demoniac

Methinks you are locking the stable doors before a few more horses have bolted. More list lodgements to go.

Do interstate rookies get a guaranteed 2 years ie Georgiou and King? I think they do but can find no evidence to support!

He has done a huge amount for the Saints. Their list management and trading has been excellent during his tenure.

Pelchen does seem to wear out his welcome at clubs but he does leave their playing list far better off when he departs. Hawks. Port. Hawks again. Saints.

Are you saying it is ludicrous in terms of average weekly wages or in terms of AFL player wages?

The offset may be an equalisation measure in terms of free agency. It will be harder for a top team to pay under 100% of the cap and thus access the overcap payment. Rebuilding teams are more likely to be paying 95% which in 2015 equates to being able to spend approximately $500,000 above the cap in 2016. As a result top clubs may be limited to offering a top free agent a la Dangerfield $750K + a high chance of finals footy/premierships. A bottom club coming off 2 years of paying 95% of the cap could be able to offer $1,25mil a year in the first 2 years or $1 million more than the top club. That is enough to make a Dangerfield think about knocking back the Hawks to play for the Dees. Obviously a Hawthorn would then have to think about trading out good players who they would have kept before this change to allow them to access the overcap payments. Come to think of it Geelong may be doing the same by letting Varcoe go and the unplanned exit of Christensen may be an attempt at salary cap dumping to allow then to access the overcap in 2016 to help lure Dangerfield. Either way the effect should be to see more player movement from stronger clubs to weaker clubs unless players at strong clubs take even great market discounts to give their clubs access to overcap payments. This aligns with the thinking in the NBA that if each team had one player outside the cap the best talent would be more evenly spread among the teams beause instead of sacrificing $5 million to play with other stars in a title contender they'd have to sacrifice far more to do so ie $10 million or $20 million a season.

The offset may be an equalisation measure. It will be harder for a top team to pay under 100% of the cap and thus access the overcap payment. Rebuilding teams are more likely to be paying 95% which in 2015 equates to being able to spend approximately $500,000 above the cap in 2016. As a result top clubs may be limited to offering a top free agent a la Dangerfield $750K + a high chance of finals footy/premierships. A bottom club coming off 2 years of paying 95% of the cap could be able to offer $1,25mil a year in the first 2 years or $1 million more than the top club. That is enough to make a Dangerfield think about knocking back the Hawks to play for the Dees. Obviously a Hawthorn would then have to think about trading out good players who they would have kept before this change to allow them to access the overcap payments. Come to think of it Geelong may be doing the same by letting Varcoe go and the unplanned exit of Christensen may be an attempt at salary cap dumping to allow then to access the overcap in 2016 to help lure Dangerfield. Either way the effect should be to see more player movement from stronger clubs to weaker clubs unless players at strong clubs take even great market discounts to give their clubs access to overcap payments. This aligns with the thinking in the NBA that if each team had one player outside the cap the best talent would be more evenly spread among the teams beause instead of sacrificing $5 million to play with other stars in a title contender they'd have to sacrifice far more to do so ie $10 million or $20 million a season.

Surely any deal will have to include matches. The comparison to those exposed to asbestos is ridiculous. The players are presumably well educated about their responsibilities under the WADA code. The supplements regime introduced caused the player enough to concern to cause them to ask the club to sign a waiver for each player stating that the regime was WADA compliant. At this point none of the players appeared to have raised their concerns with their player managers or their well resourced union the AFLPA. That failure is likely to see them miss games.

Will some clubs have used all their picks by 40 ie could it actually be say Pick 35?

Trade Week and Bit would be boring without rumours and riddles. There are many things to get angry about in 2014. This ain't one of em.

We don't have to be stupid though. Howe has a unique skilset. Lets develop and utilise that ourselves. Remember the Hawks agreed to trade Sewell to the Dees for Ferguson but Ferguson wanted to say at the Dees.

