MadAsHell

In theory I liks it, but I just don't see why he would want to come to us. I was expecting our target to be someone along the lines of Darcy Cameron, Billy Longer, Zac Smith etc. Someone who would know they're there as the number 2 guy for when Gawn's unavailable. Not someone who wants the number 1 gig now.

I'm going to go with what I expect to be an unpopular call here. I'd entertain him in the case if we are unable to lure any of Gaff, Dahlhaus, Shiel, Wingard, Beams which is looking more likely then unlikely. Get him on a one year deal as a delisted free agent. Get him to trim down similar to what Gawn did last off season (he was looking pretty jacked this year at St Kilda). Lets see if he can become that running outside type that we need. From all reports, he was on Taylor & co's radar 5 years ago when we got Salem. Would be a low risk, high reward signing. Worst case it doesn't work out, we can delist him and try and land Kelly next year! Post draft Freeman:

I like the look of Tom McKenzie from Northern Knights for our 2nd round pick. Bit of a smooth mover who uses it well on the outside: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/midfielder-tom-mckenzie-set-to-be-one-of-northern-knights-top-afl-draft-prospects-this-year/news-story/fee30e9ad40d73756b0c624e3ca9b83e Third round pick maybe Fraser Turner from Tassie to add a bit of pace maybe?

Reckon St Kilda will want more for him then what he's currently worth.

Don't support St kilda or know Billings or anyone else associated with St Kilda. Also not going to dispute the stats, but if he did have 14, they were an unremarkable 14. Wasn't noticeable till the 2nd as I said, although if u were there you're welcome to give your take.

Was there today and have to say despite his figures he was very unimpressive. Didn't sight him that much early when Frankston were still having a real crack, but from about half way through the 2nd when Frankston dropped their intensity that's when Billings started to get a lot of cheap hanball receives and strutted around like a peacock. Personally I'd be more keen on taking a chance on Nathan Freeman's hamstring then Billings on their output and intensity today.

Planning on heading to Trevor Baker Oval today to watch Sandy play my home town (Frankston). Will keep a close eye on Billings to see what his intent is like.

Classic win/win trade that one. We got an experienced mid which we lacked who has won a B&F for us and will bring up 100 club games this year. Both teams would be very happy I suspect.

Saw Fritsch play several times this year out at Casey and the kid has talent to burn. Brilliant in the air for his build, good initial acceleration without being Jayden Hunt like and he tackles with intensity. I'd be very suprised if Bayley doesn't make the grade and have no doubt he'll play senior footy in 2018 baring injury. We've got a beauty!

Something doesn't make sense to me about this trade. The rules are pretty clear that if you trade a future 1st Round pick, you can't trade any of your other future picks, yet somehow we're trading our future 1st & 4th Round Picks. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-06/future-trading-given-goahead-but-with-restrictions I'm not to concerned about the cost we've paid for Lever. Lets say worst case scenario, both teams finish in the same position as last year. It means we've paid Pick 10x2 (1395+1395) and a Pick 64 (101) which totals 2891. Adelaide have paid Pick 35 (522) a Pick 53 (233) which totals 755 leaving a shortfall of 2136 (Lever's worth) which falls inbetween Pick 3 & 4, which is probably close to what he'd be worth in a straight swap. All balances out for me.

This one slipped under the radar; http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/afghanistan-ireland-granted-test-status-spells-aussie-uae-return-20170622-gwwurv.html Welcome Ireland & Afghanistan. Afghanistan will have to play in the UAE, however Ireland will just have to bring some venues up to standard. Wonder if this means we'll have to start with the top end tours again????

We both agree that defence seems to be his most natural position. But I encourage everyone to check out the footage of VFL Round 2 last year when it was Collingwood v Casey at Olympic Park. Was on the club website at the time. Keilty played the whole game in the ruck v Mason Cox, giving away about 15cm and 20+kg. I was really impressed at how well he competed in there. He probably wont play. I just think he should.

I reckon we should play them both. We're loosing two key position players, so bring 2 in with Keilty & Pedersen who can split ruck 50/50 given neither is a genuine ruckman in their own right. This would then allow Watts to stay as a permanent forward with Hogan to help us out structure wise.

