DeeSpencer

McGovern made the match saving play and Barrass was great. Darling played 1 good quarter and Kennedy played well but his most important stuff was largely getting on the end of smart up field work. A midfielder kicked the game winning goal. We need to replace Garlett but big goal kicker Dean Kent is a good laugh

Players motivated by playing in flags is terrible for the league. Dogs, Tigers and Pies have shown every team should be a chance to win a flag within 3 years. Melbourne are more equipped than Freo now but not necessarily in 3 years if they do things right. If Fyfe, Hogan, Cerra and Pearce can be Dusty, Riewoldt, Cotchin and Rance then why not? Hogan didn’t leave purely because he was unhappy here. In fact I think he had a good off field life here. He said he wanted to leave because his Footy was suffering in Melbourne due to his mental demons. He was going to struggle to win a premiership for us (and therefore with us) playing at 70% of his potential. Playing at 100% for Freo gives him a far better chance of personal success and to drive team success. Moving because you know you aren’t comfortable and aren’t performing to your best isn’t a non winner move to me. It’s taking ownership

That post was from Nov last year and with a good run of games Gus got right back to being a star. Was I wrong?

He was around that mark and started coming in as more draft expert types looked at his skill set. Fritsch was pretty much an older version of an 18 year old draftee, very raw and with a lot of upside and skills. Instead of having a strong under 18 season it took him until his body was right to produce a strong VFL season. Lockhart is more experienced in state leagues having come over from Tassie, that kind of player who's improved steadily usually goes later in the draft. We'd also have made a pretty decent mistake if we pick Lockhart with 28 given Geelong picked up a player by sending 42 to Carlton early in the trade week. If we rated Lockhart with a pick clearly above then we should've dealt 36 to Carlton a week ago.

Bear with me a bit on this but I wanted to look at the academy impacts on this draft pick: 28 will be pushed out by Blakely, Tarran Thomas, Quaynor and maybe Rhylee West and Bailey Scott. So pick 28 will become at least 31 and maybe even 33. Where as pick 36 will be pushed out 3-5 spots but move back at least 1 for Blakely and possibly one for West. If it's just the 3 picks my guess is we pick with 31 and the pick we gave up becomes 38. Harder to work out what happens with 46 but it probably stays about the same. Value wise that's not good for us but I'm sure it's about getting ahead of a bid for Bedford as well as the recruiters being more confident of landing a player in the early 30's than late 30's.

Yes, but I believe it was with the MFC's permission/knowledge. The Watts drama last year overshadowed the fact there was a fair bit of smoke around a Hogan trade. Freo had pick 2 and 5. Not sure what if anything they offered or if Hogan would even have agreed to a trade then but I'm sure both parties discussed it. My guess is Freo would've put pick 5 and some later picks on the table last year and MFC said no thanks we'll see if we can win the flag with Hogan and Lever this year and that worked for Freo who needed to get some games in to kids. Hence Hogan's comment about the 5 year plan. Hogan stuck it out in Melbourne for one last go around. I think all the media posturing and Peter Bell's carry on this year might've been because a deal was in place from a long way out.

I wonder if we pushed to include him in the trades, there was certainly a lag between the Suns first 2 mature age pick ups and their 3rd which occurred once the mega deal got traction. We've got lots of options for the 3 talls. Jetta and Hibberd the deep playing small/medium types. Salem on one flank. If KK is set for a wing then we still could do with a run and kick player on the other flank.

Sorry meant might not be able to be taught. That said, I look at Hawthorn, they had Cyril, just line him up and he'll go out there and get to the right spots and make an impact. But they also had Breust and Puopolo as pressure forwards. Puopolo was a state league defender. Breust played rugby growing up. Somehow the Hawks got those guys in positions to maximise their talents. Bedford might not ever get more than 10 touches a game but if he's in the right spots and it's 10 good touches and 5 big tackles that's a very handy player

12 touches a game doesn't impress me, nor does 1 goal a game. But 8 tackles and 3 clearances are more impressive numbers. That's a guy who can win it in tight and be a really aggressive tackler. I'd want to know why he's not finding the ball in space more. Is it work rate, is it the position the team puts him in or is it a feel for the game thing that might be able to be taught.

