I was absent during the post-season last year and as such, wasn’t present to do any end of year wraps, sift through any of the grisly bits nor pay homage to departed servants. The changes were fairly modest and obvious: the expected retirement of Daniel Wells; the delisting of Sam Murray and Ben Crocker; the shifting of Lynden Dunn to the rookie list and of course, the retirement of the subject of this piece, Tyson Goldsack.
Category: Players
Ins and Outs: Post-Trade Wrap 2018
It has been a few weeks now since the trade period ended, meaning that yours truly has been customarily tardy — but better late than never, as they say. This year’s trade period shaped as an interesting one given the amount of movement amongst established players: GWS were faced with another salary dump fire sale; Gold Coast’s co-captain bookends decided to head south simultaneously; and of course, there was the eleventh hour confirmation of the desire of Dayne Beams to return to Collingwood.
VFL Player Review: Collingwood vs Northern Blues (Round 4, 2016)
I finally found the time to get around to finishing these off… 3. Brent Macaffer Six days is a long time in football, because the Brent Macaffer that ran out against not-Carlton Carlton looked a completely different player to the wreck of a shell of a shadow that meandered around Victoria Park last week. Against…
VFL Player Review: Collingwood vs Essendon (Round 3, 2016)
Late again (because I’ve been busy again), but here’s my reviews, which are decidedly a little more coarse in some places than usual. But if I hadn’t have added the colour, it would have made for a very short summation, given that I could just as easily have hit ‘autofill’ for so many of these…
VFL Player Review: Collingwood vs Port Melbourne (Round 1, 2016)
My first player reviews of the year, which I apologise for being tardy in getting out, but I’ve been flat-chat since the game finished on Sunday afternoon. I also apologise for the shortness of some comments and not writing something a bit longer, a bit more in-depth, but I’m more coldly mechanical in my writing…
A View of the 22: Pre-NAB Challenge
It is about that time – in fact it’s probably overdue – that we begin to seriously discuss the look of our starting 22 come the beginning of the season. This year, I thought I might have a crack at a preferred 22 both before and after the completion of the NAB Challenge, which allows me to be a little more speculative and subjective in terms of wishful selections prior to the NAB Challenge. After the NAB Challenge, when player availability based on form and injury becomes clearer, along with the potential of a preseason ‘bolter’ or two, I will naturally defer more to probability based on exposed form.
The List Locked In
After doing most of the heavy lifting during the trade period, this week saw Derek Hine and our recruiting department put the finishing touches on our list for the 2016 season.
Musing on the Middle
After recently discussing the potential of our back half and as we continue to count the days until the national draft, I thought I might now turn my attention to the midfield. Whilst our list is not yet complete for 2015 – with at least six new names to be added across the senior and rookie list – I think we can at this point safely discuss the most likely composition of the all important engine room.
Post-Season Purgatory
When only one team conquers, the rest are left to fend for themselves. The followers of the vanquished congregate in a trade week limbo, pacing the fields whilst speculating on what is to be tended to or pruned – weeds extracted, prized picks yet to blossom tested on the market, hardy types relocated to different…
Player Projections: Part 5
At last, the final instalment of this year’s player projections, dealing with some of our more speculative prospects at the rookie end of the playing list.