Can't trade Fitzy or Dawes. Apart from both being required players we need to build a sense of camaraderie and esprit de corps. One positive about the Neeld era is that all the drama an angst may help build unity and team cohesiveness - been through the bad times together and come out the other side together.

I know trading is inevitable but i'd really love them to not cut required players in the hope of getting better players in. Its a fools paradise. If they do need to trade players i'd hope it is more the win win type of trade. For example there is a real risk Jamar may end up playing a fair bit of VFL next year if Gawn, Fitzy and Spencer continue to develop. If that's the case perhaps he'd prefer playing senior footy with GWS who are in desperate need of a seasoned ruckman and may be prepared to trade a mid (eg Adams) for him.

That said he is long term dees player and it would be a shame for him not remain a dee and be a one club player. As someone else noted perhaps he also might improve with the Neeld yoke removed.

I have also considered your argument that we should trade a KPF for a mid. My view is not this season. Lets see how everything pans out after next season and if we truly have too many high quality KPF than lets look at trading one for a mid at the end of 2014. With better supply next season surely we will get better value then.

We have our long awaited bullocking FF and we trade him because Hogan may be better than him, and Fitzpatrick and Watts may continue their recent good form?

I am all for being ruthless to get a decent midfield but I would be looking at players we didn't just bring in who have delivered and are leaders.

Too many sept away by promise.

Dawes is. Hogan will be. And Watts and Fitz may be.

You trade the latter group.

Next idea please.......

Firstly, I believe that the best forward setups going forward will probably tend to include two gun KPF and a mobile third tall. It is also important to have a genuine key forward that can play as second ruck within this mix. Surrounding the KPF needs to be a mix of midfielders or crumbers (and I think Carlton has shown you cannot really have three crumbers). This type of setup provides enough space for the big forwards to operate and ensures enough forward pressure is able to be applied when the ball hits the ground.

At present our midfield is stuck in the Third World and we have an abundance of KPFs which we won’t be able to fit all into the one side. While many will consider our depth in this area to be a good thing, I think we also have to consider the option of trading out a KPF at the end of the year in order to boost our midfield. And this is before any potential Priority Pick #1, which would likely be used on Tom Boyd if it is kept by MFC, because by reports Boyd is the standout #1 in the draft pool. However, a problem we would face with this approach is that most of our key forwards would not reap there full market value at the trade table at this point in time. This is where I see our KPFs currently at:

• Mitch Clark is coming off a bad injury and therefore would not be in high demand. And I doubt we would want to ever trade him if he can get back to fitness. A fully fit Clark also provides some flexibility because he can play in the ruck.
• Jesse Hogan looks to be a genuine top 10 AFL player of the near future and will play immediately next year. He is the most valuable player on our list and is untradeable.
• Jack Watts is finally starting to show his ability at AFL level. Watts has some versatility, in that he can play forward and back (as well as potentially on the wing), but I think he is likely to play his to play his best footy as a third tall forward. I am pretty confident that Watts will improve as he gets stronger/older and I don’t think we would get his full worth at the trade table at this point in time.
• Jeremy Howe also has some versatility in that he can play through the midfield as well as forward. With his marking ability, however, he is really best suited to playing in the forward line. We may get somewhere near Howe’s value if we put him up for trade.
• Jack Fitzpatrick is a long-term project who is starting to show some good signs. Fitzpatrick is also flexible in that he can play as a second ruckman. I think Fitzpatrick has a lot of talent given his pace and size, so I would be reluctant to trade him at such a young age in the absence of an exceptional offer. We won’t get anywhere near good value in a Fitzpatrick trade unless he continues his recent good form for the rest of the year anyhow.
• Provided Max Gawn can stay fit he will likely be our first choice ruckman going forward. Gawn doesn’t have the biggest tank and has shown ability to play as a deep forward. While his ability to play on the ball will improve with a good preseason, I still think he will have to spend good periods ‘resting’ in the forward line next year.
• Chris Dawes is our least flexible key forward in terms of position (possibly along with Hogan) and he has shown that he is not really able to play as a second ruckman. Dawes displays strong leadership and his form has improved since transferring from Collingwood. Dawes is reasonably mobile for a man his size, he takes a few paces to get going and is no Lance Franklin in terms of forward pressure. Dawes trade value has potentially improved with his form since last year. Dawes is 25, so is approaching the peak of his powers. He also commands a high salary/level of salary cap space.

Given this summation of our position, I feel we may have to consider trading Dawes at year end. While this move would be highly unpopular, it may also significantly improve our team, particularly in three years when we hope to become a contender. Carlton, Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Bulldogs are crying out for a KPF at the moment. Some potential trades could be:

1. Dawes + #20 + #40 -> Bryce Gibbs + #50
2. Dawes -> Pearce Hanley
3. Dawes -> Tom Liberatore
4. Dawes + #20 -> David Swallow

I am not strongly advocating this move and the trade would have to be fair, but I think it may be necessary to improve our chances in the future.

Edited July 10, 201312 yr by dazzledavey36

Apart from his energy and aggression, and of course his ability to bring those around him into the game, the (almost) intangible thing he brings is his leadership, and that can't be underestimated.