Howe is one of the most consistent high marks I've ever seen. And they are all contested marks. I look forward to seeing how he performs as a member of a more competitive team not having to play in defence because thats where the ball is. Roos has said Howe will play forward in 2015 after a learning year in defence. I'd like to see him play as a half forward/wing ahead of a midfield providing a competitive numbers of Inside Forward 50s. We should have a greater spread of tall and medium and small forward targets next year to capitalise on the greater number of opportunities. Hogan and Dawes should tie up the 2 key defenders Our other medium forwards like Kent and Salem are strong in the air as are small forwards Garlett and Kennedy - Harris. I'd back Howe to kick 40 goals in 2015 if he is played in that position.

Trengove had stopped running 2 weeks before the Richmond medical after soreness resulted in an MRI scan. The Richmond medical included a CT scan which more explicitly showed the damage to the navicular.

B Frost Dunn Jetta HB Garland McDonald Lumumba C Vince Jones Howe HF Kent Dawes Watts F Garlett Hogan Salem Fol Gawn Tyson Viney I/C Fitzpatrick Michie Riley Cross Em Kennedy-Harris, Toumpas, Grimes In the mix: Pedersen, Bail, Terlich, Jamar, Spencer Developing: Barry, Hunt, King, Stretch, Harmes?, ND2, ND3, ND40... Senior Fringe Depth: M Jones, McKenzie, Evans, Georgiou? LTI: Trengove Good depth of ball winning mids. Good spread of goalkickers. Grimes is the big out. Really needs to improve his kicking. Suspect he will be in Roosy's best 22.

Sylvia signed a 3 year contract so Freo are stuck with him for another 2 seasons.

All businesses are just groups of people coming together with a common purpose. Trenners deserves a chance to try and get back to footy if that is what he wants and if medical opinion is that is a viable option. He has shown outstanding character for his age through turbulent times a our club on and off the field. He is contracted for next year and I would accept the club extending his contract to 2016. If he is on $500,000 (The Ox's guesstimate on SEN this arvo) in 2015 the 2016 extension would obviously have to be significantly less. For those who think that we need to move Trengove to the rookie list and then delist at the end of 2015 to show we have the culture required to win a flag how did the Hawks go back to back when they kept Max Bailey on the list as he played a total of 6 games in his first 5 seasons because he did his knee 3 times?

The problem for Fetta is that he is not big enough to play on key forwards and not athletic enough to play as a third tall or flanker. He is a good mark for his size but his disposal is more average than good. Taken at Pick 53 in 2007 Draft. Traded for Pick 53 in 2010 Draft used by Dees on Tom McDonald. Good luck to Fetta at the Crows.

I concur. His tweet did raise an eyebrow. His marking should be a great attacking weapon half forward in a much improved Dees outfit.

Technically he owns a house so he would be doing backflips off his own balcony! Get me thinking...could Howe be the replacement for Trenners in try to trade for another high pick? For mine I'd love to see him play in a stronger Dees team and use his marking more offensively.

No special sauces just unsubstantiated speculation... Howes' tweet this arvo had me thinking.."Fair bit going on today #tradeperiod" From Talking Carlton... "apparently GWS offered pick 6 for howe and then howes manager asked collingwood if they were interested for pick 5 cos howe doesnt really want to go to GWS um wtf?"

Yes the work situation might have been a factor in his depression and a return to work with a different company in the same industry may have been recommended by his Doctors.

Doggies have a fair crop of young talent developing and have now added a highly talented key forward to that mix. Fairly attractive place to be for a coach.

For mine I am just happy that another human being who has suffered depression has got out the other side after seeking professional help and is well enough to resume their job. Footballers are actually human beings. I think we sometimes forget that. Good luck Mitch.

Obviously Geelong win the trade if Mitch Clark is healthy in mind and body. Lumumba is a solid and reliable AFL footballer averaging 23.5 games a year in the last 8 years. Strong body, good run and carry and kicks long if not precisely. Finished 4th in Collingwood BnF this year. Obviously slots into our best 22 allowing young players to have a more thorough apprenticeship. Should be renewed by playing under a more experienced coach than the Collingwood neophyte! And if anyone called me a campaigner I'd regard it as a complement!

They'll still have Buckley as coach though so...