I’d imagine it’s part of the rights deal that they get no pre amble, HT int’s or coverage, or post game on certain C7 games. Am surprised it wasn’t on 7 or 7 mate in your state/market??
They’ve given themselves a chance to win the premiership which is all you can ask for.
I think they’ve made two preliminary finals since their last grand final. One as late as last year just seven years after their last one.
They’ve gone about their rebuild far better than the majority of Premiership winners in the last decade.
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I reckon Pops Kelly would make a fantastic coach, would love to see him involved in this role. Perhaps learning the trade as a development coach or academy coach at EFC while he does the accreditation course. Seems to have a natural rapport with all players.
He is far too good for the sewer of the AFL. I hope he sees the light and doesnt go and work for them.
Except for Sydney*
(*Cola)
Have they though? Yes they’ve transitioned the side since 2011 but the moderate success they’ve had was largely on the back of 2-3 players and without those few, there’s really not much left on their list. IMO they’ve tried to top more than rebuild, largely due to scarcity of picks, and it’s that top up that’s kept them there abouts without really challenging (they got belted in the Prelim last year). My contention was that they could’ve aided the rebuild by trading out the likes of Kelly and Stevie J ~4 years ago for decent draft picks.
It is a lot of top up and they will come crashing down hard in three or four years when there is no Selwood and Dangerfield to rely on, but trading for draft picks isn’t the only way to rebuild anymore.
If they trade their oldies away for second round draft picks, they’d instantly get worse and could risk bottoming out for a long period of time (like we did). There is no guarantee that they’d still attract someone like Dangerfield and it’s unsure of Tuohy would have joined them either.
Also, risking bottoming out could force Selwood to force a trade.
I don’t know why clubs risk being the next Richmond when there are more avenues now for improvement than ever before.
You may have missed the majority part.
There are only a few clubs that have recovered from a period of success to reach preliminary finals since 2000.
Port have recovered from their premiership year to make a few preliminary finals. Sydney and West Coast have as well. Sydney actually won a GF.
Others like us, Brisbane and Collingwood have barely made finals let alone be good enough to reach a preliminary final.
Clubs like the Saints, Hawks and Freo are in rebuilding / refreshing mode now so it’s unsure if their way will work.
Saints method is definitely working.
However they made the call earlier than most to move players on who had currency to get them picks either via trade or free agency compo.
This was probably because Lyon jumped ship and thus he didn’t have those relationships with players getting in way of ruthlessness. Which Watters basically had to put up with Pelchen doing regardless of his wishes.
Richardson got to come in once the majority of list pruning had been done.
I’m inclined to think they’d have got more than 2nd round picks for Johnson and Kelly had they traded them out at ~29y/o, especially when considering Richmond got a 1st rounder for Deledio. But I take your point.
One of the classiest exits l have ever seen from a footy field. I don’t know whose idea it was, but l greatly appreciated it.
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He’s back in good form the last few weeks but I hope this is his last year. Get him to take Gleeson or someone that isn’t over 30 aside and have them never leave his side to learn.
It probably will be his last year but I’m not sure Gleeson is going to make it just yet…
We definitely need to develop guys though especially with the above conversation in mind, so while Kelly has the skills I don’t think keeping him on is the answer.
Probably depends on some of the other retirements at the end of the year, if a few guys are injured or can’t get games (Hocking, Howlett, Stanton, Myers) they might all finish up in which case we might need to keep Kelly on, especially if he is playing good footy and we go alright in finals this year.
Had some real intent to hurt when he zeroed in on a tackle near the boundary line first quarter - he’s still got it.
Would love him to play another season next year, will be 34 in December but his class and aggression is still there.
Come on pops 1 more year!!!
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I have no issue with what the cats have done. Getting Danger and having Selwood at the ages they were meant they had five years to sneak one. Else they had to rebuild and Danger wouldn’t have come. Cats will do their best to try and get one, when it all falls off they will flog players, hit the draft hard for 2-3 years and let Danger and Selwood teach them in their final 3 years for gerryatric footy.
Carlton decided that 3 pick 1s and Judd, whilst loosing you key forward future was enough and look how that failed. Cats have been much smarter about it, albeit with more tools to play with in future picks.
The latter has been awesome. He’s playing like a beast lately … or has he always been like that and I never noticed?
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He’s always been like that.
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Last night was almost the definition of smart aggressive defending by Pops.
The number of times he was able to set us up out of potential trouble, whether by a turn and kick, or with a quick give to someone running into space was remarkable.
Played the percentages too when required - hit 'em hard and lock it up, or force to the boundary and reset.
Complements our backs beautifully. Hurley, McGrath and Goddard must be loving this mix of reliabilty and nouse.
Jeez he’ll be hard to replace.
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How’d he turn getting tackled into forward momentum to drill it deep into forward 50
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The play I liked was when he went to ground but laid a tackle from the prone position on a running player. Also his chase when s gray did the round the back thing. Desperation and that’s how you teach it. By being at a point when it shouldn’t be expected but you do it anyway. Never drop head.