Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XII - 💰💰💰

[Lore]

Quick links: Player Contract Status | Draft Watch 2023 | AFLW Draft, Trade & Sign

The embedded resources below are kept up to date by the trade board mods (as much as possible – we are human after all). Enjoy!

Spoiler: 2023 Draft Order

Spoiler: 2024 Draft Order, aka Future Picks

Spoiler: Blue Tick Rumours

 

[Squeaky]

Certainly not a great list, unfortunately. Just proves the draft can be a bit of a crapshoot.

I’m not saying 100% do it (offer 2x 1sts for Bolton), just showing the idea of a 1st round pick is often not as good as the player turns out to be.

The draft is a crapshoot for gamblers. I think the good operators nail their picks. We are not good operators.
And I agree with an earlier post that our development could probably be worse than our talent identification.

 

[jdstorm]

speaking of Development.

I’m starting to Wonder if Nick Cox best position is Full Forward…. Random couch thoughts get strange.

 

[Nicholas61]

The bits I have seen of Ainsworth he looks very polished so provides a point of difference to a lot of what we have. I think Guru is onto it with the flexibility.

 

[yodellinhank]

Although the balance is still off as I can't see Stringer, Langford, Caddy, Wright and a resting ruck squeezing into the forwardline at the same time as Gresham, Guelfi and Ainsworth. Not to mention Jones as well if he doesn't move to wing full time.

Probably be an unpopular opinion, but maybe the balance would be better without Stringer?

Now you're on the trolley!

 

[Nifft]

Now you're on the trolley!

Does Dodo still look after players contracts? Why is it that every other Dodo is extinct except for our one...

 

[fairbump_playon]

Who's the 2nd matchwinner in this scenario?

Tsatas’ thighs

 

[MiguelM]

speaking of Development.

I’m starting to Wonder if Nick Cox best position is Full Forward…. Random couch thoughts get strange.

Well he kicked 3 goals against the Suns and hasn't been tried there since.

Give him a couple of games in the square with Wright leading out as a decoy.

 

[jdstorm]

So if Cox was to be a decent FF going into next year the best 22 would/could look like this

Def McKay Reid* Ridley Redman McGrath ????
D7 Lav

Wings Martin Dursma Jones

Mids: Caldwell Merrett Durham Tsatas ????

Forwards Cox Caddy Langford Perk Gresham Guelf

Ruck ?????, Wright

That looks a fair side just needs 1x big bodied mid, 1x Flanker and Either Draper/Bryan to step up or a complete ruck rework.

 

[ghostdog]

In the three or four games I’ve seen of Suns this year, he plays that exact role.

Not a bad player, just no idea why we’re targeting him.

Yep. That would be all of Gresham, Davey and Ainsworth as essentially the same player. Puzzling choice.

 

[ghostdog]

speaking of Development.

I’m starting to Wonder if Nick Cox best position is Full Forward…. Random couch thoughts get strange.

I don't see it. Cox is even more slight of frame than Wright, whose main criticism is that he can't body up against a big defender. Why would we choose Cox to replace Wright? At least of the two, Wright has a 50 goal season to his name.

...which is not to say Cox couldn't have a role as a forward, but then where does he fit? We're still scrapping with the prospect of playing two rucks and a tall forward and have only just worked out that Jones can have a future as a winger.

In the long term I don't see Cox as a viable replacement for 2MP. That's a younger version of the same problem.

 

[ghostdog]

Does Dodo still look after players contracts? Why is it that every other Dodo is extinct except for our one...

Ours found a habitat which supports it to thrive and in which it has no competitors. Ours has also evolved to develop other features that help it survive, such as the ability to sign contracts.

 

[ghostdog]

If we have the same Perkins in October that we have now, I'm not sure he's a keeper. He might help us solve our small forward problem.

 

[FootyGuru]

Everyone seems to be worried about wrights marking and fwd craft, I think his rucking is a bigger issue. We simply can’t play him if he’s unable to improve in that area. He should be dominant over some of the second rucks he’s had to go against and able to equalise the 1s.
Would Marshall be someone we could consider, in a perfect world he’s a number 2 because his hit out craft needs work but is unbelievable around the ground. What does he cost?

 

[ghostdog]

Everyone seems to be worried about wrights marking and fwd craft, I think his rucking is a bigger issue. We simply can’t play him if he’s unable to improve in that area. He should be dominant over some of the second rucks he’s had to go against and able to equalise the 1s.
Would Marshall be someone we could consider, in a perfect world he’s a number 2 because his hit out craft needs work but is unbelievable around the ground. What does he cost?

