2025 Season The Preparation

Is Buckley also a chance for us?

The Barton wrote:Going back to Melbourne as his girlfriend is from there and she didn't like Adelaide.

Unfortunately I can see us following what South achieved (or didn't achieve) this year - exodus of senior experienced players and start the long task of rebuilding. Unless we recruit well.

She had a job at the Crows but didn't like it and then had a significant personal issue that caused her to go back to Melbourne.

"She had a job at the Crows but didn't like it ...."

Crows have a way of spoiling everything for local teams

whybother wrote:I see that Thommo got reported for rough play in his last game. Good one Thommo.

I cant remember him being reported before. Any one know?

I think it was in the last quarter for what was viewed as a sling tackle. A ridiculous assessment and the glenelg player barely felt it.

Mickyj wrote:James Tsitas just delisted by suns any chance of coming back

I think we'd be at long odds for him returning. Very likely his next move would be driven by where they want to settle down long-term. If he has kids or planning to the obvious choice will be for him and his wife to return to Geelong.

That said, he'd be very welcome to return to the club. Wasn't he good mates with Dane Macfarlane who both came over during Covid? Maybe the club ought to keep him around next season as a lure.

Titan2 wrote:

Mickyj wrote:James Tsitas just delisted by suns any chance of coming back

I think we'd be at long odds for him returning. Very likely his next move would be driven by where they want to settle down long-term. If he has kids or planning to the obvious choice will be for him and his wife to return to Geelong.

That said, he'd be very welcome to return to the club. Wasn't he good mates with Dane Macfarlane who both came over during Covid? Maybe the club ought to keep him around next season as a lure.

You could be correct Titan

Mickyj wrote:James Tsitas just delisted by suns any chance of coming back

IMO - no. Too much time has passed, unless they paid him nearly as much as he was getting at the Suns. He’d be a lot different to the player we saw in 2021. Still good enough for SANFL and let’s hope he doesn’t go to another SANFL team.

I would expect Tsitas to have an off field role with the Suns and/or in a playing capacity in the VFL offering mentorship. He is very highly thought of and he’s the sort of person the Suns need. He would be well remunerated at a level that an SANFL Club simply could not get close to. Unfortunately, this ship has passed but we can look back fondly on his time at our Club.

He is our only Magary Medalist. To be honoured.

Maybe we’ll see him back at MTHO as a senior coach one day. He’s certainly got the ability to lead

Watching the Geelong vs Power match tonight, good to see Mannaugh having a good 1st Q - he's the guy that coach Scott prefers over our Mitch Hardie who has blitzed them in the VFL but continues to be overlooked.

You beauty ! Go Geelong! Go Mannagh !! 3 goals to 3Q time.

....so is this a (forlorn) hope to get hardie back?

whybother wrote:....so is this a (forlorn) hope to get hardie back?

We can only hope.
Surely, after 18 months on the list as a 28 year old or thereabouts, Geelong are going to move him on.
They were awesome last night and you can't see Hardie being up the that standard.

On Facebook 

Great news, as we’ve secured the signatures of 3 more key players for 2025 - Adam D’Aloia, David Brinker-Ritchie, and Sam Rowland.

Along with the 10 re-signings announced earlier this season, our playing group continue to show commitment and loyalty to the Eagles, and the exciting journey we’re on.

#EaglesWWTFC #TogetherWeFly #OneClubOneCulture

Hopefully Sauce can get more out of the re-signed group than he got for the last 11 games of this season!

They had better get recruiting as this group is miles off the pace

St Kilda resign six more,,,,,,,,,,,,Jack Hayes not amongst them.

Come home Jack! You’re the perfect No 1 recruit for 2025.

"Come home Jack! You’re the perfect No 1 recruit for 2025."

Only if StK haven't damaged him too much

Mickyj wrote:On Facebook 

Great news, as we’ve secured the signatures of 3 more key players for 2025 - Adam D’Aloia, David Brinker-Ritchie, and Sam Rowland.

Along with the 10 re-signings announced earlier this season, our playing group continue to show commitment and loyalty to the Eagles, and the exciting journey we’re on.

#EaglesWWTFC #TogetherWeFly #OneClubOneCulture

So was Brinker-Ritchie even training by season's end? We really need to start the season with a fit list.

I wonder whether the club will be pursuing a ready to go ruckman next season if they have re-signed DBR and possibly also view Lukac as filling the gap? Interesting times

There were positive comments of Lukac's game in the Reserves last week. Was that in ruck or up forward?

Brinker-Ritchie showed good centrecircle work in 2023 never getting outleaped. However, his light weight frame was pushed aside at ballups around the ground.
Lukac, in contrast, has a poor leap at centrebounces but more body strength for holding his ground at ballups.
Neither take

Neither of them take marks expected of a tall.

For anyone feeling a bit of nostalgic watch Luke Beecken doing what he does best in Brisbane's VFL final today.

https://x.com/VFL/status/1832290248522338494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1832290248522338494%7Ctwgr%5E320a3d329e38f49a0b80241dfaa79a00a991d574%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.afl.com.au%2F

When you think we had a player like him regularly doing these kind of things for us in the first half of the season it's no wonder our team was able to slot some early wins. His absence in the second half the season was sorely felt.