59 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I for the life of me can not see why anyone would ever want step foot into North Melbourne.

Most bland and boring football club going around! They rarely attract big crowds, they have a coach who is nothing but a A Grade Phlog, they have no brand and stand for nothing!

Yet we hear guys like Gaff and Polec are certain land at this irrelevant club?

Money does talk hey.

Polec has been offered superstar money from North. Plenty at Port expect him to take the money.  North will get their couple of signings, but they will be out of the market for years when they do. We just have to hope that we can show more promise success-wise to help us land some good players on slighty less coin.

Reaching finals soon means more to our future than some admit.

1 hour ago, McQueen said:

It's the free agent status that makes it logical to chase Gaff. Your points above are all valid but we have an opportunity to add a proven A grade mid with 170+ games to the team who is in their prime.

Stuff the waiting and hypotheticals based around our current list... Let's jack our team full of more stars while we can.

Nail on the head. Free Agency probably adds 20% to the amount a club will pay for a player as no need for a trade.

 

Edited August 17, 20186 yr by Diamond_Jim

17 minutes ago, McQueen said:

It's the free agent status that makes it logical to chase Gaff. Your points above are all valid but we have an opportunity to add a proven A grade mid with 170+ games to the team who is in their prime.

Stuff the waiting and hypotheticals based around our current list... Let's jack our team full of more stars while we can.

Totally agree, Free agency is really all about salary space... also crucially it is something that you need to be decisive when the club sits in that window of being a 'destination' club. 
A destination club sells the future (and presumably premierships) to prospective free agents as along with the contract.

Non-destination clubs really only have the contract that they can offer to free agents. They also risk having to pay overs as well. Lesser known free agents may be lured by the appeal of more game time, or a specific role in the team, but the bigger free agent names already get that!

Edited August 17, 20186 yr by Ouch!

On 8/9/2018 at 3:02 PM, MurDoc516 said:

It doesn't fill me with confidence that nobody has outright said if Gaff was open to joining Melbourne Angus wouldn't have a problem with it.

To be fair our interest only seems to be faint in the AFL media's view. While some people here seem to think his signature is something the club see's as a priority. Yet everytime Gus or someone else talks on Gus's behalf the feeling is he has a problem with Gaff. Now people who don't like eachother have played together before, but you would always prefer that everybody got on.

If it comes down to it i'm always going to say don't go after Gaff and maybe look at other options this year or next (J.Kelly)

Article in the worst newspaper in Australia, this morning; 'The Advertiser' states clearly that Gaff is off the recruitment queue for the MFC - being offered over $1 mil per year from the bank-raiding Kangaroos. Still, maybe his act of aggression and 'brain fade' was his first thought at sabotaging the Eagles' season as early as possible. Bad choice made in quick time onfield. 

2 hours ago, MSFebey said:

So if NO GAFF, what's plan B? Ed Langdon isn't the answer. We are definitely chasing at least 1 A grader, possibly 2 according to Mahoney earlier in the year.

D Shiel?

2 hours ago, layzie said:

This is something I can really get behind, unfortunately I've never heard Kelly linked once with us not even a whimper of speculation. Just seems like wishful thinking at this stage 

Isn’t sneaking up on the suitors the best way?

re Gaff - there must be a little uncertainty regarding his response to recent events.  Will he be mentally scarred? He will be targeted by oppositions and by supporters. 

5 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Isn’t sneaking up on the suitors the best way?

re Gaff - there must be a little uncertainty regarding his response to recent events.  Will he be mentally scarred? He will be targeted by oppositions and by supporters. 

Hope so, doesn't always help to be consistently liked in the media I guess. 

15 minutes ago, DV8 said:

D Shiel?

Ranked 18th in Total Inside 50s, 3rd in Total Goal Assists and 3rd in Goal Assists Per Game.

Goalkicking is a bit off this year though with 5.12

Averaging 26 disposals @ 70% DE too.

Is an explosive gun that's for sure and would be cheaper.

I can't believe that since D Shiel has been linked to the bummers, that people here are not discussing the possibility to get him to the D's.

Just now, DV8 said:

I can't believe that since D Shiel has been linked to the bummers, that people here are not discussing the possibility to get him to the D's.

We dont have a first rounder to trade for him.

1 minute ago, Petraccattack said:

We dont have a first rounder to trade for him.

He becomes a Restricted free Agent at the and of 2019. Why would he not wait until then and maximise the bidding war. It's GWS who would benefit from trading at the end of 2018.

We need a separate thread on free agency as the pros and cons not to mention the permutations are starting to do my head in.

