old55

I'm confused about how you think Bailey Williams is going to provide AFL depth in 2019 if Weid doesn't perform consistently? Sure it's a reasonable argument to recruit KPF depth but there's no way a draftee is going to help next year. I think you've put two ideas in the blender there.

Sydney finished 7th

We've got 34 + 2 rookies (+2 Cat B) at present. We not rushing to sign any DFA. Makes sense to just take 4 at the ND and go with a senior list of 38. There's a small salary cap saving there too. Then add just 2 in the RD and go with 38 + 4 + 2. Leave 2 Rookie spots open for those 2 new sign-ups/drafts mentioned in that article and take a ruck there like @Good Lord George says if disaster hits.

As every day goes by it looks increasingly unlikely we'll take anyone. Why wait, someone else may get your target?

There's a mid season draft too - dates to be announced. Read to the bottom of the article.

Academy and F/S selections that will push our picks back a bit. Did I miss any?

Rubbish superficial analysis IMO. They have Collingwood finishing 2nd and then going out in straight sets at the MCG vs West Coast and then Port. That is a ridiculously improbable prediction.

AFLW and AFLX to fill the void? The key is satisfying the broadcast revenue. There's a fair way to go before they will fill it but it is possible and we could get to the fair 18 round with as others have suggested, more byes to cater for anomalies. I know the relatively short NFL season made me so hungry for it when I lived there.

17 rounds is clearly fairest. I could live with 18 with a double up on "rivalries", WA and SA really want that and n the long run it should be good in Sydney and Queensland. That leaves a 4 week media void. I don't like an extended "play-off" with say 9th and 10th involved but it could be fairer than the current fixture inequities. I'm not a fan but perhaps AFLW can grow to fill a 3-4 week void?

GC win more than 6?

I think if you look at a combination of @DeeSpencer, @FireInTheBelly and my posts above you'll get at the truth. Hawthorn save salary cap probably in 2018 so they don't go over, Langford gets some consideration somewhere to make up for foregoing the last year's contract payment and other clubs won't pick him because he will retire if they do. It's bending the rules. i agree there is risk for Langford. Why is he doing it? Generational love for the Hawks despite being delisted. They are going to pay him even more some other way? There's a few plausible explanations.

That creates far too much difference between 6th and 7th, and 12th and 13th. The current system for all its faults is a more equitable version of that.

Yes it can, a contract can be terminated if both parties agree to the termination conditions. Langford agrees not to be paid out, maybe he's doing the Hawks a favour, maybe they are gonna pay him even more as a rookie. Then he's re rookied and he gets paid outside the cap. It's dodgy but it's within the rules. You're the lawyer : )

Looks like you've finally got it!

I don't know what you are talking about - ANY other club could draft him in the Rookie draft if they have a pick before Hawthorn. Hawks want to delist Langford. He has a year to run on his contract and understandably wants the money and says he'kll retire. If the Hawks pay him out it counts in their salary cap. Hawks tell Langford don't retire, we'll re-draft you in the rookie draft and pay you the money outside the cap. Any club could draft Langford before the Hawks do and they'd have to pay him standard Rookie wages - it's a risk Langford is taking.

The first paragraph probably explains it: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-11-01/hawks-to-rookie-langford-in-crafty-list-move

He has to be drafted, that's they key point. The move of salary cap is dodgy I agree but he has to be drafted onto the Rookie list.

I don't really see a major problem with the first two of these: Hawks have delisted Langford with a year to go on his contract - that will be counted in 2019 salary cap if they paid him out. Maybe by re-drafting him as a Rookie whose pay does not count in the cap they are able to get away with this - slightly dodgy but OK. AFAIK DFAs have to go on the primary list and anyway Hawthorn should not be able to pick up its own DFA. Don't really see too much wrong with the Lyons deal from a rules point of view. Clubs should be allowed to delist and pay out contracted players and when that player is delisted another club should be able to pick him up as DFA. It is surprising that GC want to get rid of a ball- winner but that's a different question mostly answered by @grazman Surely GWS has to redraft Mumford. There were some rules put in place around this following the Mal Michael "retirement" a few years back. GWS should not be able to pick up its own delisted player as DFA - only another club should be allowed, therefore draft IMO. So that appears the most dodgy one to me. Would like to hear what these new AFL list rules that allow this are

If you want to lose the money another way you could take your $100 and back the GC opposition each week cumulatively. Yeah some weeks it will be $1.01 but some weeks you will see double figures in the cents.

Rohan traded to Geelong and now Sydney looking at Menzel. Hmmm.

My Dogs fan mate who has a good eye for talent says Honeychurch is not up to it. Lamented every time he was selected. Him and Roarke.

A hell of a lot of groupthink that we need, believe we need and should be or are priotitising "outside speed" and "kicking skills". IMO for better or worse it's far more likely that we will continue to prioritise contested football attributes above anything else and that we believe fast ball movement comes from winning the contest and gaining metres far faster than players can run.

I expect that the fixture would have been provided to official media outlets under embargo ahead of the original Wednesday noon release so they could prepare their content to coincide with its release. Now it has been delayed for a day because "some clubs were unhappy" any changes should be known to the media. It will be interesting to hear what they are.

current state of play for every team http://www.afl.com.au/news/features/retirements-and-delistings

That "angry" kangaroo in their new logo is so lame.