Mega Thread 2025 Media & Miscellaneous Thread

[Tonga Bob]

Back by popular demand. However...

There has been some aggro from publishers of articles in recent months about sites that copypasta their content onto other sites, particularly the paywalled ones, which could lead to fines and whanot for those that do it. Apparently there are copywrite laws for these things. As a result we can no longer have full articles reposted here, so if you come across something then please refrain from nabbing the whole thing and just post the link. Quoting a paragraph or two and linking the source is fine however, just don't get greedy.

Here's the updated site-wide rule: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/please-read-re-copyright-posting-newspaper-articles.1389553/

Here's an example of what you can do:

"If West Coast was the gold standard for how to operate, then Fremantle's arrival into the AFL in 1995 could be viewed as a series of cautionary tales.

Despite eight wins in that debut season, a series of poor recruiting choices meant they didn't play their first final until 2003."

If they believe that us not making finals until 2003 was solely due to "a series of poor recruiting choices" then I have a bridge to sell them.

Can 'perennial underachievers' Fremantle become WA's biggest footy club?

For 38 years the West Coast Eagles have been WA footy's alpha male, but in the midst of their worst ever on-field run, is the balance of power shifting towards their bitter rivals Fremantle?

www.abc.net.au

Thanks for your understanding.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Ryan Daniels just had his first segment on Triple M for the year. Make of this what you will:

Risk of Brayshaw leaving is less than 1% and he is close to signing a six year deal.

Darcy trip has been largely arranged and paid for by Sean himself, and timed to coincide with a 5 day break for the players. Instead of taking time off he's putting in hard yards off his own back.

 

[Retzlaff]

Basil dislikes this

 

[masai tu]

Basil dislikes this

He's got to realise that he's the second biggest nose in Perth.

 

[oldgoat]

He's got to realise that he's the second biggest nose in Perth.

Well he, who would be king, can continue to drink his own stinky bathwater.

 

[serial_thrilla]

Kozzy likes posts linking him to Freo amid trade reports

Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett has liked a series of social media posts linking him to Fremantle as he does little to calm reports he is all but certain to end up in purple after the 2025 season.

thewest.com.au

Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett has liked a series of social media posts linking him to Fremantle as he does little to calm reports he is all but certain to end up in purple after the 2025 season.

The West Australian revealed earlier this month the homesick forward was desperate to return to his home state, with one close sources stating “a lot would have to go wrong” for him to not end up a Docker.

A Fremantle insider also told this newspaper signing him was currently one of their highest priorities.

It comes after he was linked to a move to the club in the 2024 trade period, with no deal being tabled.

And just days after the bombshell report, Pickett has liked a number of posts across Facebook and Instagram that link him to the Dockers.

The most recent came on Friday, when he liked a comment by a Fremantle fan page on Facebook that stated his cousin Isiah Dudley joining the side as a train-on was all part of the plan to lure him west.

The comment also stated that Pickett was close friends with superstar Richmond recruit Shai Bolton and Port Adelaide pick-up Quinton Narkle.

“He is Kozzy Pickett’s cousin. Bolton and (Quinton) Narkle are Kozzy’s best mates. All part of the plan baby!” a post from the Flagmantle account read.

Pickett has also liked an Instagram post by another Dockers fan account that quoted The Gettable podcast, who reported the Demon was interested in joining the club right up until the end of last year’s trade period.

The 23-year-old follows a long list of Fremantle players, including Bolton, Narkle, veteran Michael Walters, vice-captain Caleb Serong, defender Jordan Clark, former teammate Luke Jackson and young gun Hayden Young on Instagram.

Fremantle players will get their chance to pitch a move to Pickett next month when the electric forward suits up for the star-powered Indigenous All Stars at Optus Stadium, with Caleb Serong saying the Demon was a “special player”.

“He’s an incredible player and a special player,” he said.

“It’s something that we’re really proud of, to be a club and place that players want to come to, but we don’t see it from that point-of-view.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that just love coming to work, love being a part of what we’re building and if that extends out to other players at other clubs seeing that as a place they want to come to, then that’s amazing.

“It’s just something that we’ve built. We want to build an environment where people want to come to work, love competing, and love getting better.

“If that shows around the league, then that’s great.”

The All Stars will face Fremantle on February 15.

 

[Dale147]

 

[Quay Club]

View attachment 2211100

A fit Swaggy is key to our future success!

 

[Daddoo]

View attachment 2211100

So much common sense in that article my brain can’t handle it. I’m not used to reading stuff that well written. Well done COD.

 

[mattis117]

Darcy is our most important player by far.

Freo looked top four quality mid season when he was able to perform at his best, our game vs Sydney a great example.

A fit Darcy allows the rest of the team to structure up in the best possible way, so his importance extends well beyond personal contribution, which is typically significant as well.

 

[Dale147]

 

[pK75]

Darcy is our most important player by far.

Freo looked top four quality mid season when he was able to perform at his best, our game vs Sydney a great example.

