Where do you see the potential of this group going?

Yeah, well, it's a good observation because I think, yeah, in 2004, our list was fallen off a cliff.

And I think we've done a lot right in that era, but we probably hadn't recycled the list and probably dropped a few of the old players, which was basically me, dropped us off a year early and bring...

Bring through the likes of, like Craig Bolton's a classic example, couldn't break into our side on a regular basis, so had to go elsewhere and become a two-time All-Australian at the Sydney Swans.

So we didn't evolve our list.

Now, I reckon, you know, with the Brisbane Lions, you know, attempting to get in their fourth grand final in a row, their list, I feel, is clearly much better.

than three or four years ago.

From an Adelaide point of view, Lynch, what do you think Adelaide needs to do to actually take that next step further in 2027?

Where do you see the potential of this group going?

Yeah, well, it's a good observation because I think, yeah, in 2004, our list was fallen off a cliff.

And I think we've done a lot right in that era, but we probably hadn't recycled the list and probably dropped a few of the older players, which was basically me, dropped us off a year early and bring...

Bring through the likes of, like Craig Bolton is a classic example, couldn't break into our side on a regular basis, so had to go elsewhere and become a two-time All-Australian at the Sydney Swans.

So we didn't evolve our list.

Now, I reckon, you know, with the Brisbane Lions, you know, attempting to get in their fourth grand final in a row, their list, I feel, is clearly much better.

than three or four years ago.

From an Adelaide point of view, Lynch, what do you think Adelaide needs to do to actually take that next step further in 2027?

So this must be really exciting that you get to see the future now, potentially.

Yeah, definitely.

It's getting real.

But Kenny's got half of Kingston and the southern region of Hobart.

Nigel Latham's got the other half.

So we're just split up between the two country Victorian boys, but they're pretty good.

But yeah, Axel Walsh, I've been, since I've been sort of in this role for the last three years, been tracking the first cohort of players that we could have access to.

The only problem is I hope he's good at keeping secrets because he's got to wait for pretty much 18 months before he can tell anyone.

From an Adelaide point of view, Lynch, what do you think Adelaide needs to do to actually take that next step further in 2027?

Well, I think they've got a very strong, although it wasn't there on the weekend, normally a very strong contested game and high pressure.

But I just think the class on the outside to move the ball from the back half is the modern game.

I mean, you don't want to rely on that.

I mean, if you can have those... forward half turnovers and repeat forward 50s and score from that is what you ideally want to do.

I mean, they're well equipped with some big forwards, but I just think an extra classy midfielder and that run off halfback.

I mean, Brisbane do it with run from the likes of Wilmot and Fletcher, but they also have the fastball movement from a Dane Zorko.

Thanks so much for giving us some of your time this morning.

So I feel like I need to ask you, like, I mean, obviously the man was very, very impressive as he presented in front of you all these years later, all these decades after Fitzroy.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, he, he was very impressive and, um, I think what we did say, um, along the, the course of the process was we're in a really lucky position.

We had some, um, impressive candidates, um, some great discussion going on over a long period of time and, and we just felt for, for our club, which is a, like a startup club.

It's a state team.

It's, um, gonna be looking after a lot of young men who, for the men's team obviously coming down to the state.

We just wanted to find the, the best candidate for our current situation.

What do you, what's your read on that?

So I feel like I need to ask you, like, I mean, obviously the man was very, very impressive as he presented in front of you all these years later, all these decades after Fitzroy.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, he, he was very impressive and, um, I think what we did say, um, along the, the course of the process was we're in a really lucky position.

We had some, um, impressive candidates, um, some great discussion going on over a long period of time and, and we just felt for, for our club, which is a, like a startup club.

It's a state team.

It's, um, gonna be looking after a lot of young men who, for the men's team obviously coming down to the state.

We just wanted to find the, the best candidate for our current situation.

What do you, what's your read on that?

Now, that's not the

end of the world, but it was just, it wasn't a great year.

But also I had things going outside of the work environment, of the footy field.

I had a car accident, had a house break in.

My mother-in-law passed away suddenly at the age of 50.

Just stuff.

And I think with the expectation of performing, and I obviously hadn't performed because I got injured, and other things going on and that mentality of just push through.

Yeah.

Now, that's not the

end of the world, but it was just, it wasn't a great year.

But also I had things going outside of the work environment, of the footy field.

I had a car accident, had a house break in.

My mother-in-law passed away suddenly at the age of 50.

Just stuff.

And I think with the expectation of performing, and I obviously hadn't performed because I got injured, and other things going on and that mentality of just push through.