Dawes is not just a forward mate, hes a pretty good leader, of which we are pretty thin on the ground for.

Valid point regarding the abundance of talls, although not Dawes. Keep playing Fitzpatrick, get his reputation up and trade him to one of the clubs in the Boyd market (who lose of course). He won't make the final 22 next year with all those forwards listed (when Clark and Hogan come in).

Wanting to trade Fitzy who will be impossible to match up on in a year or two is as nonsensical as wanting to trade Dawes

This is an excellent idea... No one will say, ever.

I especially like the idea of the Doggies trading their only bonafide, guaranteed young gun, not to mention the son of a club legend, for a key forward that kicks 2 goals a game. That'll happen.

A lot of people did not want Dawes to come this season. He's pretty much won over everyone with his leadership and commitment, not to mention he's playing some very good football.

Trading him would be one of the all time blunders and you would kiss goodbye any loyalty to this club for a long time.

Cool thread.

The reason why Jack Watts is starting to play some good football is because Chris Dawes is in the side. Since returning from Injury Jack has kicked 10 goals in 5 matches, the only game he didn't kick a goal was against Collingwood, Chris Dawes was injured against Collingwood leave Jack as our main forward. Dawes and Clark allow Hogan, Watts, Howe to get the 3rd, 4th, 5th defender, they may be able to shut one or two down but we have 5 players that can kick a bag of goals, add in Fitzy 6.

If we made this trade, it'd mean I'd never get to see this forward line:

HF Watts Fitz Hogan

FF Dawes Clark Howe

Sure, it's ridiculously top-heavy ... but I can't be the only one who wants to see the looks on the faces of the opposition's back 6 when these bad mofo's walk down at the start of the game.

Edited July 10, 201312 yr by bananas

Forward Line -

Watts / Dawes / Howe

Fitzy (rest Ruck / HFF) / Hogan / Blease

Ruck - Gawn

Ruck Rover - Mitch...

Problem solved...

KEEP EM ALL!!!!

Imagine rotating Mitch, Watts, Blease from forward line to the wing.

We would cause all sorts of havoc with Hogan, Dawes, and Fitzy in the forward 50 as well.

Close thread and delete...

maybe administrators should learn from Bomberblitz how to control a site.

While they go to Big Brother thought control extremes.... we could at least kill the blatantly suicidal threads

Wow!

You got more love with your 'Sack Neeld' threads FT.

Bad luck mate, that was a really thought out, considered post.

Sometimes, though, I really think some posters on here must just be sitting around all day with their [censored] in their hand. Seriously.

I think it is fair to say this thread has not been well received by the community

Why do so many on DL want to make nonsensical trade. Dawes and draft pics for Gibbs. Someone threw Watts or Fizpatrick for Yarran. Total joke. Regardless of who coaches in 2014, they will keep as many of the talks as possible. The guys who could be looking for a new home are Spencer and Jamar. The rest we keep.

When you've got a high quality, hard working and responsible CHF/FF, hold onto them with both hands.

I see where you're coming from and it is an odd thing to suddenly be looking at having more key forwards than we seem to have space for, but that's not a problem I will complain about!

Both Clark and Dawes would be glad for the list depth to mean that they don't have to risk exacerbating injuries or overusing sore spots to fill any desperate structural holes.

Also, Hogan, for all that he has been hired by Volkswagon to eat returned Golfs, will still only be a teenager next year. For sure he will play games very early but not all of them.

Clarke, Dawes, Hogan, Watts, how we suffer.

Gawn and Fitzpatrick, how we suffer.

Frawley, Garland, McDonald, how we suffer.

We've got the best young team of over-190cm players going around!

Time to build the short-4rse army to go with it!

Think Fat Tony needs to Diet

come on man

this clubs been crying out for true leaders for years. We finally get one and you wanna trade him after 1 season?

Not to mention he just turned 25 and is a huge physical presence and great contested mark who gives 100% every moment hes out there

Not a chance in hell he is traded

ps. I vomited at the thought of getting Gibbs the soft loser and giving up a leader and physical beast for him

Well put.

Close thread and delete...

maybe administrators should learn from Bomberblitz how to control a site.

While they go to Big Brother thought control extremes.... we could at least kill the blatantly suicidal threads

I don't read Bomberblitz - are they averse to the injection of unfashionable ideas? Worried about being needled?

thoughts on alan toovey as a target? he is a free agent could play mid or half back

I would trade Fitzpatrick for Yarran. My mail is that he will be offered for trade.

Many are canning the OPs idea without saying what they would do. We need mid fielders. We have KPFs.

I would trade Fitzpatrick for Yarran. My mail is that he will be offered for trade.

Many are canning the OPs idea without saying what they would do. We need mid fielders. We have KPFs.

what if the new coach has plans for him and wants to keep him and keep developing him? would love to know who gave you your "mail" as im sure they have no idea what the future coach has in mind for the list

Absolutely not no way known !! We finally get some solid leadership up forward and you want to trade??

What are you smokin?