Skuit

I think it's perfectly legit when you're suddenly a top-four team.

What? Can't we just tell Gaff he'll play in the middle for us a la Howe in the forward line for Collingwood and then accept the all the genius coaching plaudits when we push him outside for the following six years? I'm pretty sure that's what we're doing with Pruess. Yeah, sure Braydon, can we call you Braydes? - we're definitely going to play two rucks next year . . . . . . until the very first time it doesn't work out. But we share the same name and colours as Casey now and Max will probably retire or slow down sometime around 2024.

So a few of us posted at the exact same time on the same subject. It has always seemed slippery to me, including by original definition, but does anyone know the exact rules of future first-round trading? And then the dispensations that have been given since? Could have sworn Hawthorn and Geelong have both been granted liberties in recent times. But also vaguely recall something about the rules not being super-fixed in the early years but set to become more rigid over time? Also, any official source for where we've actually put in a request?

My reaction to Hogan leaving, like many on here: damn . . . ooh wait, what can we get in return!? If it were Oliver I'd probably quit football and/or life altogether. Such is the difference. Yet, we've apparently asked the AFL for special dispensation to trade out our 2019 first-rounder. Many have speculated that we may have something extra in the works, despite no other obvious signs or leaks from a fairly straightforward club - so perhaps it's just bargaining assurance? I haven't closely followed the make-it-up-as-you-go precedents (free kick Hawthorn), but I imagine we'll be given the green by the AFL on next year's first. With respect to our list profile, and recent history of trades, we're clearly not operating in the fashion of which the rule was obviously designed to protect against - e.g. a Ross Lyon-era Saints dive for the flag but with supercharged status. Us having next year's first-round potential in the pocket prevents the MFC from getting bent over by Freo. As is now our rhetoric. Two early firsts or we walk, and back ourselves in between now and next year to snag a signature or even a flag. As such, if Hogan were to stay, and we got May and KK for next year's first and trade change, we would then have to be pretty damned chuffed. Add a surprise Gaff to that mix and a Pruess exchange and it would just about equate to our best trade haul and list quality ever. If Hogan does go however, then we should have an extra top-ten chip. I believe we're sitting pretty on this one, with special thanks to the foresight of Mahoney and co.

As the son of Anthony and at 198cm it's like making a tower out of a tohill. When does trade week start again?

Sounds like some gimmicky digital-era Lynden Dunn.

The seeking more opportunities line wouldn't fly if he requested a trade home.

How much did the crystal ball fetch on ebay ding?

This one goes out to PJ.

I'm available for TAB consulting on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment. Reasonable rates.

Jones, Lewis and Tmac will all poll in the top-ten with at least one in the top five. It's just how these things work.

My prediction: we're going to get reamed on what most would expect a fair Hogan deal. Then we're going to pay 'overs' with those rewards for incoming players. Then we win a premiership next year and everyone shuts the [censored] up. Simples.

The Gaff to Melbourne scuttlebut went cold at exactly the same time as the clubs met for pre-trade discussions. I suspected at the time that West Coast said they were entirely prepared to match any offers and invited out of free agency trade offers to desist. Melbourne, I imagine, would have intimated a walk from the table at the time, publicly at least, with North confident they could still call the bluff and outbid a WC offer and WC happy enough that this would maximise free agency compo. I'm still on the belief - unsupported by any evidence - that Gaff has chosen us as his desired destination, but West Coast has to date blocked that potential. But I also think it's a fluid situation - with AFL pre-trade compo advice to come into play. Conners, naturally, stands to gain a great deal more from Gaff going to North - potentially in the ball-park of $100,000 or more to his personal bank balance. But I still have faith that our club is working its arse off behind the scenes to get this done.

May to me would mean Omac getting the squeeze. May and Lever provide the one and two key defender roles, and so Frost then offers more than Omac in combination with Jetta, Hibberd, and hopefully Hunt coming on again. Salem pushed up to half forward and Jones taking the Lewis role. Balance and rebounding weapons with an all-round defensive squad of hard-nuts. Sweet.

I didn't give a toss. Until the last quarter, and started supporting WC. The brain will do what it wanna do. But I won; hoorah!

I'll take your wet-dream AF and raise you one degree of viscosity.

