Recruit of the Year (so far)

[Orange Agent]

I didn't really understand the need for this one at the time as they have a young ruckman most clubs would love to have. But a 35yo former AA, all time record holder for hit outs is turning back the clock. Todd Goldstein

17

Todd Goldstein

Age

36

Ht

201cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

5.7

2star

HB

7.5

5star

CL

3.1

5star

HO

32.5

5star

D

16.7

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

7.4

4star

CL

7.0

5star

HO

32.9

5star

D

5.2

2star

K

2.6

1star

HB

2.6

3star

HO

10.0

5star

's impact not just in the ruck but going fwd as well is certainly not what I expected, thought he would be back up and part time coach. Is there any others in the conversation at this point?

 

[Ambrosia]

Mckay would be pushin AA squad so hard to go past him.

Perhaps Grundy?

I think Liam Henry will be a very good player for the Saints long term

 

[windyhill]

Roo beauty.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Goldstein has been good but isn’t exactly a long term recruit.

McKay is the one for me. He is a huge presence and has changed our team. He guards the gorillas and is also a great interceptor.

I thought he was just a big lug and I was okay with that as we needed a big body. Had no idea how good he is.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Gresham and Duursma have been excellent too

 

[Blackhawk42]

Who have helped to improve their new teams?

Goldstein
McKay
Grundy
Ginnivan

Others such as Jordon, Bramble, Ratugolea, Zerk-Thatcher come to mind as solid additions.

Probably forgetting a couple.

 

[Bradkli]

Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

a clear number 1..worth every $$$..irrelevant what Essendon are paying him this season as it’s a massively front ended contract. Over the length of his deal, he will be under paid. Cost the Bombers zero in draft capital as well.

Goldstein, Duursma & Gresham were all excellent recruits as well. Essendon smashed the 2023 off-season.

The best value recruit has been Jeremy sharp. He’s become one of the best pure wingman in the AFL. Incredible to think the Suns gave up on him & only Fremantle showed interest. He’s elite at his role & would be getting a game at every other club.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Mckay would be pushin AA squad so hard to go past him.

Perhaps Grundy?

I think Liam Henry will be a very good player for the Saints long term

Oh Essendon supporters, please never change.

 

[Orange Agent]

Who have helped to improve their new teams?

Goldstein
McKay
Grundy
Ginnivan

Others such as Jordon, Bramble, Ratugolea, Zerk-Thatcher come to mind as solid additions.

Probably forgetting a couple.

Jordan has been very good. Grundy doing what I expected him to, still has plenty to offer.

 

[windyhill]

Oh Essendon supporters, please never change.

So you disagree, surely he’s at the very least in the squad of 40 ?

 

[Blackhawk42]

Ben McKay a clear number 1..worth every $$$..irrelevant what Essendon are paying him this season as it’s a massively front ended contract. Over the length of his deal, he will be under paid. Cost the Bombers zero in draft capital as well.

Goldstein, Duursma & Gresham were all excellent recruits as well. Essendon smashed the 2023 off-season.

The best value recruit has been Jeremy sharp. He’s become one of the best pure wingman in the AFL. Incredible to think the Suns gave up on him & only Fremantle showed interest. He’s elite at his role & would be getting a game at every other club.

Sharp is a good call.

 

[Ambrosia]

So you disagree, surely he’s at the very least in the squad of 40 ?

Pushing the squad as well ie the fringe. If anything I was being conservative

 

[dexter_]

Ben McKay a clear number 1..worth every $$$..irrelevant what Essendon are paying him this season as it’s a massively front ended contract. Over the length of his deal, he will be under paid. Cost the Bombers zero in draft capital as well.

Goldstein, Duursma & Gresham were all excellent recruits as well. Essendon smashed the 2023 off-season.

The best value recruit has been Jeremy sharp. He’s become one of the best pure wingman in the AFL. Incredible to think the Suns gave up on him & only Fremantle showed interest. He’s elite at his role & would be getting a game at every other club.

Didn't want to bring him up because of club bias but glad to see others recognise him. It's hard to believe he couldn't get regular game time at the Suns unless they knew he was out the door and didn't want to put any time into him.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Ben McKay a clear number 1..worth every $$$..irrelevant what Essendon are paying him this season as it’s a massively front ended contract. Over the length of his deal, he will be under paid. Cost the Bombers zero in draft capital as well.

Goldstein, Duursma & Gresham were all excellent recruits as well. Essendon smashed the 2023 off-season.

