DeeSpencer

Both. McStay will help their forward line a lot. A player who stands under high balls and is a very good pressure player for his size is super valuable. Grundy has upside when he’s rolling but if he’s not at his best he’s a frustrating player to coach. Likes chasing kicks rather than sticking to his role. A midfielder in the ruck is all well and good until he’s not doing the long down the line contest because he wants a chest mark His best football is better than Darcy Cameron’s but his from since 2020 is more on par. Ideally you’d keep both for the next couple of years but not when he could easily be dead weight at 900+ for the last 3 and McStay’s available instead.

They did and they didn’t. Given they had picks 3, 12, 15, 18, 19 and simply can’t keep drafting midfielders, back flankers or probably even key defenders they had to do what was required to get a key forward. No one’s trading them or letting one go as a free agent. They would’ve put the same interest/offer to Harry McKay as we did I bet. They’ve sacrificed a pick 12 to hopefully solve a huge list need. Cadman’s good enough for us to put 2 late firsts on the table. But probably not 3 firsts. And GWS really should bid on Ashcroft with pick 1 and take the pressure off the poor kid but it looks like they won’t do that given they did a trade with Brisbane.

It’s a disaster if you get it wrong. It’s the blueprint for premiership success if you get it right. Every flag from the Swans 05 until Geelong 22 was won on the back of elite talent drafted with top picks. They’ll be cutting it thin on field but clearly there’s some faith in Newcombe, Worpel, Ward and Amon to carry the midfield. Mitchell’s already shown a belief in the likes of Moore, Nash, Impey, Day to run through the midfield too, he’s not burdened by a belief you need to dominate clearances to play good football with a rebuilding side. Off field is the bigger danger but the soft cap is coming back up, Box Hill is always solid and they must have faith Sam and the few senior players they’ll have left can handle the load.

Pick 7 was such a gift that Geelong (and half the comp) were keen on the deal. Attach pick 15 to the deal and Geelong might not have been keen. Plenty of other clubs still would've wanted Bowes for that deal. Plus the contract can work both ways. It's pretty routine in the NFL for contracted players to be traded to new teams but the team dealing them will very rarely trade them to a division rival. The Suns could've said 'Hi Jack, you aren't best 22 and are overpaid, we'll send you and pick 15 to any team outside the 8 that you choose'. Essendon and Hawthorn gave him tours, he could've picked between them.

Mature age: Good question, I’d say the years service to reach free agency would be based on when they first nominate for the draft, nominate at 18 you don’t get punished for not being picked up. The salary restrictions I’d probably end at 24 regardless of years service. Involuntary trading: just not needed if we make the other changes to protect the value of draft picks. Guys simply don’t earn enough to deserve that treatment. Draft age: Don’t see the need for it, most guys are ready. A few big name kids have mostly moved for cash, let’s take that incentive away. I’d like to spend money on the second tier system and making it a more successful option for those who aren’t ready. Plus we should expect players to get cut, drop back and come again more often.

If 5 on the bench is a thing then 2 rucks and 3 wings are likely to be the extra spots for a lot of sides. 7 backs, 7 forwards, 9 mids (2 rucks, 3 wings, 4 on ballers) with some mid/forward rotations obviously. Give Langdon a chop out from this relentless 100% game time and have a bit of depth. I can see the appeal

Don’t mind it but our window is now and we’ve got the draft capital unless both us and Freo finish high to get at least a top 5-7 2023 pick as is. JT would have to think there’s not a solid talent at pick 13. I doubt that will be the case, someone he likes will be available

Even if they didn’t split the pick The Suns also should’ve said we’re only dealing with Essendon or Hawthorn. Giving Geelong a leg up hurts them as well as the rest of the comp. Can just about rule out the Suns taking Jhye Clark with pick 5 in the draft. They’d may as well trade him on draft night.

Four: Gold Coast are incompetent. Rather than split pick 7 and send Bowes to market, possibly with a 200k wiped off his wage they offer pick 7 straight up. Essendon, North, Hawthorn are desperate for high picks. Desperate. They’d do exactly what Geelong have done with the contract for a far lesser pick. The Suns could’ve split pick 7 and to 2 picks in the teens and used 2 picks to dump 2 players they didn’t like and saved even more money. But Gold Coast are just ordinary and don’t seem to be getting any better at managing their list. Even as their team improves and matures they seem keen to make more mistakes.

In a trade we paid fair value for, not in a deal that was based upon our CEO dishing up free picks to the Suns in his former job

2019 draft: Geelong trade pick 27 for GC mid first round free pick. 2020 trade period: Geelong trade 3 first rounders (2 of them barely) to GWS for Jeremy Cameron, including the GC pick (by this stage pick 15) 2020 draft: Geelong trade a future first for Max Holmes, stealing him from us. They wouldn’t have had a future first if they used it in the GWS trade. Ie. The suns trade the year previous freed up that pick 2021 trade: Cats trade for pick 7. Demons unable to trade up from pick 13 for what would’ve been an excellent target pick In other words, the GC got benefits. The GC gave those benefits to the Cats. The Cats screw us.

