Hey, Mitch Podhajski found his way onto Collingwood's list. Cool. He should have been on an AFL list 7-8 years ago. Serious target i50 but also able to provide a big body through the midfield. Mitch can play. Could be the Pies best key forward overnight. #AFLDraft#CollingwoodFC
@moveonjob Learning the system/structures and his role in it will be what takes time, so I'm not expecting an instant debut necessarily, specifically for that reason - with the Collingwood learning curve far greater than exists with other clubs.
@bazakel I haven't seen Podhajski play recently but his play should still be fairly similar to Mihocek stylistically where he'll be a balanced overhead/ground level threat who will pressure and tackle, has a good tank and gets his goals as that shorter key forward.
@moveonjob My main question is around how quickly Podhajski is brought in, as it takes considerable time for new players to learn to play within the Pies system - see Schultz/Houston struggling in their first seasons.
@moveonjob The Pies don't have much in the way of key forwards, with Mihocek previously the only good one. This year's crew, are more-so guys you hope develop, and McStay who is passable and the only one who may presently be arguably better. Likely outcome, McStay plays alongside Podhajski.
@moveonjob Even with Elliott hurt, with McCreery/Schultz/De Goey there are still other forwards who should be more influential. Could plausibly be a budget Mihocek though which would be more-so the idea.
@e_a7 I don't watch much footy anymore so I'm probably not the best to ask on that one particularly with not watching junior footy in a number of years now. For a quick 10: S.Darcy, W.Ashcroft, Sheezel, M.Reid, J.Horne-Francis, F.O'Sullivan, W.Duursma, S.Cumming, S.Robey, L.Ashcroft.
Shaun Mannagh drafted as a 26 year old and enters the AFL as one of the competition's best in his position. I wonder when more clubs other than just Geelong will start taking more 25+ year old's who can play seriously at the draft? #AFLDraft#AFLLionsCats
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 Keeping or turfing it comes down to whether you prioritise the growth of the game over complete draft fairness. Either argument can be reasonably made but I'm pretty at peace with it all existing on the condition that it's reasonably balanced and the pricing works out fairly.
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 With Academies it's about promoting more talent from NSW+QLD joining the AFL and playing footy in general with NGAs about encouraging those of cultures not normally drawn to footy picking up the sport. With the AFL wanting to spread the game, that's why they exist.
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 Some who are draft fairness absolutists will support that perspective. I'm comfortable with the romantism of F/S and letting clubs who develop Academy/NGA talent get them, but then it's just about at what discount and under what methodology is that fair balance.
@Tommy_Wolfe7@Jonesracing82 I think the luxury tax would be more-so a way where teams can retain their existing talent. It could easily be set up in a way where once in the luxury tax, you can't add opposition players over a certain $ value, with the design more to help with retention. There are variations.
@Boppa263 Phillipou can play. He also can and has gotten injured frequently which has slowed down his development and led to him not being where he should be. Even in retirement, my draft calls without even seeing the talent have remained strong if you've been tracking my tweets + YT.
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 Frankly, you could have a draft lottery or go with some radically different way of determining which club picks where in a draft, and those bad teams are still under such a system going to rebound and rebuild a lot quicker simply off better salary cap management.
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 I think the extreme reduction or even removal of a club salary cap floor I think is the key for quicker quick rebuilds. Clubs will endure short term pain as they already do, but just rebound a lot quicker as they're not handing out bad contracts to stay within the cap.
@Jonesracing82@Tommy_Wolfe7 Broadly speaking, I don't see a hard range in either direction of a salary cap necessary as the most important thing, even when talking competitive balance.