44 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Haven't followed him very closely, but Rory Atkins has announced he'll leave Adelaide as an unrestricted free agent this year. Know he's meant to be quick and a decent kick (?), would he be handy depth? I'd see him as an upgrade on players like Jones, vandenBerg, Dunkley and the Wagners.

Anyone followed him more in-depth?

 

He's struggled in a poor team this year. Injured early in the year but just dropped and not played more recently. Not sure if it's due to poor form or his intention to leave. He's an OK footballer, not much to get excited about though. If he was cheap then yes he's a better depth option than those mentioned.

Just now, Lord Nev said:

What if I told you he averages the same amount of tackles as vandenBerg, with half as many clangers & turnovers...?

You could be talking about 99% of the league then. Vanders seems like a great guy and can bring good intensity at times, but he can barely get near  the ball or the man with the ball. Playing a man down with him in the side most weeks!

4 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

What if I told you he averages the same amount of tackles as vandenBerg, with half as many clangers & turnovers...?

don't care, my own eyes tell me ratkins is a lesser player

With Tomlinson playing KPD which I believe is his best position. I think acquiring Atkins would be a smart move for the left wing.

- He is a FA so nothing needs to be given in return.

- Vandenberg as an injury prone player, means we need depth for the wing position. 

- Jones is currently our back-up, and as much as we all love him, we need a contingency plan in place given this is possibly (most likely) his last year

- Penny may have finally dropped for Goodwin not to play Brayshaw on the wing so this reinforces why we need depth in this position

- During their grand final year, Atkins was considered to be in All Aus form, and as a left footer, he can play as the left footed winger, leaving Langdon for the right. 

- I daresay that with the early announcement that Atkins is exercising his rights to FA, he has already found a club, and I selfishly hope it is us 

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

What if I told you he averages the same amount of tackles as vandenBerg, with half as many clangers & turnovers...?

It's interesting because I imagine the same people who scoff at Atkins would have also been against trading for Butler.

Same as the tigers with Grigg and Houli, who were unwanted by their original clubs.

Sometimes these players fit better in a different system so I don't discount any player taking their game to another level.

Trade options:

Hunt - for a 3rd round pick. Lots of clubs would be interested in him given his speed, dash and courage. Pretty decent defender IMO.

Pruess - Trade or swap for a younger ruckman possibly Briggs from GWS was one of the best ruckman in the draft in 2018 and went for a pick in the 30's. I can see Gawny playing for us for another 5 - 7 years so I'd think Preuss may realise this and move to a team like GWS where he can get more game time. They have Mumford and Jacobs which they'll only get a couple more years out of them. 

Spargo/ANB - We are just carrying too many vanilla small forwards in Spargo, ANB, C.Wagner, Chandler, Bedford. Our only decent smalls are Picket, Lockhart and Nev.

Delist:

Jones - Been cooked since 2018 (possibly rookie to get him to 300 on a dirt cheap salary)

Wagner brothers - Need I say more

Kolodjashnij - Medical

Baker - Not a bad player just can't get enough of the ball 

Dunkley - We have lots of players like him and I haven't heard anything on him from the club all year. 

Bradtke - Showed potential but has been on the list for 3 years now I think and is now our last ruck option. 

Trade for: 

Ely Smith (Brisbane) - I watched some of his highlights in his draft year and looked like another Oliver with his freakish skills. Could be one to watch. 

Ballard (Gold Coast) - Would need to offer something pretty good to get him out of there, but he's been great in defence this year as a tall intercepting defender. 

Wright (Gold Coast) - Can't make the seniors with Day and King as the preferred talls. He would be better value than what T.Mac or Brown offer us currently. 

Caldwell (GWS) - Good inside/outside mid player, but can't consistently keep his place in the GWS side.

Hately (GWS) - Highly rated mid will be good in a few years

O'halloran (GWS) - Future leader, good overall mid

Cumming (GWS) - Elite ball user with great pace (salem like)

Briggs (GWS) - Could be a very good ruckman in a few years time and still only 20 years of age.

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

 I can see Gawny playing for us for another 5 - 7 years

Not sure Gawn will keep playing til he's 36 mate.

2 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Not sure Gawn will keep playing til he's 36 mate.

I see him as another Sandilands. Gawn is quite lightly framed for a Ruckman so that should keep him pretty durable for years to come. 

1 minute ago, Caligula's cohort said:

I see him as another Sandilands. Gawn is quite lightly framed for a Ruckman so that should keep him pretty durable for years to come. 

Sandilands was 122kg, the second heaviest AFL player of all time.

1 minute ago, Lord Nev said:

Sandilands was 122kg, the second heaviest AFL player of all time.

Right behind Morton who came in at a massive 155kg

1 minute ago, Lord Nev said:

Sandilands was 122kg, the second heaviest AFL player of all time.