The big red flag with Schache was he’s 2m tall, runs all day, kicks it dead straight and no one cared that he wasn’t pick 1. If you have those attributes you’re either pick 1 or if somethings wrong then pick 10-15. Cadman is Roughead to me. Great athlete that covers up for a little lack of height. Great thick frame. Lovely hands. I don’t think he’s quite in the McKay/Curnow level of upside but a lot less down side than big Harry. Just a rock solid number 1. North already have a solid number 1 though. I really believe in Larkey. They now get Wardlaw who is in that freakish level of talent for a mid and they can choose between outside mids, dynamic half forward/mids or a half back type. And they should be up and running quickly. North also know they’re a good chance of getting a gun key forward prospect next year and either they get a Cadman type or they get someone with even more upside who walks in to a far better club/team.

Almost certainly gone (4): Ashcroft, Cadman, Wardlaw, Sheezel Highly likely gone (6): Tsatas, Humphrey, Clark, Ginbey, Phillipou, Busslinger Possibly available: Jefferson - skinny athletic tall McKenzie - balance midfielder Hollands - fit outside/in midfielder Hewett - solid explosive mid Hustwaite - tall clearance specialist mid Hayes - rangy tall defender Hotton - crafty forward/mid George - powerful medium forward (acl) Cowan - well rounded defender

Schach Attack?

Max Gawn, the first champion demons player of my life time and the first or second for most of demonland I’d imagine, is now Mason Cox with worse gags and no sunglasses. The big bearded fella was never going to last forever but it’s a sad day and we should all take a moment to reflect on that. Welcome Brodie. If you’re coachable and willing to play a team brand of football you might be a handy pick up. If he still thinks it’s the Grundy show then he might be off to Tassie in a few years.

The 3rd year option for clubs on first round picks is a no brainer. Boost first round picks salaries for years 1+2 by 50k per year then add 300k for year 3. I favour a model of max contracts for years 3-6. 400-600k escalating through the years is the most you can make. With bonus incentives for top 5 b+f finishes, all Australian squads or Brownlow finishes. I’d also limit the most a rival club can offer to 20% less than the max for years 3-6. Any player out of contract from years 3-6 is a restricted free agent. They can sign elsewhere but their original team is most welcome to match the deal and then trade them at their convenience. Most players will sign for more money then ask for the trade anyway. This structure will allow the draft to do it’s job as teams have 6 years of control with young players and can build a side. After 6 year service everyone is unrestricted and go for your life. Let the salary cap do it’s job. Publish salaries for anyone above average wage. Don’t want the scrutiny, lower your wage and you’ll be fine. The added bonus is teams stop getting held hostage by young players and the cap will go to guys from 24-30 who form the backbone of successful sides.

I think there’s 4 winners but it’s incredible that Port got GWS to pay the extras North needed. Like asking a mate to pay the stamp duty

It’s all academic now but if a key forward prospect is rock solid and a fit then I reckon you go get them. 3 firsts is too many but the Jackson package - 2 firsts and a 2nd, I think we would’ve done it if we rated Cadman. Cadman looks like Roughead to me. I wouldn’t hang out waiting for someone better if you can get a legit number 1 key forward. GWS have gone and pulled the trigger. I think it’s a good move.

I hope we draft nothing by West Aussies. A shame to lose Jacko but Freo’s cash came at the exact right time, plus covid and other factors. Losing Hogan won us a flag. Plenty of other West Aussies stay on the east coast. When’s Buddy going home?

Jackson’s marking needs to improve but you’re kidding if you don’t think he’s aggressive or competitive

Won’t be much pressure on Weid lobbing to Essendon to for a nothing pick. I liked Weid’s 2020. I started this thread because I thought Ben Brown coming in would just get in Sam’s way. But those games were shorter quarters and the Weid got the prime full forward gig. Fritsch had that locked up by about round 2 2021. Sam’s always looked promising when given a clean run and jump at the ball. Still drops too many but he can get his hands on them. Once it becomes about contesting from behind, stuck under a high ball or having to sprint clear to provide an option the Weid just doesn’t pick the drop of the ball or use his body efficiently. Our game plan and honestly most of afl footy is about contributing when it’s not just presented on a platter. Often we take that to extremes and ask our forwards to be superhuman but the reality is we want consistent contests and if that happens everyone will get their share of easier goals too. Essendon are all about the platter. So he fits.

I think the point is they can have 13 for 16, or 27. Not both. At a minimum we’d get 41 back with 27, but given our value on 41 I don’t think that’s likely. Maybe a pies future 2nd if we include 27?

Daw and Brown were delisted players who never played. We can replace them with delisted players who never play! I agree we need to replace Weid with someone who we feel confident that they can at least contribute but that’s not a high bar. Options aren’t great so far but they’ll be someone. I think we’d be best off replacing the 3 depth talls with 1 decent 3rd ruck and 1 decent 4th string forward and saving a list spot as well. Maybe save it for the preseason or mid season draft

Couldn’t get a game in 19, 20 or 21 either. Pick 44 is fair. Spinning that value in to part of a future 2nd that could produce a very good player is even better.

So if the Eagles/Port/North/GWS mega trade doesn’t get up (and I think it will) do we go: West Coast’s Pick 2 for pick 13, Freo’s future 1, Melb’s future 1? Maybe with a late pick back. 3 firsts is serious business. I reckon we’ll dangle it out there. The biggest issue is North aren’t locked in to pick 1 and could still trade it so we couldn’t do it until the draft (unless we go all the way to 1)