Rumour GFC 2024 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 3

[Kobe Gryant]

Knevitt’s frustrating for me because his VFL form is so far above everyone else, then at AFL level he can’t get near it.

It's tough because obviously we need to be picking the best side we can almost every week.

I will say though, I feel like Knevitt almost needs an ultimatum of 4-6 consecutive weeks in the AFL side, and we'll see how he holds up.

If he improves with the increase in experience at the level, and knowing he has some security rather than being the first player out, then you keep playing him and we've probably found one.

If it's just more of what we've seen so far, then it's probably time to end the experiment and accept that this is more or less just what he's going to be, or as a last resort potentially trial him as a third tall down back.

On Clark, it's difficult to assess at this early stage if it's an application problem or an attribute problem.

What I will say, is he doesn't really have anything tangible that would allow him to contribute immediately.

He's not quick (not slow either, but it's not an asset). His disposal is neat enough, but his decision making has been wayward so far, and he doesn't have height or size either.

His game is bash and crash contested footy, and with his courage and tenacity this should still be viable long-term...but he's just not big enough to play that role at AFL level, and even VFL level on occasion depending on his opponent.

If you look at who tends to impact early on at AFL level, it's freaks like Daicos, Ashcroft, JHF, & Selwood.

Kids with ready made AFL bodies like Newcombe or Reid, or outside players with speed and class who are usually playing in good sides like Dempsey, Rozee, Humphries, or Sheezel - before he went into the midfield.

We know Clark isn't one of those generational players. We obviously know he isn't readymade from a mass/endurance POV, and his game doesn't suit playing on the outside and having others feed him either.

I hold out hope he'll still be a player for us, but it's going to take longer than we initially expected.

He needs time to build his endurance and physique to an AFL standard more than anybody on our list IMO. It's imperative or his role simply won't work at senior level.

I think if he wasn't an early pick, that might have been easier for us all to grasp, but the expectations that come with that title aren't conducive to patience with what would appear to be a long term prospect.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I hope he gets a chance really deserves it but I'm not sure he would get games there.

 

[PzBlinky]

It's tough because obviously we need to be picking the best side we can almost every week.

I will say though, I feel like Knevitt almost needs an ultimatum of 4-6 consecutive weeks in the AFL side, and we'll see how he holds up.

If he improves with the increase in experience at the level, and knowing he has some security rather than being the first player out, then you keep playing him and we've probably found one.

If it's just more of what we've seen so far, then it's probably time to end the experiment and accept that this is more or less just what he's going to be, or as a last resort potentially trial him as a third tall down back.

On Clark, it's difficult to assess at this early stage if it's an application problem or an attribute problem.

What I will say, is he doesn't really have anything tangible that would allow him to contribute immediately.

He's not quick (not slow either, but it's not an asset). His disposal is neat enough, but his decision making has been wayward so far, and he doesn't have height or size either.

His game is bash and crash contested footy, and with his courage and tenacity this should still be viable long-term...but he's just not big enough to play that role at AFL level, and even VFL level on occasion depending on his opponent.

If you look at who tends to impact early on at AFL level, it's freaks like Daicos, Ashcroft, JHF, & Selwood.

Kids with ready made AFL bodies like Newcombe or Reid, or outside players with speed and class who are usually playing in good sides like Dempsey, Rozee, Humphries, or Sheezel - before he went into the midfield.

We know Clark isn't one of those generational players. We obviously know he isn't readymade from a mass/endurance POV, and his game doesn't suit playing on the outside and having others feed him either.

I hold out hope he'll still be a player for us, but it's going to take longer than we initially expected.

He needs time to build his endurance and physique to an AFL standard more than anybody on our list IMO. It's imperative or his role simply won't work at senior level.

I think if he wasn't an early pick, that might have been easier for us all to grasp, but the expectations that come with that title aren't conducive to patience with what would appear to be a long term prospect.

A little off topic, but it's crazy how pick 8 has been our highest for almost two decades while clubs like North, WCE, and the Blues (mid-late 2010s) were picking up top 5 picks like they were nothing. But as you say, the rarity of that pick for us has definitely raised expectations for a lot and fairly or unfairly, he's probably not meeting them yet...but it's no reason to think he can't carve out a good career, especially with another year or two under his belt.

