Just now, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Or we can just do a Geelong and hardly use any picks for the next 10 years

I'm fine with loading up with picks this year in an even draft, knowing we have a good NGA prospect and a F/S next year.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Cal Twomey said that he thinks he'll be playing at Melbourne next year and it will take our pick 7 and next years first as a starting point.

I'll be absolutely mortified with the club if we part with pick 7 for a 28 year old half back flanker and next years first.

 

Yes, I agree with you Dazzler. We can't be parting with our pick 7. If Port Adelaide insist that pick 7 should be involved, then we should walk away from it the trade. 

Hearing Simon Goodwin's media conference today said for the the 3rd time, we no longer have Angus Brayshaw and Christian Petracca is out for the season. It's an absolute no brainer we have to go to the draft to get 2 Elite midfielders. 

I can't stress enough how important this trade period is and we need to nail it. No mistakes or misfires, we have to hit the targets. Tim Lamb, I hope you are reading this message. Please don't get up 2 First round picks for Houston. If Chris Davies insist, just walk away. 

29 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

Fair enough. Although wasn't he a restricted free agent ? Had something to do with Adelaide wanting something better than Pick 15 compo but also Geelong not giving away too much, given he could be had for free a year later. 

Can't think of another comparable trade. I do echo your sentiments about wanting something back  but maybe we're all guessing about Port and his relationship. Maybe Houston doesn't mind waiting a year or two to move, so they'll hold out for a good deal. I'm forgetting but wasn't it an Essendon player that got held to the contract and traded a year later? Daniher?

Edit: Josh Dunkley! He was held to "ransom" and the club and player didn't seem to care. And got on with business for a year until the next trade period.

Can't remember if he was a restricted FA or not but I think the theme here is that the player is the one that wants to go for personal reasons. And not that we are trying to prize him out by offering the world to Port. 

I think it makes sense that not much has been spoken about in regards to Houston's reasons for coming home, it seems as if it's just accepted that he's coming back to Melbourne and we are the club the media believe he'll join. That to me suggests reasons are private. From there, the media need to make filler so the hypothetical trade talk begins. 

32 minutes ago, middleagedemon said:

Can't remember if he was a restricted FA or not but I think the theme here is that the player is the one that wants to go for personal reasons. And not that we are trying to prize him out by offering the world to Port. 

I think it makes sense that not much has been spoken about in regards to Houston's reasons for coming home, it seems as if it's just accepted that he's coming back to Melbourne and we are the club the media believe he'll join. That to me suggests reasons are private. From there, the media need to make filler so the hypothetical trade talk begins. 

Well given our track record of targeting and luring players over like Lever, May and Langdon, then I personally think/guess that he both wants to come home, and wants to only join the Dees. Probably because of how we've approached him and told him how we want to use him next year, and he's sold. I also don't think he would be so desperate to go home that he'd want to go to any victorian club, but it's all just guessing at this stage.

Given this came out of Callum Twomey's mouth and he said so causally and emphatically that it's us who's after him, I think means he's been on the phone and has spoken to his contacts. He's a reputable person in a media landscape devoid of it. Smoke/Fire

 

Edited August 7, 20241 yr by John Demonic

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Cal Twomey said that he thinks he'll be playing at Melbourne next year and it will take our pick 7 and next years first as a starting point.

I'll be absolutely mortified with the club if we part with pick 7 for a 28 year old half back flanker and next years first.

 

i am 100% with you, i'd go as far as saying i wouldn't include pick 7 in the deal. there is no doubt he's a very good player, but given where we're at and the midfield talent in this draft i think that pick is gold for us. 

I'd look to offer something like our future first round pick and Tom Sparrow

6 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

On Saturday night we need to be on our best behaviour and avoid this game being a complete mess if he's seriously considering the Dees.

I can't imagine the impression we're going to leave him if we get tonked.

You don’t think he’s ever seen us play before??? 

1 hour ago, Demons11 said:

There are rumours swirling about Fritta. 

Unpopular opinion but if a team offered a first rounder for him, I'd happily take it given the options we'd have of trading up etc, (not purely taking that pick to the draft). 

Taking my MFC glasses off, it's obvious that the only way to remain consistently competitive and not completely bottom out for years is by having mini-rebuilds along the way. And that requires letting go of  players who have been great contributors over the journey. 

Of course the cheer squad will come after this post with their face-palm emojies, but I mean the evidence is everywhere. 

Perhaps next year will be the year that something like that will eventuate given I'm still bullish on one last crack at top four next year with Gawn, May, Viney, Melksham still contributing and providing we get a lot right this off-season. But 2025 will be a year to make some really tough decisions in regards to where we want to be as a side in 2028 onwards. 

