs or Bombers. Some very critical comments re those teams yet they still featured 7th and 8th last year and made the finals..........we didnt.....we finished 15th

I hope I am wrong and we are back fighting for a 6-8 position on the table in 2020

[KSAS]

Some interesting statistics within this article which left me feeling quite positive about our team which although it will technically be even younger this year is actually more experienced
The interesting take for me regarding this was in the comments where the originator of the article made this interesting observation in the comments where he drilled a bit deeper
“Makes a huge difference for Sydney – suggests that despite a massive number of games of experience coming off the list, they’re not necessarilly losing a lot out of 2019’s best side.”

How AFL lists have changed ahead of season 2020

Thanks, that was a interesting read going through the various list management strategies. Further to your point above about our list being even younger this year, the article also stated our list will be the 2nd youngest this year (only behind Gold Coast) after being the 5th youngest list in 2019. However we will drop dramatically from being the 5th most experienced team in 2019 to also being the 2nd least experience team (again only behind Gold Coast) after losing massive 1100 games experience with the big 4 retirements.

[barry]

Hun says it’s a positive development

Category: | Herald Sun

Essendon is happy with the full-forward’s progress in recent months but wants the star father-son to check back in with his specialist before stepping up his training workload.

Essendon football manager Dan Richardson said the club was taking all steps to ensure Daniher was completely over his groin problems before he returns to playing.

Thats some almighty spin there. You dont send a player all the way to the other side of the world if his progress has been great.
If he's progressing well, any old sports doctor will do.

Anyway, lets hope they get him right for 2021. Should the swans chip in for his airfares ?

[wolftone57]

true
Hodge at Brissy featured alot last year vs say Grundy, Smith, Jack or even McVeigh

we do bring in some good middle aged experience in Grey and Squizzzzy plus Brand

arguably very ready draft picks in Stephens and Gould plus I wouldnt be surprised if Taylor got a few games mid season onwards once his base can handle AFL Snr footy

Taylor could do a James Rose or Ronke and win a game or two by kicking 4 goals plus in a debut game

As a club it still appears we have taken a longer path to fight for a top4 vs some teams that have rebuilt on the run with a very different recruitment strategy.......There are some seriously good teams out there for 2020 in comparison

I dont see that we have given ourselves the best opportunity to remain season to season top8 competitive vs some other clubs ie Geelong, Pies, Hawks

no one on this forum seemed to rate the Dogs or Bombers. Some very critical comments re those teams yet they still featured 7th and 8th last year and made the finals..........we didnt.....we finished 15th

I hope I am wrong and we are back fighting for a 6-8 position on the table in 2020

OK. Firstly we are building for the future. For 10 years not the quick hit like Doggies and Cats. Saints and Eagles are trying the quick fix too. With the Eagles and Cats the quick fix is needed because their lists are so old they will be past it or retired soon. The Doggies are naturing a young list. Saints are a bit different. They had serious need of mature tip end talent to try to develop the young developing players. They needed a total attitude change at their club and now have it with Ex Swans leading the way.

Our list strategy over the last 5 or do years has been to draft a young, developing team to take us into the future. I think for us this has been the sensible route. We have traded like Cats, Eagles etc in the past and have managed two premierships in two decades. I think we probably underachieved with the talent at our disposal. But it proved one thing, trading does not guarantee a premiership. Hawthorn did a lot of trading and still do but their list is now old. The other thing is if you are trading out all your good draft picks it gets to the stage you become Dad's Army. Not only that due to AFL rules you you cannot trade futures more than two years in a row. This means clubs that generally buy premierships by trading now have to go back to the draft.

The club who recently have traded most, Cats, in an effort to get a premiership now have yet to win one. The last premiership was in Chris Scott's first year in 2011. Since then their finals record is pretty ordinary for such a talented outfit. But one thing might be a problem. With all the very old players they might be running out of legs. Eventually you have to bite the bullet and retire them but Cats don't seem to get that. They are the true Dad's Army of the AFL. Grandads and greenhorns with nothing much in between.

We on the other hand are developing a list that will all mature together. That is really important.

Sent from my U27 using Tapatalk

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Haha. Damn keyboard. You know what I meant.

I did indeed know what you meant, and I'm very glad you viewed my response as nothing more than an off season folly.

I'm not sure Wolfy saw it in quite the same light. If not, sorry Puppy - I understand youre in Thailand and on a dodgy phone and all, but the number of typos coming through in your recent posts are making them harder to read - which is a bit of a pity given the cogitative efforts made in constructing them.

