Player Watch Rookie Pick #45 (2015) - Dan Houston

[Mundusa]

All I'm hearing is conjecture and rumours

 

[Chewy316]

All I'm hearing is conjecture and rumours

Not a rumour. It's true.

The only reason it became public this early in the process was because Steve Silvagni tried to get Houston to the Saints. Houston and Jack Silvagni are good mates (ironically it was Jack's wedding where Dan met his now girlfriend), so Steve got word Dan was looking to come home to Victoria, so got in his manager's ear etc. His overtures were quickly (and quietly) rebuffed. Houston's manager is only negotiating with Melbourne. He's going to be a Demon assuming this goes through as expected.

Steve's got a big mouth and he opened it up to anyone in the media who would listen to him, journos did some digging and that's led us to this situation in terms of how the media have presented the story.

 

[Watto71]

Not a rumour. It's true.

The only reason it became public this early in the process was because Steve Silvagni tried to get Houston to the Saints. Houston and Jack Silvagni are good mates (ironically it was Jack's wedding where Dan met his now girlfriend), so Steve got word Dan was looking to come home to Victoria, so got in his manager's ear etc. His overtures were quickly (and quietly) rebuffed. Houston's manager is only negotiating with Melbourne. He's going to be a Demon assuming this goes through as expected.

Steve's got a big mouth and he opened it up to anyone in the media who would listen to him, journos did some digging and that's led us to this situation in terms of how the media have presented the story.

So how will the demons get us 2 1st
At the moment their 1st is pick 7
We would want more than pick 7

 

[HugeJohnson]

Win a premiership this year and everything changes.

 

[davesnothere]

So how will the demons get us 2 1st
At the moment their 1st is pick 7
We would want more than pick 7

It's likely crows are going to hand over their 1st rounder for Oliver that's currently pick 4.

That gives them 4 and 7.

Pick 4 probably gets the deal done ie. I'm not walking away from pick 4 in this draft.

If not pick 4 then pick 7 and next year's 1st which they are trading out anyway due to an academy player they have coming though.

If we get next year's 1st out of them we talk to Gold Coast about the picks they need to off load this year with their Academy players coming through. We should be able to do a swap there and Gold Coast bank their picks for next year and we take 1 or more of their picks into this year's.

 

[ctpower]

I expect them to get the two first rounders.

We’ve got a strong hand so it wouldn’t surprise me

 

[ctpower]

It's likely crows are going to hand over their 1st rounder for Oliver that's currently pick 4.

That gives them 4 and 7.

Pick 4 probably gets the deal done ie. I'm not walking away from pick 4 in this draft.

If not pick 4 then pick 7 and next year's 1st which they are trading out anyway due to an academy player they have coming though.

If we get next year's 1st out of them we talk to Gold Coast about the picks they need to off load this year with their Academy players coming through. We should be able to do a swap there and Gold Coast bank their picks for next year and we take 1 or more of their picks into this year's.

4 and 7 seems a bit too high.
I would have thought we could get two first two first rounders with one of those picks inside the top ten.

 

[bomberclifford]

Prepare yourselves to be disappointed.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Once again, big thank to Chewy for all of the intel.

Melbourne sent two first rounders to pick up Jake Lever

8

Jake Lever

Age

28

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.6

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

4.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.3

3star

MG

242.0

4star

D

9.6

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

3.1

2star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.3

2star

MG

145.4

3star

D

16.0

4star

K

11.0

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

6.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

189.8

4star

from Adelaide, one of which was a future pick.
They also got Steven May

1

Steven May

Age

32

Ht

193cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.5

3star

MG

307.3

4star

D

15.5

4star

K

12.1

5star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

0.5

1star

MG

378.4

5star

D

12.4

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.8

4star

and steak knives for Pick 6.

And while both of those guys were very good players, they weren't All-Australian. We should battle hard for 4 and 7 even if it means adding a bit to the pot as this type of opportunity to pick up two great young players in our premiership window doesn't come around every day.

If we got Smilie and Draper, they are so talented that they could easily play secondary type roles in the team from the get go. We could use Draper like Melbourne use Caleb Windsor up forward or he could even play on the wing with that pace of his. Smilie could start his AFL journey as the 3rd tall either up forward or down back. Lots of options.

The Melbourne List Management is a bit like our List Management Team in that they prefer to go after and possibly overpay for a player they are confident in getting that will greatly benefit their team and really lock down a spot.

I think the Melbourne rebuild to the 2021 Grand Final win is a thing of beauty.

They will know the value of Houston, pay well for it and swiftly move on to other targets.

 

[Portwon]

Yeah I get that it's a new generation and things might work a bit differently now but how is the culture not strong enough to retain him.

