Red and Blue realist

We might even then trade this with GWS with Bedford - something like Bedford and 27 for pick 19 and a future 3rd? 19 then goes to Collingwood for Grundy and bit more of his wage paid?

He had a bad year this year, but was on par with Langdon last year - had a down grand final but all the Dogs did. So it's really only been 1 bad year. Tarryn Thomas will only go north - either the team or the states!

If it's Hunter who's partially driving this, as compared to the Dogs wanting him out, then that might be a good sign. The Dogs are well know as a party team - Libba, Smith, and Hunter being up there with the worst. Maybe Hunter has looked at what our mids do and sees the work they put in and wants to get to that sort of environment. Maybe this season has been a hit between the eyes and he knows if he wants to stay in the game beyond this contract he needs to knuckle down, and doing that around those others at the Dogs could make it easier to fall back into bad habits. If these are all true then he'd be a great pick up on the non-Langdon wing, which in turn would allow Jordon to go back and fight for a mid spot and if Harmes leaves it could be a net positive return.

Maybe Harmes has come to question his place in the side, when he got injured in round 19, he was brought back as the sub as compared to straight into the team. Right at that time Brayshaw went into the middle and (I can't remember where I read this) over the last 5 rounds averaged the 4th most disposals in the comp. Plus I think we've shown we are reluctant to play a true tagger - having assigned both Viney and Brashaw run with roles during the season. So Harmes might be thinking he's gone from 4th or 5th mid option (behind Clarry, Trac and Viney) with Sparrow in the mix around that 4th/5th spot, to now the 5th/6th spot, which means he's got to either try and adapt to a new role - wing, half back/forward or there's a chance he'll be one of the first in and out of the team based on performance or selection needs. I don't think he can play permanent wing or half back - he can go and do those roles sporadically but, and this is the same why half forward might not suit, I think he has more burst than stamina and couldn't do those roles long enough. He does have a good goal sense, but half forwards need to run and pressure all day, which is not his go. As the 4th/5th mid you can find a lot of game time as long as you can do those other roles ok, but Sparrow only averaged 68.5% time on ground this year and maybe Harmes doesn't want that, knowing elsewhere he could be playing a bigger role???

Also says that his salary decreases over the last 2 years of the deal, I wonder if we're getting him to average it out a bit and it'll end up being around $600k per year (after the Pies chip in $300k). That'll be a huge get for us, I think he jumps into our top 10 players and will allow Max to play for another year or 2. A pick in the 20s would be justified here.

This makes sense, however is the longest and messiest option. The JHF news only really broke last night, while it has been bubbling under the service, so it's likely to take a very long time for them (Port & Nth) to work through. Unlike our talks with Freo which would have been happening for weeks. In fact there's so many deals this trade period that are just messy and relying on other deals to be done first.

A new report - focusing on the 2021 season - surveyed every AFL player and found we had one of the best cultures - https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/majority-of-afl-players-feel-their-senior-coach-is-unsupportive-of-them-pursuing-offfield-interests/news-story/7fb6a41bd3f70b13dcd9b892e63d1674 (Behind paywall) Some quotes: It’s believed the report, which covered the 2021 AFL season, read favourably for Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Geelong and Brisbane Lions. “We’re seeing some real clear themes here, and the key words I’d probably use are trust, care, respecting the players’ time and empowering players is what we’ve seen as the big shift in the industry. “Players are repaying the trust and the clubs that are giving it to them are becoming clubs of choice. “Players are gravitating towards those clubs. The work we do and players talking to each other, there is a movement towards those types of clubs.”

Not sure if the rebuilding clubs will really be an option, while they might have the cap space, I doubt they'll be prepared to match the asking price. Remember GC are only adding pick 7 if they also get a future 1st attached. Given the 2023 draft crop is supposed to be very strong, then I can't see NM or Hawks coming into play as they are likley to be near the top end of that draft.

I'd wish him nothing but the best if he leaves. Clearly we've put a deal in front of him that can't compete with WC, and that's fair enough as well. He's probably in the best 16-30 player bracket on our list and we've offered a contract to reflect that. He goes to WC and is probably within their best 10-15, so would be getting more $ and a longer contract at a guess. He's given us 114 games and like all premiership teams you end up losing a few outside the best dozen or so players. Rich lost Ellis/Conca/Butler who were in a similar spot to Hunt, so it happens. I'm not liking those who rush to find faults in a good servants game when they've left for a better deal.

The other thing that will come into play here, is the amount of picks Gold Coast has this year, and the fact that they are trying to reduce their list size as it is (given previous list concessions being wound back). This year (2022 draft) they already have 2 extra 2nd round picks, 1 extra 3rd round and an extra 4th. Throw in the near guarantee of getting pick 5 for Rankine, trying to get deals done for Corbett/Sharp/Fiorini going out and Long coming in and Gold Coast shape to be one of the most active traders around. They'll be trying to move all those 2nds/3rds/4ths up the order - maybe with Brisbane so they only have 1st round picks this year, and set themselves up with a big haul for next year too.

Gold Coast are after a future 1st round - preferably not from a club likely to finish too high on the ladder, for Bowes and pick 7 this year. Failing to mention that they want that future 1st is lazy journalism and gets a lot of people in unnecessarily here interested! Gold Coast are not giving up Bowes and pick 7 for nothing in return. Maybe we could swing a future 1st from Freo their way, but we'd then have to sort out Bowes contract, and I doubt we'd be able to do that and get Grundy or other targets.

