6 minutes ago, EnterTheDragon said:

Higgins was a very good get by the Roos.

An excellent pick up, but was battling constant injuries and a certain MFC assistant coach had him in the 2's at the time. Certainly wasn't expected to become that player he is right now.

13 hours ago, pewpewpew said:

Dollars?

Premiership Window?

Chance to help develop and build a list?

Are we no longer a Destination club because we don't have the $$$ or the picks to throw around?

There are some big names bandied about, (Gaff, Shiel) but none of them want to play for the Dees. Why?

I'm not counting Steven May because his priority seems to be to desperately get out of the Suns rather than specifically go to the Dees.

So is there such a thing as a destination club or does the timing of $$$ and picks have to be right to be considered one?

Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, and Harmes are part of your answer. 

Gaff, possibly Sheil, and you can add Tyson, Kent and maybe AVB - cracking the MFC midfield for a premier inside gig would appear extremely difficult right now, and uncompromising once you're there. Not the place for Brownlow hopefuls or aspirational middle-market contenders.  

3 hours ago, Skuit said:

Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, and Harmes are part of your answer. 

Gaff, possibly Sheil, and you can add Tyson, Kent and maybe AVB - cracking the MFC midfield for a premier inside gig would appear extremely difficult right now, and uncompromising once you're there. Not the place for Brownlow hopefuls or aspirational middle-market contenders.  

Sorry Skuit, but every team in the comp would want Gaff in their team and to a lesser extent Sheil. Both would get starting gigs in all 18 teams. In Melbourne's case, someone like Gaff would fill a need for outside gutrunners that can dispose of the pill properly. Gaff is second only to Whitfield here. No midfield is so strong as to not have blokes of this calibre.

1 hour ago, dee-tox said:

Sorry Skuit, but every team in the comp would want Gaff in their team and to a lesser extent Sheil. Both would get starting gigs in all 18 teams. In Melbourne's case, someone like Gaff would fill a need for outside gutrunners that can dispose of the pill properly. Gaff is second only to Whitfield here. No midfield is so strong as to not have blokes of this calibre.

Not saying that they can't usurp current incumbents or wouldn't be welcome. Just that it may not be an attractive option with such competition. 

1 hour ago, dee-tox said:

Sorry Skuit, but every team in the comp would want Gaff in their team and to a lesser extent Sheil. Both would get starting gigs in all 18 teams. In Melbourne's case, someone like Gaff would fill a need for outside gutrunners that can dispose of the pill properly. Gaff is second only to Whitfield here. No midfield is so strong as to not have blokes of this calibre.

I thought @Skuit was saying that someone like Gaff and Shiel don't want to share the limelight or load with our current midfield rather than Melbourne not wanting them because of our current midfield. 

It's a no brainer that we'd take either one. Pretty sure both are looking at a starring role not a best supporting gig. 

What makes a club a "destination"?  A number of things, which could be one, some, or all of the below;

- Dollars

- Currency to trade

- Club reputation with development, coaching staff, success, culture

- Facilities at the club, including the programs offered to assist with the transition with life after football

- Premiership window/chances of success

- Opportunities that are presented by being a "x" club player (eg. your offield profile would be greater with the likes of Collingwood, compared to Gold Coast)

- Where they are from, especially if they play for a club outside of their origin

These are all considerations of a player when looking at changing clubs.

 

20 hours ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Successful clubs have always got the best of the players who move - Danger to Geel, Buddy to Swans, Lynch to Tigs etc. I don't think the lower clubs were afraid to make moves, the issue was that players choose the most successful clubs.

It's a big issue in the equalisation the AFL wants, often lower clubs have to pay a lot more for NQR's just to met salary cap demands, I remember someone connect with the club once saying with Dawes contract that we had to pay someone.

Hopefully the Tiges have as much future premiership success as Geelong after Danger moved there, Swans after Buddy moved there, Carlton after Judd chose them etc. 

22 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

A club where players want to go to without being payed ‘overs’ to go there. 

Spot on. 

