Redleg

Serious staying power, he should be at Cup week.

Agree if you could get the player at 7 you wanted at 3, but he will be gone.

The rule is designed to ensure fan discussion and media speculation on players in the cricket season, so that the AFL is front and centre year round. It has nothing to do with the efficient running of a sporting competition.

Yep, but that's the rule.

I think the Bennell announcement will help us to get Murray.

You are wrong, in that he is now ours. The arrangement re training allows him to be taken as a supplemental player and placed onto our rookie list. That way the pressure of fans and media is avoided and he can be uplifted, if he is to be selected in the senior side. If not he merely stays on the rookie list. The fact that it is announced, means he has selected us but can't train with us for a couple of weeks, until the relevant period starts.

Answer: he is off the list.

I don't think he will be complacent, given this is probably his last chance at an AFL career, but then again who really knows these guys. Have you all noticed that he is a smaller replacement for you know who? Similar attributes with a smaller build.

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Nev may be more important in this than we realise. He would be the perfect mentor to the new father trying to resurrect his footy career.

Oh yes I forgot about that. Hope you are right. Would love to have given North pick 18.

What would that have to do with the pick trade? That pick wouldn't be used on either of them.

I am sure we have tried and Bennell may help if he is mates with Martin. However, all the signs currently point to Martin joining Visy mob.

How many rookies do we currently have WJ?

Read between the lines and I think you will find he has agreed to come to us, in this way. It reduces pressure on him from fans and the media, to play early, as he will be a rookie and then when he is available and has earned senior selection, he can then be uplifted to the senior list. It is a sensible method of him becoming a Demon, if he has agreed to come to us and IMO that now appears to have happened. Interestingly we would still have 6 spots on our list to fill and I note Taylor said we would take 3-4 in the draft. That suggests to me that we will take a DFA or 2 as well.

Agree. Bombers were offered 5 & 9 for Joe despite what was publicly said by them and Swans gave up when a star player had to be included. Bombers wanted a star player and top picks for Joe. We clearly identified May and to a lesser extent KK for part of the Hogan deal and if Jane doesn’t understand that, his problem.

We are probably a few good players away from being a good side. We have the chance to get good players with 3 and 8. Everyone it seems believes Young is the best available at 3. Unless everyone is wrong we have a very good player available and possibly will get another at 8. In hindsight the Kelly deal was probably wrong. If other clubs are desperate to get our pick it is because of the value of it. 2 best 22 players is 10% of the team. Add Langdon and Tomlinson and that is 20%. That is a massive end of season haul for a club. I would be thrilled with Young and whoever we think is best at 8. A bit of development from some of the younger players and a fit AVB and maybe Bennell and we are really improving our squad. I support our FD and hope we get it right.

And maybe Dr Peter Brukner and Steven May and possibly Nev.

Agree. If he can’t perform no biggy, as he can be given a one year incentive contract with another year if he can get fully fit and play. He will help with membership, attendances and excitement and our place as a destination club, given he is apparently being chased by 6 clubs. If it is a bust, he leaves with the other 5-6 delisted/traded players each year. To me this is a tiny risk venture, with a possible large upside.

How did Frost sneak into this thread?

No worries Kane you are entitled to your opinion. If May has a good year and Harmes gets back to his best, watch that opinion change. BTW, Kane, how have Curnow, Polec, Wingard and even Greene gone, since getting their long term deals, which you say are ok?

Love that 200 game vibe! He is a tough nut and has a real chance to cement his place in the side. Can take a good grab as well.

If that's true, Bucky is an idiot.

I would be. He will start the next season at 24 with 12 games behind him. If he played every game for the next 8 years he would be on 188 games. Realistically though, he has some good attributes, including courage and has a lot of scope for improvement. Would be nice to see him become a regular.

Well, it looks likely, unless we stuff up completely, we should get 2 very good players if we keep 3 and 8.