He did get stood on last week and came off briefly, I wonder if it's to do with that or a full re-injury?

Stevie J is the one for me, he's just finished at the Giants and is moving back to Vic. I always thought he was very intelligent as a player, so would make a good addition to our forward line group.

Yeah, the way I see if working with Max and Grundy is whoever's not in the ruck sits very deep forward with a TMac or JVR (maybe BBB) sent roaming, and told to get back quick when we turn the ball over or in offence. I'd like them to stay very deep most of the time and allow the likes of Fritta to have extra space to lead into, the main back will have no choice but to stand with them, they are too tall to be let free. They'd probably try and work it so late in quarters Grundy is the ruck, giving Max the license to head back if we need to stop a quick attack. Imagine the damage Max could do in the middle up against any other teams 2nd choice ruck?

I think he went to live with uncle Byron when he was in school (not sure the exact age), this was in South Aust. Both Cornes and Rucci are notorious for making up things that suit the SA clubs, and then sooking about the Vic media bias.

Of course having some of the younger guys like Spargo and Sparrow able to play more effective time would help as well, but Jackson wasn't really ever used as an on-baller compared to a ruck who also played forward. He'll get there no doubt but his playing time wouldn't have reflected that at all this year. The team balance certainly must play into the consideration of the list management team, which is why Goody pumped up Gawn's forward ability, so it'll never be a case of the old days where they just plonk a ruckman in the forward pocket, I'm sure they think that both Gawn and Grundy will be more than able contributors up forward (and maybe down back as well) when not in the ruck, I was just pointing out that compared to Jackson, Grundy will give the option of additional time on ground, so it'll allow other players more rest.

Another small thing picking up Grundy will help with is his ability to spend a lot more time on the ground than what Jackson did, that's understandable with a younger player mind you, but if Grundy can spend another 10% or so, time on ground, that's another 12-15 minutes bench time per game that can be used for our on-ballers. Both Max and Grundy have very high average time on ground stats for ruckmen, and if they were played/rested forward more then this might even increase. We could then refresh our explosive/impact players more.

I'm not a huge draft follower first hand but reading what some observers (Twomey and from BF) there seems to be a clear pick 1 then the next 5 or 6 could go anywhere between picks 2 - 8 and then the rest is pretty even to around 30. So I'm not sure that this year it's easy to say pick 2 will be significantly better than 5, and can see that West Coast would see him as a direct replacement for Nic Nat, so would be hugely valuable for them. I still think Freo will get it done, but could see that West Coast would really be interested as well.

I'd count pick 5 and Jackson as pretty high end talent? Plus they still get a first round pick next year - it'll just be ours rather than theirs. Depends on how highly they rate their list and think this year was just a one off. I agree that he's most likely to go to Freo, and it's handy that WC are involved, even if it is just to force Freo to cough up a high price.

Gold Coast have a heap of picks this year, and very few list spots. In fact I'd love to involve them in a 3 team trade, something like: Melb Give: Jackson, pick 41 '2023 1st, pick 2023 3rd Get: Pick 7, 2023WC 1st and Flanders (suns) WC Give: pick 2, 2023 1st, 2023 2nd Get: pick 5, 2023 Dees 2nd, J Sharp Gold Coast Give: Picks 5 & 7, Flanders & Sharp Get: pick 2, 41, 2023 WC 2nd, 2023 Dees 3rd Gold Coast already have additional 2nd round (2) and 3rd round (1) picks this year, but I'd say they'll bundle them up to Brissy for their first round pick (currently pick 15) and their 2nd. Brissy with the compo from McStay should have close to enough for their 2 father sons.

I can see that if West Coast get involved that they'll split their pick 2 (as other have mentioned) for potentially pick 5 and 7 from Gold Coast (assuming that's what Adelaide have to give for Rankine) and we'd then get pick 7 and their future 1st - with our future 1st also going back to them.

No, have a look at what the dogs lose/get, they lose Dunkely, and picks 11 & 29 and only get picks 14 and Lobb back. They can probably get Lobb on his own for pick 29 and might do a 14 to 11 downgrade, but in your scenario they'd be giving Dunkley up for nothing. Plus I doubt a 4 team trade would get anywhere near a starting point.

In not great news Liam Jurrah is back in jail https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/former-melbourne-demons-high-flyer-liam-jarrah-in-custody-after-alleged-machete-assault-c-8237970

No way both Meek and Grundy come, the salary outlay on 3 rucks would be incredible. Meek would want a bigger and longer contract, while Grundy is still going to cost even with the Pies paying a 3rd of his contract. We'd still need a young ruck or experienced one who costs nothing (like Daw).

Any dealings with Freo will take a very very long time, I'd say they have to have all their exiting players done first before they truly know what they can offer us. Like everyone I expect it to be 2 firsts from them and maybe a player - Henry would be more than handy, but that's only if we are getting Grundy, if not Meek can be the one who comes. If we deal with West Coast, I hope we're going straight for pick 2 - not letting them split it first. We could try and organise a 3 team swap with Adealide and Gold Coast, although I'm aware that Gold Coast might bundle up picks to move up the draft (Brissy need points and GC have heaps). But I'd be thinking we get pick 2 and trade it to Adelaide for pick 5 (2022) and a future 1st plus maybe Flanders from GC. GC get pick 2 and lose Rankine and Flanders, Rankine to Adelaide while we get two 1st and a young decent player (later picks would be involved too).