DeeSpencer

Jetta - a heap of power, limited endurance, excellent overhead Stretch - no power, good endurance, poor overhead He has to go play wing, high half forward or as the up the ground back flanker. I don’t mind him in the sweeping flanker role but that’s a long way from a lock down defender.

His kicking on the run is technically bogus, he wobbles the ball as his runs and then his action is so mechanical that it makes it difficult to hit targets. Hence he favours going back over the mark. Fix the kicking technique and then get him backing his skills and he might just make it. I'm not annoyed we seem to be losing him I just think his development has been very poor.

He'll be 31, not chasing, not tackling, not crashing packs, bobbing up on twitter and SEN whilst playing for Casey. I don't care if he cost 500k or 5k I don't see the appeal. Take the chance with an athletic junior or state league player and save the cash for a shot at Ben King if Weid or Petty don't work out.

I agree, seems to me that for Josh Wagner to get a game as a back flanker we'll need a couple of injuries and for him to be preferred over shuffling other players to half back. He barely played this year with so many out injured!! Same to be said for C. Wagner, if he's getting a game that means either we've run out of wingmen and half forwards or he's getting a game over Jones, Dunkley, Lockhart, ANB, Spargo etc. I look at the tigers who had significant injuries this year and reshuffled senior players - Edwards at half back in particular - and then blooded kids in Ross and Stack. Then to add a cherry on top signed Pickett who will now debut. If we have injuries next year that's exactly what I'd like us to do - throw the kids in and use senior players around them. We still ended up doing that to an extent this year when Dunkley got games out of position just to play him over journeymen types and that was with 10-15 on the injury list! The Wagners or ANB or whoever you dislike worse from this bunch are guys 30-33 on the list as it stands, probably to become 34-35 if Langdon and Tomlinson sign. With preseason and midseason drafting it doesn't make sense to commit to so many limited players so soon. I get the sense we have to be trading out some players to explain why we've hung on to so much depth.

Short term improving, long term has me wondering if Keath and Bruce are actually better than Lewis Young and Schache who might be relegated to the VFL. Or if 3 talls at either end is the desired set up, down back maybe, up forward I don't like the Naughton, Bruce, Schache combination. Their coach does very well when given 22 adequate players who fill positional needs and play together. Start giving him options or deficiencies and the man goes a little haywire.

He's about to turn 28 and has bobbed around on cricket and footy lists for years without landing a big pay day. This was his one chance to get the kind of contract that makes over a decade of pro sport worth the effort (compared to his peers). He's taking that chance and the Crows probably can't do much about it. Adelaide are going to be paying Jenkins and Betts not to play for them next year as well as taking as many top 30 draft picks as they can get. It's as an aggressive a rebuild from a non hopeless team as I can remember and I think it's very wise.

Somewhat heartwarming, somewhat taking the [censored]. No doubt plays like a tough cookie. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-25/anzac-day-2017-boys-named-anzac-in-family-tradition/8469914

The most likely situation with all of that was that he got scans for the medical that showed re-injury before he had started experiencing symptoms. There's a chance of incompetence in not checking but it might've just been he was doing well in recovery and another scan wasn't on the surgeons plan. By putting him up for trade we'd already admitted he wasn't going to be the player we hoped so in some ways we weren't totally stupid. Surgeons, physios and doctors all collaborate for rehab plans, it's hard to blame the club. Where the club seemed to fail was having so many foot injuries to begin with. Injury prevention and managing game time is what the club staff are there for. The management of long term chronic injuries usually includes surgeons and other specialists. The same Tigers excellent medical team gave the tick of approval to Chris Yarran when he was hooked on ice so it's not like they were flawless.

He's been about as close to terrible as a slow limited player who doesn't hit his targets (despite being a very good kick) can be. To me the only way to see the positives in retaining Josh Wagner is to think of him as a leader down at Casey and to recognise the club is valuing experience on the list and culture.

