Fat Tony

K Turner's kicking looks below the level required IMO. We already have a lot of depth in the key backs plus we are good chance to pick up another tall defender (O'Sullivan or Curtain).

Not sure if means anything on our chances of moving up to get Reid. I assume we will want to slide our pick in the 40s lower and/or give up a future fourth round pick for Billings, as we need to preserve our future second and third round picks in order to be allowed to trade our future first round pick. Picking up Billings might mean that we think Kynan Brown is only worth a rookie pick, as we might not have enough senior list spots.

I think Salem is a high half back only. It is the easiest position on the ground and suits his exceptional ability to read the play and hit targets. He does not have the engine required to play ANB's role or play wing and I don't think he is big enough or quick enough to play inside midfield.

I could see Billings being used off half back if Salem cannot regain form next year.

Chocko will straighten him out 😉

Good news is he is able to play golf after his foot injury.

NRL is playing matches in Las Vegas that weekend.

A premiership in the bush is worth two in the outback!

At $800k, Darling holds negative trade value.

You don’t trade very good players who are under contract at less than their worth unless you get a massive overs. The draft is a lottery and good recruiting teams can find players without premium picks.

Pick #10 and McAdam is not a good trade for Petty anyway. Sure Harry McKay and Dangerfield were Pick #10s, but so were Zach Reid, Lochie O'Brien, Cockatoo, Freeman, Sumner and Gorringe. Petty is a very good player on a good contract (from MFC's point of view). We should hold him unless they pay a king's ransom

Caddy looks like he will be a hybrid forward but could end up developing into an inside midfielder. Jefferson has shown little to suggest he will be an AFL footballer IMO.

Petty has to be the most underrated player in the competition! Any Petty trade significantly reduces our current window while Max and May are still elite AFL players. I would only consider Thilthorpe plus all their first rounders.

Why not just hold him on his current 2 year contract?

I think the deal is fair. Sydney the obvious winners by being able to fill a hole in their side but we came out square.

This is true, but the different ranking of players by clubs means that the benefit of moving up from #14 to #11 is less certain. We might have sold two second round picks to get the same player at #11 as we would have at #14.

I don't like the strategy of burning second round picks to get up the draft order 3 places. I would prefer we trade our second rounders into the future.

The strong lure home is a big pile of cash!

The real benefit of them retiring would be any cap relief. I believe the number of players expected to be drafted this year is only around 50-55 and I thought there was some flexibility in the number of players on the Senior List or Rookie List. We can push our picks into 2024 or consolidate them to go up the draft board with the Suns or Dogs. Kynan Brown may be one of our draftees or rookies if good enough. Harmes could leave. I expect that Melksham will go to the Rookie List.

I think we will have enough list spots. And why would TMac or Brown not want the $500k?

Would this give us any cap relief?

Salem might be able to improve next year if his health is good but he will be turning 29. That said, Salem's attributes suit a slow, methodical game plan, which is what has failed us when it counts on the MCG two years running. Salem gets an armchair ride in his role and often has no opponent at midfield or forward stoppages. (This is by design because Goodwin loves the ball in his hands to make sure we secure a mark.) But I think we need to consider if the role would be better suited to a more athletic, faster player who could turnovers into faster counterattacks.

I hope you are correct, but I think Salem is past it. He has lost his drive, both in terms of acceleration and kicking penetration. There is no other position he can play either, because he is playing the easiest position on the ground. Bowey was better than you are giving him credit for this season. As much as kicking is important in that role for a slow play, I actually think we need someone with elite pace there. Someone like Saad or Hunt who can play on after a turnover and get a counterattack going.

Tom Fullarton averaged 10.2 kicks, 4.9 handballs, 4.5 marks, 4.6 hit outs, 1.6 tackles, 76 fantasy points from 18 VFL games. He kicked 30.22 for the year.

He plays tall, with long arms and big leap. I think he will be a good player.