List Mgmt. Dan Houston requests trade to Victoria - will stay if deal can't be done

[RossFC]

Latest news:

 

[PJ Power]

That’s just an ignorant pile of shit. He had a very good first half of the year- took multiple intercept marks, played well on the monsters- exactly what he was recruited to do.

We had to move him forward and he had immediate success taking multiple contested marks and kicking goals. For some reason he then dropped off and had a poor end to the year.

We still need him to take the monsters. Otherwise we are one injury away from 2023 with Bergman standing Hogan.

I don’t know why this anti-Rat talk annoys me so much- probably because I always thought Port supporters were a football educated group and not idiots with memories of a goldfish. How wrong I am.

Need to be careful here.

Individually, Ratugolea had some good moments/games. However, for whatever reason our backline clearly improved when he moved out of it. This was likely a combination of factors, not least of which was the form of Bergman and Evans in the back half of the year, the improvement of Jones but also the definite improvement in the form of Aliir. BZT complemented Aliir well (until two of the finals!). Ratugolea had two promising games as a forward then failed to capitalise on the opportunity to play there uninterrupted for the rest of the season.

I’m comfortable having Ratugolea on our list as a back up option for Aliir and a break glass option (for limited games only) at CHF.

This does not mean that we should have caved in to Geelong to get him for a R2 pick (plus extra sweeteners) when he was out of contract.

Esava is not going to get better than what he’s shown so far in his career.

He now gives us a high level SANFL defender and a depth AFL player.

People are entitled to be underwhelmed by that without being called uneducated supporters.

 

[TeeKray]

A future 1 for Port is likely going to be in that 12-15 range. Once you take Academy and F/S picks into the equation it's likely to blow out to around pick 20 in what is seen as a pretty weak draft by comparison to this year's.

Likely is speculation. The ladder is close, there was 3 wins separating the premier Brisbane in 5th and Melbourne who finished 14th. We were 7-1 in close games and are losing an All Australian player. Maybe our pick next year is 12-15 but there's downside risk and selling on that is speculation.

 

[El_Scorcho]

That’s just an ignorant pile of shit. He had a very good first half of the year- took multiple intercept marks, played well on the monsters- exactly what he was recruited to do.

We had to move him forward and he had immediate success taking multiple contested marks and kicking goals. For some reason he then dropped off and had a poor end to the year.

We still need him to take the monsters. Otherwise we are one injury away from 2023 with Bergman standing Hogan.

I don’t know why this anti-Rat talk annoys me so much- probably because I always thought Port supporters were a football educated group and not idiots with memories of a goldfish. How wrong I am.

As someone who spent the second half of the season raging that we were picking Rat in the forward line, I agree with this. He has a pretty solid defender for most of the season.

 

[rogerjames]

John Butcher pick 8 - injuries and poor kicking technique cost his career among other things.

Andrew Moore pick 9 - too good for SANFL but not consistent enough for afl.

Jasper Pittard pick 16 - too many clangers and you could never know what he was going to do.

We really did screw up with those selections.

Don't forget Ben Jacobs was also a first round pick

 

[El_Scorcho]

Individually, Ratugolea had some good moments/games. However, for whatever reason our backline clearly improved when he moved out of it.

Or did our midfield just finally click so we weren't getting one outs everywhere?

I was told the forward line had "finally clicked" when Ratugolea went up forward despite him being absolute dogshit up there.

I think most of the change was in the midfield stepping up and taking control of a few games, and let's face it, those games were ultimately just 6 quarters against Carlton and Sydney and then a bunch of sides who didn't make the 8.

 

[SureBuddy]

Need to be careful here.

Individually, Ratugolea had some good moments/games. However, for whatever reason our backline clearly improved when he moved out of it. This was likely a combination of factors, not least of which was the form of Bergman and Evans in the back half of the year, the improvement of Jones but also the definite improvement in the form of Aliir. BZT complemented Aliir well (until two of the finals!). Ratugolea had two promising games as a forward then failed to capitalise on the opportunity to play there uninterrupted for the rest of the season.

I’m comfortable having Ratugolea on our list as a back up option for Aliir and a break glass option (for limited games only) at CHF.

This does not mean that we should have caved in to Geelong to get him for a R2 pick (plus extra sweeteners) when he was out of contract.

Esava is not going to get better than what he’s shown so far in his career.

He now gives us a high level SANFL defender and a depth AFL player.

People are entitled to be underwhelmed by that without being called uneducated supporters.

I still think Rat is a better defender than forward. He 100% should have been playing in defence against the 3 tall Sydney forwards, but Hinkley is a moron.

Our defence improved because Bergman went back and Logan Evans came out of nowhere, not so much Esava going out. Also because our midfield lifted and we stopped leaking fast break goals.

We really need to stop playing Bergman as a key defender and let him play the Tom Stewart role instead. I would be playing Esava and BZT as your lock downs and Bergman and Aliir roaming and intercepting. Having Aliir on Cameron in the Geelong final was a disaster and in the Sydney game, we had Bergman and Evans playing on 200cm monsters. It was a joke.

 

[Wargreymon90]

Likely is speculation. The ladder is close, there was 3 wins separating the premier Brisbane in 5th and Melbourne who finished 13th. We were 7-1 in close games and are losing an All Australian player. Maybe our pick next year is 12-15 but there's downside risk and selling on that is speculation.

