List Mgmt. 2024 List Management 📃

[Blue By Blood]

My only issue with Austin is the continual investment into slow players over the last couple of years. Elijah is a fantastic pick up but one paced, Ollie is in a bad form slump this year but same thing for pace. Motlop is a natural small forward but lacks speed off the mark, Moir slow off the mark too.

I've really liked some of his pick ups, I just think we've gone a bit too far for balance in terms of speed around the ground. Something we really should be able to address in an off season if we play our cards right... Just need to have identified it as an issue like he did with the wings in 2022.

Might still win the flag this year anyway as our best is great, but the speed is definitely an issue for us.

I agree with most of this. The trouble is it’s hard to find the speedy players that are also tough enough to not be a liability in the contest. And that burst pace at stoppages is so hard to come by (e.g. LDU types).

Ollie is starting to become a concern for me. May just be second year blues but I’m not seeing what the stand out qualities are. Doesn’t seem to have natural ball winning ability, awareness seems a little lacking (gets run down once a match), is slow to move the ball on, and gets shrugged off in tackles. Cannot at all fault his effort, bravery or attitude so hopefully he becomes the player we need him to be. We have most of the pieces to be a premiership team so there’s no need to panic. However, we could get stronger if we can address:

We need a mobile tall key back to partner Weiters and allow him a bit more freedom and to let Gov play as a genuine third tall.

We need a lockdown small defender who excels in strong body work to quell the oppos best small forward.

We need to find another wing to partner Acres. The other wing is currently a liability and the oppo is working us over on that wing.

We need burst speed like you say, especially around stoppage. This is not easy to find though so we may have to back in our strong contested game and tweak around the edges with quick ball movement and dare and getting the selection mix right.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I agree with most of this. The trouble is it’s hard to find the speedy players that are also tough enough to not be a liability in the contest. And that burst pace at stoppages is so hard to come by (e.g. LDU types).

Ollie is starting to become a concern for me. May just be second year blues but I’m not seeing what the stand out qualities are. Doesn’t seem to have natural ball winning ability, awareness seems a little lacking (gets run down once a match), is slow to move the ball on, and gets shrugged off in tackles. Cannot at all fault his effort, bravery or attitude so hopefully he becomes the player we need him to be. We have most of the pieces to be a premiership team so there’s no need to panic. However, we could get stronger if we can address:

We need a mobile tall key back to partner Weiters and allow him a bit more freedom and to let Gov play as a genuine third tall.

We need a lockdown small defender who excels in strong body work to quell the oppos best small forward.

We need to find another wing to partner Acres. The other wing is currently a liability and the oppo is working us over on that wing.

We need burst speed like you say, especially around stoppage. This is not easy to find though so we may have to back in our strong contested game and tweak around the edges with quick ball movement and dare and getting the selection mix right.

Id be going after Riley Garcia as a cheap option for speed through the HFF/Midfield. Hit the draft to try and get ahead of Bens bid to add some pace to the list with an early pick. Ben and Lucas are fairly one paced too despite boasting fantastic work rates. Similar to the Hollands boys however think they have considerably better agility in traffic. The speed issue may be even more pronounced once they join the list

We aren't far off a great list, we just need to shuffle around a few bits and pieces to fill the deficiencies we have ATM.

 

[The Return of the Paf]

Imagine that. Can only hope his younger brother is just as good.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

He's something like 2 foot tall. Maybe a chance as a goal sneak.

 

[No1Suspect]

^ This 100%

When we do get taken apart, Giants Pies Crows Swans it’s the spread / overlap run / take-game-on making us look a bit one paced.

Want to see ‘Pacy mid’ and ‘KPD 2’ as top list priorities this year, and then, only after that, look to fit in Campos who are widely reported as not solving these key needs.

IMO premierships rest upon getting this right

I was coming in here to write exactly this. Pacey mid and KPD2 need to be ready to go players

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

He's something like 2 foot tall. Maybe a chance as a goal sneak.

Eddie Betts wasn't much bigger. Get him in the 1s next week!

 

[HereComesJuddy]

So we have a couple of problems.

1. We need a key back asap who isn’t going to shit the bed. Marchbank can’t play again and Kemp is more suited as a 3rd tall.

