Red and Blue realist

Of every club, not just ours. In fact he's just about second in line to Rance as a key defender. If he does leave there'll be a big fight between just about all the Victorian clubs I'd think.

Yes, I'd imagine they'd be happy to 'let' Trengove go in free agency if they could guarantee a 'first' in return. Similar to the Vickery deal, if we front loaded the deal it would not only help our longer term player payment structure but also inadvertently (take that anyway you want too) push the deal into the higher compensation bracket and net them a better draft pick. They wouldn't be getting our first, we'd keep that, it'd be a compensation pick. At worst no loss to us, at best we get shuffled one pick back in the draft.

Simply, no. Carton don't really need anymore key position players, unless Casboult walks, plus they'll still want significantly more for Gibbs. I think if Lever comes to us and Gibbs goes to the Crows it'll be separate deals, or involve draft picks rather than players going back to Carlton.

I really think Trengove would be a great fit for us, and means we don't have to give anything up to get him. Have heard they might actually be happier for him to go so they can get the draft pick having traded away their first round pick this draft last year. Would cost less on-going than Lever as well, so like some have suggested we could front end his contract then have room for our younger guys coming out of contract in the years after that. Might end up a bit like the Vickery deal, except Tregove isn't a spud.

I think the big thing he's put out there this week is that he's making the decision with his girlfriend. So as much as he might love the club, be a future captain etc. As some others have said sometimes there are other things in play. As he's off contract then the price will be high, but not astronomical like you think. A first and maybe a later pick or player. Remember Dangerfield went for a 1st, a 2nd and Dean Gore (young player who hand't played but had a lot of good wraps). Lever while good, would command something less than Danger.

It seems like the Herald Sun, listens to what Gary Lyon and Tim Watson say on SEN, then add 20% and report it as credible news. Really just sports tabloids. I agree that we need to make sure we've got enough in the kitty for the players you've mentioned plus we've still got a few out of contract this year that I'd liked to be tied up sooner rather than later, in particular Salem. If we could manage to make sure we don't cause ourselves future salary cap issues, then Lever would be a great get at the right price of course.

It's still a position we're pretty stacked in, and I don't really see Motlop as being anything other than a high-half forward. For the amount we'd have to pay him, I think we've got more pressing needs. I'd only say yes, if we knew for sure Kent wanted a trade, Motlop only wanted say $400k and the coaching staff see - Tracc, Bugg or ANB playing more midfield or Harmes more defense.

Motlop is a free agent, so no need for any of the trades you've mentioned above. While his best is very good and could work well, I think he's best suited to a position that we seem to have plenty of at the moment, the high half-forward role. We've got ANB, Harmes, Hannan, Tracc, Bugg and to a lesser extent Garlett in the team (from last round) in that role. Plus Kent, JHK, T.Smith at Casey and VDB and Brayshaw (although he's a pure mid long term I think) injured at the moment. We've got more pressing needs going forward I would think.

He just re-signed last year, I think we had a fair crack and he decided to stay. Plus dealing with Essendon would cost at least our first this year and next, Brayshaw, Tracc, Oliver, Gawn, Hogan and Viney.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a very high quality player in particular in his primary role. However, I think with the way we play he'd be asked to be part of the zone more often than not, and he got caught out a couple of times having to double back or zone off (as someone mentioned earlier he got done over by Garlett). So I think he might not work fully with our game plan. Plus the cost would be high - both $ and acquisition (draft picks/players).

I thought this before the weekend, and given our set up this has confirmed it more so for me, but May while a very good player, is more a stand next to a gorilla and nullify them, rather than fit into a zone and be able to play on bigs and smalls. He is a very good full back, but I don't necessarily see him as also potentially a CHB or 3rd tall. Given we're very much into the zone structure we need guys with a bit more flexibility, Frost, TMac and even OMac can play all of FB, CHB and 3rd tall. I still think Trengove from Port might be a better fit to the way we play, plus as a free agent won't cost us as much in what we have to give up. Might be the same $ but no draft picks or loss of players.

He'd be great but I don't think he'll actually leave, plus I think the price might be very high which some have pointed out could cost us in terms of either planning to replenish the older guys or cost us one of the younger guns. What about a free agent hit with Jackson Trengrove from Port? As far as I know he hasn't re-signed and would cover not only the key back spot but also offer ruck support if needed. I also think he'd play much better with the zone defense we're using, compared to May who's better just staying on the bigger guys.

Undoubtedly if he came to us and said I'm happy to forego an extra $150k - $300k he might be able to get elsewhere and we didn't have to give to much to GWS then he'd be great, but I think he'll cost in excess of $800k a year and the trade would be our first this year plus decent extra's (a first 22 player or next years first etc.). Paying too much will hinder our chances of retaining all of Oliver, Tracc, Hogan, Salem etc. when they come out of contract next, because we have a few on the team that are shaping as deserving the bigger coin. We've seen the Hawks, Dogs and Cats in recent times develop their own and (besides Boyd) not going chasing the big fish, but fitting role players around what they've got. I think we're much better to do that.

Doubt we'd be prepared to pay as much as rumoured North have put out there, or have the currency the saints have. I think we're backing in our talent and will find role players rather than chasing something too expensive

I don't think our biggest issue is our main goal kickers at all, so far Garlett, Watts, Tracc and Hogan have hit the board regularly. The issue we have is the midfield hasn't been getting on the score board, so far Jones has 4, Lewis and Salem 3, Stretch and Viney 2, with Tyson and Vince only 1. Oliver is yet to hit the score board (goals). We need more score board pressure from the mids as well as the main goal kickers, that will also potentially help with the flood some teams have used pretty successfully against us this year as well.

He'd be a great get, but not worth a couple of first rounders ('17 & '18) as some have suggested. I wouldn't be giving up Brayshaw either, I think that could do more damage than expected with his relationship with the other younger guys.

This is (hopefully) 100% right, how often to true A graders leave their clubs? Very very rarely, normally they are developed from within. All things going well, Hogan, Trac, Oliver have the potential to be true A graders, with Brayshaw, Watts, Tyson, TMac not far behind. Guys like Hibberd make it easier for this to happen, because there good ordinary players, they fill and play a role.

I think with the way the game is played now, with a lot of attack coming from movement from defense rather than set up in the middle a player like Hibberd fits pretty well. Traditionally teams are thought of as having a back 6, middle 6 and forward 6 on the ground however realistically I see us as operating a back 5 -2xmac, jetta and frost - or their replacements and Hibberd then floating 1,2 or 3 players through their depending on where the ball and play is at the time. Guys like Vince, Jones, Salem, Hunt, Bugg etc. Whereas up forward, I see us operating 4 players - Hogan, Watts, Garlett and Weid, then having Petracca, Kent, Harmes, Brayshaw, Vanders etc. Of course the forwards should be given more scope to roam. Mids are Gawn, Viney and maybe Tyson and stretch, but again they roam all over the place.

wouldn't be surprissed to see him in the team round 1 then back at Casey within 3 or 4 weeks. With Brayshaw, AVB, Petracca and Trenners to come back I think there'll be good opportunities to give him a few breaks this year. It was clear last year Gus tired and should have been rested more than once, with more depth it'll mean less burn out.