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

[Mofra]

I always viewed Busslinger as a Jordan Ridley type, rather than someone who can play on the gorillas but I haven't seen as much of him this year as others.

His kicking is elite.

I did too in his draft year.
Watching him play at VFL level this year has completely changed my perspective.

 

[Foxman98]

As in we will get screwed?

Would be him/Geelong more like it

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Leaving us with absolutely **** all midfield depth

Do we really want to be playing Daniel in the middle anyway? As much as I love him I think it’s half back or nowhere for him and while Dale is there I’m not sure he can play half back for us.

Macrae I think still has a lot to offer in the midfield but he wasn’t getting time there even with Libba having a long stint out so I don’t think Bevo wants to see him back in there.

If Garcia were to leave to it really questions our midfield depth. Think Sanders and Gallagher should be more ready next season but they are still kids. Harmes the only experienced guy and don’t know if Bevo is that keen to put him in there either

 

[Sentinel]

Just came here to post very similar. The Bulldogs have now made an official request for the AFL to look further into the connection between Bailey and cotton on dating back to the original signing date. This will potentially blow up in a huge way with the potential for the club to take it further through the legal system not the AFL itself.
Law is not my area of expertise but essentially the belief is that Geelong have been paying Smith via a third party whilst he was under contract at the dogs in a sort of handshake deal that he would seek a trade at the end of the contract, thus breaking the terms of the contract. Things are going to get very, very messy.

We can trust that the AFL will undertake a full and proper investigation that will result in a positive finding for our side of the story given the evidence at hand.

Bulldogs 'troubled' by AFL probe into Talia brothers

Dogs harbour concerns over probe after ex-player cleared of leak

www.afl.com.au

 

[geoffjennings79]

This is great (being serious, not sarcastic). Blowing up the deal and exposing Geelong in particular as a club that many suspect of working outside the mandated salary cap to recruit and/or retain players, who play there for their 'love of the club' and the Bellarine.

It may backfire in that I'm not sure Smith has enough intestinal fortitude to deal with the controversy, given his mental health claims previously (I'm not disputing them btw, but if you engage and market yourself extensively as a 'brand', then things like suspect videos of you inhaling substances emerge, and you attend a game with players of a club you're apparently about to request a trade to, it's a bit rich(!) to throw up your arms and play the mental health card.)

I'm suggesting if the deal is compromised and trade potentially scuppered, he'd even walk away from footy and focus on his Cotton On/own brand, and develop that to its natural progression... appearing in B grade TV and/or B grade movies, as an 'actor'. And eventually, either that "I'm a celebrity " crap, or the dancing show.

Either way, if we don't get compensated but it f**ks up Geelong and Smith, I'm not averse to that outcome.

 

[Mofra]

Do we really want to be playing Daniel in the middle anyway? As much as I love him I think it’s half back or nowhere for him and while Dale is there I’m not sure he can play half back for us.

Macrae I think still has a lot to offer in the midfield but he wasn’t getting time there even with Libba having a long stint out so I don’t think Bevo wants to see him back in there.

If Garcia were to leave to it really questions our midfield depth. Think Sanders and Gallagher should be more ready next season but they are still kids. Harmes the only experienced guy and don’t know if Bevo is that keen to put him in there either

Cody & West to get the odd rotation as well?
It's not just the players we lose to trades we need to replace.
Libba looked really slow at the end of the year and is probably one concussion away from retirement. Fortunately Sanders is the ideal replacement

 

[Unorth]

If the blatantly obvious dodginess between Geelong, Cotton On and Baz is something we actually wanted to investigate, the AFL would not be the way to go. Would have to be external.

The Talia bros made this very obvious, AFL cannot be relied upon in these circumstances.

The AFL may want to keep it in house and under the rug while making sure Geelong pays a fair price to keep us quiet.

 

[Foxman98]

If the blatantly obvious dodginess between Geelong, Cotton On and Baz is something we actually wanted to investigate, the AFL would not be the way to go. Would have to be external.

The Talia bros made this very obvious, AFL cannot be relied upon in these circumstances.

The AFL may want to keep it in house and under the rug while making sure Geelong pays a fair price to keep us quiet.

Talia brothers no one else gave a shit is the issue,

This one the whole league will be up in arms against Geelongs bullshit

 

[Bazza28]

Could the deal with cotton on and knowing he would be requesting a trade to Geelong in the future have had an affect on his form in 2023 ?

 

[Mojorisin]

As in we will get screwed?

As in keeping things quiet.

We can trust that the AFL will undertake a full and proper investigation that will result in a positive finding for our side of the story given the evidence at hand.

