No doubt many will disagree with this premise. No worries.  For me this season is virtually gone. By that I mean no premiership.  A few have understandably stated that it would be good to fight back, grab a top 8 spot and win a final. When the Demons run out of course I'll be wanting us to win but with stars missing and not the easiest of draws top 4 looks an enormous ask. For me, there is no second prize. On balance I'd prefer to miss the finals, secure a pick in the top 10, complete the season early, surgeries taken care of and reset for 2025. Winning a final means at least an extra 3 weeks training and playing and a later start to the pre season. Now, to the actual point of this post! With our champs in the latter or late stages of their careers unless we are aggressive in the trade and free agency period we will be out of the running when the likes of Max, May and Viney are likely gone in a couple of seasons.  If we 'sit on our hands' and hope development comes from within I think this window is over. Difficult, I know, to attract players but with the likely cap space from numerous retirements and delistings we have to extremely active. Midfield needs bolstering.  LDU springs to mind. Thought Yeo might have been a short term prospect but not now. Forward tall target is obvious.  Is Max King gettable and made of the right stuff? Surely he could help out in the ruck.Assuming we retain all our guns and other required players blue skies might well be ahead. However, if these aren't complemented by established recruits it looks far more grey. We will know where we stand around 7pm on October 16 when the free agency and trade periods are over. Happy to be shot down.

 

I'm hearing you, but to trade up big, you've got to offer up big

The latest recruits have been less than overwhelming, and i'm afraid the pickings will be slim 

We've lost Grundy, JJ, Harmes and Jackson in the last couple of years and replaced them with nothing

Out of those four, Luke Jackson is sorely missed, but he can get lost - I have no love for him

9 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

I'm hearing you, but to trade up big, you've got to offer up big

The latest recruits have been less than overwhelming, and i'm afraid the pickings will be slim 

We've lost Grundy, JJ, Harmes and Jackson in the last couple of years and replaced them with nothing

Out of those four, Luke Jackson is sorely missed, but he can get lost - I have no love for him

this 'replaced them with nothing' is a fallacy

grundy - cost us a 2nd rounder BUT we received two 2nd rounders for him; most importantly all $$s off our books

jj - free agent who walked out on us, received end of second round compensation (about what he'd have been worth in a trade imo)

harmes - we got a 2024 third round pick for him, but billings (who cost us a 2024 3rd round pick) effectively replaced him as a fringe best 25 player

dog - jefferson + winsdsor + jed adams (effectively)

 

12 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

this 'replaced them with nothing' is a fallacy

grundy - cost us a 2nd rounder BUT we received two 2nd rounders for him; most importantly all $$s off our books

jj - free agent who walked out on us, received end of second round compensation (about what he'd have been worth in a trade imo)

harmes - we got a 2024 third round pick for him, but billings (who cost us a 2024 3rd round pick) effectively replaced him as a fringe best 25 player

dog - jefferson + winsdsor + jed adams (effectively)

 

Only Windsor has been effective - thus far

11 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

Only Windsor has been effective - thus far

so one best 23 player for another? sounds like a line ball call...

15 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

so one best 23 player for another? sounds like a line ball call...

Different player - different roles

There are layers

The day has come.

Under the rules, nothing can be lodged officially until 2.00pm.

The frenzy follows and reaches a crescendo at about 7.29pm.

Melbourne fans can relax because I think we’re just about done barring a few surprises.

Hoping we acquire a pick for Tomlinson departing, either this year or next year. The cupboard is bare and i'd really like us to draft a tall defender to grow at Casey for a few years.