Target Gaff &/or Dangerfield

You don't need picks to target free agents and that market is open to every club. The picks are good for attack on players too young for free agency - if we can convince them to join us then we have the ammo to deliver a trade. See Essendon last year with Josh Caddy - they couldn't get the job done with pick 19 in a weakened draft but our compo picks could do it. We will be competing with GWS (uncontracted player rules) and the other clubs who have mid 1st round compo picks in this market - Dogs and Geelong. We need to be pushing the "go home" factor - Gaff for example.

There's really 3 ways we can use them:

1. in the draft

2. trade into the GWS mini-draft (altho we refused to pay market value last year for Crouch and offer both)

3. trade for a pre-FA uncontracted player

I like plan 3 if we can identify the right player, I'd prefer that to more 17 or 18 yos.

Glad we didn't pay 'market value' for Crouch. IMO, 2 first-round picks for a 16-year-old is beyond ridiculous.

I'd imagine, given the drafting and trading on show last year, that plan 3 is the most likely. Target a 22-23 year-old pre-FA player, therefore locking them in until 30+.

Who that would be, I'm not entirely sure, I'd have to do some research into the matter, but it seems the most likely. Lock in a potential marquee player just before the Free Agency rules come in. Although if this is the case, salary cap pressure may come into play......

Glad we didn't pay 'market value' for Crouch. IMO, 2 first-round picks for a 16-year-old is beyond ridiculous.

I disagree if we think he'll be a star - I'd trade 2 mid 1st rounders for a top 3 pick in a heartbeat - but apparently the FD feel differently or felt too uncertain about his development.

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by old55

Glad we didn't pay 'market value' for Crouch. IMO, 2 first-round picks for a 16-year-old is beyond ridiculous.

Not really. I mean, we turned down something similar from Port for pick #2 back in 2009...and they were higher picks too.

Crouch isn't Trengove though...

I will try harder on my next attempt at humour.

i looked at it and wasnt completely sure, i have said previously i find it hard to read sarcasm on hear haha, even though i attempt it myself

Crouch isn't Trengove though...

He is very much a similar caliber player

It would be hard to go past activating both picks given the expected quality of the draft. However, we should hold off on a decision until other clubs with similar picks have stated their position. The mid round pick is the one you may want to hold back, as it could be well down the draft this year.

It would be hard to go past activating both picks given the expected quality of the draft. However, we should hold off on a decision until other clubs with similar picks have stated their position. The mid round pick is the one you may want to hold back, as it could be well down the draft this year.

We have to decide before the season starts.

Given Neeld's "I get one chance at this" and "... won't die wondering" philosophies, I doubt he'd leave our picks in the bank when they could be on the field in 2013. We'll use them to trade or draft the final pieces of the team that will hopefully take us into contention asap.

doesn't matter, Jack Viney coming in at whatever pick and he'll be equivalent of a top 3. and will slot straight in having done most of our pre season this year!

So apparently our compo picks have to be declared to be activated before the start of the season.

Was gonna say both picks until I saw this part, anyone got confirmation or a source for this? Seems a bit excessive to be forced to decide on the compo picks that early in the year.

If that's the case I'd say use the mid first round compo pick. It's such a rich draft and getting Viney with a first round pick is awesome... but to also get a guaranteed pick at 11 would be that much sweeter.

The other compo pick appears to be better saved. It's a lot more valuable depending on the current standing of the team in it's possession. I'm of the opinion we'll be playing finals this year and if that's the case, for a few more years after that. That pick becomes a lot more valuable to a team that's likely to still be around the bottom of the ladder next season (i.e GWS 2013) and would prove to be high currency on the trade table.

Edited February 2, 201213 yr by Deez Nutz

From http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=123360

For the selection to be activated for any of the years 2012-2015 in the NAB AFL Draft of that particular year' date=' Melbourne will be required to notify the AFL of its intention to use the selection by the last Tuesday of that particular year, prior to the start of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.[/quote']

The other compo pick appears to be better saved. It's a lot more valuable depending on the current standing of the team in it's possession. I'm of the opinion we'll be playing finals this year and if that's the case, for a few more years after that. That pick becomes a lot more valuable to a team that's likely to still be around the bottom of the ladder next season (i.e GWS 2013) and would prove to be high currency on the trade table.

It doesn't matter who possesses the pick, it is tied to the finishing position of the club that first recieved it.

The pick the crows recieved for Davis was traded to GWS for Crouch in the mini draft. This pick is still directly after the crows first pick even though GWS has it now.

If we trade our floating first round pick the other club still gets the pick after us. It holds no more value for lower placed clubs.

We'd be mad not to activate this pick asap. If everything goes to plan it will become less valuable each year.

I hope we activate both and use at least one, don't mind if we trade one, but Viney and another first rounder in a strong draft will help set us up long term.

I also don't like our chances of getting involved in the mini draft this year, especially if Port, GC or Bris get a PP. Pointy end picks are a lot more valuable than what we have to offer.

I disagree if we think he'll be a star - I'd trade 2 mid 1st rounders for a top 3 pick in a heartbeat - but apparently the FD feel differently or felt too uncertain about his development.

I would definitely trade both compo picks for pick one in GWS mini draft.

