mo64

This makes no sense. Who's waiting for Cam McCarthy deal to go through? Surely not GWS. If they lose a contracted KP player in McCarthy, they're not going to extend their generosity and trade another contracted KP player in Tomlinson.

At the start of the year, would you have proposed trading in the players above for Howe ,Toumpas and whatever minor picks are involved? Nine months on, Bugg and Kennedy have hardly played in the seniors, and Melksham has been an average player in a poor team. Howe has played every game and Toumpas has looked ordinary. There's no possible way you can spin things to make out like we're looking to have a successful trade period. I know it's early, but nothing that looks like happening is anything to get excited about.

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.

I'd be very worried if he doesn't re-sign by the middle of next year. From what was reported in the article and comments from his manager on Trade Radio, there's nothing to suggest that Hogan is likely to extend his contract long term before the start of 2016. The meeting with Roos etc basically outlined our plans going forward. This suggests that Hogan is keen on success, and if we stagnate or regress in 2016, the jungle drums may start beating.

I actually did it today. Click on your user id at the top of the page, and then click on the "Manage Ignore Prefs" option.

If he plays well at Port, so be it. If every club took your mindset, no trades would get done. If Melksham, Kennedy and Bugg play well for us (assuming we get them), I couldn't care less what Toumpas does at Port.

For whatever it's worth, mentioned on BF by a GWS supporter that Tom Bugg is a lock to come to us.

Yeah, so we listen for 2 weeks of hypothetical trades and inaction, then in the last 2 days, everything gets sorted.

Newton kicked 11 goals from 11 games, which is pretty good for predominantly a half forward in our team. I'd like to see him play half forward or half back, with the very occasional spell as a midfielder. I actually think that both Newton and Michie are good depth players, and Newton is borderline best 22.

Wrong one. I'm thinking Watergate.

GNF, do you have the power to bring down the whole board "Deep Throat" style?

I'm talking about the club, not the players. They went out and got 2 free agents for nothing, both of whom made an impact in the finals. Richmond on the other hand, hardly changed their list, and learnt nothing from the previous year.

The problem is the 6-10 players that you're considering as best 22, are either performing poorly or make little impact. Watts, Garland, Lumumba, Howe, Dawes, Grimes and Jetta are all in that age bracket where you expect them to make an impact on the result of the game. Rarely did any of these players make an impact this year. Vanders was far more impactful, and is nowhere near "bottom depth" as you say.

What about Harmes? I'd be staggered if at least 2/3 out of Howe, Garland, Grimes, Toumpas, Jones and Terlich aren't moved on.

That's totally illogical, and every AFL coach would tell you how hard it is to win a final. They'd also tell you that you need to be consistently playing in finals to eventually achieve your goal of ultimate success. North learnt from last year, and played at a higher level in the finals this year.

As Port found out this year, a place in the finals isn't guaranteed. How many games against top 8 sides did the Dogs win? They'll have a harder draw next year. Fantastic effort by North to make back to back prelims.

Spot on. The football landscape has totally changed from the Daniher era. Not only with free agency, but out of contract players nominating a preferred destination. Successful clubs will top up year after year. Any club that thinks about bottoming out as some are suggesting, will spend a long time out of the finals like us. Only morons like Hutchie think that North are going about it the wrong way. Lol. They would be taken by picks 60+. The only player of note that they've lost was Greenwood, and they've got plenty of his type to cover the loss.

Rubbish. NDS, Waite and Higgins as free agents cost them nothing, and without them they wouldn't have made the finals. A fit Wells would have made a huge difference. All their 1st year recruits this year suffered injuries, so you can't judge how they'll turn out. Kids like McDonald and Dumont would be regulars in our side.

Craig Bird?

I agree that Lawler did some nice things. The 2 Willi players that impressed me were Conway and Charleston. I reckon Conway has got some X factor, and I loved how assured Charleston was in the backline.

Bird's salary plus cola wouldn't be far short of Watts' salary at the moment, so you're hardly freeing up cap space.

Bird turns 27 at the start of next year, after spending most of this year in the NEAFL. Jack and Parker were missing for the finals, and he still couldn't crack a game. If Watts gets traded, I'd want it to be part of a bigger trade that brings in a player that would be in our top 10.

No thanks. I'd take Bird as a delisted free agent, nothing more, and know nothing about Robinson.