Is anyone really surprised by GWS' urgency?

You simply can't build a squad with high draft picks anymore. Once upon a time, maybe, but you need a good balanced across the ENTIRE list. It's just too much of a competitive, high quality league to bank on inexperience turning into superstars. Hawthorn did it at the right time and were probably the last team to do it so well, Port to a lesser extent, and they could very well play in a GF next year.

GWS know that they need players to attract fans, and to attract fans you need to win games. Melbourne is in no different a situation.

GWS' biggest ever mistake was offering so much to Scully. It should have offered the same amount to a superstar of the Ablett variety. Sheedy's obvious vendetta against Melbourne set that club back 3-5 years.

No, I have clearly explained that the would not have been time to complete subsequent trades based on the lateness of the offer for Howe.

You need to explain how trading Howe would improve the team based on this evidence, not some fantasyland idea that trading Howe at the last minute would have netted us Dangerfield.

Yes. Such a pity it wasn't 20 minutes earlier.

well at least 24 hours anyway, if thats the last minute, I guess.

well at least 24 hours anyway, if thats the last minute, I guess.

WTF

we need to be harsh Jumbo.

8 years of complete rubbish is enough.

I don't think it's harsh at all.

I can't believe how many people overrate our players, probably the same people that thought that the Trengove deal was no good.

Howe is just an average player with average skills but he can jump and mark.

Pick 6 might be a dud but could be the next Wines it's a risk you have to take.

No way in hell is Howe worth pick 6 in any draft. It's that good a deal that I don't believe the rumour and someone said pick 5 was offered for Garland years ago I certainly don't believe it.

well at least 24 hours anyway, if thats the last minute, I guess.

I'm referring to evidence presented in this thread, which suggests there would not have been time to complete subsequent trades.

'Last minute' is clearly a figurative term; if you have new evidence that shows time was 24hrs, please provide as I'm sure many would be interested.

Is anyone really surprised by GWS' urgency?

You simply can't build a squad with high draft picks anymore. Once upon a time, maybe, but you need a good balanced across the ENTIRE list. It's just too much of a competitive, high quality league to bank on inexperience turning into superstars. Hawthorn did it at the right time and were probably the last team to do it so well, Port to a lesser extent, and they could very well play in a GF next year.

GWS know that they need players to attract fans, and to attract fans you need to win games. Melbourne is in no different a situation.

GWS' biggest ever mistake was offering so much to Scully. It should have offered the same amount to a superstar of the Ablett variety. Sheedy's obvious vendetta against Melbourne set that club back 3-5 years.

There list is still based on high draft picks, 17 year olds who would've been high draft picks and hitting on 2 out of 3 big money uncontracted poaches.

Backline: Davis, Haynes, Hampton, Bugg, Buntine, Plowman (Shaw, Patful)

Midfield: (Griffen), Ward, Shiel, Treloar, Kelly, Whitfield, Coniglio, Hoskin-Elliott, Greene, Scully

Rucks; (Mumford), Tomlinson

Fwds: Cameron, Patton, Dev Smith, McCarthy, Palmer

It's high picks galore and then guys like Cameron, Shiel and Treloar who were top 5 picks who skipped the draft.

All they did is besides Boyd they traded out the players they didn't really care about keeping or not and last year they turned that in to pick 2 and Mumford, Heath Shaw. This year they turned it in to Griffen and 2 more picks in the top 7.

These late trades do represent a bit of urgency to win games but really they are about realising they have most of their best 22 already so instead of turning over more players by bringing in top end kids and forcing someone else out they wanted to just bring in the class players. I think it's was intended to be a message to their playing group that we wont keep bringing in kids in a never ending cycle. They wanted to say these are our best 25-28 'required' players and it's finalised now and to say to other teams we aren't a development club.

At next years trade period everyone will be gunning for one of their players and they wanted to say nope he's part of a future and it's now. Instead you might get someone out because GWS will have picks 4, 6 and 7 in reserve.

Also I'm not sure even GWS would give us a top 10 pick for Howe. I think it might have been pick 7 and Frost (and maybe pick 40) for Howe and 23.

