Red and Blue realist

I'm sure they'll be working on it over the summer, I'm sure there's something else they'll be focusing on this September!

Don't think he will be a free agent at the end of next year? And even then he'd be a restricted free agent so we'd have some say in matching then forcing a trade. Can all Hogan talk be contained in the thread on him, as the talk around him is all hypothetical rather than anything realistic as the club have said he'll stay and his manager made it even more clear.

Who knows, if they have a replacement lined up they might accept something like that (2nd plus player) now rather than know he'll be gone in 2 years anyway and will get nothing then. They've made it clear they don't expect him to stay beyond his current contract. He's also turns 29 before the start of next season, so will only really have 3 years left in him. I read it that he'd approached Freo about it, rather than Brisbane approaching them, suggests to me he's more than just open to the idea.

Apparently Lachie Neale is trying to get to Brissy, which if that was the case they might be happier to release Dayne Beams back to Victoria, while Collingwood would be most likely, I'd love to have him at the Dees he could be a great link man as good as an inside mid as he is at the moment. Not sure what we'd give, but something like a 2nd next year and a player JHK/Kent etc. might do

Either way, we're clearly not as interested in this draft as draft's gone by, and that's great, it seems to me that the club sees that we're close to success and getting kids in won't have the impact as what they have in the recent past. A win now mentality is what the likes of Hawks, Swans, Cats etc have had for a long time and why they haven't needed to bottom out, now we've been through years of that I hope we're doing everything we can to win. I just wished some supports saw that and still weren't hung up on draft picks, then you get less silly ideas about trading good players just to get a kid who might not play for a couple of years.

I think it was during the 3rd quarter (could be wrong), but he took off like a bat outta hell, like he had seen Frost sprint out a few times and thought he could out do him, and all I thought was he'll do himself some harm but maybe he just wanted to test just how ready he was. Great mindset if that was the case, can't wait to see him pick off those easy kicks Hawkins was getting last game.

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.

Make sense, we're also in the mix for Sam Collins as well, they all are bigger backs that allow Lever to stay 3rd tall even if OMac or Forst are injured/out of form. We've also got Petty coming through but he looks to be at least another season away from seriously challenging for permanent 1st team action (not a slight on him, i think he'll be good but hope they take the right time with him).

Put up some decent numbers in the 2s, but sometimes that doesn't mean much. Thought I heard he's attitude wasn't great, but that might be a reflection of the time spent in rehab.

Just got to make the most of our opportunities, we've managed 57 scoring shots against them (they only had 47) and have had 37 more inside 50 across the 2 games.

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.

Poor bloke was up there with our best early on in the game

Hibberd in front of Hawkins will be more important

Wrong comparison's, he hasn't been playing as close to goal as those you've mentioned. He did but in the last couple of years has been playing more wing/inside mid. He's only kicked 2 goals for the whole season (he played 17 games). While I do think he's an improvement on JHK playing the same role, he would also cost a lot more. His 2013 - 2016 form and he's a good in, the form over the last 2 years would mean he'd be a fringe player, handy for depth and hope he comes good again but we shouldn't pay a heap for him.

I thought he played mostly as a forward but had the ability to go back and had a huge impact in a couple of games when he did (from memory he iced a game when he went back for the last quarter or 2 in an important game - not certain though). He also has kicked 47 goals in 20 games, that's doing his job by anyone's measure. He's only played 70 games, and clearly has a lot of development to go, this year I think he's added a lot more of a team first element to his game along with increasing his use around the ground, I believe it's only his leading patterns that need to improve to have a bigger impact against the better teams and that will come. Remember he didn't have TMac next to him all pre-season where they should have been working on this. He's not a Colin Sylvia type who's just waiting for that break out season, he's improving dramatically each year, in a very hard position and is already counted in the elite there, and people want to get rid of him???? DL at it's finest.

That's the line we'd be going back to West Coast with, we've got some fringe players, maybe Kent, JHK etc. plus a second rounder, or take the band 1 as it's as good as you'll get. Any contracted players would have to want to move themselves, so the idea of Hogan is just silly as we'd get more from Freo, or we'd be asking WC for Gaff plus a whole lot more

It could depend on where they finish, clearly Gaff will get them band 1, so if they end up in the grand final they'll get pick 20/21, with other free agent moves. Whereas if they bomb out in straight sets this could be pick 16/17, if he wants to go to Essendon then trying to get pick 9/10 out of them and a player might be easily accepted. If he wanted to come to us then they'd have to decide if it's worth just taking a pick between 16-21 or trying to force a trade for players plus lower picks this year or a first rounder next year (which will be in that band anyway), might all depend on what their thoughts are around needing to fill his gap this draft or wait until the year after.

If he came back to the AFL it'd take well over 6 months for him to get ready, and that'd be to play reserves. He's only played 4 games this year and 7 last,so would be a long long way off, plus it'd be doubtful he'd have that much desire to get back to where he was 3 or 4 years ago. I think he'd be just taking a spot on the list, however if he showed he was interested in a coach first - play only if absolutely ready, then he could be brilliant for Spargo and Hannan to learn off.

We could then likewise move ANB onto him, but there would be a potential uncomfortable period for them where Melk is either by himself or he's double teamed and we've got someone else free. We've still got to have a good team defense to allow any match up, but I think we could be the ones to dictate this rather than be defensive from the start.

As has been said the rule is only for free flowing blood. In the NRL they have caped interchanges much more limited to AFL and in the Union once you're off you can't come back on. I know in lower grades they have a blood rule that allows someone to come back on with 10 mins if they are bleeding, haven't paid as much attention higher up to see if that's also the case. So it's there for all, just handled differently

Melky went with McGovern on the weekend, until they shifted him forward. He demands an opponent as well, they can't let him run lose anywhere as he's too dangerous either delivering inside 50 or getting the goals himself, so playing Melk on him effectively means Whitfield is forced to man up on him, rather than have ANB do a hard tag. I can't see Whitfield being comfortable when Melk drops back to full forward as he does.

Rest Kent? It was his first week back. I agree with Spargo, I think he offers some real energy but a first year player will often struggle late in the season, so maybe a rest for him, then either JHK in a direct swap or if J.Smith is ready maybe he comes in and Fritsch plays forward a bit more. On Hibberd, given he returned to play I think he'll be right, a cork doesn't normally mean a week off unless its in a strange spot, but he ran fine afterwards and I really think he needs to keep playing after having his recent lay off.

I'd be hoping the Nick Reiwolt is a better comparison in the long run, Hawkins does all his damage in the forward 50, but while Hoges isn't the worlds best field kick, his work rate will destroy some opponents and then can still get into goal scoring positions himself. He'll demand a tall back to go with him, so if he can run up and connect with the backs then get back to try and score will be very dangerous, especially as when he needs to rest TMac can do the same, Melk could do similar. Plus with a couple of minutes to go in each quarter they could drop into the back 50 to stop any scores. Wait until we've got a forward line of Hoges, TMac, Weid, Melk and 3 of ANB, Kent, Spargo, Hannan, Garlett or JHK and they've had a full preseason together to work out how not to get in each other's way.

Dusty will be in the mix, just because it's likely to be a low vote winner this year, as opposed to the last few years where players have romped away. I wouldn't be surprised if Maxy polls in more games than the AFL.com count has, just think he'll get a few 1 or 2 votes in his reasonable games and is a good chance to also get those 3 vote games.