We lost to the premiers in 2022 by 1 goal. We then finished clear in 1st in 2023 and won all of our finals. It wasn't a "minor miricle". It Was just a follow on from 2022 with not to many injuries.Small forward wasn’t an area of the list that needed improving given those coming through and I’d argue hasn’t been improved in any real way. If you were bringing in a Jeremy Cameron or Lynch or Dangerfield then I would have agreed with the strategy and risk /reward ..never the case and never worth the effort /price for mine.
None of this is hindsight. Way bigger holes that needed and still need surgery that will bite hard.
The fact so much went right in 2023 allowing us to salute was, for mine, a minor miracle. But the holes in the list were /are there if you wanna look. For mine, it made it more critical that we optimise our 1st & and 2nd rounders at the draft instead of valuing them like cheap confetti.
Have and always will take the view that you always ALWAYS take your 1st rounders to the draft - and will only ever make an exception if shopping in the Cameron, Lynch, Dangerfield part of the market.
Walking and chewing gum at the same time is still doable ..competing deep into finals whilst still drafting in young talent is also still possible.
Thought at the time it was a very very poor decision irrespective of likely EOY ladder position. Bottom 8 finish makes it an even costlier poor decision.
2024 so far has been full of injuries. We were in 3rd place 3 games ago. Unfortunately the Injuries have continued since then and most of our list is under done. We still have an opportunity to play finals and impact if we get it together.
It's not a time to throw it all in and rebuild. One more year with this list should be the goal in 2025.
Late 1st rounders are overrated Schultz is a better player than most late 1sts. Trading is what got us a premiership last year. Schultz has been one of our better small forwards this year.
Last edited: