Good post - think it is becoming clearer where the gaps and/or risks are on our list now.Happy to have Durdin, Mots, Fogarty and Owies all competing for one or two spots. Keeps them hungry and focused which is what the defensive forward/goalsneak role requires. Owies has one spot sewn up for now with his craft and craftiness. Just keeps getting to the right spots at the right times. Fog looking the goods as well. People should take note of how often Fogarty and Cunners are showing up on the periphery of stoppages between the arcs. Far more so than Durdin, Mots and Fisher were earlier in the season. Speaks to the confidence that Voss has in them to crack in and win the ground ball, whilst holding width when necessary to provide an outlet or shut down oppo spread.
Medium/impact forward should be our number one draft target. Find one who is AFL-ready(ish) and they can play 5-10 games next year covering for the inevitable injuries to guys like Martin and Cunners. Don't chase a mature player from another club, just use a pick around 6-12 (dependent on ladder finish and trading up the board) to take a long term one.
Second draft target is midfield pace. Not as critical as insurance against Martin/Cunners injuries, but still an important long-term piece of the puzzle.
No need to recruit a ruck now, which is nice. Had seen plenty of angst about a 4yr deal for Pitto - not in the least concerned. He's either first choice ruck and a bargain, supplanted by TDK and more than handy depth/support, or if O'Keeffe comes on in a big way we'll have leverage in any trade talks should Pitto want to move for more senior opportunity. 4 year deal doesn't mean we have to keep him for 4 years.
Key defensive stocks are where we should be shopping around other clubs. No need for a big McKay or Himmelberg type target, just a solid citizen who gets the job done. Hard pass on Jeremy McGovern - it's taken years to (maybe) iron out Mitch's fitness/injury issues. Jeremy is 32 next April - anyone picking him up is just going to be nursing him through the last couple of years of his career.
Starting to think that Dow could well stay. Watching him the last few weeks, the other guys get around him when he does good work, and he doesn't seem like a player going through the motions. He's shown that he can come in and do a job when injuries necessitate, so if he's not fielding big offers from other clubs then maybe he's willing to take some rolling 1yr or 1+1 clause contracts (on suitably conservative or incentive-based pay) to be part of a flag push with us.
Our ruck contracts are perfect now - one athletic and one solid citizen both in the right age bracket to improve, two raw developing youngsters.
Therefore off season targets either through draft or trade: outside midfield speed/skill; half forward who hurts on scoreboard and can pinch hit in midfield and a youngish KPD.