http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tall-order-for-tigers-20110711-1has9.html

I thought they might come sniffing around big Maxy!

Heh. I know everyone has their price, but I'd price Gawn out of their reach. Too important to our future side.

We won't trade Gawn unless it is for something well over the odds for a 19 year old ruckman. i.e. to get it done they would need to be offering more than they want to offer (good players, top 10 picks etc).

I am concerned however because we need to find a way to get all three big men regular games over the coming 3 years. When White was our number 1 ruck, we lost Jolly and Simmonds, fair enough too, neither was as good as White at the time, and both wanted to be a number one ruck, but when White left we had lost our replacements and that hurt us for a while. With Jamar turning 28 next month, we have to balance the three ruckmen for about 3 years.

Does anyone think that Martin and Gawn could step up together in the next couple of years? Due to their age I wouldn't want to lose either of them. If we had to lose a ruckman I am wondering if we would be better off trading Jamar. He is more valuable than either of the others, but he will be at least 30 before we are genuine premiership threats. Our young list will hopefully have a 3-5 year window but Jamar may only be there for the start of it. If we lost Gawn/Martin now and then lost Jamar in the early part of our window we would be needing to trade for a ruckman. If we traded Jamar now or next year we may get some very good returns and be able to keep the younger ruckmen who we will need later.

I suggest the big question here is: will Jamar be around long enough to be part of our premiership window AND during that window, do we anticipate that the development of Gawn/Martin will be such that Jamar is not as important as he is now?

I suppose the other question is, if we trade Jamar are we effectively trading Moloney as well!

Ironically this is where GWS and GC work to our advantage - there's no way a quality player can get to Richmond via the draft past GWS and GC who can easily match any contract stipulation. That means there'd have to be a trade and it would have to be heavily weighted in our favour. I'm not for one second suggesting we trade Max Gawn - we should retain him and we have some protection to do so.

The Tiges won't be the only ones who will have taken notice. Young ruckmen are a prized commodity. Quite a few in recent years have been pried from thier clubs with the lure of the first ruck spot at another club. Warnock, Mumford etc.

Still I think both club and player are happy with what they have.

I suggest the big question here is: will Jamar be around long enough to be part of our premiership window AND during that window, do we anticipate that the development of Gawn/Martin will be such that Jamar is not as important as he is now?

Good post. I think Jamar - Gawn have just about the perfect age difference for transition. We've got them out of contract in alternating years so that's handy. I expect that we can sign Max for 2 years to end of 2013. Mark will have just turned 29 and will be an unrestricted FA target at the end of 2012 - that's when it starts to get interesting. There's Spencil in the mix too - he has been developing nicely up to his knee injury.

Lets trade Gawn for Miller.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tall-order-for-tigers-20110711-1has9.html

I thought they might come sniffing around big Maxy!

Probably not the only club that would be interested ...

Really not worried about trying to fit all 3 (Martin, Jamar and Gawn) into our future line-up. By the time Gawn reaches his peak, Jamar will most likely be in his 30's and will probably be spending a lot more time up forward.

All 3 have proven to be quite versatile, playing roles up forward and in Martin's case, down back.

Richmond would have to trade to ensure he doesn't fall to another club (GWS particularly) in the draft - but what in the world would they offer us? The stuff i'd want is from their midfield or Jack Riewoldt, and they aren't going to be trading any of that.

Richmond would have to trade to ensure he doesn't fall to another club (GWS particularly) in the draft - but what in the world would they offer us? The stuff i'd want is from their midfield or Jack Riewoldt, and they aren't going to be trading any of that.

What they could offer that we'd take:

- Delidio

- Martin

- Cotchin

- Vickery

- Riewoldt

That's it really. We don't want picks in this year's draft - unless Richmond really stuff it up they're going to be late first round, and this is a spud draft beyond the top echelon by all reports.

I'd suggest Carlton are a better bet. That, or (assuming we delist him) taking a Robbie Campbell, something like that.

Lets trade Gawn for Miller.

I lol'd.

They can have Spencer for a 1st round pick

They can have Spencer for a 1st round pick

Something (or someone) has gotta give.

Jamar, Martin, Gawn, and Spencer are a good group but we might have to decide who we move on because Jamar will be around for a few years yet and Martin is looking like he will too, Gawn or Spencer may see some time but not both.

They can have Spencer for a 1st round pick

beat me to it..!!

Unusual for us to think alike ..but footy 's a funny game

at worse a high to mid 2ND maybe. Certainly worth puttinig the notion to teh test youd think.

