Opinion Best 23 Pre Trade/Draft - Season 2024

[Footy Smarts]

You’d think Guthrie is the outlier, not the norm, in being able to dramatically increase his output in his 10th season.

That was part the opportunity of actually being played in midfield. But also didn't he have a heart issue discovered and fixed which allowed him to massively increase his fitness?

 

[FredLeDeux]

You’d think Guthrie is the outlier, not the norm, in being able to dramatically increase his output in his 10th season.

But he was high output from his 4th season; if Mullins reaches that output that quickly, I suspect the club will be happy.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Maybe an unpopular opinion but Bews has never been great. He's probably always been the 20th-23rd player picked. He's played his role well though. It would be good if someone can come in and take the lockdown small defender role, but with a cleaner disposal.

I dont disagree although all flag teams need role players of that type-collingwood and other teams have them. But we do need someone to come in younger and take his spot preferably one who does have great disposal.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

A lot here have Duncan a lock, he actually looked cooked most of the year, I think he’s the next old boy to make way for a young player.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Hes still class but calf injuries can be a sign the body is done. Will all depend on his body this year.

 

[AM]

You need a squad of approx 28 players to bat deep into September but if I had to choose a best 23 for next year now the draft/trade periods are finished.

B Kolojashnij DeKoning O'Connor
HB Stewart J.Henry Zuthrie
C Holmes Atkins Blicavs
HF Miers Cameron Close
F Stengle Hawkins Dangerfield
Foll Stanley Cuthrie Bruhn
Int Mullin Mannagh Duncan O.Henry
Sub Bowes

Em from Conway Knevitt Dempsey Tuohy Clark Rohan

A few in that team aren't locks, and could be easily replaced if their not at the top of their game. (Kolo, O'Connor, Mullin, Bowes, Mannagh, Zuthrie).

Still think we'll roll with an experienced outfit next season, but when players are injured, managed etc, we'll dip into a pool of predominately kids as backup. Key position depth is a concern though.
Hopefully by the start of 2025, 3 or 4 of the kids can be pencilled in as regulars.

Why do people continue to pick back halves without anyone with line-breaking leg speed? Haven't people been observing the top clubs this year? In fact, most clubs.

 

[Lana]

You’d think Guthrie is the outlier, not the norm, in being able to dramatically increase his output in his 10th season.

That a bit too literal. I don't think Mullin should be chasing a creative role in the short term, our team is stacked with those types of players. I think Mullin's attributes match Bews quite well, solid body, good pace etc, won't see the 60 odd VFL games Bews got. It is always handy for good defensive players to have some kind of offensive weapon, to make their direct opponent have to a least look in their direction once in a while. And if Mullin shows a bit then he can drift over into the role.

 

[Lana]

2nd most effective disposals for the Cats behind Stewart in 2023. Still cracking 5 score involvements and 3 intercepts a game as a wingman/half back. A bit of ring rust early up returning from injuries, but he improved game on game after that.

Duncan is fine.

It's not what he does with the ball that worries me, he is still an A grade distributor. But a bit like Smith at times last year, there were times where he had to put his body on the line in an aerial contest or a ground ball but just didn't.

 

[Mr Meow]

It's not what he does with the ball that worries me, he is still an A grade distributor. But a bit like Smith at times last year, there were times where he had to put his body on the line in an aerial contest or a ground ball but just didn't.

Isn't it funny how we latch onto those few memorable moments, even intelligent people like yourself, and over represent them as "the norm". I can remember stacks of times where he did front up, so it's best to defer the the stats.

Duncan averaged a smidge over 50% more combined contested possessions/tackles than Smith in 2023. Out of our regulars he finished middle of the road for average tackles (10th) and contested possessions (10th).

A squib indeed. But perhaps less squibbish than at least 12 of his weekly peers, most of whom are younger/faster and therefore should be able to affect more contests.

 

[Lana]

Isn't it funny how we latch onto those few memorable moments, even intelligent people like yourself, and over represent them as "the norm". I can remember stacks of times where he did front up, so it's best to defer the the stats.

