Ron...we cant kick a winning score because we are the cellar dwellars of inside 50"s. We have any number of people capable of kicking a goal..it giving the opportunity.

The midfield is like a valve..ideally it promotes play in one direction whilst restraining it in the other. We sorta do neither currently.. its a bit of a void.. a nothingness out there. .As a result the defence is always under the pump , rather needlessly , save for a decent midfield.

Yes we will get an injection of talent this draft, but in the main aside from Viney nothing wil lbe ready to roll with any great impact. We need players NOW ( or start of 2013) . We cant keep waiting around for the next great thing to appear, evolve, impact. Its NOW time...stuff all this tomoorow sh!t !! We keep doing this and get absolutely f'n nowhere.

MFC..go get some READY players..as well as invest a litttle in the future..

Everyone here is in furious agreement about the state of our midfield. However, we should be able to address the midfield very effectively THIS draft period. I hope this will entail recruiting some very high quality junior mids and an established midfielder from another club.

However, we cannot kick a winning score at the moment. This is not only due to our poor midfield - it's due to the poor state of our forward line. For instance, I think we had more inside 50s than the Lions recently and got belted.

Mitch Clark has single handedly kept us in games this year. His absence has shown how important imposing talls are in a modern day forward line, and unfortunately also to our team in particular.

And that's why the club is having a red hot crack at getting Cloke. If we landed him, literally overnight we'd have one of the most dangerous forward lines in the competition.

But that doesn't mean the club won't also focus on the engine room.

It actually surprises me to see any debate on this. At all.

It sounds like your saying Watts won't develop into the Leadup forward we'd hoped for, & that Cook is way off the mark?

It sounds like your saying Watts won't develop into the Leadup forward we'd hoped for, & that Cook is way off the mark?

Rumplestiltskin!

Rumplestiltskin!

Rumplestiltskin??? elaborate.

you named the unnamable.

One interesting special variable this year in the Travis Boak story that works heavily in our favour is that if we bid against Geelong for Boak and offer Port a significantly better trade deal. If Port hangs tough with Boak and says go to Melbourne or go in the draft - if GWS finish last and Boak (out of contract) is picked by up them then Port get compensation picks. That makes it much more likely that Port would play hardball.

This rule was enacted to prevent uncontracted players going to GC or GWS via the draft, where they have all the early picks, and teams not getting any compensation.

Beams,Wellingham,Boak who would be the best pick up for our midfield come 2013.

If i had to pick one it would be Boak.

Edited July 13, 201213 yr by BIG JIM

Beams,Wellingham,Boak who would be the best pick up for our midfield come 2013.

If i had to pick one it would be Boak.

Wellingham? I can't understand why he is even mentioned. He's not in the top 5 mids at the Pies. He'd be worse than Heffernan.

Beams,Wellingham,Boak who would be the best pick up for our midfield come 2013.

If i had to pick one it would be Boak.

Beams for mine, not even close IMO.

Boak seems to be able to go inside & outside - very good in traffic, but real burst speed too.

Therefore he'd be a better option than a purely inside mid who would be competing for places with Jones, Gys, Jordie Mc, Magner, Couch, Moloney (if he stays) & hopefully JV.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/geelong-coach-chris-scott-heads-to-adelaide-to-speak-to-travis-boak/story-e6frf9jf-1226426461562

Geelong pulling out the big guns to convince Boak.

Doesn't sound like the decision has been made, to me.

But you'd think a move like this means it's not far off.

In any case, I have reconsidered my position and I don't think Boak is worth any more than our mid-compo pick.

After watching him again this weekend and listening to some expert's opinions, I think he's a B+ at best, and potentially an A, but far from a certainty.

Geelong only doing this because they know Dees can offer Boak a much better deal in terms of money and Port would want to deal with Dees because of what we can offer. Same goes with Caddy!!!

Geelong must be pretty desperate for him now after watching last night. They have no young mids, bar one, which show potential of becoming one of their current guns! Duncan will be decent, Christensen will be a gun and Smedts shows potential. Who else?

Edited July 15, 201213 yr by DEELIRIOUS

If we get something out of the Cats for this then we could be in dream land

What have they got to offer???????? Um........ Not much. all there players are old.

Everyone here is in furious agreement about the state of our midfield. However, we should be able to address the midfield very effectively THIS draft period. I hope this will entail recruiting some very high quality junior mids and an established midfielder from another club.