Yeah.

And I, I know we don't wanna get out ahead, ahead of our- ourselves, and we've got a season to go yet, but is there a possibility that you could lose Lachie Neale, lose Zach Bailey, but still be competitive, you know, next year, the year after for flags and sort of be pushing for, if you win it this year, a fourth or a fifth? Because it looks like you've got the talent even if you lost those players.

Yeah.

I think, um, with the stage of career that Zach Bailey's in, um, you, you wouldn't wanna be losing him.

But they-- I think the reality is if you've been playing finals for seven or eight years straight and three grand finals in a row, your salary cap at some stage is gonna blow up.

And that's why I think it's an easy one to, to shake, uh, Lachie's hand and say, "You're gonna go down as a Hall of Famer in our club and, and the AFL without doubt." He might even be a legend in the Hall of Fame by the time he's done.

But just to free up some salary cap to try to retain, uh, Zach Bailey and that next wave of Gallup and Levi Ashcroft and, uh, Fletcher and all those players that are coming through.

So I think they can evolve and, um, yeah, I, I don't think it will hurt them too much.

Was there anything specific they changed?

And I, I know we don't wanna get out ahead, ahead of our ourselves, and we've got a season to go yet, but is there a possibility that you could lose Lachie Neale, lose Zach Bailey, but still be competitive, you know, next year, the year after for flags, and sort of be pushing for, if you win it this year, a fourth or a fifth? Because it looks like you've got the talent even if you lost those players.

Yeah.

I think, um, with the stage of career that Zach Bailey's in, um, you, you wouldn't wanna be losing him.

But they-- I think the reality is if you've been playing finals for seven or eight years straight and three grand finals in a row, your salary cap at some stage is gonna blow up.

And that's why I think it's an easy one to, to shake, uh, Lachie's hand and say, "You're gonna go down as a Hall of Famer in our club and, and the AFL without doubt." He might even be a legend in the Hall of Fame by the time he's done.

But just to free up some salary cap to try to retain, uh, Zach Bailey and that next wave of Gallup and Levi Ashcroft and, uh, Fletcher and all those players that are coming through.

So I think they can evolve and, um, yeah, I, I don't think it will hurt them too much.

Was there anything specific they changed?

Yeah

... his competitive nature and his athleticism and his height to play on some of the best forwards and almost learn the game off them, and then go forward in years to come.

So they've tried that a little bit, uh, in the twos, not so much at AFL level, and they just feel that, you know, the best way to develop him is forward line.

So, you know, I'd like to see more of it, uh, in the back line at an AFL level.

But I think if you look at his games over the last, you know, maybe it is four or five, maybe even six weeks, he is getting better with that, that forward craft.

I think he is leading to better spaces, whereas, you know, previously he's just working really hard and then crashing into a pack and, and not getting big numbers.

But I think over the last, yeah, month or so, I think he's shown much more.

Do you like to see him, as good as he is getting the footy and, and he can be an attacking presence, do you think for the good of the team, him going back to a more defensive role might help?

Well,

I think...

I think the respect and understanding of the people around you, I think, was easily translated into the business world as well.

So what he taught us around clarity on roles and putting the team first and all that sort of stuff in much more depth, but making it very clear, translates to the corporate space.

We've seen that work for a number of my teammates have done well in business, but all these coaches that have been able to go on post their playing careers and be successful coaches is because of what Lee taught us.

And I think Lee said to us once, That with team success, the individual will be rewarded as a byproduct.

And I think that when the final siren went in 2001, you go, oh, yeah, we've got a premiership medal.

There's some big games still to come this weekend that I'm trying to work out which Giants we're going to get each week, and the Giants are the ones with, I think, arguably the biggest upside of any team outside of the 10 right now.

where you're

at? Well, I think...

I think the respect and understanding of the people around you I think was easily translated into the business world as well.

So a lot of what he taught us around clarity on roles and putting the team first and all that sort of stuff in much more depth, but making it very clear translates to the corporate space.

We've seen that work for a number of my teammates have done well in business, but all these coaches that have been able to go on post their playing careers and be successful coaches is because of what Lee taught us.

And I think Lee said to us once, That with team success, the individual will be rewarded as a byproduct.

And I think that when the final storm went in 2001, you go, oh, yeah, we've got a premiership medal.

There's some big games still to come this weekend that I'm trying to work out which Giants we're going to get each week, and the Giants are the ones with, I think, arguably the biggest upside of any team outside of the 10 right now.