Duncan averaged a smidge over 50% more combined contested possessions/tackles than Smith in 2023. Out of our regulars he finished middle of the road for average tackles (10th) and contested possessions (10th).

A squib indeed. But perhaps less squibbish than at least 12 of his weekly peers, most of whom are younger/faster and therefore should be able to affect more contests.

I'm not going to argue against the merits of using the average stats, ranking etc they are use. But things can get lost at a resolution level only using them. All acts get translated to either a 0 or 1. Christensen's outmarking two larger players on the wing in a Grand Final is 1 contested possession same as winning a free from being tackled incorrectly. In same vein contesting a high ball but not gain possession counts for zero on the stat sheet, might as well been 100 metres away as far as it is concerned. The CP is pretty a wide basket.

Using your word, a players squibishness isn't proportional to CP. I've started falling in the camp that like many stats CP accumulation highly dictated by role more then intent.

Its not like I had a notebook marking down when plays didn't going in as much as possible. But when our inside midfield group wasn't going to get on top around the stoppages, we needed a win somewhere else to get us going for us to transition the ball from D50. 3rd quarter down by a couple of goals, hacked kick from an underpressure defense goes to a 1 on 1, our wingmen weren't winning those last year. The tail end a few nested if statements that got us to the point where we were relying on a win in that moment.

If we look at what we can change this year from last, our forward-line and defensive personel look solid, our inside midfield looks up to the footy gods. Getting the wings right could dictate the difference between 12th and finals.

 

[Cataholic]

I'm not going to argue against the merits of using the average stats, ranking etc they are use. But things can get lost at a resolution level only using them. All acts get translated to either a 0 or 1. Christensen's outmarking two larger players on the wing in a Grand Final is 1 contested possession same as winning a free from being tackled incorrectly. In same vein contesting a high ball but not gain possession counts for zero on the stat sheet, might as well been 100 metres away as far as it is concerned. The CP is pretty a wide basket.

Using your word, a players squibishness isn't proportional to CP. I've started falling in the camp that like many stats CP accumulation highly dictated by role more then intent.

Its not like I had a notebook marking down when plays didn't going in as much as possible. But when our inside midfield group wasn't going to get on top around the stoppages, we needed a win somewhere else to get us going for us to transition the ball from D50. 3rd quarter down by a couple of goals, hacked kick from an underpressure defense goes to a 1 on 1, our wingmen weren't winning those last year. The tail end a few nested if statements that got us to the point where we were relying on a win in that moment.

If we look at what we can change this year from last, our forward-line and defensive personel look solid, our inside midfield looks up to the footy gods. Getting the wings right could dictate the difference between 12th and finals.

Mitch said he was feeling good atm, so it'll be interesting to re-assess his output as the season progresses, off the back of a full (and hopefully uninterrupted) pre-season.

 

[BotsMaster]

 

[Hamingja]

Why do people continue to pick back halves without anyone with line-breaking leg speed? Haven't people been observing the top clubs this year? In fact, most clubs.

Because we don't have anyone with speed that is good enough to play?

 

[Lana]

Why do people continue to pick back halves without anyone with line-breaking leg speed? Haven't people been observing the top clubs this year? In fact, most clubs.

Our pacy half back flankers are either not so pacey as they're 32 years old or playing for Freemantle.

Not really a concern for me, we have more then enough quality ball users off half back.

 

[Lana]

Mitch said he was feeling good atm, so it'll be interesting to re-assess his output as the season progresses, off the back of a full (and hopefully uninterrupted) pre-season.

I also tend to feel good right after a long holiday, even more so when I am asked about it on camera.

But more seriously, injury allowing he is still first choice. Gotta min-max what you have.

 

[Mr Meow]

I'm not going to argue against the merits of using the average stats, ranking etc they are use. But things can get lost at a resolution level only using them. All acts get translated to either a 0 or 1. Christensen's outmarking two larger players on the wing in a Grand Final is 1 contested possession same as winning a free from being tackled incorrectly. In same vein contesting a high ball but not gain possession counts for zero on the stat sheet, might as well been 100 metres away as far as it is concerned. The CP is pretty a wide basket.

