I think the time to trade future picks is exactly when you're in Geelong's position, and the players you trade future picks for complete you enough to give you a crack at top four (and a serious tilt at a flag) the following year.

Geelong are going to be contenders in 2016 based on their work this week.

There's a school of thought that suggests there's still a fish or two out there.

Awesome, who wants trade news when we can have more lame puns

There's a school of thought that suggests there's still a fish or two out there.

You better be right...There is only so much treading water can be done...once exhausted gravity pulls you down....

I think the clubs that work out how to trade futures ( first ) will definitely reap benefits. Its a method i think we need to use to bump up our currency. Other clubs might think our next season picks quite valuable. Id let them think that

List managers should study examples from other leagues where trading future picks is accepted. It has absolutely destroyed the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).

In the early 2000s, The Leafs did essentially what the Cats have done by loading up on stars and removing themselves from future drafts. The gamble didn't pay off as they never made it to a final and struggled for years. Not learning their lesson, they made a trade to acquire a star player (Phil Kessel) from Boston in 2009. This trade involved two future first round picks, and sure enough, the Leafs finished near the bottom despite having Kessel. Boston ended up having the second overall selection at the 2010 draft and the 9th overall selection in 2011, and landed two very, very good players. Toronto has qualified for the playoffs once since 2009, losing to, as you'd expect, Boston. They're now back down at the bottom of the standings with a terrible list, no end in site, and Kessel is now playing for Pittsburgh.

Lol anyone else bit over this trade period already?

Massively, with so much media attention we get constant updates about nothing.

Just tell us when the deal is done.

Massively, with so much media attention we get constant updates about nothing.

Just tell us when the deal is done.

You're not interested in the contents of Josh Kennedy's suitcase?

Both Geelong and North Melbourne's blue and white brothers have probably two years at the most before the talking will start.

Massively, with so much media attention we get constant updates about nothing.

Just tell us when the deal is done.

If you have the AFL app enable push notifications for trade news. I've done that and stopped listening to trade radio. Best life decision I have EVER made.

List managers should study examples from other leagues where trading future picks is accepted. It has absolutely destroyed the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).

In the early 2000s, The Leafs did essentially what the Cats have done by loading up on stars and removing themselves from future drafts. The gamble didn't pay off as they never made it to a final and struggled for years. Not learning their lesson, they made a trade to acquire a star player (Phil Kessel) from Boston in 2009. This trade involved two future first round picks, and sure enough, the Leafs finished near the bottom despite having Kessel. Boston ended up having the second overall selection at the 2010 draft and the 9th overall selection in 2011, and landed two very, very good players. Toronto has qualified for the playoffs once since 2009, losing to, as you'd expect, Boston. They're now back down at the bottom of the standings with a terrible list, no end in site, and Kessel is now playing for Pittsburgh.

theres always a right way and wrong way, right time and wrong etc. All im saying is those who suss it out properly can use it to advantage

List managers should study examples from other leagues where trading future picks is accepted. It has absolutely destroyed the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).

In the early 2000s, The Leafs did essentially what the Cats have done by loading up on stars and removing themselves from future drafts. The gamble didn't pay off as they never made it to a final and struggled for years. Not learning their lesson, they made a trade to acquire a star player (Phil Kessel) from Boston in 2009. This trade involved two future first round picks, and sure enough, the Leafs finished near the bottom despite having Kessel. Boston ended up having the second overall selection at the 2010 draft and the 9th overall selection in 2011, and landed two very, very good players. Toronto has qualified for the playoffs once since 2009, losing to, as you'd expect, Boston. They're now back down at the bottom of the standings with a terrible list, no end in site, and Kessel is now playing for Pittsburgh.

Let's compare like with like shall we. We can all find examples which appear to support a particular point of view. With the culture down at sleepy hollow as it is, I would be very confident that they are very well positioned going forward, if I was a Cats supporter.

Massively, with so much media attention we get constant updates about nothing.

Just tell us when the deal is done.

Already feel sick watching Geelong clean up so easily so far.

You're not interested in the contents of Josh Kennedy's suitcase?

Finally a riddle!

I've got this one. Josh has a demons jumper in his bag?

There is no doubt that they will be competitive next season with the additions that they've made, but I don't think that they'll be good enough to win a flag and their youngsters aren't good enough to cover their old players when they retire. I suspect that they'll be competitive for another few years, but trading away their draft picks will hurt them in the long run.

Their fall will be spectacular; I can't wait for it to happen.

Geelong are doing exactly what they should be doing...Being PROACTIVE...Next year they will push for Top 8 and probably Top 4...This gives hope, Memberships, and a strong prospect of a Full Clean Stadium for all home games...

A much better idea than hoping your 18 year old Top Draft Pick will be a gun

Ollie Wines was under our nose and we didn't even bite...We should learn from the Cattery rather than scoff and wait for them to die.

That may happen but only if the whole city dies after The Blue Oval ceases production.

theres always a right way and wrong way, right time and wrong etc. All im saying is those who suss it out properly can use it to advantage

The Leafs did do it at the right time, but it didn't pay off for them. They came close to making the final, but just missed out. Lots of retirements and no good young players coming through the system meant that the next decade was a disaster.

