List Mgmt. List Management 2024-25

Remove this Banner Ad

Lachie neale had a busted ankle all finals series , every player is banged up in the finals.

No excuse
 
Nah. Geelong’s First XXIII was stacked with 30+ yos: Dangerfield, Stanley, Blicavs, Duncan, Guthrie, Stewart, Cameron, Bews, Hawkins, Rohan, Tuohy.

Currently, only two of our First XXIII for 2025 are 30+ = Aliir, Wines. I don’t count Boak, Soldo, Atkins as 2025 best XXIII.

Ken claimed we had the youngest team in the finals. Don’t know if that’s true but it would be close. This is the second finals campaign in a row in which we have limped to the line. However, the solution is not resting 20 yos, it’s toughening the f@#$ up. That happens naturally as players go from early 20’s to late 20’s. Organic growth.
So another 7 years and Ken will have a list primed to go for gold 😂
I'll enjoy the ride up until then 😒🥺
 

Log in to remove this ad.

I had a doctor run an hour and a half late for an appointment today so I thought Id have a look at comments around Quinton Narkle on the Facebook site AFL Trades Delistings, Retirements and Free Agents. I was surprised at how many Port supporters were disappointed at his delisting. According to them he's been terrific in many games as a sub.Im fine with those disagree but in my view our sub players were terrible in 2024 bar Wagner and NOD for a game.

I had the time and I looked at his stats. By my count he played 13 games 8 of which he started as sub in 2024. After he had an interrupted preseason and then he suffered two injuries that resulted him missing six weeks and 3 weeks. After a couple of SANFL games after injury he returned to the team playing mostly sub. I checked his stat and what he regularly had as a sub was mathes raging from 4-10 possessions in games where had around 23% game. He also had an 13 possession game as sub but he played 40% so he got subbed early. H normally plays a high half forward role when he's sub due to Ports midfield depth as they want to keep their best players on the ground.

I also asked about his defensive running and was told he's played mostly midfield in the SANFL games he played as he did in the VFL and he's improved a ton. He's certainly had a few big possession games including 33 possessions in the game before he debuted in 2023 and a SANFL games he played late in 2024 after playing a series of games as a sub where he had 32 possessions.

So why was he delisted then. According to Port supporters they think the coaches want to get games into young mids and Narkle's 26 and there was a list squeeze which does make sense.

After looking into him Ive done a 180 degree turn and changed my mind. I think he feels a list need playing sub. Im confident many will change their mind after the 1st preseason reports. Here's an example of what he offers Here's his highlight from 3 afl games played in 2023 after coming over as a midseason draftee.


 
We have only a couple of First XXIII players we need to think about replacing in a few years: Aliir (30), Wines (30) and Rioli (29).

The question I have is, do we really need a big bodied midfielder to replace Wines? Neither Brisbane nor Sydney had one in 2024. Our midfield in 2004 (James, Burgoyne, Carr, Kornes) didn’t have one.

You certainly need some toughness but we have JHF, Drew and Butters who fit this bill. Sure, if you can jag an Oliver, Bontempelli, Petracca or Cripps- go for it, but to my mind you simply look for class and toughness in the midfield and we are already stacked there.

Our priority ought to be (a) a classy goal kicking small forward (preferably one who can play in 2025) and a tall defender for the future.
Dunkley and Rowbottom are both that bigger bodied player. It’s an important role, particularly in the dog days of winter.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

List Mgmt. List Management 2024-25

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top