Using your word, a players squibishness isn't proportional to CP. I've started falling in the camp that like many stats CP accumulation highly dictated by role more then intent.

Its not like I had a notebook marking down when plays didn't going in as much as possible. But when our inside midfield group wasn't going to get on top around the stoppages, we needed a win somewhere else to get us going for us to transition the ball from D50. 3rd quarter down by a couple of goals, hacked kick from an underpressure defense goes to a 1 on 1, our wingmen weren't winning those last year. The tail end a few nested if statements that got us to the point where we were relying on a win in that moment.

If we look at what we can change this year from last, our forward-line and defensive personel look solid, our inside midfield looks up to the footy gods. Getting the wings right could dictate the difference between 12th and finals.

Smith was a much, much bigger case for those wing weakness contests you are highlighting compared to Duncan, and I say that from the eye test before I even deferred to stats.

Duncan still performed chase down tackles and break evens at scrappy 50/50s. Smith was sitting off packs and giving up on plays.

I said all year in their current state you could afford two at most, but probably only one, out of Duncan, Tuohy and Smith on the field. Tuohy and Smith's decline by basically every measure was far more significant, yet Duncan has been criticised the most by some. And he provided the most value of those three.

I'd argue that he doesn't have the legs or burst of pace for permanent wing play against some of the young jets today, but it has nothing to do with endeavour. A move back to the half back quarterback role, or as a creative forward flanker for F50 entries, are two roles he could still excel in (with the odd wing rotation but not a full game there).

Bring in some guys with a burst of pace (Dempsey, Mannagh) for two old decliners (Smith, Tuohy) and you get the best out of veterans who still have something to give (Duncan).

Cataholic don't be afraid to chip in, mate.

 

[Cataholic]

I also tend to feel good right after a long holiday, even more so when I am asked about it on camera.

But more seriously, injury allowing he is still first choice. Gotta min-max what you have.

Absolutely agree.

For mine, I think there has been a small, but notable, decline in his play, even allowing for the injuries, but he still commands first choice whilst fit, until proven otherwise.

He's at an age where it can go either way now.

 

[moond0g]

That a bit too literal. I don't think Mullin should be chasing a creative role in the short term, our team is stacked with those types of players. I think Mullin's attributes match Bews quite well, solid body, good pace etc, won't see the 60 odd VFL games Bews got. It is always handy for good defensive players to have some kind of offensive weapon, to make their direct opponent have to a least look in their direction once in a while. And if Mullin shows a bit then he can drift over into the role.

Thought you were referring to the other part of the post suggesting that Bews can bounce back and go to another level this year

 

[Footy Smarts]

It's strange to see Duncan singled out as a likely decliner. He's had his injury issues over his career. But of the 31+ year olds he was clearly moving the best and playing the best by the end of the year.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Pretty hard to see Parf or Hardie even getting a sniff at playing unless there's a huge amount of injuries.

 

[Hamingja]

Our pacy half back flankers are either not so pacey as they're 32 years old or playing for Freemantle.

Not really a concern for me, we have more then enough quality ball users off half back.

There is no point copying Collingwood and doing it worse than them even if we had the cattle to do it.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Mr Meow]

Pretty hard to see Parf or Hardie even getting a sniff at playing unless there's a huge amount of injuries.

That's our VFL premiership midfield core! Although from memory Parf underwhelms even in VFL these days.

 

[Footy Smarts]

And people thought the club hadn't planned who was going to get 14? Nothing random about this.

 

[Lana]

And people thought the club hadn't planned who was going to get 14? Nothing random about this.

This is what happens when the club doesn't do enough research on the players we draft... Number 7 is free. We had the chance to create a three generation chain of premiership players passing on their jumper to an auskicker who shoock their hand after giving them a premiership medal. Near disaster

 

[AM]

Our pacy half back flankers are either not so pacey as they're 32 years old or playing for Freemantle.

Not really a concern for me, we have more then enough quality ball users off half back.

I respectfully suggest you should look at what the successful clubs are doing. My guess is you'll see more run from the back half next year. Rahilly has already hinted at it. We don't have long to wait.