Rumour Bluemour Discussion XXXVI - 'Loopy' Season in full swing

[DEliades]

I’m guessing Sam Wicks from Sydney

 

[The Bighouse]

I’m guessing Sam Wicks from Sydney

For what?

 

[DEliades]

For what?

On our radar

 

[Brock Landers]

Pick 11 in my opinion should not be traded under any circumstance- the 2024 draft is potentially the last uncompromised draft for the next 3-4 years.

That pick should be used on the best available talent that the recruitment department has identified.

We need to as a club start looking within for improvement. Granted Houston is an A grade dependable half back flanker but do we sell the farm for an another HBF like we have previously done before all ie- Saad and Williams?

My personal opinion is that I would back Elijah Hollands to play that same Houston role. I genuinely think he has the skill set to be a dominant and creative rebounder across half back.

I would also be making contact with Luke Hodge and sending Hollands up to Brisbane for a block of the preseason ( assuming Hodge would be available/interested) to obtain exclusive 1 on 1 mentorship and positional coaching .


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

You'll be suprised. They will improve quickly with a midfield of Uniake, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Mckercher and Xerri for starters.

2009 - Murphy, Gibbs, Judd, Kreuzer, Walker, Yarran…….
Judd was 25, same age as LDU, the others 22 and under
You look at Norths forwards & backs……
I’d be surprised.

 

[carlton_99]

I’m guessing Sam Wicks from Sydney

Would be a very good get

 

[djw1952]

Houston can be a point of difference in the midfield

I agree that midfield should be the go for him, and as he has been All OZ at least twice he must have some talent!!! He is also the go to man that team mates dish the ball off to when he runs past, as he usually nails a goal due to his elite kicking and we could do with more of those I would think......but how do we trade for him without giving up pick 11, which like many others I want us to keep as we still need young talent from this draft pool.......

 

[Just Kreuzing]

I agree that midfield should be the go for him, and as he has been All OZ at least twice he must have some talent!!! He is also the go to man that team mates dish the ball off to when he runs past, as he usually nails a goal due to his elite kicking and we could do with more of those I would think......but how do we trade for him without giving up pick 11, which like many others I want us to keep as we still need young talent from this draft pool.......

F1 and anything we can get in from Owies & Kennedy trades all packaged together and sent to Richmond for one of their picks they will receive from the Bolton or Baker trades I am guessing or dealt directly to Freo maybe

 

[Arr0w]

I’m guessing Sam Wicks from Sydney

We were into him last year

 

[BigFrizz36]

Would be a very good get

If he can take heed of what the Georgia Sattelites said and keep his hands to himself.

 

[HarryFlashman]

Think Wicks would be a great get, good size (181) gets to the front, good goal sense, can snap from all over the place and set shot from 50 easily.

Don’t think he will be world beater day one but a definite forward upgrade on Fog (& before anyone starts - avg more tackles over the last 3 seasons than Fog).

IMO he is a small (but important) step in the right direction, would love to see a number of small improvements across the ground that makes us better as a whole

 

[Red Bull]

Think Wicks would be a great get, good size (181) gets to the front, good goal sense, can snap from all over the place and set shot from 50 easily.

Don’t think he will be world beater day one but a definite forward upgrade on Fog (& before anyone starts - avg more tackles over the last 3 seasons than Fog).

IMO he is a small (but important) step in the right direction, would love to see a number of small improvements across the ground that makes us better as a whole

But we love Fog … even though he can’t kick over a jam tin …

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Houston would be our #1 player in average metres gained per game @ 488m.
Our current #1 is Newman at 482m, then drops to Acres at 409m.
So ball movement will improve.

Houston ranks elite for:
Inside 50s @ 3.5
Effective kicks @ 13.6
Kicking efficiency @ 81.5%
Score involvements @ 4.9

So he will by far improve our ball movement and scoring ability. The question is at what cost?
But do I want him for the right price? Yes.

Houston doesn’t win the ball though and you can only play so many of those distributor types. He is clearly better than what we have so he would end up taking Newman’s role and Newman taking maybe Cowans role.

We would be better no doubt but I’d really only be comparing Houston’s output to Newman’s because no one else has been playing that role imo. Newman also a big upgrade on Cowan so that would be the flow on effect but Newman’s output would naturally go way down.

 

[Red Bull]

Think Wicks would be a great get, good size (181) gets to the front, good goal sense, can snap from all over the place and set shot from 50 easily.

Don’t think he will be world beater day one but a definite forward upgrade on Fog (& before anyone starts - avg more tackles over the last 3 seasons than Fog).

