DeeSpencer

Not sure the Giants have done anything wrong. They got a truckload of talent, gave away the guys they didn't want and kept most of the best ones and have been in contention for 3 straight years. They are looking to move Shiel on now a year before he's a free agent so they can sure up the rest of their list, make a serious play to keep Kelly and get better value now than free agency compo in a year. That said, they'll surely be keen on Shiel picking the Saints or Blues. If he picks the Hawks they've got their work cut out to get a good deal. Maybe if he picks the Hawks they just keep him and trade out Lobb, Finlayson and if the rumours are true Scully?

He won the Norm Smith when he towelled up Zac Clark, but any decent full back could've beaten him and their efficiency going forward was probably the real difference that day, especially Gunston IIRC. The Swans they belted all over the field and won the midfield battle. Frawley was in the best 5 on the ground against the Eagles but again, that game was all but over at 1/4 time. Josh Gibson was one of the Hawks best players, maybe even their best player over the course of their success in that time. Burgoyne was Mr September and Hodge was too. But Lake certainly played a huge role. The Hawks are certainly an example of drafting in a super young core then trading to fill the needs. They benefited from expansion at that time as well but their plan was spot on. Being bold and going for the trades, then smartly finding a few more in the draft is surely our plan and if we do it well we could finish top 4 a few times in a row and from there it's a matter of the players and coaches getting it done.

We need a back up ruck regardless of what Hogan does. We really would like that back up to have forward abilities if they are going to play alongside Weed and T Mc, but there's very few of those types in the league. I think Mummy would only return to the Giants, which actually makes a fair bit of sense. Mahoney might've been doing that, but Preuss is contracted with North for 2 more years. If he were uncontracted we'd just get him for nothing and if Gaff signed at North they'd probably gladly send him over. But now it can be a stalemate and we can really see how highly they value him and how keen they are to shed salary. At some stage if we've made commitments to Preuss we'll have to offer more if the deal stalls. It's the perfect situation for both teams to drag to the wire. Or at least for us to wait until we've done other business and only up our offer to North when it's required.

Not a total bust be we paid a lot for a short term solution. I'm still comfortable with the deal of moving back from pick 2 to Salem at pick 9 and getting a highly rated kid ready to play, but if we had our time again we'd probably target a different Giants mid who could provide both short and long term benefits. Or bought in a different senior player - similar to a Vince/Cross and kept more draft picks. No regrets because the most important part of the plan - no longer being rubbish - has well and truly being achieved but it's closer to a bust than a win. We had to have valued Tyson as a pick around 10-15 to make that deal and that's a lot for a guy who's on the outer after 5 years and really didn't play many good games in his preferred role after the first 3 years.

Interesting to see what happens here. Mahoney was circumspect when it came to Preuss on trade radio. I think one of the big reasons we chased him was because North had to off load cheaply him to free up salary cap. They probably don't have to do that now. So either we pay more for him to satisfy North or we move to other targets. What's out there? Jordan Roughead? Levi Casboult? Zac Smith?

Good for Andrew. I think he had all but decided to go to North but seeing his team mates win a premiership and the love he got from Adam Simpson after his terrible mistake meant he was willing to take less money and stay in Perth away from his family. I think the delay in making the decision was probably related to his fathers health. Heart scares can often resolve themselves after a couple of months. Anyway, I'll enjoy laughing at North a bit and hope they spend all their money keeping our competition honest by upping bids for their players and not ours!

Big body mids and locking down stoppages were all the rage in 2014, Richmond have changed that. I'm not convinced slow insiders are any more viable than slow outsiders. Any sources on these Victorian interests? I hope they happen for Dom's sake and for ours. I haven't seen anything conclusive. Dean Kent can get a 3 year deal on the hope he can stay healthy and get fit. Nothing nearly that conclusive for Dom.

He's also very good at running in to pockets of space around half back to receive uncontested kicks, and has nice hands if the kick is a bit loopy as well. I think that's why he was used on the wing and not dropped altogether. Unfortunately it also means he ends up with the ball in an uncontested situation which means he then has to kick it to the next target!

