21 hours ago, Dee Boys said:

Christ, that’s bad news. If we give up pick 5 for him I’ll be apoplectic.

I'll be much worse and I can't even pronounce it properly

He's a gun and I would be very happy to land him. Instantly fills the Brayshaw void on-field and adds much needed dynamic kicking skills to our team.

I get not wanting to trade pick 5 for him, and I don't either. But unlike most I would be reasonably comfortable in splitting the pick to land him.

Turning 5 into say 9 and 10 from the tigers (post freo trade) might be a possibility. Trade 10 and 2nd round pick might get it done (I know they want two but that's their starting public negotiating point).

Turning say 5 pick and ANB comp (25) or future 2nd into Houston and pick 9. That's a great outcome. Whether actually achievable or not I'm not sure.

With such an open and even draft and no clear stand-outs, there's even a good chance we land our top 5 target at pick 9 anyway.

 

 

Houston signed a long term deal on middling money and then hit AA form.

This "trade" is about re-oening his contract.

Port are playing hardball as they should

The fact he had a brain fart and outed himself from Port’s finals campaign means his papers may be stamped, bridges burning and there’s a deal to be done…

3 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I am truly staggered by the lack of interest around here in Houston.

"we dodged a bullet", one poster said.

If missing out on a genuine A grader is "dodging a bullet" then I need to follow another sport.

Do people not watch Port games?

This guy is a genuine star of the game as validated by his back to back All Australian blazers. We're not just talking about sneaking into the squad like a Massimo D'Ambrossio. We're talking back to back starting 18.

He will dramatically improve the MFC next year and he's in the age bracket which suggests he's in the peak of his career. His ball use is exactly what we need. 

If you need anymore convincing, check out the below:

 

It’s a big call to make especially when we are on the precipice of irrelevance. It’s hard to read 2024. In hindsight was all the off field issues and dodgy preseason the real reason or was it our natural decline.

If it’s the later, then you don’t go after him and invest in a mini rebuild, if it’s the exception then you go all out. 
 

The reality is we don’t know what the true state of our playing group is, whether Trac and Oliver can return to their full potentials, will Petty come good, can we reinvent our game plan etc. Only the club will and I hope they make the right call for now and the future. 

No. 

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I am truly staggered by the lack of interest around here in Houston.

"we dodged a bullet", one poster said.

If missing out on a genuine A grader is "dodging a bullet" then I need to follow another sport.

Do people not watch Port games?

This guy is a genuine star of the game as validated by his back to back All Australian blazers. We're not just talking about sneaking into the squad like a Massimo D'Ambrossio. We're talking back to back starting 18.

He will dramatically improve the MFC next year and he's in the age bracket which suggests he's in the peak of his career. His ball use is exactly what we need. 

If you need anymore convincing, check out the below:

 

I don’t think anyone is underestimating Houston the player. But for me there are four factors working against this: his age, his position, the asking price and the club’s direction.

1. He’s 28 next year - basically everything needs to go right for us to maximize his value. We might get 50-75 good “elite level@ games out of him at best. That’s not a lot. 

2. He plays HBF which is far from the most important role to fill. He’s an AA player sure but he’s not exactly Zak Butters.

3. Two first rounders or pick 5 and change. Enough said, way overs.

4. Are we really pushing for another flag? We don’t want Houston to be the next Tim Taranto. Much safer taking pick 5 to the draft where we can focus on finding Clarry/Viney/Brand Petracca’s replacement. 

 

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I am truly staggered by the lack of interest around here in Houston.

"we dodged a bullet", one poster said.

If missing out on a genuine A grader is "dodging a bullet" then I need to follow another sport.

Do people not watch Port games?

This guy is a genuine star of the game as validated by his back to back All Australian blazers. We're not just talking about sneaking into the squad like a Massimo D'Ambrossio. We're talking back to back starting 18.

He will dramatically improve the MFC next year and he's in the age bracket which suggests he's in the peak of his career. His ball use is exactly what we need. 

If you need anymore convincing, check out the below:

 

Because he's not exactly what we need.

Our prime targets this off season should be midfield talent and depth. With pick 5 you're getting a potential 12-15 year player instead of a 29 year old half back flanker.

