old55

As has been pointed out by others, Freo can't trade their 2017 1st along with their 2016 1st because they traded their 2015 1st for H.Bennell. You need to come up with something different.

Darling, Weideman and Watts - there is no "main" forward. He's had some issues like I acknowledged but they could be addressed. He wouldn't be a possible trade option if he was perfect. I'm not suggesting he's a direct replacement for Hogan, pick 12 is in the deal.

Thoughtful post thanks. With your scenario you've got all 5 on the ground 30% of the time but you've addressed this by using Watts in the midfield for that 30% so there's only 3 talls forward. I still think the cost of the extra midfielder in the 22 is prohibitive. Better to ruck Watts and/or Weideman.

Deledio - tremendous player but 30yo with bung achilles.

I'd prefer to keep Hogan but ... How about 12 + Darling from West Coast and turn 12 into Tom Mitchell (might have to include a swap of next year's 1st rounders with Sydney) or Hamish Hartlett. Darling has had his issues but he can play and Hogan would be a serious upgrade for him at WC and he'd be redundant there. Hogan for Darling + Mitchell or Darling + Hartlett I think if we added Darling, Mitchell, Hibberd and Melksham with Hogan out we'd mean serious business next year.

To revisit my OP - I'm not sure how Pedersen/Vickery/Clarke, Hogan, Weideman and Watts all play in the same forward line? I'm all for retaining Pedersen as back up to Hogan, Weideman and Watts. Spencer as back-up to Gawn. But a new ruck-forward can't fit in the 22 IMO.

I've been a big proponent of our need to recruit a forward-ruck. Someone who can play mostly forward, go into the ruck and give Max a rest and possibly ruck well enough allow Max to go forward as a marking threat. That means they'd be playing at least 60% game time forward so they'd need to be good there. When I've thought about it further with our current personnel and team balance I don't think we could fit a forward-ruck together with Hogan, Weidemann and Watts forward. We'd be too top heavy across the 22. These players play 85%+ game time, so they'll all be on the field together a significant amount. Bench rotation spots are best used for mids, half-backs and half-forwards. I think we need to persist with Watts in the ruck and we should expect Weidemann to start to ruck also as his body matures.

I drink therefore I am.

Evidence he is on $750-800k please?

His salary is going up by $100k every page in this thread. Hartlett averages about 3.5 clearances a game so he can contribute there, but that's not what we'd get him for and it's definitely not what Hawthorn got Burgoyne for. His clearance numbers at Hawthorn are about 3 a game. If we're going for an available clearance mid we should be looking at Tom Mitchell. But I don't think that's our greatest need.

Heard Brendan Goddard on ABC Grandstand today who is clearly still a good mate. There's no doubt Dal wants to play on. I'd be interested for on field coaching input, playing input neutral.

60k at an AFL final in Sydney is a great result. We need strong AFL in NSW and Qld for the game to prosper. It's really hard to get the policy decisions exactly right for expansion teams, the Brisbane Bears setting were way too low and their introduction was a failure, the AFL possibly swung too far in response for GC and GWS but that was always a risk.

Agree they did look like good choices at the time, but many here with the benefit of hindsight are very critical of those trades. As you say, nothing ventured ...

Occam's razor

If we think that NDS or Thompson really have a coaching future then there's a good case to get them in for a one year contract as DFA. It's low cost and we should be able to create the list space.

Tom Mitchell is a very good player and would be a great addition to our list. He's really another Nathan Jones and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't think his type is our highest priority but if we could get him it would be great.

On the phone to my broker buying Kleenex shares now.

Hope I never see a post from you criticising the Dawes and Lumumba recruitment then.

It's not a sure thing though. It hasn't worked as well for GC. It has taken great management at GWS to achieve this. Hope you like their Russian style theme song, you'll be hearing it a bit. I think it's catchy.

One of the most riveting halves of footy I've ever seen. Incredible intensity, speed and skills.

I look at Shaun Burgoyne at Hawthorn. When he was traded he was a similar player, similar age, coming off an injury restricted year at the same club as Hartlett. Now that he's a champion people struggle to remember that he was inconsistent, injured, unfulfilled potential at Port. I'm not saying Hartlett could reach the same heights, Burgoyne is a legend now, but that's the style of input he can offer.

Hazy

I imagine Saty sees it along these lines: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ― Edmund Burke.

My reasoning is in Hartlett thread. I've only posted my preference for him in the Wells and Dal Santo threads because he's a direct better alternative IMO. I'm unlikely to post about him in the Zac Clarke or Marchbank threads.

Yeah, Isaac Smith might become available next year if the Hawks start to tumble down the ladder and look to rebuild. Sidebottom too, but maybe he's too slow also?