VFL VFL pre-season 2025 (list changes, updates)

[Harry O]

He sure is.
Reckon Glover is our only one left that from the 2016-2018 era
Rest of them gone. Lane. Hustwaite. Schreiber, Tardrew

Players are voting with their feet - something wrong with the VFL program it seems.

 

[Jen2310]

Players are voting with their feet - something wrong with the VFL program it seems.

Or.. is the club going in a different direction? Interesting to know whose choice it was.
Smockie told me in Sept there would be a gutting of the VFL team

 

[jefffff34]

If you're not going to make the AFL, you'd be insane not to play local/country/interstate footy There's too much money out there.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

What is going on. I hope we have some good replacements coming in

I mean, the VFL team has never been particularly good relative to our list, so maybe, just maybe, all of these guys are crabs and we need better players?

 

[Jen2310]

I mean, the VFL team has never been particularly good relative to our list, so maybe, just maybe, all of these guys are crabs and we need better players?

tbf, Lane and Sparkes were some of our best players this year. And Lane has been very underrated for years. Schreiber is a very hard defender, I've always liked him and he has played well for us.

 

[sr36]

What is going on. I hope we have some good replacements coming in

A big factor of blokes that age leaving is that they realise their AFL dream isn't going to happen and they move on.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

tbf, Lane and Sparkes were some of our best players this year. And Lane has been very underrated for years. Schreiber is a very hard defender, I've always liked him and he has played well for us.

Right... But people keep saying that all these guys are supposedly quite good, but our team always sucks.

 

[Jen2310]

Right... But people keep saying that all these guys are supposedly quite good, but our team always sucks.

Not always. We did play finals last year. I feel like we have had 3-4 good players, but the rest do make up the numbers, so we could be better in regards to that. What doesn't help when we keep losing experienced and leadership.

 

[barrackers]

I’m less concerned about the u22’s than I am with the retention of quality senior VFL players and those we’ve historically signed to replace departees. The departure of Hustwaite and Tardrew and retirement of Jetta last year more significant to the team than the recruitment of a couple of 19-22 year olds, and we seem to struggle to replace them with quality. Lane and Sparkes this year will again hurt.

We do add heaps of 19-22 year olds. If there is a downside in who we target it’s that we do give undrafted NGA’s and FS’s good opportunity, often to our detriment. Flip side is the message it sends to the kids coming through those programs that we’ll give them every opportunity.

It’s also the quality/impact of the senior players. As an example we lost Hustwaite and signed Crocker who didn’t play his best footy as often in ‘24 now he’s in the twilight of his career.

 

[Jen2310]

It’s also the quality/impact of the senior players. As an example we lost Hustwaite and signed Crocker who didn’t play his best footy as often in ‘24 now he’s in the twilight of his career.

Yeah I was pretty disappointed in Crocker's season. Granted he barely trained in pre-season, had a groin injury for most of the summer, then did a hammy.

 

[Swooop]

Hey Jen2310, what happened with the coach swap?
Did Josh resign, or pushed out or maybe took time off to watch his kid play more?

Is the exodus anything connected to the coach situation or just councidal do you think?

Thanks

 

[Jen2310]

Hey Jen2310, what happened with the coach swap?
Did Josh resign, or pushed out or maybe took time off to watch his kid play more?

Is the exodus anything connected to the coach situation or just councidal do you think?

Thanks

Not sure really. Was a tough year, but I felt Josh did the best he could given all the injuries.

In terms of the exodus, I wonder whose choice it was. A club thing wanting to go younger? in a new direction? You understand the young ones like ashwin and Harry looking for more opportunities -- Sparkes it was rumoured was going back to local footy, for a while. Maybe he felt there was no chance of him being drafted, that he gave it a crack. But he was one of our better players.
Lane shocked me, going to play VAFA, its not even a paying role. Schreiber I didnt expect either. Will be interesting how many more will leave. Maybe those that didnt get much opportunity this year.