Re: How your AFL team went in 2021 and what they should do this off-season
9. WEST COAST
Was the season a success?
(7th in 2020) 10 wins 12 losses in 2021
For the Eagles to miss the finals and have a 10-12 win-loss record is an indictment on this group of players. Put their best 25 players down on paper, and it looks excellent, but you don’t win games on paper. They rarely took the game on, played risk-free football, and tried to control the ball with kicks and marks, and that style of play has become outdated. The loss of Luke Shuey for large parts of the year, a late start by Elliot Yeo, and the absence of Tim Kelly for a few crucial weeks really hurt their midfield. A heavy reliance on their key forwards to kick goals also hurt as that is not sustainable. They also did not look fit as a group and I suggest they had too many good players carrying extra kilos. They need a seriously tough pre-season and to find pace in the midfield and off half-back. As good as the players in the back line are, and they are great at intercept marks, they do not provide any run or dash since Lewis Jetta retired. Jack Petruccelle needs to play wing or half-back and I know he can turn the ball over, but he is one of the few who can run and break lines. The return of Willie Rioli will also help, and they unearthed some likely types in Harry Edwards, Connor West and Luke Foley, but they are very similar types to their good players.
What needs to happen during the off-season?
They should investigate the possibility of attracting Carlton’s Sam Petrevski-Seton (it would require a late first-round pick or two seconds, or include Jarrod Brander or Tom Cole in the trade). Brander, Cole and Jackson Nelson are handy players who could attract second-round selections to help with any trades. I would also chase Jordan Clark from Geelong, who has genuine speed and toughness and can play half-back. He needs to tidy up his kicking and decision-making, but it’s only tinkering needed. A second-round pick would be all that’s required there. I feel that the Eagles can challenge again in 2022 as they have loads of talent, but they require a seriously difficult pre-season, a return of their hard-nosed desire - which was severely lacking this year - and a massive review of their game plan. When you have players with the capabilities of Liam Ryan, Willie Rioli, Oscar Allen, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy and Jamie Cripps in the forward line you have to move the ball quickly for this group to be at their best.
How should they approach the November draft?
(Picks 10, 29, 36, 50, 65)
If the Eagles don’t trade their first pick, they could take a local player and there are three who are around the top 15: Jacob van Rooyen, a third tall forward who can really cover ground with a great work ethic, Matt Johnson, a big-bodied midfielder, and Rhett Bazzo, a very accomplished key back. Van Rooyen would be my pick if he is still available, as he might also be capable as a midfielder down the track.
10. ST KILDA
Was the season a success?
(5th in 2020) 10 wins, 12 losses in 2021
St Kilda had a really disappointing season after looking as if they might challenge after an excellent 2020. My information is that they had a poor pre-season, allocating a lot of time to strategy and tactics at the expense of strength and conditioning. Players who were on top of the ground and running hard last year were nowhere near that level in 2021. They had an exciting brand of “take the game on, run and gun” and hit the top of the square using their fleet-of-foot, deep group of smaller runners and put massive forward pressure on opposition defences. They weren’t even close to that brand his year. I’ve seen this error made numerous times over my time in football, and it astounds me it still happens. That they still nearly made the finals is testament to a very good and experienced playing list and the loss of, in particular, Jade Gresham and Ben Paton for the whole year and Zak Jones, Paddy Ryder, Jimmy Webster and Hunter Clark for large chunks of the season. Highly paid players Brad Hill and Dan Hannebery had very disappointing seasons with the latter unlikely to be at St Kilda next year after only appearing late in the season.
They found some good players, though: promising midfielder Ryan Byrnes, Cooper Sharman as a hybrid forward, intercept defender Tom Highmore and lockdown defender Callum Wilkie. A special mention goes to Jack Steele, All-Australian midfielder. The combination of Ryder and Rohan Marshall as ruck/forwards is crucial to the success of this team, and that didn’t happen often enough in 2021.
What needs to happen during the off-season?