When Mahoney said midfield rotation it was very much implying wing not in the centre square and it looks to me like Tyson out KK in is exactly what the footy department were targeting. Correct an oversupply of inside mids for an outside mid. Wing will be an interesting position this year given the 6-6-6 rules. It won't change much in general play but from a centre bounce there might be some different tactics. If he settles on the wing KK might be required to start right towards the back of the square and be a loose defender or play half back flank which he's well qualified to do. And without the extra running off the back of the square he might have sprint to cover a midfielder bursting from the middle. Wing's are vital defensive sweepers and outlets at around the ground clearances so he'll have to do some work there but it's not impossible to improve on.

I probably should've pencilled them in but not bolded. They'll be competing with the likes of Fritsch, KKolo, ANB, Spargo, Hunt, Baker, Stretch and draft picks or delisted free agents/state league pick ups so it's an even field of flanker/runner types. I can't see Lewis improving at 33, so we've had a bad year if he's still in the side but at 31 and finally out of the midfield I'm actually excited to see where they use Jones and what he can do.

No club would want him. There's a provision this year to replace a retired player with a rookie pick prior to the start of the season. I'd imagine that will be the move for Jeff. I get the feeling we couldn't fit his pay out in this years salary cap so we're waiting for next years. Hey if he does come back from summer break in career best shape maybe things can change but I'd have it as a <1% chance.

FB: Hibberd May Jetta HB: Lever ????? Salem C; Fritsch Brayshaw Kade Kolo HF: Spargo T Mc Petracca FF: ##### Weid Melksham Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Harmes, Vanders, ?HBF, ?forward/mid They'll be a battle for the best CHB option. Then there's lots of competition for the last few spots and some options with guys like Fritsch, Kade Kolo and Vanders capable of multiple roles. Depth: Oscar, Preuss ANB, Hannan, Stretch, Baker, Maynard, Wagner, Jones, Lewis, Hunt, J Smith, T Smith, JKH, ?Garlett Development: ?Keilty, Petty, Bradtke and draft picks Key defenders: May, Frost, Oscar, Petty, ?Keilty 3rd tall: Lever, J Smith Back pockets: Jetta Flankers: Hibberd, Salem, Hunt, Lewis, Wagner Inside mids: Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes, Maynard Outside mids: Kade Kolo, Fritsch, Jones, Stretch, Baker Ruck: Gawn, Preuss, Bradtke Mid/forward: Petracca, Vanders Key forwards: T Mc, Weideman, T Smith 3rd tall: Melksham Flankers: Spargo, ANB, Hannan Crumbers: ??Garlett I think filling the remaining list spots the focus should be on a gun crumbing small forward as number 1 priority but after that just look for more class and run.

Here's why I wouldn't worry so much. 1. We have a guy for Hogan's best spot - a guy who really stole it this year in T Mc. He's the CHF of our side. 2. The full forward role Hogan often played this year can be covered by Weid. Who has shown - maybe not enough but he has done it - a few really nice things: A) An ability to beat up on bad teams on the rare occasions he got great supply at Casey. In his first year he had a couple of 4 goal games, a couple of 3's. In an interrupted second year he had a game where he kicked 6. And last year at Casey in 10 games he had a 7 a 5 and a 4. B) The ability to go in to the ruck C). A growing inclination to tackle and pressure It's too hard to be a reliable full forward these days and consistently take marks and kick goals. The better player to have in that 2nd tall role is one who can kick some goals on their day but contributes in other ways. 3. We have multiple players capable of beating one on one match ups deep - Petracca, Melksham, Hannan. These are often the guys you want inside 50 now. It's the balance of options and roles that not only covers the loss of Hogan but makes us better due to versatility and match ups.

