Preview R1: Changes for 2025

[Mr_Moogle]

If there is one thing that concerns me about Cook, it's his conditioning. Why does he still look like a raw recruit? It's like he's barely changed since being drafted. Would be nice to see him stack on some weight. Even Gollant eventually looked like a footballer and he was one of the skinniest recruits ever.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

The issue is that if Cook doesn't improve, he's still contracted for 2026 and will have no trade value, meaning that we'll be stuck with him.

How often do contracted players get delisted and paid out? I know Port moved Clurey on, but it doesn't seem to be a particularly common occurrence.

 

[Bring back Bas]

I think Bond was fantastic in the games he played last year - a new glove for the back pocket.

I don’t remember his opponent being BOG as you claim? Quite the opposite?

Two games that I can think of off the top of my head are Essendon and Geelong. Merrett and Stengle were close to, if not best on ground for their respective teams.

By the way, I think it is perfectly acceptable for a guy who has played less than 10 games to have a few stinkers. Let's be honest about it though.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Two games that I can think of off the top of my head are Essendon and Geelong. Merrett and Stengle were close to, if not best on ground for their respective teams.

By the way, I think it is perfectly acceptable for a guy who has played less than 10 games to have a few stinkers. Let's be honest about it though.

His position is incredibly hard. It is harder to play a lock down role in my opinion than almost any other position on the ground. You are fighting to balance your natural game with locking down your opponent and if you are tasked with locking down an opponent at AFL level, your opponent is not a potato.

 

[1970crow]

The assumption that Milera was ever this star player is perplexing.

Sholls 2024 was better than any season Milera has produced in 6 years, you may not like it.... but facts are facts.

The theory of what Milera brings is vastly different to the reality. I'm not surprised Dawson would talk him up after a preseason, unfortunately his weapons don't get deployed on game day.

 

[hugecannon]

If there is one thing that concerns me about Cook, it's his conditioning. Why does he still look like a raw recruit? It's like he's barely changed since being drafted. Would be nice to see him stack on some weight. Even Gollant eventually looked like a footballer and he was one of the skinniest recruits ever.

Strachan is another who looks exactly the same as when he was first drafted, and Himmelberg never seemed to put on any muscle mass to his frame in 8 years.

We have a few players who seem incapable of making progress on the body size.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Strachan is another who looks exactly the same as when he was first drafted, and Himmelberg never seemed to put on any muscle mass to his frame in 8 years.

We have a few players who seem incapable of making progress on the body size.

He is too lightly framed to make it as an AFL ruck. Strachan was a mature age recruit out of the VFL though. Was always going to be a case of what you see is what you get.

 

[TARANTULA]

Round 1 2025 best team imo.

FB - Max, Murray, Worrell
HB - Hinge, Keane, Nankervis
C - Scholl, Crouch, Cumming
HF - Walker, Fogarty, Rankine
FF - Keays, TT, Rachele
R - ROB, Dawson, Soligo

IC - ANB, Laird, Peatling, Curtain
Sub - Berry
EMG - See the list from my previous post.

 

[MsTopG]

Round 1 team

FB - Max Murray Worrell
HB - Hinge Keane Cumming
C - Nankervis Dawson Curtin
HF - Walker Fogarty Pedlar
FF - Keays Thilthorpe Rachele

R - ROB Soligo Rankine

IC - ANB Peatling Bond Crouch

Sub - Berry

Depth
Sholl Laird Butts Cook Dowling Edwards Jones Milera Murphy Ryan Schoenberg Taylor Strachan

 

[TBM]

Strachan is another who looks exactly the same as when he was first drafted, and Himmelberg never seemed to put on any muscle mass to his frame in 8 years.

We have a few players who seem incapable of making progress on the body size.

I'm sure part of it comes down to effort and commitment levels.

Probably no surprise that all three of Cook, Strachan and Himmelberg have had their fitness, intensity and/or workethic questioned at different points. IMO Cook should've got a 1-year deal.

 

[jackster83]

I'm sure part of it comes down to effort and commitment levels.

Probably no surprise that all three of Cook, Strachan and Himmelberg have had their fitness, intensity and/or workethic questioned at different points. IMO Cook should've got a 1-year deal.

Pedlar is probably a bit questionable in that regard too. I haven't seen a bloke jog/walk that much on the field since Gallucci.

 

[Captain Furious]

Two games that I can think of off the top of my head are Essendon and Geelong. Merrett and Stengle were close to, if not best on ground for their respective teams.

By the way, I think it is perfectly acceptable for a guy who has played less than 10 games to have a few stinkers. Let's be honest about it though.

Hardly stinkers; Bond's 2nd game he went to Merrett and while he got 30 they weren't damaging due to his attention and we won the game. Stengle kicked 1 on him. Was Cameron, Danger and Stewart that carved us up in a very close loss.

 

[Captain Furious]

Rachele Tex Murray
ANB Fog Keays
Hinge Crouch Soligo
Cumming Keane Nankervis
Max Butts Worrell

TT Dawson Rankine

Int. Milera Curtin Peatling Draper/Smith

Sub. Laird

Em. Bond Taylor Dowling

Yes no ROB. Yes TT rucking - but not really. We have TT and Curtin who both want to be mids and are (almost) ruck size. So let them be mids but provide a basic physical presence against the opp ruck or even act as a 4th mid to shark their tap. Don't care if we don't win a single tap, doesn't have an influence on the game. Throw Murray, Worrell, Butts and Keane in there for short sharp spells with Tex doing the forward line - now that Hawkins has retired he's the best in the game at that role. We have a plethora of very tall players and ROB isn't a factor outside of tapping the ball. Let's use that to our advantage instead of accepting it as a negative, do something different, run the opp ruck off their feet, make us hard to coach against.

Murray, TT or whoever isn't rucking or resting on the bench - stay close to goal square while Tex and Fog lead (their strengths) with a license to fly for marks or use their strength to split packs. I'd love to see Worrell in some brief spells deep forward jumping on heads.

Draper or Jagga on the bench as both are plug and play and we need either of their strengths. If we end up with someone else at 4, would reassess.

Laird as sub given flex to play or mid or defence.

Biggest concern - speed in the forward line. ANB and Keays will supply pressure but neither are that quick. Rachele has some speed but not a pressure forward or a hit the pack at speed type crumber. Along with ruck, our glaring list hole.