2. TDK isn’t 100% ready to be a full time ruck, gets easily injured and very banged up and Pitto just doesn’t do anything around the ground. Plus 2 rucks stifle our leg speed.

3. Midfield!!! Apart from Cripps and Walsh (when he isn’t being tagged, which is a big problem when he is) we really don’t have a quality 3, 4, 5 mid. Kennedy sub, Hewett banished, Cerra lacks a lot of everything.

So although currently 2nd, we really have some major problems.

Maybe Lord was exactly the right midsesson pick we needed to take, but backline and ruck is a serious problem.

Not sure how we fix all 3 areas I have identified but we really need to as each 1 breaks down other areas of our team on game day

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Laughable people think Austin is a good list manager. 5 years in where is the evidence?

Every team has problems. But we are currently sitting 2nd on the ladder so not sure your argument is valid

 

[bradfisher14]

I think it’s time for an uncomfortable conversation about Adam Cerra.

We paid a massive price for him and I don’t think we’ve seen a return on investment. In theory we know he is a rolls royce, but so far I don’t think he provides much more than Hewett and Kennedy who would be on much less coin.

Really needs to get his body right and play his best footy in the back end of the year.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I think it’s time for an uncomfortable conversation about Adam Cerra.

We paid a massive price for him and I don’t think we’ve seen a return on investment. In theory we know he is a rolls royce, but so far I don’t think he provides much more than Hewett and Kennedy who would be on much less coin.

Really needs to get his body right and play his best footy in the back end of the year.

He was our best player for most of last year. He's had a terrible run with injury this season and it shows.

No conversation needed

 

[HereComesJuddy]

I think it’s time for an uncomfortable conversation about Adam Cerra.

We paid a massive price for him and I don’t think we’ve seen a return on investment. In theory we know he is a rolls royce, but so far I don’t think he provides much more than Hewett and Kennedy who would be on much less coin.

Really needs to get his body right and play his best footy in the back end of the year.

I think he would be best suited behind the ball. I’d put him with the backline and especially now that Williams has gone forward. I just don’t think Cerra is an out and out mid

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I think he would be best suited behind the ball. I’d put him with the backline and especially now that Williams has gone forward. I just don’t think Cerra is an out and out mid

Did you watch him in 2023?

 

[bradfisher14]

He was our best player for most of last year. He's had a terrible run with injury this season and it shows.

No conversation needed

I really hope you’re right. Fingers crossed he gets up and running with some continuity.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I really hope you’re right. Fingers crossed he gets up and running with some continuity.

I just think he's an in and under ball winner trying to play as a first receiver option in a midfield full of similar types. He's the same athlete Kennedy is, just a more accurate kick.

Need someone to come in and change that mix like Williams had done for our forward line.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

I just think he's an in and under ball winner trying to play as a first receiver option in a midfield full of similar types. He's the same athlete Kennedy is, just a more accurate kick.

Need someone to come in and change that mix like Williams had done for our forward line.

Looking at our list, maybe Lord is the guy that needs to get a game and change up our midfield grouping

 

[Coona Blues]

Id be going after Riley Garcia as a cheap option for speed through the HFF/Midfield. Hit the draft to try and get ahead of Bens bid to add some pace to the list with an early pick. Ben and Lucas are fairly one paced too despite boasting fantastic work rates. Similar to the Hollands boys however think they have considerably better agility in traffic. The speed issue may be even more pronounced once they join the list

We aren't far off a great list, we just need to shuffle around a few bits and pieces to fill the deficiencies we have ATM.

List building in the last few years has been very difficult. Subtle and nit so subtle changes in umpiring interpretation, and indeed rules have changed midfield dynamics, in particular. Varying interpretations from game to game, quarter to quarter and yes, even team to team, makes instruction and selection a difficult process.

Now we have the massive blow of likely rule changes around the draft denying us of a first or second round selection (or trade collateral).

Our list balance isn’t as bad as many of us make it out to be, we absolutely are in a genuine flag window. We have a few too many players fatigued or playing hampered at present. We have to get the list to September in good shape.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

List building in the last few years has been very difficult. Subtle and nit so subtle changes in umpiring interpretation, and indeed rules have changed midfield dynamics, in particular. Varying interpretations from game to game, quarter to quarter and yes, even team to team, makes instruction and selection a difficult process.

