Red and Blue realist

I'd say we'd be paying somewhere in the order of $25-$50k of Watts salary, so not much in the grand scheme. Plus that $450k or so that we've freed up (along with the Lumumba cash) goes a long way to paying Lever. Which should hopefully mean we've got more than enough to pay Gawn, Tracc, Gus and the Macs who are all coming out of contract next year and then have a dip at free agency when Sloane and Gaff are available (they are my 2 biggest targets - I doubt Sloane will move though). So instead of seeing trade period as a win/loss based on the 3 weeks it goes for - it really needs to be judged over a few years, factoring not only draft picks and players coming in and out, but also player retention and ability to participate in free agency.

Apparently a lot of 2nd rucks were thrown up at trade week (Nichols, Goldy/Pruess etc.) and no one wanted them, not even GWS who knew their main ruck is about to retire. Goes to show the position has changed and teams value having 1 decent one then making do if injury's strike. A fit and dominating Gawn could change the thoughts again, so lets hope he gets back to those 2016 levels.

I think he could potentially be good as a defensive forward, only to be used against teams that use a key back to spring-board their offence the likes of Rance, Hurley, McGovern etc. teams that use the more traditional smaller players then he'd be better down back. Given his height and speed, those guys who peel off and try to intercept mark or spoil would have to give him some respect, if he was told when they go up he's to run back Josh Jenkins style and try to get himself on his own 10 meters from goal. I would never start him forward without a role like this, he's a better defender than forward, but as a defensive 'tagger' he might work.

Think if it's retirement due to medical reasons then there's a 50% reduction on the life of the contract, so only half his salary would count next year. Hope he stays on coaching for a few years if he is helping facilitate this

This was mentioned with lever too, just adds some weight to their excuses

At a guess if we gave pick 64 or whatever or 4th is, then pick 46 will be used to upgrade J Smith, so in the grand scheme it doesn't matter which pick we use

Those guys were primarily brought in as we had a huge lack of depth in players aged 22-25, and while not world beaters were ready to play from day 1, they just weren't all that good. Balic is only 20 (I think) so has a lot more development to go, so might be ready when Jones, Lewis and Vince finish up

So far this year he's said (in no particular order): Casboult to the Tigs Kelly to Nth Cox to Brissy Lever to Pies Ablett to retire rather than try to get back to Geelong All of these he has said will definitely happen. Maybe he'll get one right one day, but his track record says otherwise.

I think if we trade Max it's only because we know their (the AFL in all their wisdom) not only going to do away with the bounce but also get rid of throwing the ball up altogether. At the start of every quarter the ball will be placed in the middle of the center square and both teams will nominate 4 players who have to sprint in to pick the ball up off the ground, they'll also implement the last touch out of bounds rule. At stoppages the umpires will be very quick to call holding the ball, and if they can't decide, each team can nominate 1 player each and they'll arm wrestle to determine who gets the ball. Please create a weird trade fantasy page if you want to talk about trading Max, because even putting it in the rumour file is a massive stretch. (not having a go at you DSP, not sure who started this carp)

I think Goodwin as a coach is a little like how he played, being more of a action rather than words kind of person. We've just had Roos who was as polished media performer as there is, so naturally seems like more of a leader. Someone like Buckley also came via the media before coaching and while his record is obviously bad still gets the plaudits of the public and media. Goodwin, at least initially in the season (I think he has improved), was too open and honest with the media, which is great in someways but can also be damaging if as a leader you sometimes need to be feeding a player a message they might not want to hear. Goody will learn the right times to be 'letting the truth out' and when to 'dance around the issue' the more experience he gets. At this stage I think he's trying not to say anything to the media in case they pick up the wrong message and run with it, as you said he will one day alter the narrative but that'll take time for a non-media person to learn, I'm happier to have a coach who coaches rather than a media performer who struggles to coach. I'm hoping he'll learn from the losses this year more than the wins, the elimination of the bad quarters is up to him and the rest of the coaching panel. One thing that seemed to be lacking was the implementation of a quick strategy change, such as the wind effected games you mentioned, I wondered at the time was it the inability of the coaches to make the changes or was the message not getting to the players in the right way so they had to wait for the breaks?

We've got 9 currently, and they might be counting the guys who assist at their VFL team? Always been the argument why the football department spending tax came in, to stop those clubs with loads of $$$ from putting in place a massive system. Of course it doesn't always work but the more resources the better you should be?

No doubt he's a good VFL ruckman, but at 29 I think he'll get overlooked for sure. I doubt any club would want to try and integrate him into a full time system knowing he could only be there for 12 months, and if he came in then the younger rucks won't have the same development opportunities.

I don't mind that idea, such as giving the Tigers our pick 10 and maybe a 2nd next year and then getting their 1st and also the 1st they've got from Geelong and handing that off, if Adelaide get fixated on two 1sts. At least that's what I'd present to Adelaide as the only way we'll come up with the two 1st, they might panic and think there better off just taking 10 and next years 2nd themselves.

