2017 Trade and FA thread

[mick1013]

What are peoples thoughts in Eric Mackenzie? 30 this year I know but was a bnf winner on 3 years ago and hasn't really been given a crack since (dont know the reason why) but surely if we can get him over as a FA losing nothing then it helps Andrews and Frost and hopefully Mackenzie can see some finals within the 3-4 years i believe he has left.

 

[Cockliff38]

What are peoples thoughts in Eric Mackenzie? 30 this year I know but was a bnf winner on 3 years ago and hasn't really been given a crack since (dont know the reason why) but surely if we can get him over as a FA losing nothing then it helps Andrews and Frost and hopefully Mackenzie can see some finals within the 3-4 years i believe he has left.

Didn't we try last year?

 

[briztoon]

I'd certainly be talking to Mackenzie or Hansen if I were the lions. I know fagan has talked about only bringing in next premiership contributing players but as their free agents we're only giving up a list spot and salary cap, both of which we have enough of. Mackenzie in particular would be a good get as I think there's still enough there playing wise, and he's been credited for helping a lot with the development of the new crop of Eagles key backs.

We will likely have to pay out a couple of contracts if we want to chase two free agents, plus add 4 kids through the draft.

While we have a lot of players coming off contract at the end of the year, not many of them are genuine list cloggers. Quite a few are kids we migh like to keep around.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Whether you call underperforming players list cloggers or just players who won't help us win our next premiership, it's pretty clear from Fagan's comments that he and Noble want to get rid of some of the current list. We can have a fair guess who two or three of them are. Will be interesting to see if we are prepared to pay some out to get rid of them sooner rather than later.

 

[Milux]

Look, we could all throw out names of players we'd like to see at the Lions and 99.999999999999% of them would politely decline through their management, even if we were throwing overs at them.

Funnily enough, some of the unrestricted free agents that could really help us all play at Port.

Justin Westhoff could just be that player to help Andrews in defence or Hipwood in attack, providing a mature body to take the number oppositions number one tall at either end of the ground.

Jasper Pittard is the other, but is probably next to no chance to come to Brisbane. Would add another Geelong Falcon to the club. Apparently North have offered $3mil over 5 years for him.

At the end of the year, we're going to have to payout some contracts if we really really want to clean out our list, and promote a few of our rookies to the main list. We really will want Hammelmann, McInerney, William and Barrett all on our senior list next season.

So can anyone tell me, if we pay out a contracted player, does their contract still count against our salary cap?

Ive seen enough of Hammelman to feel he is not an AFL baller. Would not want him upgraded. Barret maybe. McInerney by reports is solid in the neafl. Just cant see us upgrading players like that.

 

[Simba Moyo]

Ive seen enough of Hammelman to feel he is not an AFL baller. Would not want him upgraded. Barret maybe. McInerney by reports is solid in the neafl. Just cant see us upgrading players like that.

Completely disagree on Hammelmann. Moves really well for a 200cm guy, leads well, has clean hands plus a long and pretty accurate kick. With more senior games to acquaint himself with the pace at AFL level and some better delivery from our mids, I believe he could compliment Hipwood quite well.

 

[Fatcat08]

We will likely have to pay out a couple of contracts if we want to chase two free agents, plus add 4 kids through the draft.

While we have a lot of players coming off contract at the end of the year, not many of them are genuine list cloggers. Quite a few are kids we migh like to keep around.

It's going to be very interesting to see who we cut at the end of the year. Can't help shake the feeling that we're going to see a few surprises. Whatever happens I reckons noble and Fagan will have carte blanche to cut whoever they want.

 

[briztoon]

It's going to be very interesting to see who we cut at the end of the year. Can't help shake the feeling that we're going to see a few surprises. Whatever happens I reckons noble and Fagan will have carte blanche to cut whoever they want.

I won't be to surprised. I don't have a long list of keepers. It's always been about how long we keep a lot of the players on for, before they a let go. But we can't fully gut the list in one offseason, unless we have a heap of free agents lined up.

 

[John_Proctor]

Does hammer need to be upgraded this year? I thought he'd have an extra season.

I wouldnt be upgrading him on what I've seen so far. On the flip side he's being picked of late ahead of 4 listed players (schache, close, walker, freeman) so on that basis may get upgraded especially as 3 of those 4 are uncontracted past this season.

Can't see us upgrading mcinerney as he can stay a rookie next season (and after next season if he's shown enough can upgrade him and replace Martin on the senior list basically).

Barrett playing enough to warrant being upgraded directly though.

Re: Mckenzie didn't he do his knee a couple of years back and hasn't recaptured past form/performance.

 

[Forward We Go]

I have faith in the club now to recruit who we need to move forward & make us "relevant" again. That being said, how good would it be to have S.May in the backline helping out Harris in 2018??? Lets hope we can bring in some guys that help our young guns develop more and more every game.

