Autopsy Round 3, 2025: Positives and Negatives vs Fremantle

[THE A5]

Liam Baker was never intended to come in and play as an inside midfielder for us.

Didn’t spend anytime there in the pre-season. I think it shows that we might have been overly optimistic about what Kelly, Graham and Harley could produce, and how big an out Yeo is .

Any team whose best midfielder is Liam baker is in a world of pain.

If he was allowed to be a half back flank, he’d be fine. That plus he has leadership in spades.

Allen and Kelly are toxic, Cole is a decent role player but is really just a list clogger, as is Owies, and Harley has let himself down with his conditioning.

Need to get 5 top 10 picks in the door this year and really lean into rebuild for the next 3 drafts.

We will finish bottom two when Tassie comes in, and their first pick is pick 3, so at least we don’t need to worry about that.

This is true but I actually rather him in the middle than in defence. Seen enough scrubber kicks from him defence at the Eagles than make me wanna throw up.

He’d actually be valuable as a the 4th mid or defensive mid but yeah a bit like TK (also a secondary mid) he’s not the type you wanting to lead the midfield

 

[stallon]

Gross for example in an intraclub looked great against the very guys I mentioned - so I guess it might be closer to the truth than currently realised. And Hall matched Neale for contested ball in the Bris game. It might not be far off mate

Hall did stuff around the contest but was irrelevant around the ground.
Gross would be similar, but id imagine he would win a bit less ball due to his size/tank compared to Hall who has been in the AFL system for a year now, and Hall is a big unit.

Halls natural game is contest work, quick hands, etc
Gross is a different player, I think we need a player like Hall more right now to work with Kelly/Reid/Hewett

 

[Coasters7]

Whats your opinions on Bo Allan and Tom Gross playing this week?

Allan can’t be worse than Hunt and Gross can’t be worse than what Kelly is currently putting out

 

[Yeahnahmate]

Hall did stuff around the contest but was irrelevant around the ground.
Gross would be similar, but id imagine he would win a bit less ball due to his size/tank compared to Hall who has been in the AFL system for a year now, and Hall is a big unit.

Halls natural game is contest work, quick hands, etc
Gross is a different player, I think we need a player like Hall more right now to work with Kelly/Reid/Hewett

I dunno, I’ll take the couple of AA U18 guys that are obviously showing something over a few of the plodders we have currently. That ‘stuff around the contest’ is what we so desperately need and is the reason we are getting spanked. Just uncompetitive inside. It’s the ‘around the ground’ that is irrelevant to us right now as those uncontested passengers are redundant when we aren’t getting any first use to then spread from. That was the difference in the Bris game.

We need both in because they are actually better than a couple of our early Mini regulars that will always be C grade mids. At least there’s a chance the types I mentioned lift at the level. We know what Kelly, Duggan & Kelly bring and it ain’t shit

 

[stallon]

I dunno, I’ll take the couple of AA U18 guys that are obviously showing something over a few of the plodders we have currently. That ‘stuff around the contest’ is what we so desperately need and is the reason we are getting spanked. Just uncompetitive inside. It’s the ‘around the ground’ that is irrelevant to us right now as those uncontested passengers are redundant when we aren’t getting any first use to then spread from. That was the difference in the Bris game.

We need both in because they are actually better than a couple of our early Mini regulars that will always be C grade mids. At least there’s a chance the types I mentioned lift at the level. We know what Kelly, Duggan & Kelly bring and it ain’t shit

Mate you are not getting what im saying at all, im not suggesting not to play them together at all.
Bring Hall in, then when we are comfortable with the rotations or if that isnt enough contest work then bring in Gross, Yeo is probably back by then anyway.

We have Yeo back in a few weeks, and Hutch in 2 weeks. Thats our midfield looking significantly better just with that.
IF we wanted to make Gross sub every week then that'd probably be fine.
If we rotated Hall, Hewett and Gross through the sub even.

It just makes 0 sense at all to go with 4 young mids in which NONE of them can run out a game at 75% game time through the middle. All we end up doing is getting rid of all of our small forwards to make space for them, and then we lose our structure forward and cant make running/forward pressure gameplan work. The half forwards need to be able to run all day, its not a role for 2 kids at a time to get a rest, theyve gotta be up and down the ground all day.

 

[Hoskin300]

Mate you are not getting what im saying at all, im not suggesting not to play them together at all.
Bring Hall in, then when we are comfortable with the rotations or if that isnt enough contest work then bring in Gross, Yeo is probably back by then anyway.

We have Yeo back in a few weeks, and Hutch in 2 weeks. Thats our midfield looking significantly better just with that.
IF we wanted to make Gross sub every week then that'd probably be fine.
If we rotated Hall, Hewett and Gross through the sub even.

It just makes 0 sense at all to go with 4 young mids in which NONE of them can run out a game at 75% game time through the middle. All we end up doing is getting rid of all of our small forwards to make space for them, and then we lose our structure forward and cant make running/forward pressure gameplan work. The half forwards need to be able to run all day, it’s not a role for 2 kids at a time to get a rest, theyve gotta be up and down the ground all day.