King they took on as a bit of a project, in fact I think he came to us with some injury issues they thought might take a while to get right. Given he seemed to take the main ruck position (off pencil) late in the year at Casey I'd think they might be backing him in to be the clear number 2 ruck (if Maxy went down we'd probably go small again) and hope he really comes on. Is it known for sure that Kennedy is out of contract? I can't find any evidence of this, and have a feeling he might have come across on a 3 year deal??

Geelong don't have a first this year, Richmond hold that. Plus Menzel is a free agent. Still don't think we'll give up anything near 2 firsts for Lever, maybe a 1st and 2nd, or 1st and other arrangement.

Would guess that it might be a 1 year deal with a trigger for longer - play 15+ senior games and get a second year sort of thing. Which I think is fair given he was best 25 at the start of the season, prior to the injury and would have played a significant role this year. If he's fit and wants to play midfield then he'll have to really tear apart pre-season, which Maynard will be trying to do similar and hopefully really put pressure on all the other mids to lift their games - can only be a good thing.

We needed the experience at the time, so can only see this as a good trade. Yes long term Adelaide have won the trade, but given the unpredictable nature of 2nd round picks, the next year Pat McKenna was taken at pick 23 - he's now on our list and hasn't played a single game yet. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but we picked up a best and fairest winner who has played over 80 games for us. Think he'll play on next year, but honestly hope he only gets 15 games (max) and he's forced out of the team by younger guys.

The majority of trades get done with picks instead of players, but I can understand why the Crows would throw out the hail-mary trade of Tracc or Oliver. If you look at who's been traded over the last few years in a similar situation, Treloar, TMitchell, O'Meara, Danger and Beams, they've all nearly been done with 1 first rounder and something else (2nd) or 2 firsts but with a something else coming back as well as the player (either pick or decentish player). Most of the suggestions have been pick 10 plus a second this year or next, or next years first plus this years 2nd, or even 2 firsts plus we get Lever and a 2nd or fringe player, I think that'll be the way it plays out. Good on Adelaide for trying to get more, but if they really valued Lever then offer him a decent deal to begin with and he might not have wanted to walk away.

Someone mentioned earlier about moving him forward, I know he's a terrible traditional leading forward, but I'd like to see him trained up to potentially be a taller defensive forward. Some teams have had success manning up on the list of Rance, Hurley, McGovern etc. and I think Frost with his speed would worry those key intercept types, they'd have to stay on him as well as he does have the height that demands a tall rather than a mid size player to go with him. It would be only in certain games (I still think he's best is as a back) but I think it could be worth a try, if he happened to snag a few goals as well even better, but I think they'd come in the Josh Jenkins over the top style rather than out-pointing anyone on a lead or in a marking contest. Would potentially give us some flexibility if we wanted to change things during a game he could go back and then TMac come forward.

Not sure if he gets good mail or just makes a ton of [censored] up

Most important stat was that he played 22 games. I think he slowed considerably in the last 3 or 4 games and needed a rest, but after hearing what he did in his draft year around fitness and endurance I'm sure he'll get to the level we all think he can.

Hard to get a read on that, and I'll be waiting for the "love the place was never going to leave" if he stays or "just wanted to be back closer to family and friends" if he goes. I think his partner might have a lot to do with the decision, but then his younger brother plays with the Crows SANFL team so that might be another consideration. I wonder if he does come, if his brother ends up at Casey?

Adelaide don't really have much of a choice here though, Lever is un-contracted so in theory if he really wanted out he can go via the PSD - he won't - but the salary cap doesn't come into play from Adelaide's point of view, unless he wants to stay. However I agree we need to ensure that getting Lever won't cause the loss of a required player in a year or 2 due to salary cap pressure. We've got Gawn, Tracc, Oliver and Hogan who'll all command very decent coin plus Brayshaw, the Macs etc. who'll also want to be paid reasonably well. Hopefully the club has planned for this and front loaded Jones, Viney, Watts, Hunt and even Hogan now so that if we get Level he's salary just gets absorbed so not to disrupt the team long term.

Hoping is just a related reaction to the surgery he had earlier in the season and not something new to worry about. I do think that of our list the guys who late starts won't be an issue are TMac and Viney, TMac due to his incredible fitness and endurance and Viney because it won't change the way he plays at all, reminds me of how Jelwood can come back in and make a difference after having little to no pre-season over the last couple of years.

That's just wrong, Trenners first 2 years were as good as if not better than Martin and $cully's. Talking to tiger friends at the time and we all agreed that Trenners was the most likely brownlow medalist among them, just had a lot most consistency (less flash) than the other 2. Had it not been for the foot injury he would have played over 150 games, and potentially still captain. His pace wasn't blistering but was more than adequate.