Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XII - 💰💰💰

Remove this Banner Ad

Yeah was thinking if we go after Rowell then writing is on wall for hobbs. Which is a shame as I still have hopes for him, but no denying Rowell is an upgrade.

Rowell may be on shorter side but he is the definition of midfield bull, built like a brick shit house, caldwell is tough but he was pretty beaten up by 2nd half playing a run with role on Rowell late last season.

I would still prefer we go after a more dynamic goal kicking mid but think Rowell would be a good addition to our midfield set up (especially if hobbs doesn't step up this year).

People saying Rowell isn't what we need based on his height haven't watched Rowell play.

Bloke is a contested animal; tackles anything he can reach, lives on the bottom of packs. If you want a guy that will grind out stoppage, after stoppage, after stoppage and never shy away from a contest, that's Rowell. Built like a brick shithouse and knows how to use his body to hold and make space in close.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

People saying Rowell isn't what we need based on his height haven't watched Rowell play.

Bloke is a contested animal; tackles anything he can reach, lives on the bottom of packs. If you want a guy that will grind out stoppage, after stoppage, after stoppage and never shy away from a contest, that's Rowell. Built like a brick shithouse and knows how to use his body to hold and make space in close.

People seem to think that being tall is the prerequisite for being a true contested possession gun.

Rowell is the same height as Parish but if you watch them, they might as well play different sports from one another.
 
Rowell is next gen Clayton Oliver. Rough kick but true competitor and match winner. Hobbs is our version. There’s a solid class gap.

I reckon the suns will make finals this year and Rowell will stay

Harley Reid would be better but maybe if we get creative within a few years we could have it all? Rowell, Reid and a reformed Jamarra.
Jamara may never play again
 
People seem to think that being tall is the prerequisite for being a true contested possession gun.

Rowell is the same height as Parish but if you watch them, they might as well play different sports from one another.

Also bidding up Rowell might see another good player fall out of the GCS line-up at some point.

I'd also hope we're putting time in to Finn Callaghan
 
The issue with getting Rowell is adding him to what we have, we should/could get him, but Parish and Hobbs should leave, even if they left cheaply.

Sure he's different in terms of being a contested animal, but he like some of our other mids can only play 1 position.
 
Last edited:
The issue with getting Rowell is adding him to what we have, we should/could get him, but Parish and Hobbs should leave, even it they left cheaply.

Sure he's different in terms of being a contested animal, but he like some of our other mids can only play 1 position.
I think Hobbs will be in a bit of trouble if we get Rowell. Parish protected by that long contract unfortunately.
 
The issue with getting Rowell is adding him to what we have, we should/could get him, but Parish and Hobbs should leave, even if they left cheaply.

Sure he's different in terms of being a contested animal, but he like some of our other mids can only play 1 position.
I believe in Hobbs but if we can get Rowell then we let Hobbs go. Rowell is a serious upgrade. Parish would be looking at a lot les midfield minutes as well or even a trade. There is nothing that says Rosa can not look to upgrade the 180cm mid slot. He is not tied to the likes of Parish like Dodoro was.
 
I believe in Hobbs but if we can get Rowell then we let Hobbs go. Rowell is a serious upgrade. Parish would be looking at a lot les midfield minutes as well or even a trade. There is nothing that says Rosa can not look to upgrade the 180cm mid slot. He is not tied to the likes of Parish like Dodoro was.

There’s nothing to say a person with a leaky roof shouldn’t buy a new couch.

From the outside it just seems wasteful. Is the difference between Hobbs and Rowell really worth the difference between 2FRP and a 3rd? Because that’s what I’d rate both players trade value at right now and that might be generous for Hobbs.

If your a well run team with money who wins games…. There’s always another FA/out of contract player willing to go there next year.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

We already have Merrett, Caldwell, Hobbs, and Parish

He’s a great player but spending real assets to compound our biggest list flaw. Hard pass.
I don't think Rowell's size matters that much for what he does and how strong he is like Neale. He's just that good at what he does.
If Rowell becomes available, then instead of passing on him, I'd be trading Parish and Hobbs to accommodate him in our side.
One of our biggest issues has been consistently winning contested football. Rowell is the type of player that I can see shine in finals.

We need more elite talent in our side and Rowell is certainly one of them.
 
People saying Rowell isn't what we need based on his height haven't watched Rowell play.

Bloke is a contested animal; tackles anything he can reach, lives on the bottom of packs. If you want a guy that will grind out stoppage, after stoppage, after stoppage and never shy away from a contest, that's Rowell. Built like a brick shithouse and knows how to use his body to hold and make space in close.
Exaactly. Parish has won over 20 contested possessions in a game twice in his career. Rowell has already done that 9 times.

You won't find many players league-wide that can do what he can. I always go on about recruiting elite talent and Rowell is one of them.

Unfortunately for us, there's no way we'd get him over Collingwood and Geelong IMO.
 
I don't think Rowell's size matters that much for what he does and how strong he is like Neale. He's just that good at what he does.
If Rowell becomes available, then instead of passing on him, I'd be trading Parish and Hobbs to accommodate him in our side.
One of our biggest issues has been consistently winning contested football. Rowell is the type of player that I can see shine in finals.

We need more elite talent in our side and Rowell is certainly one of them.

l think historically all sporting teams tend to get themselves in trouble when they chase “elite” talent from a position of weakness. It never goes well.

I think Rowell is an elite talent. I would only want to be in the Rowell buisness for the right price. The way our list is presently constructed I think a competive offer would send the list backwards despite his overall talent
 
l think historically all sporting teams tend to get themselves in trouble when they chase “elite” talent from a position of weakness. It never goes well.

