Red and Blue realist

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how GC and Carlton use those mature agers in the trading schemes.

If Moore goes to Sydney they'll ask for their first pick which will be pick 13, I'd guess they might bundle that with their 1st round next year and hope GC accept (if May nominates them). I wouldn't be surprised if our offer would be something similar - the lower pick we get for Hogan, if he leaves, plus next years 1st for May and KK. Assuming we get picks 5/6 and 10 or 11 (seems to be the talk after Freo deal with Brissy & Port), we'd give pick 11 and a 1st next year which if we finish in the same position, actually works out to around pick 3 in points value (I know points value means little especially to us, but might help appease GC if we get May). I actually hope we don't get May, but that's just my thoughts.

That was when they were in a grand final a few years ago, pretty sure it was the year he was at Casey and since then it's been brought up each year

They've known for most of the year and only lost 4 regular season games. I would say Lynch coming in had absolutely no impact on their prelim. Gaff might be going from WC and they toweled us up.

That's just not right, there's still players on our list that are unsigned and guys that are signed right now that might move on. Just because someone is out of contract at the end of the year shouldn't make any difference as to how their team mates play alongside them for the year. It'd be like saying the team don't 'believe' in Lewis because he's likely to retire at the end of the next season. This is one area the NRL really excel at, player movement happens a year out and it makes no difference to how they or the team plays.

Didn't Jack Watts say something about loving the club last year and he ended up been shown the door. By not saying anything the narrative can be controlled if it turns out the FD are going to take a god-father offer but haven't told Jesse about it yet? Same as for the football club, they don't want to come out and say we aren't going to let him go if he comes in and says goodbye.

So far only the journo's have said anything, I love it that the club has stayed silent. Clearly they must be meeting with Jesse this week and sorting it out. There's also be silence from Jesse and also from his manager. Could be the biggest non-story of the post-season (and likely will be every year even if he re-signed for the long term).

No, he's not. With GWS clearing the decks I'd say he might sign another 2 year deal which would take him to free agency (end of 2021) and then assess his options.

I'm not in favor of May, unless he comes as a free agent next year. I just don't see that any potential upside is that much greater in what we already have in OMac and Frost, in fact if you track their careers at the same point OMac is equal too or better than May and May only kicked on from where OMac is now (so with another pre-season OMac will be even closer to where May is now). May has never played more than 20 games in a season, and for all those saying that we get big bags kicked on our defenders, Reiwoldt kicked 10, Kennedy 5 and a few big forwards kicked 4 against the Suns with May in the team. Yes I know they were easy to score against, but clearly May still wasn't the gorilla tamer people want. His best roles have been when he's had a the freedom to go and mark the ball, but that's what we've got Lever for.

I disagree with this, what those other sides had was a well organised back-line and a very good intercepting player - Rance, McGovern, Howe, Sicily etc. We have Lever for that role, he did struggle early in the season with the organisation side of things but you expect that coming into a new team and once that was sorted we went on that great run of wins, unfortunately he then did his knee. I don't think May is a very high priority, and would be happy to wait until next year and try and get him for free (free agency), because even with him in the team it won't solve our biggest issues down back. Lever coming in will, or a player similar to Lever anyway.

Been offered 3 years, whereas we probably only offered 1 or maybe a second with a trigger (not get injured all the time!!). I really like what he brought when he was out there, but in reality he's fighting with Melky, Trac, Spargo, ANB, Fritsch and then jeffy and JHK for 3 or4 spots in the team each week.

He's not a free agent next year, so they'll still have to trade or he'll have to chance the draft. Lever had also gone overseas following his injury, so had time to adjust to not playing out the season. Hogan only injured himself late season, so it might have been more beneficial to hang around for his rehab etc. I'm sure the club would have been very involved in his movements, and probably only had a limited number of flights/tickets they could use.

Sure you do, when people have discussed Jessie's very obvious strength's you've ignored them all just because you see a weeknessds that you've banged on and on about.