The best value recruit has been Jeremy sharp. He’s become one of the best pure wingman in the AFL. Incredible to think the Suns gave up on him & only Fremantle showed interest. He’s elite at his role & would be getting a game at every other club.

Freo are very good at two things
1) Developing wings
2) Losing wings

We are also pretty good at developing rucks (you're welcome) but it's not as funny

 

[FlowersByIrene]

So you disagree, surely he’s at the very least in the squad of 40 ?

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years and still struggles to make the 40. The AFL mafia will still put Harris Andrews, Tom Stewart and Sam Taylor in before anyone else, regardless of form. And then when we speak about form, Ben McKay is certainly still no lock.

 

[HairyO]

Who have helped to improve their new teams?

Goldstein
McKay
Grundy
Ginnivan

Others such as Jordon, Bramble, Ratugolea, Zerk-Thatcher come to mind as solid additions.

Probably forgetting a couple.

D'Ambrosio has been a great addition for us and cost us nothing much at all given his age and potential. He and Amon have incredible vision and brilliant kicking skills when clearing out of defence.

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years and still struggles to make the 40. The AFL mafia will still put Harris Andrews, Tom Stewart and Sam Taylor in before anyone else, regardless of form. And then when we speak about form, Ben McKay is certainly still no lock.

You are underestimating the Essendon factor in that AFL mafia. Jobe Watson never handed back his Brownlow and its not a story. Gill even lied about saying he was sure it was in his desk drawer.

Tim Watson has been a selector as well. Unsure who the selectors are this year.

 

[Ambrosia]

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years and still struggles to make the 40. The AFL mafia will still put Harris Andrews, Tom Stewart and Sam Taylor in before anyone else, regardless of form. And then when we speak about form, Ben McKay is certainly still no lock.

5 years??? FMD and you were calling Essendon supporters delusional.

Do agree Weitering has been stiff to miss the past 2 seasons with there being very little separating the top 4ish KPD.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years and still struggles to make the 40. The AFL mafia will still put Harris Andrews, Tom Stewart and Sam Taylor in before anyone else, regardless of form. And then when we speak about form, Ben McKay is certainly still no lock.

Stewart is a very interesting watch this season. Been average by his standards. Will it be enough to help him make the side again?

 

[The 747]

Stewart is a very interesting watch this season. Been average by his standards. Will it be enough to help him make the side again?

Not unless he comes back into form.

 

[The 747]

Goldstein has been good but he's a champion ruckman with little time left.

McKay has been excellent but he cost a lot.

So probably Sharp on expectations v output.

Also reckon Soldo has been good value for Port.

 

[Toump Ass]

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years

lmao

 

[Sentinel]

Ben McKay a clear number 1..worth every $$$..irrelevant what Essendon are paying him this season as it’s a massively front ended contract. Over the length of his deal, he will be under paid. Cost the Bombers zero in draft capital as well.

Goldstein, Duursma & Gresham were all excellent recruits as well. Essendon smashed the 2023 off-season.

The best value recruit has been Jeremy sharp. He’s become one of the best pure wingman in the AFL. Incredible to think the Suns gave up on him & only Fremantle showed interest. He’s elite at his role & would be getting a game at every other club.

Just reading up on Sharp, "Sharp was taken at pick 27 in the 2019 AFL draft, in a live trade with Geelong where Gold Coast swapped their future mid-first round selection and pick 64 for pick 27." Sadly not the only example of Geelong taking Gold Coast to the cleaners and the AFL somehow ticking it off.

So Gold Coast not only traded a future 1st (which ended up being pick 15, plus pick 64 for good measure) to secure him with pick 27, he gave them 23 average games in 4 seasons before they cut him, and now he's tearing it up at Freo.

 

[kreglze]

Sam Clohesy has been pretty brilliant coming straight from the rookie draft into an attacking wing position, has more than made up for losing Sharp.

Would much prefer to have both on our wings, but Dew neglected the bloke so much that he saw no way forward that even Dimma couldn't convince him to stay.

 

[Bushdid911]

Based purely on one quarter from one game this week, James Harmes

22

James Harmes

Age

29

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.4

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

10.0

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.4

4star

D

16.3

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

8.9

4star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.6

3star

CL

1.9

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

0.2

2star

i reckon.

 

[windyhill]

Weitering has been the best key defender in the league for 5 years and still struggles to make the 40. The AFL mafia will still put Harris Andrews, Tom Stewart and Sam Taylor in before anyone else, regardless of form. And then when we speak about form, Ben McKay is certainly still no lock.

Agreed, but must be in the conversation.