As it stands at present, the poll connected with this thread shows that 56.81% of Demonlanders favour Dion Prestia or Jaeger O’Meara as their “big fish” for recruitment in the forthcoming trade/free agency period which starts at the end of next week.

With that in mind, I followed up on some information I received a month or so ago about these players, both of who have been missing with injury for a while.

My information remains the same. You would not want to recruit either without a thorough medical assessment (which goes without saying but on the basis of how that information was provided, don’t hold your breath for either at this stage).

As they say in racing parlance - "prefer others" (currently standing at 23.08%).

To the Richmond doctor they go then!

Personally I think that a thread entitled 'Who is the Big Fish.' No question mark, that posters can post just about whatever they like. So Prestia, O,'Meara' @ Kennedy all at the Dees next year.

I think this has been lost on many of us over the last month - in the hoopla some have created about getting him, or adding him in to every new thread with "gee I hope we can land Prestia and Parker" etc, it's been forgotten that he is fighting back from a pretty serious injury and may not actually be worth recruiting at all.

My gut feeling, and it's nothing more than that, is that by holding off for 12 months it gives us and Dion the opportunity to see how he comes back from injury. If it's good then I could certainly see us getting him next year, but if he struggles again you would think the club would stay away from him. I don't care if he and his family are Melbourne supporters - we shouldn't recruit anyone who is going to struggle to get on the park, no matter how good they are.

Thanks for the timely follow up WJ.

If Dion's injury was serious he would be banging down the door for Melbourne's pen.

If Dion's injury was serious he would be banging down the door for Melbourne's pen

Not if as a Melbourne supporter, as is his family, he doesn't want to rip the club off and give it more pain.

Not if as a Melbourne supporter, as is his family, he doesn't want to rip the club off and give it more pain.

Lol he's a player mate I think once there drafted RL the scarf gets thrown out the window there's not many if any player I can recall that changed clubs and stated he did it because he followed them as a kid but that's your opinion and I respect that .

A week from Monday and the trade madness begins!

paperwork begins...trade circus already underway

Lol he's a player mate I think once there drafted RL the scarf gets thrown out the window there's not many if any player I can recall that changed clubs and stated he did it because he followed them as a kid but that's your opinion and I respect that .

You misunderstood what I wrote.

I was saying that Prestia hopefully wouldn't sign with us, if he knew he couldn't play due to injury, as he was a Dees supporter and wouldn't want to cause us more pain.

I have absolutely nothing to go on but I reckon the player we're really targeting is Josh Kennedy. He just ticks the boxes.

The curve ball that I've heard is that Franklin is highly unlikely to be playing next year. For any club. Not sure when this will hit the media.

Also not sure what impact this will have on the Swans' cap.

Kennedy certainly falls into the 'gettable' range as he only has about 4 or 5 years left.

It would be akin to Vince but will cost more than ND23 I would say.

I have absolutely nothing to go on but I reckon the player we're really targeting is Josh Kennedy. He just ticks the boxes.

The curve ball that I've heard is that Franklin is highly unlikely to be playing next year. For any club. Not sure when this will hit the media.

Also not sure what impact this will have on the Swans' cap.

It seems it has hit the media yesterday and today. The reports that I've read seem not to disclose everything yet.

Suspect the way this pans out will significantly impact/influence the way Sydney approaches all trades this year.

if thats true then watch the afl backflip on his salary in the swans cap.

if thats true then watch the afl backflip on his salary in the swans cap.

Can't - whether he gets paid or not, the contract is included in the Swans TPP for the duration. The AFL had a sit down with Sydney before signing so they understood the 'risks'. If the AFL back away from this then it sets a very ugly precedent.

Can't - whether he gets paid or not, the contract is included in the Swans TPP for the duration. The AFL had a sit down with Sydney before signing so they understood the 'risks'. If the AFL back away from this then it sets a very ugly precedent.

hope you're right , but they didn't count him retiring so early in the contract, surely they will pay him out but no way the full amount

And the the AFL sticks to its rules eh ?

They are ethical as its the keystone of their integrity.

the afl will just resurrect rule 999

problem solved

if thats true then watch the afl backflip on his salary in the swans cap.

unsure of salary caps, but as an aside to this health debate.... seems that some 1 has earned the 3 strike card trick...

don't know Whom??? but whom ever... 'ere is a little ditty to the 1, 2, 3 strikes your out,

to whomever it could be?

Can't - whether he gets paid or not, the contract is included in the Swans TPP for the duration. The AFL had a sit down with Sydney before signing so they understood the 'risks'. If the AFL back away from this then it sets a very ugly precedent.

The AFL are masters at setting ugly precedents and making them look normal. If it happens, the only person who might grumble would be Eddie unless there's something in it for Collingwood.

hope you're right , but they didn't count him retiring so early in the contract, surely they will pay him out but no way the full amount

If Franklin did retire and Sydney didn't have to include his wage in their salary cap then watch Geelong offer Dangerfield $1 million over 50 years with an agreement to "retire" after about seven or eight years.

Edited October 3, 201510 yr by Clint Bizkit

If Franklin did retire and Sydney didn't have to include his wage in their salary cap then watch Geelong offer Dangerfield $1 million over 50 years with an agreement to "retire" after about seven or eight years.

What would they gain out of doing that when they've already pretty much convinced the player anyway?

What would they gain out of doing that when they've already pretty much convinced the player anyway?

To outbid Adelaide as he is a RFA

To outbid Adelaide as he is a RFA

Exactly.

To outbid Adelaide as he is a RFA

I see. Presumably if Geelong are in a position to do that, Adelaide would be too?

Has anyone considered that the next "big fish" might be the player we draft at pick 6 or possibly 25?

Or that in Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca or one or two of other youngsters we might already have our own future big fishes already?

Has anyone considered that the next "big fish" might be the player we draft at pick 6 or possibly 25?

Or that in Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca or one or two of other youngsters we might already have our own future big fishes already?

That might be the case WJ and we hope it is, but we are speculating on a possible trade of a big fish to us this trade period.

I see. Presumably if Geelong are in a position to do that, Adelaide would be too?

But he wouldn't have an agreement with Adelaide to "retire" after seven or eight years, he could stay on their list until he was in his 70's.