Just on that as someone who went to training a fair few times Harmes did most of the training with the mids. They did a lot of stoppage and similar midfield drills with all the mids, and the most common guys who they used as the outlets were Baker, Stretch and Jones IIRC. I still think Harmes can get better due to experience but he also doesn't really have to. I'll take his last 2 months on repeat for the next 5 years! He can go forward or back as well but he's a mid, that's what he always was, a strong body who likes the contest and following the ball. Tyson - well he's already got some business interests with the golfing t shirts and might follow his fathers foot steps and get in to sports apparel or sports business. He might be as clever as any player on our list, not sure it's too high a bar! If he stays he surely knows he's depth and could be delisted if he doesn't improve and spends the year in the VFL. He might be happy not playing AFL footy after next year if the alternative is 2019/2020 at the Suns. I'd imagine he'd jump at a 2 year deal for another Victorian club, but we're yet to hear of serious interest from anyone. Is there any Vic club out there who doesn't have 5 inside mids with better skills and speed?

I initially had 60% written there but I decided I'd pull it back a bit, I didn't want to sound provocative. I'm also strong in believing we initiated it for him to go look at a deal. But actually doing the deal is contingent on May and on fair value, it's not a Stringer situation. We're certainly in a trickier spot with Hogan than Freo are with Neale.

Freo's desire for Neale to go - 25% Brisbane's desire to get Neale - 70% Melbourne's desire for Hogan to go - 45% Freo's desire to get Hogan - 80% Just guessing on these figures but I think Freo would want to keep Neale so are keen to see if they can get Brisbane to over pay. Brisbane won't be as desperate as GC last year but they know Neale gives their rise up the ladder huge momentum. I can see them throwing in a little sweetner in addition to pick 4. I also think they are very keen on Hogan whilst we are on the fence about keeping him if we get a good return. We won't hold out for the maximum because we need to get moving on May and other deals. As long as we hold a fair position it should work out.

7 main list and 1 rookie list spot open right now. Trade player out for at least 1 player in. Hogan for May. Vanders for KK. Tyson for Preuss. Kent for someone like Lonie, Colyer or Gregson. It very much seems like we plan on grabbing a few extra assets in the trade period and a Hogan deal is a big part of that. I'm not sure what those assets will be, it might be more current AFL players, state league players via deal with the Suns or more picks. Or we might end up keeping Vanders and/or Tyson and using extra picks to get players we want. Worse case scenario though the 8 list spots can be filled: - 3 useful draft picks between picks 33 and 50 - 1 very late round speculative pick or PSD pick - 1 or 2 delisted players - 1 rookie pick up - Extra rookie picks +/- promoting current rookies From the current delistings 5 were young guys who never played (Balic, McKenna, Flipper, King, DJ). So we can replace them with 5 more young guys. 3 were experienced guys who did play a fair bit - Bugg, Vince, Pedda - so we find 3 more experienced replacements for them.

Honest and say what? Does Hogan have a contract in front of him from Freo to sign? Does Freo have a deal with Melbourne in place? If the answer to both of those question isn't yes then there's little for Hogan to be honest about. No comment is the best approach for now.

Doubt Carlton will do anything with pick 1. I think Gold Coast would be wise to move backwards a few spots to pick kids who actually agree to go there. The counter is that might be the South Australian's!

Yes there's a difference between something under wraps in season and a post season tour. The exceptions might be at clubs like the Giants now who need to move certain players but might keep some depending on the deals and in situations like with Dusty where there are extenuating circumstances.

Lin Jong and possibly a heap of other lesser names in season who are fighting for contracts but not the big names post season. The asking for a trade is an interesting point in all of this. I very much get the feeling Melbourne have asked Hogan to explore his options. He might be agreeing to a trade rather than asking for one.

Preuss or another capable ruck can do the Mason Cox role. Or they can ruck and Gawny can go forward and be a nightmare for a lot of defenders. Smith played a few decent games this year and should be fitter after a full preseason next year. He competes, that's the main thing you need from back ups. I would say Frost is not completely out of the picture as being capable of this as well. Key defenders just competing at CHF has been a recent trend with guys like Zaine Cordy and Mihocek. The main solution though is playing through Petracca and Melksham.

Different types of players. Johnstone is more defensive and contested, Lockhart plays higher up the ground and gets more of the ball. No issue having 2 smaller defenders developing on the list if they are both wanted. We've got the list spots to balance the list with a number of needs type picks but also to take some developmental prospects no matter what position they play.

