I liked Soligos handball from midfield - didnt look for a player as there were 2 in front of him and both semi-covered.
Del Boca Vista…
I think it’s going to take us 3 off-seasons to fill the gaps.
I think I recall Schoenberg doing a few hospital handballs
We did but only because Brisbane couldn't guarantee him an AFL gig....They had a 1 year contract on the table but did the right thing by Mitch knowing we'd offered him a 2 year gig back home.Did we get Hinge as a DFA? Shows that you can still build a contending list, even if you have some misses with early draft picks (like McAsey).
Murray cost us nothing too and is showing to be an AFL quality KPD (making up for the the McAsey miss). Keays another one that is an important cog to our team and cost us nothing.
Then we have drafted quality young mids with picks outside the first round like Berry, Soligo and Schoenberg. Soligo and Berry both have A grade mid qualities. This helps to make up for missing Serong.
Ideally you want to nail all your early draft picks, but history suggests no team always nail them and can still recover to be a flag contender. You just have to be smart with the other recruiting mechanisms (including trades), which we have been over the last 3 years.
Anyway, just some random thoughts on a Saturday arvo as I sit on the couch
To be fair Danger and Selwood are two top ten pick mids. They did trade pick 11 for Danger.It never happens: Geelong's 2022 midfield Danger (#10 FA from Crows), Blicavs (#54 rookie draft), Cam Guthrie (#23 ND), Joel Selwood (#7 ND), Tom Atkins (#11 rookie draft), Isaac Smith (#19 ND), Mark O'Connor (Supp). Mitch Duncan (#28 ND).
One single digit draftee, one elite mid traded from another club and the rest...
I mean mate, I only had to go back 4 months
The issue is there isn't really an elite SA midfielder in the league that we could get back home like Geelong did with Danger.
I don't get me wrong, more than happy to see him not be the first 2 or 3 mids.
Love seeing that no. 23 take on players. Like old time
Luckily for Geelong they seem to have players crawling over themselves to want to be traded there (Danger due to his Moggs Creek fantasy, others.. Frank Costa hand shakes).
Elijah Hollands being a crows fan growing up and going to a team with minimal support like GC should be a target. Does he become an elite mid? Not sure yet.
There are no elite free agent mids from SA coming up in the next few years that aren't already at an SA club.
Well the club better go bloody hard for him then.
Not discounting the list but the discussion is primarily around centre square mids.
Nah, signing up those 9 will do for starters
Harry Barnett and Jakob Ryan we had interest in as well as Phillipou, just didn;t have the capital once Michalanney went earlier than we anticipated.
If Thilthorpe becomes a ruck Barnett may not be our best option to target.
Im not that concerned about it tbh. You look at what Geelong brought to last years GF and the profile is hardly awe inspiring. What Geelong did/do really well is play to their strengths.
Redman as an FA should be a priority. I like NWM, but the Saints will want a first for him, and is he really THAT much of a need? Agree on HH if he plays well as a KPD (although the Giants seem to be aiming to play him as a forward again).
Best chances are Day and Phillipou - need to watch them closely then project where they could end up
