SaberFang

16 and 35 for Bennell and 22. Bloody good win for Freo.

It's not just you daz. Looks like another recruitment period of bringing in fringe players on the edge of other team's best 22, while we hoard our best draft picks for the draft. It's a slow process rebuilding a team like this.

It's possible his preferred destination is Gold Coast and he's just using Collingwood to get them to frantically up their price (they've already offered us a pretty sweet trade from what the journos claim -- clearly they see a list deficiency with Dixon leaving).

Geez for currency that low Roos, Goodwin and McCartney must be on some unity ticket about Toumpas. Seriously depressing stuff.

How convenient that Collingwood would reject whatever we're offering for Kennedy thus far. Standard negotiating tactic of theirs so that once Howe nominates them, they can instantly suggest a straight swap.

Getting Howe just for dropping 3 picks in your first rounder isn't reasonable for us, either.

Exactly, otherwise they're essentially getting Howe for free (assuming the player they're after at 3 will still be there at 6).

We gave up two picks and gained two players. If we give up Howe and 6, it'll be for 3 and a second/third rounder. Two for two, just like 2 & 20 for Tyson & Salem.

This is probably why we keep our cards close to our chest. The fact that Collingwood know we want one of their players (and he's already asked to be traded) works heavily against us getting the strongest currency for Howe now. Just look at the way Collingwood played the Beams trade last year as an example of how to play the system; they probably wanted Crisp all along but coerced Brisbane into "throwing him in" as a steak knives inclusion with 5 and 25. Lo and behold, the very next year he's performing like an A-grader. Something stinks about the way their club operates; everyone knows they're ruthlessly underhanded. They're just another club who tanked all those years ago to secure their players (and the shiny priority pick) for their premiership tilt. It wouldn't surprise me one iota if Collingwood had agreed to terms over a year ago and told him to underperform in 2015, so they could trade for him cheaply.

Agreed, it isn't enough. They'd have to throw in their third rounder (to get Bugg).

Realistically they'll pay two first rounders for Treloar. Good luck getting Aish for second rounders and swapping a third for Howe.

Ironic that of all the clubs to end up dealing with at the trade table, it'll likely be the two most difficult (and the two who stubbornly overvalue their own players). Viney better hold his nerve because Essendon and Collingwood have made a career bending other clubs over at the trade table.

Ugh, they'll probably just offer a straight swap for Kennedy. We'll turn it down and they'll throw in their 3rd or 4th rounder as steak knives. Howe was our only real chance of getting genuine currency so if he chooses the club tied up in every other trade that's not a great outcome.

Dodoro, never again. Even Essendon fans hate him.

Fine, fine. ... what if we throw in Terlich?

Noticed that too, left a bitter taste in my mouth. Wonder if they were selective in what footage they chose to show? From what the experts are saying about the combine, a lot of kids have rocketed up from the 20s into the top 10. This to me is a pretty severe indicator that the talent spread is in indeed fairly thin and a bit of a plateau. Can completely understand why Ess and StK are now apparently trying to trade out.

Fair enough. I can see the upside but there's a large element of the unknown taking a player facing WADA sanctions. Think that's a first for our club. I can understand taking the punt for key position players like Ryder and Carlisle but find it a bit perplexing for a fringe type like Melksham. Guess we have to back Goodwin and McCartney on this one.

It's already pick 25 factoring in GC's compensation pick. And you've got the Academy situation backwards; clubs now give up multiple picks to secure Academy prospects, thus moving later picks up the draft not down. Sydney for instance may need to burn multiple first rounders to secure Mills. I guess FA compo could affect where pick 25 falls, but of the 3 FA's so far Danger was traded and Selwood and Suckling only gave compo in the late 30's. I was guilty of judging the Frost deal prematurely, but the value of that really came down to luck on draft night. Don't think anyone saw ANB or T-Mac's brother sliding that far. I'm just hoping this isn't a straight swap for 25 because we've gotten much more currency in the past for our picks.

As far as I'm concerned, they were just trying to destabilize us. Sadly, it worked. We tried to get the deal done straight away, making Howe feel like he was being pushed out. Thus, he spent the rest of the year weighing up his options with the expectation he had a $700K paycheck coming in October. Lo and behold, he got a swift reality check a few weeks back.

The general point I'm trying to make is that most other footy people are in disbelief at the trade. I've already had about 5 texts tonight on the subject.

Probably the only intelligent thing Slobbo has ever written. And he isn't far off the mark. The club rightly balked at that salary request, he's flogging himself.

It isn't just this forum. I just skimmed over 300 comments from 18 clubs worth of supporters... there was not one comment from someone calling this a remotely fair trade. I know it's only Facebook, but even most people can see that the Dangerfield trade was relatively win/win for those clubs in the long run. " Massive overs, the guy is a fringe player and a 3rd round selection at best" "you must think it's Christmas. Melbourne don't ever deserve to make finals." "I reckon bombers would of accepted pick 80 for him" "This is why Melbourne are the biggest joke of a football club the pay way overs on average players, first round pick for Dawes few years back and now an early second round pick for melksham , get ready for another season of mediocrity" " I would of been happy for him to be delisted but I'll take pick 25. " " If Melbourne ever had the plot, they have surely now lost it.." "waste pick 25 for a vfl player lol" "Bombers #winning melksham anything over $300k a year is abhorrent behaviour from Melbourne" "Best news ever. We even got a decent pick for the list clogger" I had to stop, it was seriously just pages of abuse. https://www.facebook.com/AFLTRDON?fref=nf

It's going to be a long 2 weeks.

Quite laughable to think West Coast expected a first round pick for Selwood. Like, seriously? Not only did you make no attempt to retain him, by the end of the season he wasn't even in your best 22. How is that worth pick 18?