However, we cannot kick a winning score at the moment. This is not only due to our poor midfield - it's due to the poor state of our forward line. For instance, I think we had more inside 50s than the Lions recently and got belted.

Mitch Clark has single handedly kept us in games this year. His absence has shown how important imposing talls are in a modern day forward line, and unfortunately also to our team in particular.

And that's why the club is having a red hot crack at getting Cloke. If we landed him, literally overnight we'd have one of the most dangerous forward lines in the competition.

But that doesn't mean the club won't also focus on the engine room.

It actually surprises me to see any debate on this. At all.

Well Ron it's because I for one don't see it the same way as you for a number of reasons expressed in the Cloke thread so I won't go into them again and bore everyone here. I just don't see it being as clear cut as you, my opinion only, I may well be way off the mark but no one has convinced me to change it as of yet.

If we get something out of the Cats for this then we could be in dream land

Depends. Old blokes who are essentially at the end of the line, or even worse midgets need not apply. Geelong and others may try to overvalue those past 28. I really hope we don't fall for any of that with early picks. 2nd /3rd rounders maybe. Let's see what position we are in come trade time and if in a good place we might be able to have significant influence on the market. If it ends up with a major downside of either JV/Toumpas or JV/Grundy plus a first rounder for some one like Boak or Caddy I would be happy to be in that place.

I do like Boak but will play hard to get and has had injury issues this year. Can't help but think we would have to pay a premium for a player whose best form was 2 or 3 years ago.

What is Gaff's contract staus? We have inside grunt, we need outside spread with pace. Gaff is like Scully but he can hit a target. See also Toumpas.

I do like Boak but will play hard to get and has had injury issues this year. Can't help but think we would have to pay a premium for a player whose best form was 2 or 3 years ago.

What is Gaff's contract staus? We have inside grunt, we need outside spread with pace. Gaff is like Scully but he can hit a target. See also Toumpas.

He's 23!!! If his best form is behind him then I'd be very surprised. He should play at a high level for the next 5+ years and would make life a hell of a lot easier for Grimes, Trengove, Jones, Sylvia, Viney and McKenzie. Hey if we get Viney through to the second round then use pick 3 on a top line midfielder and trade the Scully picks for Boak all of a sudden we're looking at a proper young midfield.

If Port settled for the two compo picks then the big sticking point is cash, which in reality shouldn't be an issue depending on how much we've handed out to our underachievers like Davey. And I've got a great way to save some coin if we get Bock - pay Moloney a true rate for a battler of a midfielder who doesn't run hard enough if he's interested in sticking around.

No way would I want to use 4 and 12 on Boak. Total over-payment.

No way would I want to use 4 and 12 on Boak. Total over-payment.

What about 4&12 for 7?

What about 4&12 for 7?

Only if we get Boak as well! B)

What have they got to offer???????? Um........ Not much. all there players are old.

I'd take Motlop.

What about 4&12 for 7?

I would think overkill . He's no Judd or Ablett. Nonetheless sort of demonstrates a position. However if you shoot for the stars who knows you just might get there. Couple of those Swans midfielders looked ok today, how about one of the Swallows, Dangerfield or Sloan. Whats Griffin up too? Lets not muck around with the "B" graders.

He's 23!!! If his best form is behind him then I'd be very surprised. He should play at a high level for the next 5+ years and would make life a hell of a lot easier for Grimes, Trengove, Jones, Sylvia, Viney and McKenzie. Hey if we get Viney through to the second round then use pick 3 on a top line midfielder and trade the Scully picks for Boak all of a sudden we're looking at a proper young midfield.

If Port settled for the two compo picks then the big sticking point is cash, which in reality shouldn't be an issue depending on how much we've handed out to our underachievers like Davey. And I've got a great way to save some coin if we get Bock - pay Moloney a true rate for a battler of a midfielder who doesn't run hard enough if he's interested in sticking around.

It's just not worth the risk of Missing 2 top chances to unearth a Star , by giving them up for Boak...

I like Boak & pushed this bandwagon since last year, or the one before, saying we should charge hard at trying to make a deal with Port & Adelaide, for the 2 of them. Boak & Dangerfield...

But there's no way I'd want us to give even Pick 4, let alone both compo picks.