Get your Keilts on people! It may nearly be Declan Keilty time. ROUND 1 Declan Keilty: He had 11 possessions, three tackles and 10 hit outs. He’s taken over our main ruck role, since Jake Spencer was promoted to the AFL. Declan’s made some real progress in that area of the game. He pushed forward and took some really good contested marks. ROUND 2 Declan Keilty 2 goals 1 behinds 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 12 hit outs 86 dream team points

Time for youth and some major changes amongst this squad, We're in dire straights! Poor old Burns & Ferguson had shockers. Voges is done. Neville just doesn't make enough runs. I like him as a keeper, but he's averaging just over 20. We need him to be averaging around 32 - 36. Menie is in the same boat to Siddle. He's not overly fast and doesn't swing the ball enough to justify picking someone who bowls at that pace. Time for a bit of youth crossed with x factor, technique & aggro. Mass changes for Adelaide. OUT: Burns, Voges, Ferguson, Neville, Menie & Lyon IN: Bancroft, Handscomb, Maxwell, Carters, Agar & Tremain XI: Bancroft (Young up and comer who bats with a good technique. Has been on the radar for awhile and has made runs for Aus A on turning wickets while also growing up on the bouncy WACA wicket) Warner Khawaja Smith Handscomb (Young batsman who has been in very good form for Victoria the last 3 years now. One of the best players on spin in the country and can bat anywhere in the top 6. Also capable of putting on the gloves if need be) Maxwell (X-Factor selection. Guy can do it all, and with Nathan Lyon's poor form and Mitch Marsh not cutting it, he's more then worth a punt given his ability) Carters (Good gloveman and a dour batsman who can bat for long periods of time. Has opened the batting for NSW before, as well as bat down the order, so he knows how to face the new ball and the older one) Agar (Time to give the left arm orthodox kid another go. Good fielder, can bat and his bowling's on the improve. Adelaide Oval seem a good venue to try two spinners. Agar & Big Show) Starc Tremain (Another x-factor selection. Tremain bowls at a lively pace and has been known to hit/hurt the batsman consistently with Victoria. He would be a better foil for Starc & Hazlewood then Siddle & Menie have been. Someone who can show some aggresion and worry the batsmen) Hazlewood

Boring, predictable and underwhelming are some of the words that come to mind when I look at the Australian Test Squad that was announced today. http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-28/australia-names-bolter-joe-mennie-in-12-man-test-squad/7974820?pfmredir=sm Although Mennie doesn't do much to excite me, I can understand his inclusion the issues with Pattinson, Cummins & Coulter-Nile. However I roll my eyes at a few other selections i must admit. Peter Siddle's been a great servant, but it's time for the selectors to move on. Pick James Faulkner as a bowling all rounder or Chris Tremain to try and rough up some batsman and lets get some agro going. Sids line & length role is already covered by Hazlewood now. Given we've fallen off our number 1 perch, is there really much point playing someone like Voges now? Really? For goodness sake lets get a young middle order batsman in there to try and grow. Handscomb would be my pick, but Travis Head is an option also. But seriously Voges purpose has now been served. And while on the topic of young batsman, we'd finally started playing one in Jo Burns who showed some decent formon our wickets, yet struggled in Asia. So much so that we've dropped him for Shaun Marsh who can only score runs in Asia and can't buy one in Australia. Pitty the tests he's replacing Burns for are in Australia! And finally surely we've learnt by now that our 6/7 combination of Mitch Marsh/Nevill having a combined average with the bat of less then 45 isn't sustainable. Puts to much pressure on the top 5 as our tail starts at 6! We either need to go back to playing 6 specialist batsman or Matthew Wade has to keep and bat at 6 despite his keeping flaws. Until these issues are tweaked, I can't see us winning a series for awhile.

I wouldn't have thought so as that would leave our draft selections this year as Picks 83 & 84.

Well Pick 36 this year was held by a club that was knocked out in a semi, so I hardly think we're going to win the flag. You obviously don't think any free agents will move next year if you think Pick 36 will stay with the premiers.

So your obviously assuming that we're destined for a bottom 4-6 finish then if you think our 2nd Round Pick next year will be around 26 after free agent compensation etc?

So we don't go a full year without injecting any young talent.

Next move. Dunn, Pick 57 & 59 (340 points) to the filth for Picks 47 (316) & 83 (0) . Puts them in a better position re father/sons. The trade next years future 2nd Round Pick to Saints for 36.

So is a future 2nd Round Pick though, especially in what will be a stronger draft.

Touche

I heard that. Maybe Mahoney, Taylor and co have a plan over the next 24 hours to trade back into the 2nd round some how, so maybe that's why we'd be willing to give it up. Otherwise it may well just be a Essendon mouth piece thing which Lloyd most certainly is.

I reckon we may play Russian roulette and have him go into the PSD. Put a price on his head and have him declare he refuses to move interstate. Essendon wont re-draft him, and after that he will need to get past Brisbane, Fremantle, Gold Coast, Carlton, Richmond & Collingwood