Sandilands only had to tap in the centre bounce and follow up around the ground, he barely had to get out of 3rd gear given his height advantage. Perhaps a poor comparison on my behalf but what I meant is that heavier/bulkier players tend to slow up much more rapidly past their 30's. So we should see a Gawn keep playing to his mid 30's due to his lighter frame and good aerobic capacity. 

Gawns had multiple knee reconstructions and only ever made it through two seasons uninjured. He’s not durable and won’t play too far into his 30s. Thinking he’ll play until around 36 like a Burgoyne or Kade Simpson is fantasy stuff. He’s probably got 3-4 years left IMO.

Does anyone have a current list of 2020 free agency options?

2 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Gawns had multiple knee reconstructions and only ever made it through two seasons uninjured. He’s not durable and won’t play too far into his 30s. Thinking he’ll play until around 36 like a Burgoyne or Kade Simpson is fantasy stuff. He’s probably got 3-4 years left IMO.

Does anyone have a current list of 2020 free agency options?

2020-free-agents-unveiled

20 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Not sure of his contract status, but I’d be targeting Shai Bolton from Richmond.

Can be dangerous as a small/medium forward type, and is proving to be a well rounded midfielder who’s got good pace, skills and creativity. He’s the exact type of player our midfield lacks. He’ll be starved of midfield time as Tigers have stars like Dusty and Cotchin with  injured players like Prestia return. 

Could we get him for one of our second rounders? 

I thought (and said so at the time) that we should have looked at him 2 years back when he wasn't getting a regular game.

He looked to have the potential then.

I reckon that train has now left the station...he would be hard to move out.

49 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

Trade options:

Hunt - for a 3rd round pick. Lots of clubs would be interested in him given his speed, dash and courage. Pretty decent defender IMO.

Pruess - Trade or swap for a younger ruckman possibly Briggs from GWS was one of the best ruckman in the draft in 2018 and went for a pick in the 30's. I can see Gawny playing for us for another 5 - 7 years so I'd think Preuss may realise this and move to a team like GWS where he can get more game time. They have Mumford and Jacobs which they'll only get a couple more years out of them. 

Spargo/ANB - We are just carrying too many vanilla small forwards in Spargo, ANB, C.Wagner, Chandler, Bedford. Our only decent smalls are Picket, Lockhart and Nev.

Delist:

Jones - Been cooked since 2018 (possibly rookie to get him to 300 on a dirt cheap salary)

Wagner brothers - Need I say more

Kolodjashnij - Medical

Baker - Not a bad player just can't get enough of the ball 

Dunkley - We have lots of players like him and I haven't heard anything on him from the club all year. 

Bradtke - Showed potential but has been on the list for 3 years now I think and is now our last ruck option. 

Trade for: 

Ely Smith (Brisbane) - I watched some of his highlights in his draft year and looked like another Oliver with his freakish skills. Could be one to watch. 

Ballard (Gold Coast) - Would need to offer something pretty good to get him out of there, but he's been great in defence this year as a tall intercepting defender. 

Wright (Gold Coast) - Can't make the seniors with Day and King as the preferred talls. He would be better value than what T.Mac or Brown offer us currently. 

Caldwell (GWS) - Good inside/outside mid player, but can't consistently keep his place in the GWS side.

Hately (GWS) - Highly rated mid will be good in a few years

O'halloran (GWS) - Future leader, good overall mid

Cumming (GWS) - Elite ball user with great pace (salem like)

Briggs (GWS) - Could be a very good ruckman in a few years time and still only 20 years of age.

 

 

 

the only position on the ground we do have options in is midfield. So hately, caldwell, o'halloran, smith all wont move. 

Briggs wont come as theres an opening as u said at gws however i can see potentially preuss heading there.

ballard wont leave hes loving it especially with rory thompson doing another knee

wright is definitely a shout tho and i also rate cumming

Dunkley we have about zero of his type as on outside mid so idk what ur on about there

bradtke is only 20 and outside the salary theyll persevere.

also baker is contracted as is KK but could see a payout here

spargo is handy and young enough that he could still show something

as if anyone would look at nibbler tho

4 hours ago, Turner said:

the only position on the ground we do have options in is midfield. So hately, caldwell, o'halloran, smith all wont move. 

Briggs wont come as theres an opening as u said at gws however i can see potentially preuss heading there.

ballard wont leave hes loving it especially with rory thompson doing another knee

wright is definitely a shout tho and i also rate cumming

Dunkley we have about zero of his type as on outside mid so idk what ur on about there

bradtke is only 20 and outside the salary theyll persevere.

also baker is contracted as is KK but could see a payout here

spargo is handy and young enough that he could still show something

as if anyone would look at nibbler tho

Interesting thoughts Will Turner... The way I see it Pruess is a first choice ruckman at about 10 or so AFL teams. GWS would happily part ways with Briggs knowing they will get a ruckman in his prime at 25 who's had the tutelage of Goldstein and Gawn. Two of the best rucks in the past decade. 

