Adam The God

Of course it's being co-driven by Essendon. They get a compensation pick FFS. I know you're a Bomber man, Ash, but pull the other one. If it weren't at least co-driven, the deal would have been done by now.

They're coming. We just need to be patient. (opinion, not inside knowledge)

Plus, quite a bit of outside run.

It's also funny/foolish that we're all expecting that GWS absolutely want Petracca. Where did this actually come from? I doubt they've actually come out and said anything that confirms this as obviously, otherwise they'd be stupid.

I'm cool to trade both picks, in fact, I hope we do. I just want to net something a bit better than Hrovat. : )

I gather that happened last year, but if the spectre of Shiel jumping ship after his contract is still as strong this year, surely GWS would bite the bullet...

It's possible they'd say no to the extra pick, I'd say highly probable actually, but you always aim a little higher than your realistic expectations. Invariably, you end up with your realistic expectation. I'd trust Roos and co to get this done. Obviously, if Shiel isn't interested in leaving then it all means nought.

It's got nothing to do with what Shiel would be worth in the draft now, it's about the likely compensation GWS might get for him going forward. If he wants to go and we can give pick 2 or 3, they'll do it. Particularly, if that pick will provide them with Petracca. And the point about Judd is that West Coast traded him (the only comparison to Ablett in the modern game) and pick 46 for picks 3, 20 and Josh Kennedy (also a previous first round draft pick). Shiel is on the cusp of A grade, but he's not Ablett or Judd (yet). Shiel is worth a top 5 draft pick and maybe a third or second rounder. We'd be able to satisfy them with pick 3 though.

Didn't Grundy slide too? He was an expected top 10er for most of the lead up to the draft.

Exactly. Therefore, pick 3 for Shiel and a first rounder is not out of the realms of possibility.

If Shiel wanted to go, three would certainly satisfy them. In fact, I'd be wanting a pick back with him. Probably a first rounder. I think we just have to keep thinking about that Judd trade. Okay, it was a while ago and a different landscape, but it still holds some water. And I don't see why pick 23 couldn't get the Tomlinson deal done if we wanted him.

Is that sarcasm, jazza?

The first few days always are. I was kind of hoping for something different this year though. Eh? Just trolling about.

No, thanks. I'd prefer to keep pick 3 than get rid of one of our list cloggers and gain a mediocre opposition player.

Also, LOL if he landed at Sydney. Eddie would have a meltdown.

Interesting development, if true. I'd prefer we took a younger bloke like Shiel before a bloke like Beams.

A lot of the attraction to FAs seems to be success and/or wealth, not necessary footballing environment. Of course, most of the time this goes hand in hand, but win more games and more FAs will be tempted to come our way.

I'd almost expect another two or three of these from Roos and co too. Didn't see Tyson coming at all last year.

Gee, if they did it, they'd be fools and they'd have to really rated Petracca, kinda unrealistically high too. There's no way he could be better than their two best mids.

When you compare a bloke like Buckley, who shoots his mouth off in press conferences and doesn't consider the consequences, and then you look at our bloke, they are world's apart. Roos is always angling at something, always very considered. We're very lucky.

It'd be nice to see Hawthorn implode and then they'd all be taken care of for a few years.

Well played, if that's the case. Always open on over and above what you expect and most of the time you end up getting what you want, which is somewhere in the middle. In this case it sounds like a 2nd and 3rd rounder.

I suspect this is the hold up, Red. We're looking for two picks.

Just you I think, mate, but I love the optimism.

So do GCS to be fair. At least GWS have stability in that they've currently got a coach, it's just they're making no real inroads on the field. I think both clubs are chock-full of potential elite midfielders that either team might give up to get a high pick. If Dangerfield doesn't eventuate, I expect these are the two teams we'll look to deal with.