Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XII - 💰💰💰

[Lore]

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Spoiler: 2024 Draft Order

 

[Rick Ross]

We’re not in a good spot. We have an average list (just finished 11th), have no draft picks outside the bare minimum and we seem to have no appetite to trade away valuable players to improve our hand. Stringer, Shiel or Laverde aren’t going to land much if anything.

It’d be a shock if we did anything interesting, we’re not really in a place to.

Likely* we’ll have 2 first rounders in a strong draft. Kako being exactly what we need. Another hopefully before him… most clubs are trying their arses off to get to 2 early picks in this draft. How can that not be a good spot?

 

[BuffDog]

We’re not in a good spot. We have an average list (just finished 11th), have no draft picks outside the bare minimum and we seem to have no appetite to trade away valuable players to improve our hand. Stringer, Shiel or Laverde aren’t going to land much if anything.

It’d be a shock if we did anything interesting, we’re not really in a place to.

We are somewhat lucky that we can rebuild before Tassie and we do have plenty of cap space. But it's likely going to need two consecutive bottom 4 finishes to get access to the elite end of the draft along with relying on FA to add mature talent.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Likely* we’ll have 2 first rounders in a strong draft. Kako being exactly what we need. Another hopefully before him… most clubs are trying their arses off to get to 2 early picks in this draft. How can that not be a good spot?

The entire rest of the list?

The fact of the matter is we simply lack the talent of the best sides. And by some distance.

Also the way the game is played and the strengths of the best teams are also our clear weaknesses. We don't have any good small forwards, both from a goal-kicking perspective, and equally importantly, from a forward pressure perspective. And simply saying we're bringing in Kako isn't enough. The best teams all play 3-4 of these good small forwards... better than anyone we can put out there.
The other big strength of good teams which we suck at is kicking the damn ball, particularly out of defense. It sticks out like a sore thumb, our inability to move the ball down the ground with any skill or pace.

That's why we're in a bad spot. Not because we might have 2 early picks this year. They are potentially step 1 and 2 in what is still a long journey.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

We are somewhat lucky that we can rebuild before Tassie and we do have plenty of cap space. But it's likely going to need two consecutive bottom 4 finishes to get access to the elite end of the draft along with relying on FA to add mature talent.

If we were rebuilding we’d be getting on the front foot and exploring who we can trade out for high picks.

We’re genuinely nowhere as a result of two things - a terrible run at the pointy end of the draft (Cox, Perkins, Reid, Tsatas, Hobbs) and long-term huge contracts to non-key pieces (Parish, Redman, Ridley).

Upside is Caddy, Durham, Caldwell. Hayes could be okay but too early.

It can turn quickly but we’re in a hell of a spot. We have absolutely ****ed the dog on list management over the past few years and I hope they realise the extent of it.

 

[jdstorm]

If we were rebuilding we’d be getting on the front foot and exploring who we can trade out for high picks.

We’re genuinely nowhere as a result of two things - a terrible run at the pointy end of the draft (Cox, Perkins, Reid, Tsatas, Hobbs) and long-term huge contracts to non-key pieces (Parish, Redman, Ridley).

Upside is Caddy, Durham, Caldwell. Hayes could be okay but too early.

It can turn quickly but we’re in a hell of a spot. We have absolutely ****ed the dog on list management over the past few years and I hope they realise the extent of it.

I won’t accept this Ridley slander absolute gun when healthy

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I won’t accept this Ridley slander absolute gun when healthy

Yep he is, but questions on his body and he’s an interceptor - not exactly the most difficult role to replace and we’ve already brought in McKay on huge money - and interceptor is his best role.

It’s not like he has no value - he has big value - and that could possibly be better unlocked in a trade, considering where we are at

 

[jdstorm]

Yep he is, but questions on his body and he’s an interceptor - not exactly the most difficult role to replace and we’ve already brought in McKay on huge money - and interceptor is his best role.

It’s not like he has no value - he has big value - and that could possibly be better unlocked in a trade, considering where we are at

Ridleys so much more than an interceptor, he’s also an elite user and rebounder.

We’ve been wasting him in lockdown roles but playing in that loose defender role he’s elite.

Trading him now you’d get massive unders.

 

[DonsRule]

Yep he is, but questions on his body and he’s an interceptor - not exactly the most difficult role to replace and we’ve already brought in McKay on huge money - and interceptor is his best role.

It’s not like he has no value - he has big value - and that could possibly be better unlocked in a trade, considering where we are at

As jd said above I think just an interceptor is being a bit harsh. Yes he does it but would be I think our best ball user out of the backline - he had a few slip ups this year but think his vision/decision making was pretty good over all, in form he is pretty deadly by foot. Considering our backlines ability to turn the ball over. .

 

[cAsEy_18]

Ridley's a good user but a very safe user. Yes he is probably our best user out of defense - but that isn't saying much when his competition is McGrath, McKay, and has been Heppell and Kelly. Even Redman's was pretty underwhelming all year.

We desperately need him to be more creative and take the game on more with his kicking.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Ridley's a good user but a very safe user. Yes he is probably our best user out of defense - but that isn't saying much when his competition is McGrath, McKay, and has been Heppell and Kelly. Even Redman's was pretty underwhelming all year.

We desperately need him to be more creative and take the game on more with his kicking.

He also goes into his shell with positioning as the interceptor. In his first game back against the tigers he was very aggressive in his positioning and was making a lot of intercepts on the wings, as the season went on he started to stand deeper and deeper in our 50 so when he got the ball most of his options were short/lateral kicks to other defenders rather than attacking options.
He is one of our most gifted players and I know he has had injury concerns so will give him some slack but with Heppell gone I would like him, McGrath and Redman to step up as leaders of the backline and set a better standard in regard to competitiveness/composure.