 

[Fitzroy bears]

I won't be to surprised. I don't have a long list of keepers. It's always been about how long we keep a lot of the players on for, before they a let go. But we can't fully gut the list in one offseason, unless we have a heap of free agents lined up.

Or a heap of draft picks

 

[Fitzroy bears]

Taking into account what fagan has already said don't think players who are 28+ will be on our recruiting list.

 

[LongLion]

Completely disagree on Hammelmann. Moves really well for a 200cm guy, leads well, has clean hands plus a long and pretty accurate kick. With more senior games to acquaint himself with the pace at AFL level and some better delivery from our mids, I believe he could compliment Hipwood quite well.

Also agree on Hammer. Still plenty of development left in him. A natural forward.

 

[Milux]

Completely disagree on Hammelmann. Moves really well for a 200cm guy, leads well, has clean hands plus a long and pretty accurate kick. With more senior games to acquaint himself with the pace at AFL level and some better delivery from our mids, I believe he could compliment Hipwood quite well.

Also agree on Hammer. Still plenty of development left in him. A natural forward.

Im also being hyper critical. But I don't feel he has what it takes. Definitely nothing against him. Probs one of the good at neafl but hopeless at afl along with the likes of Cornelius, and that bryce Retzlaff or whoever it was and now seemingly Freeman.

 

[winged1]

Im also being hyper critical. But I don't feel he has what it takes. Definitely nothing against him. Probs one of the good at neafl but hopeless at afl along with the likes of Cornelius, and that bryce Retzlaff or whoever it was and now seemingly Freeman.

But that is what many were saying about nrobbo and with some continuity he has improved significantly this year. Big step from neafl to afl and hammer is still young. I would back him to make it at either end of the ground.

 

[Milux]

But that is what many were saying about nrobbo and with some continuity he has improved significantly this year. Big step from neafl to afl and hammer is still young. I would back him to make it at either end of the ground.

NRobbo has made ground thats for sure. Cant take his work rate away from him either as he busts his balls all day every day. Cant fault his work rate for a minute. How ever work rate only gets you so far. Unless he can bring his footy smarts up he wont be much more then what he is.

 

[LongLion]

NRobbo has made ground thats for sure. Cant take his work rate away from him either as he busts his balls all day every day. Cant fault his work rate for a minute. How ever work rate only gets you so far. Unless he can bring his footy smarts up he wont be much more then what he is.

Ahhh positives. I just love your positve take on things. NOT

 

[Milux]

Ahhh positives. I just love your positve take on things. NOT

Fair call. I normally have a glass half full approach. Maybe its been the last 10 years of shit performances that have soured my view.

We can be positive all we like. Yeah Hammelman may make it. Let's play him all the time. Yeah NRobbo can run. Let's play him all the time. Doesn't change my opinion that they may not make it. I would absolutely love to be proven wrong like you wouldnt beleive.

 

[lioninthesand]

Ahhh positives. I just love your positve take on things. NOT

I think his assessment is fair. He really busts his backside and I can't deny his passion, but his lack of smarts is an issue. Merrett got by with his low football IQ due to his sheer size, but Robbo needs to continue to come along in alla reas to cover this regard. I am hoping his aggression and passion can cover the lack of silk, I also thin we need to persist with him as I really see a future for him. I don't personally view milux's assessment as negative, I would say it is spot on with where Nick is at.

 

[M Malice]

IMO Nick Robertson has improved his smarts and vision considerably this year, he doesn't panic anymore and I recall him a few times balking opponents stepping past and delivering the ball effectively. Would be one of the first 6-8 players picked every week.

A shoe in for the most improved award on B&F night at this stage.

 

[3KZ is Football]

NRobbo has made ground thats for sure. Cant take his work rate away from him either as he busts his balls all day every day. Cant fault his work rate for a minute. How ever work rate only gets you so far. Unless he can bring his footy smarts up he wont be much more then what he is.

Very true.

 

[Milux]

IMO Nick Robertson has improved his smarts and vision considerably this year, he doesn't panic anymore and I recall him a few times balking opponents stepping past and delivering the ball effectively. Would be one of the first 6-8 players picked every week.

A shoe in for the most improved award on B&F night at this stage.

My hyper critical analysis didn't make room for the improvements he has made in that regard. And I am far from saying he wont make it. Just he is/was along way back at the start of year. If he can still be in the senior team this time next year i feel we will see who NRobbo is. Power to him I say.

 

[lionraven]

I feel like NRobbo is still paying penance for the sins of seasons past in the eyes of fans. Last year he would be 1/2 a second off pace. He would panic handball or dump kick to outnumbers; he would slow down on breakaways and miss targets, he would fail to see switches and bomb down the line. He would always go for that Dusty fend off despite his body being more like McLuggage and he would get caught. All this made him look like he had a low footy IQ.

