Position 2025: DEFENDER DISCUSSION

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Although it’s tempting, I think I’m going to hold off and bringing in SDK even if he’s looking like being the number one ruck.

I can only assume Conway is who they see as the person who can hold down the ruck position long term.

Even if Stanley doesn’t start the year in the ones, it’d only take one poor game for him to be brought in, resulting in SDK moving down back to produce some lack luster scores…

I’m warming on Holmes as well and would much prefer him than SDK at the moment!
 
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Although it’s tempting, I think I’m going to hold off and bringing in SDK even if he’s looking like being the number one ruck.

I can only assume Conway is who they see as the person who can hold down the ruck position long term.

Even if Stanley doesn’t start the year in the ones, it’d only take one poor game for him to be brought in, resulting in SDK moving down back to produce some lack luster scores…

I’m warming on Holmes as well and would much prefer him than SDK at the moment!
Conway is injured currently which is why SDK has been training in the ruck.

The role is going to be there to start with but I just don’t trust Scott to stick with it. Particularly with their run I can see Stanley come in or Blicavs take a large amount of ruck time.

SDK looks like he gets a lot of his points around the ground rather than from stoppage so might not be the end of the world if he’s getting under 60%+ ruck contests.
 
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Although it’s tempting, I think I’m going to hold off and bringing in SDK even if he’s looking like being the number one ruck.

I can only assume Conway is who they see as the person who can hold down the ruck position long term.

Even if Stanley doesn’t start the year in the ones, it’d only take one poor game for him to be brought in, resulting in SDK moving down back to produce some lack luster scores…

I’m warming on Holmes as well and would much prefer him than SDK at the moment!
Even when Stanley has been horrendous in specific games, he’s still been given another crack after 1-2 games out of the team as punishment. Wouldn’t be trusting the rucks at Geelong at all.
 
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Even when Stanley has been horrendous in specific games, he’s still been given another crack after 1-2 games out of the team as punishment. Wouldn’t be trusting the rucks at Geelong at all.
Don’t disagree with that commentary, but it may not continue..
Stanley is 34 now and SDK and Conway are more genuine ruck options than Blicavs and whoever else was there in the past few years.
 
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Conway is injured currently which is why SDK has been training in the ruck.

The role is going to be there to start with but I just don’t trust Scott to stick with it. Particularly with their run I can see Stanley come in or Blicavs take a large amount of ruck time.

SDK looks like he gets a lot of his points around the ground rather than from stoppage so might not be the end of the world if he’s getting under 60%+ ruck contests.
SDK has been training as a ruck the whole preseason.
It's only a matter of if he's physically capable of repeat matches as a R1 that I'm doubting currently
 
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Is Kane Farrell back in full training? Feel like he's going under the radar at the moment? Port have such a nice start to the year as well. He seemed to be in calculations prior to team picker even being released and since then the chat has cooled?
 
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Is Kane Farrell back in full training? Feel like he's going under the radar at the moment? Port have such a nice start to the year as well. He seemed to be in calculations prior to team picker even being released and since then the chat has cooled?
Early talk was just speculation on replacing Houston like for like. He had hamstring surgery and has been in training roughly since January
. It could be a committee from the distribution point with Burton, Bergman, Evans, Burgoyne at times, Farrell and Sinn/Williams if selected.

Houston also a different player with what he could produce from his 23 disposal average.
 
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Looking at Archie Roberts as a possible Mills replacement.
Looks like he played the last 4 games in 2024 in place of Ridley.

Is he likely to be a starter, or does there need to be an injury for him to be relevant?
 
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Looking at Archie Roberts as a possible Mills replacement.
Looks like he played the last 4 games in 2024 in place of Ridley.

Is he likely to be a starter, or does there need to be an injury for him to be relevant?
We'll know after round 0 on that.

Shiel, McGrath and Redman look to have 3 spots. Ridley will be back at some point, maybe, so that risk is there. Very awkward price.
 
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Was just throwing the draft together and struggled even more with DEF than I expected...

My problem is that I think the 110 threshold is pretty reasonable for D6 but I strongly dislike just about all the guys that I have in that range as starting picks!!!

Sheezel - For mine a lock, the only guy starting in the 110 group that doesn't have round 0 or obvious downside. He might drop a little if he gets tags and the like but should be 110+, just can't see them really letting him not be a primary player.

Flanders/Whitfield/Zorko/Houston - All more or less full priced with the round 0 issue. I just struggle to find the 10+ points upside they need as starting picks.

Ryan - I think his 2nd half of the season was a genuine strategic change as the side tried to be more attacking and not just waxing at HB. If that's the case he's very overpriced on how he performed post bye. That being said, you could totally draw up the opposite conclusion, especially given it's the 2nd straight year he started on fire and then fell to "pieces".

McGovern - Career best year, by a lot, at his age. Loses Barrass as support. Oh yeah, and his durability. If he can stay on park he could actually be a good pick but I don't trust him.

Sinclair - Hamstring issues. Started very slowly last year after calf issues. At the age where you need to take note of constant soft tissue problems. Also no idea on his role yet, much better at HB for fantasy but feels like needed more in midfield early. If he's fit, he's underpriced on his best and finish to last year but that's a question.

Martin - Round 0 but also going forward again where didn't score at this level.

Clark - Kind of reverse Ryan, he was the benefactor of their get and go strategy and he finished the season with a solid 105. The problem is 105 is probably not enough if 110 holds up, so he needs to improve and at fair price, it's hard to not conclude there's better options. Awkward pick in other words.

Ridley - Round 0 and injured.

NWM - I think can push higher but like Clark, he needs to and basically relying on natural improvement to do it. Capable of it. Sinclair role a big question as well as definitely impacts NWM. Think he's better than Clark simply for being a bit cheaper with a very similar profile otherwise.

Holmes/Sicily/Stewart/Blakey - I could actually see all 4 of these guys in the 110+ group but they've all got big questions to go with their round 0 byes. Holmes has his hamstrings and whether the midfield role actually helps his scoring. Stewart has tags and age. Sicily has role concerns. Blakey hasn't been there before, I think being the only real intercept option down back helps him but he's also playing taller so might have to lock down at times.

Dale - The sneaky good option with the awful bye, hurts that Sheezel is the lock, imo, and he shares it. On a positive, no other real r12 options right now so that helps as would be just these two, but obviously a very heavy bye on other lines. Started last year terribly and copped some heavy tags late in the season which remain a threat but has upside with Daniel and Richards out of the way now. Think he's more of a 105 target though.

McGrath - Bye and upside questions.

Hinge - Laird going back, never done it before, durability.

Rioli - Bye and upside issues. Also some injuries right now.

Wilkie/Vlastuin/May - All with upside issues, I think all are actually capable but I definitely wouldn't bet for 110 region.

That's everyone that was 90+

I think Laird pushes somewhere towards 110 and should be 105+ based on history and increases in HB scoring. Duggan and Rivers going midfield are interesting but very unknown. Short is underpriced but has never hit the 110 threshold.

Mills has 110 potential if he can stay fit but that's an enormous if that I'd firmly bet against at this point, especially now that he's added feet to the list that includes achilles, shoulder, calf, quad, knee, hamstring, concussion and whatever else (to be fair, has had foot before).

Tough group made tougher by the rookies also looking weak. I only see 3 or maybe 4 that are fringe starters, while the premiums scream to overload rookies, the rookies scream to overload premiums and the rookies elsewhere seem much stronger field options so would be fielding sub-par rookies most likely.
 
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