Well, with AJ Kuol Mun off to Werribee a really good ruckman is now near the top of my wish list, second only to a really good key forward. He'll be very difficult indeed to replace - we could make Jimmy Miller the main ruck again (assuming he re-signs - especially with this news I certainly hope he does), but then we'd have to replace him up forward, and Kuol Mun did have better tap work than anyone else on our list.
New signings are Lachie Wilson from Richmond VFL, where he won their best and fairest two years in a row, and Josh Tovey from Collingwood VFL and Blackburn in the ENFL, where he just won the ENFL Premier Division best and fairest. With the WIlson and Tovey signings it looks like we are trying to recruit to replace Hooper.
I think I see Miller as a back up ruckman rather than a main one who could play there our of necessity but also much needed as a tall forward.
Josh Chatfield who captained footscray vfl last year has also signed- not sure if this was posted already. The signings so far seem solid but so have been the departures and their could be another one announced soon that would be equally as disappointing as the AJ announcement.
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THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Fair point on Miller. I think Grant has shown more versatility than Hofert, but I'm not sure either of them are reliable enough overall players to take the main ruck duties, and with Penry only 19 we can't expect much from him beyond perhaps a respectable debut at some point in the season. But we do need Miller up forward. The more I think about it the more it seems that we need a replacement for AJ Kuol Mun just as much as if not more than a key forward - ideally of course we do get both. And hopefully we do keep Lazzaro....
I am pretty optimistic about the new midfield signings, though. With Tovey bringing some height to the midfield, perhaps Highmore really will be played in the backline - my initial thought was that with as much as McCartney seems to value positional versatility Tovey would likely be tried as a key position player as well as in the midfield, but then it occurred to me that perhaps the Highmore and Rosman in the midfield experiments were intended to add some size to the midfield and they'll both return to defence now. We'll see. (Hoping they both re-sign and that Rosman's late-season knee injury wasn't as bad as the brace he had on at the last game suggested....)
As for Lachie Wilson, the club's facebook announcement mentions ferocious tackling in the description of him, and his stats for last season back that up, so I like him already! (And he's just 172 cm - not exactly relevant to serious analysis of next season's prospects, but as a general rule, my favorite players tend to be at least one of short, aggressive [insofar as modern players can ever be described as aggressive given the current state of the game], or defenders, so anyone who checks off two of those boxes is pretty much an automatic addition to the "particular favorites" list.)
A raft of recent re-signings (Alessio and Farrant being the latest) and picking up Tovey along with two VFL captains in Wilson and Chatfield - should add significant experience and leadership to help cover Hooper's departure. AJ heading to Werribee will see the Tigers are a genuine premiership threat in 2026.
I agree that a developed, mature bodied ruck will be essential.. Even more so than another forward option.
Another big loss in Miller, a little concerning as we need another quality signing to replace him. So far the signings have been good quality but to state the obvious quality needs to be increased and rather than remain at the same level if we are to see improvements. Whatever the reason is to why main players are departing I believe it needs to be addressed as to prevent this happening this time next season. The most successful eras in our clubs history was when we had stability. Do we have that ATM with Hooper, AJ, Watson now Miller and I dare say they’ll be another big name departing.
Signing a quality ruckman forward now takes on extra importance
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Riley Polkinghorne is the latest re-signing, and Connor Downie (from Hawthorn where he was AFL-listed, though he took the field in just one game, and most recently North Melbourne VFL) is the latest new signing. Sounds like Downie can play on a wing, which is good as I think that's another area where we could stand to improve.
Miller's departure is definitely concerning. To lose both him and AJ Kuol Mun is quite bad for our structure. I've wondered if the coaching staff agreed that we need to recruit another key forward, but at this point there'd be no denying that we need (at least) one more. Unfortunately lack of team success and players departing seems like a vicious cycle. I'd hoped the players were confident the team would improve next season, but perhaps not all of them were - I don't know but I'd guess Werribee were pitching their recent on-field success as well as the number of players they've had signed by AFL teams. And it's not great to have lost 3 players from the leadership group, though Signorello had only played the 4 games this season (I was actually tipping either Miller or Tom Hird for next captain...), and as you note NorthPort we have picked up some players with leadership experience.
Yeah losing a ruckman and a key forward / back-up rock is very worrying.. Early days in the off season I know but as you say, it will make a huge difference as to how we structure up.
Anthony Anastasio has announced his departure. His 3 goals in our 8-point win over Collingwood certainly made for a fitting final game in Port Melbourne colours. Given my general fondness for short players, he was an instant addition to my list of particular favourites when I started watching Port Melbourne, and it didn't take long for me to notice how greatly appreciated he was by supporters in general - an appreciation that he justified by being one of our classiest ball users. He'll certainly be missed.
In other list news, Jack Johnston has re-signed, and Hamish Morrison is a new signing. Morrison was on Williamstown's list and played one game for them last season; he also played for Airport West in the EDFL. He's described as being able to play midfield, wing, or halfback.
