is there any chance we could trade players (eg rivers, gysberts & or any draft pics) to get vardy from the cats?

i heard they need a defender to replace scarlett and that the cats have expressed some interest in developing gysberts.

was hoping we would draft him a few years back, but instead we went for gawn and fitzpatrick, who both have had thier injury troubles but dont really look like natural footballers, and often look awkward playing.

i know he has had an injury trouble, but i think vardy would be an excelent inclusion into our forward line, and would be handy as a back up ruckman. at 198cm he moves exceptionally well, has good attack on the ball, is a solid grab, a good shot on goal, and for a young KPP has a real presence.

Not sure of his situation at the cats, is there any chance they would let him go or that we could grab him?

Is Chapman still available for a 2 yaer deal?

Stef to the Pies?

Love a 2nd rounder for him.

Steph to the Pies A resurgent Dawes to the Dees?

Steph to the Pies A resurgent Dawes to the Dees?

Wouldn't be surprised by this, was thinking the same thing.

Wouldn't be surprised by this, was thinking the same thing.

This is a real chance I reckon.

I am hearing Mitch Brown also.

BUMP.

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/players/playerprofile/mitchbrown/tabid/7302/playerid/15318/category/senior/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx

I'm assuming this Mitch Brown?

Would be cheap. Could he be our answer at CHF. I'm hearing that he's very keen to return to Victoria.

He along with Gumbleton, Cornelius and Geelong's Mitch Brown would all have to be reasonable candidates I would have thought?

BUMP.

http://www.westcoast...io/default.aspx

I'm assuming this Mitch Brown?

Would be cheap. Could he be our answer at CHF. I'm hearing that he's very keen to return to Victoria.

He along with Gumbleton, Cornelius and Geelong's Mitch Brown would all have to be reasonable candidates I would have thought?

Mitch Brown = Spud!

BUMP.

http://www.westcoast...io/default.aspx

I'm assuming this Mitch Brown?

Would be cheap. Could he be our answer at CHF. I'm hearing that he's very keen to return to Victoria.

He along with Gumbleton, Cornelius and Geelong's Mitch Brown would all have to be reasonable candidates I would have thought?

He has averaged 8 games a year in his 6 years.

What basis is Stringer considered to be such a high pick? his U18 championship stats appeared very average, not sure if he averaged more than 10 disposals for the whole championships. How is he considered to be a top 10 draft pick even top 20 on the basis of one TAC game?

Because his under age year had him rated as potentially the best player in the country, he broke his leg badly, google the picture if you want to see it is sickening. Selwood dropped due to injury and came in straight away for Geelong. these players who are so highly rated dont just lose the talent, eg Darling had a bad second year at 18's.

He can play forward and kick bags, or midfield and use his size and strength to dominate. He is the most Pavlich type player since Pavlich.

He is sliding because many teams dont have the luxury to risk him super early. i dont think us or the dogs can afford to gamble in the top 6, and then other teams just outside the 8 will become more interested. If we let Grundy slip then he will be taken by Port. If he slips to pick 12 he will be well worth the risk, but i think Saints, carlton or Richmond will take him before then....

I have a inkling that some of whom we might target are from the top 8 lists. Their priority is finals currently so anything the club is doing is very much purely at the 'enquiry to manager' level. As teams drop out it becomes more of an open slather.

I feel the club will just have to get very creative and look deeper at the other comps for any "inspired" picks should littel surface from the AFL.

We dont need names, or stars, just players who can do a role to a good standard.

I'm with you mate, Magna was a good pick up and his been looked over for years.

I did hear Neeld say in an interview that he was trying to trade like the moive money ball.

Cheep players who can do the job, the swans have been doing it for years and there always in the finals.

Your a mad dog Hells Gates, Thanks for the info.

I think half of the supporters on here think they could do a better job then anybody at MFC.

Just let the club do there job and let's see what happens.

Can't wait till October now.

I'm with you mate, Magna was a good pick up and his been looked over for years.

I did hear Neeld say in an interview that he was trying to trade like the moive money ball.

Cheep players who can do the job, the swans have been doing it for years and there always in the finals.

The Sydney/Moneyball approach is pretty popular right now but I struggle to understand the comparison with Melbourne. When people suggest we follow the Sydney model they rarely mention that Sydney has always had some genuine stars - Lockett, Kelly, O'Loughlin, Hall, O'Keefe and Goodes over the past decade. We haven't had a single player better than any of these six during that time. You could perhaps argue Neitz over O'Keefe or O'Loughlin but in terms of their position, they were elite. Having 2 - 3 genuine stars of the competition is the foundation upon which premierships are built.

Most of the current stars of the game come from the top end of the draft. Of the newcomers this year to the All-Australian team, four were father/sons (Hawkins, Dempster, Kennedy and Watson). Hawkins in particular was billed as a potential number 1 draft pick. Nine of the remaining eleven (Dangerfield, Thompson, Naitanui, Rioli, Waters, McPharlin, Birchall, Cotchin and Deledio( were all first round selections. Of the remaining newcomers, Beams and Richards were second rounders.

It is essential that we continue to trust the first round of the National Draft until we find the 2 - 3 stars that we crave. Obviously there is a role for recycled players and the All-Australian team with Richards, Dempster and Kennedy confirms that but history shows that these players can be obtained outside of the top 20. Kennedy and McGlynn were gained by giving up picks 39, 46 and 70. Richards was a little more expensive costing pick 19 and 50.The Saints got Schneider and Dempster with pick 26.

Talk of giving up our first three picks worries me. We've been burnt over the past decade but we've got to keep going to the well until we find our next Robbie Flower.

If we nab Viney in the second round and secure 3 very very good players in the first round and find a Jeremy Howe-like rough diamond later in the draft we'll be well on the way. A Josh Kennedy trade would be pretty handy just about now as would a Michael Barlow style mature age recruit. Let's hope the end of 2012 will be talked about in the future as the year we put together the magnificent 7. If we have any less than 7 new players in our team over the first half of next year, I'll be disappointed.

BH it looks like you said pretty much the same thing on a different thread 5 minutes before me.

The Sydney/Moneyball approach is pretty popular right now but I struggle to understand the comparison with Melbourne. When people suggest we follow the Sydney model they rarely mention that Sydney has always had some genuine stars - Lockett, Kelly, O'Loughlin, Hall, O'Keefe and Goodes over the past decade. We haven't had a single player better than any of these six during that time. You could perhaps argue Neitz over O'Keefe or O'Loughlin but in terms of their position, they were elite. Having 2 - 3 genuine stars of the competition is the foundation upon which premierships are built.

I agree. It's all about stars, which is what Dr Who fails to appreciate. You don't develop stars, you draft them. I'm not saying that you don't fast track them, that you don't improve them, but genuine stars will be a star at every club. They may make the transition quicker at a better club, due to the senior players around them, but stars are stars. Robbie was a star in crap teams. He was a star because he was a star. Lockett was a star because he was a star. The Saints got lucky.

I'll repeat what CAC said to me in 2006, which is just as pertinent now and will be in 50 years time. It also sums up what you're saying about Sydney and stars:

"It was also to emphasise your point that finding a star is more important than having the numbers right. Adelaide have the second worst record of all clubs in the National Draft between 1997 and 2003. Not just overall but also in top 10 and first round selections. They survive and play finals based on a handful of residual stars. Stars that came to them through odd means. Zone selections and in the case of Goodwin a pre season draft."

I've been banging on about stars on here for 10 years. Many don't get it and never will.

He has averaged 8 games a year in his 6 years.

Could be a decent backup plan if Rivers leaves