2025 Season The Preparation

To this point it appears that Geelong coach Scott prefers S Mannagh to our Mitch Hardie and St Kilda's coach Ross Lyon prefers Sharman to our Jack Hayes (even before Jack was injured).
Heard second-hand information that Luke Thompson's lovely wife is encouraging Luke to continue next year which is fabulous if true. Luke is still our best tall backman and an extremely important part of success in 2025.
Western Bulldogs McNeil's stats last yesterday were OK and another few games like that may see him out of our reach.

Geelong's Scott Mannagh injured today ridding Mitch Hardie of one of his competitors for an AFL debut. Selfish WWTFC supporters will be anxiously watching Geelong's selection this week! Me.

Miech Hardie 32 disposals yesterday. We won't see him again.

To Goddsy 11,
If you had been following Mitch Hardie's form, you would have noticed he gets 31 disposals on many occasions this year ( even 35) and has still been overlooked and that included being during the period that Dangerfield was injured for 6 week ! So there has to be something in Mitch's game that coach Scott doesn't like. Mitch has had a brilliant VFL season and must be a chance for their VFL Medal. Of course, in the likely event that Geelong delist him, there is a chance that another AFL Club will draft him. But the WWTFC destination is a real chance.

Zane Montgomerie from Elliston selected in the SA Country team vs WA to play at Adelaide Oval before Crows. Eagle supporters might remember Zane as a potential recruit who did much of the Eagles preseason training for season 2023. Then, Zane was respected as one of the best footballers on Eyre. He ticked the boxes as approx 188cm, strongly built HB/ midfielder. Must be still playing good footy. I wonder whether David Couzner/Jacobs/Goldsworthy will have a "chat" with him this weekend ?

Zane Montgomerie from Elliston selected in the SA Country team vs WA to play at Adelaide Oval before Crows. Eagle supporters might remember Zane as a potential recruit who did much of the Eagles preseason training for season 2023. Then, Zane was respected as one of the best footballers on Eyre. He ticked the boxes as approx 188cm, strongly built HB/ midfielder. Must be still playing good footy. I wonder whether David Couzner/Jacobs/Goldsworthy will have a "chat" with him this weekend ?

I just saw Luke Beecken is out of contract years end. I thought MYD people got 18-month contracts.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/out_of_contract_players

Premiers wrote:Zane Montgomerie from Elliston selected in the SA Country team vs WA  to play at Adelaide Oval before Crows. Eagle supporters might remember Zane as a potential recruit who did much of the Eagles preseason training for season 2023. Then, Zane was respected as one of the best footballers on Eyre. He ticked the boxes as approx 188cm, strongly built HB/ midfielder. Must be still playing good footy. I wonder whether David Couzner/Jacobs/Goldsworthy will have a "chat" with him this weekend ?

Correct. Correct. Zane did pre season well into January but his Partner did not like living in the big smoke so that's the reason he went home. Based on that there's very little chance of him trying out again. Unfortunate.

Just hope 2024 is a sorting out season for 2025. Jacobs would have learnt a lot so far this season. He's given plenty of players an opportunity to consolidate their places.
Again looking at the U18 stats, plenty appear to be playing very well. Jet Hasting has been really hot since finishing the U18 championships. Charlie West went back to the U18s and had 26 disposals. Harry Dodd and Zac Schwarz are regular high possession winners.Tate Delmenico had a good game taking nine marks. It good to see Tom Luck play his first game for some time.
We have some very good players in the U18s which I hope can boost our reserves and league in 2025.
If one or two of our players return from the AFL and with some astute recruiting we should be a strong team.
Maybe we have to get a bit tougher and jettison some of the older players and some that are just not up to it.
An injection of youthful exuberance would be exciting.

Westies had a team of nobody's mostly but their spirit was strong. That really shits me as they are a nothing club as far as I'm concerned.

[quote="Premiers"]To Goddsy 11,
If you had been following Mitch Hardie's form, you would have noticed he gets 31 disposals on many occasions this year ( even 35) and has still been overlooked and that included being during the period that Dangerfield was injured for 6 week ! So there has to be something in Mitch's game that coach Scott doesn't like. Mitch has had a brilliant VFL season and must be a chance for their VFL Medal. Of course, in the likely event that Geelong delist him, there is a chance that another AFL Club will draft him. But the WWTFC destination is a real chance.[/quote]

To reinforce my point, Goddsy 11, Mitch Hardie had another 31 disposals today.
Sadly for us, McNeil appears to have cemented his place in the Western Bulldogs team with good performances recently and wouldn't be delisted now. Even Caleb Poulter (who was going to become available at the end of 2025, has made the Western Bulldogs team lately.

