Mach5

Sounds a bit like Leake... but Leake performed better in the champs. As Lyon interviewed Leake on SEN, I got the feeling he might know something we don’t... Anyway, I really like the kid. Hope we end up with him one way or another.

Windsor moves well. Paul Wheatley vibes. If provided the opportunity I think we’d opt for Leake first, but he’s more likely to be gone by then IMO.

Ah, but why would we part with 6 or 11 if we weren’t getting 2 or 3 in return..? Unless we would be. I just don’t see North being willing to part with 2 AND 3 to get pick 1. I know I’ve proposed we pivot to engage with North but I don’t see it working out. I think we’ll compete with them for Geelong’s pick 8.

It doesn’t really though. There’s one person in particular that would look silly.

It wouldn’t be the first time a social media manager has gone too hard on a topic only to bring chagrin to an organisation. I think WC’s current hard stance might be that it’s not a sufficient offer, but the social media manager wouldn’t be privy to what they will eventually be willing to accept in the absence of better offers.

Fox think we’ve played our best hand already. That may be the case, but it doesn’t mean WC can’t sit on it and think about it, then accept at the last minute. Fox also thinks that WC have told North that both pick 2 & 3 need to be involved, and I can’t see any way that this happens. I also doubt they’d offer a F1 as it’d also be a top 4 pick. If one of us gets creative with Geelong, it could work. 6, 8 & 42 might get the deal over the line. Otherwise WC might cave at the bell & accept our offer as the best on the table. I live in hope.

I wonder if 6 & 8 would be enough to entice WC, assuming they believe Curtin would be available at 6 and he remains to be their obsession. That’s also based on the assumption Geelong would want pick 11 & our F1 to get pick 8. It’s a lot. Maybe the AFL would approve us getting a F3 back for Sydney’s F2 that we own, and then still being able to move our F1 as we’d have 2x F3. I’m sure they’ve signed off on similar in the past. If I was WC, I’d probably prefer pick 11 & the F1, and I could do my own deals to move up the order if I want to, with more assets so I don’t overpay.

What would you prefer? What would be more critical in chasing a flag? Petracca. OR Jordon, Harmes, Bowey, Spargo, Sparrow & Chandler. I know what I’d go for. (not to mention most from the latter list could be replaced to a degree using DFAs & late picks)

All hypothetical. I’m also not sure how they put a value on our F1 pick, other than assuming we’ll finish in the same position as this year.

I’ll pretend to be an expert & say “nope”

I think WC will initially set a high bar, but should eventually realise the best result for them is to split the pick for as much as they can get. I think they’re trying to tease more out of North. We should/will pivot to working with North to “assist” them to get pick 1, and strengthening our hand in the process. I know the numbers look bad in terms of “selling the farm” but I think when you look at the prospects available, it’s the smart move for us.

Yeah, the issue would be funding contribution from the state govt who are flat broke currently. It’d need to be a longterm goal & being politicians, they won’t commit to something beyond the next election (nor should we rely on any promises that far into the future).

I don’t understand the appeal of Fisherman’s Bend or Port Melbourne. We have no ties to these areas. Caulfield Racecourse is right in our “heartland” as they call it. I couldn’t think of a better outcome. Just gotta close.

It’s the AFL’s way of making them be traded without devaluing the picks in negotiations, e.g. “you have to trade these, you can’t keep them, so we are lowballing you because you have to accept”

I’ll start by assuming North would keep pick 2 off the table, refusing to let anyone pick ahead of them. I’d set up a poll if I knew how. Would you trade pick 6, 11 & a F1/2 for pick 3? It might give North the pieces to find a way to satisfy WC for pick 1. And I think we fell in love with Duursma a long time ago when he trained on with us. I’d do it. The players likely to be there at 6 & 11 don’t fill me with confidence. No guts, no glory.

I initially thought the same too, but something doesn’t add up. North have lost Goldstein & aren’t flush with other ruck options. He was also a covid-era midseason section, which doesn’t bode well. Yeah, nah. We have enough party boys.

Not to mention the cap space now available will allow us to restructure existing contracts to front-load them, allowing us great cap flexibility in the future.

Based on that alone, can’t see them happily giving up all those late first rounders. Wouldn’t se surprised to see them collect a few rejects like Mathieson.

Nah, did it quickly & looking at it again it’s not right. Our F1 could easily be better than 15. And I think teams will be betting on us sliding down the ladder.

Yes, as others have detailed in various threads, it looks like if we can’t get pick 1, we might make a play to get involved to help facilitate a 3-way trade for pick 1 to go to North, with us getting higher up the order for Duursma & WC being guaranteed of Curtin. Assuming Curtin would be there at 6, something along the lines of: Melb: 6, 11, F1 > 2, 17, 23 North: 2, 15, 17 > 1, F1 WC: 1, 23 > 6, 11, 15 I think we’d want to wait for them to come to us and participate reluctantly, so as to get more in return for the party agitating the trade. I thought maybe we could even engage with Hawthorn to get them pick 1, but they’d need to throw in a F1 because their other assets aren’t great & anything they get in return this year might be consumed by matching a bid for McCabe.

Might be an enjoyable ride, with them lacking a key defender.

Unless we convince him to extend. It’s surely extend or trade in 2024, particularly with the AFL angling to scale back FA compensation. I see Petty as a stand-up guy though, and I think he could be convinced to stick around. Hardly a fait accompli.

Maybe. I wouldn’t be totally surprised. But you say that with a lot of certainty!

Case-in-point: We selected Petty as a player whose type we didn’t require in terms of list balance, but he was too good to pass up when he was still there at our selection. Seems to have paid dividends.

You must be thinking of a different Russell Robertson!