Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XI - McKay. Goldstein. Gresham. Duursma!

[Lore]

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Trade wrap: Essendon player movement period

See all the movements from the 2023 trade period.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[Milanista28]

 

[eth-dog]

View attachment 1832333

Probably around right

 

[andleanback]

Probably around right

Rather have a f2 2nd away

Freo are stacked next year

 

[eth-dog]

Rather have a f2 2nd away

Freo are stacked next year

Three firsts, a second through fourth is good. Probably chasing McDonald next year

 

[DonsRule]

 

[LB#16]

How disappointing that our departing players have to threaten this sort of thing because Dodoro is infamously a self fulfilling flog.

 

[cAsEy_18]

How disappointing that our departing players have to threaten this sort of thing because Dodoro is infamously a self fulfilling flog.

Just not even slightly the case here.

 

[LB#16]

Just not even slightly the case here.

Port are overrating Duursma, sure, but I'm confident Dodoro is being a stubborn prick. Too many runs on the board.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

So it's from Ralph..so the opposite applies and Zerk happy to come back if deal can't be done. Not sure he'd be happy at the Eagles or North.

 

[yodellinhank]

So it's from Ralph..so the opposite applies and Zerk happy to come back if deal can't be done. Not sure he'd be happy at the Eagles or North.

"navigate the pre season draft route" I suppose Port would have to load up his contract. Doing alright for themselves if they can finish top 4 and still offer players like Esava & BZT the big bucks.

 

[Eleven 38]

.

"navigate the pre season draft route" I suppose Port would have to load up his contract. Doing alright for themselves if they can finish top 4 and still offer players like Esava & BZT the big bucks.

your only have to load up the contract if other clubs are after him, that could be an issue for us and his value.

 

[doug85]

Hearing he won’t be if deal not done.

His reps are saying the opposite.

 

[Pweter]

.

your only have to load up the contract if other clubs are after him, that could be an issue for us and his value.

I have little to no doubt we could afford him if he got to us in the PSD, though I could easily seeing North taking him.

 

[yodellinhank]

.

your only have to load up the contract if other clubs are after him, that could be an issue for us and his value.

I think Essendon were keen at one stage. They might take a look.

 

[yodellinhank]

I have little to no doubt we could afford him if he got to us in the PSD, though I could easily seeing North taking him.

That'll be something he needs to weigh up.

 

[justlookingaround]

Deal will get done. It's just posturing.

 

[faible]

Deal will get done. It's just posturing.

AFL need something to fill the TV coverage. Right now the highest profile deals left are BZT and Ratugolea getting to Port...

 

[ghostdog]

Its a tough one, is it on the players for not adapting to the coaches plan or is it on the coach for not adapting his plan for the type of players he has?

I'm on the "do as you're asked for your team" side tbh. Anyone should be ready to play that role to give the coach the opportunity to use the full versatility and capacity of the group.

I've also never coached a team, so there is that.

 

[Don Won]

AFL need something to fill the TV coverage. Right now the highest profile deals left are BZT and Ratugolea getting to Port...

Massimo is no cake walk either, although they might save that for the 7pm finish on Wednesday. The flurry as hawthorn run down the corridor to lodge the swap of 6th rounders.

 

[ghostdog]

I would say Duursma wasn't soft early in his career but is soft now - a product of the concussions. A bit like our Kelly second half of this year. We aren't getting the early career projected Duursma which is what Port are going to try make out in negotiations. Perhaps he needs training on how to protect himself in contests and that will help him regain confidence.

Didn't realise he'd had concussions.

Wonder if that explains Ken giving him roles as a running distraction.

If he wants to hit the wing he needs to take the hits or he's wasting our time.

 

[bommer16]

His reps are saying the opposite.

Yeah so I’ve read. Just something I heard on radio this morning.

 

[hurlygurdy]

as far as I can see we are losing on trading bzt for Duursma. Bzt is developing nicely into a very good defender. Duursma has shown nothing in years. Are the reports on a four year contract for real?! He is an absolute liability. I’m not against rolling the dice on him for a year or two but we should never be going in deeper than that.

 

[Westlo]

your only have to load up the contract if other clubs are after him, that could be an issue for us and his value.

There's no way he gets to port in that situation with the way KPDs have spiked in value just this offseason alone.

He wouldn't get past North anyway

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

The PSD threat is laughable by Port. I’d happily retake him there, if he was still available of course. I’d also take him at pick 31 in a heartbeat and Port won’t have a pick before then once the Esava deal is complete.

 

[JayJ20]

Carlton went on their run when McKay got injured. He didn’t have much to do with it. Walsh also had some injury issues and Cerra was their most consistent mid all season. Then there was Doc and Saad that set up their HB run

If you’re going to bemoan that we don’t have X players like team _____ at least get their good players right.

Although it feels strange to see someone ripping Essendon for an incomplete list lacking in high end talent and wanting Daniher and Saad

You only need a few of your stars to fire to win games or limit heavy losses. That's what I'm talking about. We don't have enough top end talent to drag the whole team over the line the way other teams have it.

McKay is capable, but even when he was injured and even when Curnow had a bad finals series, players like Walsh dragged them over the line not once but in two finals.

I feel like we don't have enough players who are able to do that, hence why we never compete in any EF. Even when underperforming, a team with a lot of A-graders that are consistent don't lose the way we constantly do. We always lose heavy margins every year because we rely on every one of our team to be consistent which isn't going to happen. If we can have 3-5 A-graders that can take control of the game, then we give ourselves more chances to win more games.

No matter how bad Carlton were from 2020 to 2023, they only lost above 35 three times in 4 seasons.

Carlton losses above 35 points

2021:
95 points away vs Port
39 points vs North Melbourne

2023:
56 points away vs Adelaide

Meanwhile, we played finals during that time.

Essendon losses above 35 points

2020:
42 points vs Bulldogs
50 points away vs Port
63 points vs Brisbane
66 points vs Geelong

2021 (finals):
39 points vs Richmond
41 points vs Geelong
49 points vs Bulldogs (EF)
54 points vs Port away
57 points vs Brisbane away

2022:
48 points vs Fremantle
58 points vs Sydney away
66 points vs Geelong
66 points vs Richmond
84 points vs Port

2023:
41 points vs Bulldogs
42 points vs Brisbane away
70 points vs Collingwood
77 points vs Geelong
126 points vs GWS

Let's go back to 2019 when we played finals and they were bottom 4 bad.

Carlton losses above 35 points:
41 points vs Essendon
58 points vs North Melbourne
68 points vs Geelong
93 points vs GWS

Essendon losses above 35 points (played finals):
55 points vs West Coast (EF)
59 points vs Port
72 points vs GWS away
104 points vs Bulldogs

Now why does a bottom 4 side have less severe losses than a top 8 side? It was well documented that Carlton had less "quality depth" than we had. It's because we don't have many A-graders compared to a side like Carlton that can either stem the tide or influence the game.
We desperately need more A-graders that can influence games and take it from opposition given that it'll take some time to build quality depth.