List Mgmt. 2014 Free Agency, draft and trades news and discussion **Not the trade hypotheticals thread"

[xellis]

Can we get thread titled changed to "Off Season Targets" so I don't have to see that peanut Jon Ralph's name everytime I am on the hawks board?

 

[eldorado]

Can we get thread titled changed to "Off Season Targets" so I don't have to see that peanut Jon Ralph's name everytime I am on the hawks board?

That's an excellent point. Consider it done.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

I'm still bitterly disappointed that a thread about us picking up Ahmed Saad hasn't been created still, 3 days after news he is available to be drafted.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I'm still bitterly disappointed that a thread about us picking up Ahmed Saad hasn't been created still, 3 days after news he is available to be drafted.

Big Moose(unsociable hawk) is lurking. Careful.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I'm still bitterly disappointed that a thread about us picking up Ahmed Saad hasn't been created still, 3 days after news he is available to be drafted.

I want to see him recruited so I can get to see the absurd runup once more!

 

[Rushed_Behind]

I want to see him recruited so I can get to see the absurd runup once more!

Graham Wright get it done for MM

 

[Baz_hawk]

I have no doubt our recruiting staff will be in attendance today and paying extra close attention to the GWS side

 

[Brant]

I have no doubt our recruiting staff will be in attendance today and paying extra close attention to the GWS side

Great, so the AFL knows there will be at least 6 people in the Crowd today!

 

[List Manager]

Great, so the AFL knows there will be at least 6 people in the Crowd today!

Looked like they only just got the 6 too Brant

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I have no doubt our recruiting staff will be in attendance today and paying extra close attention to the GWS side

That would be a waste of resources. If our assistants and football staff can't identify talent when they're opposed to it, we're stuffed.

 

[Baz_hawk]

I like to think yesterday was draft camp for the GWS boys and we gave them a trial run.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I like to think yesterday was draft camp for the GWS boys and we gave them a trial run.

At times it looked like we were giving them a training run.

 

[Baz_hawk]

At times it looked like we were giving them a training run.

True that. We gave them a lesson in poor kicking

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

True that. We gave them a lesson in poor kicking

What about the witches hats we provided at every centre bounce?

 

[MrPremiership]

Gee Whitfield put on an impressive display.

Suckling and a first rounder still probably not going to be enough to get it done.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Gee Whitfield put on an impressive display.

Suckling and a first rounder still probably not going to be enough to get it done.

Suckling, Grimley, Lowden and our first rounder?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Clubs will be lining up to look at who of the GWS troop might want to go home.

Who's contracted til when?

Shiels and Whitfield are contracted until 2016 I believe?

 

[List Manager]

What about the witches hats we provided at every centre bounce?

A definite area of concern Echols and a look to the future perhaps.
Now.....how to fix it!!
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on who our primary "off season targets" could/should be.
I've seen Cotchin mentioned but I think we would only see more of the same from him in a weakening midfield. He'd again get the heavy tag week in week out and I just don't think he can be damaging enough when he is the number one (targeted) midfielder at a club.

Keeping the thread on track and I was particularly interested in Kristian Jaksch's performance yesterday.
Looks a likely KPD who I believe was keen to return home to Victoria last year. His decision making and one on one contests impressed me yesterday and at 196cm, 90kg's and 20yo I think he would be well worth a look prior to the obvious one in James Frawley.

As for a solution for our ageing midfield...I'm still looking for able replacements who fit into the list management structure in the 22-24yo bracket.

David Mundy has further put off contract talks with Freo but at his age I think we need to look for more of a long term solution than that.

I'm a strong believer in hitting the draft to develop our own mids going forward (particularly with so many KPP in this draft which will result in very good mids being available later in the first and second rounds than usual) but I'm getting a little nervous as to what our up and coming mids will be able to provide us with for the next 3-5 years. We simply don't have the out and out star quality coming through in our midfield that is going to keep us in a position of strength for that period.

Do we continue to keep giving away first round picks to immediately replenish our midfield with star quality or do we remain patient and cross our fingers that we can draft the next Fyfe/Dangerfield/Pendlebury.

Interesting times ahead.

 

[List Manager]

Clubs will be lining up to look at who of the GWS troop might want to go home.

Who's contracted til when?

Shiels and Whitfield are contracted until 2016 I believe?

Shiels end of 2015. Whitfield end of 2016....but are contracts worth the paper they are written on these days other than to give clubs the upper hand should other clubs come calling / the player want out.

 

[Steven Tyler]

We have 2 clear priorities that I can see
1: get in a KPD (Frawley)
2: get Anderson fit and over any injury concerns

This will dramatically improve our 2 major weaknesses

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I noticed Jaksch too. I'm sure I'd ever seen him before yesterday, but he looked impressive.

I'm not up to speed on enough youngsters around the league to know who is available, but I enjoy the thoughts of getting in players to fill our list holes.

Mundy could be a stop gap, and help out while our true youngsters find their feet. I can understand why we might sign him for nothing.

Frawley similarly.

If Weight goes down either path I won't question it too much.

I think we require an elite mid though, to come through. Of our current crop I'm not sure we truly have one who will be at every centre bounce ala Mitchell for the last 10 years.

I would really like to see us keep our first rounder this year. Just for something different.

 

[List Manager]

I noticed Jaksch too. I'm sure I'd ever seen him before yesterday, but he looked impressive.

I'm not up to speed on enough youngsters around the league to know who is available, but I enjoy the thoughts of getting in players to fill our list holes.

Mundy could be a stop gap, and help out while our true youngsters find their feet. I can understand why we might sign him for nothing.

Frawley similarly.

If Weight goes down either path I won't question it too much.

I think we require an elite mid though, to come through. Of our current crop I'm not sure we truly have one who will be at every centre bounce ala Mitchell for the last 10 years.

I would really like to see us keep our first rounder this year. Just for something different.

Not only would I like to see us keep our first rounder but I'd rather see us do something even more different and try to upgrade it to somewhere in the top 10-12. Lots to play out before then though.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

We have 2 clear priorities that I can see
1: get in a KPD (Frawley)
2: get Anderson fit and over any injury concerns

This will dramatically improve our 2 major weaknesses

I think you may overrate Anderson and his capabilities at this stage in his development.

 

[gianytee]

Watching Dom Tyson play for Demons just makes me want one of the young GWS midfielders that hasnt played regularly. Everyone here would love a Treloar, Shiel, Hoskin-Elliot, Whitfeild, Conoglio etc but these guys would cost us alot as there current regulars. Dom Tyson was never a regular at GWS and at Melbourne he has been provided with confidence and now looks like a very good young player.

One player id love is Adam Kennedy very impressed with him looks very composed with the ball, although he is a regular at GWS and would cost alot. The ones id target are Nick Haynes, Matt Buntine, Liam Sumner, Jon O'Rourke etc i think Haynes could be a superstar at the Hawks for whatever reason the giants seem to play him as a key defender when he is like 191cm and has great dash i think he would be great at the hawks as a big tall quick midfeilder similar to David Myers at Bombers. He is one player id love for the Hawks to recruit

 

[TimothyS]

I have heard recently that Hawthorn and Dylan Shiel have been speaking. How reliable that is I do not know, but personally I think he would be a great pick up