Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 7 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

[Mofra]

We’ve got to be in “war chest” territory don’t we? With Macrae and smith gone.

And Barrass money not taken

 

[adogsfan5]

Jesse Dattoli. Keep an eye on in the draft I’m hearing.

 

[Golden_6]

And Barrass money not taken

I think the Barrass money was simply the Smith money (and possible draft capital). I don't think we ever really intended to keep Smith.

Macrae will be a good chunk out of the cap but we might be better served arranging some contracts forward to ensure we definitely have enough for Darcy & Richards. You would have to think both would end up with significant rises. Darcy could be an additional $500-$600k we need to come up with.

 

[Doggies_13]

Our main growth next year or at least maintaining where we sat this year will be on the following guys taking a step forward after a solid preseason under their belts:
Busslinger
Freijah
Gallagher
Sanders
Darcy
A Jones
JUH
JOD
Croft

If these guys take a step forward it immensely improves our team.

However, if the following guys decline quickly or don’t recreate their form we are likely to tread water or go backwards, especially without improvement from the younger guys.
Libba
Duryea
L Jones
Treloar

We need to hit the draft and add midfielders for the future with our midfield aging, especially as we may have 3 mids out the door this off season.

The other areas I think that have been neglected recently are wingmen and that creative half forward type that makes others better and the forward line function better through their ability to find players inside 50.

 

[Hoges64]

Call me crazy for rookie-ing Brayden Preuss and playing him FF and relief ruck role in VFL, break glass in case of emergency for AFL if we deem Smith needs a few more years.

Can knock Timmy around at training, harden him up, teach Smith a few things, and actually give us a marking option at FF in the magoos while Croft goes down back to learn the craft down there.

Providing he's up for that role, anyway.

 

[Bald]

Call me crazy for rookie-ing Brayden Preuss and playing him FF and relief ruck role in VFL, break glass in case of emergency for AFL if we deem Smith needs a few more years.

Can knock Timmy around at training, harden him up, teach Smith a few things, and actually give us a marking option at FF in the magoos while Croft goes down back to learn the craft down there.

Providing he's up for that role, anyway.

You’re crazy. Would be a waste of a list spot in my opinion. He’s in a permanent state of injured.

 

[Mofra]

I think the Barrass money was simply the Smith money (and possible draft capital). I don't think we ever really intended to keep Smith.

Macrae will be a good chunk out of the cap but we might be better served arranging some contracts forward to ensure we definitely have enough for Darcy & Richards. You would have to think both would end up with significant rises. Darcy could be an additional $500-$600k we need to come up with.

Richards recently signed from memory

 

[ossie_21]

You’re crazy. Would be a waste of a list spot in my opinion. He’s in a permanent state of injured.

He’s been either injured or suspended 90% of the time over the last few years

 

[Hoges64]

You’re crazy. Would be a waste of a list spot in my opinion. He’s in a permanent state of injured.

Fair enough, didn't realise he was that "banged up", just assumed Briggs was ahead of him and he was playing magoos all year.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Call me crazy for rookie-ing Brayden Preuss and playing him FF and relief ruck role in VFL, break glass in case of emergency for AFL if we deem Smith needs a few more years.

Can knock Timmy around at training, harden him up, teach Smith a few things, and actually give us a marking option at FF in the magoos while Croft goes down back to learn the craft down there.

Providing he's up for that role, anyway.

My only pushback is that the only thing I want from the backup ruckman is durability because there is no point having them if they aren't available when you need them.

We do need a mature aged ruck pretty desperately. Smith showed some good signs this year but he is still years away from being ready and I don't want Lobb or Darcy being the number one ruck ever, we need them in other roles. Who knows who will be available for that though. Preuss might be the best of no other options.

 

[Golden_6]

Richards recently signed from memory

He's out of contract at the end of next year but from all reports is wanting to extend in the offseason. Nonetheless, he's going to demand a rise into that $700k+ bracket.

 

[Mojorisin]

He's out of contract at the end of next year but from all reports is wanting to extend in the offseason. Nonetheless, he's going to demand a rise into that $700k+ bracket.

Contracts for Richards and Darcy are well into negotiations, Bont will also get locked away soon.

 

[Bonty4]

Contracts for Richards and Darcy are well into negotiations, Bont will also get locked away soon.

Yep, all 3 going nowhere

 

[Next Waiting]

Boring times

Blessed is he/she who lives in boring times (NW circa 2024)

 

[Munnez]

It’s good that our much maligned ‘bottom 6’ is now more of a bottom two. In our final H&A season of 2022, we were playing Vdm, Roarke, Cordy, Gardner, McComb, and (inexplicably) the walking corpse of Josh Bruce. 2023, it was Baker, McLean, Poulter, Crozier, VDM, Scott.

Rightfully our last 6 or so picked in those two seasons was discussed a lot here. Looking back, it’s obvious why. Those players were either delisted/retired or are (except for VDM) out of the side altogether as of the conclusion of our 2024 season.

So as the side has gotten stronger we turn our attention to the two weakest players of our “best” side. VDM and McNeil. In a sense it’s a positive sign even if we do talk about these particular two players a lot.

Not sure anyone is blaming them entirely for the loss. Or saying they aren’t trying. It is true that our “top 6” deserve a lot of heat. Realistically though, those are not positions we can improve on. We can’t and obviously won’t replace Libba, Adz, Bont, Ed, Tim, Dale, Marra etc.

