RalphiusMaximus

I haven't read the whole thread because I'm lazy today, but I think it's pretty simple. We are under no obligation to trade this pick. If another club wants to get their hands on it, it is up to them to make us an offer that we consider worth it. The media are trying to play up the angle that Melbourne are approaching all other clubs with cup in hand and are being turned away. The simple reality is that we have said to the rest of the competition that if they would like the pick we are willing to listen to what they have to offer, but it will have to be something pretty special to get us interested. If nobody can come up with something we want, then we'll be perfectly happy to use the pick to grab a very good quality mid in the draft.

They could always let him go to the PSD and then draft him themselves

Again, the club is letting nothing leak, but I won't be at all surprised if we pull something out in the next three weeks. Also on the Hogan front, the AFL has now approved Franklin's deal, so we could in theory offer him a 15 year deal right now and be done with it.

I find it very funny this business of players "nominating" the club they want to be traded to. Their club is under absolutely no obligation to trade them to the club of their choice. The club's sole obligation is to get the best value trade they can. Look at Billy Longer wanting to go the the Hawks. He wants his club to trade him at a significant loss so that he can have an armchair ride with a premiership side. I'd be telling him to go jump personally. The Hawks have virtually no chance of getting him if he goes to the draft, so the club has the best hand here. They would be well within their rights to tell him to nominate someone else or risk the draft.

We do have a history of getting lucky with late picks. I think we actually have a better strike rate with them than with first rounders over the last five years or so.

Did you post that from your phone by any chance? I too am quite content to sit and wait while the chips fall for the moment. I have no doubt that we will see some movement in the next month, and to be honest I would be perfectly happy to hang on to pick 2, so if another club wants it they would need to be offering a pretty damn good trade. Also, as has been mentioned before, the lack of rumours and leaks from the club is a very refreshing change. We are playing this with our cards face down on the table and a hell of a poker face right now and waiting to see if someone blinks. It seems that the entire football department and board are pulling their weight right now and keeping their mouths closed.

I didn't think anyone wanted to be at the Saints right now, including their own players.

He doesn't have to be. If he signs a new four year deal we can up his wages. I actually like that we have a bit of room to move in the salary cap at the moment. We'll need that cash to attract the A-grade mid we hope to snare.

The last two years we have gone after some a couple of pretty decent players as our big signings and gotten them both. While injury has seen us fail to reap the rewards so far, if we can get both Clark and Dawes up and running next season our forward line is going to be one of the most intimidating in the league. We landed both of these players through aggressive moves in the trade period, and they both had offers to go elsewhere for good money if they wished. I have no doubt that we will bring in some pretty decent talent this trade period as well. Stressing out two days into the four weeks of trades because we haven't made any moves yet is just slightly premature.

I hear a rumour that the club has a number of feelers out and is waiting to see who bites before making up their minds on whether to trade off pick 2 or not. Very reliable source.

No idea.

Funny, I'm warming on him based on this. Dumont is a very hard worker, but not anywhere near as polished. There's been a lot of love for him for a few years. The guy is good and I think he'd be very worth having around.

If either of us can remember this conversation in 11 years, we can have another look and see how he's come on.

"So hard to kick goals against from stoppages." That's another area we're weak in that Norwood do well. This is the first time I've seen Aish play and I can say that he isn't a bit like Morton. He's skinny, but in a long kind of way and he isn't afraid of contact. As I said above, I can see him developing a build similar to Jobe Watson. His skills are very impressive, in particular that they hold up under pressure. I think he'd be well worth it if we can't get an outright gun in trade for pick 2.

Comment from the commentators "workrate of Norwood's midfield." We totally need this guy coaching our side.

Agree Watson is pretty strong now, but he took time getting there, and he'll never be huge. When he was first drafted he was pretty damn skinny.

I would love it if we could get Bassett as the senior assistant/heir apparent.

Watching on iview right now. I have to say I like the look of Aish. I'd call him rangy rather than skinny. He'll never be a powerhouse but he could wind up with a Jobe Watson-type build to go with good pace and really nice skills. Totally worth taking at 2 if we still have it.

can get radio, but it's not anywhere near as good

Will the seniors GF be streamed too?

Nice little player. I loved the three on one he won after an opposition kick-out. Attacked the ball with pace, took it cleanly and had time to look at his options before deciding to take it out of bounds.

Don't be a hero Billy!

All I can say there is I hope they are up to their usual standards.

Even though I think you're full of it, this gives me some serious warm fuzzies. Wouldn't it be great if it were true?

Maybe he's interviewing for an assistant gig at Brissy?