DeeSpencer

Not holding my breath but there’s a role for him in a team that can really move the ball to just lead hard at the kicker across half forward. The Chol role at Hawthorn.

Being sympathetic is the least the Eagles could do given they dragged him across the country in prelim week.

Contracted until the end of next year and no signs that he’s unhappy. I expect over summer he’ll sign an extension until free agency Ie, 2029. We should make him an offer (both now and for post 2025), the same as the Saints and half the other Melbourne clubs should. Doubt he’ll be interested though. I can’t imagine there’s anyway GWS would trade him short of a stupid offer Ie. Pick 5, future first, steak knives and whilst he’s very good I don’t think that’s a wise deal.

I agree, but Bedford seems to be their number 1 tagger and they’ve slowly upped Callaghan’s midfield minutes as he starts to win his own footy. Daniels is starting to play more midfield too. They might be prepared to sell Peatling at his peak value right now knowing Harry Rowston, James Leake, Conor Stone and others are all ready to come in.

Going to assume Langford and O’Sullivan are gone by 5/6. 5. Murphy Reid 6. Sam Lalor 8. Draper 9. Armstrong 10. Tauru 11. Travaglia 15. Hotton 18. Lindsay 22. Faull Thats probably my list and the order is about right, just can’t decide whether I’m in or out on Reid yet.

Not sure Spargo will ever be a viable wing with his zero overhead game, but Chandler took some rotations in the last 2 weeks and looked fine. We need to do what every other club does and realise the wing is largely a trash position and stop spending so much on it and rotate guys through. Chander, Fritsch, Tholstrup should all play some minutes there, heck even Disco if he has a big summer and that way Windsor and Langdon can move around.

They didn’t play him when Buckley and Taylor were out, and they’ve preferred Keeffe as a forward. If he was out of contract he’d be free. Still contracted for a year but twins on the way so reasons to be compassionate. 3rd rounder should do it

Cumming, Haynes and probably Derksen frees up some cash for the Giants. If they lose Perryman they’ll probably match the highest offer. If Perryman suddenly decides to stay they might have to let him go. But I’m glad we’re having a red hot go.

With Mitch White leaving we aren’t going to have anyone to kick to him

Maybe we can trade Fritsch, pick up Owies to do that job for cheaper and use the bulk of the draft picks leftover to go get a proper 2 way forward.

If the Demons don’t take him at Pick 11, Sydney or St Kilda is expected to pounce on the West Australian https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-2023-koltyn-tholstrup-feature-interview-350-sunglasses-clubs-interested-western-australia-prospect-latest-news/news-story/c4eecd9b9487096258a27b382c3a31db The reporting on any offers to West Coast was surely only part of what would’ve been sustained offers before and after trade period. It’s illogical to think we could convince the eagles on the back of a slight trade up in the middle of the first round. It’s the same offer just packaged differently.

Kolt was linked to Sydney and St Kilda who we traded ahead of. Draft rankings are utterly meaningless. What? As if we didn’t offer absolutely everything to the eagles at multiple stages of the trade period. If anything they would’ve preferred the lower pick and extra late picks. If there is a conspiracy with the Kolt trade up it is that we wanted to trade it up yet again to get Caddy or O’Sullivan.

Kennedy is slow and a poor kick, but at least has some flexibility to play forward. Another one for the ‘if no one else is better’ category but not a prime target.

I only watched the last quarter but Finn was playing an undersized CHF role and took a couple of big time marks and looked incredibly dynamic even if he mucked up a couple a of kicks. Jagga was Jagga. Prolific but low impact. If either of them was in contention for pick 1 it has to be Finn.

Wright’s had enough of club land and wants to put his feet up at afl house for a while. It’s hard to know how much blame to give our list manager. It hasn’t been good, but we’ve had a heap of contacts on the books. We’ve also been very safe in not trading anyone out ahead of time. The guys who left were out of contract and getting big offers. Kelly O’Donnell is listed as pro scout on our ancient website. If that’s still the case he has to go. We haven’t found a good state leaguer since Hannan and Vanders and his job is also to scout players from other state league and sides. We got sucked in to Billings and Hunter. They were low risk, but very low reward. Got absolutely sucked in to extending Laurie this year and extending Schache last year. I still think McAdam was worth a go, but giving a valuable pick was stupid. Rucks…Grundy was kind of worth a try? No harm now foul, wasn’t the list managers fault that neither Max nor Grundy ultimately committed to making it work. Fullarton was pretty much a delisted free agent. Thinking anyone tall can ruck was a mistake, he’s so awful there. But he might have something to offer as a forward. I’d have gone hard for Jordon Sweet but I get he wanted to go home. We are really just crying out for a couple of bargain bin finds (both recycled players and with great late picks in the draft). I think the fundamental change I’d be making is to stop hanging on to so many of our own players and stop trying to fill the list in Oct and Nov. Get comfortable with more list turnover and bringing guys in through preseason.

