Wiseblood

If that were true (which I thought it was... ?) then DV8 would have been given the flick long ago.

I think we know exactly where he is...

We won't miss out on anything, other than Steven May if the Hogan deal falls through. KK will be done regardless, and unless we pull off a deal for a fringe player (eg. McKenna), then I'd say our business is pretty much done. And I was only being facetious with my comments anyway. We take trade week far too seriously.

What other deals have we missed? The one where Gold Coast and Adelaide swapped fourth round picks?

I'll be a little disappointed if the deal for May is just Pick 5, but I think that's because we've been conditioned to place too much emphasis on draft picks over the years. I'd rather Hogan stay, but I think many are underselling Steven May's value to our club and our structures moving forward. Where did we struggle this year? Down back. May will help to remedy this, and with the return of Jake Lever, will form a 1-2 punch that will be the envy of the competition. I think the addition of May will go further in helping us win a flag, and for that reason I'll put any disappointment aside and look at what May brings to our club, which will be plenty.

Spot on, Steve. Josh Mahoney and co. will be thinking the exact same thing.

Not a bad idea to be honest, and it highlights how there could be a myriad of things happen between now and tomorrow night. There seems to be a bit of mail suggesting we just get Pick 5, other mail suggests we get a few second rounders, and so forth. Anything could happen. Plus we won't know anything until the Lachie Neale deal is done. Until then we will still only get speculation and nothing more.

Plenty of the rumours have been BS so far. No need to believe this one either.

Sun is reporting that Peter Bell is flying into Melbourne tomorrow to resume talks on a deal that will potentially include pick 5 and other picks, thus allowing us to secure May and KK. So, nothing new really, other than what we all knew - Bell was bluffing.

Thank Christ there is only two days left

Has ETD gone to bed in the last 4 days? I feel like there hasn't been an hour gone by where he hasn't posted something, and even in that time he's said absolutely nothing of note. Extraordinary.

If you're sure that we're announcing the deal Monday, why post later that we 'need to get it done', as if it won't get done on Monday and there's a chance the deal may not go through at all? Classic

Not to mention Richmond just gave Tom Lynch a 7 year contract on good money as well. Jesse isn't going home for peanuts.

I wouldn't trust Ricky Nixon to sit the right way on a toilet seat.

He probably knows a bit of what's going on, but there is no chance he is privy to what the players and clubs, are truly thinking. He is probably just talking about his own experiences.

Does Pickering manage any of those players?

Anyone seriously think he would go to Gold Coast? I thought it was family or bust for him, and GC is not only worse than Freo but further away from his family. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I guess that's been the theme throughout this entire saga.

We did. Austin Bradtke.

Plus, Peter Bell said that they 'cannot meet our trade demands'. He's making out as if we are asking for four first rounders, three seconds, two thirds and a partridge in a pear tree. It's rubbish. What we've said we will take, which is the pick they get for Neale and #23, is more then reasonable and easily doable from their end. I don't know what Bell has been drinking but the bloke needs to get off it, and quickly.

Their logic is rubbish, though. Lachie Neale is worth 2 first rounders, but Hogan, a 23 year old key forward with 150 goals under his belt, isn't? Fair suck of the sav, Belly.

We will agree to disagree. Before the injury Lever was on fire and our defence was superb. His skills and leadership was excellent. He has a decade left as a player and he will slot back in very nicely next year. He could also be a future captain of the club. I think we paid a very fair price, but happy to agree to disagree on this one, King.

Lever is more important, and better, than May. He was worth every penny we spent on him.

Freo, having recruited some good young mids to play alongside Fyfe, now have the chance to set up their spine for years to come with Hogan and Lobb both keen to play there next year. They proceed to treat both players, and their respective clubs, with total disrespect. It sends a bad signal to any player who wants to go there in the future, and will turn off clubs when dealing with them in the future. Horrible stuff from a poorly run club.

I see what you're saying now mate, and you may well be right. Let's hope it's not the case though and Jesse decides to stay long term!

I reckon we are fine in terms of how we handled it. I can only go by what is out in the public eye, but it sounds like Hogan instigated it, we supported it but said we are happy to keep him if the right offer doesn't come in, which it didn't. I think the club, from what I can tell, has handled it superbly so far.