So by my count that's 7 list spots free right now assuming Frost, Stretch and JKH don't stay with us. Sign Tomlinson Trade for Langdon At least 3 draft picks (1st, 3rd, 4th round or split/move the picks) Possibly 1 rookie draft pick Possibly 1 open spot carried over summer Wouldn't surprise me if there's at least one contracted player traded to clear some list space and cap room.

I'd actually be interested to see how he went at a new club. Unfortunately he's just been completely paralysed as a footballer at Melbourne. Unwilling or unable to take the game on and improve his skills by learning from mistakes and building confidence. He played 16 games in 2016, averaged 18 disposals with 1 clanger a game and looked set to have a solid career. Instead he loses his position to captain slow from Hawthorn and bounces in and out of the team and now is either out the door or the last man signed up.

Richmond's team: 2 ruckmen - Nank and Soldo 2 key forwards - Lynch and Riewoldt 3 lock down defenders - Grimes, Astbury, Broad 1 intercept defender - Vlastuin 3 rebounding defenders - Houli, Short, Baker 2 wings - Caddy, Ellis 3 inside mids: Prestia, Cotchin, Graham (Ross) 3 forward/mids: Edwards, Lambert, Martin 1 pacey defensive forward - Castagna 2 small forwards - Rioli, Bolton Is one part of the puzzle bigger than the other? Our shopping list should be: - Outside run - Midfield pace - Half back skill - Tall depth - Small pressure forwards - Extra goal kicking option It's highly unlikely we get all of those fully fixed in one off season, most premiership teams aren't perfect yet alone teams rebounding from 17th. But starting from the midfield deficiencies with trades and then using draft picks to fill the other needs probably isn't a bad idea. Remember Richmond kicked off their bounce back with Nankervis, Caddy and Prestia traded in.

These two things don't really go together. We need more spread and pace through the midfield and we need to get speedy little forwards, plus a zippy back flanker and we'll need that whether we have Frost or don't have Frost. I'd gladly trade Hunt and Frost - our fastest 2 players - for a couple of speedy flanker/mid types that bring the speed to the positions that matter. Yes closing speed is important for defenders and yes Frost's big runs can occasionally pay off nicely but more often than not he's not bringing the speed that we really need. Our midfield were terribly unfit this year and ANB is our fittest player but almost no one on here is pumping up ANB for his elite fitness making him a vital player. Everyone rightfully thinks our midfield should get fitter!

Dwayne Russell thinks he's off to Hawthorn. Might explain why our coach wasn't making definitive statements.

So back on topic if we are stuck with pick 3, then the Giants have picks 12 and 18 or 19. That's not enough to do a deal IMO. I think we'd ask them to get future picks or players involved to bump that pick 18 up at least to pick 10. The Giants run of finals success has hurt the chances of splitting the pick.

How dare the coach be honest in the media and reflect the true status of negotiations/decision making. The horror. Elliott's clearly got options, we've got interest but sounds like we aren't going to offer him stupid money and he might chose another option. Realistic. The worst possible media relations outcome for this trade period is that we don't sign any players and get a reputation like North. Tempering fan expectations with free agents who have full control over their destiny is perfectly reasonable.

Just a hunch but it wouldn't shock me if Willie was more towards the regular than infrequent user. I still think he's an idiot not a drug cheat and therefore should get the punishment for an idiot and not the punishment for a drug cheat. Dodging the test now appears more sinister - as he had something to hide, but also less sinister as all he was hiding was some weed.