I think he's just trying to put 2 and 2 together and coming up with banana, he's thoughts would be that they could only let Neale go if they had plans for the pick they received. Last year they used the 2 picks they had and realistically they should use picks again because unless a player wants to go back west, why would you join a team that clearly needs to continue to bottom out and get some quality in the younger guys, Cerra and Brayshaw were a great start but they haven't got much more good young talent.

Wouldn't be surprised if we are talking to him with the view of getting him at the end of next year (if needed then), through free agency. I can't see GC taking draft picks this year, they could wait until next year and get a near guaranteed top 2 or 3 pick for him like Lynch this year. If they traded now GC would want proven players but I don't know who'd we put up they'd actually be interested in (talking about players we'd happily give up).

Lucky that in no way is it up to the fans to make this decision, if he did leave these factors would have zero impact on that decision. It'd be purely either Jessie wants to go home or the footy department gets an irrefutable god-father offer.

I think he was a victim of the poor defensive cohesion we had at the start of the year, everyone seemed a little off down back when Lever first came in. It seemed like some where in some way confused about their role, and once we sorted it out we went on that winning streak and since then even if someone's gone down injured the next player has come in to play a role. Hunt got injured not long after we sorted this out, and by the time he got back in he got injured again. He's one who'll have a massive job over the preseason not only to stay fit but learn some different roles. I think he'll be fine though and will be a massive inclusion next year.

It would, because they then slot him into the draft position he was bid on. For instance we put a bid in on Callum Mills with our first rounder back in 2015 and he's seen as the 3rd pick while we got Clarry at pick 4. Don't think Bedford has been talked up in the first round though.

Any word on his contact, I thought this was nearly done a couple of months ago??

Yes but their not limited to a set number of each and clearly we've been after players who are flexible enough to go into other roles throughout the game. Saying how does our forward set up look would mean ignoring TMac starting on the wing or Hogan going into the center square occasionally, it evolves during the game and is a great tactic if done right.

The top 22 or the bottom? It's a combination of the very best playing at their very best and role players playing their roles. No point having the best 6 playing great games and everyone else letting them do it, and no point the bottom 6 having great games but not having support from the more senior guys (generally the better players are more senior).

Given TMac started on the wing for a number of games, there's every chance either him of Hogan would start there then go forward or even back as the need presents. Unless they introduce the 6-6-6 format then putting positions on paper is really useless. For mine Weid stays as the deepest forward (and goes into the ruck), then Hoges and TMac swap between around the half forward (around 35 - 60 meters from goal) and roaming anywhere in-between the 2 50 meter lines, pushing hard forward when they get the mismatch.

He could come out and sign a new extension and later that day someone on SEN would say he's a chance to leave, no matter what he or the coach/FD does/says there'll be rumors of Hogan leaving until the day he retires.

I'm not against the club looking at all possibilities, and hope they do, there's just been a lot who've jumped onto trading Hogan because they think he's at his highest value, and that just seems to be the old MFC way of thinking. Draft picks won't do a heap for us for the next few years, we've got a very young list and only really have Lewis, Jones and Jetta who'll come out of the weekends team in the next 3/4 years (due to age, form/injury can happen to anyone).

The problem with most of the argument is there's nothing that's been suggested on here at this stage that says we'd be getting his true current value. We don't need an early pick/young kid that badly anymore - that's the MFC of 3 years ago. We should be seeing ourselves as well and truly in the hunt for significant finals action for the next 4/5 years+, so while Hogan might be at his best value right now and it might get us pick 5 and Brayshaw/Cerra (or whatever is the right pick/player), I don't see that as an improvement to us now, and I don't think many on here do. Just because a player is at their highest perceived trade value doesn't mean they are not more valuable than keeping them. I'm yet to see anything in this thread that says if we trade Hogan we get XYZ, I've thought it seems fair and makes us better short/long term. So unless someone comes up with that situation it's easy to say no don't do it. Of course if he comes at the end of the year and says he wants to go home his value or what we accept then changes, anyone could do that, but I wouldn't be pushing him out the door.