Well, with AJ Kuol Mun off to Werribee a really good ruckman is now near the top of my wish list, second only to a really good key forward. He'll be very difficult indeed to replace - we could make Jimmy Miller the main ruck again (assuming he re-signs - especially with this news I certainly hope he does), but then we'd have to replace him up forward, and Kuol Mun did have better tap work than anyone else on our list.
New signings are Lachie Wilson from Richmond VFL, where he won their best and fairest two years in a row, and Josh Tovey from Collingwood VFL and Blackburn in the ENFL, where he just won the ENFL Premier Division best and fairest. With the WIlson and Tovey signings it looks like we are trying to recruit to replace Hooper.
I think I see Miller as a back up ruckman rather than a main one who could play there our of necessity but also much needed as a tall forward.
Josh Chatfield who captained footscray vfl last year has also signed- not sure if this was posted already. The signings so far seem solid but so have been the departures and their could be another one announced soon that would be equally as disappointing as the AJ announcement.
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Fair point on Miller. I think Grant has shown more versatility than Hofert, but I'm not sure either of them are reliable enough overall players to take the main ruck duties, and with Penry only 19 we can't expect much from him beyond perhaps a respectable debut at some point in the season. But we do need Miller up forward. The more I think about it the more it seems that we need a replacement for AJ Kuol Mun just as much as if not more than a key forward - ideally of course we do get both. And hopefully we do keep Lazzaro....
I am pretty optimistic about the new midfield signings, though. With Tovey bringing some height to the midfield, perhaps Highmore really will be played in the backline - my initial thought was that with as much as McCartney seems to value positional versatility Tovey would likely be tried as a key position player as well as in the midfield, but then it occurred to me that perhaps the Highmore and Rosman in the midfield experiments were intended to add some size to the midfield and they'll both return to defence now. We'll see. (Hoping they both re-sign and that Rosman's late-season knee injury wasn't as bad as the brace he had on at the last game suggested....)
As for Lachie Wilson, the club's facebook announcement mentions ferocious tackling in the description of him, and his stats for last season back that up, so I like him already! (And he's just 172 cm - not exactly relevant to serious analysis of next season's prospects, but as a general rule, my favorite players tend to be at least one of short, aggressive [insofar as modern players can ever be described as aggressive given the current state of the game], or defenders, so anyone who checks off two of those boxes is pretty much an automatic addition to the "particular favorites" list.)
A raft of recent re-signings (Alessio and Farrant being the latest) and picking up Tovey along with two VFL captains in Wilson and Chatfield - should add significant experience and leadership to help cover Hooper's departure. AJ heading to Werribee will see the Tigers are a genuine premiership threat in 2026.
I agree that a developed, mature bodied ruck will be essential.. Even more so than another forward option.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
Another big loss in Miller, a little concerning as we need another quality signing to replace him. So far the signings have been good quality but to state the obvious quality needs to be increased and rather than remain at the same level if we are to see improvements. Whatever the reason is to why main players are departing I believe it needs to be addressed as to prevent this happening this time next season. The most successful eras in our clubs history was when we had stability. Do we have that ATM with Hooper, AJ, Watson now Miller and I dare say they’ll be another big name departing.
Signing a quality ruckman forward now takes on extra importance
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Riley Polkinghorne is the latest re-signing, and Connor Downie (from Hawthorn where he was AFL-listed, though he took the field in just one game, and most recently North Melbourne VFL) is the latest new signing. Sounds like Downie can play on a wing, which is good as I think that's another area where we could stand to improve.
Miller's departure is definitely concerning. To lose both him and AJ Kuol Mun is quite bad for our structure. I've wondered if the coaching staff agreed that we need to recruit another key forward, but at this point there'd be no denying that we need (at least) one more. Unfortunately lack of team success and players departing seems like a vicious cycle. I'd hoped the players were confident the team would improve next season, but perhaps not all of them were - I don't know but I'd guess Werribee were pitching their recent on-field success as well as the number of players they've had signed by AFL teams. And it's not great to have lost 3 players from the leadership group, though Signorello had only played the 4 games this season (I was actually tipping either Miller or Tom Hird for next captain...), and as you note NorthPort we have picked up some players with leadership experience.
Yeah losing a ruckman and a key forward / back-up rock is very worrying.. Early days in the off season I know but as you say, it will make a huge difference as to how we structure up.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
Anthony Anastasio has announced his departure. His 3 goals in our 8-point win over Collingwood certainly made for a fitting final game in Port Melbourne colours. Given my general fondness for short players, he was an instant addition to my list of particular favourites when I started watching Port Melbourne, and it didn't take long for me to notice how greatly appreciated he was by supporters in general - an appreciation that he justified by being one of our classiest ball users. He'll certainly be missed.
In other list news, Jack Johnston has re-signed, and Hamish Morrison is a new signing. Morrison was on Williamstown's list and played one game for them last season; he also played for Airport West in the EDFL. He's described as being able to play midfield, wing, or halfback.
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