I think Rowell is an elite talent. I would only want to be in the Rowell buisness for the right price. The way our list is presently constructed I think a competive offer would send the list backwards despite his overall talent

It’s not even really a weakness. We were one point off top for scores from centre clearance average over and 5.7 points off top from scores from stoppage. Both above AFL average. Gold Coast below AFL average in both.

We were 10 points off top for scores from turnover. Below AFL average. Sydney and Brisbane 1 and 2 in that category.

We need guys who can do damage by foot more than anything. Rowell is great and would be an upgrade on many but defensive midfield isn’t where you spend your resources when you have so much work to do elsewhere.
 
It’s not even really a weakness. We were one point off top for scores from centre clearance average over and 5.7 points off top from scores from stoppage. Both above AFL average. Gold Coast below AFL average in both.

We were 10 points off top for scores from turnover. Below AFL average. Sydney and Brisbane 1 and 2 in that category.

We need guys who can do damage by foot more than anything. Rowell is great and would be an upgrade on many but defensive midfield isn’t where you spend your resources when you have so much work to do elsewhere.

As a smaller contested mid I’d argue he’s an attacking player who can’t kick rather then a defensive player.

Giving up a lot of size to your bigger crash and bash types. Not much of an Ariel threat.

Again. Love his talent just don’t think he fits here
 
It’s not even really a weakness. We were one point off top for scores from centre clearance average over and 5.7 points off top from scores from stoppage. Both above AFL average. Gold Coast below AFL average in both.

We suck at stoppage clearances and contested possessions. Rowell was 5th for avg stoppage clearances, 3rd for avg contested possessions.

I actually to think he's overrated in the way that people talk about him (mostly due to his status as a former #1 draft pick and the start to his first year) but his best years are ahead of him and his strengths would be useful.

Playing devil's advocate though, imagine you had Durham (23), Caldwell (24), Rowell (23) in the middle and Martin (23), Duursma (24) on the wing. That's an engine room built for the next 10 years.

For the right price though.
 
Last edited:
l think historically all sporting teams tend to get themselves in trouble when they chase “elite” talent from a position of weakness. It never goes well.

I think Rowell is an elite talent. I would only want to be in the Rowell buisness for the right price. The way our list is presently constructed I think a competive offer would send the list backwards despite his overall talent
But our issue is a lack of elite talent though and you won't win a premiership without elite talent.

I think players like Rowell and Reid are worth the price to pay because they're not the type of elite talent to fall outside of the top 3 and we don't bottom out so won't have access to those players. That's why I prefer moving players on to make them fit our side.
 
But our issue is a lack of elite talent though and you won't win a premiership without elite talent.

I think players like Rowell and Reid are worth the price to pay because they're not the type of elite talent to fall outside of the top 3 and we don't bottom out so won't have access to those players. That's why I prefer moving players on to make them fit our side.

overall talent level isn’t as important as how talents work together as a whole.

We have 3 former AA mids in the side (Sheil, Parish, Merrett) and we can’t play them together because they are too small at stoppage.

their weakness compound in an easily exploitable way. Rowell has the same flaws.

Reid is midsized, can kick and gets goals. He’s a much easier fit in most sides than Rowell. They don’t really belong in the same conversation
 
There’s nothing to say a person with a leaky roof shouldn’t buy a new couch.

From the outside it just seems wasteful. Is the difference between Hobbs and Rowell really worth the difference between 2FRP and a 3rd? Because that’s what I’d rate both players trade value at right now and that might be generous for Hobbs.

If your a well run team with money who wins games…. There’s always another FA/out of contract player willing to go there next year.
Wasteful ? What about plain stupid not to talk one of the best contested players in the comp . When you rank 17th for stoppage clearance there is obviously an issue. We can keep doing the same things as we did or we can turn blokes over. The value will be what it is. Rodwell is in the top few contested players in the comp. As much as I rate Hobbs and I am keen to see him play midfield to help Caldwell and Durham he is two levels below Rowell. To simply dismiss recruiting a guy because we already have a few 180cm guys was my issue. He is an A grade contested ball winner and we are a D grade contested ball winning side. How it pans out who knows. I think he will stay at the GC anyway.
 
overall talent level isn’t as important as how talents work together as a whole.

We have 3 former AA mids in the side (Sheil, Parish, Merrett) and we can’t play them together because they are too small at stoppage.

their weakness compound in an easily exploitable way. Rowell has the same flaws.

Reid is midsized, can kick and gets goals. He’s a much easier fit in most sides than Rowell. They don’t really belong in the same conversation
Rowell does not have the same flaw. The reason why Parish / Shiel / Merrett do not work is they are the same beast. Merrett has a bit more grunt than Parish and Shiel but they do not work as a trio because contested one on one footy is not their one wood. Rowell is miles in front of them at winning contested footy around the ground and is not too small at stoppage. That is a proven fact. He was 6th for stoppage wins in 2024. He does not have a flaw in that area.
You could easily Play Rowell / Merrett / Parish or Shiel and get results.

As for Reid JayJ20 said players "like" Reid and Rowell. It was not a comparison. Reid is elite because he can play forward / Back / Midfield. Rowell is elite because he is an elite contested ball winner. Reid will probably be better because he plays a few spots at a high level . Rowell is still an elite / proven midfielder.
 
Last edited:

Remove this Banner Ad

Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XII - 💰💰💰


Write your reply...

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top