We can however replace the (harshly worded but true) replaceable players and hope to get more production out of those spots. No point hanging on about what they can’t do, we’re all well aware at this point. They are playing an unrewarding role as instructed and have gained the respect of the coaches. Fair enough. But they are also quite obviously the two positions with the most room for improvement for our round 1 side of 2025. And as of right now, aside from having hopes for AJ, they have zero competition. That’s probably why they get discussed a lot more.

Without jumping at shadows, let’s see what plays out, I’ll just say it should be concerning if the view is our preferred 2024 side is worth rolling back out in round one 2025. You might assume Sanders and Buss are in the side, at someone’s expense, but those aren’t positional weaknesses at all. There are positions of concern that have remained constant for a number of years now and Power needs to get on top of it. This is possibly the worst era to be sitting back and pinning hopes on fringe players developing into something more. It’s wide open and most good sides recognise that.

Not saying the solution is to go full Dodo and win trade week, but if we can pull off something even close to another Keath/Bruce deal - immediate upgrades in areas of need with established players - our chances of finishing top 4 (therefore winning a flag) go up dramatically given our best team is mostly pretty solid as is. Bruce and Keath didn’t get the accolades and wouldn’t be considered A graders by most but think about who they replaced and the impact that had. Rachele would probably be a good example of what we could do there.

Rachele would be a definite HHF upgrade if we could engineer a trade but that is highly unlikely to happen unfortunately. It is the most likely avenue for us to improve. Not even hardly a hint of us linked to anyone other than loosely to Houston

 

[Bald]

Fair enough, didn't realise he was that "banged up", just assumed Briggs was ahead of him and he was playing magoos all year.

Bro did a hamstring running onto the ground for a game.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Reports that Freo are open to trading one of their 3 (!) firsts for a next year's first to help them chase Warner next year. (If they can't get Bolton or Baker).

If we end up with Geelong's F1 we could offer that plus our F1 for their 9 or 10.

Or just one of them for their 17/18.

 

[Mojorisin]

Reports that Freo are open to trading one of their 3 (!) firsts for a next year's first to help them chase Warner next year. (If they can't get Bolton or Baker).

If we end up with Geelong's F1 we could offer that plus our F1 for their 9 or 10.

Or just one of them for their 17/18.

Every chance the cats pick could be earlier then 10. I'd rather roll the dice and stay in next years draft.

If we are targeting an earlier pick I'd be looking at 16 from the Lions.

 

[Doggy Dan]

Think it’s silly how players can requests trades while in contract in return for longer / better contracts. The only reasons contracts should be able to be broken by the player is if there has been a problem that can’t be resolved, a family matter meaning players need to move, a dispute about roles, etc.

I think the AFL should bring in a rule that no player trades can happen while under contract where the value of the contract is greater in $ value or term to the remaining contract at the incumbent club.

Barrass is a perfect example…….mate you signed the contract. If you want to move back to Melbourne for legit reasons that’s fair enough but the terms you move on can’t be better than the terms you’ve signed up for with your existing club.

 

[doggiesin08]

Think it’s silly how players can requests trades while in contract in return for longer / better contracts. The only reasons contracts should be able to be broken by the player is if there has been a problem that can’t be resolved, a family matter meaning players need to move, a dispute about roles, etc.

I think the AFL should bring in a rule that no player trades can happen while under contract where the value of the contract is greater in $ value or term to the remaining contract at the incumbent club.

Barrass is a perfect example…….mate you signed the contract. If you want to move back to Melbourne for legit reasons that’s fair enough but the terms you move on can’t be better than the terms you’ve signed up for with your existing club.

Why is this needed and what does it achieve? Barrass can ask but the Eagles can just hold on to him if they want, same as we can with Macrae.

 

[doggiesin08]

There's a reason McNeil and VDM get games - our three talla need to be supported by fast running, high tackling smalls. VDM and McNeil are playing that role better than the alternatives.

Owies isn't an upgrade on either for us.

Is it the 3 talls that necessitate this or the fact we always roll a HFF up to midfield? If we just play with 6 forwards might we not need to compromise the ability to kick a goal from 30m right in front for repeat sprint ability?

 

[Anja_Nees]

That's a few players, sadly. Marra a chief culprit

Regrettably the captain too.

 

[Doggy Dan]

Why is this needed and what does it achieve? Barrass can ask but the Eagles can just hold on to him if they want, same as we can with Macrae.

Macrae leaving is perfectly reasonable. Many players requests to move clubs while in contract are reasonable and should be facilitated. I don’t think that monetary gain or using an opposition clubs offer to gain leverage to renegotiate an existing contract is reasonable.

 

[Mojorisin]

Regrettably the captain too.

There aren't many on our list I'd be confident kicking a set shot 20 metres out, directly in front.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

You know you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel of defending VDM when you basically say his important role to the team is he occasionally runs fast. Much rather a guy who runs slower but can tackle and crumb goals than a guy who occasionally runs fast and that’s it.

It really doesn't have to be an either/or thing though. It can be both true that Vandermeer has severe limitations, but there's one element of his game (the often memed repeat sprint) that very few of our other players on our team have, and, structurally, you need a player capable of doing that on the field, otherwise you get overrun from opposition's full length ball movement, like we were several times in 2022.

We can certainly upgrade that position but the starting point would be a player who can run at least 95% as well as Vandermeer. That knocks out 85% of listed AFL footballers. 80% of that 15% would be better on the field than Vandermeer, it's just that zero of those players are currently on our list.