old55

Agreed, but Bruce doesn't free an ND pick - he's a vet so frees a rookie spot.

Yeah exactly the same - except Jacobs wass out of contract and requested a trade to the Crows and White was just re-signed to Sydney and doesn't appear to be wanting to go anywhere - apart from that exactly the same!

The FD obviously love him - appears too slow and too small - must be "the General" out there.

Ahead of Warnock and Cheney, behind Bruce and Grimes.

If we delisted him we'd only rookie him if we thought he was the best available player at our pick, which is possible, he's spent time on our list and knows our system and we know him, but we're under no obligation - it's pretty simple isn't. We had an obligation to Newton and Meesen because they were contracted - completely different situation.

IMO missing out on Hale - Newton's stock went up!

A 26yo who has played 51 games including 13 this year and is currently playing VFL for a 27yo who has played 72 games including 14 this year and is currently playing VFL.

I don't think you could call either of them smart footballers, and although Setanta does have an excuse it doesn't help us. I think Setanta is more of a threat up forward than Will, Minson definitely has far greater rucking creds. I think we're looking for FWD-ruck so that leans me towards Setanta, he doesn't solve #1 ruck depth but that's a different question. I don't think Will really provides much forward threat. I think Setanta gives 100% and he's reasonably agile for his size - well more than Hale or Minson - so he could apply some forward pressure. On the other hand he has some history that questions his mindset. He'd be a big question mark but I think Matthew Warnock is going to rely on injuries to get a game in 2011 and even then is maybe not next selected - he's OOC at the end of 2011 and who could blame him for being off for greater opportunities then? Demoniac, I haven't been to TC for a while but I might pay them a visit. BTW, it's a long time since our old R.S.F.A days and we still haven't won a flag!

Warnock for Setanta is worthy of consideration if Setanta could ruck a bit.

Yeah, yeah, while we're at it Sydney could trade us Trent Dennis-Lane and pick 38 for Liam Jurrah - jist as likely.

It was always gonna be more than 2 years - we would have been offering him at least 3 also - you've got to sell the deal to the player and the club.

I think the "end of 1st round" picks could be very handy in future if you're trying to land the apocryphal "big fish" a la Ottens to fill a key hole in your flag push. Combine it with your standard 1st rounder in a standard draft and you've maybe got 10 and 19 - a persuasive package for a team with a mature star which is on the slide and is looking at rebuilding.

It's not clear that deal is better for North than 32 straight up unless they plan on warehousing the compo pick and using it in future. Then it could be as low as 19. Whatever, pick 19, 29 or 32 is not for a "hack".

How about I don't take any notice of BF posters and do take notice of the Hawthorn and Melbourne FDs?

FFS, here's the most recent North supporter post on the BF Hale thread: "Well done Hawks, Even though some of you may yet to be convinced, Haley could be the missing piece of the puzzle for you guys. Very underrated on here. All the best with him. " Which ones are right?

Yep that's why we spent 3 months chasing him and were prepared to offer pick 32.

I'm disappointed because Hale fills a need identified by the FD. With due respect to PJ and Juice they have had their opportunities at AFL level and have not delivered. There may be some small hope for Newton. To fill this need we have Fitzy and Gawn on the list and I look at our good players and premiership window. If Jamar and Davey are going to play in a premiership and make a meaningful contribution it's going to be in 2014-5 when they're both 30. Fitzy and Gawn will be just 22 in 2014, it's a big ask for them to deliver in that role at that age and what's more we wont have had the benefit in the meantime of the structural benefit for the entire team. Hale was really a good age for this - same age as Jamar. Those posters saying we can do this trade in a couple of years need to have a good hard look at who they might be targetting - that player is playing somewhere right now! I have backed the FD on this and the fact that they appear to have stuck fast at 32 and not got into a bidding war with Hawthorn suggests that there's plan B. That needs to be a player already in the system and around 22 minimum now. Maybe we've got our eye on someone in the draft. Hawthorn are generally good judges and list managers and to be up against them re-inforces that we were on the right track. It's disappointing not to get our man but I'm not taking losing to Hawthorn to heart. They are in their flag window and offered a better pick. If he'd gone to West Coast, Port or Richmond in preference to us I would be worried.

Paul Johnson or Michael Newton

I don't agree - I'll be disappointed if we don't get him.

Yep we re-signed Nathan Jones because DemonSG spat the dummy too and what about those faked moon landings eh?

I think we need 2 things, probably in this order: - Fwd-ruck = Hale - Lock-down small defender with good kicking skills Agree Warnock is very handy but if he doesn't get more opportunities who could blame him for wanting to leave when he's OOC at the end of 2011.

I blame myself for getting involved in this.

What do you think of David King? Got burnt in association with Wallace but seems to talk a lot of sense on the radio. Matthew Lloyd is another one I've been impressed with in the media - is actually prepared to do some research. Both premiership players. I think Laidley would be a great consideration too.

You must be joking ... surely.

The whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. With Hale it's not just his raw football output - it's what he offers to the team - Jamar in the ruck and going forward, less defensive pressure on Watts and Jurrah, creation of crumbing goals, a target for midfielders under pressure. Kosi cops a lot of flak but clearly the Saints FD rate him - they just offered him a new 2 yaer deal - they kick a lot of crumbing goals and Riewoldt spends a lot of time in and out of the forward 50 - Kosi adds a lot of structural intangibles to their set-up.