We’ve lost Hibberd and even someone like Vanders who wasn’t best 22 in 2021 but was a maniac tackler and aggressive player. None of our mature age recruits the last couple of years are really physical players. McAdam doesn’t mind dishing it out but he’s wreckless. JVR as a draft pick has some aggression. There’s hope for Kolt, he doesn’t mind a scrap. And Caleb is a great run down tackler, that’s how he exerts himself physically on the contest. We need run and skills but watching finals so much of the game is guys who can turn up the heat.

Chargers, Jets, Niners

I’m not sure Keeffe didn’t offer more tho as a genuine back up ruck and big aggressive body. Riccardi a taller less talented Fritsch. The two of them in the same side would drive supporters (not just me) crazy. Wouldn’t shock me if the Giants moved on Riccardi to open the spot for Max G. Especially if they pick up Crows Himmelberg for mature depth. But I suspect they keep him to cover the young talls.

KB worth a second year and I guess you do the right thing with Kentfield, but yeah Sesto and AMW have battled to do much in preseason and have been down the back in the running. They’ve both be on the list long enough now that it’s kind of now or never. You can sign rookies any time until March now. I don’t see the need to lock up the rookie list.

Carlton’s pick 11 plus good steak knives (maybe even Carlton’s future first for some later picks back) has to be the favourite. Houston’s a quality player but as I’ve said all along if they can land Perryman especially as a free agent or even Cumming they should have faith in Farrell, Logan Evans, Sinn, Burgoyne etc doing the job at half back. The need to upgrade their wing, midfield depth and key talls.

Unless we overpay via draft pick Macrae will come with a hefty contract. The dogs won’t let him go if they aren’t getting the cash off the books. So he has to be best 22 to really be a positive for the cap. Some guys who have lost pace can play half back, but we already have Salo in that spot. Some can play wing, I’m shocked the dogs didn’t try that with him. But we have 2 starting wingers. He can play half forward but he’s a defensive liability. That’s why you get dropped for Harmes for a final. Getting value out of him requires him to start on ball. We’re probably lining up with Viney, Oliver, Rivers and by the end of the year hopefully Tracc on ball. To have another starting midfielder would be wise. But that group packs speed and hard running as is. He doesn’t help the balance that we need in there.

Mass D’Ambrosio was stiff not to be AA. Jez Sharp was best 22 for Freo all year. Oleg Markov played in a flag last year. Frankie Evans is settled in Port’s side right now. Mason Wood excellent for St Kilda. Stocker not half bad either. Levi Casboult had a good run at the Suns. Not many get chances but those who do have a reasonable success rate I think. Kaine Baldwin might be the standout from a bunch of bad names so far but teams generally wait until trade week for their better quality delistings.

Mannagh clearly had afl level talent the issue was whether he was going to play a team game and do the defensive stuff. The cats left him in the vfl for a long time this year just to get that buy in. Brew seems to be the absolute vfl midfielder. Clubs rarely go for those guys. That said, Geelong have one who when in form this year and in 2022 he makes a huge impact and that’s Tom Atkins. Brew bosses around afl listed players in the vfl. It’s a huge step up trying to do that to Lachie Neale rather than Jarryd Lyons but who knows, if he has the tank then maybe.

Scared is putting it mildly. He looks like he's been dropped in the middle of a Vietnam jungle every time he's taking a set shot. I don't mean to trivialize it but he genuinely looks like he has sporting PTSD. I'm just not sure moving to Melbourne can cure you of a St Kilda disease.

Peatling says he’s staying. Davies signed on. How’s the young midfielders list going: Riley Garcia Ted Closehy Jack Carroll (WA bound)? Ben Hobbs (contracted) Finn Macrae (contracted) Thomson Dow Jai Culley Feels like we’ve got to get one of them unless we’re getting a quality name or have some secret state league gems.