Watson11

We’ve lost 47 goals but I’m really only worried about adding to the 9 Jesse kicked in 8 games against the good teams last year. We’ll get more than that from Weid plus Max spending some time forward.

I’m happy with Mahoney. Maybe he could have ended up with pick 14-18 instead of 23. But he delivered Preuss, who will be hugely important in big games next year with Max able to spend time as a target forward. Max, Weid, Tmac can each take pack marks in high pressure games against top teams when there isn’t as much forward 50 space, and Jesse doesn’t have the elevation to do that. And trading to add pick 28 could be another Spargo/Fritsch if JT delivers again. We also saw in last 5 weeks how important forward 50 pressure is, and that is not improved when Jesse played. Can’t wait for round 1.

How does the RFA work? Couldn't Scully and GWS agree to tear up his contract so he can go as an RFA anywhere, and GWS get probably a high first round pick in the draft. Maybe GWS wanted to do that....

To add there is no ill feeling from Melbourne to Jesse either. However, I can’t say the same about MFC, Hogan, Hogan’s manager, Steven May, Gold Coast, Lobbe, GWS, Kelly, and Kelly’s manager toward Peter Bell and Fremantle.

2016 - circus with Dustin Martin 2017 - circus with Andrew Gaff 2018 - circus with Jesse Hogan I like where this is going.....

I don’t think you should read that much into it. It’s like anyone being headhunted for a job where they are offered a lot more than they currently get. Anyone would look at it seriously just like Jesse has done. I personally think Jesse would have been a bit torn by the decision. Shot at premierships with us or big $ and go home factor. Hopefully he’ll have a big point to prove to everyone next year.

Well yes. Too much unfortunately courtesy of a GC supporting friend, and this year had a special interest in May. He was not an elite ball user this year from what I saw and turns it over a lot. Champion data has him at almost 4 changers and turnovers a game, almost 25% of the time he gets it. Not worth a high draft pick. There is not a defender even at Carlton at that level.

I'm OK with that! There seems to be a lot of obsession to get Steven May but he is not pick 7 material, and miles away from Jesse. With May you know exactly what you'll get, a lock down defender with plenty of positives, but one huge negative, he turns it over more than almost every defender in the league. In todays game where turnovers are the major source of scoring (anyone remember the prelim first half), I just don't see why we would consider giving up a high first round pick this year for May. He turns it over more than Sam Frost who at least balances his clangers with line breaking score assists. May had almost 4 clangers a game last year - only two MFC players had more being Oliver and Brayshaw who average 2x possessions and are inside mids where it is hot. Regardless of what happens with JH, if we on trade a high first round pick, imo time will show it as one of the worst trades we have ever done.

WC were probably better with Sheed instead of Gaff. All season WC were poor at contested footy. Sheed plus Shuey coming good were the main reason they turned that stat around. But point is our list needs to go deep. We were probably 28 or 29 in 2018. 3 if that gone for sure and maybe another 2 or 3 to go. The other 4 or 5 are not relevant. So we probably need 5 afl ready players trade or drafted in. If we trade Dyson out then we would improve if we got a true outside mid back.

I’m Jessie’s biggest fan and think he’ll be a superstar. Our forward line can function well with 3 key forwards just like Adelaide’s did last year. Makes the 3rd matchup really hard. But to just throw another issue in the mix, Preuss wouldn’t be coming to play VFL and if we get Preuss I can see Max playing less ruck time next year. 85% ruck time this year was too much. With Preuss could change to 60% ruck time, 30% forward, 10% rest.

I was keen on Gaff but aren’t sure whether bringing in “superstars” on giant money works. Buddy was a success commercially and individually but for Sydney an overall fail football wise. Sydney have given up some critical talent the last 5 years. I actually hope Richmond get Lynch as I think it will weaken their culture and if it does they’ll be mediocre. I’d rather back JT to draft some elite outside speed via the draft and continue to retain and develop our current list.

I’ve seen enough games where his leads are ignored. The Port game was the worst. And if the instruction was to get the ball 0-30m and central then that would explain why he stays home too much and ends up competing for pack marks which is not his game (unless one on one).

I can't remember which thread it was on but our forward structure and entries according to the poster was based on statistics on goalkicking etc, and that the goalkicking efficiency was really good from 0-30m and central, but statistically drops off further out and on the angles. The implication was that the players had been coached to aim to get the ball to players in a better position, hence were probably ignoring the leads that were further out so as to kick to the hot spot, not taking shots from 45-50m and trying to pass off quickly etc. This seems to have been fixed and modified the last couple of weeks. Kind of like basketball, it's like Goodwin etc was always trying to get the high percentage layup, whereas now we are hitting the leads and making some 3 pointers which makes the layups harder to defend as well. I'm really confident that if we continue to play how we have the last 2 weeks with our inside 50s we will be really hard to beat. So onto Hogan with the more recent game style, we will be even better if we have really quick players in our forward 50 who can get 5m on a lead. Hogan is ideally made for this style because of his speed, endurance, strength etc I wouldn't trade him for mids, draft picks etc and am really keen to see us use him better next year.

That is true but we have also been good at lowering the eyes for the last 2 weeks. If we had done that all season we would have finished top of the ladder.

I thought he was in our top 3, not fastest in the afl. But either way he is super quick and unique in the afl being 100kg, good one on one, good skills (very few changers). I’ll say it again that we don’t use his speed yet. The number of times he has 5m on his direct opponent and we kick long was embarrassing for most of this year. Probably leads to his frustration at times that he needs to work on. I wouldn’t trade him even for Cerra and 2 first round picks unless he wants to go.

OK. Reminds me of Riewoldt in attitude at the same age and Josh Kennedy in kicking style. Out of Hogan, Riewoldt, and Kennedy who would have the best accuracy stats? ... Hogan 65.2%, Kennedy 64.7%, Riewoldt 62.8%

Tmac would also be fair. I think Hogan has more upside. He reminds me of Jack Riewoldt at the same age in attitude but a better athlete.

If the question is for the next 5 years then my list is Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Lever, and Hogan. They are what clubs build a list around (if we can keep them all fit and on the park). But the club imo has buolt a list that can still be really, really good if one or more of the above players are injured, as has been the case for 4 of them for large parts of 2017 and 2018

I hope the players get social media training and are told to stay a long way away from demonland. If any of them naively come here looking for ego boosts they'll end up on the psychologists couch. I'm in the no way trade Hogan camp unless he wants out. 100kg power forwards, who can run at 34km/hr and do a 2km time trial in 6mins, along with his natural skills are unique. His lower output against the better teams has been largely due to us butchering the ball going inside 50. We are improving our inside 50 delivery and he'll be a superstar for us.

He's one of the quickest on our list according to champion data. We don't use his strengths at FF. We don't use him enough on the lead. If we hit him up on the lead, he'd be less vulnerable to having to beat 2 gorilla's on the long balls when he stayed back.

Don’t think so. Cyril retired and the articles were all about how much salary cap freed up.

Maybe make some tough decisions. Jones and Lewis to coaching roles. Frees up salary cap. Offer $1.2m a season if that is needed.

He's a talent but don't think he can impact now. Needs another 6 or 7kg over summer, and a bigger tank but he is a good grab, has a bit of mongrel, good kick. If he can do that over the next year or two then he'll be the same weight and height as Josh Kennedy and Tom Hawkins who really only started impacting when they were around 23.