Adam The God

Well, with Lever back, we'd have Salem, May, Lever, OMac/Frost, Hibberd, Jetta and Lewis/Jones.

I'm only speculating by piecing things together that I've read on here, but given we've allegedly asked whether we can trade our 2019 first rounder, it would make sense that we packaged that with one of the Hogan picks not going to GCS. I'd hope we could do an exchange of later picks with the other first rounder for May AND KK. From there, I hope we are thinking of putting the remaining pick and next year's in front of GWS and saying to Kelly 'come and play in a flag tilt with us next year - you can play on the MCG every week, in front of a Melbourne revival that saw 1,000,000 fans watch our games this year'. We can now argue to prospective players that we can pack the MCG out, we play in big games (QBD, ANZAC Eve and hopefully finals) and this list is ready to properly challenge for a flag. There's a chance we'd be able to lure any A grader in the league after our season (so anyone like Kelly, Whitfield etc). We have a legitimate shot at winning it next year if we get our defence sorted and add some more class to our midfield.

I wonder if Hawthorn are in the frame? Although, perhaps if they're going hard for Shiel and already have Mitchell and O'Meara on their books, it makes a May play less likely. I reckon we're in the box seat. The fact he met us twice and met with the players like Gawn etc, that usually tells you the deal is all but a matter of getting the trade done.

I just can't see us going to the draft with the first rounders. Unless the guy(s) that we want knock(s) back the offer or their club does.

Yep, pretty clear we'll need to land a mid who is a big fish. Jones played mid for much of the second half of the season (even without Viney). We really need Petracca to take another step and have a break out game or two next season. We can't afford to stand still or rest on our laurels. Our midfield is good, statistically great, but I reckon we're still 2 or 3 core and mid/fwd/mid/backs off premiership material. If KK can come in and provide something on a wing and off half back, Petracca lifts another peg, Harmes and Brayshaw continue their development and we land a big mid fish, we can win it in 2019. If we don't land a big fish and lsoe VBD and Tyson, I reckon we're a bit thin in there. An injury or two and all of a sudden we haven't really improved our midfield. Yes, there'll be natural improvement, but I hope we're still going hard for that fish.

Are you serious?

My point is he deliberately didn't articulate it clearly to give himself wiggleroom in the answer. You therefore can't say definitively either way.

And that McClure is a receeding, irrelevant muppet.

That's not what he said at all. Demonland has a real history of people coming on here and basically entirely misrepresenting statements of people quoted in the media.

I don't think you're giving the club enough credit with this one mate. The way we traded down to get Oliver and then Weid is a perfect example of not being a straightforward club. We're ahead of the curve.

We will want players that are ready to go straight away next year. I can't imagine we'll go to the draft unless we absolutely have to (ie a suitable trade cannot be struck). We'll look to use one on May (and KK if possible) and package the other first rounder with our first rounder for next year and target a Kelly or another mid or defensive gun. I still think we're in the race for Gaff too given Mahoney's avoidant and cleverly worded comments today on Trade Radio.

No. All of those players were flawed and our list was in a very different position. We are a destination club now and decent players see what we're cooking and want in.

It's really not that difficult...

The ollllld 'desk pop'. I like it.

I think he's clearly already told them he wants to be traded, but I'm only speculating, with no inside info.

Hang on, hang on. Mate, he's gone. Are you really buying Mahoney's comments today?

We can definitely afford both, so the show continues. PJ comes out earlier and says we have enough room to land another big fish, therefore we could keep Hogan and get May too. This is simply posturing for Freo's sake. Surprised we didn't brief Jones prior to Saturday, but clearly we didn't have time...

I agree, but I think in time (as early as next year) Salem will move onto a wing. His defensive game is being developed back there to ensure teams can't exploit him going the other way when he does step up to a wing. I'd have Salem and KK on wings next year unless we can get Whitfield or Kelly, in which case I'd keep Salem at half back.

Looking forward to ETTheTradeBreaker having a bit of a photoshop of this and sticking Dom in the corner.... take it away, ET.

BT is a muppet though, so no surprises there. Has the insightful capacity of a grape.

The old Rod Grinder Riot Squad.

Did you change your name to Demonland4276 literally after Max said what he said at the BnF?

Your entire opinion is based around the assumption that Jesse is the one that drove this. I'm more open to the possibility that a few parties were/are involved. Freo with a tempting offer. Melbourne realising it could improve its list by trading him. Jesse taking that all in and deciding he'd be open to moving. He thinks on it some more and he realises that he'd prefer to go. I wouldn't begrudge him in that situation. So without knowing the full details...

IMO this is slightly unfair. I think through 2016 at least he was a B+er, but I completely agree on the conundrum and that's basically what I was getting at. For me he was on the fringe for much of the year and because we had better players on the inside and at half back, the only place we could play him was on a wing. Taylor Duryea. Not sure I'm thinking shallowly at all when I'm acknowledging the difficulty of even leaving him out of the leadership group next year. I want to win a flag, so we should be making list decisions and MC decisions based on ensuring we field the strongest side from week to week. I also want to treat a loyal servant of the club fairly and respectfully. I'd keep him in the leadership group but I don't think he should be captain, because he won't be a walk up starter next year. Despite what Plugger says (:D) I do have an ability to see the player for what he is (we just simply disagree, Plugger) and that's, in his prime, a B+er, but we have improved our list so much and he's grown older and slower, and it's time to make a grown up call on him. As above, that must be handled delicately and intelligently.

I don't hate Jones. I just don't rate him higher than a B grader in his prime. If you take his body of work this year, it's pretty clear he's on the cusp of the 22. I think most would agree with that.