As expected, The Big O has announced his retirement, going out a winner. https://www.afl.com.au/news/1438226...ey-announces-retirement-after-grand-final-win
I'd like the ORFFU coaches to discuss reducing team lists from 28 to either 24 or 26..... You don't have to be Einstein to see we have 15 playing and 13 on the bench.........I really don't think we need 13 on the bench not getting a game........2 Def, 3 Mid, 1 Ruc, 3 Fwds is more than enough on the bench (or 2 Rucs, 2Fwds)...especially with the number of dual position players avail.
I think we only played Rd13 when 2 AFL teams had the bye.....we didn't play Rds 14 15 16 ..... and with 4 missing each week still leaves 9 on the bench...
We play most of the rounds where 2 teams have the bye. It's tough to reduce the squad sizes until we know the fixture for 2026. If the AFL gave us 20 rounds with all 18 teams playing, that would help.
Would be interesting with a smaller list size, not sure if I like it or not. Leaning towards keeping list size as is just for the simple fact that I like to hoard players for the just in case theory
Compromise could be reducing the amount of teams in our competition? Remove two and it kind of achieves a similar thing? Give the people on the bottom of the ladder a priority pick from those two teams and then the rest of the players go to free agency to be picked in the draft
You're on the money Marty! I get heavily invested in the AFL season (as I'm sure we all do) in multiple ways and need a solid break after each season is done. Looking forward to 2026! Cheers!
Still in. Not likely to check here much between now and Jan. Definitely on board with returning lists to their original size. From memory, the increase was to help bottom teams stay competitive but evidence would suggest it hasn't done that. I think it makes things far more interesting when coaches need to find a balance between players that play regularly and players with potential for the future. Don't think hoarding of players is good for the comp. I think a mandatory delist would be beneficial in a similar way. But pretty sure I'm in the minority so happy to go with what the group wants.
Hmm. As it is now, 270 players play each week in the FU. With the change to the bench rule, 414 players total will be playing in the AFL in a standard week. At current list sizes, 504 players are in the playing pool. As it is, this year 10 sides will play Round 0 and get an early bye. So, I would be against reducing list sizes. The draft is interesting. In the PSD, only 28 of the 61 players played 9 or more FU rounds. 15 of those had played at least one game in 2024. Whereas only 7 of the players who played 8 or less FU rounds in 2025 had played in 2024. I guess that comes from the risk-reward profile of teams, but there is a safer choice of picking existing players. For clarity: Selected Played in 2024: 22/61 Played 9+: 15 Not 9+: 7 Not Played in 2024: 39/61 Played 9+: 13 Not 9+: 26 And to add the important cavaet, yes, this isn't a perfect option. There is still a risk of the existing player getting injured or falling out of favour. But it is a safer option than grabbing an option from the AFL draft players.
So there's more multibye rounds this year. Rounds 2, 3, 12, 14, 15, 16 have 4 byes. Leaving us with 18 normal rounds, 2 of which have 2 byes.