Very ambitious thinking. I reckon to get 4 and 5 from Freo we'd have to give up something pretty solid. I can't remember a player ever being traded for 2 blue chip pieces like that. Even the Judd deal had Josh Kennedy devalued from a true blue chipper to more of a gamble on his upside. Lever's deal last year relied on both of our first rounders not being the real top line picks. Beams was pick 5 and 25. Burgoyne, Treloar had the Pies planning on improvement and getting a 2nd rounder back I just can't remember a deal of two super high picks. 1 player = 1 blue chip piece. Similarly Gold Coast have May contracted for another year and the chance at some juicy AFL free agency compensation. We have to get inside pick 10 I think, even if we get more than just May for it. From all reports the King's have flat out told GC to stay away. Maybe they draft both of them and hope that works. I'm not so sure. And if we draft them there's a good chance they both need 3 years and 30 AFL games of finding their feet footy which doesn't help us. I actually think the best case scenario is 5 and 10 for Hogan. 1 of those picks goes to May. 1 goes to the draft if no one wants it. The 2019 first rounder could be moved forward in to this years draft and maybe split in to a few pieces. The Eagles traded their future first with the Suns for a raft of 2nd round picks. I'm not sure another club would be that stupid but it would be a way to really beef up the depth of our list and solve some needs. I get the appeal of landing a Josh Kelly but drafting one high quality kid early and then some mid round picks for another Spargo and Fritsch could really set the list up. Then we turn to free agency. We'd all like Josh Kelly but I'd settle for taking a heap of talent in this years draft to make sure we're stocked in the years to come and then landing Chad Wingard as a free agent next year.

I get the feeling you could sign with Freo on the basis that if things don't improve next year you won't have to worry about playing under Lyon after that.

Did anyone see Richmond or Collingwood challenging for a flag? Forward line - Ben Brown, Ziebell, Simpkin, Mason Wood and some assorted smalls, far from the worst Backline - Tarrant, big Majak, Thompson, Wright, Macmillan, McDonald, Marley Williams - that's not bad Midfield - Goldy might have a couple of years left. Cunnington and Higgins are A graders. Gaff joins them. Polec on the wing. Lots of depth with Ahern, Anderson, Dumont, Hall. Might be missing a true superstar but weren't the Eagles? Richmond might be a super team next year, they were pretty close this year, otherwise there won't be anyone at the heights Geelong, Sydney or Hawthorn have been recently. No reason North can't finish top 4. I'd love to play for a big club at the MCG most weeks. But I doubt the Pies wanted him, the Tigers couldn't fit him in, the Hawks might be more stuck in no mans land than the Roos and if Melbourne offered me 750k and had to trade for me compared to 1.1-1.2M at the Roos sadly I'd go the Roos.

I think Lever will roam around at CHB, May will anchor the backline at full back and we will pick the 3rd tall defender to lock down depending on opponent. Or even go without a 3rd tall and back Hibberd and Jetta in. Against a side like the Pies that would mean either Frost or Joel Smith to play on De Goey. Against the Eagles that would mean Oscar to take the resting ruckman. From Mahoney's comments yesterday I don't expect Lever to be rushed back in so with or without May there will be plenty of chances for guys to play.

Which Hogan are you watching? I see a guy who goes the short sideways option instead of pulling the trigger inside 50. And the stats say 59.5% kicking efficiency this year which is below Tyson and Brayshaw. May was the Suns 5th more efficient kick. In a better side he'll either be able to play it safe and not waste the ball and/or take the game on more.

Always hard to rate mature age players but I thought Lockhart looked a natural at half back and a quick skilled rebounding flanker is certainly a need. Lewis clearly doesn't have much left. Salem or Lever might move in to that spot but there will be an opening for a guy who can run the ball out. Apart from Hunt we don't have anyone else on the list to take over that role. Stretch and JKH are wing/half forward types. KK I get the feeling reading between the lines will be targeted to play wing at least initially. Fritsch can do it but is more the type to mark and kick rather than really run the lines, as is Wagner. Joel Smith isn't that skilled type either. Dion Johnstone seems more of a lock down defender at least at this stage, if he ever makes it at all. Lockhart played midfield and forward in Casey finals because that's where they were short on talent. His half back games that I saw were much better. I hope they were hiding him from recruiters and rounding his game as well. They said when they recruited Tim Smith and Fritsch that they would've picked them for Melbourne if available. There were times earlier this year when Lewis needed a kick up the backside that I would've picked Lockhart.

Here's one from left field: I wonder if we pay a good chunk of his wage if the Giants would take him back. If they lose Shiel, Lobb and Setterfield they'll need depth and Dom's best mate Tomlinson is still up there. If a bottom team wanted him by now I think they would've put their hand up to get him. The Giants might yet again have more draft picks than they need and could give us a better one than any other side would offer if we give them a depth player in return for salary. It's certainly a call I'd be making to find out.