And if they had have offered it sooner we could have packaged it up and gotten Danger. Ain't that a kick in the teeth lol

Yeah, that's what I said the other day. I wonder if this was a plan by GWS? As in, last minute so no one else could trade the picks.

pick 6 for Howe

holy [censored]

i [censored] hate GWS even more now, why did they wait so long? arghhhhhhh

Hearsay and complete bs.

Were we ever really, really, in the hunt for Dangerfield? How many believe the bs that surrounds tweets?

Get over it. Howe stays. Good move.

The best deal was done....getting Frost onboard.

GWS have done their job haven't they.

Chosen a few targets. Destabilised them. Maybe the targets think they are being shopped around. Maybe they think they are worth pick 6 and a truckload of money?

Next contract negotiating time what do you think Howe will ask for?? It won't be $350k a year. He'll be wanting what Boyd wanted.

This is where FA sucks and where GWS are %^$$%^^^(.

I hope that team withers on the vine.

GWS getting more high pick is great for everyone else. We can continue to pick at their side as the young kids who can't get a game or are homesick want to leave.

They will be a competitive side but they are not guaranteed to dominate like everyone thought they would.

We should be going hard for Shiel or Treloar next year.

If Howe is out of contract next season then we know there is some currency out there for him.

2015: Howe and pick 21 for Treloar.

2015: Howe and pick 21 for Treloar.

If they go for that then I'm seriously overestimating what Treloar is worth

WTF

I'm referring to evidence presented in this thread, which suggests there would not have been time to complete subsequent trades.

'Last minute' is clearly a figurative term; if you have new evidence that shows time was 24hrs, please provide as I'm sure many would be interested.

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/37277-potential-trades-warning-reading-this-thread-may-self-destruct/page-128#entry1013853

not quite evidence but the mention of a GWS offer for pick 6 was fairly 'prophetic', if nothing else WYL & LL

maybe he didn't want to go???

Gws reminds me of what that purple dh says "it's a scatter gun approach"

Think that is very appropriate in the case.

I think this Will be a preview of next years trading. First round pick plus Howe for either Treloar or Sheil.

I think this Will be a preview of next years trading. First round pick plus Howe for either Treloar or Sheil.

yes, or Howe + another player,,,, or Howe & a 2nd Rnd pick

Howe & 1st Rnd, is too high for them at this point in their careers.

it all depends on how jeremy picks up his game thru 2015... he maybe a keeper?

Seriously crazy to trade Howe . He had a great year down back imo .go back and watch some games .

And he is our highlights bums on seats guy .

Seriously crazy to trade Howe . He had a great year down back imo .go back and watch some games .

And he is our highlights bums on seats guy .

I think both Howe & watts need to get a rattle on, if they will stay beyond 2015 season.. they have the potential. do they have the goods is to be seen.

Reckon Howe is going to step it up this year. Entering his 5th season in the AFL. Another season with Roos. Big season coming up. Calling it now.

Reckon Howe is going to step it up this year. Entering his 5th season in the AFL. Another season with Roos. Big season coming up. Calling it now.

he needs to as he stalled his career in his first couple of seasons.

He should start to aim for a midfield role... he has the disposal etc to be good thru the middle, has the leg speed & class to become a mid. has he the inclination? Otherwise he's just a 3rd tall forward or halfback. just another Robbo flashing in & out. these are a dime a dozen these flashy types.

But if he can build the play & deliver, & then rest forward, Then he becomes valuable...

I think he'll show yet again that he's an inconsistent and one dimensional player. If he doesn't then he raises his value and we can trade him for something good next year.

Reckon Howe is going to step it up this year. Entering his 5th season in the AFL. Another season with Roos. Big season coming up. Calling it now.

I agree. If I was to tip one player to have a career best year it's Howey. Will be a welcome return to the forwardline.

Needs to work on his consistency but he has all the tools to become an A grader over the next couple of years. He also brings people through the gates and keeps the younger generations mildly interested in the club. Absolute keep unless the offer couldn't be refused.