Red and Blue realist

Don't forget the AFL wanted to try and maximise ratings/clicks and having deals fall right at 7:30 to build the suspense.

As with anything, you could make an argument about any of those sides and why they could drop out: Port Adelaide - Their best players are now all over 30 (Gray and Boak will be 33 during the season, Rockliff, Dixon, Jonas and Hartlett are over 30), so while they've got some of the best kids going around, it wouldn't take much for their veterans to drop off. Brisbane Lions - They've had a really good run for the last 2 years, and were blessed with a massive home ground advantage this year, what happens when they go on the road again, and how much time will Daniher and Cockatoo waste of the medical team. Injuries will happen at some stage. Richmond - Complacency during the season would be the biggest issue, Dusty is deliberately about 10x the player when it comes to finals, but if the whole team played like that they could struggle (they are the least likely to drop out) Geelong Cats - Age, they've sold the farm to try and get Danger a flag, but they've got 10 key players who'll be 30 or turning 30 during the season, eventually the game can make everyone look old. West Coast Eagles - They get a huge home ground advantage, but looked very suspect away from WA, so a few off games could hurt them badly. St Kilda - There team is build using others development, I can't recall a team doing much damage that has been trade for as compared to built, so the team harmony and connection might not be as strong as other teams. Western Bulldogs - they probably have the best midfield in the comp, but the forward line will rely on a 21 year old coming off injuries and a pretty ordinary year, while their backline is pretty weak too. Collingwood - they just [censored] the bed at the trade table, and while hold some class, most of that is older (outside of Moore and Adams) and the forward line struggles to kick a score. Conversely the question needs to be, well there's reasons why teams will drop out - why will the Dees come in? My answer is that our core group of players, Max, Trac, Oliver, Viney, Gus, Harmes, Lever, Salem, Langdon, Lever, May and BBB have all played between 85 and 150 games, so should be entering their prime, 7 of them have played all their games together and outside of Max, May (both 29) and BBB (28) all will enter next season aged under 27. Add in a few veterans and role players (Hibberd, Melksham, AVB, Jetta, TMac, Tomlinson, ANB, Hunt etc.) plus the youth of Weid, Baker, Petty, Spargo, Kossie, LJ and Rivers and we've got a nice balanced list that should play finals.

I think with KK there's a timeframe around medical retirements, so they might be waiting to hit the point where not all of his contract is counted before doing this. This is a good point, plus Gawn, Oliver, Salem and Weid would already be on very good contracts so any increase (in particular for Oliver) would be easily absorbed. The year after TMac and Lever's bigger deals also expire and while Lever will stay and if TMac can find form and re-commit, they won't command as big contracts, so signing Trac up should be easy (from a $ point of view). On the service the list management team have done pretty well.

Happy to trade one of those firsts we just got from Brissy for the Pies first next year, which they will be looking to trade. Things are not right at the filth and they could stink next year.

Assuming North and the Lions finish in the same sports this year (to make the 4th round swaps relevant), we ended up paying around pick 38. That's pretty good going from the guy most don't seem to rate!

Of course there's been discussions, I have a feeling the AFL might have told both us and North to hold off on the trade until 'prime time' tonight. Even if North end up saying no to our final offer, he's out of contract and won't be going back to North, we'd either pick him up in the draft or PSD and I highly doubt anyone else would touch him because they would have wanted to do all the medicals etc.

I think that was purely structural, as soon as he came into the team we played a lot better because we didn't have forwards running around everywhere, he held his position and gave us something to kick too. Brown will replace him in that role, although I have seen stats to show that Brown does cover a hell of a lot of ground (he was one of the highest for key forwards), so he's moving all the time in a small area. I too think Weid's best games have come when he's been moving up the ground, the Geelong final, his game against Adelaide a few years back, but this year he kicked more goals staying forward. I can actually see him moving up the ground a lot more but still kicking a fair few goals from the goal square, he's smart enough so that if his player starts to chase the ball he'll stay back, some will call it getting a cheapy but it's smart play.

Just does whatever is asked of him, ultimate team player. He's never going to be a flashy game breaker that some on here expect but he's going to prove to be a very important part of our team.

They're just reporting that they backed out of a deal they thought they had last night, not that the deal is off all together. the HUN is saying the Blues backed away from pick 8 plus a future 4th for Saad and a 3rd this year. The AFL site is saying the Blues still want a 2nd back. No-one else is in the picture, it'll get done between Ess & Blues, or he'll go PSD.

Mentioned in this article about the kids who missed out on the chance to push their case this year: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2020-the-victorian-smokies-hurt-most-by-nab-season-shutdown/news-story/6c2c4b96dc13feaf9dec6f3f222557b0 Flanker/wingman Deakyn Smith, a natural footballer who played nationals at under-16 level, had worked hard on improving his skills – one of his deficiencies in the past – over the pre-season.

I actually think he could play as a defensive wing, similar to the way Brissy use Robinson. Set him up at the back of stoppages, while Langdon can actively try and run forward more.

There has to be a limit on what we'll spend on players, just because they might be a nice fit doesn't mean we should sell the farm to get them. They might be prepared to give Phillips a contract of say $400k, but the only way to do that at the moment is if the Pies pay a significant % of the existing deal, so yes we would be better to try to continue to develop our own, rather than lose one of our best players in the future.