The game plan sucks and is irrelevant anyway if you can’t win the inside ball. You are wayyyyy to results focused which is hilarious because we aren’t winning games this year. You know what will help young players run out AFL games? By actually playing them.

If they can’t run out games and we get destroyed in 4th quarters so be it.

 

[THE A5]

From what I've been told, Edwards isn't the smartest guy going around. He's probably been told multiple times.

Dumbness aside he’s been learning off two of the best intercept key backs on the last decade. He does pouch a few but his hands are nowhere near as good as theirs. That said who knows cause Watermans clunking marks came out of nowhere last season.

Also on Waterman I saw pic of rotham at the game and he was posing next to a pic of Wateraman where you can measure yours hands size to his. Wateramans mitts absolutely dewarfs rothams even tho rothams taller. Probably why he’s such a good clunk of the footy

 

[stallon]

The game plan sucks and is irrelevant anyway if you can’t win the inside ball. You are wayyyyy to results focused which is hilarious because we aren’t winning games this year. You know what will help young players run out AFL games? By actually playing them.

If they can’t run out games and we get destroyed in 4th quarters so be it.

Do you think being blown out of the water by the half time every game because the last 5 mins of the first half the oppo piles on 5 goals because we cant run with them is going to be good for development?

 

[Grumpyshades]

How bad are we going when a spud like Amiss seagulls 4 goals ?

6 goals to 7 in the 2nd half. At least it wasn't a blowout..even though freo missed a lot of shots and we played awful

 

[Hoskin300]

Do you think being blown out of the water by the half time every game because the last 5 mins of the first half the oppo piles on 5 goals because we cant run with them is going to be good for development?

We cant keep delaying the inevitable. What we have been doing for the last four years has clearly failed. We have uncovered very minimal AFL midfield talent because we have refused to develop any. How long are we going to keep persisting with bang average AFL inside mids to soften the results slightly?

Im still waiting for the evidence that playing the youth would actually lead to the outcomes you have suggested. Also FYI Kelly played 77% gametime and graham played 78% gametime. Do you genuinely think that with a month of AFL footy that Hewett and Hall couldnt build towards that?

 

[stallon]

We cant keep delaying the inevitable. What we have been doing for the last four years has clearly failed. We have uncovered very minimal AFL midfield talent because we have refused to develop any. How long are we going to keep persisting with bang average AFL inside mids to soften the results slightly?

Lol

Im still waiting for the evidence that playing the youth would actually lead to the outcomes you have suggested. Also FYI Kelly played 77% gametime and graham played 78% gametime. Do you genuinely think that with a month of AFL footy that Hewett and Hall couldnt build towards that?

Go have a look at GWS and GCS when they first came into the comp buddy
Theres a difference between playing 77% game time and playing 77% game time as a 18 year old

 

[InTheWings]

Saddest part of the day was watching Oscar Allan who has emotionally already checked out of the Club.
He is a terrible Captain ................ completely devoid of any leadership skills.

I would like to see us play him in the backline for a few weeks until Gov returns. Simmo said he played as a backman in his younger years. It opens up the forward line for the young guys and fills a need down back for us. It may also help play Osacr back into form.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Richmond overran Carlton in the first round with a lot of kids! Exuberance can carry you a long way.That said ; their older players fulfilled their part of the bargain!

 

[stallon]

Richmond overran Carlton in the first round with a lot of kids! Exuberance can carry you a long way.That said ; their older players fulfilled their part of the bargain!

Their senior players are defenders and inside mids.
Ours are flankers.

Thats the difference

 

[Hoskin300]

Lol

Go have a look at GWS and GCS when they first came into the comp buddy
Theres a difference between playing 77% game time and playing 77% game time as a 18 year old

nice work shifting the goal posts hahaha. Big guy hitting me with the buddy as well

 

[stallon]

nice work shifting the goal posts hahaha. Big guy hitting me with the buddy as well

I just assumed by what you were saying that you were trolling or something

 

[Yeahnahmate]

Mate you are not getting what im saying at all, im not suggesting not to play them together at all.
Bring Hall in, then when we are comfortable with the rotations or if that isnt enough contest work then bring in Gross, Yeo is probably back by then anyway.

First of all I appreciate you keeping it civil sir. But you’ve not been listening to me either. ‘We can only have Gross if and when etc… this time you say when Yeo is back’. Bull. I’m saying we need him in now. Happy to drop Kelly and Long for Hall & Gross right away. We will be a better side for it.

Do you think being blown out of the water by the half time every game because the last 5 mins of the first half the oppo piles on 5 goals because we cant run with them is going to be good for development?

This is your fantasy only. And opposed to what? Being completely uncompetitive inside where it all starts from every game. Our game plan and forward pressure to lock it in you talk about means squat if we can’t a) win it b) get repeat i50 entries and thennnnnn c) lock it in. Can’t lock it in when we can’t get it in

Their senior players are defenders and inside mids.
Ours are flankers.