Getting Lever and potentially May this year, when lots of other clubs were/are interested, make us a destination club. It’s about a player accepting market value salary because they want to play for a club they see future success with. 

Any club can wave money bags around and eventually land someone. Does not make them a destination club. Players motivated by money over success, are rarely worth chasing anyway. 

Gaff’s decision is mind boggling to be honest. Vic boy, would be paid well anywhere, just watched his mates win a flag without him. What’s the motivation to go to North other than a crapload of cash? Whereas Polec (good ordinary player who landed a friggin lottery check) and Hogan (go home factor), are a totally different story. 

When will the Dees get a free (FREE) agent. They are free in terms of you give no TRADE OR DRAFT PICKS. 

We got Lever but he cost us two 1st round picks   

Lynch, Gaff, Dahlhaus, Conca will cost their new clubs nothing (just the $$$$$)

 

5 flags in a row.

9 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

When will the Dees get a free (FREE) agent. They are free in terms of you give no TRADE OR DRAFT PICKS. 

We got Lever but he cost us two 1st round picks   

Lynch, Gaff, Dahlhaus, Conca will cost their new clubs nothing (just the $$$$$)

 

Daniel Cross. Pumped up by Roos in the Demonland interview as absolutely essential to the culture they were building around the club. 5th in the B&F and best clubman in his first year here. Free Agent.

Sure, not the most flashy of deals (in terms of $$$, 'superstars', contract lengths), but for mine, a free agency steal.

On 10/4/2018 at 6:15 AM, Red and Blue realist said:

Naturally it's a lot easier to get players in when you are successful, a lot of players will sacrifice $ for the chance of a premiership. Does that make you a destination club or just a successful one? If Hawthorn crash and burn from here will they still be a 'destination club' in 3/4 years, who knows, plus there's heaps they have also been linked with but never went there, just Lynch is the biggest this year - Carlisle, Prestia, Wines, Wingard etc. 

What I was saying is that destination club is a term used by ordinary media performers to hype up any club doing a trade (if it suits their narrative at the time), we became a destination club because we got Lewis, last year Essendon and Port were because they got a few in. Nth, Brissy, Freo, Saints are apparently this years destination clubs.

I think it can be anything on an individual basis. There are certainly cases where someone just wants to go home. Lycett to Port. Where he played as a junior and went for less money than the Saints were offering. Danger could have got more elsewhere but wanted to go home. Some just go anywhere for the most coin. Some just want more opportunity, anywhere, and others need a new start and a reset (Vardy after 7 injury years at Geelong).

But excluding specific individual factors such as this it is a good question. What makes specific clubs a destination? I think it is the combination of success (why Hawks keep getting big names for less), the best coach in the comp (Hawks again), facilities, medical and support staff, reputation for post career support, the chance to play in front of the biggest crowds and so on.

As valid a question as What makes a Destination Club? is, the question What makes a club a non-destination club? is just as important. Why does no-one want to play for GC or the Saints? Why did 10 players leave Brisbane over the 2012-2013 era? Why are Carlton still rubbish after getting top 5 pick after top 5 pick for 20 years?

You know your a destination club when A and B grade free agents nominate you as their preferred club e.g. Geelong and Hawthorn. Also helps to be a large club with resources and big crowds to play in front of e.g. Collingwood, Essendon.

Having Alistair Clarkson as coach helps your destination club status.

What Makes a Destination Club? Having a head of recruiting who was head of recruiting at another club.

The new Destination Club:

 

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

The new Destination Club:

 

don't joke.... the media are already talking them up as you have posted..

8 Friday night games on the way

Conveniently forget that 6 weeks ago they were asking for compensation picks because they were such poor performers.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

don't joke.... the media are already talking them up as you have posted..

8 Friday night games on the way

Conveniently forget that 6 weeks ago they were asking for compensation picks because they were such poor performers.

I would not be surprised if the AFL reward the Blues for their trading by gifting them Fridays again. If they do they will justify their decision by saying they will be an exciting young team. If this happens I hope they get smashed and people continue to turn off their TVs.