 

[And_ROOS]

A little off topic, but it's crazy how pick 8 has been our highest for almost two decades while clubs like North, WCE, and the Blues (mid-late 2010s) were picking up top 5 picks like they were nothing. But as you say, the rarity of that pick for us has definitely raised expectations for a lot and fairly or unfairly, he's probably not meeting them yet...but it's no reason to think he can't carve out a good career, especially with another year or two under his belt.

Its wild how many wasted top 7 picks there have been from other clubs over the years, and how many players taken in the top 7 would have had better careers had they not been sent to Norhf/Weagles/Red Block Suns. I feel the same with Richmond. They are going to be awful for a bit, how many quality kids get churned out of the system because they will be sent to that shithole.

 

[Turbocat]

Knevitt’s frustrating for me because his VFL form is so far above everyone else, then at AFL level he can’t get near it.

Re Clark, I’m getting the impression he doesn’t have the application to make it. Hope I’m wrong as he’s shown flashes of talent.

Id like to see Knevit get a bit on angry pills and use his size a bit. On Clark I think that might be a bit premature. His first year was scrub lets give him his three to four … and if he doesn’t find a way in then …etc etc. One thing I do agree on is he needs to standout on the track … with the select me training top on...

 

[Kobe Gryant]

A little off topic, but it's crazy how pick 8 has been our highest for almost two decades while clubs like North, WCE, and the Blues (mid-late 2010s) were picking up top 5 picks like they were nothing. But as you say, the rarity of that pick for us has definitely raised expectations for a lot and fairly or unfairly, he's probably not meeting them yet...but it's no reason to think he can't carve out a good career, especially with another year or two under his belt.

The one consolation so far has been it hasn't really hurt us.

Someone like Phillipou is clearly a better footballer to this point, but he's not so good that it actually hurts. Our issues would still be the same with or without him.

Weddle stings a little bit, but he was never on our radar and went a fair bit later on, so it's hard to attribute that to Clark really. Likewise Darcy Jones, and both play positions we're well covered in.

The rest are guys like Hollands, Ginbey, Tsatas, Mackenzie, Hewett etc.

Most of those guys have shown more than Clark, but it's very, very marginal...and they've all got flaws/development issues of their own.

Only early I know, but it's actually looking like a really poor draft. If you had to pick one in recent memory to "sell" a top 10 pick - barring the COVID outliers - that would be the draft to do it.

 

[The rabbi]

Knevitt’s frustrating for me because his VFL form is so far above everyone else, then at AFL level he can’t get near it.

Re Clark, I’m getting the impression he doesn’t have the application to make it. Hope I’m wrong as he’s shown flashes of talent.

Disposals​

13 v Essendon, 29th Jun 2024​

17 v Western Bulldogs, 3rd Jun 2023​

Knevitt has only managed 4 games, but in half of them he performed quite well.

 

[Lana]

This notion of ‘replacing’ guns is misguided. You don’t replace these guys one-for-one, you just draft/trade in the best players you can and figure out the starting 23 later.

We never had a Taylor/Lonergan/Enright replacement, we just changed our back 6 make up with Kolo/Henry/Stewart.

Isn't always a one for one but talent our needs to be replaced with talent in, if not there will be a decline

 

[Lana]

I hope he gets a chance really deserves it but I'm not sure he would get games there.

The future is hard to read, they have a bunch of older midfielders, a player or two goes down, he could be the one to get the call up.

 

[bombersboy]

Bit disappointed we did not Rookie Rohan for a year. Probably recruited to many forwards now but I would have kept him on the list ahead of Duncan and Bews. Duncan has been a great servant but is cooked. Bews has also been a great servant of the club and is one of those 110% effort players and was serviceable in the latter part of the year. I just think the upside with Rohan was/is higher. He had not lost any of his pace or his leap.

 

[My Tilly]

It's tough because obviously we need to be picking the best side we can almost every week.

I will say though, I feel like Knevitt almost needs an ultimatum of 4-6 consecutive weeks in the AFL side, and we'll see how he holds up.

If he improves with the increase in experience at the level, and knowing he has some security rather than being the first player out, then you keep playing him and we've probably found one.

If it's just more of what we've seen so far, then it's probably time to end the experiment and accept that this is more or less just what he's going to be, or as a last resort potentially trial him as a third tall down back.

On Clark, it's difficult to assess at this early stage if it's an application problem or an attribute problem.

What I will say, is he doesn't really have anything tangible that would allow him to contribute immediately.

