That too.

Pittonet (2027)
Reidy (2028)
O’Keeffe (2026)
Riley (2027)

Tactically, four of the same thing.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Reidy contracted to end 2028. That's a long time for someone comfortably ensconced in the magosa

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Go Blues

Not sure what you mean by "tactically"?

I've posted my thoughts and his profile in Player Thread. EDIT I got my Fynn and Flynns and snippets crossed in the Player thread. Getting a bit ahead of myself such is my desperation to land a jumping ruckman at CB

But I will add the following to my comments above in yellow. What the other rucks/ KPF-ruck don't offer:

Mobile ruck. Coordinated. Can twist and turn better than most other players around his size. Can mark, Can jump, and jumps into oppo rucks at CB, Can kick straight for goal, Can handball accurately, aggressive, loves to tackle.

He's very different to the abovementioned.

I'm thrilled.
Have drooled over this kid for 2 years. Mickstar had his eyes on him 2 years ago too.
I reckon we were hiding him last 2 VFL games after he starred from Game 1 vs Willy this year.

I can see Riley No 1 ruck waxing with Harry, and possibly OKeefe if he comes on (after another preseason) as a KPF, which he is, the he can join the ruck mix. If O'Keefe doesn't come on next year, hopefully we find a KPF this Trade/ Draft period. There's a few of them in the State Leagues if we can't Trade one in..

Have a great feeling about this choice. Thank fk we didn't take Toner. Who was Toner going to replace?

Now we can focus on using our huge phat war chest and 2026 2 x2nd round picks, 2027 2 x 1st picks and a 2nd pick to give the New Coach that KPF, line breaking HB and a mid like Humphrey to prime us for 2027 and beyond.

Need to save our 2028 picks for Kouta and garletts kid, and 2029 picks for Arli Walker and Judd and Thornton's kids

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

We have 15 players coming out of contract come years end. Not all will be let go, but I can see 6-7, maybe contracted players like Acres will be let go and pay him out if his body fails him.

Reidy? we can pay him out next year. Our salary cap isn't that tight we can't pay him his $300-350K or whatever it is. We have the Cap space, and next year Hewett and Cripps may call it a day, opening up more cap space.

Pitto's contract ends next year too. His body may not hold up.

Above three free up 3 spots if need be end of next year, along with a few others like Acrres, maybe Lewis Young (if he gets a one year extension), Cottrell, Chesser, Motlop, Kemp.

We are well placed imo. It wasnt going to take much to turn this ship around. Another preseason.......a few good additions......finally balanced, young and going places whilst Tassie screws other teams. Lets hope we contract Cowan before next season's Trade period.

We have so many kids on our list, add Walker to Riley in 2027, along with Scotland's kid end of 2027 and Koutas kid end of 2028 with Garletts kid, followed by Arli walker, Judd and Thornton's kids end of 2029. We will not only have a fit and firing list, we will have a list to keep on evolving.

I think we will be topping up and filling spots left open by retired players from this year on, with targeted mature players (not discards as we've done in the past).

Don't worry about Reidy. He's surplus.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Tactically, they’re all #1 rucks that aren’t much use anywhere else. VERY limited opportunities to play two of them.

If you’re looking at O’Keeffe as a key forward, he may as well pack his bags.

Riley has played three games this season. Filth, Tassie, Aints. You’ve blown your load over Flynn Young’s stats.

Good luck to him. I hope one day he’s as good as the composite player you’re describing.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Yeah got a bit over excited. My memory serves me OK but my notes on VFL games is a mix of Fynn and Flynn.

I hope he proves my gut feel is right. I think he could work for us, and hope O'Keefe softens his hands and starts clunking them too.

Going to bed after a big night celebrating and did my load again.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Can someone please shed any light on why Lij isn't on the LTI? The club has gone very silent on this, and I understand its a sensitive topic, but I don't understand why everything seems so hush hush

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my last one was rubbish

Can someone please shed any light on why Lij isn't on the LTI? The club has gone very silent on this, and I understand its a sensitive topic, but I don't understand why everything seems so hush hush

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my last one was rubbish

5 rucks were taken in the MSD yesterday.