It’s a Hinkley contract year so we’ll finish top 4, extend Ken, and get knocked out in straight sets.

Our pick should be later regardless.

 

[davesnothere]

Little matter of being a contracted player and Collingwood coming to the table knowing they can't get a deal done

 

[rogerjames]

That’s just an ignorant pile of shit. He had a very good first half of the year- took multiple intercept marks, played well on the monsters- exactly what he was recruited to do.

We had to move him forward and he had immediate success taking multiple contested marks and kicking goals. For some reason he then dropped off and had a poor end to the year.

We still need him to take the monsters. Otherwise we are one injury away from 2023 with Bergman standing Hogan.

I don’t know why this anti-Rat talk annoys me so much- probably because I always thought Port supporters were a football educated group and not idiots with memories of a goldfish. How wrong I am.

The problem with him as a defender is he's so unpredictable. The other defenders had no idea what he was going to do, there was no team cohesian. It had a very bad impact on Aliir's game.

 

[pastmyprimus]

I’m going to take extra pleasure in seeing Dan put in a best on ground performance when we play Collingwood next year

 

[rogerjames]

Little matter of being a contracted player and Collingwood coming to the table knowing they can't get a deal done

F*ck of Lepper, you entitled twat

 

[El_Scorcho]

Likely is speculation. The ladder is close, there was 3 wins separating the premier Brisbane in 5th and Melbourne who finished 13th. We were 7-1 in close games and are losing an All Australian player. Maybe our pick next year is 12-15 but there's downside risk and selling on that is speculation.

Especially when we're not really getting anything for it. That'll be 2 F1s we've traded in a row for a return of fringe players, potentially.

I get Lukosius won't be a fringe player for us but we're also trading out Houston. I see the F1 and this year's pick 13 basically cancelling each other out. I don't care what recruiters think of the draft. They're wrong all the time.

 

[davesnothere]

Start talking to North Melbourne CD ffs.

Think Dan has to see Collingwood can't get a deal done 1st.

 

[TeeKray]

I don't care what recruiters think of the draft. They're wrong all the time.

Just on this, not every player picked in the first round of this year's draft will end up being a star or even a good AFL player. Sure, your odds are better, but a proper strategy to target a good draft would be what we did in 2018 where we accumulated a bunch of picks and practically guaranteed that at least one of them would strike gold. Putting a premium on a solitary mid teens pick in this year's draft at the trade table because 'it's a good draft' is just gambling.

 

[JohnHinckleyJr]

 

[El_Scorcho]

Just on this, not every player picked in the first round of this year's draft will end up being a star or even a good AFL player. Sure, your odds are better, but a proper strategy to target a good draft would be what we did in 2018 where we accumulated a bunch of picks and practically guaranteed that at least one of them would strike gold. Putting a premium on a solitary mid teens pick in this year's draft at the trade table because 'it's a good draft' is just gambling.

This is why 2 first round picks (or a very high pick) are what we should need to accept a trade for Houston. Houston is a prime 2xAA who is just about the best player in his position and just about the best kick in the AFL. If you drafted him with pick 5 and he turned out like this you'd call it a great pick.

But apparently we should accept pick 13 and a VFL player. Picks in the teens are never guarantees.

 

[Rash]

KANGEROOOOS!!

 

[Rash]

Blues back in Houston race

 

[QPower]

Come in spinner!

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Only way blues get Houston is offering both picks 12 and 14, won’t happen they are out of the race

 

[Minotaur2]

That’s just an ignorant pile of shit. He had a very good first half of the year- took multiple intercept marks, played well on the monsters- exactly what he was recruited to do.

We had to move him forward and he had immediate success taking multiple contested marks and kicking goals. For some reason he then dropped off and had a poor end to the year.

We still need him to take the monsters. Otherwise, we are one injury away from 2023 with Bergman standing Hogan.

I don’t know why this anti-Rat talk annoys me so much- probably because I always thought Port supporters were a football educated group and not idiots with memories of a goldfish. How wrong I am.

Talk of delisting Rat with four years of contract is clearly nuts.

However, this rose coloured glasses stuff. Rat's individual performances might have been ok in parts if you overlook the intercepted kicks and marks a meter behind the goal line. The thing is he upset the team balance in defense (particularly Allir's role) from the get and go and we only started to look better in defense once he was pushed out and replaced by Bergman. His first game up front was reasonable but then he offered very little for the next 6 weeks. I think our team will be better next year if he is not in it. I would entertain trades for him in the unlikely event anything half decent was offered and we can cut our loses.

However, as no one will offer anything remotely like we did, we should keep him as first reserve either up front or down back. The only thing that might safe him next year in our team is our need to find the least bad backup ruck/least disruptive forward. It will come down to one of Finn (possibly on wing), Vis, Rat or Lord (upfront). What a choice!

 

[HHHAMMERtime]

Blues back in Houston race

Why is the commentary ‘Carlton would give pick 12 and a sweetener to port for Houston’. When it should be ‘Carlton will give 12 & 14 to port for Houston’ he’s worth two first rounders.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

“So they are looking for value”

No we are looking for FAIR value

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

Love it.

Love that Carlton are getting assets after seemingly pulling out for Houston.