Strategy Trade and List management Thread Part 6 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

[PocketRocket08]

I'd love another KPD on the list, but I dare say JOD/Khamis would be the first pairing with Keath a 'maybe' and Coffield the nominal 3rd/chop-out role if it was this week.

Buss looks good at VFL level and should be in the frame for a few senior AFL games next year. Croft seems a fair way back and won't be a depth option even next year - we'd probably look at Gardiner as a 'break glass' option.

I bet my life if Croft and buss stay healthy Croft goes straight pass buss. Has much more leg speed and athleticism. Buss is solid and keeps learning. He is an ok ball user under pressure though he has turned it over a bit in vfl but generally pretty good. He must improve his 1-1 contested marking contest.

 

[TiAn_]

I'm not so sure about our key defensive stocks as much as others around here

Jones and Lobb are both older than 30.

No guarantee Lobb's form continues plus we may need him forward/ruck as we did for one game since he went back.

I've posted a few times here I don't think Jones, while a good and capable average AFL key defender, is not the outstanding player we think he is, and diving deeper into the stats our midfield game is helping us defensively more than the key defenders.

Busslinger is both more of a ball user than pure stopper and is also yet to play an AFL game too. There were many claiming that Kieran Collins was a future key defender before playing a game.

Gardner and Keath may have to be on the list in 2025 due to depth but should not be getting a game.

Croft a project player that reads more as KPD.

O'Donnell is better as a utility defender offering some mobility and drive rather than matching up on the biggest key forwards... and it still not necessarily projected to be a star anyway.

Players can change their position (ie Keath went from winning a Showdown medal at the Crows as a rebounded to bulking up and matching up against Hawkins for us) but other than a mid-forward role (why we're after Rachele/Rayner) to upgrade toe Vandermeer/McNeil roles I do think we need to target a key defender.

Hypothetical - what if English went down and we first rucked Lobb and Jones got an old man soft tissue injury? Would people be happy playing Keath and a debutante Busslinger this week?

Isn’t the issue more so that Lobb is our CHB now so we need a mature depth option at ruck until Smith is ready?

Although in your scenario where both our ruckman and full back are injured, Darcy/Lobb in the ruck and some combo of Lobb/Busslinger/O’Donnell/Khamis/Coffield/Gardner in defence isn’t the end of the world. Darcy, Lobb and Khamis can all play at either end.

I’m not sure there’s a player better than Busslinger, Keath and Gardner that would move clubs to still be a backup to Jones and Lobb. Players like Dougal Howard and Adam Tomlinson would be expecting a best 18 role.

 

[grassman75]

Kelly just retired at Dons. Brad Scott going to gut the club.

Gut it like a fish and leave its rotting carcass at the bottom of the ladder like he did to Norf

 

[Ash1337]

Gut it like a fish and leave its rotting carcass at the bottom of the ladder like he did to Norf

Probably but that club list needs to be gutted of players that don't stand up against good teams. Expect Wright & Shiel traded.

 

[FoochPackage]

I bet my life if Croft and buss stay healthy Croft goes straight pass buss. Has much more leg speed and athleticism. Buss is solid and keeps learning. He is an ok ball user under pressure though he has turned it over a bit in vfl but generally pretty good. He must improve his 1-1 contested marking contest.

If you have concerns around Buss kicking. Wait until you watch Croft. Buss is miles ahead of him disposal wise.

 

[Mofra]

I bet my life if Croft and buss stay healthy Croft goes straight pass buss. Has much more leg speed and athleticism. Buss is solid and keeps learning. He is an ok ball user under pressure though he has turned it over a bit in vfl but generally pretty good. He must improve his 1-1 contested marking contest.

Buss looks like an old-school FB to me. He's quicker than Weitering and Sam Collins. His positioning seems ok so he'll be fine.
Croft will take a lot of time. Still a rake and has lost a bit of his development time. I'd want him playing higher anyway - the kid was 4th for the 2km time trial at draft camp, excellent in general but outstanding for a tall.

 

[grassman75]

Probably but that club list needs to be gutted of players that don't stand up against good teams. Expect Wright & Shiel traded.

Those trades worked out well for “the Destination Club” didnt they. **** i hate them. Suffer forever Essendon

Destination bottom 6 forever i hope

 

[doggiesin08]

I think Buss is going to surprise a few with how ready he is next year. A genuine full back that you also want the ball in his hands = gold.

JOD is great. Croft developing. Khamis, Coff and Williams can all play 3rd if needed. Another developing KPD makes sense but it's not bad. Gards too if really needed

The big questions would also be who you could realistically target and for what? A draftee doesn’t help any more than Croft next year, and a mature ager would either question how they get a game or would cost too much.

On the KPD front I’d be looking at an out of contract Leek Aleer at the end of 2025 to replace Jones assuming he’s hanging them up and Croft isn’t ahead of schedule. For this off-season I’d rather try for Tom Downie to have a ready to go backup ruck so we don’t need Lobb to plug that hole. Lachie Smith playing 50% forward at VFL level is fine.

Edit: yeah what TiAn_ said!

 

[ossie_21]

Kelly just retired at Dons. Brad Scott going to gut the club.

Wonder what Sam Draper thinks of this one? Retiring at 29 by choice is interesting

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Buss looks like an old-school FB to me. He's quicker than Weitering and Sam Collins. His positioning seems ok so he'll be fine.
Croft will take a lot of time. Still a rake and has lost a bit of his development time. I'd want him playing higher anyway - the kid was 4th for the 2km time trial at draft camp, excellent in general but outstanding for a tall.

