Mark Duffield - Four Thoughts (09.09.2026)

Mark Duffield (0:00)

Let's get your thoughts and questions on Friday night's final.

Let's get on to Four Thoughts of Mine on Sport to get us rolling this morning. First thought is on trading.

And players have certainly wasted no time in getting started on the silly season while the finals season is still in full swing. Of course, Zach Bailey doubling down and re-signing with Brisbane for eight years. That's a massive coup for the Lions and a massive blow for Adelaide who were trying to woo him.

Rowan Marshall has told St Kilda he still wants out. We believe Geelong is the club of choice, although the improved form of Mitch Edwards may put Marshall in the same position at Geelong within a year or two as he was in at St Kilda when Tom DeConning arrived. Second thought, an interesting backdrop to the Marshall situation and his possible destinations is Tim English's situation at the Western Bulldogs. So the dogs got on the front foot yesterday and made it clear that they have no intention of trading English even if he wants out. It's fair to say English's form at the end of the season wasn't close to his best. He was either injured or there were other issues. It's also fair to say that the Bulldogs have been far more likely to win in recent seasons with Tim English than they have been without him. Third thought, another interesting backdrop further along the food chain, this to the English situation, is what it might mean for the Bulldogs' pursuit of Zach Butters if English were to leave. So English has three years of a contract to run.

GWS is in the market for a lead ruck after not renewing Kieran Briggs. Trading a contracted player gives you the chance to build draft collateral. You have leverage in the trade deal. And if Port Adelaide matches any bid for Butters to force the club pursuing him to the trade table, then draft collateral will be critical to getting a deal done. Finally, Fourth Thought on the other semi-final this week. Most of us assumed that Brisbane will beat Adelaide at the Gabba, but most of us also assumed that Brisbane would comfortably beat Sydney at the SCG last week. And coach Chris Fagan has some thinking of his own to do. He dropped Ty Gallup last week. They went short in defence and they got exposed with tall Sydney forwards Logan MacDonald, Charlie Curnow and Hayden McLean kicking 14 goals between them. So if Fagan brings Gallup back to play on one of Adelaide's three talls, does he then have to drop a tall? The Lions like Eric Hipwood in their team because he's the most mobile of their talls in attack. Oscar Allen has been given opportunities and has kicked four goals in each of his last two matches. And Logan Morris is a star and definitely won't be dropped.

There is still the small matter also for Fagan of coping with Isaac Rankin and Jordan Dawson in the midfield. And that is something he's going to deal with when his own engine room is coughing and spluttering a little. Your thoughts and questions are welcome. 487 736 736 is our text line. 13 12 55 is the Barra and O'Day open line. Barra and O'Day because the little things are everything. After the break, we'll be talking AFLW with Rio Dockers' mentor Lisa Webb. Made in WA for WA, this is Mornings with Mark Duffield on SENWA.