All players have them but Jesse's particular flaws are unfortunate in terms of our game plan and personnel. Can't kick from distance. Lack of forward defensive pressure. Slow to move it on by foot. Limited pack-marking ability. That said, he is a highly talented forward with fantastic aerobic capacity who can also run the wings/pinch in the middle. Good-to-middling accuracy and decent on the lead. Still also developing. Will be a great get for Freo in the long-run if they build around him. But with our high pressure forward press and fast and contested 'move-it-forward' game-plan (including long bombs from the centre - tsk tsk) he is already the awkward fit. We don't need him in the middle, and on the spread of the above-mentioned good and bad traits, Tommy has him covered on several of the pro elements and Weid looks set to be better in one or two. In conjunction, our forwards (and mid-field) have all the required combined traits that Jesse brings - as evidenced by our ability to keep winning without him in the line-up. From a supporters perspective, I think this awareness is already apparent in the relative calm which followed his injury in the lead-up to our finals push and campaign. We can manage without him. From a footy department perspective, I think this mind-set will be evidenced by us not actually chasing a key forward replacement. The otherwise confusing inclusion of Preuss suggests we're looking to re-balance our spread of key forward traits - with Preuss as an intended upgrade on Pedo - who was also stuck in the middle of personal attributes and team requirements. Add the fact that this is our big chance to capitalise in trade cookies at the same time as putting the 'will-he-won't-he' disruption to rest, and we're about to come way out on top - plugging some required holes such as with the inclusion of May and not giving up too much as to needs. I personally believe that this will be the lucky forced hand which delivers us a premiership.

Whoever we might potentially get in terms of footballing ability, which frankly most of us - me more than evidently included - haven't given a toss about researching this year with a previously expected first pick somewhere in the mid to late 30s, the MFC marketing department must be licking its lips with the super-exciting range of names up for grabs in 2018. Number one on that wish-list has to be Zak Butters, who will offer up such an exceptionally smooth spread of possible puns for eager sub-editors Australia-wide, followed by a modern-day Guardian-baiting racially-inclusive field of surname options including outstanding performers in Lukosius, Rozee, Duursma and, whatever mystery-origin it comes from - presumably a mix of Irish and Inuktiat - some random kid by the name of Quaynor - In respect to to so-called Christian names, in the top twenty draftees up for grabs we can possibly recruit almost any contemporary hot-button monikers of our liking, including a field comprised of a biblically-updated Izack, a fresh Bailey, and none more impressive than a modern-day US white-trash potential club-house contender in Rhylee: 'Oh-my golly-gee, Rhy-Lee', if BT is any need of any extra over-egged commentary tips. Other outstanding given-name options in the MFC top twenty prospective draft picks range include a now regular old-fashioned run of-the-mill Riley, yet significantly empowered when mixed with an MFC-specific double-barrel incentive of a Collier-Dawkins adjoiner, a Tarryn - not to be confused with the Tarkyn of of Lockyer fame - and no less than two now almost heritage Jacksons, a Jye and a Jez and a Jordan, one or two Conners, and some poor kid who I swear to god was given the given name of Chayce - spelling and all. My personal marketing name smokey for 2019 however would have to be the headline-maximising African Tom Jok, whose entire name is comprised of at least eight less letters than current list incumbent Arron vandenBurg, as well as a serious four-fold syllable reduction. Ditto current Fourthmond VFL small forward Jake Aarts, who offers the added potential of a serious forward arsey/arts & crafts possible punning gold-mine.

My immediate reaction despite the many potential public relations ramifications: hehe

Other entities to have shoulder upgrades in recent times:

Well the rat is obviously Brock Mclean, who could also be considered a a Blues' dog, but the rest I have nfi about.

There was a clear move in last year's off-season for all of Gawn, Hogan and Pedo to alter their body-shapes in an effort to enhance endurance and mobility. Is this even possible for someone with the bulk of Preuss? Are we basically looking for someone who can be adapted as a Pedo upgrade and can work in tandem with Max roaming up the wings out of full-forward?

Some person or agency or entity brought AJak out of the cold recently. Remarkable. Would love to hear the story some time of how that came about.

@binman - there's a flare up in sector seven.

Diamond - this is actually a good thing. I hope the clarification will also address players flopping forward in a tackle and drawing an in the back free as well. Push being the key word. Two of my biggest peeves (accepting that holding the ball will always be difficult to get the balance right with and adjudicate no matter how much you tinker with the rules)