Thats the difference

Nice little side quest here - and no mate. The difference is we don’t currently have ANY inside mids to speak of. If so, let me know? So let’s maybe get some in, young or not, to try to first get the footy and then see what gameplan we can manufacture from there

 

[stallon]

First of all I appreciate you keeping it civil sir. But you’ve not been listening to me either. ‘We can only have Gross if and when etc… this time you say when Yeo is back’. Bull. I’m saying we need him in now. Happy to drop Kelly and Long for Hall & Gross right away. We will be a better side for it.



This is your fantasy only. And opposed to what? Being completely uncompetitive inside where it all starts from every game. Our game plan and forward pressure to lock it in you talk about means squat if we can’t a) win it b) get repeat i50 entries and thennnnnn c) lock it in. Can’t lock it in when we can’t get it in



Nice little side quest here - and no mate. The difference is we don’t currently have ANY inside mids to speak of. If so, let me know? So let’s maybe get some in, young or not, to try to first get the footy and then see what gameplan we can manufacture from there

We are going to have to agree to disagree, im not continuing this for now, im over it lol

 

[Yeahnahmate]

We are going to have to agree to disagree, im not continuing this for now, im over it lol

Ha totally fair, again always fine when it’s a respectful enough debate

 

[Eaglemaniac]

We’ve been playing the old guys and basically the same old mids for four years now and getting the same crap result. We need to bring in the kids like Tom Gross, Bo Alan, Clay Hall, etc and play them through the midfield and rotate them as often as we need to to keep them as fresh as possible.

It doesn’t matter if we’re losing by 50 points because we’re getting the kids acclimatised to AFL, plus we are already losing by that margin with the same old guys who basically can’t be bothered turning up week to week.
Don’t forget, Hawthorn has just been through this the last two years and now look at where they are. Richmond also showed that youth brings exuberance, excitement and a desire to make a name for themselves which the old campaigners don’t.

It’s also a lot easier to keep your legs if you’re not having to win it out of the backline and go the length of the whole field to try and kick a goal every time. If we bring in some youth who can win the ball in the centre we will have a lot less running to do and that will help our lack of fitness. Bring on the kids I say!

 

[eaglesnutcase]

We’ve been playing the old guys and basically the same old mids for four years now and getting the same crap result. We need to bring in the kids like Tom Gross, Bo Alan, Clay Hall, etc and play them through the midfield and rotate them as often as we need to to keep them as fresh as possible.

It doesn’t matter if we’re losing by 50 points because we’re getting the kids acclimatised to AFL, plus we are already losing by that margin with the same old guys who basically can’t be bothered turning up week to week.
Don’t forget, Hawthorn has just been through this the last two years and now look at where they are. Richmond also showed that youth brings exuberance, excitement and a desire to make a name for themselves which the old campaigners don’t.

It’s also a lot easier to keep your legs if you’re not having to win it out of the backline and go the length of the whole field to try and kick a goal every time. If we bring in some youth who can win the ball in the centre we will have a lot less running to do and that will help our lack of fitness. Bring on the kids I say!

The mids we have have struggled for a while .to be fair we have had two years of injury horror.
They have not had a lot of fit youthful talent coming through to help carry the load.
But now is now! We have a lot of talent and more to come. Our older players ; the Coles,Duggan and TKs now need to ask themselves if they have the hunger and drive to come along for the ride with our up and coming youth.
Plenty of kids are putting their hand up to play so they are fulfilling their part of the bargain.
Mini will hopefully sort them out.I do feel that we need to be fairly ruthless with the older players. Perform or out!
We need to get the balance right.

 

[Hoskin300]

I just assumed by what you were saying that you were trolling or something

Of course! Anyone who points out that you are wrong must be a troll

 

[stallon]

Of course! Anyone who points out that you are wrong must be a troll

Yeah bud thats exactly what I was thinking

 

[We_The_West]

Comments about Cole are off the mark. Ideally, Cole is not best 22 at the end of the year but he's pulling his weight at the moment.

Allen has to be playing hurt. He doesn't look right.

Hough blanketed Shai Bolton and from the looks of it, Cole was beaten by Murphy Reid and Isiah Dudley....

I'd bring Grego or HJ in for Cole and I would play Duggan in defense in Cole's role to replace his "leadership".

Cole would actually be more useful if he went to the WAFL and developed his midfield craft to help up the ground more

 

[We_The_West]

Next finals team? Bro that ain't even on the menu for 10 yrs at a minimum. Cole, who plays a small lockdown role, is only a small part of our worries atm.

On SM-A155F using BigFooty.com mobile app

If we aren't going to be competing for finals for 10 years, surely getting games into the youth is a priority?

Think of it like this, if we want to be closer to finals in 2028... would you rather an extra 60 games of experience in guys like Grego, Johnston, Allan or Tom Cole and Jayden Hunt?

We need to make some tough and unpopular decisions, similar to the Hawks when they traded out Lewis and Mitchell end of 2016 and Hodge end of 2017... and again with O'Meara and Mitchell in 2022. They moved them out so they could get midfield games into Worpel, Nash, Newcombe and Day.