Jack Lonie, Luke Dunstan, Seb Ross and Josh Battle should go into the trade pool. They are all good players but could find a home where they can receive more opportunities. They are unlikely to bring more than third-round selections. Jack Billings is an interesting case as he was a high draft pick (No. 3 in 2013) and struggled this year. St Kilda might put him on the trade table but at best he’s going to attract a late first-round selection. The Saints need another gun key back and Daniel Talia should be on their radar. If Hannebery and Jake Carlisle are gone they should have some money to spend. Their best 25 looks well-balanced and is capable of challenging again next year with a good pre-season. Paton and Gresham returning adds real speed and football smarts to this team.
How should they approach the November draft? (Picks 9, 46, 64)
St Kilda have pick nine in the draft, which will effectively become 11. If Talia decides to go elsewhere they need to use that selection on a key back. Josh Gibcus is the best key back in the draft but highly likely to be gone by 11. So a leap of faith is required in selecting Josh Sinn or Campbell Chesser. Why? Because neither would have played more than five games over the past two seasons. Both are Sandringham Dragon players, although Chesser is from the country on scholarship in Melbourne. Both had serious injuries this year but on my observations from the under-16 games in 2019, they could have gone in the top five. Lack of games will mean both will spill to around pick 11, and, again, I would suggest judging them on their best - and their best in the under 16s was great.
11th. FREMANTLE
Was the season a success?
(12th in 2020) 10 wins and 12 losses
Fremantle should be proud of their season. They were in contention to play finals right up to the last round. You know you have great coaching, culture, system, process and communication when the young players on your list play beyond expectations, middle range players play to their ability and the senior players are playing some of the best football of their careers. That’s what Fremantle have produced for the past two years under Justin Longmuir.
What they haven’t produced yet is a healthy list. They have had a wretched run. Alex Pearce missed the first half of the year, as well as young guns Sam Sturt and Hayden Young missing early games. Then, when still in contention, they lost Nat Fyfe, Michael Walters, Rory Lobb, Brennan Cox and Nathan Wilson with around six rounds left. The beauty about this was they were able to put games into their good young players in Brandon Walker and Liam Henry – loved them both in last year’s draft – and Josh Treacy. I can’t believe he went through to the rookie stage.
Great seasons were had by several Dockers: Sean Darcy should have been All-Australian second ruck; James Aish has turned out to be a super pick-up from Collingwood; and David Mundy, at 35 years old, had his best season. Also starring in 2021 were young guns Andrew Brayshaw – I would make him captain next year – Caleb Serong and Adam Cerra, with Luke Ryan and Griffin Logue also having excellent years in defence. They were competitive virtually every week bar one and there is a lot to like about Fremantle next year, when they will surely have better luck with injuries.
What needs to happen during the off-season?
Cerra has requested a trade back to his home city of Melbourne, but they should receive great compensation. The talk is Carlton is on his wish list, and the Blues have pick six. But they will need to give up more and could throw Sam Petrevski-Seton into the mix, as he had an indifferent year and is a WA boy via Halls Creek. He could slot straight into the midfield in Cerra’s place and his best is great. The talk around Lachie Neale returning from the Lions is strong and Fremantle received great compensation for him originally. I would offer pick eight for him and nothing else. Fremantle are in the box seat and Brisbane in a very tricky situation. Neale still has many good years left but turns 29 early next year, and you don’t command anything more than pick eight for a player of that age, no matter how good. Elsewhere, perhaps Cox (second round) could attract interest on the trade table.
How should they approach the November draft? (Picks 8, 27)
Fremantle do not want for much bar a 40-goal-a-year small forward or two – but those roles might be filled by Walters and Henry – and a midfielder to replace Cerra. They are loaded with key backs.
The aforementioned trade with Carlton would leave them with picks six and eight in the draft, a magnificent hand, though they would likely have to give Carlton a second-round pick back. There are some players from WA who could be around the top 10 in Jacob van Rooyen (key forward), Rhett Bazzo (key back) and Matt Johnson (midfielder), but it is way too early to predict the draft.
The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.