AFL 2024
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definitely has been a change over the past few years where timing your run is everything. Winning 9 straight does change things a bit, but extended runs like often drain a team. But for the Lions we seemed to go okay. Dropping those last 2 was annoying, but you can't knock the finals campaign. Our elimination and the GF were over at half time. One of the biggest comebacks ever in the semi, and another comeback in the prelim.
I've had to eat a few words i have said about Chris Fagan over the journey as well. Pappa Fages never lost his belief. I do think he learned a few lessons and really leaned in to our ability to score rather than play tempo footy. But the belief he inspired in the team, and the way he got even our spuds regularly coming in clutch is a masterclass of man management.
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thats whats great about a proper long season, you can have ups and downs in form, youre not talking about make or break games 5 games into the season, you have time to make rookies into experienced campaigners in one season
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GF aside, the AFL soap opera rolls on, as we go straight in to draft and trade period.
We've already had Carlton lowballing Port for Houston. Rumours of a Sydney exodus. People wanting to "move home".
And we just had a Brisbane team beat a Sydney team in the GF so the shit Victorian teams are having a whinge about all our perceived advantages. Father/Son is apparently an advantage because of the Ashcroft boys. Completely ignoring most F/S end up being very average, and it's not like only some guys are able to have kids. Also look at all those Daicos and Libbas playing at Brisbane.
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And you want to take away the academy discounts? Get the AFL to take over the running of the development rather than getting the Suns, Lions and Swans to pay for it all.
What you mean is, you want these academies to go away so we go back to all the players being from down south so you can pick them up for cheap later when they want to go home.
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@mariner4life yeah, luke parker to North and Chad to either someone in WA or Adelaide....
also read we had offered rohan a 1 year deal...i hope not
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@barbarian yeah, time to build up some passion/interest
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@barbarian said in AFL 2024:
To me this is the best part of the AFL season. So much time to whinge and gripe and speculate free from all that pesky football.
and for Essendon to win the trade period like every year
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All the froth and bubble about guys (with one or two exceptions) that are the definition of fringe players. It's AFL at it's purest - we literally had the GRAND FINAL three days ago and it's a virtual afterthought as we consider where Jayden Laverde will land.
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and confirmed, luke parker has put in a transfer request to the Kangaroos
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Jesus the GF broke his mind!!
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Is Sydney going to get gutted now it lost the final?
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@antipodean there are rumours...maybe not completely....but some big names
its a bit risky when we dont have good draft picks....hopefully part of any deals will include good draft picks
some of the fans are pretty pissed, couple of real hidings in grandfinals making our fans think we might have some great ball players....but not the leadership to deal with things when they dont go to plan
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ah Geelong. Look to be getting Bailey Smith and Clayton Oliver this off season.
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the enigma that is Joe Daniher has retired with a year left on his contract.
Farewell you unpredictable unit. As equally likely to snap a goal of the year contender as shin a set shot in front out of bounds. But no one can take this finals campaign off you. Got us home against GWS with huge set shots. Took over in the ruck when we lost Big O and killed it. Massive GF culminating in the last goal.
For all the shit i have given him (and it is a lot, oh boy is it a lot. The things my TV has heard) this actually leaves a huge hole in the Lions forward line that needs filling. We might have some trade capital but we don't have draft capital.
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as usual the first week of trade week has been absolute snooze
that finally perked up today because West Coast did something really dumb. A three-way trade, West Coast gave up pick 3, to get Owies from Carlton, Baker from Richmond, and pick 12. Carlton get pick 3 for pick 12 and a player they were looking to delist. Richmond get pick 14 for Baker, a player out of contract they probably could have got for a packet of chips.
While i am not one who is as high on draft picks as some, because you absolutely don't know what you are going to get out of an 18 year old, this is still an incredibly stupid trade by West Coast. Yes Baker and Owies probably improve their team next year, but neither move the needle on them moving towards success. Pick 3 is much more likely to do that.
Carlton, fucking Carlton, have made out like bandits. Why do organisations keep doing these fluffybunnies favours? Richmond will be hitting this draft hard.
