Red and Blue realist

Well done to the Dees for being the only Victorian club not to slug an extra price on reserved seating on any games so far this season. A lot of other teams have done so every game or for their bigger games. Shows we're in a very good position that we don't need to exploit our fans anymore than the AFL already do!! http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/clubs-are-exploiting-fans-by-increasing-the-price-of-reserved-seating-at-games-afl-fan-association/news-story/bb765bc6da860e9f060592144f3cb8bc

Garlett has played a couple of times in the past after looking like he was going to be out for multiple weeks, so given he was still running (albeit restricted) at the end of the game I think he's a reasonable chance to come up. Don't think Salem's was particularly bad either but he'll miss, but hopefully only 1 or 2 games. Garlett will be vital against the Swans and how they load up from the backline, I'd suspect Kent might get a run if he is out, he'll be told just to pressure everything and stop their run out of the backline.

Very very very happy about this, he was one that I thought other clubs might try and tempt away.

Seems to be most take a 2 year deal at the moment.

Anyone really taking this article seriously. He's done the exact same for each club so far - pick 1 player who' - injured, not reached potential or there's talk of them leaving, then over inflate their price. Next say the club needs, JJ, Kelly, Whitfield, Pittard or Z.Jones. Simple. Poor old Buckers is living off the 'I put the Hawks list together' thing these days, but has been in club land (VFL) for the last few years and those teams have been horrible.

Might be looking at upgrading his contract now to make sure it levels out for future years. For example if he's on a fairly base salary now - say $200,000, if we waited until the end of next year and he keeps on the same improvment then his next 3 might cost us $600,000pa ($1.8m). Instead we might look to still pay him the same $2m over 4 years, but be able to bring $300k or more into next season, so when Hogan, Tracc, Oliver etc. come due we've got a bit more in the kitty to keep the band together.

The football department would get something out of most games, but in reality we've played 12 games since then plus it was JLT, so game styles, player positions etc. will be mostly irrelevant. I also think their mids are better than most rate, it's just that they have a few who are very similar (Mitchell and Priddis) so when not playing on their terms then they can be made to look ordinary. I think we go to Shuey with Melk, Gaff thrives on being feed the ball and if our inside mids (Viney, Oliver & co) can largely nullify the easy ball to Gaff then he becomes way less effective or has to do the heavy lifting himself which again makes him less effective (not saying he can't do it). For years Jones has been targeted, so wouldn't be surprised if they go to Clarry, might be god for him to get that sort of attention because long term he will be targeted.

??? Kennedy kicked 5 that night, plus we were within a couple of kicks with 5 minutes or so to go when they kicked a couple of cheap ones. From memory we also restricted the game time of our key players, while they ran pretty close to normal. I wouldn't be taking too much notice of the JLT game at all.

Have to play someone this week and make allowance's for the 6 day breaks and travel. I doubt Gawn for Jones will be the only change, and I think they wouldn't have planned to just do that either. They obviously rate JKH given he came into the team off a limited preparation in round 5. He's also been our best in his last couple of VFL games so at some point deserves another shot.

Herald Sun reporting that Trenners is likely to come in, not the most reliable of sources but often when a player is returning from a break or injury or debuting etc. it will be leaked with the intention to build up the hype. I wouldn't be surprised if they do bring him and JHK, along with Gawn as part of the 6 day break plan they keep going on about. Might mean on top of Jones, Watts might be given a week of to make sure he's fully right and then 1 other comes out. No idea who that will be, no one really deserves to be dropped, so might be another rested.

We need him signed up ASAP, he's the only one of the guys that haven't re-signed (as far as I know) that I'm worried will be very heavily targeted by other clubs.

ANB actually reminds me a little of Jones in he's first 2 or 3 years, he managed to get a bit of it but his disposal was a little off or not that damaging. The difference is Jones was played predominantly in the middle from very early on, I think Nibblers best position will be in and under long term, but he's being given a more suitable introduction to footy. Maybe if Jones is out, he's one to get into the middle more?

We've only really got Vince, Lewis, Pedo and perhaps Jones who won't be on the list (age wise) in the next 3 years, and realistically Lewis and Vince are currently role players, rather than key cogs and Pedo is still a stop gap (as good as he has been). I doubt we'll be out chasing a big fish, unless they actively want to come to us and then they'd have to take under's to what they'd get at Nth or Saints. Our big fish are at the club, and I think we'll just be finding extra pieces to the puzzle. At this stage we're nearly be going to the draft looking at just the best available rather than anything specific, then with later picks/rookies getting some key back and ruck depth.

The Eagles are a different sort of team to both the Pies and Dogs, they don't have huge run out of their back line, Yeo's probably the only one, while they want to bang it longer to their forwards, so we might not need all of Bugg, Harmes and ANB. While I think even with Gawn back we need Pedo, TMac and OMac. So from a team balance point of view we might go a bit taller this week. Having said that, I've got no idea who'll come in or out, depends on Watts and Jones, but maybe even Vince out, and Harmes to play more out of the back flank? I thought at the start of the 6 day breaks we might look to rest Vince and Lewis during them, but Lewis came back in style on the weekend so maybe Vince has a rest.

Love how the media are building this right up, while also asking the players to be more open and show their personality as part of the media rights and CBA (through the players association).

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.

No means we play on Sunday and all those on the extended bench are listed with Casey. I think it's around 4:30 tonight the Sunday team is finalised and 4 of the guys at Casey will also be removed.

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.

I would think that Bugg would be better on JJ and Melksham to Macrae, Hunter or Bont.

That's right, I still think he's been a great acquisition and should play more often than not, but to move forward we can't carry guys just because they offer leadership or direction. They need to still be best 22, and playing their role, from the last 2 games Lewis and Vince have been down so questions should be asked - not necessarily saying they need to be dropped but they need to lift to stay in the team.

We can't expect to be playing and winning finals with anyone who's above dropping. I know there's guys who naturally have more 'money in the bank' around being dropped, but maybe he's worth 'managing' for a game or two here and there. What he did in the second half against the Suns was great - but for us to progress further we need the younger guys doing that, while also maintaining a continual high standard of play. Didn't read the post game thread so will hunt out those one's you mentioned, because he continues to play this way then surely he gets a spell soon.