During the first couple of matches in the year I would still visibly flinch when NRobbo had the ball in his hands as I had made up my mind that he had poor disposal. This year he was been a pleasant surprise. You can see his eyes scan the field. He looks in 45 degrees, looks around for a handball, looks 90 degrees for a switch or then goes down the line - all in a quick 5-10 seconds. He has been going for and hitting those 45 degree passes. He has been the most likely to instigate switches in the backline and try to generate some run. Compare him to Cutler. Cutler feels like he takes a good 15 seconds to make a read. He rarely switches and instead just tries to penetrate with his kick down the line (which would work if we had Reiwoldt in our team but not so with Hipwood/Close/Hammer). NRobbos toolset appears more limited than that of Cutler (less speed, shorter kick) but his hardnut attitude, aerobic capacity and his willingness to get to contests makes him much more potent than the likes of Cutler and Mayes over the whole game whilst not appearing brilliant like the one or two plays Cutler/Mayes star in.

In the chain of possession NRobbo has been great in starting plays. Its usually in the second link of the chain it falls apart - Lester/McCluggage/Bell/Bastinac/Bewick/Berry taking too long to move the ball, missing handballs etc. So many times Ill see a good 45 kick from NRobbo to one of the above. You'll have Lewy/Cutler/Mayes/Beams/Zorko streaming through and one of the above will handball/kick just a bit behind or over the top thus killing the play. At least McCluggage and Berry are young improving players. Bell, Bastinac, Bewick and Lester need to take a good hard look at themselves. They shouldnt be so sloppy. Once they cough it up the opposition streams forward as all our mids/half backs are out of position and then everyone on bigfooty starts screaming about how shit our 2 way running is or how bad Gardiner/McStay/Walker/Paparone etc are at defending.

 

[LongLion]

I feel like NRobbo is still paying penance for the sins of seasons past in the eyes of fans. Last year he would be 1/2 a second off pace. He would panic handball or dump kick to outnumbers; he would slow down on breakaways and miss targets, he would fail to see switches and bomb down the line. He would always go for that Dusty fend off despite his body being more like McLuggage and he would get caught. All this made him look like he had a low footy IQ.

During the first couple of matches in the year I would still visibly flinch when NRobbo had the ball in his hands as I had made up my mind that he had poor disposal. This year he was been a pleasant surprise. You can see his eyes scan the field. He looks in 45 degrees, looks around for a handball, looks 90 degrees for a switch or then goes down the line - all in a quick 5-10 seconds. He has been going for and hitting those 45 degree passes. He has been the most likely to instigate switches in the backline and try to generate some run. Compare him to Cutler. Cutler feels like he takes a good 15 seconds to make a read. He rarely switches and instead just tries to penetrate with his kick down the line (which would work if we had Reiwoldt in our team but not so with Hipwood/Close/Hammer). NRobbos toolset appears more limited than that of Cutler (less speed, shorter kick) but his hardnut attitude, aerobic capacity and his willingness to get to contests makes him much more potent than the likes of Cutler and Mayes over the whole game whilst not appearing brilliant like the one or two plays Cutler/Mayes star in.

In the chain of possession NRobbo has been great in starting plays. Its usually in the second link of the chain it falls apart - Lester/McCluggage/Bell/Bastinac/Bewick/Berry taking too long to move the ball, missing handballs etc. So many times Ill see a good 45 kick from NRobbo to one of the above. You'll have Lewy/Cutler/Mayes/Beams/Zorko streaming through and one of the above will handball/kick just a bit behind or over the top thus killing the play. At least McCluggage and Berry are young improving players. Bell, Bastinac, Bewick and Lester need to take a good hard look at themselves. They shouldnt be so sloppy. Once they cough it up the opposition streams forward as all our mids/half backs are out of position and then everyone on bigfooty starts screaming about how shit our 2 way running is or how bad Gardiner/McStay/Walker/Paparone etc are at defending.

If NRobbo had been traded to another club and then shown the improvement as he has done this year we would be asking ourselves... Why? I fget disappointed with the level of ongoing negativity as understandable as it is considering what we have endured but just sometimes I think a few of us should be looking at things as glass half full not empty. Look for the positives (and not just in the 'postives thread')

 

[John_Proctor]

The other thing to remember is that we are the bottom team by a long way. someone being good enough to be best 22 at Brisbane at the moment doesn't make them good enough to make it as an afl player.

Would Bewick have got to 100 games at any other club over the period of his (7 year) career?

I'd agree that N Robbo has been most improved on the list this year and I'm not saying there isn't more growth there but as a 4th year player averaging 13 disposals a game as a 'hard running' half back flanker is only just passing mustard. The challenge for him is to average say 16-18 disposals a game in the second half of the year as Mayes and Cutler do.