Reevesy

I had pondered this if the appropriate parties were interested. It would be… Trade 6 to WC (so they can select Curtain, motivated buyer for pick 6) for future first and the best change that can be mustered. 23 ideal as first pick of R2 of the draft. Trade WC F1 to GWS for pick 7 plus the best change we can muster (Hopefully another F1) with another motivated buyer for a potential future pick 1, 2 or 3. Select the player we would have drafted at 6 anyway. Increased draft capital with no change to selected players. Could work with Geelong the very next live section after GWS too, and their F1 could be more juicy. I see the cliff coming fast! Seems feasible to me.

Indeed. On draft night, if we bid on Green at 3 and GWS wish to match, they have 5 minutes to trade away 4 or have it consumed. At this point the pick number becomes less relevant than the attached points. It would be more valuable to GWS to have 12 and 18 than 4, for example.

Bear with me. The two later picks could equal pick 4. Any set worth more points than pick 4 would become more valuable to GWS, if we clarified we would be bidding on Green and assuming they planned to match...

I suspect if we bid on Green GWS will have a contingency in place to trade down the order for multiple picks with greater points value. Not their ideal outcome but still ensures an pick in the best 30 or so players on top of Green. Maybe Sydney would want to talk about jumping back in front of GWS. Maybe 3 and 2020 2nd and 3rd for 5 and 2020 1st. Lots of permutations still possible.

No need to dangle anyone out there for trade. Go hunting what we need, be it whitfield or others. Once targets are identified and interested then we can negotiate, let clubs come asking after brayshaw** once it is clear we have some interest from their player. Means we are in the position of saying "oh no Brayshaw** is a required player, we couldn't possibly trade him" and keeps there value high. (**insert any player willing to entertain discussing). Might even mean we pick someone up for a little less than what the article is suggesting. Personally, I would absolutely keep Brayshaw around, we have traded out some talent in the last few years, and balance or otherwise you need good footballers on your list. Doesn't preclude us from adding another.

Made it to the game for the first time yesterday this year, being out in country vic with young kids makes it hard. It crystallised a few thoughts. Firmly in the 'Don't overreact but be disappointed camp' by the way. Hogan out hurts, not even from an output point of view. My thoughts are that he provided confidence to players, and sheltered them from responsibility, he was examined more than most if we had a poor game in terms of scoring. The whole forward half is adjusting to this in 2019, taking one step up each, the slow start hasn't let them build confidence that they can fill the shoes of the one above them last year. This has played out in our connection moving forward and I think our goal kicking lately. Goals feel precious and hard earned, the pressure to kick them is amplified and it is playing on minds of footballers low on confidence anyway. Tmac is endemic of this. He is still working hard, but his decision making or forward craft is severely compromised at the moment. Its partly not having played alot forward, and hardly ever as the main man. Each time someone was about to kick where he was leading he changed directions. When a player kicking was under pressure and had no way to carry and break the line he lead backwards. When there wasn't room to lead forward he lead forward and got chopped off because he had to take slow steps. Others manifest this forward of the ball with a lack of cleanliness. I'll use Spargo here to demonstrate. He was clean last year, one of his most endearing qualities. It meant he capitalised. He just isn't quite at the moment. Along with a host of others. This is playing out in the midfield with kicking as well. Skills are just a fraction off. Or at least the consistency of there execution is. It is a trust in self and trust in others things. The good news for me is all of this is eminently fixable. It is too late for this year I think but the games coming home are incredibly important, they are all winnable. We have played probably 4 of the top 6 teams this year over the last month. There ability to pressure and affect our execution is why they are good teams. And with a bit of luck we could have won 1 or 2 of them. I still have faith in this list and the direction. We've a chance to add some more quality over the next off season, but I wouldn't be searching for too much change. Things need refinement, players need confidence. But we don't need to start over. We have all the raw ingredients for a flag push. Get them working well, get them focused and invested. Keep looking for opportunities to add to the mix, in terms of personal, ideas and method. You have to be lucky to win a flag, it doesn't mean you change everything after each attempt. Even if they do go badly. Learn, reset, adjust and go again.

Haha never mind. Hope Jay proves an inspired choice. Was hoping JT has his eye on a Fritsch/vandenBerg/ dare I say even Harry Taylor style player who f could nab early, perhaps not to be.

I’ve been thinking about the remaining list spot that seems destined to be held over for mid season, and as no one else seems to be talking about it too much wanted to start the chat. Hayden McLean was one player I was hoping might be looked at but seems he is going way of the swans now. Anyway what do you think the clubs thinking is. As simple as hold off to mid season and see what we need? Or is it more strategic like I hope, there are usually a few state league players that raise the bar each season and push top 20 draft picks, are we hoping to almost snag a top 20 draft pick freebie. If so I wonder how the draft order will work. Hoping lower clubs can’t just throw 3 blokes on ice mid season and slot into the top picks but who knows! ponder away!