Lil_red_fire_engine

I dont think we’ll take Sharp being we have Langford in the bank. I am all for us getting the Dove after initially not seeing it. However the more I watch the more I noted he does not fumble and rarely goes to ground. Couple that with his agility and 20m results and he ticks a lot of attributes for a role we need.

If these are the options at our pick I would prefer the Dove plus Farrow or a slide back that nabs one of Oskar Taylor or Hibbins Hargreaves if we are confident we can make it happen.

5 hours ago, jnrmac said:

I'm hopeful Lever gets fit and becomes a solid backman once again. His best is great and he was missed in 2025.

Has a few brainfades which isn't great but hopefully time off has rejuvenated him

Agree but he has been far from at a consistent best for a few years. I suspect if he does not get a clear preseason run and keep his ankles in check he will not be best 23. In saying that I hope he can and find a suitable impactful role in our back 7.

The article is for the general reader but pulls together everything us tragics know but with no positive or negative bias that befalls us. It generally falls favourably and I think a middle third spectrum feels right. The loss of McVee and Oliver based on 2025 output is negligible and balanced by the availability of AMW or CJ and Steele respectively. The impact of no Petracca (on field and off field) and how quickly a group grasp a new game style will determine where we fall in that spectrum.

53 minutes ago, adonski said:

Sparrow trimmed down for preparation of his bricklaying career in 12 months time post footy

I would have thought comments like this were beneath you. Disappointing.

35 minutes ago, Dee Boys said:

His decision making under pressure is poor/panicked and he had the worst missed tackle percentage this season of any footballer in the competition to have played a senior game.

He’ll do a job in the midfield but he’s nowhere near the level of those aforementioned.

Thanks for respons. Agree needs to clean up his defensive actions. His decision making under pressure is not poor though he has the occasional howler that sticks in the mind. Most of those have been when playing half back and I think will be less of an issue in the midfield. I think he will get a long run at the midfield in 2026 so will be interesting to see how far he climbs.

32 minutes ago, Dee Boys said:

Look at other mids his age - Rowell, Anderson, Young, Serong, Green, Day etc.

There's no way Rivers is anywhere near their tier.

He's got too many deficiencies but will be a nice B grader.

Curious what you think his deficiencies are as a mid? Hard to compare him on players who have spent most of their career so far in there but curious on your thoughts.

He rarely fumbles or goes to ground and has a nice handball but he seems to lack that step of acceleration that high quality small forwards have.

Does remind me a touch of young Papley. I would not think we would take at 7/8.

22 hours ago, Redleg said:

Another reason keeping 24 in the Tracc deal could have been important.

We had to give it up to get them their points. Three firsts coming back the other way and a bunch of salary cap saving. You can't have everything.

Pick 37 which should come into about 31 feels like about the right mark for him.

12 minutes ago, old55 said:

Steven May is a superior and more versatile footballer than Lever or TMac and I'd struggle to see Adams played ahead of him unless we're full development mode. The reason he was on the trade table wasn't about football abilty. I think he has to figure in best 23 and if he can reform his ways under the new regime maybe there's an extension there.

May lost his versatility this year to negate the Gunston, Georgiades, Elliot tyoes but he will still be good locking down on taller forwards. You won't be able to play both May and TMac. How Lever fits in and whether that is at Casey or MFC will be an interesting watch.

A harder draw and first year of dealing with expectation. I suspect the death ride will be worth the price of admission.

2 hours ago, The Jackson FIX said:

I’m not sure how you would know that…. Bbq?

Objectively though (ie looking at draft pick points values), 2 & 13 for 7 & 8 would have to be up there with one of the most lop-sided pick swaps in history. I’d love if we could get it done, but I think it is a fair way off reality.

I dont know it. Its just opinion based on what it would realistically from a points view. Our interest in Robey has been mentioned as has West Coast openness to trade for the right deal.

11 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

For those suggesting we might swap 7/8 for 2 and a pick in the teens, the equivalent points value of 7/8 is more like 2 & 30.

And yes, I understand the points system isn’t everything but I guarantee you Wet Toast would be quick to point it out to Melbourne if we started sniffing around pick 2.

It would need to be 7/8/F1 for 2 and 13 to make them consider it.

Unless we find a way up the board to Robey, based on who might be available and my limited viewing give me a Lindsay/Grlj double.

1 minute ago, Ted Lasso said:

Saints just nuked their culture.

This has James McDonald move written all over it.

10 minutes ago, Demon4Life said:

Don't shoot the messenger. Just got an update but this info was from yesterday.

1. We are still pushing hard for Humphrey. Expect any deal for picks if we don't get Humphrey (STILL HIGHLY UNLIKELY) to be done in dying minutes of trade period for this reason.