Following Sunday's debacle I have been thinking about which players will be in the side come round 1 and will judge Sauce's KPIs over summer by filling the glaring vacancies. By my reckoning there are 7 vacancies to be filled if we are to be competitive.

I am only counting those players who we have seen playing for our league side, therefore not automatically picking the U18s we have who have talent. I am also assuming that Herbert and West do not get drafted.

On position changes

1. I want to see Rowe play most of his footy in the forward half. He has become increasingly ineffective as the season has gone on. Yes he racks up touches but they don't damage the opposition and he tends to be a lead offender in these short chip kicks

2. Knight - play him more time up forward but also occasionally changing on the ball. But ideally he is not our lead onballer. Similar to Rowe, he has become increasingly ineffective as time goes on. Still a good footy player but perhaps no longer that blue chip player.

3. Rowland/Litster/Firns - all three of them play with effort and give 100%. But when all three are playing in the backline the skill level plummets and the foot skills coming out of defence suffer. We can only have one of them playing on the field at the same time and the other on the bench. The other one is to bide their time in the reserves.

4. Moore - He's actually been much better than what I thought he'd be. Far from a superstar but he holds his place if only because he has height and it's harder to bring in high quality recruits with height into your team.



Vacancy Weckert Rowe Vacancy
Vacancy Ballenden Knights Sinor
Vacancy D'Aloia Herbert Vacancy
Morris Moore Rowland/Litster/Firns
Vacancy Thompson Fleeton Rowland/Litster/Firns; McKay; West; Vacancy

Out: Redden (retired), Goldsworthy (retired), Menzel (retired), McFarlane (retired), Hanson, Williams, Neumann, Mawson, Cook and Beattie (all out)

Will Pearce has some good footy attributes but his form has dived this year. His prospects might be improved by as a half back flanker (while in the Seconds for the remainder of the season). To succeed, he has 7 months to:
1. improve his fitness and agility.
2. improve his 2nd efforts and defensive skills.
He has a penetrating kick (but poor in front of goal), strength, adequate overhead and adequate pace when he can run straight upfield. He could use Josh Morris as an example of a half forward successfully transitioning to half back. It would be sad to see Will Pearce's footy prospects slowly fall to scrapheap as an ordinary forward.

I haven’t given up on Will entirely but have often wondered whether guys like this would benefit from seeing a Sports Psychologist. He has many attributes to make it in the SANFL but he’s yet to deliver. Good point re trying hi. Down back, we don’t seem to try these type of things very often now. For memory Jason Spehr started off as a key forward and ended up being a very good full back (except in one game…).I’m sure there’s plenty of other examples of this working over the years. Good conversation starter Premier

Premiers wrote:Will Pearce has some good footy attributes but his form has dived this year. His prospects might be improved by as a half back flanker (while in the Seconds for the remainder of the season). To succeed, he has 7 months to:
1. improve his fitness and agility.
2. improve his 2nd efforts and defensive skills.
He has a penetrating kick (but poor in front of goal), strength, adequate overhead and adequate pace when he can run straight upfield. He could use Josh Morris as an example of a half forward successfully transitioning to half back. It would be sad to see Will Pearce's footy prospects slowly fall to scrapheap as an ordinary forward.

Pearce is someone who doesn't seem to realise how good he could be if he could get his attitude and fitness in the right space. To date we've only seen brief glimpses in matches of his talent followed by long periods where he appears disinterested, lazy and not willing to chase his opponents or fight to keep the ball in the forward line. Over Summer Sauce needs to give him a huge kick up the backside and ask him whether the wants to be a league player because Season 2025 may be make or break for him.

This year's AFL Combine announced with only one WWTFC player Charlie West being one of 9 SANFL players selected. So he is well and truly in the thoughts of at least 3 AFL Clubs.
Also only 1-2 (didn't look closely) WWTFC in SANFL Combine. May suggest that we have overrated the number of U18 players with real potential.

The Barton wrote:I haven’t given up on Will entirely but have often wondered whether guys like this would benefit from seeing a Sports Psychologist. He has many attributes to make it in the SANFL but he’s yet to deliver. Good point re trying hi. Down back, we don’t seem to try these type of things very often now. For memory Jason Spehr started off as a key forward and ended up being a very good full back (except in one game…).I’m sure there’s plenty of other examples of this working over the years. Good  conversation starter Premier

Great post "The Barton". I suggested this to Sheedy a couple of seasons ago. I mentioned to him that both Pearce and Williams could benefit from seeing a sports  psychologist.