Bulldogs 'troubled' by AFL probe into Talia brothers

Dogs harbour concerns over probe after ex-player cleared of leak

www.afl.com.au

The AFL already looked into Smith and cotton on giving there tick of approval in regards to the new deal with Geelong. The dogs have now asked them to look into the current deal with Cotton On related to the last two years. If they don't look properly it will end up in the courts.

 

[True Dog]

I’d say Macrae but probably close to a draw. Think at best you’re looking at a third rounder (Macrae maybe enough to get a future third as well), nothing significant.

I'd keep Macrae over CD if given the choice but admit they're close. I thought both were gifted contracts longer than I liked at the time. The game has gone to another level speed wise and there's less room to hide excess mids as part time forwards etc. We need to get more games into Sanders and hopefully Harmes can stay fit because as he can hit the score board.

 

[True Dog]

I did too in his draft year.
Watching him play at VFL level this year has completely changed my perspective.

He needs to play next year, thought there were oppurtunities this season for a game or two but it didn't seem to dent his confidence. Another full preseason and he should be cherry ripe. If we sleep on this kid for too long we'll only end up losing him. I'm very excited about his prospects.

 

[Bulldogs85]

This was Reported Gettable that we have internet in Xavier O’Halloran

 

[Pencil case]

This was Reported Gettable that we have internet in Xavier O’Halloran

Sounds like we’re replacing multiple AA players with VFL/depth players.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

Sounds like we’re replacing multiple AA players with VFL/depth players.

Macrae and Daniel’s AA accolades are about as relevant as Scott West and Brad Johnson’s. They’re not at that level anymore.

 

[Next Waiting]

We're shedding a lot of salary cap room. Something tells me that we are going for a big fish in the next 12 months.

Could we make it 1 month?

 

[ossie_21]

This was Reported Gettable that we have internet in Xavier O’Halloran

Xavier O’Http, welcome to the Kennel

 

[Deadly Darcy]

This was Reported Gettable that we have internet in Xavier O’Halloran

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

XO is a massive upgrade up VDM. Tackles, kicks goals, has speed. Hard to get a constant game at GWS when the best in the business in Daniels is there.

 

[Next Waiting]

So....................
Had a quick chin wag with player-manager mate this morning.

Off the grapevine, he has heard some interesting things re: Smith.

Connors specifically told Smith not to go to the Geelong prelim.

That photo of Smith sitting in the Geelong section next to the owners of Cotton On has not only pissed off Connors from a negotiation standpoint but has also raised a few more red flags at AFL house, a really, really bad look.

My mate reckons is this was messy before it's now gone up a notch.

The price of hubris. May many parties pay.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

As in keeping things quiet.


The AFL already looked into Smith and cotton on giving there tick of approval in regards to the new deal with Geelong. The dogs have now asked them to look into the current deal with Cotton On related to the last two years. If they don't look properly it will end up in the courts.

Cotton On also separately have deals with the AFL, including being the uniform supplier for all AFLW teams and additional merchandise (think our contract with Asics, but for all 18 AFLW clubs as a collective), plus other quite large general merchandise agreements for the clubs.

This could get messy and we'd be entirely justified going outside the AFL to investigate, given the AFL clearly has a conflict of interest here, given, you know, these arrangements.

 

[Randomthoughts]

If there’s a afl investigation does Geelong lift there offer to keep things calm . I suddenly feel more confident we may just get our two first round picks then I did before .

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Cotton On Products - Western Bulldogs Shop

shop.westernbulldogs.com.au

How long until this link mysteriously becomes unavailable

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Heard that the AFL have looked at the nature of Smith's work with Cotton On (is he actually providing the value he's getting paid for, not in the context of a trade but just generally the idea of the ASA and general salary cap investigations) well in advance of him even doing his ACL last year and in the early stages of this year, in addition to the media discussion about the nature of it this time around.

It wasn't guaranteed he would go to Geelong at that time (before Hawks realigned to pay more to Barrass and Battle to convince them to come across) but it does look very dodgy.

But according to some reports Geelong have been into him for two years, certainly a number of cat fans on their board has said this as well. That makes it 2022 when he became the Cotton On ambassador.

Interesting as that article by the Guardian a few weeks ago mentioned Emma Hawkins is a Cotton On ambassador, don’t you find that fishy?

 

[Deadly Darcy]

XO is a massive upgrade up VDM. Tackles, kicks goals, has speed. Hard to get a constant game at GWS when the best in the business in Daniels is there.

It’s just a change up in whipping boy if we swop them out. Would be list clogging. Much rather hit a late pick in the draft for any spot he would be taking.