Prime age, Prime player.

Of all the shitful things that Kenny and Koch have done moving the culture from being about the club to being about Ken and being the good people's there is more to look for than football is the worst. Breaking that link to the real passion of the community.

Piss off to the player saying I love the club you don't. Even a bigger fu to the club for not maintaining the culture that already exists.

We move ever closer to cows lite where we don't hold onto Vic players.

 

[Duck Farmer]

Prepare yourselves to be disappointed.

We will swap him for Oliver and our future first.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Yeah I get that it's a new generation and things might work a bit differently now but how is the culture not strong enough to retain him.

Prime age, Prime player.

Of all the shitful things that Kenny and Koch have done moving the culture from being about the club to being about Ken and being the good people's there is more to look for than football is the worst. Breaking that link to the real passion of the community.

Piss off to the player saying I love the club you don't. Even a bigger fu to the club for not maintaining the culture that already exists.

We move ever closer to cows lite where we don't hold onto Vic players.

It is a tad concerning.

 

[Launchpad McQuack]

Chewy316 if Oliver is out of Melbourne any chance they would be interested in Wines?

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Chewy316 if Oliver is out of Melbourne any chance they would be interested in Wines?

That is some hot action there Quacker.

 

[JimmyBC]

Prepare yourselves to be disappointed.

12 years of experience in this let alone in my private life.. no sweat

 

[Chewy316]

So how will the demons get us 2 1st
At the moment their 1st is pick 7
We would want more than pick 7

Future picks can be traded. Doesn't have to be two 1st rounders in this year's draft.

Yeah I get that it's a new generation and things might work a bit differently now but how is the culture not strong enough to retain him.

Prime age, Prime player.

Of all the shitful things that Kenny and Koch have done moving the culture from being about the club to being about Ken and being the good people's there is more to look for than football is the worst. Breaking that link to the real passion of the community.

Piss off to the player saying I love the club you don't. Even a bigger fu to the club for not maintaining the culture that already exists.

We move ever closer to cows lite where we don't hold onto Vic players.

They've kept the majority of their Victorian players because they grew up in country regional areas. The Vic metro lads are always a threat to go home.

Trying to blame Koch and Hinkley for Dan wanting to go home is about as absurd a take as we will see this coming off-season.

Chewy316 if Oliver is out of Melbourne any chance they would be interested in Wines?

No idea. I personally think Oliver will stay at the Demons though.

 

[Portwon]

Love your work and your insight Chewy and no disrespect meant but...

Not blaming them for him wanting to go home. That pull is always there, always has been. but I am absolutely blaming them for changing the the culture of the club to where it becomes more likely that a player takes that option (and we more willingly accept).

 

[Steve Dore]

Is this different to the last time AA asked him? He sounds like he's reading Bergman's script.

I posted on Monday that Dan needed media training in how to deflect questions about his requesting a trade without having to lie. Appears he has now had that training.

 

[Gryllis]

We should battle hard for 4 and 7 even if it means adding a bit to the pot

I agree, we should be pushing that early in negotiations.

We won't get that, but we can't go in as the 'easy to deal with' club here. If Melbourne baulks at that, walk away and wait for them to come back to the table. Then just point to the 3 year contract and say we're happy to talk again next year if they're not willing to make a strong offer.

 

[TeeKray]

Getting 10 good years out of a rookie listed half back flanker and then trading him for 2 first round picks in his late 20s will be seen down the track as superb business IF we use those picks well.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Getting 10 good years out of a rookie listed half back flanker and then trading him for 2 first round picks in his late 20s will be seen down the track as superb business IF we use those picks well.

Right on. But even better, a rookie listed forward who we developed into an AA half back.

 

[Duck Farmer]

Right on. But even better, a rookie listed forward who we developed into an AA half back.

Not sure if our inability to develop forwards is "better".

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Not sure if our inability to develop forwards is "better".

You know what I meant, it's better than delisting him.

Not everything has to be a negative.

 

[Chewy316]

Love your work and your insight Chewy and no disrespect meant but...

Not blaming them for him wanting to go home. That pull is always there, always has been. but I am absolutely blaming them for changing the the culture of the club to where it becomes more likely that a player takes that option (and we more willingly accept).

You're making an assumption that the culture in place under Koch/Hinkley is a factor in players wanting to return home. However, how many players have left Port in the Koch/Hinkley era to return home compared to the decade prior? I'd suggest the numbers are fairly similar.

 

[Portwon]

I am sure someone who cares will look it up.

Not interested in an getting into an argument on an internet forum. I made my point.

I will leave it there and move on.