Looks like he’s sunburnt in Bali but yep that was a great interview and a strong endorsement for Goodwin

Did well, I don’t think we were in a strong position in either deal. But our list management team made the right call on sending Hogan (and Tyson) and bringing in May. Keeping Vanders, adding Preuss at a good value, adding KK. More than anything I think we have to cash in on free agency at some stage. We’ve kept momentum and the list improving, that’s important

Who did he play on? The question has often been Oscar or Frost. My answer is neither. Give me May, Lever and a 3rd tall option depending on match ups that could be Oscar or just as likely could be Hibberd or Joel Smith.

Don't love the trade. KK was pretty much free so it's pick 6 for May. Would've preferred to swap pick 23 up to a higher pick in that deal as well. Anyway. Love the player though. Big. Angry. Physical. Skilled. Proper key defender.

Hogan: 8 goals in 6 games against top 8 opponents Weid: 8 goals in 5 games against top 8 opponents from round 22 onwards We'll need to find a back up. I think Preuss or Tim Smith can do it short term. Add another scrap heap or VFL option but draft for long term.

Hibbo and Lever should go up a level. Oscar down a level to Casey

Read the Naill article. It's about 8 teams involved and no team wants to be the first to accept a deal when there's so many moving parts. The only currency teams have are draft picks (including restricted future picks), players and occasionally paying a percentage of contracts for other teams. A huge business deal would rarely feature so many independent and competing companies and they'd be able to offer different forms of compensation as well as bonuses, penalties etc. At the moment it looks like Brisbane won't move until they're happy with the Beams deal. Freo won't move until they've got the Neale deal sorted, after which they deal with Port so that they can work out deals with GWS and Melbourne. Port are involved with Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Freo and then Melbourne can deal with GC. The bones of the deals might be lined up but then Port might feel they are being slightly undervalued so might ask Freo for a little more, who then might get that little more from Gold coast who then might pass it on to us. Suddenly a team asks for pick 25 instead of pick 20 and then all of a sudden that pick 20 which was going to be used in the next 3 deals doesn't exist any more and it's back to the drawing board.

Where's the evidence of that? One comment from Craig Cameron with no real backing from anyone to do with May. Meanwhile the Jake Niall article lays out the deal that will have him as a Demon.

May's age means he has to get paid a heap of money to be in the top 5% of players and therefore draw first round compensation. That would mean he has to get through the year without injury and in decent enough form to draw the big offers. I rate him very highly, but I want him now and not after another year of battling around in a crap team. The longer you do that the less likely it is you get back to your best. Also pick 5 in this draft is worth far more than only a potential chance of a pick 2. The idea of knocking back pick 5 is all silly talk because May's true value is more like a couple of mid to late firsts with pick swaps, similar to Lever, rather than handing over a prestigious pick like pick 5. Gold Coast are just spreading some doubt to keep the price high.

He’s 23, it’s not completely crazy to sign him until he’s 31. And that was reported as the managers first offer. A 5 or 6 year deal at 1M is about what I’d expect Hogan to sign with Freo for. We gave Lever 4 years 800 and that’s before he’s in his prime. Plus key forwards get more. With the cap rising 20% in the next 4 years the 1M seems correct. Really I think this is Freo looking for deflection. Blaming the manager is an easy way out

Not sure about that. I think the Saints did a deal with Essendon and Sydney before we did our deal with GWS. They got pick 14 from Sydney for the price of a couple of picks in the 20's that netted the Swans a lot of points. Moving from pick 10 to pick 7 might've been a late move based on seeing other clubs do it. Still glad we did it and credit to the club for being in the right position and nimble but I'm not sure we invented it. Hawthorn, West Coast and Collingwood all did pick for pick trades towards the end of the trade period with GWS or Sydney to achieve the same thing. The bolder move was trading the future first and getting up to pick 3.