Following our exes...................

[1eyedog]

Someone raised this on Twitter but had we known about the 3rd man up rule being changed prior to the trade period would we have preferred to keep Hrovat over Jong?

Good question I'm not sure. Wasn't it more Hrovat wanting to leave for greater opportunities, which we couldn't commit to vs Jong, faced with the same situation, deciding to stay and back himself in? If that was the case I would have tried to persuade Hrovat a little more and embue some confidence that he is good enough to play in this team.

The ruck rule will negate one of Jong's key attributes, but having Daniel, Dahl and HC on the list provided some pretty stiff competition for Hrovat. My feeling is that Bevo tried to keep him and he may have been offered more money but the pull of greater opportunity to play at the elite level was too great, and that's far enough. He'll play a full year at Norf so who can blame him? He'll be a really good player for them.

I understand the position but to have HC on the list (and don't get me wrong HC is a real trier) and not Hrovat is a bit of a sword cut to me. I'd much prefer HC at Norf than Hrovat.

I surmise that Hrovat simply wanted out despite our best advances.

[bulldogtragic]

Good question I'm not sure. Wasn't it more Hrovat wanting to leave for greater opportunities, which we couldn't commit to vs Jong, faced with the same situation, deciding to stay and back himself in? If that was the case I would have tried to persuade Hrovat a little more and embue some confidence that he is good enough to play in this team.

The ruck rule will negate one of Jong's key attributes, but having Daniel, Dahl and HC on the list provided some pretty stiff competition for Hrovat. My feeling is that Bevo tried to keep him and he may have been offered more money but the pull of greater opportunity to play at the elite level was too great, and that's far enough. He'll play a full year at Norf so who can blame him? He'll be a really good player for them.

I understand the position but to have HC on the list (and don't get me wrong HC is a real trier) and not Hrovat is a bit of a sword cut to me. I'd much prefer HC at Norf than Hrovat.

I surmise that Hrovat simply wanted out despite our best advances.

That's backed up by his managers initial public comments saying he'd go to a Melbourne Based club, possibly North or Carlton. That's a player who doesn't see a future of playing 22 games plus finals. He's a fine player, but with every year new draftees were leap frogging him. If that happened for another year or two, he'd be cooked as a footballer who could get multiple decent offers. Good luck to him. But as you say Dahl, Dunkley, Daniel, McLean, Jong & Honeychurch are stiff competition plus if Webb, Dale and others elevate their game. The shame is player values were just so low last year.

As for the third man up, I've no issues and don't see it as a factor. I would've traded Jong if the GCS trade offer was great, leaving 3rd man as a non issue, but he's depth for a big bodied, explosive burst speed midfielder who can kick goals. It's done and we move on and hopefully Jong finally starts to turn immense potential into sustained form.

[Topdog]

Yep. Jong's real point of difference for us is his ability to run away from/out of packs bouncing the ball. If his decision making and kicking keep on improving he will be a very valuable player for us.

He's big and strong and fast, he can win contests and then get clear from them with the ball pretty quickly.If he can deliver the ball into the forward line a bit more constantly after doing all that hard work he'll be touring everybody's facilities if we can't find a spot for him.

Yep he is potentially another JJ for us. I have Jong ahead of Hrovat pretty easily and no rule change can change that.

[Mofra]

Yep he is potentially another JJ for us. I have Jong ahead of Hrovat pretty easily and no rule change can change that.

Ditto. Hrovat may be a better footballer in terms of ability but we lack a burst mid and Jong provides that pace to break away from the contest. He offer a POD to so many other players on our list.

[Twodogs]

Good question I'm not sure. Wasn't it more Hrovat wanting to leave for greater opportunities, which we couldn't commit to vs Jong, faced with the same situation, deciding to stay and back himself in? If that was the case I would have tried to persuade Hrovat a little more and embue some confidence that he is good enough to play in this team.