No one went near Mirkov

That answers the question.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I reckon Mirkov's heart issues scared people off Bondi . Too risky . He did ok for us .

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All my dangerous friends

Mickstar is the source of this story. Correct me if I'm wrong Mick.

How about the story of Carlton's reigning VFL BnF, 196cm Ethan Phillips believing he was in line for an MSD selection by the Pies.

Despite being overlooked in the 2025 Draft and SSP (Derksen filled our need for KPD support) Phillips signed on to continue playing for Carlton VFL team.

He chose to not play for Carlton VFL team, and stand out of the VFL, after Carlton turned down his request to be traded to pies VFL team. Hasn't played a single VFL game for us.

He was overlooked by the Pies who had 2 picks but went with impressive Coburg KPF and consistent goal kicker, Mitch Podhajski, and a Ruck.

We've done well to cover him, and the other big signing but injured KPD, former Werribbee Premiersip KPF, Sammy Paea who had done a knee. Harvey and Young/ Derksen have held backline together well this year.

Talk about burning bridges and cutting your nose to spite your face. He blew his chance to be on anyone's radar.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I don’t think anyone expects HoK to be a number one ruck, so you can take him off your #1 ruck list and add him to your fwd-ruck list and complain about him there

Agree overlap with Reidy, but he should be delisted at the end of this year which solves that @#$%&! up.

Which leaves us with Pittonet and Riley as our only #1 rucks next season which seems a bit thin to me.

Yep . He shot himself in the foot for sure Bondi . I think his pre season was underwhelming that's why they went and got Derksen who was frankly just better than Philips in the preseason . As disappointed as he was he should have stuck with us . If he had stayed and played well there is a good chance he would be on an AFL list now . Key Position players are gold at this time of year and sadly for him he blew his chances . Shame coz he seemed a good type of bloke who had a rush of blood to the head . Poor timing for that sort of carry on .

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All my dangerous friends

much as i enjoyed watching the last quarter against the Dogs, i didn’t rate that game for the same reasons you listed.
Port was a more complete performance against a team that tried hard all game. A top four team would have made us pay for our inaccuracy in second half. how can a team kick 8.0.48 then kick 5.13.43 after that? im not sure i can answer that wuestion other than make guesses.

but we did maintain territory against Port after we lost accuracy (fly high nerves?) which was good. we didn’t try to slow the game and control the ball the way they did against Dogs in the last 6 minutes and so the final score flattered Port. If that’s sugar (raw fruits containing soluble fibre) i’ll take it.

none of this is to say i put big wraps on Pitto. he tries hard but i’ve never rated him as a number one tuck option.. let alone a play all game long, Gawn type, of ruckman. the new rules hurt him also

,his first couple of games this year were flukes of luck, essentially, he’s not a three goal ruckman and never will be. Hope Flynn Riley develops nicely and still think we need to draft a high pick ruckman, or trade picks for same from another club.

maybe AI had Mitch McGoven a dual role KPF and KPD during second half against Port. i wasn’t at the ground so not sure what was going on but it was almost Kouta like the way he was roaming the ground and taking grabs. not as impressive and dominant as Kouta but definitely both ends of the ground for that period of thee game. if that was some kinda Alphazero pawn to H4 move then im impressed!

I’m not as hell bent on the high jumping ruck at the centre bounce. Pittonet played it right against Sydney, when he jumped parallel to the dividing line & put the thought of getting tunnelled into Grundy’s head. He hasn’t done it since, probably due to fatigue, and he’s been getting done over.

I still think there’s a player there with Reidy. The bloke we drafted wasn’t a big wuss. I reckon it’s the skill adjustment, trying to time a leap. Even a marginal change of angle would help him out. Just cannon into the other cauliflower to give him something to think about.