Maybe we just can't afford him? The rumored contract he is on is around $600k (not sure what's going on at the Pies, but they had a heap of back-ended contracts), so maybe once they said no to TMac that was the end of any discussion we could be involved with. He's not that good a player that it's worth bringing him in and then losing Oliver, Salem, Weid or Gawn who are out of contract at the end of next year, or Trac/Brayshaw the year after.

Hasn't been offered a contract yet, normally by now (Oct 31) if you haven't been offered a contract then you can make yourself a delisted free agent, but I don't know what the rules are this year?? But I would imagine it'll be a minimal type pick if anything, he went to the Bombers for something like pick 60 & 75 with pick 65 & 78 in return (not sure on exact details), so we'll get him for nothing, save $200k or so, and should get at least a 3rd for Preuss.

Cost, Preuss is on a reported contract of $400kpa, while we might get Phillips on a considerably lower contract and only for 1 year. Cheap back up is much better than expensive back up.

This is where we could get involved, assuming Essendon get pick 8 for Saad because the dogs won't want an early pick in this years draft. I'd ask about sending our 1st round (2021), pick 26 & 53 (2020) and Hannan to the Dogs and TMac to the bombers, the Dogs sending Dunkley to Ess while we get picks 8 and 14 this year. The Bombers don't have any 2nd round picks this year Dees: Out 2021 1st, pick 26 & 53 (2020) Hannan & TMac In: pick 8 & 14 2020. Dogs: out Dunkley, pick 14 In: 2021 1st (from Dees) & pick 26 & 53 (2020) & Hannan Ess: out pick 8 In: Dunkley & TMac

One has 790 more hitouts than the other, I see both as being pure break glass in case of emergency players only, so maybe it's McKernan's ability to ruck that they are looking at, but realistically they would both be in the bottom 5 players on our list, so it might be the one with that ruck flexibility? Ideally we'd have neither on the list going into next year IMO.

They might have asked about Phillips, been told the only way we get him is of we pay full salary and we don't want to pay him the reported $600k he is due. I'm sure we've asked about a lot of guys, but won't destroy future plans (signing Oliver, trac etc.) just to keep a few on here happy

McLean won't be going anywhere, got a serious knee injury late in the season and will likely miss most of next, don't know why any club would trade for him

Dusty was out the door at Richmond and they were happy to let him go, it fell through when no one else would take him. GWS pulled the pin last minute, dusty then went back to the tigers with his tale between his legs. Luckily Mark Williams then took him in and basically babysat him until he matured. I'm wondering if hogan now needs that father type figure, who keeps him on a reasonably short leash. I see Hogan's issue is he's just so naturally talented that footy has come too easy, he needs a mentor that he thinks he has to earn the respect of.

I think, as others have said they only way it works is if we move Brayshaw on. I'm not advocating it, but just mussing how this could all work. We trade Brayshaw and one of our 3rds this year to Freo for their 1st this year (pick 10) and 2nd next year. We then trade TMac, pick 23 (2020) our 2 2nds (Freo's and ours) to Collingwood for Treloar, Phillips and their 1st round pick next year. Collingwood have no need for their 1st round pick next year as they have another Dacios coming through who could be in the first 1-3 selections, but the 2 future 2nds could help them pay for this. Collingwood would then have to pay $200k of Treloar's contract. So for MFC - In: Treloar, Phillips and pick 10 (2020) Out: Brayshaw, TMac, pick 23 & 47 (2020) and future 2nd Freo: In: Brayshaw and pick 47 and Col (2021) 1st Out: Pick 10 and future 2nd Col: In: TMac, pick 23 (2020) and 2 future 2nds Out: Treloar, Phillips and 2021 1st. Not saying I want this, just thinking out loud.

Not at all surprised by this, we're going in with less coaches than previously, so I'd think he's going to have a dual role. I like in the last few games of the year he was down on the bench helping out. If he gets to 300 that's great, if he doesn't he's still going to be an asset to the team.

This has given me a lot more hope in chasing Brown, I wasn't really sold on the idea until reading through it. Our set shot accuracy has always been an issue and when it was fixed in 2018, mainly by TMac, we played finals. No point being dominate at clearances and contested possession if we are one of the worst at converting. I know Fritta had a shocker this year, but his action makes me think this will come good, Weid is a great kick and LJ looks like he kicks it easy as well. If our main marking targets can increase their goal kicking efficiency and we maintain our ability to restrict teams entering their 50 (we had the lowest number of inside 50s against), then it should in theory help in 2 ways, the obvious is more goals kicked but should help to decrease the amount of goals scored against from a rebound from our 50. This is one area I can see that will help us move up the ladder very quickly. Plus, it would make the Simpsons guernseys even better if Brown (aka sideshow Bob) was actually on our team: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-the-simpsons-themed-afl-guernseys-designs-every-clubs-jersey-with-the-simpsons-crossover/news-story/cb0ec7c3f72fded50e71b06775f101dd

I don't mind Smith in defence at all, but he needs to be given specific jobs on the right sort of player. He's done pretty well this year on danger, Martin and papely and beat Cameron, although he didn't look interested. The issue is Martin and danger are only part time forwards, so for Smith to become really valuable he has to be able to have a role all game in defence, not just when the power athletes drift down there. He's ok if he gets taken to the ball but isn't a natural follower of the game, if he can improve that then he's got a role to play most weeks

Don't think the dogs will offer up anything this year, they need all the points they can get, might even end up being a 2nd round next year and we give them Hannan and 62 & 63 this year, so ends up being around a 3rd rounder but they get extra points this year and we get the better pick next year.