Yes, definitely.
I also wondered if OBrien might rediscover his best form with a fresh start. He might come cheaply.

 

[EnolaGay]

I don't see it. Cox is even more slight of frame than Wright, whose main criticism is that he can't body up against a big defender. Why would we choose Cox to replace Wright? At least of the two, Wright has a 50 goal season to his name.

...which is not to say Cox couldn't have a role as a forward, but then where does he fit? We're still scrapping with the prospect of playing two rucks and a tall forward and have only just worked out that Jones can have a future as a winger.

In the long term I don't see Cox as a viable replacement for 2MP. That's a younger version of the same problem.

Just need to keep Wright,Stringer and Cox out of Caddy’s way!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[doug85]

If we have the same Perkins in October that we have now, I'm not sure he's a keeper. He might help us solve our small forward problem.

By trading him for one?

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Ainsworth is a jet and a couple of years ago I was really keen on us getting him, but dont know how he fits into our forward structure. He did look awesome on Saturday though, was pivotal in Suns getting across line.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

I think Ainsworth would be a good player, probably moves Gueifi to depth. Still would like a Rosas/M Rioli speedy type pressure player as well.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I think Ainsworth would be a good player, probably moves Gueifi to depth. Still would like a Rosas/M Rioli speedy type pressure player as well.

yeah thats the number 1 need, then more aerobic beasts like duursma. Its good they were looking at stengle/Berry/Perryman but two are already off table and looks like Perryman likely to stay at GWS too, not many other options.

 

[doug85]

I think our team is vanilla AF. There’s not many premiership teams that don’t have an out and out superstar. No idea how you fix that, but I don’t see us as a legit threat until we have a top 5 player that can turn a game.

We also lack speed and our foot skills are generally average. But we can fix those issues at the draft and trade table.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Everyone seems to be worried about wrights marking and fwd craft, I think his rucking is a bigger issue. We simply can’t play him if he’s unable to improve in that area. He should be dominant over some of the second rucks he’s had to go against and able to equalise the 1s.
Would Marshall be someone we could consider, in a perfect world he’s a number 2 because his hit out craft needs work but is unbelievable around the ground. What does he cost?

 

[Vindicater]

Everyone seems to be worried about wrights marking and fwd craft, I think his rucking is a bigger issue. We simply can’t play him if he’s unable to improve in that area. He should be dominant over some of the second rucks he’s had to go against and able to equalise the 1s.
Would Marshall be someone we could consider, in a perfect world he’s a number 2 because his hit out craft needs work but is unbelievable around the ground. What does he cost?

I actually think Wright does a good job in the ruck for a second ruck.

His inability to mark enough balls and then non existent pressure once the ball hits the ground amis his issue in today's AFL.

 

[jdstorm]

I actually think Wright does a good job in the ruck for a second ruck.

His inability to mark enough balls and then non existent pressure once the ball hits the ground amis his issue in today's AFL.

Wright is a good player he’s just ideally a 70/30 or 80/20 CHF/Ruck with a forward line/team defence that helps protect him.

Essendons balance is no forwards who can protect him with pressure/crumb dropped marks and no rucks capable of playing 70/80 percent ruck time which throws the team out of balance

 

[Call Me Cake]

Ironically Wright is probably a better ruck at the moment than he is a forward, and that is is his problem.

He's still averaging over 1.5 goals a game, which is admittedly better than most of our forwards recently, so gotta give him credit for that.

But it's clear he doesn't have (or at least hasn't shown) that killer instinct you see in team #1 KPF's. He doesn't monster defenders with his body like a Hawkins does, doesn't jump at a ball like a Buddy would and doesn't run around the ground like a N. Riewoldt would.

He would do better if he wasn't given the huge task of being Essendon's #1 KPF (which is probably the hardest job in the AFL at the moment) and if he didn't have to shoulder the responsibility of drawing away the best defenders/rucking half the time. If we had another big consistent KPF that could draw defenders/feast on our inside 50's and take that #1 KPF role (and the rest of our forwards being more accountable) I think Wright would flourish as the forward that he was always meant to be.

 

[Hird05]

Ainsworth Caddy Stringer
Gresham Langford Guelfi/Davey

Don't mind this. Not overly tall but good pressure, speed and leading targets