[Auntie.Gerald]

The club who recently have traded most, Cats, in an effort to get a premiership now have yet to win one. The last premiership was in Chris Scott's first year in 2011. Since then their finals record is pretty ordinary for such a talented outfit. But one thing might be a problem. With all the very old players they might be running out of legs. Eventually you have to bite the bullet and retire them but Cats don't seem to get that. They are the true Dad's Army of the AFL. Grandads and greenhorns with nothing much in between.

We on the other hand are developing a list that will all mature together. That is really important.

Sent from my U27 using Tapatalk

Its fascinating when we break down what we expect of our club and what we disagree with re other club strategies. Neither wrong nor right....... just our own opinions until they are not working or working very well

Geelong has retired or moved on a massive bunch of players last few years Enright, Bartel, Tom Lonergan, Andrew Mackie, Steven Motlop, Darcy Lang, Vardy, Caddy, Scott Selwood, Stevie J, Zac Smith, Menzel, Murdoch, Thurlow, Crameri etc etc

for me i was absolutely amazed by Geelongs efforts in 2019....... to rejuvinate their list the last few years and to come no1, all on the run was outstanding.

Im not about premierships as a supporter because to win a GF everything has to align perfectly just on one day re injuries etc etc......but for other supporters a GF is very important to them. I dont even like watching GFs that much to be honest. I love the week to week games.

I have always marked teams in AFL, soccer or any team sport as first on the table re wins vs losses. For me this shows the spirit and execution of a team week in week out. it is an incredible effort to have the most wins after a whole season. For me it is less incredible to rise up and win one game vs a season of games

For me as a supporter im all about remaining seriously competitive ie top8 competitive minimum and designing your list to maintain that standard as much as possible.

Just like Tim Kelly made a tremendous difference to Geelong when they recruited him into their squad and created a tipping point in the midfield and they finished no1 on the table.......their development of Kelly and trading in return has set up 2020 yet still gave them a big bite in 2019 via no1 on the table

I hope we too can capture that midfield dominance which we lost terribly in 2019 and came 15th...........we have gone down the path of recruiting not wanted players last two seasons ie 6 in total and lost Jones, Rohan, Hannes, Cameron

Geelong in my opinion have been absolutely mighty in rebuilding via the draft in 2019 and 2020........they gave themselves the best chance for 2019 and have drafted 2019 and will draft as good as anyone 2020

Geelong - The Cats now have THREE first round draft picks in 2020 after they also received West Coast's future first round pick in the trade for Tim Kelly. Amazing currency and their 2020 first rounder they got from the Suns for picks 27/64 was a gun effort.

Cooper Stephens, 188cm.
Pick 16, midfielder, Geelong Falcons.
Sam De Koning, 200cm.
Pick 19, key defender, Dandenong Stingrays.
Francis Evans, 182 cm,
Pick 41, Calder Cannons/VAFA.
Cameron Taheny, 185cm.
Pick 50, forward, Norwood.

[707]

Auntie, I like your Cats analysis. It should be pointed out however that it's not the Suns first rounder they got, it's the Suns "after non finalists first rounder" which is currently pick 11.

But the Cats will take that pick plus their own and West Coasts firsts to the draft. It's probably that given the large number of "attached" draftees in the draft that all of the Cats picks could drift out 3, 4, 5 places, a strong hand none the less.

[bloodspirit]

With some trepidation, I line up more with wolfie. While I think finishing top of the table last year was a great effort by Geelong, it is a compromised fixture and the Cats had the easiest of draws. I always thought they'd finish highly but doubted they'd do well in September. They have an amazing list with a few all-time greats on there list starting with Gary Ablett Jnr, Danger and Joel Selwood and they have not done as well with these players as we have with Buddy (at least we made the granny twice). Their finals record since 2011 is dismal. I think they have underachieved more than we have. Also, they are not as advanced with their regeneration as we are.

All that said, they have drafted and traded brilliantly in recent times and that has gone a long way to shoring up their future. In particular they made out like bandits with their Tim Kelly recruitment. First they got an All Australian for a couple of seasons for a steal. Then they cashed in BIG TIME when they had to trade him to West Coast. And then they made off like bandits AGAIN trading 2019 pick 27 for 2020 pick 11! Hats off.

I like to think that Chris Scott burns the bacon Stephen Wells saves him.