I think with the depth of this year's midfielders in the draft, it would be ridiculous to trade out a top 6 draft pick and I just cannot see it happening. Next year, I'd be happy to let a player like Fritsch go if the price was right and especially if his defensive efforts don't change. 

Off-topic but my two bob. 

59 minutes ago, Storm Boy said:

Yes, I agree with you Dazzler. We can't be parting with our pick 7. If Port Adelaide insist that pick 7 should be involved, then we should walk away from it the trade. 

Hearing Simon Goodwin's media conference today said for the the 3rd time, we no longer have Angus Brayshaw and Christian Petracca is out for the season. It's an absolute no brainer we have to go to the draft to get 2 Elite midfielders. 

I can't stress enough how important this trade period is and we need to nail it. No mistakes or misfires, we have to hit the targets. Tim Lamb, I hope you are reading this message. Please don't get up 2 First round picks for Houston. If Chris Davies insist, just walk away. 

Like gambling, if it's no longer fun just walk away.

20 minutes ago, middleagedemon said:

Unpopular opinion but if a team offered a first rounder for him, I'd happily take it given the options we'd have of trading up etc, (not purely taking that pick to the draft). 

Of course the cheer squad will come after this post with their face-palm emojies, but I mean the evidence is everywhere. 

Perhaps next year will be the year that something like that will eventuate given I'm still bullish on one last crack at top four next year with Gawn, May, Viney, Melksham still contributing and providing we get a lot right this off-season. But 2025 will be a year to make some really tough decisions in regards to where we want to be as a side in 2028 onwards. 

I think with the depth of this year's midfielders in the draft, it would be ridiculous to trade out a top 6 draft pick and I just cannot see it happening. Next year, I'd be happy to let a player like Fritsch go if the price was right and especially if his defensive efforts don't change. 

Off-topic but my two bob. 

Why would “the cheer squad” come after your post with FacePalm emojis? You’re discussing the possibility of trading a player, you’re not disparaging him or calling him useless or a spud etc.

Do you expect FacePalm emojies because the player in question is Fritta? What about posts in this thread suggesting trading Spaz? Or Chin Chandler? None of these posts should expect FacePalms because none of them are insulting.

Do you see and understand the difference? Are you slowly starting to get it?

40 minutes ago, middleagedemon said:

Unpopular opinion but if a team offered a first rounder for him, I'd happily take it given the options we'd have of trading up etc, (not purely taking that pick to the draft). 

Taking my MFC glasses off, it's obvious that the only way to remain consistently competitive and not completely bottom out for years is by having mini-rebuilds along the way. And that requires letting go of  players who have been great contributors over the journey. 

Of course the cheer squad will come after this post with their face-palm emojies, but I mean the evidence is everywhere. 

Perhaps next year will be the year that something like that will eventuate given I'm still bullish on one last crack at top four next year with Gawn, May, Viney, Melksham still contributing and providing we get a lot right this off-season. But 2025 will be a year to make some really tough decisions in regards to where we want to be as a side in 2028 onwards. 

I think with the depth of this year's midfielders in the draft, it would be ridiculous to trade out a top 6 draft pick and I just cannot see it happening. Next year, I'd be happy to let a player like Fritsch go if the price was right and especially if his defensive efforts don't change. 

Off-topic but my two bob. 

getting houston in would, you expect, be a big part of 'let's go again' with the likes of gawn, may, and viney entering their twilight years

i'm just not sure trading fritsch 'out' helps that

he's our best goalkicker for the last five seasons, and was 3rd on that ladder - some 2 goals behind the leader - in 2019

that's six years of being a consistent scoreboard threat

you'd want something good if he was on the move

2 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Careful, you'll be called names and labelled a liar by a particular poster on here. The outrage and demands of retraction will be all over every thread

🙄

Hurry up and cop yet another ban, would you. You’re really starting to irritate me.

Oh, and take Jimmy Gadsden with you. Atta boy!

2 hours ago, Demons11 said:

There are rumours swirling about Fritta. 

Hmmm. He is our best goal kicker - I can’t see us wanting to trade him. Is he defensively frustrating? Yes. Can he win us the game if his own boot. I’m not so sure. 

Is he replaceable ? I think so. Will he get us a first pick? Possibly.
Where could he possibly go? 

1 hour ago, Storm Boy said:

Tim Lamb, I hope you are reading this message. Please don't get up 2 First round picks for Houston. If Chris Davies insist, just walk away. 

If Tim Lamb read Demonland he would suspect half of us have PTSD.

