Rumour 2024 Rumours and Speculation (Rumours total 25, last 28th August)

[Mostyn]

He was proposed in a trade for Luko with our 2nd round pick... which is how this discussion started!

Ah - well, you're right that it's a pointless trade. Crouch is worth more to us than he would be on the open market, so he's exactly the wrong player to include.

 

[Floating Doughnut]

Nick Haynes finally gettable … you know you want him

So is Peatling

 

[Vader]

You can shuffle the deck to remove Jones / Murphy.

Based on our 22 on the weekend - he would immediately get a game ahead of Berry, Nankervis, Dowling, Bond, Murphy and Taylor, Laird, Keane. Without even thinking.

Would be in the same grouping for mine as FOG, Sholl, Hinge, Woz, Crouch...

Personally - I think you use him as 3rd Tall forward a la Tom Lynch. He has a tank, great kick. Kicked 39 goals in pretty average team last year.

Players also have a real history of turning out pretty damn good once they leave Gold Coast (see: Rankine).

The real question is do you honestly believe that we couldn't find room in our best 22 for Luko?

I have very little time for soft downhill-skiers, and Luko epitomises those characteristics.

 

[Scorpus]

To be fair, no one has suggested that we trade pick 5 for Luko, except folks fear mongering.

I think a pick swap has been about the extent of what folks have suggested.

I don't think any of the pick swaps would get it done. His value is firmly a first rounder and teams that lack forwards would jump over themselves to hand one to Gold Coast for him

 

[Mostyn]

Why are you throwing in the F2? Melbourne's 2nd is the absolute upper limit of what I would be prepared to pay, and even then I'm asking myself if he's worth the price.

Don't forget that this is a salary dump for GC, which should drive the price down even further.

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Why do we keep assuming it's a salary dump?

Herald Sun has his salary at roughly $650k a year, which is pretty conservative for a first 22 starter. There doesn't seem to be massive salary cap issues at GCS anymore.

I think the issue will be what GCS would want for Luko, as he's contracted until the end of 2026.

 

[Vader]

I don't think any of the pick swaps would get it done. His value is firmly a first rounder and teams that lack forwards would jump over themselves to hand one to Gold Coast for him

If they want a 1st round for him then they can keep him on their team list and salary cap.

 

[Orange crush]

So is Peatling

Nah …. Out of contract but not going anywhere

 

[Vader]

Why do we keep assuming it's a salary dump?

Herald Sun has his salary at roughly $650k a year, which is pretty conseravtive for a first 22 starter. There doesn't seem to be massive salary cap issues at GCS anymore.

I think the issue will be what GCS would want for Luko, as he's contracted until the end of 2026.

It's not a matter of getting rid of an over-paid player. It's a matter of having many other players who have pushed them into salary cap trouble, so they need to get rid of him to achieve salary cap relief elsewhere.

 

[Mostyn]

I don't think any of the pick swaps would get it done. His value is firmly a first rounder and teams that lack forwards would jump over themselves to hand one to Gold Coast for him

Yeah, probably true.

It's rare that a player's manager will be willing to consider offers from any club, but I guess if Luko isn't stuck on coming back to SA then there would certainly be better deals available for GCS.

 

[Scorpus]

If they want a 1st round for him then they can keep him on their team list and salary cap.

Unless he's absolutely sold on coming to SA, a team like Melbourne would throw a top 10 pick at him and take on his full salary

 

[Mostyn]

If our club was serious about this, we wouldn't have given Nicks an extension at the beginning of the year

I think the club felt that Nicks had improved us every year that he was at the helm.

Obviously that's now not true

 

[Floating Doughnut]

Nah …. Out of contract but not going anywhere

Know he is happy but hope we throw a load at him . Didn’t know if his recent run through mids was just to cover all the injuries or to fatten him up for trade.

 

[1990crow]

Unless he's absolutely sold on coming to SA, a team like Melbourne would throw a top 10 pick at him and take on his full salary

I wonder if Tex not being offered a contract has been a long term plan - get Jack when Tex is done.

 

[Orange crush]

Know he is happy but hope we throw a load at him . Didn’t know if his recent run through mids was just to cover all the injuries or to fatten him up for trade.

He’s a work in process but has played a lot this year when we have injuries and will likely be best 25 next year

 

[Mostyn]

It's not a matter of getting rid of an over-paid player. It's a matter of having many other players who have pushed them into salary cap trouble, so they need to get rid of him to achieve salary cap relief elsewhere.

Except there's no evidence they're in any salary cap trouble.

 

[Vader]

Unless he's absolutely sold on coming to SA, a team like Melbourne would throw a top 10 pick at him and take on his full salary

What's the saying - "a sucker and his money are soon parted"?

If Melbourne are stupid enough to offer that, then good luck to them. I can only hope that Adelaide do not display that level of stupidity.

 

[GreyCrow]

I wonder if Tex not being offered a contract has been a long term plan - get Jack when Tex is done.

I said this early - it has the feel about it

 

[AFC979810]

I have very little time for soft downhill-skiers, and Luko epitomises those characteristics.

So you are honestly saying you wouldn't have Luko in our best 22?

 

[Scorpus]

What's the saying - "a sucker and his money are soon parted"?

If Melbourne are stupid enough to offer that, then good luck to them. I can only hope that Adelaide do not display that level of stupidity.

It doesn't make sense for us and seems like a bad deal because we need midfielders and have a couple of excellent key forward prospects. There's no need to take a risk on a flaky tall forward/utility.

But from Melbourne's perspective, Luko would walk into their team as almost their best forward. Collingwood would be thinking similar. Possibly Geelong would hand over a first rounder for him.

For teams pushing for finals that will have picks in the 8-15 range, I reckon they would do the trade in a heartbeat for a 24-year-old that had a 40 goal season last year. They'd take the risk and hope it pays off.

 

[Vader]

So you are honestly saying you wouldn't have Luko in our best 22?

I don't think he would enhance our chance of winning a premiership, and I would rather use our draft resources on players who do.

 

[Mostyn]

So you are honestly saying you wouldn't have Luko in our best 22?

He'd absolutely walk into our first 22 and is a good candidate IF we can still do the things that are more pressing, such as our midfield.

 

[AFC979810]

I don't think he would enhance our chance of winning a premiership, and I would rather use our draft resources on players who do.

What a silly non answer.

He is a forward who is 23, has played 115 games and kicked 39 goals last season. We haven't had a forward not named Walker do that since 2018 (Jenkins).

 

[AFC979810]

He'd absolutely walk into our first 22 and is a good candidate IF

Of course he would.

we can still do the things that are more pressing, such as our midfield.

Well thats just the issue - Luko isn't worth a top 4 pick. A future 1st - 100%.

Issue is that we simply cannot recruit best 22 players from other clubs if they aren't South Australian.

 

[Vader]

What a silly non answer.

He is a forward who is 23, has played 115 games and kicked 39 goals last season. We haven't had a forward not named Walker do that since 2018 (Jenkins).

Would he be in our best 22?
Yes

Would he improve our chance of winning finals?
Probably not - he's a soft downhill skier, the type of player which typically goes to water under the pressure of finals football.

Should we get him?
Only if the price is right (i.e. late 2nd round pick at best), because we have more pressing needs for using our draft resources.

Is that a better answer for you?

 

[maxlilly]

So you are honestly saying you wouldn't have Luko in our best 22?

If he came to the Crows, he would have to spend his first year in the sanfl,
so he could understand our values and DNA