Something (or someone) has gotta give.

Jamar, Martin, Gawn, and Spencer are a good group but we might have to decide who we move on because Jamar will be around for a few years yet and Martin is looking like he will too, Gawn or Spencer may see some time but not both.

I completely agree, so I think we should be looking to see what we can get for Spencer.

As much as I think he'll be a good ruckman eventually, I think Gawn will be better and is the keeper of the 2.

It's a shame Spencer is coming off an injury, in a way, because I think it will lower his value on the open market.

We just have to hope other teams noticed him and that they have long memories.

Teams who'd be looking at ruckmen, imo: Port Adelaide, Adelaide, GWS, Richmond.

The substitute rule seems to have been hard on ruckmen, so I'd think Geelong, St Kilda and Hawthorn would also be keeping an eye out for a good deal on a ruckman.

It's a shame Spencer is coming off an injury, in a way, because I think it will lower his value on the open market.

Hence my suggestion a rnd 2 pick might be more to someones taste.

Gawns improvement this year I would have thought is further down the track than wed really dare to imagine.

Spencer m,ight just be a victim of unfortunate circumstances... 4 into 3 wont go...as it were

Ironically this is where GWS and GC work to our advantage - there's no way a quality player can get to Richmond via the draft past GWS and GC who can easily match any contract stipulation. That means there'd have to be a trade and it would have to be heavily weighted in our favour. I'm not for one second suggesting we trade Max Gawn - we should retain him and we have some protection to do so.

I would have thought Port where more our saviours here, they have been more than vocal about their needs. You would think GWS will be targeting somebody much higher up the scale .... but you couldn't discount them considering him for the number 2 spot.

IMHO GC are not interested in Ruckmen they are more than well covered.

I'm happy for both to stay on the list for another year, so Spencer can show what he's got in the VFL.

I think he'll perform better as a ruckman than Gawn next year anyway.

He'll be more physically developed for a start.

The thing with waiting for next year before cashing in on the value of our surplus ruck stocks, is that not only would Spencer raise his value by playing next season, but also that a 1st round pick this year would probably be an early-to-mid 2nd round pick next year (depending on where the team finishes). If that makes sense.

Only thing I worry about, is that these teams needing ruckmen might fill those voids in the meantime.

I think we should strike while the iron's hot.

Hence my suggestion a rnd 2 pick might be more to someones taste.

Gawns improvement this year I would have thought is further down the track than wed really dare to imagine.

Spencer m,ight just be a victim of unfortunate circumstances... 4 into 3 wont go...as it were

Has Spencer got a contract? That might be the "tricky" thing to overcome. He has to want to go.

I'm happy for both to stay on the list for another year, so Spencer can show what he's got in the VFL.

I think he'll perform better as a ruckman than Gawn next year anyway.

He'll be more physically developed for a start.

The thing with waiting for next year before cashing in on the value of our surplus ruck stocks, is that not only would Spencer raise his value by playing next season, but also that a 1st round pick this year would probably be an early-to-mid 2nd round pick next year (depending on where the team finishes). If that makes sense.

Only thing I worry about, is that these teams needing ruckmen might fill those voids in the meantime.

I think we should strike while the iron's hot.

Probably optimum .... but do we have that luxury? Its going to be tough come September.

Has Spencer got a contract? That might be the "tricky" thing to overcome. He has to want to go.

" Look Son.. you're gunna be 4th choice going forward. Your AFL match payments will refect this...or you can maybe get the 2nd man gig at...( insert club )"

not so tricky really

Spencer in 2 years could be a quality 1st choice ruckman imho.

Unless he's stupid (<insert standard ruckman joke here>) he'll be able to read the writing that is faintly appearing on the wall...

" Look Son.. you're gunna be 4th choice going forward. Your AFL match payments will refect this...or you can maybe get the 2nd man gig at...( insert club )"

not so tricky really

Yeah but does ( insert club ) want him? Plus do they want to pay the price you want?

I'm I helping you out here .... or are you helping me out?

Spencer in 2 years could be a quality 1st choice ruckman imho.

Unless he's stupid (<insert standard ruckman joke here>) he'll be able to read the writing that is faintly appearing on the wall...

Contradiction in statements. If you do think he is a 1st choice ruckman .... why are you wanting to off laod him?

You can think what you want ... its not what we think thats important in this debate.

If you do think Spencer is a 1st choice ruckman ... you keep him then.

I'm more interested in Gawn ... you cant have two first choices can you? Not with the modern sub-rule. But if you want to talk Jamar & Martin ... geez I will listen too.