If we got Cumming as well and able to split Pick 7 I think its a pretty good outcome.

I'm assuming with your moniker you were a fan of the movie?

 

2 hours ago, Demons11 said:

There are rumours swirling about Fritta. 

There may be other rumours going around but the one I’ve heard is that his girlfriend wants to move to QLD. There’s no truth to that though.

 

1 hour ago, Ted Lasso said:

i am 100% with you, i'd go as far as saying i wouldn't include pick 7 in the deal. there is no doubt he's a very good player, but given where we're at and the midfield talent in this draft i think that pick is gold for us. 

I'd look to offer something like our future first round pick and Tom Sparrow

He would have been perfect maybe 2021/2022 but for the now and the future, no thanks.

Give me a Sid Draper or a Sam Lalor who are going to be bona fide midfield stars for the next 10-12 years.

 

1 hour ago, Jibroni said:

If Tim Lamb read Demonland he would suspect half of us have PTSD.

If we got Cumming as well and able to split Pick 7 I think its a pretty good outcome.

I'm assuming with your moniker you were a fan of the movie?

 

Unfortunately, I reckon most of us do have PTSD

7 hours ago, FireInTheBennelly said:

Unfortunately, I reckon most of us do have PTSD

From supporting a football club?

I’d rather we hold our picks and if anything improve our draft hand by trading our F2nd. Get 3 quality young players including two mids. 
Very often young mids will play half back for first few years like Rivers and many others. Pick one mid that has the potential to play there next year and cover the Rivers or/and McVee.

However Cal Twomey’s mail is normally very good and he seems fairly confident that Houston will be with us next year. 
 

He’s just speculating on what we would have to give up though. I seem to remember the he along with the rest of the media thought we would be given up a first rounder for Grundy and that never happened. 
 

If Port have Perryman coming in then he will probably be on same money as Houston and Port will probably need to make some cap space. 
I could see a deal where we give up pick 7 and a F2nd and get Houston and a later first in this years draft back, but I’d rather we hold onto pick 7. 

12 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

It's likely the AFL will bring in the trading of future 2026 picks this year. If that's the case, I'd be landing Houston and then using the other first rounders to be getting at least 1 2024 first rounder.

I thought the decision was announced that future picks two years out were not tradable this year (but will be next year).

12 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

It's likely the AFL will bring in the trading of future 2026 picks this year. If that's the case, I'd be landing Houston and then using the other first rounders to be getting at least 1 2024 first rounder.

That's not coming in until next year.

Gees I hope Cal Twomey is off the mark. It'd be utter madness to cough up pick 7 for Houston. I really hope the recruiting team don't mess this up and waste an opportunity to get some young talent in.

When he was interviewed last week, he sounded pretty authentic about staying at Port. 

Lots to consider. Where is the list at, where is our window at?

I personally believe in the next 4-5 years we can rebound and have a couple of goes at a flag.  Trac, Clarry especially  are generational players that you can't replace. If the club agrees with this, then we can't just top up with draft picks, we need senior players to come in especially with Gus gone, and May and others getting over the hill. This was Hawthorn's approach before their 3 in a row.

Top up with senior bodies in 25-28yo range. We lack leadership and depth across the ground. 

So if not Houston, then who?  And yes, you have to give up good picks for good contracted players.

Pick 7 from 2020-2022- Josh Ward, Cameron MacKenzie, Elijah Hollands

So do we think Pick 7 or an experienced AA defender would better help us win a flag?  How many AA defenders have we had in the past 10 years, 1 in May maybe?  No doubt his kicking and experience would be huge for us. We have gone to the draft a lot in the past 3-4 years with plenty of youth coming through

My opinion, Pick 7 for Houston would be a good deal for us.  Pick 7 + F1? = hell no

This team is desperate for better ball users and that's exactly what Houston brings. Without looking at his stats I would be surprised if his effective disposal and kicking efficiency wasn't in the upper echelon of the comp for his position.

Would slot in perfectly as a rebounding half back. Penetrating kick with high metres gained and consistent forward 50 entries. With Rivers moving to the midfield we'll need him to cover the Rivers/Gus role.

It's absolute insanity that we're reportedly looking to part with Pick 7 given we're our list is at. We should be looking to get into the draft as much as sustainably possible, not removing ourselves from it. However, given the verbatim and messaging coming out of the club, I suspect we'll look to top up as much as possible, as the club clearly thinks it is still in premiership window.  

I'll caveat this comment by saying I would not be entirely against trading in talent in the approx. under 25~ bracket, but Houston isn't helping us to another premiership and the drag of moving that pick (potentially, picks) in order to get him in is too detrimental and great IMO.