Ballard was a smokey but seeing as we really lack that 3rd defensive tall to assist May and Lever. I would be offloading our second rounder for him and more. 

Dunkley is mainly Inside mid and forward. He was only pushed to an outside role as we had our reserves stacked with inside mids also. Dunks is just your standard mid/fwd 185cm player... the most common player there is in footy circles. 

Bradtke has no killer instinct. something you need in AFL. He's too much of a Grammar school boy. 

Baker and KK contracted. Contracts mean nothing in this day in age. Anything can happen. 

Spargo does have neat skills and is a good user of the footy but too often doesn't show it. AFL is not a place where you can get by on talent alone. You need drive, killer instinct, skills to execute and to also play your role. 

ANB would be well suited to Adelaide. They need young experienced players. He will fit in perfectly at Adelaide. Personally I would be playing ANB as a winger with his Elite endurance and high pressure... but hey Goody sees him as a pressure forward. IMO he's been played in the wrong position his entire career. 

 

5 hours ago, rjay said:

I thought (and said so at the time) that we should have looked at him 2 years back when he wasn't getting a regular game.

He looked to have the potential then.

I reckon that train has now left the station...he would be hard to move out.

I'm not sure I see the logic there mate. When he was 19 you wanted him and now that he's 21 you don't? He's precisely the sort of player that could add forward half pressure and dynamism that we lack IMO.

26 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

ANB would be well suited to Adelaide. They need young experienced players. He will fit in perfectly at Adelaide. Personally I would be playing ANB as a winger with his Elite endurance and high pressure... but hey Goody sees him as a pressure forward. IMO he's been played in the wrong position his entire career. 

i agree

he would bring a real work ethic to that side on the training track

he was an inside mid his junior career, but i can definitely see him replacing the wantaway ratkins on the wing

On 8/20/2020 at 8:25 PM, dazzledavey36 said:

Poor list management and hindering player development. Right..

Stick to your day job, footy ain't your thing.

My mum always said if you can’t say something nice .... 

1 hour ago, Caligula's cohort said:

 

Bradtke has no killer instinct. something you need in AFL. He's too much of a Grammar school boy. 

 

ANB would be well suited to Adelaide. They need young experienced players. He will fit in perfectly at Adelaide. Personally I would be playing ANB as a winger with his Elite endurance and high pressure... but hey Goody sees him as a pressure forward. IMO he's been played in the wrong position his entire career. 

 

firstly Matt rowell was a grammar school boy and hes the best player ive ever played with so go shove it 

and Nibbler is not suited to Adelaide they literally just let Ratkins walk whos a year older with 30 more games. Nothing young about ANB

The side is still chronically short of leadership and footy IQ.  A recruit similar to what we had in Jordan Lewis or what Luke Hodge did at Brisbane is worth considering.  Is a player of this type available?

We look like having a highly valuable early second-rounder. Plus two third-round picks and a fourth which could be packaged. 

Have no idea how the draft will look this year - but I never understood this concept that picks slide with F&S and Academy choices. 

I almost see it as the opposite. Teams will reach for their prospects or pay up in latter draft picks. It's a good position. 

Anyway, I think we could end up picking three kids in the ordinary 18-30 range if we hold and play our cards right. 

Can't see that by trading out any of our bottom ten will help us in any way. Free agents or a dead trade period I'm guessing. 

 

2 hours ago, BillyBeane said:

The side is still chronically short of leadership and footy IQ.  A recruit similar to what we had in Jordan Lewis or what Luke Hodge did at Brisbane is worth considering.  Is a player of this type available?

J westoff

9 hours ago, A F said:

I'm not sure I see the logic there mate. When he was 19 you wanted him and now that he's 21 you don't? He's precisely the sort of player that could add forward half pressure and dynamism that we lack IMO.

I want him, just saying we should have gone after him when he was more gettable and not as expensive.

He will be harder to get out of the Tiges now and more clubs would be interested if he was on the move.

I was reading through bigfooty and there was s comment I saw which read that apparently its out of Blues, Doggies and the Dees for Rory Atkins.

Atkins as a free agent is the type of move we should be making. Has shown he can play high quality football with 2016-2019 playing 20+ games a year at 20+ possessions average. He is in the right age bracket and fits our need to add outside speed and carry on a wing or flank. Won’t cost us the earth. 

We have plenty of well tried mature players on our list and delisting  one who will not suddenly become best 22 for one that may is exactly what FA should be for.