mo64

Has far more runs on the board than Melksham. Would have loved him at the Dees.

I like all the highlighted players. Too early to call on the 2014 crop, but McLean and Webb look ok for the Dogs. Of the others, McIness and O'Brien are developing KPPs at top clubs. I'd say more hits than misses.

No, our priority targets (big fish) all fell through, and Melksham was on the next line of targets. He's hardly a priority.

"If" is the key word. Hard to pin your hopes on a bloke who's had 2 crap years. It's like someone giving us pick 25 for Grimes. It's not going to happen.

Get real. They've got a stack of promising young players to compliment elite players in Dangerfield and Selwood. They've done it brilliantly. They've brought in Dangerfield, S.Selwood, Henderson and Z.Smith and given up picks in a year that has a shallow draft.

Morton got his possessions sitting across half back from sideways short passes. Brayshaw wins his own ball. Chalk and cheese players.

Interesting to see what they give up for Henderson and Zac Smith. Players or next years draft picks would have to be involved.

Roos and Goodwin would have had plans for Watts for 2 years now, and nothing has eventuated. What makes you think that next year will be any different? There's no doubt that the club has Watts on the trade table, but there appears to be little interest.

Not as impassioned as his assessment of Cale Morton. A lock to be a superstar.

No.

Nathan Brown full of comedy gold as usual. Suggesting that Collingwood will trade Ben Kennedy to us for pick 61. Based on their respective careers to date, we'll get pick 80 for Toumpas.

How many on our list have? The vitriol towards Howe is ridiculous. For a majority of his career he's played as a forward in a team the gets the ball inside 50 less than every other. As a backman, he's probably taken more contested marks than anyone else in the team. I'm not saying that a trade cannot benefit us, but Howe's performance has been better than many on here are saying.

I'm sure that's not the full extent of the trade. GC would have to throw in pick 19 as well. The Tyson trade involved giving up 2 and 20 for Tyson and 9 + minor exchange of picks. I can see the Howe deal along similar lines.

Bugg hasn't been offered a contract, so an exchange of late draft picks is on the cards. And Tomlinson isn't worth pick 19.

I disagree. Players now determine their club of choice, and a deal then needs to be struck. We don't have the power to trade Howe to get the best return. The contract offer from his new club becomes irrelevant to the trade deal. Without doubt, Howe picking GC would be the best scenario for MFC.

We had a few of them around that time, Crosswell, Jarrett, Icke, but you forgot Pedersen.

True, but they brought in transfer windows to avoid that very reason. These days, there isn't a chance of the club choosing the best trade deal. The AFLPA often compare the benefits that US professional sportsmen receive, such as percentage of broadcasting agreement, but never factor in the downfalls, like in the NBA and MLB, where you can be traded anywhere, and cut at any time

But clubs have to agree on a transfer amount or the deals off. In the AFL, if clubs don't agree on a trade, the player just walks into the draft, and the team gets nothing.

Collingwood approached North about Turner and were told in unceremonious terms to "f#ck off". They rate him very highly and is untradeable.

The facts are that Garland has more shortfalls than Howe, but the club realise that Howe has more currency, and more importantly interest from other clubs. I know who I'd prefer to keep, but as you say "an appropriate trade will be to our advantage."

BTW, Anderson IS under contract. And having a draft system goes against that theory. I can't think of another major sporting body that doesn't allow clubs to trade players against their will. Everything is in the players favour at the moment, and the balance needs to be redressed.

Can't see Howe getting much game time up forward at North next year, if that's his preferred position. Obviously a longer term replacement for Waite/Petrie. Spoke to a someone last night with very close ties to North's inner sanctum, and he mentioned that they are after a key back. Maybe that's where they have Howe earmarked to play, which does against his manager's comments.

I'm betting that Francis slides past our pick 6.

You've missed the point of F/S selections. Until recent years, clubs had to give up little or nothing to acquire the sons, hence the risk/reward was minimal. How many times have you seen Jake Lovett play to make your assessment? Late selections/Rookie picks all come with an inherent risk. Call me a romantic, but I'd hate to see another club rookie Jake.

That's just not true. Howe took 22 contested marks compared to Garland's 10. OK, great bloke who loves the club, but let's not stretch the truth when it comes to his performance. He needs to improve or he should be out of the team.