DeeSpencer

And Gunston is way more consistent at the contest and with defensive work rate. Fritsch has a lot of work to do to catch Gunston’s career

yeah but they’ll start with a 6 goal handicap if they pick Daniher

They might be able to get the McStay compo then work out a trade with Hawthorn. After the Hawks attempted fire sale last year they probably can’t stand in the way of Gunston going and at nearly 31 his own compo shouldn’t rate highly

We’re losing the only player in the league who has the athletic ability and footy craft to become a Blicavs type player and I’m not a huge fan of it to be honest

Atkins and Blicavs as defensive on ballers were so valuable. That allowed them to rest rotate Dangerfield and Selwood. Those 2 have been good for 55 disposals a week whilst their opponents got 60+. With a proper defensive mix in the middle they stopped leaking easy possessions to the oppositions best players. The extra midfield depth and Stengle meant they stopped playing Higgins or Dalhouse or any of the other over the hill half forwards they had been rolling out too.

Gus doesn’t really drive much ball movement though. Most of the time if he’s kicking on the run the ball lands in the crowd

Rightly or wrongly Stengle was seen as a young man from a difficult upbringing who deserved a second chance after being booted from the afl system. De Goey comes from a privileged background, is older and hasn’t hit rock bottom. Combine that with the much greater risk in terms of dollars and it’s just not worth it I’m not convinced his recent behaviour has been as bad as the media makes out, but the fact he hasn’t stopped putting himself in dramatic situations is a concern.

Bummer, I really wanted to sign him

Pick 8 contains some great names like Serong, Bartel, Corey and the upside of Tarryn Thomas and Peter Wright. But it also has Mayes, Longer, Butcher, Vickery, Ah Chee. For the same salary we could have got Amon or McStay this year and I assume we’ll be hunting similar or better players next year. In our window of contending I’m taking the player(s) over the risk of the pick.

I'd imagine a team bring Bowes in signs him for 3 years 2 million. That's 666 per year. He gets his 825 for 2 years (1.65) and then a third year at 350k to smooth it over. Given he's probably worth about 333k you're paying 333k per year extra across the 3 years. My question is what would we prefer over the next 3 years: Option A) 2 solid 333k players. For instance Hunt and another player, both of whom might fit the best 22 better. Option B) bank that 666k to put towards 1 really important player coming in to the best 22 Option C) Bowes, who really might not fit the best 22, and pick 7* I can see the appeal of option C. But I've said all along I just don't think Bowes is that bad or that expensive that he'll demand pick 7 outright. I still think the Suns will ask for a future first or an early second in return for pick 7 and they won't have interest in our pick. Suddenly we've paid out the chance of signing 1 or 2 important players to improve the team and we've got a pick 8 (post Ashcroft bid) in a draft we're already working to secure a top 10 pick in and we might've given up a future first to do so. That's a dangerous part of the draft to have 2 nibbles, particularly when you're in a contending window and won't be prioritising game time or coaching towards young players. I'd want it to be pick 7 straight up and I'd want our coaches to be really keen on Bowes and have a spot for him. If neither of those things are true and we'd be stuck with Bowes and only shuffling a pick up the draft board from next year to this I'd be reluctant. I'd need JT to convince me the pick 7 and any Jackson picks are falling in a very tasty part of the draft in which 2 bites can be important.

If it’s true it means he’s more cooked that they’re let on. But his 1million a season will also hamper them for any/all of the next 5 years too, so it’s hardly like they’ve lost the incentive to move him on.

I can’t think of another coach that had a very healthy win percentage, was stiff to get sacked and then was never thought of as a good assistant yet alone in the mix to get another senior gig. Probably something to that

SHocking probably investigated his own handy work before setting the cats up with a dream fixture then driving back down the highway

I’d hope Collingwood and GWS hold out for better picks, threaten to send at least one of those guys to North. I doubt they’re getting pick 7 straight up regardless but somethings really fishy if the Cats find the room needed for Bowes. Might be the move that forces the AFL to finally dig in to that magical salary cap

I missed that, but also no proof it’s a done deal, and that came before the Rioli stuff. No reason we couldn’t table a similar offer and save him moving states.

Yes we would, but I think we’d also be letting a midfielder go. I get in trouble when I mention who I’d let it go if Cerra was coming in but it might rhyme with Bus Playflaw.

Whilst that isn’t really fair, frankly, yes. Most of the worst trades involve paying big prices for players who can’t get on the park or play to the best of their abilities due to injuries. There’s plenty of time for Lever to deliver a lot more good footy for us but apart from 2021 he hasn’t delivered. I’m not expecting to win the flag each year and Lever’s just about paid for himself getting us 1 flag, but dogs fans said that about Tom Boyd who played about 1 good game in his entire contract. It’s fairly true but also underwhelming. We paid a similar price for May as we did Lever, and after an awful first year he’s been All Aus level in 3 of 4 years. I’m sure Lever and the club both expect him to string some good years together to continue to get value from the deal. That’s not unreasonable.

Do you think they’ll accept a Jetstar voucher so Treloar can go visit his partner Josh and the mother of his child in QLD? Or does it have to be Virgin?

Sorry, I would’ve included a sarcasm warning if anyone actually thought this was a serious thread. But I’ve up my offer to Tomlinson, a future 2nd, Baker, we’ll take Bruce, Hunter and Stef Martin from them and we’ll donate 10k more followers to Bailey Smith’s Instagram account. I’m open to agreeing not to sing Free From Desire if they’ll chuck in a future 3rd back.

Did you miss the part where I said he was a steal for 1 season? I never said I wouldn’t have done the Lever deal, he was a key player in a flag, of course I’d do it. But it’s just a fact that he’s had 3 injury impacted seasons as well as 2020 where he was far closer to just good than great. My post was comparing Jackson and Lever as somewhat volatile players and as super highly rated talls traded after 3 years - an unusual time for talls who have established themselves to move clubs. Lever’s the best interceptor in the game at his best, but fairly mediocre if he’s off his game. Jackson’s a game changer if he’s on and a bit underwhelming otherwise.

Ok I’ll throw in Oskar Baker.

He has very uneven shoulder heights. Makes me nervous about future injury. I think he’d slot in at CHB and allow Petty to go forward. Tomlinson and a future 2nd probably gets it done?

So far we’ve had 1 season where it was a steal and 4 seasons where we have been ripped off! I’d put Jackson in the same boat as Lever where there’s no doubt he can be an incredible player with some special traits. But there’s also some valid questions too and there’s safer ways to spend some very good picks.

The Mark Waugh special ‘I haven’t seen much of him’. Even better when he was a National selector

Franky Evans kicked 30 goals in the VFL for the cats this year. Won’t be replacing Stengle, Miers or Close any time soon and Ollie Henry potentially coming in as a mid sized forward too. If we want to replace one of Spargo or ANB with a small forward with a touch more size who in theory can be more of a marking target/crumber and kick more goals he fits the bill. I think he’d be a nice option rather than another year or two of Bedford still not quite being up to it or giving us anything different to our first choice options. Kicked 5 against Casey which is more than some entire teams did! https://www.afl.com.au/video/795574/vfl-showreel-r16-francis-evans-highlights?videoId=795574&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1657286723001