Don’t like posting x but is what it is

Recent reports basically have us out of the Butters racing barring some reason that the Cats or Dogs can't get the trade done. A few weeks ago this news would have annoyed me a bit, at that time I was super keen to get Butters on board and anchor the team around him for the next 7-9 years. However reflecting over the last week and I've come to the conclusion that Butters doesn't really fit our timeline, we're still a few years away from making a charge up the ladder.

It's been the message all year but getting games and valuable midfield minutes into our youngsters is the main goal for 2027. In my opinion our biggest addition this off season is our new High performance boss Selwyn Griffiths. Hopefully he can develop a program which can fast track the fitness/health of our youngsters keeping them on the park so they can get 15-20 games together as a group.

Curious to see what everyone else thinks about missing out on Butters, not sure who the big free agents will be in 2028/29 but I feel like those will be the ones we can actually go after and sign. Who knows if the mids develop quickly we might not need to recruit and can build our dynasty from within much like we did with Cotchin, Martin, Riewoldt, Rance and Edwards. I am aware we recruited Caddy, Prestia and Nank but they were solid additions not necessarily a Butters type acquisition.

6 Goals for the GOAT

was doing a clean out of my room and stumbled upon an old ball which i estimate to be from the late 2000s or early 2010s. All i’ve been able to identify is Kevin Sheedy and Shane Tuck, would appreciate any help!

Just the 🐐 doing 🐐 things winning the E.J. Whitten Medal and booting 6 goals.

Watching Dusty snag 6 and get BOG was the happiest I’ve been watching footy all season. Shame he’s not still out there for us.

The race is officially on

Also mentions in the interview that we tried to suit him up for a VFL game with us but it didn't eventuate.

Hey everyone,

I'm addicted to draft stuff lately and considering that we've locked in our ladder position, I thought it would be fun to go into some draft scenarios.

Butters Trade
A trade for Butters might happen, if it does it will almost certainly include pick 2 and potentially more. Speaking with some Port supporters and listening to some neutrals I think a trade will probably look something like this. Butters and pick 27 for pick 2 and 20.

This would give us picks 27, 38 and 56.

Players around pick 27: Gabriel Patterson, Darcy Szerszyn, Harvie Cooke and Koby LeCras.

Players around pick 38: Billy Wigmore, Andrio Sousa, Benji Van Rooyen, Kale Matthews-Hampton

Players around pick 56: Tanner Armstrong, Sam Tassone, Tom Brown, Tate Hodgson

These are largely aerial players who can get it on the spread, players with lots of speed or good 1v1 defenders.

No Butters Trade. Essendon draft Arki Butler
This is the most likely scenario in my opinion. Butler would absolutely suit Essendon and is a massive Essendon fan.

This would give us picks 2, 20 (compensation pick), 23, 38, 56

Players for pick 2: Gus Texeira, Harry Van Hattum, Ethen Drever, Heath Mellody
Personally, I would be shocked if HVH got past us at pick 2 here.

Players for pick 20: Marlon Neocleous, Tyson Bradley, Ethan Herbert and Harrison Chapman

Players for pick 23: George Dimer, George Gale, Toby Krasna and Khaled El Souki (Bulldogs NGA)
Khaled El Souki basically becomes open pool if Butters elects to go there.

Players for pick 38: Xavier Ladbrooke, Archie Van Dyke, Andrio Sousa and Cody Templeton
The reason these are different is because I think taking the initial higher picks allows for more speculative picks later in the draft.

Players for pick 56: Tanner Armstrong, Harvey Spawton-Guy, Brady Wright and Sam Devers

By taking the intial picks which round out the midfield and fill the void for pace, aerial capacity and skills allows for more risky picks later in the draft. I also think that if we hold the early 20s picks we should absolutely draft a high end, close to goal small forward. Peucker and Campbell operate at their best when they play higher up the field, neither hit packs at speed like Rachele or Watson. Mansell does but he's definitely heading to Tassie.

No Butters Trade. Essendon draft Harry Van Hattum
If the Bombers take the ruck (which would surprise me) I think that we will be much more even in the rest of the top end of the field and would shape our later picks.

This would give us picks 2, 20 (compensation pick), 23, 38, 56

Players for pick 2: Gus Texeira, Arki Butler, Ethen Drever, Heath Mellody
I have no idea who we'd pick, although it would almost certainly be one of Butler or Texeira.

Players for pick 20: Marlon Neocleous, Tyson Bradley, Ethan Herbert and Harrison Chapman
If Butler gets taken, the nuke is left behind and Herbert becomes far more likely.

Players for pick 38: Xavier Ladbrooke, Archie Van Dyke, Andrio Sousa and Benji Van Rooyen
Should Herbert be skipped on then Van Rooyen is likely to be taken as the third best ruck in it.

Players for pick 56: Tanner Armstrong, Harvey Spawton-Guy, Brady Wright and Sam Devers

If HVH is gone then there is a chance we simply don't draft a ruck and bring in Briggs and hope that we're good on that front. If we did draft one though it would be either Herbert or Van Rooyen. Van Rooyen is far better in the ruck contest, Herbert is far better around the ground.

Hey everyone, considering there is no VFL this week I thought this would be a fun post.

A Season in Review
Overall a relatively disappointing year from the VFL boys. Hampered by injury the entire year Madgen's boys struggled hard. A team that made the wildcard finals last season ended the season in the bottom 2. A new gamestyle was obvious, quick attacking game through the middle was the goal, but when an injured, young side attempts to play this way they can get opened up on turnover. We were often killed by missing easy skills but the vision was clear and something worth pursuing.

The VFL listed players fought hard the entire year, often times missing out on having any AFL listed boys in the team.

VFL Player of the Year
Mutaz El Nour
I think this one was pretty obvious. An absolute rock in defense and is likely to be in the VFL team of the year. One of the most consistent performers for our side. Elite intercepting and decision making.

Runner Up VFL Player of the Year
Sam Toner
Another pretty obvious choice. Terrifying as a forward with his combination of speed, aerial ability, forward craft and ground level skills. St Kilda in particular tremble when they hear the name. Very consistently dangerous. Lost out to El Nour just because he got moved to the wing at one point where I didn't feel he was the most dangerous.

Third VFL Player of the Year
Olli Hotton
No one did it better at the coal face than Hotton. Elite in and under the contest, never dropped his head, Hotton looked like a star from day one in the VFL. Toner and El Nour may have had more impact over the season but neither were as consistent as Hotton was.

VFL Rising Star
Zachary O'Keefe
While ZOK may have only played a handful of games it could be argued he was best on ground for almost all of them. Elite off the half back racking up a ton of disposals and using it very well. I loved his marking ability as well.

Runner Up VFL Rising Star
Dan Lowther
If Dan hadn't been injured late in the season this award would have been his to lose. Sticky mitts with an aggressive playstyle, Lowther was terrifiying in full flight. Air Lowther was a demolition machine.

VFL Goal Kicking Leader
Sam Toner
Note, this only included VFL listed players. Winning with a goal total of 21 goals.

Runner up VFL Goal Kicker
Mohammad Yassine
The small forward finished with a total of 13 goals.

VFL Team Spirit Player of the Year
Nicholas Collier
Collier is someone who went out every week and gave their all. Never taking a backwards step, attacking every ball like it was their last. Collier often times sparked moments in the game where special things happened. Whether it be gut running, sheparding a teammate or getting into the opposition, Collier did it all.

Richmond 11.10 76 def by Geelong 20.13 133

Could have been worse.