MadAsHell

Last I heard is that they were still hoping to do it this year. Good chance it could be December right before their Christmas break.

My thoughts to. Would have at least 1 initial year where he'd have Majak as a mentor and then a few more years to develop his craft at Casey and be ready to go when Gawn's career is winding up.

Hence the gentlemen's agreement comment. Clubs may let him slide under the proviso we take him with our first pick.

I'm optimistic there will be a bit of a gentleman's agreement in place and Mac Andrew will drift to this pick for us to take at 17 (19 after F/S bids). If Andrew is gone before this pick though, my focus would be on one of Jacob Van Rooyen out of Claremont or Rhett Bazxo from Swan Districts. Both key position players who can play at either end of the ground. Van Rooyen probably more a forward then defender and Bazzo more defender then forward. With May, McDonald, B. Brown, Tomlinson and M. Brown or 28 or older at the start of next season, another good young key position player coming through would be ideal.

We believe senior. Herald Sun and apparently trade radio have advised he was extended for 2 years which means like Jordon, he has to be upgraded.

Fair enough, it's not 100% clear. But yes the fact the Melbourne website specified 1 year for others and that others were staying on the Rookie List, I've jumped to the conclusion of 2 years for Chandler on the senior list.

Herald Sun link here had him down for 2 years. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/trade-hq/afl-trade-period-day-four-live-news-and-trades-as-they-happen/news-story/9f32ead95f9ea96c53a2a7a43c5e07d2 The relevant line. "Chandler is set to re-sign with Melbourne for the next two years."

He's signed on for 2 years and has already done 3 years on the rookie list. Even with the new rules, he can only do a maximum of 4 on the Rookie list. So I've taken the news as a n upgrade onto the senior list.

And Hibberd. Though media reports suggest he's about to get a new deal.

And Hibberd. Though media reports suggest he's about to sign a new deal.

I wonder what's holding up the Hibberd signing? This news makes things look not too great for Hore & Declase IMO.

No it's not. But great news for Chandler. Promotion to senior list. Well deserved!

Confirmed in the last 15min, yep. Leaves Hibberd, Hore & Declase.

To clarify, say we wanted to go with the 38 & 4 option, then yes we wouldn't need to create anymore room on the senior list, but we'd have to delist one of Daw, Mitch Brown, Deakyn Smith, Turner or Declase which seems unlikely. I expect us to do as we did this season and what most clubs did and go with the 36 & 6 option. Meaning two more delistings to come from the senior list.

Not really, we had 6 rookie listed players. The rules were 36 senior and 6 Category A rookies or 38 Senior and 4 Category A rookies. We went with the 36 & 6 option. So we didn't have any vacancies on either of those lists is the point. https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/837502/afl-confirms-2021-list-sizes#:~:text=It will see clubs permitted,have two Category B rookies.

I'm happy with this as well, though it means there was be some list decisions to come. At the end of this season we has a list of 45 (36 senior, 8 Cat A rookies and 1 Cat B rookie) that needed to be reduced to 42 (36 senior and 6 Cat A rookies). We've delisted 4 senior players, 1 Cat A rookie and the Cat B rookie. Opens up 4 senior list spots, but we were still 1 over the Cat A rookie allowance. With Jordon's promotion earlier in the year, plus this likely one for Chandler (if it's 2 years we have to promote him), then Dunstan's signing, it leaves us with 1 senior spot available and 1 Cat A rookie spot. So with the three picks we recently received in the trade, my guess is we'll be clearing at least two more spots. Hore, Bedford, Baker, Hibberd. Only two of these guys can survive the way I see things.

I get the reasons as to how it helps them, that's apparent. The problem is it comprises the draft for no onfield improvement for them which is the point in handing them the assistance in the first place. Well played Fremantle, but the trade is a joke for all intensive purposes.

Agreed. I'd argue that the AFL should have blocked this trade. There is no way one can argue this is a fair or reasonable trade. IMO, this should signal the end of any form of priority picks if they're going to be dealt with like this.

Have heard murmurs that all of Hibberd, Baker, Bedford and Daw have been offered one year deals, though there's nothing official there. So watch this space with those four and will be interesting to see what happens with Hore, Turner & Declase.

I just saw that article. Would hate to lose him and he seems a really popular member of the group, but would understand if he wanted more opportunities. We still have Bedford who we'll hopefully keep and another year will be put into Bailey Laurie, so we won't be lacking for that role if Chandler does leave. But in an ideal world I'd love for him to stay.

It has to be one of the most moronic things I've ever heard of, the call by a few touched individuals to change the name of AFL to AFLM. AFL is the name of the league that they play in. Not the name of the sport. The fact one is called AFL and the other is called AFLW is what differentiates them. If the league was called Aussie Rules Football and the women's comp was called Aussie Rules Football Women's Competition, then fair enough changing the Mens Comp to Aussie Rules Football Men's Competition. AFLW Could just as easily call themselves WFL or WKAGFLE (Women's Kick [censored] Greatest Football League Ever) for all it matters. End of the day the AFL should stay the AFL.

Maybe as a rookie selection? As others have said, he's got his limitations but he certainly offers a lot of grunt and is a handy break glass in case of emergency type. From all reports he's of really high character and has top leadership attributes. As long as he's happy to come aware that he's a depth midfielder, then we could certainly do worse.

Pass for me. Hunt and Deakyn Smith are still on the list, we might have Moniz-Wakefield coming onto the list who might go to half back and let's also not forget Kade Chandler spent a lot of time in defense in the scratch matches in Queensland last year with good feed back from the coaches. Long doesn't interest me.

If we do draft him, the good thing is that the kid will have plenty of time to develop. No rush for him to play seniors straight away given the age profile of our list.

Incorrect. We actually only have 3 list spots to fill at the moment. Don't forget Declase and Turner came onto the list as extras to replace long term injuries and Bradtke was a Category B rookie which is also an extra. So with his departure and 5 others, it only leaves us with 3 spots for now. For what it's worth though I expect at least 1 or 2 more spots to open up. IMO, now that we missed out on Cerra we'll just look to improve our draft hand and go from there. I expect us to recruit Moniz-Wakefield and Woewodin and maybe another midfielder or forward/ruck depending on how many spots open up between now and the draft. Whatever money we had for Cerra we can keep up our sleeves either for next off season or the Oliver and Jackson contracts. Only other recruiting for me would be someone like Reece Conca as a part time assistant who can play at Casey to help the young midfield there in the absence of Jones, Vandenberg and Jetta.