A fit Darcy allows the rest of the team to structure up in the best possible way, so his importance extends well beyond personal contribution, which is typically significant as well.

Yep, Darcy is key, we have depth now for just about every other position, Reidy is injury depth but his level is break even at best, whereas Darcy can dominate and then allow Jackson to dominate the oppos second string ruck instead of getting monstered by the main rucks.

 

[Dale147]

 

[Tony_Clifton]

List analysis: Which club has the most All-Australians, top-10 picks?

Which club has the most All-Australians, and which has the most top-10 picks?

www.afl.com.au

No. of top-10 draft picks on list in 2025
Gold Coast 10
North Melbourne 10
Essendon 9
Fremantle 8
Greater Western Sydney 8
St Kilda 8
Carlton 7
Melbourne 7
Richmond 7
Adelaide 6
Brisbane 6
Western Bulldogs 6
Collingwood 5
Port Adelaide 5
Sydney 5
Geelong 4
Hawthorn 4
West Coast 2
If you read to the end you will see my reason for posting this.

 

[Arcassius]

View attachment 2212991

If Chappy is playing on Bolton, then we have 3 players who can rotate on the smalls in Walker, Draper and Chappy. Hugely versatile backline

 

[freoextra]

List analysis: Which club has the most All-Australians, top-10 picks?

Which club has the most All-Australians, and which has the most top-10 picks?

www.afl.com.au

View attachment 2213015

No. of top-10 draft picks on list in 2025
Gold Coast 10
North Melbourne 10
Essendon 9
Fremantle 8
Greater Western Sydney 8
St Kilda 8
Carlton 7
Melbourne 7
Richmond 7
Adelaide 6
Brisbane 6
Western Bulldogs 6
Collingwood 5
Port Adelaide 5
Sydney 5
Geelong 4
Hawthorn 4
West Coast 2
If you read to the end you will see my reason for posting this.

What the actual F are WC doing?

 

[Jezzitizle]

What the actual F are WC doing?

 

[Eski3]

View attachment 2212991

I'm actually not that much of a fan of this. Seems like we're trying to shoehorn a player too good to keep out of the 22 into a position that isn't their natural position. Reminds me of the Griffin Logue 3rd tall forward experiment. I think Draper is just about to turn 21, having a 21 year old elite key back starting the year in the WAFL isn't the end of the world

 

[Taylor]

He looked to have the agility and ground game to play on smalls

 

[ignoramus]

He looked to have the agility and ground game to play on smalls

Agreed, and in that respect I'm completely fine with it. My worry relates to the impact on rebound, given that this move would most likely mean Draper taking Wagner's spot.

Does that mean Walker's role changes to a more attacking one? He's got the pace for it, even if the jury is still out on vision and awareness. Or do we think Draper has the pace to provide rebound as well?

 

[go_the_dockers]

Agreed, and in that respect I'm completely fine with it. My worry relates to the impact on rebound, given that this move would most likely mean Draper taking Wagner's spot.

Does that mean Walker's role changes to a more attacking one? He's got the pace for it, even if the jury is still out on vision and awareness. Or do we think Draper has the pace to provide rebound as well?

Walker has to take the most dangerous small forward, so unlikely he is given much licence to rebound.

I would say, Draper would need to provide the rebound as well, with Chapman given more of a licence to run and carry the ball.

Is Chapman, Clark and a bit from Draper and maybe Ryan enough?

 

[ignoramus]

Walker has to take the most dangerous small forward

I guess I'm assuming that the "playing small" means potentially taking on these duties. Being able to practice on Bolton should provide a pretty decent indicator of whether this is feasible.

But now you've put it like that, perhaps the thinking is more for some of Ryan's duties to be redistributed to Draper...

 

[Arcassius]

Agreed, and in that respect I'm completely fine with it. My worry relates to the impact on rebound, given that this move would most likely mean Draper taking Wagner's spot.

Does that mean Walker's role changes to a more attacking one? He's got the pace for it, even if the jury is still out on vision and awareness. Or do we think Draper has the pace to provide rebound as well?

A backline unit of - Pearce, Ryan, Chappy, Clark, Walker, Cox (if they have a second gorilla forward) / Draper (if they are more mobile) gives us some real flexibility and ability to run out of defense

I think adding more strings to his bow means he can get more continuity of game time. We can run the same defensive group against teams with big KPFs, teams with mobile forwards, teams with lots of smalls ...

 

[Taylor]

If the midfield pressures enough having a 2m option in Draper to float off and intercept mark will be a weapon too

 

[Docker82]

Draper on medium forwards would likely work quite well IMO.

Would basically free up Chapman completely and allow him and Clark to really set up play from the back. Also means Ryan probably doesn't have a direct opponent and is able to help out Draper, Pearce and Cox.

 

[Arcassius]

Draper on medium forwards would likely work quite well IMO.

Would basically free up Chapman completely and allow him and Clark to really set up play from the back. Also means Ryan probably doesn't have a direct opponent and is able to help out Draper, Pearce and Cox.

I see Chappy as being the Wagner replacement rather than Draper