DeeSpencer

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.

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.

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.

I hope not. I don't think Salem is a great endurance runner. Moving him on to the wing could result in more hamstring trouble. He reads the play beautifully at half back, makes excellent decisions, wins contests on the ground, defends more than capably against the right opponents and his kicking should only improve if he's encouraged to back himself and flatten the ball out. As Lewis goes out of the side Salem will only get more important at half back. KK I think they'll try on the wings because he has the height to kick it to 1 on 1, has a long penetrative kick suited to kick inside 50 or over the top, ran a 10.10 3km time trial and the wing will give him more space to get on to his left.

125 votes in 17 games. 7.4 votes a game 1.8 per coach. So more weeks than not the coaches thought Tyson was either not doing his role at all or just meeting the baseline standards.

I thought his first half of the year when Viney was out was really strong and I expect him to poll pretty well in the B+F over that time. Tackles, goals, clearances, low clangers. Once he was relegated to the wing he struggled and particularly in the finals when he wasn't given any time or space. He's certainly fringe heading in to next year but I'm actually keen to see how he goes and where he plays. Time for him to strip a bit of weight and embrace an outside role be it wing, half back or half forward.

Valid point, but the other 2 depth players the Eagles had were Schofield and Vardy replacing Shepherd Nic Nat, that kind of depth makes sense to keep as they are difficult players to replace. Sheed was a young player with a lot of upside who Simpson dropped to work on a few things - most likely his disposal and two way running, I'm not sure there was ever talk of trading him last year. I see him more like Angus Brayshaw, getting dropped a few times and coming back better. If Gaff was staying at the Eagles now they'd probably be looking to trade out one of their mids to keep him. Probably Masten. It's not that we just give him away but we work out who's coming in and going out and if he has value.

They'd get free agent compensation the next year. He'd also get no cash. I doubt that will happen. Easier for him to go through the motions, get paid whatever it is he's currently getting paid and then find an injury around mid year like Lynch did. Or he might end up playing forward similar to Frawley. I think the Suns are willing to trade. I also think May would be lucky to get a contract big enough to trigger more than a mid first round compensation pick next year unless the AFL are very generous - and they've given the Suns enough this year that they don't need to be. I'm confident Pick 10 will do it.

Was it Maynard's 15 disposals tagging Ablett, 18 disposals on debut playing wing and half forward against the Giants or the copious times he had 25+ touches in the VFL in his first season of footy in years that convinced you he can't find the footy? There's also no way you could describe Tyson's ball use as reasonably well. Maynard has a lot of work to do but he has the one thing Tyson is very unlikely to ever get back - the athleticism to play AFL. The quick burst basketball steps are needed to compete in tight, Dom doesn't have it, so they play him on a wing, but that's even worse because if he's beaten on the outside guys can run passed him. Plus now he's required to hit his targets more by getting the ball in space and his kicking this year was abysmal. Tyson is depth, and if you can get something back for depth and bring in what you need then it's an easy decision

Cox killed Oscar as a forward, that's why we need a full back who can beat him like Barrass did. Not convinced Grundy did anything different than what he always does - cheat in the ruck with terrible technique and copious holding, then follow up excellently at ground level before mostly shanking kicks. Weideman wasn't playing then was he? He looked really good in the ruck to me, I'd put him in against Grundy where he can follow up at ground level, then use Gawn to destroy Cox. The two rucks can work but what the Eagles really did well was drag Gawn and Grundy way away from the ball and then kick away from them. They can do that because their key defenders and key forwards are so strong in the air they don't need aerial support. We go the other way and want to use Max as a target or defender as much as possible. The remaining Eagles did enough to get allow Lycett and Vardy to drag Grundy away, if the Pies mids were on top Grundy would've been in play. It also relies on excellent forward pressure from the other forwards and especially the talls. The Eagles get a lot of pressure from Kennedy and Darling. Weideman looks ok in that regard and can improve as he gets fitter and stronger. T Mc has his limitations but always keeps chasing. Will they be good enough to chase and cover for a ruck up forward? I'm not sure.

Damaging to who? He runs hard to get the ball and he has clean reliable hands over head and in traffic. That's a useful player even if unsuited to the wing. Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw and Harmes are the starting mids, but we can cover them with Petracca, Vanders (if he stays), Nath Jones (short term next year should be young enough to provide some inside midfield cover), Maynard - who's both overrated and underrated on here but can play if given a chance and even ANB or Salem if required. Plus inside mid is the easiest position to pick up a state league or delisted player.

Not sure Kent moving affects Tyson. Vanders does and so does the ability to land KK and potentially 1 more ready to play outside mid. If we Vanders goes and we find 2 replacements then Tyson goes. If Vanders stay and we add KK then Tyson goes as well. He might have value now. After next season barring improvements or change in position I can't see him having any trade value. So if we can cash in on his value now we should. Anything top 40 in the draft or of similar value would be enough to me.

Tampa, Seattle, KC