Premiers wrote:This year's AFL Combine announced with only one WWTFC player Charlie West being one of 9 SANFL players selected.  So he is well and truly in the thoughts of at least 3 AFL Clubs.
Also only 1-2 (didn't look closely) WWTFC in SANFL Combine. May suggest that we have overrated  the number of U18 players with real potential.

Had a look at the invitees and wasn't surprised that Charlie West got a national combine invite. At 6'5" with a good pair of hands he will always be worth a look at.

A bit surprised that Tyler Welsh didn't get a national invite. Most probably his height limits/hampers his ability to play a key position and he is a father/son for the Crows.

Kade Herbert most probably slid back a little in the eyes of recruiters this season. He has had an interrupted season and just hasn't been able to produce his consistent best. He is a very smart footballer but maybe lacks a standout asset. Selfishly I hope he doesn't get drafted, could be a 200 game Eagle. A state invite still keeps him under recruiter's eyes.

I thought Jet Hasting would have got at least a state invite, his form in the national U18 competition was good. Tate Delmenico and Harry Dodd were also unlucky to miss out.

The players who miss out being drafted will enhance our club enormously. Looking forward to an influx of ex-U18s next season.

wimpy wrote:

The Barton wrote:I haven’t given up on Will entirely but have often wondered whether guys like this would benefit from seeing a Sports Psychologist. He has many attributes to make it in the SANFL but he’s yet to deliver. Good point re trying hi. Down back, we don’t seem to try these type of things very often now. For memory Jason Spehr started off as a key forward and ended up being a very good full back (except in one game…).I’m sure there’s plenty of other examples of this working over the years. Good  conversation starter Premier

Great post "The Barton". I suggested this to Sheedy a couple of seasons ago. I mentioned to him that both Pearce and Williams could benefit from seeing a sports  psychologist.

Collective Mind. They done wonders at the Crows.

On Channel 7+, Sport, VFL, Geelong vs Pt Melbourne Rd 13, there is a pre-game interview with Brad Hardie. From watching the interview, Mitch appears confident of being there next year.

Apologies above..........., not "Brad Hardie" of course but our "Mitch Hardie".

wimpy wrote:

Premiers wrote:This year's AFL Combine announced with only one WWTFC player Charlie West being one of 9 SANFL players selected.  So he is well and truly in the thoughts of at least 3 AFL Clubs.
Also only 1-2 (didn't look closely) WWTFC in SANFL Combine. May suggest that we have overrated  the number of U18 players with real potential.

Had a look at the invitees and wasn't surprised that Charlie West got a national combine invite. At 6'5" with a good pair of hands he will always be worth a look at.

A bit surprised that Tyler Welsh didn't get a national invite. Most probably his height limits/hampers his ability to play a key position and he is a father/son for the Crows.

Kade Herbert most probably slid back a little in the eyes of recruiters this season. He has had an interrupted season and just hasn't been able to produce his consistent best. He is a very smart footballer but maybe lacks a standout asset. Selfishly I hope he doesn't get drafted, could be a 200 game Eagle. A state invite still keeps him under recruiter's eyes.

I thought Jet Hasting would have got at least a state invite, his form in the national U18 competition was good. Tate Delmenico and Harry Dodd were also unlucky to miss out.

The players who miss out being drafted will enhance our club enormously. Looking forward to an influx of ex-U18s next season.

For anyone who knows the U18 team well and/or has followed the progress of Hastings, Delmenico, Schwarz etc……..can anyone tell me what their foot disposal is like? On the run are they able to kick long, low, precise darts to our forwards in the same way Wehr or Beecken were able to? That would be amazing. Or are we to look forward to more slow, awkward, kicks with lots of air i.e. Litster/Rowland/Firns?

"For anyone who knows the U18 team well and/or has followed the progress of Hastings, Delmenico, Schwarz etc……..can anyone tell me what their foot disposal is like? On the run are they able to kick long, low, precise darts to our forwards in the same way Wehr or Beecken were able to? That would be amazing. Or are we to look forward to more slow, awkward, kicks with lots of air i.e. Litster/Rowland/Firns?"

I've watched the U18's play several games this year, but it's hard to get a good understanding of their strengths when you don't watch them continuously.
I thought the kicking of Hastings and Delmenico was OK, Dodd sprayed a little. The knock on Schwarz was always his kicking, but in the two matches I saw him play this season I thought his kicking and hitting targets was very good. He has always been able to find the ball. Let's hope his kicking will continue to improve.