I'd prefer Sloane and Suckling as free-agents this year. This would be better for us in terms of team balance and would probably cost about the same as Dangerfield alone.

Equally, if you are correct, but Carlton are putrid in 2015, as most fully expect them to be, surely they'll knock themselves out of the running.

Like Frawley last year, Dangers may be leaning toward Geelong, but only a fool would make a decision this far out with so much water to go under the bridge.

I thought Hawks would be leading the charge. Lots of ageing playing, I would hazard a guess and say they aren't paying 100% of the cap. They have the luxury of getting players to play for less.

I'm rapt that Brayshaw and Petracca are on our list.

I am leaning more to the champion team than a champion led team.

Our history is littered with failures by the big hope of the moment.

We are on the right track IMO, bringing in talented young players and properly developing them. Also adding an experienced player where possible.

We are building a good playing list and we are on the right track.

I'm with you on this 'Redleg' and have been around long enough to have seen the messiah failures at the MFC. Let Carlton continue with it.

I'm rapt that Brayshaw and Petracca are on our list.

How good would it be if we landed Dangerfield next year - after the Crows knocking back the prospect of adding Brayshaw/Petracca this year.

It would go down as a monumental error for the Crows. I think it was a no brainer at the time, they should've taken that deal, it was a super deal we offered.

How good would it be if we landed Dangerfield next year - after the Crows knocking back the prospect of adding Brayshaw/Petracca this year.

It would go down as a monumental error for the Crows. I think it was a no brainer at the time, they should've taken that deal, it was a super deal we offered.

...a deal that Danger did not want, and until he's a FA he can simply knock back offers from 'unattractive' clubs. More than likely he wants to either stay at the Crows or move to the club of his choice. We are highly unlikely to be that club. I'd love to be wrong on that point, but I never thought it would happen in the recent trade period. He'd only move to a club perceived to be in the flag hunt and of those it's likely to be the Cats or Hawks IMO.

How good would it be if we landed Dangerfield next year - after the Crows knocking back the prospect of adding Brayshaw/Petracca this year.

It would go down as a monumental error for the Crows. I think it was a no brainer at the time, they should've taken that deal, it was a super deal we offered.

What deal did we offer?

I'd say we'd have to win 7 or more to be a chance of attracting anybody of note

What deal did we offer?

i doubt it got to that serious enough level,rjay, just a lotta fishing and maybe bluffing

i doubt it got to that serious enough level,rjay, just a lotta fishing and maybe bluffing

So do I 'daisy'...it's just many seem to take as a given that we were offering up picks 2 & 3 and I seriously doubt we would be that stupid.

If Dangerfield does move and goes somewhere other than Geelong, I will attempt to eat my scooter

From what I understand, Geelong are - inevitably - the front runners.

But the other big player is of course Hawthorn. Their plan is essentially this:

2015: win premiership, lose Lake, Hodge and Mitchell to retirement, lure Dangerfield to Waverley

2016: slight dip as players have to step up in absence of experienced leaders

2017: premiership, more free agency raids

2018-2020: contend for premierships

They expect to be like geelong's run from 07-13, and constantly in contention.

so their plan is to grab the best players in the comp and win flags

we should have a plan like that, it is not bad

so their plan is to grab the best players in the comp and win flags

we should have a plan like that, it is not bad

We did.

The problem was we assumed "high draft picks" always equated with "best players".

We were mistaken.

so their plan is to grab the best players in the comp and win flags

we should have a plan like that, it is not bad

F$&@ Yeah!!

Shouldn't Geelong be more worried about the ageing back line?

Shouldn't Geelong be more worried about the ageing back line?

Geelong are now punting rather than making considered decisions. Clark and Stanley are punts, if they come off the Cats may scrape in another flag but you are right about the back line not to mention other ageing champs like Bartel and Johnson.

I'd be stunned if PD wasn't at the Cats next year. We need a big year to attract a guy like Dangerfield. Still have a smidgen of hope.

I'd be stunned if PD wasn't at the Cats next year. We need a big year to attract a guy like Dangerfield. Still have a smidgen of hope.

I get he's from that neck of the woods but i reckon it's out of the Cats/Hawks/Pies. Geelong the go home factor, Pies will offer the most money and the Hawks will offer money in the middle of the other two plus a real chance at success.

We did.

The problem was we assumed "high draft picks" always equated with "best players".

We were mistaken.

And we still are taking big chances through the draft but we're also endeavoring to improve our list in other ways - specifically targeting players in their early 20's and also bringing in some established experienced talent (of varying degrees)

There's a lot more balance to our recruiting and list management now - it should always have been this way of course.

• High end draft picks - Salem, Hogan, Toumpas, Brayshaw & Petracca (Stretch as a F/S nearly qualifies)
• Recruits aged in their early 20's - Tyson, Michie, Newton, Frost, Riley & Terlich
• Experienced talent - Dawes, Garlett, M Jones, Vince, Cross, Pedersen, Lumumba
• Other young draftees - JKH, Kent, O-Mac, ANB & Hunt

All of the above recruiting has mainly happened in the space of 25 months.