He's good, but he's still not worth pick 5 imo and that's exactly what Port will ask for.

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I am truly staggered by the lack of interest around here in Houston.

"we dodged a bullet", one poster said.

If missing out on a genuine A grader is "dodging a bullet" then I need to follow another sport.

Do people not watch Port games?

This guy is a genuine star of the game as validated by his back to back All Australian blazers. We're not just talking about sneaking into the squad like a Massimo D'Ambrossio. We're talking back to back starting 18.

He will dramatically improve the MFC next year and he's in the age bracket which suggests he's in the peak of his career. His ball use is exactly what we need. 

I would love to have him BPP, he's a class act. I'm just not sold on giving up pick 5 for him if there's a chance of snaring someone like Langford or Lalor.

Would absolutely love him but I don't see them accepting less to be honest.

1 hour ago, PaulRB said:

The fact he had a brain fart and outed himself from Port’s finals campaign means his papers may be stamped, bridges burning and there’s a deal to be done…

Lol they're not going to sack a gun player because of a bump that went wrong. If they trade him it will be because they will get overs.

12 minutes ago, layzie said:

I would love to have him BPP, he's a class act. I'm just not sold on giving up pick 5 for him if there's a chance of snaring someone like Langford or Lalor.

Would absolutely love him but I don't see them accepting less to be honest.

I don't want to Trade Pick 5 but also would like to add DH to the team. Glad there are people who get paid for this conundrum.

 

 

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Because he's not exactly what we need.

Our prime targets this off season should be midfield talent and depth. With pick 5 you're getting a potential 12-15 year player instead of a 29 year old half back flanker.

He's good, but he's still not worth pick 5 imo and that's exactly what Port will ask for.

Houston is 27. Plus With free agency and such a liquid player transfer market, I am not sure the number of years is as valuable as it used to be.

I think Port's asking price is a bit too rich, but Houston would be a good get. 

3 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Houston signed a long term deal on middling money and then hit AA form.

This "trade" is about re-oening his contract.

Port are playing hardball as they should

this has always been my cynical take on it too

waterman the same

If we paid pick 5 for Houston we’re banking on the big 4, May and Lever playing at close to AA level.  Along with that we’re also banking on  a revised game plan, the continued growth of our youngsters and the form and fitness of our mid tier group and the continued form of Houston. It’s only if all that happens are we going to push for a flag and for mine that’s the only reason you’d take Houston over pick 5. It’s a massive gamble and I’m not a gambling man. I actually think if all the above happened and pick 5 was a plug and play midfielder we’d be almost as likely to win the flag. So why take Houston at the likely asking price?

Edited September 4, 20241 yr by Roost it far

I though we had a no DH policy? 

 

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Because he's not exactly what we need.

Our prime targets this off season should be midfield talent and depth. With pick 5 you're getting a potential 12-15 year player instead of a 29 year old half back flanker.

He's good, but he's still not worth pick 5 imo and that's exactly what Port will ask for.

I agree that we shouldn't give up pick 5 for DH, but it's disingenuous to label him a "half back flanker". 

He played midfield prior to Butters and Rozee taking over at Port.

He'd play midfield and half back with us. ie the Gus role. But unlike Gus, he's an elite kick.

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

If we paid pick 5 for Houston we’re banking on the big 4, May and Lever playing at close to AA level.  Along with that we’re also banking on  a revised game plan, the continued growth of our youngsters and the form and fitness of our mid tier group and the continued form of Houston. It’s only if all that happens are we going to push for a flag and for mine that’s the only reason you’d take Houston over pick 5. It’s a massive gamble and I’m not a gambling man. I actually think if all the above happened and pick 5 was a plug and play midfielder we’d be almost as likely to win the flag. So why take Houston at the likely asking price?

What possibly makes you think pick 5 is not a gamble? It has a chance of landing a 'plug and play midfielder' - it also has a chance of landing Jimmy Toumpas. 