IMO he is a small (but important) step in the right direction, would love to see a number of small improvements across the ground that makes us better as a whole

Fogarty 25yo 180cm
70 games
25 goals

Wicks 25yo 181cm
66 games
44 goals

 

[HarryFlashman]

Fogarty 25yo 180cm
70 games
25 goals

Wicks 25yo 181cm
66 games
44 goals

Yep, ran a stats compare on both & the tackle numbers were interesting, 2 out of the last 3 seasons Wicks has avg more tackles.
His goal sense is spot on, can wheel and go from anywhere.

He’s a proper quick small forward, covers Fog & think he covers part of Owies going (for cheaper too).
Moir, Wicks & Motts/Durds is small/mid forward line with a bit of danger & pressure.

Throw in Kemp/JSOS as third tall and that’s pretty smart forward set up.

 

[GT619]

On our radar

he's hard to kill

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

Houston can be a point of difference in the midfield

In the midfield? Where he's never played? How many players we've all seen get utterly lost when they can't play behind the ball. Houston is a half back. He's never shown an ability to be a 360 degree player. I'd be annoyed if we plan to spend a high pick on someone over 25 who is unproven completely as a midfielder. If we want a point of difference in the middle there's a draft full of them. Or spend 11 on a midfielder elsewhere.

I wouldn't mind acquiring him for cheaper than 11 but I'm with others in that if the rating of Newman and his kicking is so damn high.... And gov.... And Boyd.... Why tf do we need another kick off HB? Paying pick 11 to get slightly better and slightly younger? So improving the team by maybe a percent overall whilst destroying cap flexibility aswell?? Or spending the pick on a position that'll actually just go from bad / terrible to good. Idk maybe SDK or the best available midfielder at 11. Or bundle F1 and 11 and go up and get a top 6 pick.

 

[RPCB]

Dan Houston: Hasn’t nominated a club

Jon Ralph a few hours later: Carlton have a plan to land Houston, but North have made a huge offer.

I am sure our ITK’s have said several times over the last few years that the AFL media print stuff to fill a quota. No doubt that is what Jon Ralph has done.

 

[RAPPA]

Yep, ran a stats compare on both & the tackle numbers were interesting, 2 out of the last 3 seasons Wicks has avg more tackles.
His goal sense is spot on, can wheel and go from anywhere.

He’s a proper quick small forward, covers Fog & think he covers part of Owies going (for cheaper too).
Moir, Wicks & Motts/Durds is small/mid forward line with a bit of danger & pressure.

Throw in Kemp/JSOS as third tall and that’s pretty smart forward set up.

I also like what Wicks would bring in terms of knowledge and craft learnt at Sydney alongside the firestarter Papley

 

[carlton_99]

In the midfield? Where he's never played?

He has played as a midfielder for Port before.

And I never said we should be using 11 for him either.

 

[agro]

In the midfield? Where he's never played? How many players we've all seen get utterly lost when they can't play behind the ball. Houston is a half back. He's never shown an ability to be a 360 degree player. I'd be annoyed if we plan to spend a high pick on someone over 25 who is unproven completely as a midfielder. If we want a point of difference in the middle there's a draft full of them. Or spend 11 on a midfielder elsewhere.

I wouldn't mind acquiring him for cheaper than 11 but I'm with others in that if the rating of Newman and his kicking is so damn high.... And gov.... And Boyd.... Why tf do we need another kick off HB? Paying pick 11 to get slightly better and slightly younger? So improving the team by maybe a percent overall whilst destroying cap flexibility aswell?? Or spending the pick on a position that'll actually just go from bad / terrible to good. Idk maybe SDK or the best available midfielder at 11. Or bundle F1 and 11 and go up and get a top 6 pick.

Having seen Sydney surgically dismantle sides with their pin point passes - I’d suggest you can’t have too many elite kicks in your side.

 

[bigblueboy]

Hope Austin has multiple options and doesn’t get fixated on one player like SOS used to…

Not sure Austin is the one fixated on Houston.

 

[BlueTongue]

Not sure Austin is the one fixated on Houston.

Yes, indeed. it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Having seen Sydney surgically dismantle sides with their pin point passes - I’d suggest you can’t have too many elite kicks in your side.

They are the best at it. They wait and move it around executing as the lead up player is available. Key here is 'lead up player', as they keep creating space for each other.

 

[Crippa#9]

Hope Austin has multiple options and doesn’t get fixated on one player like SOS used to…

I just hope Austin & Voss are completely aligned with their view on Houston.

In other words, hoping it's not just Voss driving this simply because he's had a relationship with Dan in the past.

I'm all for bringing Houston in providing the LM team are 100% on board. Austin should be the one making the final call really.

This is where having Brian Cook as a voice of reason and experience is invaluable.