The ruck rule will negate one of Jong's key attributes, but having Daniel, Dahl and HC on the list provided some pretty stiff competition for Hrovat. My feeling is that Bevo tried to keep him and he may have been offered more money but the pull of greater opportunity to play at the elite level was too great, and that's far enough. He'll play a full year at Norf so who can blame him? He'll be a really good player for them.

I understand the position but to have HC on the list (and don't get me wrong HC is a real trier) and not Hrovat is a bit of a sword cut to me. I'd much prefer HC at Norf than Hrovat.


I surmise that Hrovat simply wanted out despite our best advances.

Maybe Jong will profit from staying at ground level and competing for the ball there? It's not beyond possibility this will improve him as a player.


As far as Hrovat goes I'm sure someone said something like "Jongy's backing himself to stay and fight his way into the team. You're a better player than Jongy aren't you?" and then the dreaded "maybe Jongy just wants it a little bit more"


I'd have preferred him to stay but I'm happy to see him play seniors at North too. He's to good to be running around at VFL level. I'd have like us to have gotten a better pick though. Then again I usually do.

[KT31]

Someone raised this on Twitter but had we known about the 3rd man up rule being changed prior to the trade period would we have preferred to keep Hrovat over Jong?

Jong had a lot more trade value last year and I still can't get my head around trading the Rat instead.

[FrediKanoute]

I don't think either would have been with us in 2 years time. Jongy will move for more opportunities as he is overlooked because his hardness at the footy isn't enough.

[bulldogtragic]

This round saw Koby & Hamling play first up with their new clubs. Koby with 12 touches, and Hamling without a zone defence system to help was killed by Josh Kennedy (5.1).

[Twodogs]

This round saw Koby & Hamling play first up with their new clubs. Koby with 12 touches, and Hamling without a zone defence system to help was killed by Josh Kennedy (5.1).

I think Hamling was poorly advised for taking that deal. I realise that he is getting a shedload of money for this contract but I don't think he will be playing past this contract. Not at AFL level anyway. He will be exposed week after week and and up being the best paid WAFL player for the last couple of years of his contract with Freo. Then again we may not have had a spot for him.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Read on Facebook that Luke Goetz has been picked up by Williamstown. One of the posters alluded to there being more to him being cut than the "not ready/unprofessional" angle that came out after he was cut, but she failed to elaborate. Will be interesting to see if he can make a mark at VFL level and whether he could earn another crack with a club down the track.

[Axe Man]

Always wear a mouthguard kids!

Melbourne recruit Mitch Hannan suffers broken teeth at training

MELBOURNE recruit Mitch Hannan made an emergency trip to the dentist after coming off second best in a physical training session.

The mature-age draftee opted not to wear a mouthguard during a tackling drill and copped an elbow from teammate Pat McKenna.

“His two front teeth — half of them are gone so he should’ve been wearing a mouthguard so there’s a tip,” teammate Christian Petracca said.

“The No. 1 rule, especially in juniors, was no mouthguard, no play.

“It wasn’t a high-intensity drill and it was up to him whether he wore a mouthguard and he obviously paid the consequences.”

[Twodogs]

Unlucky to lose teeth at Melbourne. Collingwood, yes, but genteel Melbourne?

Only a Footscray boy!

[ledge]

Read on Facebook that Luke Goetz has been picked up by Williamstown. One of the posters alluded to there being more to him being cut than the "not ready/unprofessional" angle that came out after he was cut, but she failed to elaborate. Will be interesting to see if he can make a mark at VFL level and whether he could earn another crack with a club down the track.

The only thing I could add was that he had a big head and as a rookie you can't afford to do that. Better to keep your head down and bum up.
His dad was a top bloke so I don't think it came from him, seems being on an AFL list maybe caused it, no doubt it's happened a lot before.
Sadly when your young it can happen.

[Webby]

Hamling was very good for Freo against Collingwood. Looks like he's continuing an upward trajectory. We'll miss him.

[Twodogs]

Hamling was very good for Freo against Collingwood. Looks like he's continuing an upward trajectory. We'll miss him.

He'll be back...