2. As I said yesterday. GWS is low on cash given they couldn't get Leek Alir off their books. Trade is going to be awful on our end unless we can squeeze higher pick given amount of his contract we are paying for.

1 I can't see anything changing but good that we will run it to the line just to make team Petracca sweat as many bullets as possible
2 Alir is off their books. He is out of contract. They don't need to recontract them.

50 minutes ago, adonski said:

A shame about P24 but if we land a future 2nd or two to compensate then no dramas

7, 8, 28 a strong hand for this year

GC can't have everything they want. I want us to hold 24 (first pick of round 2) and give 28. If we end with 7 & 8 I hope we are looking to work our way up higher to get Robey. It would be the MFC approach to back ourselves in and throw an F1 in the mix.

I know I called it CJ-Ball (like Frost-Ball) earlier but I still like this assuming it's a pick post 28 (which i suspect). Has good size and serious dash and adds to the age bracket we lack in. Hibbo was not a good kick bit attacked every contest like his life dependant on it, tucked the ball and drove it forward with distance not precision in mind. With Rivers likely spending more mid time and the guy that wore 4 departing there is a spot there for the taking.

13 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

The implosion on the Suns Bigfooty is entertaining reading.

What are the 4 of them saying?

18 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

With McVee now gone, wonder whether we will look at CJ as an option to come in and provide some run and dash.

Is this to pay us back for trading them Frost? A lot of similarities between CJ-Ball and Frost-Ball.

I don't mind the changes we have made but feel we definitely need one more with good experience in stoppage and ball movement strategy

27 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

We don’t need to trade him.

This year he’s a gun with 4 years on his contract and next year he’s a gun with 3 years on his contract. He may not have a fun year this year but we can easily trade him next year for better value than that in a better draft. Then we’ll have $1m+ salary relief for 3 years (not 4).

Plus we get the bonus if having a top 20 player in the AFL play for us for a year … or even have him discover that playing for Steven King is great and he wants to stay.

There’s no need for a panic sale with him this year.

I agree we don't need to and not saying I would but my point was you are not just trading for 7+8 its the $$$ that it frees and the future preparations that allows.

I am unsure his value will be any higher than now if he stays with us. He would have just scraped into top 20 this year will he slide further with another year under his belt?

My guess is that it will be a lot easier to galvanise the group and get on with things if the self serving prima donna distraction he appears painted to be is not there. Bring forward payments on others and know you have a war chest for 2026 trade period that you can plan for rather than another offseason of will he wont he want to leave.

You don't have to do it but I wont begrudge us if this is the path we take. My only concern is it will go against all external messaging from Guerra, King and Lamb.

15 minutes ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

Trac for 7 and 8 is NOT a good deal at all.

They are unknowns in a widely reported weak draft - one we already stated we don't want to be involved in!!

A lot still to transpire, but if this happens, and we get the expected bag of chips for Clarry (plus paying a chunk of his $), then we are missing both stars in our midfield next year, with nobody really able to fill those gaps.

A dire, uninspiring outcome. Holding out hope we can at least slot in someone we can build with/around.

FD must know this is a bad deal - we do NOT have to trade Trac. Deal does not help us win a flag.

My preference is play to the death for BH unless he states he does not want to come. But if not you need to look at it as pick 7 and 8 and $1million+ of annual salary cap space for 4 years.
Whilst not preferred, we would only do it if JT is confident of what he would get and/or Lamb was confident of what further he could spin it into as an on trade.
It also might step us back 2026 but would better reset and galvanise the group and leave a war chest for 2026 trade period that we could plan for.

14 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

Geez he reminds me of Big boy McEvoy as a player.

I was thinking Tippett .

Just now, Very Jaded said:

Here is the thing tho, GC have made Trac promises. They’re a lot more committed to him than Curnow or any other big name player

If they stuff this trade up, not only is it a red flag for any potential players looking to go there, it makes them look like absolute fools

Hawks and Pies would need to involve multiple clubs. It’s a much harder deal then a “here’s Trac and here’s Bailey”.

Another consideration here is if Suns see themselves contending in 2026 do they want to strengthen us, Hawthorn or Pies with Humphrey.

14 minutes ago, layzie said:

I love this bulldust the media foam about Humphrey being crazy to consider coming back to VIC when he could have a medal around is neck in 2 years.

The club literally just broke through for their first finals appearance ever. They have loads of talent and a core you can build around but there are a bunch of examples like Carlton, Port, Freo to suggest that not all progress in linear.

GC may well be ready to go the next step but the jump from top 8 to top 4 and flag contenders is bigger than anything they've faced yet.

Just like when the young star loaded Giants broke through for their first flag.........,