Don't get me wrong - I like the draft pick - but this is a classic case of opting for the mystery box over the known quantity

In relative terms - pick 5 is at least as much of a gamble as Dan Houston 

Edited September 4, 20241 yr by fr_ap

Apologies if this has already been covered but I'm intrigued by the Dan Houston situation in comparison to Christian Petracca. For a long time now it has been rumoured Houston wants to come home. There have been long periods of silence from him. Eventually he said he wants to stay. Now it's up in the air again. Jon Ralph uses the phrases in relation to Houstons tardiness.'let's not hang him for it' and "we shouldn't lose our minds over it". So let me get this right. Christian Petracca said nothing publicly and the world caves in on him and the club. Houston and Port have been stuffing each other around for quite some time but both are let off the hook. FWIW I have no issue with either situation but the hypocrisy here is palpable. Just imagine if Petracca flip flopped the same as Houston? The mind boggles.

2 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

Apologies if this has already been covered but I'm intrigued by the Dan Houston situation in comparison to Christian Petracca. For a long time now it has been rumoured Houston wants to come home. There have been long periods of silence from him. Eventually he said he wants to stay. Now it's up in the air again. Jon Ralph uses the phrases in relation to Houstons tardiness.'let's not hang him for it' and "we shouldn't lose our minds over it". So let me get this right. Christian Petracca said nothing publicly and the world caves in on him and the club. Houston and Port have been stuffing each other around for quite some time but both are let off the hook. FWIW I have no issue with either situation but the hypocrisy here is palpable. Just imagine if Petracca flip flopped the same as Houston? The mind boggles.

Perhaps the comparison is not quite the same. Noting the comments about brand being a concern and chasing a trade despite managers indicating it won’t happen. 

Has the go home factor ever led a player from Melbourne to Carlton?

Sicily must be beautiful this time of year

10 minutes ago, Deelectable said:

Apologies if this has already been covered but I'm intrigued by the Dan Houston situation in comparison to Christian Petracca. For a long time now it has been rumoured Houston wants to come home. There have been long periods of silence from him. Eventually he said he wants to stay. Now it's up in the air again. Jon Ralph uses the phrases in relation to Houstons tardiness.'let's not hang him for it' and "we shouldn't lose our minds over it". So let me get this right. Christian Petracca said nothing publicly and the world caves in on him and the club. Houston and Port have been stuffing each other around for quite some time but both are let off the hook. FWIW I have no issue with either situation but the hypocrisy here is palpable. Just imagine if Petracca flip flopped the same as Houston? The mind boggles.

That’s not a fair comparison, even though Christian had very real issues with the club, his situation was almost entirely his own doing.

Houston and Port are playing chess with each other but Houston is not burning Port to the ground in the process 

 

5 hours ago, Nascent said:

Turning 5 into say 9 and 10 from the tigers (post freo trade) might be a possibility. Trade 10 and 2nd round pick might get it done (I know they want two but that's their starting public negotiating point).

It feels like whenever a club publically states their asking price for an A-grade player, they just don’t budge.
 

Eg. us with LJ, Adelaide with Lever, GWS with Cameron… very hard to sell it back to the members when you set the expectation at 2x 1st rounder and come back with less…  

Best case scenario for Dees would be finding 2x late first-rounders for the deal.

10 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Perhaps the comparison is not quite the same. Noting the comments about brand being a concern and chasing a trade despite managers indicating it won’t happen. 

Agreed, it's not quite the same but nevertheless the Houston saga has dragged on and still not finalised. The football world were imploring Petracca to come put and make a statement on his playing future which actually did in a fraction of the time compared to Houston.  The way the media interprets and reports is the determining factor. Petracca is a far more 'sexy' story. Houston not a household name. Regardless, the chasm in response is huge.

4 minutes ago, BW511 said:

That’s not a fair comparison, even though Christian had very real issues with the club, his situation was almost entirely his own doing.

Houston and Port are playing chess with each other but Houston is not burning Port to the ground in the process 

 

Disagree with some of that first paragraph but not going down that rabbit hole again. Houston has mucked around Port for a long time now. All has to do is say I'm staying but he hasn't. 'Burning down the house' is perception.

1 minute ago, Deelectable said:

Disagree with some of that first paragraph but not going down that rabbit hole again. Houston has mucked around Port for a long time now. All has to do is say I'm staying but he hasn't. 'Burning down the house' is perception.

Houston has said he’s staying

https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104290300

 

Edited September 4, 20241 yr by BW511