Adam The God

That probably discounts us then. We'd need him to play forward. We're already going to have a number of mids playing as forwards, we probably don't need to add another. If Higgins was prepared to play forward only, I'd take him.

You'll be alright.

Well, maybe that's the go, mate. Gus to Freo for a pick that suits for Treloar. But gee, we'd wanna know his hamstrings aren't shot and that his speed hasn't diminished. And that's before we even get onto thinking about his contract. This would have to be carried significantly Collingwood for more than just a single year. ie they'd have to be willing to pay a portion of his salary for multiple years.

Does Picket dislike Viney?

Well done, Hibbo. A one year deal is a sensible move. I reckon he's got one more quality season left and then we'll have to reassess.

I think Fritsch has to play this connection role next year and Melksham plays elsewhere. Either off half back or in the 2s as depth.

I think this is the key barrier to some movement happening this off season, our lack of trade currency. If we can find suitors for the likes of the McDonalds, that'll enable us to get some of these deals done, otherwise it'll be an interesting time.

If I was Treloar, I wouldn't be interested in Hawthorn. I'd be trying to get to Richmond (if that bridge hasn't been burnt) or even Carlton.

If he comes cheaply, he'd be handy. Pushes Isaac Smith to the wing and Brodie off half back.

I agree, but it's a tough one. Because none of us know about our cap realities, we certainly need to pay Brown, Smith will be on a small contract and then we need to address our small forward problem, but that might be cheap too. Oliver and Petracca's looming extensions are probably the likely stumbling blocks though.

I'd certainly do that.

To quote the great Waylon Smithers, 'you don't have to tell me, sir'. Viney should be playing majority forward, with midfield bursts and being involved in forwardline stoppages. If we want to offer Oliver and Petracca extensions, I can't see how we fit Treloar's likely wages in.

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical here, but the AFL want their licensees to turn a profit and continue to be (or become) stable businesses in their own right. My bet is they'll be relatively strict with the reduction of the soft cap in FD expenditure and fire a lot of AFL staff (already have), but if the clubs pay a bit outside of the cap to keep their best players, I reckon the AFL will look the other way in difficult times.

I wouldn't be paying through the roof for someone if we didn't want them play in their natural position (ie mid). I think this is where most clubs would sit TBH. Carlton would be the no brainer option to my thinking. They need mids that can win the footy outside of Cripps. They may have spent their pennies on Saad and Williams though. I'd take Treloar every day of the week before either of those, particularly Williams. He'll certainly find a home. He's a gun IMO and an A grader.

I'd be keeping Treloar before De Goey, I'll tell you that much.

Smith is coming to Melbourne, just like Brown.

Wanted him a few years back, but his contract is too big for us if we want to keep Petracca and Oliver happy.

Completely agree, although I'd add that we have to get our systems right as well, because we chopped and changed so many times, I wouldn't be surprised if the players didn't know whether they were coming or going. Variability and flexibility is fine, but let's stick with one system and try and master it before we try and complicate it too much. The other thing we have to get better at is selection. I reckon we get a bit too cute at times. Maybe this is partly a lack of depth issue too, which will hopefully be solved by this off season period.

Indeed. Pickett as well.

Nah. Billings has still not achieved anything. Angus has only had one good season, but it was a far superior season to anything Billings has put together. Playing Brayshaw in the midfield as q midfielder would be really nice and will do wonders for our set up. Looking forward to seeing what Yze implements there.

A forwardline of Brown, Weideman, Jackson, Fritsch, Higgins, Broad, Petracca, Harmes, Viney and Pickett is not too shabby.

Speaking purely as a narcissist, there are plenty of critical posters on Demonland and that's natural given the lack of success. You've been called up because you attack posters and make it needlessly personal. Let's just move forward and make it about the opinion, rather than the poster. We are all here because we love the MFC after all.

Thanks mate. In answer to your post then @adonski, I wouldn't trade a future for Higgins. I want Macrae.

I can't remember what the rules are around trading futures. If we wanted to trade our future first, could we also trade our future second?

I'd go for both of them. The problem with Higgins is coming up with the pick to land him.