Geelong are now punting rather than making considered decisions. Clark and Stanley are punts, if they come off the Cats may scrape in another flag but you are right about the back line not to mention other ageing champs like Bartel and Johnson.

They honestly should be rebuild the list while Selwood, Hawkins and Hunt and still young enough to lead the next crop.

They honestly should be rebuild the list while Selwood, Hawkins and Hunt and still young enough to lead the next crop.

Rebuild the list? Geelong have been the masters of telling players their time is up. They still have Harry Taylor and a wealth of young talent. Geelong and StKilda rose together, look where the Saints are now. Geelong have won 3 flags, continue to play finals and continue to one of the few sides that can topple the Hawks. A rebuild isnt even on the radar.

Rebuild the list? Geelong have been the masters of telling players their time is up. They still have Harry Taylor and a wealth of young talent. Geelong and StKilda rose together, look where the Saints are now. Geelong have won 3 flags, continue to play finals and continue to one of the few sides that can topple the Hawks. A rebuild isnt even on the radar.

It should be, they've got the absolute max out of the current list. I think they will miss Balme...having an experienced outsider that is not as emotionally invested is a good thing. Some of the decisions they are making now may well come back to bite them.

Taylor turns 29 this year and their other great defenders are all in their 30's. They have some good kids coming through but mainly mids in Duncan and Guthrie along with Caddy. Selwood is still young but they are now losing or about to lose more than they can replace. Champions are hard to replace and eventually it catches up.

By the way, the Saints really took the wrong turn. Very poor list management by them compounded by the Lyon fiasco.

Rebuild the list? Geelong have been the masters of telling players their time is up. They still have Harry Taylor and a wealth of young talent. Geelong and StKilda rose together, look where the Saints are now. Geelong have won 3 flags, continue to play finals and continue to one of the few sides that can topple the Hawks. A rebuild isnt even on the radar.

They have been masters in the past but some of the discussions made in this trade period reeks of desperation from Chris Scott trying everything to keep his job which may eventually lead to the down fall of the club.

A main figure of there success in list management like Neil doesn't just pick up and leave unless he can see bad moves happening which could lead to a lot of sackings in the near future.

A very ageing list of past champions can only be take you so far untill there body won't let them play anymore and unless Geelong have a hole team of champions waiting to replace them they will fall down the ladder eventually.

It should be, they've got the absolute max out of the current list. I think they will miss Balme...having an experienced outsider that is not as emotionally invested is a good thing. Some of the decisions they are making now may well come back to bite them.

Taylor turns 29 this year and their other great defenders are all in their 30's. They have some good kids coming through but mainly mids in Duncan and Guthrie along with Caddy. Selwood is still young but they are now losing or about to lose more than they can replace. Champions are hard to replace and eventually it catches up.

By the way, the Saints really took the wrong turn. Very poor list management by them compounded by the Lyon fiasco.

You make a good point about Balme but the Cats have had their off field sorted for some years now and should be alright, he was replaced by Steve Hocking who has been working at the club since 2004 in a number of roles but most of all was there before and during the Cats climb to the top so will be well aware of what's required. Can he emulate Balmey? Time will tell.

From reading your previous posts I'm assuming your reference to "decisions coming back to bite them" was made with regards to Clark and Stanley. On face value the Clark trade was always going to have a risk element(the reasons have been done to death by everybody) but if Clark can get his body right it will be a huge win for the cats. If not well they have lost Varcoe who can be a damaging outside player but can be replaced(they drafted Cockatoo Collins who they hope can provide that, maybe not right away but does have the X factor). Can't remember who they traded to land Stanley but he's only 24 and could come good yet.

Taylor is turning 29 but is still the no.1 defender in the comp, from memory hasn't had any major injuries and has 2-3 years left in him. They have identified the need for more key defenders as they made a play for Frawley and failed but will no doubt try again. Not sure about their young key position stocks. Could they find the next Sam Frost?

They currently have a gun key forward in Hawkins and one of the top 4-5 mids in the comp in Selwood. They have some quality young mids coming through and will do again what they did before and that is turn mids into back and forward flankers so they have elite users of the ball all over the ground, something we seem to be heading towards. Yes Bartell, Stevie J, Kelly, Lonergan and Enright are getting on but the key is how they manage their retirements(all will be phased out over the next 2-3 years but not all at once) and where they play them until they retire. You could sit Bartlell in a forward pocket and Johnson on a flank and sit back as they continue to clean up, whilst the next generation of Cats take the next step. Geelong is one of the few clubs that has had the balls to tell the likes of Chapman it's time to move on. These decisions have all been the right ones. There is no guarantee the next batch will unearth a Stevie J or Bartell but one thing you can be sure of is that they will all play hard contested footy, they will walk off the ground filthy with themselves after every loss and its for those reasons they will win more games than they loose. There is no need for a Saints style rebuild.

Edited January 18, 201510 yr by Al's Demons