2025 List Management Thread

[jeemak]

We are starting to see the flaws in the playing list.
A small defender, A tall defender, A tall forward and a midfielder should be on the shopping list.

We've got some academy and father son priorities as well to consider.

Why a tall forward when we have Croft in the development pen, possibly JUH coming back and Naughton and Darcy capable of playing elite football? Agree with the other three categories, and I'd also add a classy wing/half forward to that mix.

[Bornadog]

Thanks Gary, No good there I take it?

Just because Arty is an Indigenous player and not tall everyone thinks he is a small forward. He is more a winger and I am not sure about HBF, although as GVGjr says he was tried there in the VFL and I can't remember how he played. In his junior years he played the wing role.

[Pleather Sole]

Yes, he's been tried there before

Thanks Gary, No good there I take it?

[GVGjr]

Has Arty ever played HBF for us?

Yes, he's been tried there before

[Pleather Sole]

Has Arty ever played HBF for us?

[GVGjr]

We are starting to see the flaws in the playing list.
A small defender, A tall defender, A tall forward and a midfielder should be on the shopping list.

We've got some academy and father son priorities as well to consider.

[Stevo]

I don't think we need a short term solution for the role he plays.

If you explain things like that before going down the age route then I can get on board with that.

[FrediKanoute]

Buss is a bit a victim of circumstance. He gets drafted and is injured so his development is held back. At he time of his drafting we had a problem in the backline. Gardner was essentially our starting CHB, with Jones and a few other players filling bit parts, with mixed success. In 2023 we bring in O'Donnell and Lobb. A fit O'Donnell grabs his chances and really shows something as a defender. Buku gets thrown from end to end, but is a useful backman, slightly more developed so he gets the nod in competition with O'Donnell. The real kicker was Rory Lobb transforming from a ruck/forward to a CHB. It's meant that we drafted for a need and then filled it with spare parts players who have turned out to be pretty good.

Given we are in the window NOW, we don't really have the luxury of developing Buss in he senior side.

[doggies ftw]

As much as I understand that, are we really not picking him because of it? I mean, Coffield is hardly a shining light on how to move the ball and we did just play Gardner a few weeks ago which was a bizarre decision given he's nowhere near the level and can't defend nor move the ball.... Fortunately it only took one game to figure that out, though I'd argue the evidence was there long before that.

We seem to hone in on some players flaws more than others. I get it happens at all clubs, but why bother re-signing him? As the weeks go by, it looks like we've blown a first rounder here.

Yeah I do agree with your last point, it’s been like that for a while ie we looked at what West couldn’t do for years, rather than what he could. Whilst at the same time accepting Mccomb etcs obvious flaws. Garcia similar right now.

i dunno it’s hard to say because clearly
these guys are playing the roles asked of them behind closed doors I guess. I kinda feel like when we actually rate someone as having a future we judge them a little bit more harshly as we’re looking at developing them as a long term player maybe? So it’s more important to set standards we expect rather than the short term sugar hit of what they bring week to week?

just gut feel on how we seem to approach development for some players compared to others, and Buss would fit this mould as in we see a big future so we want to make sure he’s developing how we want him to

[The Bulldogs Bite]

He's not adapting his game like he needs to. He's a distributor of the footy at the VFL level but he can't or wont take the game on and is way too safe.
Switching the footy left or right as he does might lift up his possession stats but he has to got the ball moving forward and lifting his metres gained
If he changes his game just a bit it could make a lot of difference.

As much as I understand that, are we really not picking him because of it? I mean, Coffield is hardly a shining light on how to move the ball and we did just play Gardner a few weeks ago which was a bizarre decision given he's nowhere near the level and can't defend nor move the ball.... Fortunately it only took one game to figure that out, though I'd argue the evidence was there long before that.

We seem to hone in on some players flaws more than others. I get it happens at all clubs, but why bother re-signing him? As the weeks go by, it looks like we've blown a first rounder here.

[Mofra]

it's a tough one for Buss, not too sure we need the three tall defenders in the same side, like others i really liked his game v the Giants so it must be so frustrating for him, if he really wants out and Freo/WC offer us a good enough deal, i can't see us making him stay.

With Coffield we're basically playing 3 talls now.
Buss is desperate to play, which is a tick. I'd like him to stay but I'm starting to think he'll request a trade and we'll honor it to get someone else in.

[mighty_west]

it's a tough one for Buss, not too sure we need the three tall defenders in the same side, like others i really liked his game v the Giants so it must be so frustrating for him, if he really wants out and Freo/WC offer us a good enough deal, i can't see us making him stay.

[Scott2016]

I think this is a load of rubbish he is good enough. We have played other duds in the side even going back to Fletcher Roberts in 2016. Bus is better than him and Gardiner. I would say he is a better defender than Buku. We play delisted people from other clubs who are no good ie: Poulter Baker and others. If I was Buss I would feel the same

[doggies ftw]

He's not adapting his game like he needs to. He's a distributor of the footy at the VFL level but he can't or wont take the game on and is way too safe.
Switching the footy left or right as he does might lift up his possession stats but he has to got the ball moving forward and lifting his metres gained
If he changes his game just a bit it could make a lot of difference.

I’d be very surprised if this was even a consideration in him missing tbh, he’s our deepest defender at VFL level and we’ve played Gardiner over him who is literally not even close to as damaging with the footy as Busslinger. Not to mention Coffield who is also a short & safe operator, Buss actually does pull the trigger on quite a few long direct kicks each week, as well as a number of short and sideways but this is how we play. Most of our disposal out of the backhalf is short and sideways at both levels until the balls in someone like Dale or Lobbs hands, and is the nature of him getting his touches at FB as the deepest defender. He gets 30 touches a week as a FB of course some are going to be fluff but he does a lot of good with the footy too that people don’t really acknowledge

I think it’d be purely down to we can’t trust him defensively as a key defender yet and he’s not strong enough aerially or athletically to play as an intercepting 3rd tall. Hes a full back IMO and probably can’t play anywhere else, he just doesn’t have the size to play the role well yet, I think that will start to change by next year.

[GVGjr]

Is Busslinger competitive enough to be a key defender?

He is really giving off Lewis Young vibes.

He's not adapting his game like he needs to. He's a distributor of the footy at the VFL level but he can't or wont take the game on and is way too safe.
Switching the footy left or right as he does might lift up his possession stats but he has to got the ball moving forward and lifting his metres gained
If he changes his game just a bit it could make a lot of difference.