And if anyone gets injured? And I'm sorry to say they will.

We need more midfield depth. People have very short memories.

And if Hogan gets injured (again)?

Its the 18th midfield in the comp. That's about as deplorable as it gets. But if you think its OK then........

It's at least better than Carlton's... but that's only a tiny consolation.

Its the 18th midfield in the comp. That's about as deplorable as it gets. But if you think its OK then........

Yes but you overlook that this may not have been the case apart from injuries. (The injuries merely highlight lack of depth in numbers not the lack of calibre of players such as Petracca)

Its the 18th midfield in the comp. That's about as deplorable as it gets. But if you think its OK then........

Given our midfield is weak and needed the most work on, does anyone really think we have improved our midfield during this trade so far?

This is where we fell down a lot during this season and maybe the case next season.

Given our midfield is weak and needed the most work on, does anyone really think we have improved our midfield during this trade so far?

This is where we fell down a lot during this season and maybe the case next season.

Melksham to half back means someone like Salem spends far more time in the midfield, while Kennedy can play a half forward role and release someone like Kent to also play more through a midfield/wing position. Our midfield instantly looks better. So, yes, we have potentially improved our midfield for 2016.

Our "A Grader" needs to be developed from within. Poaching one would come at a huge cost both salary cap and draft pick wise, and compromise our future.

We need to develop at least a couple of our young group into top 20-25 players in the comp over the next year or two.

Genuine question, but is there a premiership team in the last 10 years who has built a team around a big price recruit, like a Judd? I can't think of any.

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by Forest Demon

Melksham to half back means someone like Salem spends far more time in the midfield, while Kennedy can play a half forward role and release someone like Kent to also play more through a midfield/wing position. Our midfield instantly looks better. So, yes, we have potentially improved our midfield for 2016.

Melksham if consistent may work and release Salem but we have no idea how Salem will go in the midfield and as for Kennedy we really have no idea what he will bring, it could be good but will need t wait and c.

"Potentially" is the key word in your last sentence.

Melksham if consistent may work and release Salem but we have no idea how Salem will go in the midfield and as for Kennedy we really have no idea what he will bring, it could be good but will need t wait and c.

"Potentially" is the key word in your last sentence.

That's why I used it. There are no guarantees. But, without a gun midfielder on offer, the club have tried to build on our depth and potentially release some of our classier players to spend more time in the middle. Melksham has proven he can play there also and you would think he could spend some time in there also. The club have been creative and it's certainly given us some options going forward.

Melksham to half back means someone like Salem spends far more time in the midfield, while Kennedy can play a half forward role and release someone like Kent to also play more through a midfield/wing position. Our midfield instantly looks better. So, yes, we have potentially improved our midfield for 2016.

Oy vey. This Kent talk again. I'd like him to play 22 games consistently from anywhere, but it's probably from the HFF.

I think DemonOX's post is a legitimate one. I'm not convinced we've improved it enough. Sure, there'll be natural improvement and some surprises, but I think it'll be 10-12 wins for us next year. Had we been able to land an A grader and a B/B+ midfielder, I was buoyant we'd be able to crack the top 8.

Of course, I'm not saying we could have necessarily done a whole lot better considering our brand in the AFL community (albeit its improved standing), the players we'd likely want to trade and the picks at our disposal, but I wouldn't be applauding this trade period as a success. It probably just scrapes through with a pass mark at the moment, but next year we'll obviously know more.

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by AdamFarr

I agree with Forest. We need significant improvement to come from within. The trade period added depth through the midfield. We now need to turn a Gus, JV, Petracca, AvB, ANB, Stretch or a Harmes into the the A-grader.

Genuine question, but is there a premiership team in the last 10 years who has built a team around a big price recruit, like a Judd? I can't think of any.

Depends how you define big price recruit. Of the following, big price recruit only refers to a few of these. However, they were all big/significant signings apart from Jolly.

Collingwood - Ball.

Sydney - Jolly.

West Coast - Chick.

Hawthorn - Frawley.

Hawthorn - Burgoyne.

Hawthorn - McEvoy.

Hawthorn - Gibson.

Hawthorn - Gunston.

Hawthorn - Lake.

Oy vey. This Kent talk again. I'd like him to play 22 games consistently from anywhere, but it's probably from the HFF.