Ideally (although highly unlikely) trade 1 and a player for the mini draft (pick2) and the other & our 2nd round pick for Gaff. Imagine having JV & Gaff supplement our midfield in 2013 and another gun midfielder in 2014

Do we need to activate the picks to be able to trade them?

I'm of the opinion that there's no point drafting more kids and waiting. The rebuild is done, now we need to start pushing for success. We haven't played finals since 2006. That's the worst the club has performed in my lifetime, and it's finals this year and onward or we'll start becoming Richmond-like. We'll take Jack Viney with whatever pick necessary, but I think we should trade the compo picks and whatever necessary for a gun midfielder. Target Pendlebury, Deledio, Dangerfield.

Our forwardline and backline have lots of talent and competition for spots now, but our midfield severely lacks class, especially after losing $cully. It's so poor infact that last year it was ranked bottom 4 in pretty much all key statistics like Clearances, Inside 50s Against, Inside 50s For, 1st possessions, Contested possessions etc. Trengove aside, nobody else looks like an A-grader of the future. Gysberts has shown flashes, but other than that it is a bunch of workmen without the class to help them rise. We need midfield class. If we don't acquire more, we will never be successful.

Can anyone who went to the AGM recall if this was discussed at all? I cannot fathom why we would not activate them both this year. 3 first rounders (JV+2) in a deep draft at this point in our rebuild is invaluable. Like many others, I feel that we are severely lacking in the midfield department, and recruiting a few young guns will make our premiership push all the better.

Can anyone who went to the AGM recall if this was discussed at all? I cannot fathom why we would not activate them both this year. 3 first rounders (JV+2) in a deep draft at this point in our rebuild is invaluable. Like many others, I feel that we are severely lacking in the midfield department, and recruiting a few young guns will make our premiership push all the better.

It wasn't discussed at the AGM.

Do we need to activate the picks to be able to trade them?

I'm of the opinion that there's no point drafting more kids and waiting. The rebuild is done, now we need to start pushing for success. We haven't played finals since 2006. That's the worst the club has performed in my lifetime, and it's finals this year and onward or we'll start becoming Richmond-like. We'll take Jack Viney with whatever pick necessary, but I think we should trade the compo picks and whatever necessary for a gun midfielder. Target Pendlebury, Deledio, Dangerfield.

Our forwardline and backline have lots of talent and competition for spots now, but our midfield severely lacks class, especially after losing $cully. It's so poor infact that last year it was ranked bottom 4 in pretty much all key statistics like Clearances, Inside 50s Against, Inside 50s For, 1st possessions, Contested possessions etc. Trengove aside, nobody else looks like an A-grader of the future. Gysberts has shown flashes, but other than that it is a bunch of workmen without the class to help them rise. We need midfield class. If we don't acquire more, we will never be successful.

What if you can't get that trade?

I am all for spending the next trade week trying to offload these picks, but if we can't get a decent trade for them then we have to use them as they were intended.

It doesn't matter who possesses the pick, it is tied to the finishing position of the club that first recieved it.

The pick the crows recieved for Davis was traded to GWS for Crouch in the mini draft. This pick is still directly after the crows first pick even though GWS has it now.

If we trade our floating first round pick the other club still gets the pick after us. It holds no more value for lower placed clubs.

We'd be mad not to activate this pick asap. If everything goes to plan it will become less valuable each year.

I hope we activate both and use at least one, don't mind if we trade one, but Viney and another first rounder in a strong draft will help set us up long term.

I also don't like our chances of getting involved in the mini draft this year, especially if Port, GC or Bris get a PP. Pointy end picks are a lot more valuable than what we have to offer.

I stand corrected, didn't know about the picks being tied to the original club. Changes my vote to using both picks this year.

In such a strong draft, getting two definite first round picks along with Viney sounds almost too good to be true.

Can anyone who went to the AGM recall if this was discussed at all? I cannot fathom why we would not activate them both this year. 3 first rounders (JV+2) in a deep draft at this point in our rebuild is invaluable. Like many others, I feel that we are severely lacking in the midfield department, and recruiting a few young guns will make our premiership push all the better.

Do you play Poker by chance?

Do you play Poker by chance?

I'm no good at keeping my cards close to my chest

I'm no good at keeping my cards close to my chest

I'm no good at keeping my cards close to my chest ;)

we have to nominate both picks this year, imo. Purely because of the talent that will be available at this years draft.

We have 3 options available to us this year.

- Pick up JV along with another 2 quality kids

- Trade one or both picks away and bring in some quality players

- Trade picks into the mini draft for quality kids in the next years crop

We cannot lose with any option we choose. The only way we do lose is if we hold onto the picks, as we must surely commit to a group of players and then have a tilt at trying to win premierships (not be in constant re-build mode). This years draft is a bumper crop, we must take advantage. Also, given it is the first year without the draft being totally pillaged, other clubs might place even more value on high draft picks, possibly giving us a chance at quality players to further plug holes in our list.

Edited February 7, 201213 yr by Demon Disciple

If we trade our floating first round pick the other club still gets the pick after us. It holds no more value for lower placed clubs.

Yes - but it would hold more value for higher-placed clubs. Though I suspect that that's not where we'd be looking to draft from.

Agree with the rest of your post. I haven't seen any convincing arguments for hanging on to the picks. Or to put it another way, we have to participate in the draft, so I'd rather we were taking first-round picks than picks in the thirties and fifties.