How the midfield looks as we enter Trade Week(s)

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Interesting if the rumoured trades for us eventuate.

Roos has declared he likes the big bodied mid like Vandenberg, yet we could be adding Prestia and Kennedy to Viney and Jones, who are all small and Melksham and Bugg who are not tall either. Salem is also being spoken about as a mid and when you throw in Kent, ANB and Stretch, we would have the smallest midfield in the AFL.

Have we changed direction or is it just a big coincidence?

probably just the way it's played out in my opinion, the best available players haven't been those tall blokes.

[dazzledavey36 55,868]

He has Hawthorn skills- would not look out of place in that line up

Funny that. Was speaking to a St Kilda country recruiter who scouts all the kids up the bush and we were at a Murray Bushrangers game and we got on the topic of list comparison and he mentioned that Hawthorn rated Salem a genuine top 3 selection in the 2013 draft. If they had pick 2 they would have called Salem out. He just fitted the bill for Hawthorn. Left footy who is tough and courageous in the same mould as you.. you guessed Luke Hodge. What makes it more exciting is Hawthorn think he enormous upside more then Kelly and even Jack Billings.

[Middymalt 244]

Salems u 18 coach rated him the equal of Josh Kelly if not better, that was a great trade for the MFC probably the best Iv seen

[Redleg 41,942]

Funny that. Was speaking to a St Kilda country recruiter who scouts all the kids up the bush and we were at a Murray Bushrangers game and we got on the topic of list comparison and he mentioned that Hawthorn rated Salem a genuine top 3 selection in the 2013 draft. If they had pick 2 they would have called Salem out. He just fitted the bill for Hawthorn. Left footy who is tough and courageous in the same mould as you.. you guessed Luke Hodge. What makes it more exciting is Hawthorn think he enormous upside more then Kelly and even Jack Billings.

I posted at the time that we considered Salem a top 3-4 pick and with Tyson, it was a bonanza and also that my mate, who had a son playing with Salem, rated him as good as Kelly.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,288]

Interesting if the rumoured trades for us eventuate.

Roos has declared he likes the big bodied mid like Vandenberg, yet we could be adding Prestia and Kennedy to Viney and Jones, who are all small and Melksham and Bugg who are not tall either. Salem is also being spoken about as a mid and when you throw in Kent, ANB and Stretch, we would have the smallest midfield in the AFL.

Have we changed direction or is it just a big coincidence?

I think its more a recognition we lack toe and some run and carry. Each of them have this and also don't mind a hard ball and can kick a goal. Challenge with each is we are probably compromising on the consistency of their skill execution.

[rjay 25,306]

He may not get along that well with the new coach either.......... Rocket's not the most likeable of characters....

I like him...

[Redleg 41,942]

I think its more a recognition we lack toe and some run and carry. Each of them have this and also don't mind a hard ball and can kick a goal. Challenge with each is we are probably compromising on the consistency of their skill execution.

Personally I don't mind if we improve.

We seem to be looking only at mids and we may be giving away our first pick in a deal for one, I wonder where that leaves us in a search for another forward to help out Jesse and a back up ruckman.

Will we snaffle a delisted player or two, to fill the gaps, or are there players we have identified out there, to trade for, to fill the holes.

Back onto the mids, we appear to be into Prestia and Jaeger is rumoured to want to come to Victoria next year or in 2017. I know they are both injured, but if we are convinced they are not long term injuries, I wonder if Howe is prepared to go to GC, if we could do a super deal and take care of our midfield in one season, by getting both and then also adding Melksham, Bugg and Kennedy.

It would allow us to concentrate our drafting this year on finding another forward and maybe that backup ruck.

It will be an interesting fortnight.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Redleg

[CatFishPig 465]

Kent... We need more like him... Future Star..

[Vanilla Gorilla 204]

I said it around draft time that year, but I'll say it again. Someone I know very well played in the Sandy teams through U16 and U18 with Salem. Consensus amongst all the players was that Kelly and Salem were the 2 best players there - and both streets ahead of Freeman.

Also side note apparently Kurt Heatherly (the NZ rookie selection - now at Hawthorn) was a beast of a defender, and at that stage had only been playing the game for 6 months.

[Alcho Dee 269]

Kent... We need more like him... Future Star..

Solid body, big left foot kick, goes in hard and has pace. Lots to like about him.

[DeeMfc 621]

I like him...

Which is understandable. On TV he seems to be quite an affable character.

I used to watch Hawthorn train on Thursday nights at Glenferrie Oval as a teen in the mid 80's.

Eade and Wallace were rude, nasty and had no time for the younger fans.

Eade wasn't the best but plough was a right [censored].

The exact opposite to the great Robbie Flower.

[PaulRB 6,432]

Jones

Tyson

Viney

Vince

Prestia

Melksham

Brayshaw

VandenBerg

Petracca

HB -> Salem

HB -> Stretch

HF-> Harmes

HF -> Neal-Bullen

Plus Depth + Newton, Trengove, Michi, M Jones, Hunt

If indeed this comes into fruition with only the loss of Cross and Howe,we are looking a lot better in the middle (i'd add Watts, Salem, Garlett and Kent as cameos to the midfield mix), we shall be a better team in 2016.

Now to solve the second tall forward riddle Dawes/Pedersen/Frost/???

[Adam The God 30,603]

If indeed this comes into fruition with only the loss of Cross and Howe,we are looking a lot better in the middle (i'd add Watts, Salem, Garlett and Kent as cameos to the midfield mix), we shall be a better team in 2016.

Now to solve the second tall forward riddle Dawes/Pedersen/Frost/???

It's not ideal, but if having to rely on Pedersen and/or Dawes is our biggest problem in 2016, we'll be very well placed for a shot at the lower reaches of the 8.