Agree.
If we get rid of any more senior players we may as well open a kindergarten.
Keep telling people we have enough senior players for next year even with the exodus going on.
Our problem is too many are in real decline and a few are ordinary.
Nankervis, Prestia, McIntosh, Broad, Lynch and Vlastuin are the vets. A good list manager would have had plans in place for replacing them at least three years ago.
Short, Balta, Taranto, Hopper All have 100 games each.
All ten like em or not are likely to be starting players next year. Apart from a few i think they are a decent starting point.
In anticipation that McIntosh Prestia and Lynch may all be gone at the end of next year we probably should be looking at a few experienced types in free agency or trades.
Experience wont affect us that greatly in 2025 its beyond we need to worry about.
Personally i like the idea of keeping Tom Lynch around the club even when he retires.
If Tom wants to try for another flag next year and we can get some decent compensation then we may as well do it.
We won't get a thing for him at the end of next year when he is out of contract or retired. Flip side is and its a long shot his injuries go away and we get two or three seasons out of him. Here's hoping
This is what i think will happen. Tom will retire with a bottom 4 finish with us, or a flag/finals with another team next year if he goes.
If injuries continue he may not even see a full year out. We do this only if Tom asks for it.
We also have a group of players while most lack a lot of games playing at the level, they are what you would call mature types aged 23 thru 26.
Generally speaking they are battlers and role players and depth players.
Miller, Ross, MRJ, HRS, Kossie, Dow, Mansell, Ryan, Cumberland, Colina, Lefau, OHB, Blight, Coulthard and Young.
This is where the real problem lies where is the genuine quality in that lot?
Its here in this age group i hope we look for upgrades i dont really believe it should be hard to do. They all in one way or another have some serious question marks about them.
Hoping like mad three or four really improve to become good consistent AFL players but fair dinkum the clock is really ticking.
We also hope a few of the 22 and unders can become good consistent players for us or even get lucky and find a few diamonds.