I think DemonOX's post is a legitimate one. I'm not convinced we've improved it enough. Sure, there'll be natural improvement and some surprises, but I think it'll be 10-12 wins for us next year. Had we been able to land an A grader and a B/B+ midfielder, I was buoyant we'd be able to crack the top 8.

Of course, I'm not saying we could have necessarily done a whole lot better considering our brand in the AFL community (albeit its improved standing), the players we'd likely want to trade and the picks at our disposal, but I wouldn't be applauding this trade period as a success. It probably just scrapes through with a pass mark at the moment, but next year we'll obviously know more.

I said potentially. I didn't say it was a sure fire thing. But we know you don't rate Kent and get a little upset when someone brings him up, so to avoid a meltdown we can move on from that.

You mention 10-12 wins for us next year - I don't know what world you live in but that would be a huge improvement from the club, and clearly some of our players have really come on in 12 months time. To go from 7 wins to double figures would be terrific for the club, but I'm not sure we will get there in 2016. I know the club wants to but we will need to see some genuine improvement across the board to do it.

Jeez wssendon have raped this trade period..

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by dazzledavey36

Cannot believe people are still banging on about a support for Jesse. We have Dawes and Pedersen for next year. For now we have much more pressing concerns. Our improved, but still weak and at times deplorable midfield.

Bigger forwards:

• Dawes
• Pedersen
• Watts
• Frost

Medium forwards:

• Garland
• Dunn
• Harmes

Smaller forwards:

• Garlett
• JKH
• Kennedy
• Kent
• Petracca

There's a few options there none are amazing but the one that intrigues me the most is Harmes after his marking against GWS.

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by Clint Bizkit

agree. Not a Ben Kennedy calibre player. If we cannot pull off a last minute trade, grab Weidman. His athleticism would complement Hoges well. Assuming Curnow is gone by 6

I saw a post on one of the Melbourne FC supporter group pages on Facebook (yeah, yeah, I know), referring to a forward prospect from Wagga via Canberra named Harrison Hemmelberg. Does anyone know much about him and is he worth consideration by the club in that support role for Hogan?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/afl/afl-news/harrison-himmelberg-steps-up-when-it-counts-most-to-enhance-afl-draft-hopes-20151012-gk6vvr.html

I said potentially. I didn't say it was a sure fire thing. But we know you don't rate Kent and get a little upset when someone brings him up, so to avoid a meltdown we can move on from that.

You mention 10-12 wins for us next year - I don't know what world you live in but that would be a huge improvement from the club, and clearly some of our players have really come on in 12 months time. To go from 7 wins to double figures would be terrific for the club, but I'm not sure we will get there in 2016. I know the club wants to but we will need to see some genuine improvement across the board to do it.

I'd just like to see Kent prove himself first, before we all gush ourselves over him. He has some exciting tools, I just wish we'd stop dropping him into calculations like he's of Hogan's quality or Brayshaw's, both of whom have already shown a lot more in their one season than Kent has.

RE: 10-12 wins, I would be disappointed if we didn't win at least an extra three games on this year's tally. That would show incremental, steady improvement. 12 wins would be terrific, but tougher, although things can click in a big way sometimes. Just ask the Bulldogs.

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by AdamFarr

Bigger forwards:

• Dawes
• Pedersen
• Watts
• Frost

Medium forwards:

• Garland
• Dunn
• Harmes

Smaller forwards:

• Garlett
• JKH
• Kennedy
• Kent
• Petracca

There's a few options there none are amazing but the one that intrigues me the most is Harmes after his marking against GWS.

Petracca more likely to slot in the medium forwards group. Bit light on for the bigger guys imo if there are injuries (Dawes springs to mind). Hope they can fast track King.

There's a few options there none are amazing but the one that intrigues me the most is Harmes after his marking against GWS.

Most definitely. The glimpse sample is small, but what we saw looked promising from him overhead. He's a competitor and would have a good relationship understanding with Hogan IMO.

Depends how you define big price recruit. Of the following, big price recruit only refers to a few of these. However, they were all big/significant signings apart from Jolly.

Collingwood - Ball.

Sydney - Jolly.

West Coast - Chick.

Hawthorn - Frawley.

Hawthorn - Burgoyne.

Hawthorn - McEvoy.

Hawthorn - Gibson.

Hawthorn - Gunston.

Hawthorn - Lake.

From memory, I think Burgoyne cost a couple of first rounders, which is significant. I think the rest were relatively cheap.

