AFL 2024

[Booney]

Port have Rozee, Butters, JHF. So definitely Port for mine but I have the Crows as most likely to make the eight out of the teams that didn't last year.

If they play Ollie Wines in his best spot, they're almost looking like the early 2000's Brisbane midfield of Voss, Black, Akermanis & Lappin

Right now not even in a crazy conversation, but given they're 28, 24, 23 and 20 the last 3 could be, Rozee and Butters certainly showing that level of class, who knows.

[The Dark Knight]

Been fishing with my Crows member brother and the best list argument (port/crows) came up.

So family, who has the best list, Port or Crows?

Top end talent is very similar, Port maybe just an edge on the next tier but I think the lists vary when it comes to depth.

Finlayson, Dixon, Marshall, Georgiades, Lord, Sweet, Soldo, Visentini. I think 4 of them play AFL and the other 4 will be in the SANFL.

Aliir, McKenzie, Ratugolea, Burton, Zerk-Thatcher, Clurey, Jones, Bergman, Williams, Houston. The back 6 comes from that group, 4 of them will be playing SANFL.

It's list spots 25-35 where Port run deeper at the moment.

So who do you think will be the 4 forwards/rucks/talls?
Dixon, Marshall, Finlayson and Soldo? Dixon and Finlayson to share the second ruck duties? I can't see Port picking Lord and Georgiades ahead of those 3 tall forwards

And the back 6?
Allir, Houston, Bergman, Burton, Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher? I want to get Willams in there but I think Houston, Bergman and Burton are all selected ahead of him.

[Booney]

Who would I play? Marshall, Lord, Finlayson, Georgiades and Soldo. Who do I think will play? Marshall, Dixon, Finlayson and Soldo. Agree, Finlayson and Dixon share 2nd ruck duties but I don't like the idea of Dixon doing any ruck work. I can see Aliir and Ratugolea doing more ruck work in the back 50, they've been training it a bit more I believe.


Who would I play? Aliir, Ratugolea, Zerk-Thatcher, Houston, Bergman and Jones with Williams on the bench and I think that's how it probably lines up. McKenzie, Burton, and Clurey in the SANFL.

[UK Fan]

Been fishing with my Crows member brother and the best list argument (port/crows) came up.

So family, who has the best list, Port or Crows?

Port


Crows have a crap midfield and no tall defenders.

[The Bedge]

Finlayson and Dixon share 2nd ruck duties.

I'm not sure on this.. I can't see Port wanting either of them rucking, and would prefer they were permanent forwards.

[Booney]

Finlayson and Dixon share 2nd ruck duties.

I'm not sure on this.. I can't see Port wanting either of them rucking, and would prefer they were permanent forwards.

It's not what I'd like to see, it's what I think they'll do. I don't see two of Soldo, Sweet and Visentini playing together. None of them have particularly good forward craft, Soldo probably the most likely ruck who can go forward and Finlayson the most likely forward who can pinch hit in the ruck.

Means you'd have 3 permanent tall forward ( Marshall, Dixon, Finlayson ) and would have to play two rucks. No thank you.

[wenchbarwer]

Finlayson and Dixon share 2nd ruck duties.

I'm not sure on this.. I can't see Port wanting either of them rucking, and would prefer they were permanent forwards.

It's not what I'd like to see, it's what I think they'll do. I don't see two of Soldo, Sweet and Visentini playing together. None of them have particularly good forward craft, Soldo probably the most likely ruck who can go forward and Finlayson the most likely forward who can pinch hit in the ruck.

Means you'd have 3 permanent tall forward ( Marshall, Dixon, Finlayson ) and would have to play two rucks. No thank you.

Wasn't Dixon already sore in the legs/feet this preseason? He'd be lucky to play consecutive weeks if they ruck him as well

[Booney]

That's why I'm playing Lord ahead of him. I think Dixon will see plenty of SANFL and managed weekends off this year.

[wenchbarwer]

That's why I'm playing Lord ahead of him. I think Dixon will see plenty of SANFL and managed weekends off this year.

Honestly, I think he's gone a year too long, Lord is the future

[Booney]

That's why I'm playing Lord ahead of him. I think Dixon will see plenty of SANFL and managed weekends off this year.

Honestly, I think he's gone a year too long, Lord is the future

With Lord and Marshall both in the last year of their deals in 2024 they may have looked to move back to their home state at the end of 2023, I think it was a low risk insurance policy ( Dixon's 1 year deal signed in September last year ).

[am Bays]

With Lord and Marshall both in the last year of their deals in 2024 they may have looked to move back to their home state at the end of 2023, I think it was a low risk insurance policy ( Dixon's 1 year deal signed in September last year ).

Hasnt Lord extended to 2026, or is your comment based on signing Dixon in Sept last year.

Lord is your future, if he's got to play - as you point out, Dixon is the insurance to come in and cover not the other way round.