He isn't solely a old-school KPD though because he's taken kick ins and gotten 20 touches in the VFL, which isn't something that you give to a player that you would ordinarily task with minding the opposition's most damaging key forward. You can't win 20 touches without having a bit of a mindset to work off an opposition forward, and once you start doing that, you really cease to be a pure stopper FB.

This isn't to pass judgement on Buss' overall talent or say he will/wont make it as a player, but surely he's more of an all around tall/small/offensive/defensive palyer just a player as part of an overall defensive unit, rather than the player you want standing side to side with potential opposition Coleman winners etc?

 

[goodcop badcop]

Isn’t the issue more so that Lobb is our CHB now so we need a mature depth option at ruck until Smith is ready?

Although in your scenario where both our ruckman and full back are injured, Darcy/Lobb in the ruck and some combo of Lobb/Busslinger/O’Donnell/Khamis/Coffield/Gardner in defence isn’t the end of the world. Darcy, Lobb and Khamis can all play at either end.

I’m not sure there’s a player better than Busslinger, Keath and Gardner that would move clubs to still be a backup to Jones and Lobb. Players like Dougal Howard and Adam Tomlinson would be expecting a best 18 role.

Tom Campbell likes this

 

[Next Waiting]

But this is precisely my point - that would create a weak team that just wouldn't be present if we lost multiple players within one positions in other positions.

We managed when we lost Treloar, Libba etc. this season

More than the KPD situation, this is the one where we are most vulnerable next season and beyond in my view.

Both Libba and Treloar have injury history and are on the cusp of decline. We might have got through this season, and they'll be crucial in whatever success we have over this finals series, but the cliff looms.

We need a new top shelf mid on the list and ready to go round 1 next year as the highest priority imo. This will also greatly contribute to a lesser load on our back 6.

Long story short, a top shelf mid helps us exploit our formidable fwd line and scoring options whilst also sparing the defence. A KPD primarily negates an opposing KPF = kitchen sink at Butters.

 

[mattwa]

Could croft be like a blicavs who can play a few positions? Use his athleticism to advantage

 

[weltschmerz]

Croft and Buss would work well in the same backline. Buss has the composure and can man some big guys, Croft has aggression and pace, and both can clunk them. Good duo, and JOD as more of an all-rounder would make a solid young defensive trio down the line.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Kelly just retired at Dons. Brad Scott going to gut the club.

I shouldn’t be rude on his retirement day but has to be the worst 168 game player. Especially his time at Essendon, not sure what he did to be a walk up start every week.

Still 168 games more than me though.

 

[dergert]

Id have a team for KPDs if I could

 

[Ash1337]

I shouldn’t be rude on his retirement day but has to be the worst 168 game player. Especially his time at Essendon, not sure what he did to be a walk up start every week.

Still 168 games more than me though.

Because Essendon's backline is horrible. He served better at crows as a 3rd tall.

 

[Dogs 13]

But they are probably demanding regular inclusion at the price. Who are they putting out? Lobb, Jones or JOD .... with the next Buss just around the corner. Plus Croft developing and Gards as the break glass. I think we're kinda OK for KPD depth at the moment.

Duryea's replacement is probably more pressing and trumping them all is Butters or a Butters clone.

A Butters clone would be margarine

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

He isn't solely a old-school KPD though because he's taken kick ins and gotten 20 touches in the VFL, which isn't something that you give to a player that you would ordinarily task with minding the opposition's most damaging key forward. You can't win 20 touches without having a bit of a mindset to work off an opposition forward, and once you start doing that, you really cease to be a pure stopper FB.

This isn't to pass judgement on Buss' overall talent or say he will/wont make it as a player, but surely he's more of an all around tall/small/offensive/defensive palyer just a player as part of an overall defensive unit, rather than the player you want standing side to side with potential opposition Coleman winners etc?

It can be done. Look at Steven May as an example - https://dfsaustralia.com/afl-kickins/?team=MEL&season=2024

 

[Dogs 13]

I shouldn’t be rude on his retirement day but has to be the worst 168 game player. Especially his time at Essendon, not sure what he did to be a walk up start every week.

Still 168 games more than me though.

Dad’s powerful contacts may have helped.

 

[adogsfan5]

I feel like I’m the only one who hasn’t seen that much of Mac Andrew to be blown away.. what’s he done so far?
I can’t even say flashes of talent..

$1.5m a year.. fu** me dead.

 

[mattwa]

I feel like I’m the only one who hasn’t seen that much of Mac Andrew to be blown away.. what’s he done so far?
I can’t even say flashes of talent..

$1.5m a year.. fu** me dead.

I reckon he's a freak. I'd play him at CHB but and just let him roam almost like Lever for melbourne

 

[PurpJuice]

I feel like I’m the only one who hasn’t seen that much of Mac Andrew to be blown away.. what’s he done so far?
I can’t even say flashes of talent..

$1.5m a year.. fu** me dead.

The market is different from our point of view considering the talls we have in Mac’s age bracket.

But if you’re a Melbourne supporter, getting a good young tall would be like us getting Butters.

Not every team has JOD, Buss, Croft, Darcy, Juh and Naughton.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Because Essendon's backline is horrible. He served better at crows as a 3rd tall.

Even at Adelaide the games I felt like he played well was because I could never tell him and Lever apart lol.

Anyway enough Jake Kelly chat from me. Congrats on a career

 

[stevieg1969]

I shouldn’t be rude on his retirement day but has to be the worst 168 game player. Especially his time at Essendon, not sure what he did to be a walk up start every week.

Still 168 games more than me though.

Shaun Atley says ‘hold my beer’.