I’ll concede that Skull is somewhat ok as a leading forward. If we can find some sort of organisation in that zone, there’s a good argument for “… and Skull” as a ruck pairing. But, at some point, we’ll be wanting some forwards that can kick goals from set shots. Otherwise, what’s the point?

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Pitto had some impressive stats back in 2022, and they continued in 2023 as the No 1 ruck. (Pre '26 Ruck rules)
The Pitto TDK combo was a beauty. In the Finals in 2023 Pitto softened up Gawn and TDK kicked a couple first quarter goals
Then towards the end of quarters TDK would jump over a softened, perhaps maimed Gawn, or whoever.

Cripps/ Hewett were getting great service for Pitto as the No 1 ruck`

Hitouts to Advantage %

1. Marc Pittonet (Carlton) - 44.2

2. Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast) - 38.9

3. Sean Darcy (Fremantle) - 38.4

Hitouts to Score %

1. Marc Pittonet (Carlton) - 13.7

2. Peter Ladhams (Sydney) - 12.6

3. Max Lynch (Hawthorn) - 12.5

Clearance to Team Score % (Best teams at converting from clearances)

1. Geelong (29.1)
2. Collingwood (27.
3. Hawthorn (27.7)
4. Carlton (26.7)

Pitto was younger then and got himself fit and strong from pushing against Soccer goals etc. The old rules suited him too. Like braithy always remind us an injury to Pitto is inevitable, and that has been the case since his PCL in 2024. He's now tapping with his left hand since he's broken his right (he aint right imo)



Agree. Those goals in the first couple of weeks suited him, and the post'25 ruck rules have crucified him as have umpires in the CB.

I have high hopes for Riley. I think Riley will develop quickly but he's only 22yo.
TDK started hitting his straps, albeit light in 2023, when he was 24yo, so I don't expect Riley to be dominating, or consistent till 2028.

I have high hopes for our team too, the boys have shown they are good in halves.They are developing. I feel if we can give the mids (with Walker and a Humphrey type to add next year), a good ruck at the CB, and we add an attacking HB to give us another HB line breaker with wilson (as Newman passes the baton), and a KPF to give Harry more ruck time around the ground, and we arent bare in the forward line with kemp and moir (Gov is an injury away from retiring), we will be a good team in 2027 and 2028 when our window opens.

I think we are going to rush Rileys development and he will be thrown in the deep end.

if we dont get better than Pittonet

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

quote="Crusader"



It looks to me you need to be able to reach higher than your opponent at CB, I'm sure if we get hold of that 223cm yank trialling, he wont have to jump at CB, and as long as gets the game, and holds his position, he can ruck anywhere. Pitto does fatigue, and / or oppo rucks work him out and adjust by jumping and out reaching him punching the balll in open space. That's what grundy did, and his mids were on the outside. Pitto's best rucking results have been when he works the ball to Crippas advantage or vicinity. New ruck rules have cruelled him. TDDK would have been fine, but now we need to addrees this for 2027, and may trial riley if he bangs the door down, or Pitto gets injured.



One thing about you Cru is you see potential and factor development. Rucks do take longer. He can't jump otherwise he would be doing it. maybe he has to give the oppo something to think about. I accept he hasn't got his ruck craft right, but last week vs Coburg he was dreadful at CB and lost the plot around the ground. OK, I hold some hope for him, but a lot of doubt. He is dispensable if Riley shows more.



What we saw of the Skull last year proves he can be a lead up KPF. He has hard hands, and he's not taking on the game. More worried about his opponent. Last 2 VFL games gave me heart when I saw him jumping in the CB. He looked good. has to take marks when Forward. Maybe he's put on too much weight over the preseason. If he can't take marks in the forward line, and same goes with Reidy and Riley we are going to have the same problem as the Pitto/ TDK pairing because Pitto isnt a Forward because he's lumbering? Not a great mark?

Ruck combos must have both rucks dangerous as forwards like Marshall TDK. When we have Harry in the ruck, we are bereft of a marking KPF.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Phillips wanted to go to the Saints.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.