whatwhat say what

They won't, 1 and 2 are locked away.

What we do with 3 and GC17 do with 6 will massively impact how the draft rolls out.

Just as many of those middle sized players don't come on as expected either.

Whoever we choose, it's a hope rather than an expectation that we will get a player who can go on to be a quality player - God knows we deserve to get a star or three from the last couple of drafts, don't we??

He looks like a super neat kick who will bring his teammates into the play.

I think he'd definitely add to our midfield and I expect it will be him at #4, as we will bid for Mills and he'll go at #3.

On the whole, the gun key forwards are all early picks, academy / pre-draft selections or father-sons.

He was never touted as a likely pick 1. Top 10 sure but never top pick.

he won't ruck. he's a key forward.

weideman's ceiling is higher than any of the other supposed tall 'forwards'. both francis and curnow are more third talls - and curnow is more a mid-forward and francis more a defender. weideman and burton are genuine key forwards, while the twins are more ruck-forwards.

i really hope we get this kid.

i just don't see tom mcdonald as a forward. he can swing there...but his kicking is just not good enough to make him better off playing forward as opposed to back, where i think he can become one of the best in the business.

melksham and kennedy for our second rounder would be okay (wada-pending).

Weideman could end up being the player of this draft.

He's a beast, albeit one who has had injury issues. As a result he will probably end up sliding to a late first rounder and be picked up by a good club and given time to develop.

Straight swap for Toumpas.

as i think i said in another thread, the story goes that he was proffered as an option and there were no takers.

There's actually a pretty solid history of players, coaching and administrative staff switching btw the crows and the power.

Hammer would be our best mid. Seeing as we are apparently not in the race for Bennell this becomes my next Get. It. DONE.

Can't believe Port would trade Hammer. He's a jet.

If we can pinch him I'd be ecstatic but the Crows will go hammer and tongs to secure him.

Interesting listening to ABC and SEN yesterday.

ABC with one of the journos from the Age and one from AFL Media are pretty adamant that Melksham to Dees for our second rounder will happen early on once trade period opens up, and that it's probably a good deal for both parties. The Age journo's brother is Howe's manager, and he was reluctant to comment on him, but it seems his asking price has fallen by some $2-300k, and he's happy to stay with us - primarily because no one is all that interested in him at his asking price.

Listening to SEN, it seems that the story is the same for both Garland and Watts - with the former, there seems to a general feeling that he's explored his options and his contract offer will be higher at Melbourne than anywhere else.

With the latter it was really interesting - slobbo said that he's been shopped and there's been absolutely zero interest in him, especially as he has a year to go on his contract, and the vibe is that any club recruiting him would only want to pay him a bare minimum contract not what he's on at melbourne. it seems that, like us, other clubs have no idea what to make of him; they can all see his upside but think he lacks the basic fundamentals to be a regular AFL player. the general acceptance seemed to be that he'd stay with us for at least the next year, if not beyond, as no one has any idea as to where he fits into a side's make-up as he's lacks a true position and seeminly lacks the desire to become an AFL-level player.

Gotta say, I'm on the fence re Goodwin too.

Anything involved in the never ending scandal at the bombers bothers me.

Plus I hated him when he was at the Crows.

Prove me wrong with six premierships in a row, please!

His stats for the next couple of years could be far far worse...

For what it's worth, I've heard Howe wants to stay as he is good mates with Garland, who is staying, and he had dropped asking price by some $200k.

Seems the club and the player are pretty unimpressed by the manager statements heard throughout 2015.

The hot rumour is O'Meara is the Sun we are chasing.

have advocated the recruiting of moore for four seasons now, not gonna stop now.

perfect size for a modern mid, has got over his niggles, is a lovely dude, and supported us growing up.

somewhat little known fact; was the dude who broke blease's leg at school.

If we can land Lynch I'll be very pleased. Great work rate, impressive skill set, above average tall forward.

Given that Dawes looks completely shot, Lynch - along with about half a dozen other types of players - is a much needed commodity for the Demons.

I agree with others actually, I think it's a good thing that we don't leak.

would love it if we could come in late and land a player such as treloar.

unlikely.

the only real stories around melbourne are that we are chasing lynch, likely to lose howe, and have enquired about every decent midfielder in the comp as well as a couple of fringe gws talls.

I have a theory that whenever Grimes plays well we have a whole played badly - he's not the player you want having oodles of possessions as he's simply not a good enough user of the ball.

I maintain my dream trade scenario outlined above is still the dream...however unlikely it may be.

Also, what's all this about Hogan being likely to request a trade at the end of this year or the next? Couldn't blame him, I would not want to play for the rabble that is the MFC either.

Update...

Toumpas swap for Sam Kerridge (Crows)

Howe swap for Jarrod Redden (Lions)

Swap MFC 2nd round pick for Ben Kennedy (Magpies)

DFA Jed Adcock

delist. Bail Riley Mckenzie M Jones Terlich Fitz Jamar (ret)

Upgrade Vdberger Harmes

draft picks 5 (Harley Balic), 43 (Ryan Clarke),61 (*Aaron Black delisted Kangaroo)

i'll see your options, and raise you...

patrick dangerfield - free agent

harley bennell and gc17 2016 second round pick - 2015 mfc first rounder and howe

jack redden - 2016 mfc second round pick

jed adcock - delisted free agent

tom lynch - jimmy toumpas and 2016 mfc third round pick

adam tomlinson - gc17 2016 second round pick

james harmes - 2015 mfc 'last pick in draft' rookie upgrade

aaron vandenberg - 2015 mfc 'second last pick in draft' rookie upgrade

so in:

patrick dangerfield

harley bennell

jack redden

jed adcock

tom lynch

adam tomlinson

out:

howe

jimmy toumpas

2015 first rounder

2016 third rounder

garland (free agent)

delisted:

mckenzie

riley

jamar

bail

matt jones

terlich (paid out)

take to the draft:

second, third and fourth round picks (plus two 'upgrades')

two rookie list picks

Mackay is, like Redden, a player we were rumoured to have made a significant offer to a couple of years ago.