He's not quick (not slow either, but it's not an asset). His disposal is neat enough, but his decision making has been wayward so far, and he doesn't have height or size either.

His game is bash and crash contested footy, and with his courage and tenacity this should still be viable long-term...but he's just not big enough to play that role at AFL level, and even VFL level on occasion depending on his opponent.

If you look at who tends to impact early on at AFL level, it's freaks like Daicos, Ashcroft, JHF, & Selwood.

Kids with ready made AFL bodies like Newcombe or Reid, or outside players with speed and class who are usually playing in good sides like Dempsey, Rozee, Humphries, or Sheezel - before he went into the midfield.

We know Clark isn't one of those generational players. We obviously know he isn't readymade from a mass/endurance POV, and his game doesn't suit playing on the outside and having others feed him either.

I hold out hope he'll still be a player for us, but it's going to take longer than we initially expected.

He needs time to build his endurance and physique to an AFL standard more than anybody on our list IMO. It's imperative or his role simply won't work at senior level.

I think if he wasn't an early pick, that might have been easier for us all to grasp, but the expectations that come with that title aren't conducive to patience with what would appear to be a long term prospect.

Clark will be a seriously good player.
No doubt he takes a big step forward next season.

Knevitt not so much.
Just has no outstanding qualities.

 

[bombersboy]

Clark will be a seriously good player.
No doubt he takes a big step forward next season.

Knevitt not so much.
Just has no outstanding qualities.

Thing with Knevitt is that he has never been given a really good go at it. Has been dropped a couple of times after good games or after 1 bad one whereas Dempsey was gifted a run of games for a while. the Match Committee may well have seen a much higher ceiling for Dempsey because of what he showed on the track but he was given a better run. Knevitt looks to me like a boy who may have confidence issues. The way we have handled him may not have helped.

 

[Turbocat]

Stolen from reddit

View attachment 2173963

Geelongs draft was rubbish…Geelong just drafted a no one…. and odds on they will turn into a 200 game champ….

It seems the youtube experts and the media scribes have all fall into … Geelong doing a Geelong again..

Its myth but i enjoy it..

 

[My Tilly]

Thing with Knevitt is that he has never been given a really good go at it. Has been dropped a couple of times after good games or after 1 bad one whereas Dempsey was gifted a run of games for a while. the Match Committee may well have seen a much higher ceiling for Dempsey because of what he showed on the track but he was given a better run. Knevitt looks to me like a boy who may have confidence issues. The way we have handled him may not have helped.

Dempsey is explosive and even Jeremy Cameron was reportedly taken aback by his natural talent the first day he came to the club.

I would have thought with Knevitt's endurance tests at the combine, it would have translated well to the VFL but he does not appear to be a standout in that area like majority of other big bodied mids. He has very good hands and that has been highlighted in the AFL.
He also isn't creative with his possessions. For such a big strong frame, be great if he could start taking on players and bulldozing his way through the stoppage.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Thing with Knevitt is that he has never been given a really good go at it. Has been dropped a couple of times after good games or after 1 bad one whereas Dempsey was gifted a run of games for a while. the Match Committee may well have seen a much higher ceiling for Dempsey because of what he showed on the track but he was given a better run. Knevitt looks to me like a boy who may have confidence issues. The way we have handled him may not have helped.

That's not necessarily true.

Dempsey prior to this year was getting virtually the exact same treatment as Knevitt.

Perform at VFL level (well, dominate in his case), get a chance at AFL level - often as a sub - then play a subpar game as youngsters are prone to doing, and be out the next week.

It was only this year after a near BOG performance in round one where he cemented himself, and he just kept on going from there. He made himself undroppable.

That's what Knevitt needs to do. When he does get his opportunity, he needs to take it with both hands like Dempsey did this year.

Otherwise the same in one week, out the next thing will keep happening.

I mentioned how I wouldn't mind giving him a block of games regardless of performance, but it's unlikely we do that. He needs to take the chance when it comes.

 

[bombersboy]

Dempsey is explosive and even Jeremy Cameron was reportedly taken aback by his natural talent the first day he came to the club.

I would have thought with Knevitt's endurance tests at the combine, it would have translated well to the VFL but he does not appear to be a standout in that area like majority of other big bodied mids. He has very good hands and that has been highlighted in the AFL.
He also isn't creative with his possessions. For such a big strong frame, be great if he could start taking on players and bulldozing his way through the stoppage.

