Matsuo Basho

We are 17th. Recruiting is a problem no matter how hard you try to dance around it.

So we head to the G in 2020 to watch a geriatric Roughead trying to teach Weid how to mark a footy? How exciting. Top eight here we come ?

As I’ve written elsewhere, even if you disagree with the article there’s no way you can look at those club-by-club lists of U/23 players and have us anywhere near the top eight rated clubs. We’re in the bottom eight and that’s being generous, even subjectively. Its an absolute indictment on our recruiting since 2013 when Taylor came on board. Changes must be made by Pert in that area as soon as possible and I expect they will be.

Currently 17th on ladder. Adventure chosen.

North are in an interesting position. They just sacked their coach, have an average list at best with some ageing leaders and are again going to finish in no-man’s land on the ladder. They face a similar prospect next year if they don’t make a few radical list management decisions. Getting in a new coach (Rhys Shaw or whoever) buys them some time to bottom out a bit to get the gun youngsters in necessary to do a proper rebuild and make their club relevant again. If we offer them pick 3 and our 2020 first rounder for Brown with say a second rounder coming back the other way, they will definitely look at it. We need to back ourselves in to rise up into the top 8 next season. Its radical and it will frighten the naysayers and the conservatives, but both clubs - us and North - need to get on the front foot in the off season or face more years in the wilderness. Can we really have Dees supporters heading to the G in 2020 with NOTHING to get excited about in the forward 50? It doesn’t bear thinking about. A deal can be done if we have the cojones to do it. I think a lot of our supporters are in denial about our situation. It’s dire. We’ve simply got to roll the dice.

How is that lucky? We have just been rated as 16th of 18 teams for talent under 23yo in an article in the AFL website. Even if you argue that writer is a bit off the mark our recruiting over the past five years has been shoddy at best. On Sloane, good player but I’ve never rated him the superstar some have. Pretty sure he’s signed on at Crows ‘til 2022 anyway.

Patton is certainly a plan B or C but of course you wouldn’t entertain anything like pick 3 for him. How silly.

With the Great SWYL on board this thread will go places. Come on Demonlanders. It’s Operation Get Ben Brown time. This club needs to get its supporters excited about going to the footy again. That’s what this whole show is actually about isn’t it? Excitement and enjoyment, winning and finals. Another year like this for the MFC and personally I’m done. I don’t reckon I’d be on my own.

Congrats.

Well it is if a particular club has their eye on a certain kid right up the pointy end. Rowell and Anderson have caught all the hype but there’s a lot to play out there prior to the draft. Some great players have been drafted at pick 3 or 4. Buddy, Bontempelli, Judd etc etc

SofNS you’re not accepting that Suns will be given PP1 by the AFL? You’re going to be disappointed. Lock it in. Rowell and Anderson are off our radar unless we finish dead last. Still a possibility I guess!

What’s your opinion on the thread topic please?

All for pursuing Brad Hill but like Johnny Demonic that deal looks a bit unhealthy to me. I too would take the gamble of higher finish in 2020 and offer them our future first rounder with second rounder coming back our way. We’ve got bigger fish to fry with pick 2 which will end up being pick 3 after Suns PP1 allocation. (See my Ben Brown thread).

Is he better than Alex Neal-Bullen? Aside from price that’s the only question you really need to ask.

Thank you.

“Just saw on Twitter” is a fairly broad statement. Who said it exactly?

Then we need to come up with a deal that satisfies them. Trade of picks, throw in a player. Whatever. He must become a Demon.

We have the worst forward line in the comp and the worst since inside 50 and conversion rates have been recorded. TMac is iffy, Weideman has shown bupkis. It's been a horror show. We must throw the kitchen sink and internal pipe fitting at Ben Brown to come to the Melbourne Football Club. Pick 3 will get a rebuilding North interested. We won't be having a shot at Rowell or Anderson as Gill will be giving them the PP necessary to ensure they have picks 1 and 2 in October. Get radical and get Ben Brown or miss finals again in 2020. The club will implode if we have another year like this one, good players will walk and Goodwin will be clearing out his desk by round 12. Get real people.

Have to disagree with you there Praha. One of the biggest calls Jackson and Roos made was the anointing of Goodwin as the next senior coach. That most definitely falls under the job description of 'setting the foundations'. It's looking increasingly like a colossal error of judgment that will set us back for some time, thereby undoing much of the good work they did. Roosy's broadsides are a bit rich from where I sit.

16th for U/23 talent. Even if he's half right (personally I agree with him that we're in the bottom 6) then it's a clear indictment on the overall recruiting by Jason Taylor. That guy must go. Now.

That could be because I was bang on the money about our interest in Hill months ago. BTW we won't have a shot at Rowell or Anderson unless we finish last. Gillon will ensure the Suns will have picks 1 & 2.

Will try my best Boss. George on the Outer banned me a month ago I felt for no good cause. Did not even give me the courtesy to explain why it happened.

I look at his expression on the field and think 'trade'. Or delist. Honestly, if Weideman was pick 43 he'd be the easiest end of season cull decision in history. Never going to make it.

Good call. Well worth a moneyball look. Far from a Hawthorn 'done deal' given the pressure on them now to regenerate their list with youth. People listing Weideman as their go to key forward in 2020 mock up MFC sides are kidding themselves. He's had a 'mare of a year and remains unproven at AFL level. Our current forward line is statistically among the worst that has ever been fielded since I50 numbers have been recorded. Ben Brown is my first preference and I'd pay pick 3 for him. We won't be getting a shot at Rowell or Anderson as the Suns are a lock for a PP.

Scenario B: Trade Petracca to Port for pick 13 Trade Weideman to Hawthorn for pick 26 Trade pick 13 and pick 26 to North for Ben Brown Trade pick 20 to Freo for Brad Hill Trade 2020 first round pick to Richmond for Jack Higgins (*banking on this pick being around 12 - 14*) Pick 2 - Noah Anderson Out: Pick 2, Petracca, Weideman, Pick 20, 2020 first rounder In: Anderson, Brown, B.Hill, Higgins B: Hore May Frost HB: Hibberd Lever Salem Cr: Hunt Oliver B.Hill HF: Anderson T.McDonald Fritsch F: J.Higgins Brown Melksham R: Gawn Brayshaw Viney I: Harmes Baker Jones Lockhart End of 2020 target Free Agent: Jack Darling