And all of that list joined when those clubs were already near the top.

I don't think we can afford to trade away our future at this stage of our progress.

I saw a post on one of the Melbourne FC supporter group pages on Facebook (yeah, yeah, I know), referring to a forward prospect from Wagga via Canberra named Harrison Hemmelberg. Does anyone know much about him and is he worth consideration by the club in that support role for Hogan?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/afl/afl-news/harrison-himmelberg-steps-up-when-it-counts-most-to-enhance-afl-draft-hopes-20151012-gk6vvr.html

He is tied to GWS hardtack, academy player.

Depends how you define big price recruit. Of the following, big price recruit only refers to a few of these. However, they were all big/significant signings apart from Jolly.

Collingwood - Ball.

Sydney - Jolly.

West Coast - Chick.

Hawthorn - Frawley.

Hawthorn - Burgoyne.

Hawthorn - McEvoy.

Hawthorn - Gibson.

Hawthorn - Gunston.

Hawthorn - Lake.

All important parts of their teams premierships but hardly the Judd/Dangerfield/Buddy/Ablett type big fish...

Bigger forwards:

• Dawes
• Pedersen
• Watts
• Frost

Medium forwards:

• Garland
• Dunn
• Harmes

Smaller forwards:

• Garlett
• JKH
• Kennedy
• Kent
• Petracca

There's a few options there none are amazing but the one that intrigues me the most is Harmes after his marking against GWS.

I'd have Garland in the bigger forward group and Petracca in the medium forward group.

Harmes is an interesting one. I'm looking forward to seeing how he comes on next year. He showed some good early signs. Some impressive hands down low earlier in the season and then his marking against an under-sized, ordinary GWS defence was exciting.

My forwardline next year would read something like this:

Harmes Pedersen Kent

Garlett Hogan Petracca

I'd play Kennedy in the midfield or on the wing and alternate between Pedersen and Dawes, depending on the form of both. I'd also swing Garland in there.

Edited October 20, 201510 yr by AdamFarr

Depends how you define big price recruit. Of the following, big price recruit only refers to a few of these. However, they were all big/significant signings apart from Jolly.

Collingwood - Ball. They didn't have to give anything up for him think he was around pick 27 in the draft after St Kilda let him walk

Sydney - Jolly. - again didn't give much up was hardly setting the world on fire at Melbourne

West Coast - Chick. hardly a big game recruit, their midfield of Kerr, Cousins, Judd was the main factor

Hawthorn - Frawley. big price another free agent they gave nothing away and still commanding nowhere near the coin any A grade midfielder we would be chasing

Hawthorn - Burgoyne. this is a possibility they gave up which at the time was looked at as a big price for an aging player, but pretty sure he was taken around 2010/11, so didn't see a flag for a few years

Hawthorn - McEvoy. He is a big recruit and it is in size only, hardly think Hawthorns ruck stocks have much to do with them winning 3 in a row

Hawthorn - Gibson. Very good pick up was out of contract at North and wanted the move headed across in around 09/10 hardly significant as they were still piecing together the side

Hawthorn - Gunston. As above

Hawthorn - Lake. Good signing and gave them that gorilla they needed, big price don't think so in any form Dogs had got what they felt was the best out of him and let him go very cheaply a year before he was a FA, nobody ever thought he would play out 3 years at the Hawks

He is tied to GWS hardtack, academy player.

Thanks DN9, I didn't read carefully enough.... it does say the following at the end of the Canberra Times article though, so who knows(?)...

"The Greater Western Sydney academy product has already spoken to a handful of AFL clubs including Adelaide, Fremantle and Melbourne, who all travelled to Canberra to interview him.

"If the Giants want him, they'd have to upgrade him to match other bids," Sheehan said. "It's just a wait-and-see approach for him now."

Bigger forwards:

• Dawes
• Pedersen
• Watts
• Frost

Medium forwards:

• Garland
• Dunn
• Harmes

Smaller forwards:

• Garlett
• JKH
• Kennedy
• Kent
• Petracca

There's a few options there none are amazing but the one that intrigues me the most is Harmes after his marking against GWS.

Bigger Forwards : Watts may be tall., but plays small medium.

Medium Forwards : Harmes. I can see being the big improver this year his last game against GWS was outstanding.

Small Forwards : Petracca, body size I can see him as a Medium tall forward he is some solid unit.

Hunt. If he gets a full preseason in he will be another in contention.