Knevitt is tall but he has never been a big bodied mid. When he was first recruited he was extremely light for his height.

 

[Gunf]

The last few VFL game Knevitt took a step forward to me.

Now if he can continue to play like that and keep growing i think he will make it.

He does need a bit of aggression though

 

[bombersboy]

The last few VFL game Knevitt took a step forward to me.

Now if he can continue to play like that and keep growing i think he will make it.

He does need a bit of aggression though

It is difficult to put that into a boy if he does not have it naturally. Shannon Neale is similar, it is just his nature I think.

 

[splashwave]

Clark will be a seriously good player.
No doubt he takes a big step forward next season.

Knevitt not so much.
Just has no outstanding qualities.

Tall, strong overhead and a good endurance runner, surely that’s something to work with.

 

[Turbocat]

That's not necessarily true.

Dempsey prior to this year was getting virtually the exact same treatment as Knevitt.

Perform at VFL level (well, dominate in his case), get a chance at AFL level - often as a sub - then play a subpar game as youngsters are prone to doing, and be out the next week.

It was only this year after a near BOG performance in round one where he cemented himself, and he just kept on going from there. He made himself undroppable.

That's what Knevitt needs to do. When he does get his opportunity, he needs to take it with both hands like Dempsey did this year.

Otherwise the same in one week, out the next thing will keep happening.

I mentioned how I wouldn't mind giving him a block of games regardless of performance, but it's unlikely we do that. He needs to take the chance when it comes.

I think he need to show something he hasn’t… and perhaps at another club he would have been persisted with but he is not at a club where you get green lit. In the end , as much as I liked he pre draft ..its up to him to make himself a guy they have to select. Whether thats thru a crunching tackle or great quarter of inside mid work… cause what we have seen so far is that the only difference he brings is his OHead marking. Can he outmark some guys at training …from memory thats what Pods did etc. At his size he would be hard to deal with as a tagger but is he up to that role? I think the Demp observation is a good one( different players) but he put a lot of work into running and made it more than just his talent.

 

[Turbocat]

I hope he gets a chance really deserves it but I'm not sure he would get games there.

I wish him all the best …just to get a chance on list might be enough …or maybe a few games. Its going to be hard to push into any groups mids but the Dogs do not have the worst midfield

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I wish him all the best …just to get a chance on list might be enough …or maybe a few games. Its going to be hard to push into any groups mids but the Dogs do not have the worst midfield

He would be better off at somewhere like Richmond or ess etc.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Now that the draft/trade period is done and dusted, where do we see our immediate list deficiencies?

We seemed to have addressed our lack of ruck depth with Mollier and Pike.

Midfield class is probably still a concern albeit bringing Smith in should help. Still feel that unless Clark, Bruhn and Knevitt really go to another level then we will need to continue to add in this area. Particularly with Dangerfield in his last couple of years.

Another key forward is probably needed if you don’t think Edwards or Mollier will play that role. Polkinghorne looks a good addition and may work with Henry and Neale. We’ll see. He looks to have a frame that can add size quickly so might get games earlier than expected.

Knevitt I suspect will be delisted end of 25/26. Lacks a footy brain and contested grunt. Not a fan one bit.

Clarke Conway bruhn Dempsey holmes are the ones I think who can all go another level from last season.

If the above take a step up and smith comes on, i think we will surprise a few in the middle and go a long way towards a flag shot

 

[year of the cat]

Knevitt I suspect will be delisted end of 25/26. Lacks a footy brain and contested grunt. Not a fan one bit.

Clarke Conway bruhn Dempsey holmes are the ones I think who can all go another level from last season.

If the above take a step up and smith comes on, i think we will surprise a few in the middle and go a long way towards a flag shot

Big year ahead for Knevitt. He needs to establish himself or at least go to another level such that the club can foresee a future or else he’s on borrowed time. Lack of intensity is his major issue at senior level. Maybe it’s just a confidence issue? Regardless he needs to overcome it.

Hopefully we see some continuity in Conway’s season. The fact we didn’t draft a ready to go ruck suggests the club think his woes this season can be overcome quickly.

I’m confident that we will see Clark break out in ‘25. I’m not saying he’ll be a star but he will be a lock in our 22.

Really looking forward to seeing Edwards too next year. Think he’s got a lot of potential. Hopefully he has a massive pre season.