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Important SN update for SouthlandThree things each bottom six side should do before end of 2025
Jaiden Sciberras • July 1st, 2025 8:00 pm
With eight games remaining in 2025, the season is all but over for the bottom six sides.
From the Eagles managing just one win thus far, to the Bombers sitting three games behind the September cut-off, progressing further up the table at this stage of the season is hardly advantageous for those in the lower depths of the competition.
That being said, each of the bottom six teams can certainly look to maximise their remaining fixtures, trialling game styles, debuting future prospects and putting stars on ice in anticipation for a clean run in 2026.
Looking forward to the remaining eight rounds, SEN WA's Mark Duffield has listed three things each of the sides can do within the final rounds to get the most out of 2025.
Starting with Wooden Spoon favourites West Coast, Duffield will name three things each AFL side should look to accomplish over the remaining fixtures on SEN WA Mornings.
West Coast
Keep playing the kids
"I love the fact they are not running half fit veterans around – half their 100 gamers are out.
"They have shifted Tim Kelly from the midfield, and they subbed Jamie Cripps for Jayden Hunt – brave coaching by (Andrew) McQualter, keep it up. It’s a rebuild so build."
Play Campbell Chesser
"This is a wish rather than advice, but I hope Campbell Chesser gets a look before the end of the year.
"He has had no luck with injury from the get-go, but he is back playing WAFL now. Give him a go as an inside mid. He is a big strong boy and you can’t have too many who can go to stoppages."
Help Harley mature
"I know this is a big ask of a second-year player, but I want to see more maturity from Harley Reid.
"70 per cent of what he does is good, but then he lets himself down a few times. The fifty he gave away at the weekend was just sloppy – charging over the mark after being out of the contest.
"Don’t hurt the team Harley by letting your frustrations and your competitiveness get the better of you."
Richmond
Retire Tom Lynch
"He is a champion, but his body is buggered, and his frustrations are out of control now.
"He was like the bad version of Barry Hall in the game against Adelaide and he will get a holiday. You don’t need your leaders setting the example that Lynch set by donging Jordon Butts."
Sam Lalor in the midfield for a month
"He looks good pressing forward and is very clean but let’s see what he has got as a mid – if nothing else teach him what he is going to need going forward."
Keep playing the kids
"Like West Coast – keep playing the kids – it’s a rebuild. This is ground zero. Play as many experienced players as you need for support but otherwise it’s the kids."
North Melbourne
Grow up
"Just when we thought we the worst of this rebuild was behind them they turn their toes up against Hawthorn.
"No defence, no fight and a walk in the park for an opponent. They should be better than this by now."
Protect George Wardlaw
"Put George Wardlaw in cotton wool for a month and teach him to protect himself.
"Three concussions in 12 months and he just blundered into Conor Nash. Needs to be looked after and he needs to learn to look after himself."
Dominate a midfield battle
"I want to see their midfield brain a team. Seriously – they are way better than what they are showing.
"(Tristan) Xerri, Luke Davies-Uniacke, (Harry) Sheezel, (Jy) Simpkin and Tom Powell, even when Wardlaw isn’t there.
"It’s a great midfield, time for them to really do a team over."
St Kilda
Stop complaining
"Academies, father son picks, nepo babies – the beauty of being down the bottom is you get good draft picks.
"We have just seen Alix Tauru – there is also Darcy Wilson, Mitch Owens, Hugo Garcia and Mattheus Philippou when they get him out there.
"Draft, develop and see where it takes you. When you drafted, and developed between 2000 and 2004, you ended up having a run of seven or eight years of finals and played in three grand finals.
"That should be telling you something."
Be careful what you wish for with Tom De Koning
"I would rather they kept Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera than sign De Koning.
"I am not sure who is going to shift the ball for them if Nasiah leaves. They already have a very good ruckman."
Get Max King right
"Don’t rush him back – if your problem is not enough talent then make sure one of your most talented men gets out there and stays out there in future.
"Don’t take shortcuts."
Melbourne
Target the draft
"You are not playing finals this year and with Tasmania looming you might not play finals again for a long time if you don’t add talent with your stars ageing.
"(Steven) May, (Max) Gawn, (Jack) Viney, even (Clayton) Oliver, they’ve all been great players but they’re all getting towards the end."
Fix the mid-forward connection
"If you fix one thing before the end of the season it has to be the mid forward connection.
"There’s lots of entries and they’re good in the contest, but they get no bang for buck whatsoever. It’s been that way since the 2021 flag.
"It’s an indictment on the club, the coaching staff and the players that it hasn’t been fixed yet."
Find a key forward
"That’s the other thing you haven’t had since the flag and Ben Brown faded.
"Is it Jacob Van Rooyen? It’s hard to know the way you kick the bloody thing to him."
Essendon
Work out soft-tissue injuries
"Three injuries at the weekend at training during the club’s bye. The best ability is availability, and the Bombers’ availability is lousy."
Put Zach Merrett back in the middle
"Get Zach Merrett back into the midfield and work out who can play around him.
"I can see what Brad Scott has tried to do in playing Merrett elsewhere, but he is your best player. Play him where he fits best."
Build a deal for Harley Reid
"I would be offering West Coast two top ten draft picks to see if I can shift Harley Reid.
"The Bombers lack top end talent and Reid is top end and he knows the club having played VFL there.
"If he decides to go at the end of this season the Bombers have the draft collateral to get it done."