Not an easy one to find, someone with the smarts, skills and speed/agility to mix it with the big boys and contribute around the ground. Melksham in to the midfield as well is an option. This might be too bold or premature but if we're looking for tackling and agility to compliment Gus/Clarry/Viney then I'd love to see Kade Chandler given some midfield minutes. He's a keen tackler with good evasive skills and creativity. Played as a midfielder as a junior and some of his best higlights come around the packs. He could do a little of what Parfitt has done for the Cats providing some defensive pressure

Matt Crouch is the last player we need! He's a decent extractor and excellent accumulator but either handballs or chips the ball short, very low metres per possession and low impact. Plus slow to defend, both at the contest - 3.4 tackles per game is awful and around the ground. Why did the Crows midfield struggle so badly this year - because of the Crouch's being not very good. We're already struggling to fit Viney, Oliver and Brayshaw in the one midfield, we don't need to add Matt Crouch! Brad has a bit more juice with taking the game on and providing burst around the stoppages, but his skills are more up and down and injuries have possibly robbed him of going to that next level with improved skills and consistency in his game. He's going to cost a lot and require shifting one of our centre square players out of the side or probably out of the club. 700k and a top 10 pick for him. I can't see it. Petracca needs to become a genuine midfielder and Viney/Oliver/Brayshaw need to get back to their best. Otherwise we should be looking for guys who can play on the wings or flanks and then rotate in to the midfield not the other way around. A Shane Edwards style outside-in mid is what we need. Someone to feed off the handballs that Viney and Oliver will dish out.

Best 12: No. Might finish close to that in the B+F (play all 22 and by default you should finish at least top 16 with standard injury/form of others) but not on talent. Finished 7th in a tight field last year in the Giants B+F which is a surprise but otherwise no top 10 finishes- I think all their injuries would've had him far lower on a per game basis. Decision making: Solid enough but usually takes the safe options Key tall at either end: Very much doubt it. Doesn't seem to have a good leap, power or bust off the mark, nor is he a super tall 198+ type - at 194cm he's more an oversize mid. His marking is poor for his size but he's still damn tall for a wing. Excellent tank allowing him to play wing, back up ruck or if needed on a flank Not sure about leadership but certainly a flawless clubman who does a lot of media for the Giants. If not a leader he'll be a good follower. Lack of speed is my biggest concern if the comp keeps heading the way the Tigers have taken it. Suddenly he goes from a good utility who can play wing and/or 2nd ruck to a bit of a nothing player (especially if teams start playing a pair of 200cm+ specialist rucks). That's why he was dropped for the Giants first final but he was also bought back in to do a job after the Giants lost Deledio through injury.

A kid from the housos has the chance to set himself and his family up for life, extend his career in to his 30's and play a significant role rather than end up in the VFL, pretty reasonable choice to me. If the Tigers have been smart they'll have convinced him to look around and never bothered with making a token offer that could just hurt his feelings. They'll get at least a 2nd round draft compensation pick and with the way they've recruited lately they'll probably turn it in to a better player anyway.

Maybe I shouldn't have combined the 2. Elliott's a gamble on upside - my concern there is the injury risk, Tomlinson is very much a move to bolster bottom end of the 22. It's nice that he's a utility but I'm not entirely convinced that ups his value. If there was a Wins Against Replacement stat for footballers I think Tomlinson's would be pretty low and therefore spending significant money on him doesn't make him good value.

I think we need to heed the warnings of Port Adelaide. Spent a lot of salary cap space on Watts, Rockliff and Motlop who were all available for a reason. Yet to get great return on any of them. And probably cost them the salary cap space they needed to re-sign Polec and Wingard. They might've got out of that pretty well by nailing 3 picks in a superdraft but if they messed up those picks they'd be in a world of trouble. Every dollar overspent on free agents or trading in depth can come back to bite us. Tomlinson and Elliott already make me nervous, I wouldn't be rushing out to add more from a limited pool. I reckon a good look at the state leagues, delistings or free to a good home trade types can find guys who can be depth just as easily as bidding for those guys who are popular but have a low floor. And now there's the ability to hold list spots over until after summer I'd certainly look at that method.

Raiders, Falcons, Giants. It's a nightmare tipping week with so many back up QB's on the road.

Would love to have a training base that doubles as a VFL and AFLW stadium and have them all train and play together as much as possible but you can't always have everything. By the way I'm sure the Tigers VFL guys don't train with the AFL players at all times, they have to work just like the Casey guys do. Also I hope we get out to Casey more often in preseason to train on the full sized oval.