Trading future picks is a very risky business and can lead to extended periods at the bottom.

The Leafs did do it at the right time, but it didn't pay off for them. They came close to making the final, but just missed out. Lots of retirements and no good young players coming through the system meant that the next decade was a disaster.

Trading future picks is a very risky business and can lead to extended periods at the bottom.

Consider the logic of this ..

List managers should study examples from other leagues where trading future picks is accepted. It has absolutely destroyed the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).

In the early 2000s, The Leafs did essentially what the Cats have done by loading up on stars and removing themselves from future drafts. The gamble didn't pay off as they never made it to a final and struggled for years. Not learning their lesson, they made a trade to acquire a star player (Phil Kessel) from Boston in 2009. This trade involved two future first round picks, and sure enough, the Leafs finished near the bottom despite having Kessel. Boston ended up having the second overall selection at the 2010 draft and the 9th overall selection in 2011, and landed two very, very good players. Toronto has qualified for the playoffs once since 2009, losing to, as you'd expect, Boston. They're now back down at the bottom of the standings with a terrible list, no end in site, and Kessel is now playing for Pittsburgh.

Out of curiosity were the Maple Leafs already regular play off contenders and had won championships recently when they did this? Because if they hadn't then it's a pretty different scenario from a list management point of view.

Let's compare like with like shall we. We can all find examples which appear to support a particular point of view. With the culture down at sleepy hollow as it is, I would be very confident that they are very well positioned going forward, if I was a Cats supporter.

Yes, I absolutely agree that they will be competitive next year. I never stated otherwise. I think that they will be in trouble in the future when their experienced players retire and they don't have the young guns coming in to replace them.

I probably just have a skewed view from having supported so many terrible teams for so long and having seen them go through prolonged pain after trading future picks.

Yes, I absolutely agree that they will be competitive next year. I never stated otherwise. I think that they will be in trouble in the future when their experienced players retire and they don't have the young guns coming in to replace them.

I probably just have a skewed view from having supported so many terrible teams for so long and having seen them go through prolonged pain after trading future picks.

Dangerfield: 25

Selwood: 25

Henderson: 25

Out of curiosity were the Maple Leafs already regular play off contenders and had won championships recently when they did this? Because if they hadn't then it's a pretty different scenario from a list management point of view.

They made the playoffs six years in a row and were always competitive. They brought in some very good players and looked fantastic on paper, but they never gelled as a team and injuries took their toll as well. It's a very similar situation to the Cats, except they never tasted ultimate success.

They made the playoffs six years in a row and were always competitive. They brought in some very good players and looked fantastic on paper, but they never gelled as a team and injuries took their toll as well. It's a very similar situation to the Cats, except they never tasted ultimate success.

Geelong have won 3 premierships recently and are known for having a culture that "gels". They've also brought in 3 players (so far) in their peak age, not older recruits etc. Doesn't really seem to be the same thing to me. I'm sure there's examples out there of trading future picks working as well, in the end it doesn't mean anything as each situation is different.

Different team, different culture, different players, different sport, different country....

Finally a riddle!

I've got this one. Josh has a demons jumper in his bag?

Don't encourage me Binman. I might get a taste for it. I was actually just commenting on the quality of the AFL's Live Trade Page. If I see another wedding photo I'm going to spew.

Consider the logic of this ..

Not sure I follow...

They had a tilt, they were unsuccessful, they continue to suck because of it.

Dangerfield: 25

Selwood: 25

Henderson: 25

They still have no ruckman, with Wells even admitting today it's going to be a struggle to get Zac Smith to the club after they've traded away 3 picks already, and their defence is aging with Taylor, Lonergan, Mackie and Enright all set to retire in the next couple of years.

No doubt they will be competitive but they still have some major holes in their line up to go with some kids who still have plenty to prove.

Or I could just be hoping like hell that the Cats are still a middle of the road team.

Yes, I absolutely agree that they will be competitive next year. I never stated otherwise. I think that they will be in trouble in the future when their experienced players retire and they don't have the young guns coming in to replace them.

I probably just have a skewed view from having supported so many terrible teams for so long and having seen them go through prolonged pain after trading future picks.

The obvious comparison is Hawthorn. Astute trading and drafting, a strong development culture within and fantastic admin (Chris Fagan, Cam Bruce and Oozer, please come home) have seen a remarkable footy club attain a massive feat, which, at the moment, we can only dream of. Sustained success has seen players want to go there (g'day Chip) not for the money, but for premiership success. I would think this is the very thing the Cats are trying to emulate and I am of the view they are well positioned, if not to replicate the Hawks success, but to secure a successful medium to long term future.

Geelong have won 3 premierships recently and are known for having a culture that "gels". They've also brought in 3 players (so far) in their peak age, not older recruits etc. Doesn't really seem to be the same thing to me. I'm sure there's examples out there of trading future picks working as well, in the end it doesn't mean anything as each situation is different.

Different team, different culture, different players, different sport, different country....

Like I said, I'm probably a bit biased having followed teams that trading future picks has worked terribly for. We'll see how the Cats go.