I assume that although clubs are precluded from talking to players there is no restriction on clubs talking to managers. Out of interest when is the player allowed to commit in principle or otherwise.

1 minute ago, Diamond_Jim said:

He becomes a Restricted free Agent at the and of 2019. Why would he not wait until then and maximise the bidding war. It's GWS who would benefit from trading at the end of 2018.

We need a separate thread on free agency as the pros and cons not to mention the permutations are starting to do my head in.

I assume that although clubs are precluded from talking to players there is no restriction on clubs talking to managers. Out of interest when is the player allowed to commit in principle or otherwise.

Well, talk is, he is talking 'now' with the bummers.

Why would we wait until next year to talk with him?  If he's looking around now?

 

Is this another,  Dustin Martin  'no interview',  type philosophy ?

.

13 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

We dont have a first rounder to trade for him.

Don't make excuses;,,,  talk first,  then worry about cost after,  according to the chat.

5 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Well, talk is, he is talking 'now' with the bummers.

Why would we wait until next year to talk with him?  If he's looking around now?

 

Is this another,  Dustin Martin  'no interview',  type philosophy ?

.

Bombers have a first round pick ... we don't. Whether it will be enough to tempt GWS is the question?

Here's a good article about Carlton trading for Shiels and why.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2018-can-carlton-and-gws-do-a-deal-for-midfielder-dylan-shiel-and-should-they/news-story/2fb2e6e538fc8f41edcbd4ab5b3e0287

 

9 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Don't make excuses;,,,  talk first,  then worry about cost after,  according to the chat.

Hey man, you're preaching to the choir.   I'd love to get him and hope we are into him big time.

Josh Mahoney will deliver us something great.

Just heard on SEN that Paul Gaff, father of Andrew is in hospital with heart issues. May sway him to move back to VIC and leave WCE.

Do you go and play for NM just for scrilla or do you ante up and cash down and go to the Dees for a flag and a 10% pay cut. Spose it depends if he has a brain or any skills he can use after footy and therefore maximising pay now isn't #1 KPI

1 hour ago, MSFebey said:

Ranked 18th in Total Inside 50s, 3rd in Total Goal Assists and 3rd in Goal Assists Per Game.

Goalkicking is a bit off this year though with 5.12

Averaging 26 disposals @ 70% DE too.

Is an explosive gun that's for sure and would be cheaper.

5.12 for the season.  That would make him [D Sheil] feel right at home with us ???

Edited August 17, 20186 yr by monoccular

1 hour ago, MSFebey said:

Just heard on SEN that Paul Gaff, father of Andrew is in hospital with heart issues. May sway him to move back to VIC and leave WCE.

From AFL website:

"It's not something I think we should be talking about. It's a private matter," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.

"Obviously his dad is seriously ill. As we have been for the whole journey, our full support is behind Andrew and his family.

"He's in Melbourne at the moment, he'll stay there to be with his family.

"I think we'd appreciate some privacy on this one, if that's possible."

On 8/9/2018 at 7:22 PM, Demons11 said:

I agree, it’s ridiculous money. 

He would sure compliment our list though.

'complement'

All the latest articles are just rumour.

If anything, I feel more comfortable with the rumour we’ve apparently eased off the chase. 

Smokescreen.

On 8/9/2018 at 5:22 PM, Demons11 said:

I agree, it’s ridiculous money. 

He would sure compliment our list though.

 

1 hour ago, bush demon said:

'complement'

bushy - you are as pedantic as I .... however he may also have nice things to say about our list as well as adding value to it.

2 hours ago, bush demon said:

'complement'

Maybe he's so nice he complements our list by complimenting our list. "Hey tmac nice cammo pants! Hey Bugg love the lüft on your hair, same for your cycling cap maxy!"

You have to wonder where all the Norf money is coming from. They are a bit scattergun with their approach offering a fortune to anyone.kelly only signed on for 2 years at GWS and Norf were very confident that they would get him next time but cannot see that happening if Gaff goes there.

If he is too pricey then move on as we don't want to disturb the pecking order at MFC. lewis has already spoken to the group about pay structure and keeping the group together just as they did at Hawthorn in the premiership years. I truly believe that if MFC offer was similar to GWS he would come home (as per Jane's info) but 1.2 for 7 years is crazy money.

Target what we need to comlement our existing list do not get into a bidding war just to prove you can attract a player.

If the Hawks miss out on Lynch! I expect them too swoop late for Gaff.

But I still believe Gaff will be at the Dees!