Now we have the massive blow of likely rule changes around the draft denying us of a first or second round selection (or trade collateral).

Our list balance isn’t as bad as many of us make it out to be, we absolutely are in a genuine flag window. We have a few too many players fatigued or playing hampered at present. We have to get the list to September in good shape.

In my opinion we can still beat any team on their day, but some of those match ups entirely depends on the health of some of our role players. A fit Cuningham and Martin add speed to our list and allows for an extra rotation on ball that we don't have.

I guess the main thing is trying to get additions who will add the traits we lack and are generally available most of the year.

No list is perfect, but we desperately lacks a few types vs certain teams. Against others we can just beat the hell of them around the ball and the forward line will do the rest.

 

[Accidental genius]

Leg speed
Leg speed
Leg speed
Leg speed

Once against torched out the front of stoppage with nobody capable of chasing down an opponent once they got into space.

but but but when you kick the ball it goes much faster than any player running

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Did you watch him in 2023?

Mate I’ve been watching since 1979. He was pretty good last year but last year was last year. Imo he has been below average this year and makes way too many mistakes. I think he would be better behind the ball.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

but but but when you kick the ball it goes much faster than any player running

Yep, I vomit every time I read this. Maybe after a few more Izak Rankines, Bailey Dales, Chad Warner's etc torch us out of the front of stoppage they'll figure it out.

 

[Coona Blues]

I think he would be best suited behind the ball. I’d put him with the backline and especially now that Williams has gone forward. I just don’t think Cerra is an out and out mid

I don’t think we have a huge personnel problem in the middle. I believe we have a structural/coaching issue. The likes of Walsh and Cerra are better suited as primarily first receivers. Walsh has the running power to spread, and in clear air, Cerra is an elite distributor. Crippa has gone to new levels in his own game and has somewhat skewed the balance, by being personally better balanced, if that makes sense.

I don’t want to knock our coaches as none are “poor”, but I think we would be better served by some more recently retired mentorship, someone with a good mind who has played “ modern” footy. Stoppage, and/or ball movement. Similarly our defensive half ball movement is conservative and lacking in creativity. A lot of flair has been removed, even from Saad( May just be slowing a touch too, from age and wear and tear) the only one consistently taking the game on is Gov, who seems to have licence to be less accountable.

 

[bradfisher14]

I just think he's an in and under ball winner trying to play as a first receiver option in a midfield full of similar types. He's the same athlete Kennedy is, just a more accurate kick.

Need someone to come in and change that mix like Williams had done for our forward line.

I guess that's a big part of my initial premise. It's an uncomfortable topic - but would we have been better off sticking with Hewett/Kennedy and picking a kid with pick 6? Luckily that draft was pretty rubbish. Could've taken Nasiah WM (great) or Josh Sinn (yikes).

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I guess that's a big part of my initial premise. It's an uncomfortable topic - but would we have been better off sticking with Hewett/Kennedy and picking a kid with pick 6? Luckily that draft was pretty rubbish. Could've taken Nasiah WM (great) or Josh Sinn (yikes).

I'm not saying to push them out the door but there is a chance one of those two seek a more regular role elsewhere. I think it's quite clear now that the 3 of Cerra, Hewett and Kennedy won't play in the same mix.

Not that either would be worth much, I'd prefer them stay for valuable depth unless we had another player lined up to take their spot who provides something else.

Trent Rivers tonight showed the exact 'type' of player we'd love to have roll through there, powerful and explosive but capable defensively and plays an accountable brand of footy when he needs to.

 

[Soapy V]

I would really like the club to explain why we signed Cottrell & Durdin to 2 years deals so early?

List spots are gold and it’s not as if they were going elsewhere

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I would really like the club to explain why we signed Cottrell & Durdin to 2 years deals so early?

List spots are gold and it’s not as if they were going elsewhere

Cottrell I'm okay with, Durdin is puzzling.

 

[Soapy V]

He was our best player for most of last year. He's had a terrible run with injury this season and it shows.

No conversation needed

100%. Short memories

Cerra is a bloody good player and will get better. Had a bad run with injuries and playing a role that isn’t suited

Is anyone doubting Walsh as he is in a similar position?