Mega Thread Non-Freo AFL Discussion 2024

[DragoDelph]

I honestly can’t pick between any of them other than Carlton
So all I do at the start of each game is work out which players or coaches I dislike the most
Lobb and Weightman lost last night but it was a tough call between them and Sicily / Watson

Damn that little ducker !

Ginni-pig at the pies: no ducking! Bad!

Ginni at the hawks: mighty ducks theme starts playing “quack. Quack. Quack.”

 

[DragoDelph]

North, Central or South?

Ferreira

 

[DQ 4EVER]

Ok, in a bid to lighten things up, I will share a story from a non Freo AFL game.
I enjoy watching non Freo games live & a few years ago, went to a Bulldogs vs Giants game at Marvel.
As usual I put $10 on the draw as I just wanted a close game.
Imagine my disappointment when scores were tied with less than a minute to go, only for Devon Smith

5

Devon Smith

Age

31

Ht

176cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.8

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

5.3

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

16.3

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

7.1

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.0

5star

G

0.6

4star

D

15.6

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.2

3star

to kick a goal, thereby costing me $500
Enjoy laughing at me

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[malpaso]

I'm loving the prospect of Port getting straight-setted and since I feel nothing for any of the teams outside of that, I can just enjoy the games.

I don't mind if Neale can get a GF win. But yeah everyone else can go down in flames.

 

[trentjac]

Why does bloody Hawthorn always have to rise just as we do. Let’s hope it’s us with the god damn three peat this time.

Sh!t, I’d take one in the next 5 years

 

[fnerd]

Just hope the Hawks drop off next season like we did in 2023

So do I but it’s going to get nuclear around here if they don’t and fair enough too.

Might finally put paid to this ridiculous notion that success simply can’t be had until a side hits a certain experience level no matter what.

Which in turn I hope turns the pressure rating right up on our club and those in charge

 

[Piggy Smalls]

While it's indisputable that Mitchell is a better coach than JL, the main difference between us and them is the small forwards.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

That and the fact that we can't defend ball movement by the opposition, although that also starts with lack of forward pressure

 

[malpaso]

The interesting aspect is how Geelong is playing like the Hawks once Hawkins went down, using 2 talls in the forward line and full ground small forwards.
Stengle, Miers and Mannagh are all playing like the Hawks small forwards, way up the ground and then run all the way back. Staying wide on the wings.

 

[malpaso]

That and the fact that we can't defend ball movement by the opposition, although that also starts with lack of forward pressure

Yeah well what's strange is we were doing it way better in 2022-23. Not sure what has changed other than execution.

 

[FootyLad0]

The interesting aspect is how Geelong is playing like the Hawks once Hawkins went down, using 2 talls in the forward line and full ground small forwards.
Stengle, Miers and Mannagh are all playing like the Hawks small forwards, way up the ground and then run all the way back. Staying wide on the wings.

We were doing that before they were LOL, they took our gameplan.

Cats won 2022 GF with 16 in a row and an 81 point victory on the back of our running smalls.
Miers, Stengle, Close, Isaac Smith when he went down there. Now with the current side include Dempsey and Mannagh

They're just doing our shit from two years ago. Including Ginni stealing Jezza's beer celebration.
The Piss and Shits can't even come up with their own gimmicks.
Difference is we do it 80 points up in a Grand Final, the flogs do this stuff 30 points up in an Elimination Final





Don't even get me started on "The Wizard" nickname gimmick.
There is and only ever will be one "Wizard" who was an All Australian talent.
It's certainly not the kid on the right....

 

[ilikepotatoes]

So do I but it’s going to get nuclear around here if they don’t and fair enough too.

Might finally put paid to this ridiculous notion that success simply can’t be had until a side hits a certain experience level no matter what.

Which in turn I hope turns the pressure rating right up on our club and those in charge

I have no idea how the club has seemingly just faded completely out of the season.

No significant media pressure.

Couldn't even be arsed with one of those BS corporate emails to members saying how disappointing the season was and how we will come back stronger next year.

Just silence.

 

[King Huskii]

We were doing that before they were LOL, they took our gameplan.

Cats won 2022 GF with 16 in a row and an 81 point victory on the back of our running smalls.
Miers, Stengle, Close, Isaac Smith when he went down there. Now with the current side include Dempsey and Mannagh

They're just doing our shit from two years ago. Including Ginni stealing Jezza's beer celebration.
The Piss and Shits can't even come up with their own gimmicks.
Difference is we do it 80 points up in a Grand Final, the flogs do this stuff 30 points up in an Elimination Final


View attachment 2103593View attachment 2103594


Don't even get me started on "The Wizard" nickname gimmick.
There is and only ever will be one "Wizard" who was an All Australian talent.
It's certainly not the kid on the right....