[gadj1976]

T Thomas suspended for 18 games.

[Booney]

With Lord and Marshall both in the last year of their deals in 2024 they may have looked to move back to their home state at the end of 2023, I think it was a low risk insurance policy ( Dixon's 1 year deal signed in September last year ).

Hasnt Lord extended to 2026, or is your comment based on signing Dixon in Sept last year.

Lord is your future, if he's got to play - as you point out, Dixon is the insurance to come in and cover not the other way round.

Correct. Dixon signed for 1 year in September ( signed pre finals ).

Lord signed in December. Marshall just last week. Both of them were out of contract at the end of 2024, my thinking is going into last years trade period we were unsure on both of their long term futures, both would have been courted to go back to Victoria.

[dedja]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/af ... 1944b91c3b

AFL 2024: Melbourne footballer Joel Smith accused of cocaine trafficking

The failed drugs test probe into Melbourne’s Joel Smith has taken a dramatic turn, with anti-doping investigators accusing the Demon of cocaine trafficking.

Anti-doping investigators have accused Melbourne footballer Joel Smith of cocaine trafficking in a dramatic escalation of his failed drugs test probe.
Sport Integrity Australia officials have uncovered multiple text messages sent by Smith referencing cocaine, after reviewing his phone.

In one message sent to Demons teammates last year, he offered them a quantity of the drug, it is alleged.

This masthead has not confirmed how many Melbourne players the SMS was sent to, or the amount of cocaine offered.

Any attempt to supply a prohibited substance, even in small quantities, can be considered trafficking under national anti-doping regulations.

SIA has asserted to Smith that he has violated several anti-doping rules and asked him to respond by mid-March, before it delivers a finding.

The AFL is understood to be awaiting the outcome of the SIA probe before deciding whether to launch its own integrity unit investigation.

Allegations and evidence could also be referred to police.

Smith, 27, was already facing a suspension of two years after testing positive to cocaine on game day late last season.

He was initially hoping for a ban of three months after his positive urine sample was collected after the Demons defeated Hawthorn by 27 points at the MCG in round 23.

But the ramifications for Smith could now be much more serious, with a potential four-year ban mooted, while Melbourne also faces questions.

The AFL has been approached for comment, but had not responded by the time of publication. Smith’s management and legal teams declined to comment.

A SIA spokesman said the agency did not comment on “operational matters”.

One source close to the probe said Smith should not be “scapegoated” over what they asserted was a wider club issue.

“It looks like they are planning to hang Joel out to dry for behaviour that is commonplace at Melbourne,” the source said.

“It is not unusual for a group of young men who party together to share drugs. Joel might be foolish but he’s hardly Tony Mokbel.

“The club should be taking responsibility for what is happening to Joel instead of blaming him in order to cover up a much wider problem. Joel is not a bad apple in a barrel of clean ones – the whole joint is rotten.”

The latest of several off-field blows to Melbourne comes more than three years after former Melbourne president Glen Bartlett raised concerns with the club board about its culture.

Crisis talks were held with AFL commission chairman Richard Goyder and ex-league boss Gillon McLachlan, but Bartlett was forced out by the board in April 2021.

Long-time club doctor Zeeshan Arain was also shown the door by Melbourne after raising concerns.

Demons chief executive Gary Pert recently claimed the club’s culture was “the best I’ve seen in 40 years”.

His comment came amid significant concerns about Smith’s positive test and the behaviour of teammate Clayton Oliver.

Star midfielder Oliver recently avoided a criminal conviction after being caught driving while suspended. A court heard he had been suspended from driving after he was hospitalised for a seizure, but he had not opened the letter.

In December, Oliver’s sudden departure from a pre-season camp in Lorne led to a lengthy absence from the club for personal reasons, with the four-time best and fairest winner only returning three weeks ago.

Smith, the son of Dees high-flyer Shaun Smith, has played 42 games since he was signed as a rookie in 2016.

He remains provisionally suspended while the SIA probe continues.

[mots02]

If only there was actually a Melb supporter on this site to come on and blindly support him / tell everyone to pump the brakes.

[mighty_tiger_79]

The whole team should be suspended for the upcoming season

[dedja]

The latest of several off-field blows to Melbourne comes more than three years after former Melbourne president Glen Bartlett raised concerns with the club board about its culture.

They won the flag that year and smothered over all the cracks*, but looks like he might have been right after all.

[Booney]

Brisbane -

Captains - Neale, Andrews

Vice Captains - McCluggage, Dunkley

Leadership group members - Cameron, Rayner, Starcevich, Berry and McInerney.

[The Dark Knight]

Brisbane -

Captains - Neale, Andrews

Vice Captains - McCluggage, Dunkley

Leadership group members - Cameron, Rayner, Starcevich, Berry and McInerney.

More leadership group members than the Crows, don't tell Kane Cornes

[Dutchy]

Any more than 5 in a leadership group is just taking the piss