grazman

My guess is that we'd have to pay out the final year of both their contracts and we have two vacancies on our rookie list. (you can't use any more picks after you've passed - rookie upgrades in the ND aside) GC have the first five rookie selections then we have pick 6. If GC take one of them then it free's up a selection, but we're basically obligated to use our picks on Juice and Mees if they're still available.

They'll be shattered.

I'm not sure if it was intentional, but it's hardly a surprise CC states we're taking two midfielders at 1&2.

Save your puerile observations for the Collingwood forums, they're not welcome here.

There were some interesting comments re Kane's disposal as a junior and his loss of form/confidence since a little while ago... I think it may have been by Liam Pickering. As you say he was highly regarded and some were of the opinion we should have drafted him instead of Brock. Obviously few of us have really had a good opportunity to judge him for the last 24mths (unless we were following Geelongs VFL team), but he's worth examining. He's got a mature body now and is still quick -hopefully Kelly O'Donnell and Mark Yeates can weave some magic.

The Lions have said they will definately take him if available in the draft and they have a pick after Essendon and before Collingwood.

Wealthy?

As BB King would say... "The thrill is gone" It's interesting to see that quite a few clubs have up to seven or eight live picks in the ND/PSD and quite a few rookie selections.... make hay while the sun shines I guess, but I see the storm clouds (GC&WS) gathering.

No faint praise considering Nat is a running machine himself.... nice work.

2 to 1 is way too generous. Brisbane have already declared they'll take him and they have pick 27, You'd also think Essendon would use either 24 or 26 before then as well.

Cam Bruce can be promoted to the Veterans list which frees up another spot. The indications from the club are that intends to use 34 and 50 so at least one more player has to go, and perhaps more if we want to promote a rookie.

Agree, his body has consistently failed him, - are our facilities any better than Norths? I'd be more interested in Joel McDonald if he goes into the ND and was still available at 34.

or Sydney. It depends on whether he's after certainty. What are his priorities? If he wants to earn a good living without leaving Melbourne he'd be rolling the dice going into the PSD.

Messy for the Saints and the Pies. With all that's been said and written it's hard to fathom he'd stay at the Saints. If he goes into the ND he'd probably be taken as early as perhaps Pick 14 by the Swans, or Pick 20 by Freo or Pick 22/23 by West Coast or Pick 24 by Essendon.... He won't get to the Pies in the ND. If he can't stay where he is and can't get to where he wants to go, he's got to think about an alternative destination. He still has some control over where he goes if he elects us and he could start Preseason training in two weeks time if he commits to the PSD.

I agree. It'd be a bitter pill to swallow for Ball to go back to the Saints and the ND provides too many uncertainties in terms of the intentions of interstate clubs (Essendon would snap him up at 26 before the Pies anyway). I think the most logical thing (certainly in terms of remuneration ) is to come to us. I hope he sees it the same way.

Used to be Maurie, but they changed the rules. It's now both.

Sydney? I think Ball would be very wary about their intentions. He'd fit right into Paul Roos game plan and I think the Swans might be tempted to use pick 14 on him. Given Essendon's declared interest, they'd see Ball as pretty good value at pick 26 as well. The Question is does he want to risk having to move North (or West) by going into the PSD, if not the only real options for him are to re-sign with the Saints or change his mind about playing with us.

Good players can be fitted into game plans Jack. We'd be getting him for free, he'd take a mentoring role with the new onballers like Scully, he offers leadership in an age bracket we're devoid in, and as someone famous once said "courage never goes out of fashion'. Someone as brave as Luke Ball representing your club isn't a bad thing. The one thing going in our favour is the fact that somehow Collingwood just can't seem to get any deals over the line. (Jolly aside and that was a simple deal that took them four days to haggle over to cough up a nothing pick)

It hinges on whether Ball can get to the Lexus centre. He won't be staying at the Saints according to the paper. Ball would take the PSD over the uncertainty of the ND if nothing's done by 2pm tomorrow. The current suggested trade is that The Dogs trade Everitt to the Saints, Ball to Collingwood and Pick 30 to the Dogs... The Bulldogs have of course stated that they're after a top 20 pick for Everitt. So the real winners in this deal are Collingwood, the Saints break even (a young player, but more importantly salary cap relief) and the Bulldogs get shafted. If we trade pick 18 for Everitt, both Collingwood and the Saints have to go back to doing a direct player swap, something they haven't managed to do so far. Still two days of trading left, but it's getting interesting. I guess it comes down to whether the club rate Everitt as good enough to use pick 18 on it's own, and a question of timing, doing the deal at 1pm tomorrow is better than doing the deal at 1pm today.

Maybe we are... Maybe we just don't want a deal to be done with Ball so he can go to the PSD. The dogs need to squeeze Everitt out to keep Aker and Eagleton, They're tight as a drum on their salary cap. They'd prefer our pick 18 to Collingwood's 30 (in exchange for Everitt to the Saints and Ball to the Pies) and if that were to happen, then Collingwood have to find a new way to get Luke Ball to the Lexus centre.

Hun are saying it's done. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/joll...x-1225784004377

Port and Hawthorn could out think themselves here. I'm not sure Burgoyne will be prepared to run the gammit of the ND. Ourselves, Richmond and Freo probably won't take him, but can he be sure that North and West Coast won't punt on him prior to pick 9? Port want more, but Hawthorn are constrained now by a megalomanic president whose throwing out edicts like a one armed general. Either Port back down and accept pick 9 and a [censored] player or Hawthorn have to try and convince Burgoyne that he'll get to the Hawks (which they can't guarantee). Still a way to go, but he could still slip through to the PSD to ensure he plays at one of his nominated clubs.

To Collingwood as reported in the Hun. Now opens the way for Sydney to negotiate for Fev.... but Fev likes Brisvegas and not Sincity.... so maybe not much to discuss.

Hun reporting that Darren Jolly is now a Pie. for picks 14 and 46.

They would have got rid of him a lot earlier except for the intervention of one R Pratt.