View attachment 2103596View attachment 2103597

I never saw Jeff Farmer duck a tackle

These two do it at every opportunity

 

[FootyLad0]

I never saw Jeff Farmer duck a tackle

These two do it at every opportunity

Jeff Farmer earned his nickname with all time level talent and skills.

The other guy got his from a footy journo calling him it without having ever played an AFL game

Gosh i can't wait till everyone goes back to hating Hawthorn again. I need Flagmantle to become a dynasty so we don't have to hear about Piss and Shits hype again.
You owe them a smashing for 2013!

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I just realised that was Hawks first finals win since 2016. That's made me feel better about them and realised that more than ever, you guys around here need to chill on the Hawks stuff. They've been rebuilding for quite a while and it has basically taken them just as long to rebuild as its taken us (one year longer to win a final actually...)

Mitchell is clearly an incredible coach I wish we had but that doesn't mean JL is dumpster fire level and so much changes week to week yet alone season to season that who knows what happens next year.

Pressure is on next year though, make or break for a lot of people.

 

[Lach72]

I just realised that was Hawks first finals win since 2016. That's made me feel better about them and realised that more than ever, you guys around here need to chill on the Hawks stuff. They've been rebuilding for quite a while and it has basically taken them just as long to rebuild as its taken us (one year longer to win a final actually...)

Mitchell is clearly an incredible coach I wish we had but that doesn't mean JL is dumpster fire level and so much changes week to week yet alone season to season that who knows what happens next year.

Pressure is on next year though, make or break for a lot of people.

They only had three picks in the team last night that cost them a top 20 pick.

Watson 5
Ward 7
Weddle 18


Everything else was very cheap trades and picks after 20…most of them after 40.

Stolen from the Eagles board

Sicily (pick 56)
Frost (traded in for late pick swaps)
Impey (traded pick 33)
Hardwick (pick 44)
Weddle (pick 18)
Morrison (pick 74)
D'Ambrosio (pick 61 + F4)
Moore (pick 67)
Nash (pick 62 rookie draft)
Amon (free agent)
Chol (traded for a 2024 2nd rounder tied to Brissy)
Ginnivan (gave up 2024 F2 and F3 for Pies 2024 F2 and F4)
Dear (pick 56)
Gunston (traded back for Brandon Ryan)
Watson (pick 5)
Meek (traded for JOM and got a 2nd rounder back aswell)
Worpel (pick 45)
Newcombe (pick 2 in the mid season draft)
Scrimshaw (traded for late nothing swaps)
Maginness (pick 29)
Ward (pick 7)
Macdonald (pick 26)

 

[#1JohnHuttonFan]

Credit to the Hawks they were very good. And I was wrong calling them meh only 5 weeks ago.

But to be fair everyone slashing their wrists over them in here is pretty funny they only just beat us down in tassie not that long ago they really aren’t that far ahead of us and same age profile too btw literally a month younger.

Fair enough they are playing finals and we aren’t but I’m pretty excited about where we are heading as a team. Let’s see where we go next year with Bolton added to the team.

Btw can’t believe Ginni stole that drink celebration from Jezza what a muppet I thought it was cringe when he did it now it’s just more cringe.

Hoping Port come out fired up next week because the bulldogs were actually pretty crap last night and I think we would have beaten them too.




On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Perfect Purple]

It’s competitive because sometimes we were nice guys to the opposition, sometimes we made them work a bit hard for a quarter, and some games we let them win by single figures.

And sometimes we gave them hugs before the game started.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

They only had three picks in the team last night that cost them a top 20 pick.

Watson 5
Ward 7
Weddle 18


Everything else was very cheap trades and picks after 20…most of them after 40.

Stolen from the Eagles board

Sicily (pick 56)
Frost (traded in for late pick swaps)
Impey (traded pick 33)
Hardwick (pick 44)
Weddle (pick 18)
Morrison (pick 74)
D'Ambrosio (pick 61 + F4)
Moore (pick 67)
Nash (pick 62 rookie draft)
Amon (free agent)
Chol (traded for a 2024 2nd rounder tied to Brissy)
Ginnivan (gave up 2024 F2 and F3 for Pies 2024 F2 and F4)
Dear (pick 56)
Gunston (traded back for Brandon Ryan)
Watson (pick 5)
Meek (traded for JOM and got a 2nd rounder back aswell)
Worpel (pick 45)
Newcombe (pick 2 in the mid season draft)
Scrimshaw (traded for late nothing swaps)
Maginness (pick 29)
Ward (pick 7)
Macdonald (pick 26)

Yeah they've bizarrely done better with later picks than top picks. Just a very even team with no superstars playing very good team footy. Mitchell has clear claims to being the best coach in the league with what he's getting out of the group

 

[Stinky Lomax]

Ok, in a bid to lighten things up, I will share a story from a non Freo AFL game.
I enjoy watching non Freo games live & a few years ago, went to a Bulldogs vs Giants game at Marvel.
As usual I put $10 on the draw as I just wanted a close game.
Imagine my disappointment when scores were tied with less than a minute to go, only for Devon Smith to kick a goal, thereby costing me $500
Enjoy laughing at me

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

On our grand final piss up every year we make sure we’re at a pub with a tab, firstly to make the footy a bit more interesting when watching 2 teams we don’t support with first Goalkicker, Normie etc & secondly we spin the chairs around & watch the horses, dogs, flies or whatever’s racing & start betting on them when it’s a crap game.
But the best bet is always the draw at the end of any quarter. The support for various teams always intensifies in the last 3 minutes of each quarter. Think we’ve won it 3 times in the last 20 years.

 

[Nothing]

Ok, in a bid to lighten things up, I will share a story from a non Freo AFL game.
I enjoy watching non Freo games live & a few years ago, went to a Bulldogs vs Giants game at Marvel.
As usual I put $10 on the draw as I just wanted a close game.
Imagine my disappointment when scores were tied with less than a minute to go, only for Devon Smith to kick a goal, thereby costing me $500
Enjoy laughing at me

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

If you're happy with a close game you should be backing either team wins by 24+, that way a blow out is still good.

 

[DQ 4EVER]

While it's indisputable that Mitchell is a better coach than JL, the main difference between us and them is the small forwards.

I don't think it is indisputable, but I do think it is the case.
I'll happily converse with someone who has a differing opinion.
Isn't what this site is all about?

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Perfect Purple]

Come on folks, look at the positives from last night:
No flag this year for Rory Flogg, Tom Gruberatore, Aaron headband covers circumcision scar Naughton & Cody flopper Weightman

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Haven’t seen the Bont, Naughton and Weightman play so badly in a long time.

Even with a calf injury Treloar still managed 28 Disposals and a goal, and even he wasn’t playing as well as he usually does.

Hawks were just too good and they ambushed the Dogs.

 

[Perfect Purple]

I don't mind if Neale can get a GF win. But yeah everyone else can go down in flames.

I’m more mean spirited than you and definitely don’t want Neale to get a Premiership medal.

The little traitor.

 

[Dockeroo]

The interesting aspect is how Geelong is playing like the Hawks once Hawkins went down, using 2 talls in the forward line and full ground small forwards.
Stengle, Miers and Mannagh are all playing like the Hawks small forwards, way up the ground and then run all the way back. Staying wide on the wings.

The game has really evolved to having quality small forwards in recent years.
I think we have been caught behind the 8 ball a bit from a list management point of view on this area, despite all the good work Wallsy has done in the list in general.
Any AFL best 22 will have fringe players and lesser players. That’s not in dispute. Historically the way teams did it was to slot in 2 or 3 of your bottom few players on either the half forward flanks or in the forward pockets.
Put all the premium talent in the key positions or on ball.

Increasingly now though all the good teams have a fleet of dangerous small forwards and linkmen around the HFF that are scorers and creators. Proportionally more goals are being scored by these types than the traditional key forwards.

Collingwood (last year), Geelong, GWS, Hawks are all built around top class smalls in the forward half of the ground.

Belatedly, we are coming to the party it appears, but it’s taken longer than it should have.

Going into next season these are our current listed small forwards or half forward flankers.

• Switkowski, great pressure, generally clean ball handler but poor goalscorer. AFL standard but not elite.
• Frederick, good goal scorer, average to poor ball handler (fumbles way too much), good speed though. AFL standard but not elite.
• Banfield, average at best. Will try not be too harsh but he’s not AFL standard in a premiership contender.
• Walters, was elite once but now not even at AFL standard anymore sadly.
• Emmett, see Banfield above.

Delean and Simpson are kids that right now, as we sit here are unproven and not yet AFL standard.


So we have just two guys for 4 positions that are AFL standard in 2025, Frederick and Switta, and neither are elite.
Clearly Bolton is one that brings in an extra option that’s elite for these positions.
But that’s not enough I dont think. We need a 4th player here that’s ideally better than Switta or Frederick. Pickett would have been great but Baker could be a good alternative. Jack Martin - unlikely.
Maybe we do need Joe Richards.

This offseason for me is all about ensuring we don’t arrive in a finals campaign next September and have to rely on the likes of Banfield, emmet or Switta to convert the half chances that are at such a premium in big finals.
If that happens, it will end it tears, nothing surer.