DeeSpencer

Turns 30 in December. Hawthorn would offload him for anything decent ie. a 3rd rounder. Pressure is still decent but that's about all he's got. I think forward pressure is a young mans game, and it's also a team effort. Garlett, ANB and probably Harmes are the incumbent pressure players - when on they are all pretty decent tacklers. I'm keen to see Vanders back. Think we can get something from Melksham or Balic on a flank. Talls need to do much more. Probably looking at one more pressure player. DJ the one on the list for that role. I'd go the draft for another speedy tackler.

Melbourne give: 2017 1st round (pick 10) 2018 1st round 2017 2nd round (pick 27) Melbourne get: Jake Lever 2017 1st round (pick 18) - from Brisbane via Charlie Cameron Given the strength of the 2018 draft and our unpredictable results - we could finish with pick 6-16 I'd say, it's a strong no deal from me. I think Charlie Cameron might be worth more than pick 18. If Brisbane are willing to pay pick 12 for him - he's in contract - then that's a deal I'd be willing to consider, although I'd rather keep pick 10. I'd also like some kind of swap of 3rd or 4th rounders just as a show of good faith back. Pretty much, if the 2018 first rounder is in play then the Crows need to show us some love back the other way. We also better make sure Jason Taylor has some quality names on his first round draft board. If he's not beating the table excited about a range of names available for pick 12 then it's a no deal.

As long as we don't have to pay any of Watts' salary it's a yes from me. I think a big reason the Cats are saying no is they want cash relief in the deal as well.

I doubt he's offloaded for cash but I'm convinced it's a factor. Got to have extra room to keep bringing guys in and money tied up in Hogan, T McDonald, Weids and Watts is a lot for 4 forwards when you might only play 2. The first we heard of Watts getting traded was after Frost unexpectedly re-signed. To me it was an indication that Tom McDonald was going to be a forward and they had to ship one out.

I'd be open to Clarke if he really is healthy and cheap. He rarely got to play as the number 1 ruck for Freo and played injured a fair bit. He's not a forward at all and was played there quite a bit. He has (or had) the size and athleticism to play as a mobile ruck and that's still a rare commodity.

I'd put that difference down to key forwards and the expectations on them. Balic can be useful half forward, wing, back, midfield and there's probably 8 players spots in the team he could get a game in. I expect he'll be competing for a spot in the team very early in the season. Schache might be 4th in line as a key forward behind Hogan, McDonald and Pedersen. Heck maybe even 5th behind Weeds, and we might go with only 2 tall forwards. He also probably won't want to give up the decent cash contract he signed mid year.

I think in this draft kicking 7 in the TAC grand final and having good athletic ability won't get passed pick 30. Maybe even top 20. Not sure about the name but the guy can play.

Terrible against Port, North and GWS on return from injury. Pretty ordinary against North and Hawthorn early in the year in important games. Was forced to ruck against Geel and Richmond after injuries to Gawn/Spencer in games and in both games he was great when going in the ruck for a quarter or so before being completely spent. I understand it isn't his position but after nearly a decade in the game he should've been able to compete for longer against Zac Smith and Nankervis. EDIT: It's really unfair to hold the games back from injury against him as he wasn't right and counting them in his B+F total is harsh as well, doesn't tell the full story. I'd be more interested in why he was so bad in those games than putting weight on it. Bad injury management from Watts or the club? Bad selection by the coaches or by Watts saying he was right to play? Bad offseason leading to poor fitness base or not?

177cm and not getting any bigger or harder at it and butchers it. Goodwin has said he doesn't categorise midfielders as inside and outside, although I don't fully agree with that I can see the game shifting from the Hawks style of getting it out to runners to a more consistent run of players across the field. Inside mids without pace were found out this year as the game got faster. We really need some pace and endurance in the midfield mix but I don't think we are that desperate are we? If we want a running machine type isn't there one out there with either size or skills (if not both).

Hard to know and judge on the first 7 years of his career but he had a great preseason going in to the 2016 season and had a career best year. Followed it with a poor preseason and an up and down year consistent with earlier in his career. There's lots to debate about his role in the team, his role at the club, his value as a player etc but trading him will depend on (a reasonable pick ensuing) if you forgive him for a poor summer and expect him to not produce the same thing again or not.

Nope. Had one good year at half back for the Eagles but otherwise has been a disappointment. At 29 I doubt he turns it around.

Every team takes chances on other teams cast offs. We really had no midfield when Michie, Newton and Riley came on board, all worth a go. Ben Kennedy we swapped in for Toumpas. Hardly a costly move and if our list hadn't progressed we could've easily played him more and kept him for another year. As for Balic being a state league player, in his second year this year: 2 state league games, 4 AFL games before a lay off with personal leave, then first game back in 8 weeks in the WAFL he had 27 touches. He's a promising youngster and the concern is more his injury and personal stuff than him being a state league talent.

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Have you confused Josh Gibson and Sam Gibson? We don't need either.

That's why he has to go. You can't have senior players who are so inconsistent through seasons that they deserve to be or have to be dropped. Building a side usually takes multiple years of guys playing together regularly and adding to that. Also the reality is you can't just drop Watts at the MFC. He's too high profile these days and missed that development time. It makes a story every time he's dropped. At a new club he could fight to earn his spot in a much fairer way. Also we'll get a decent pick for Watts and either back JT to find us a player better than a fringe player or possibly on trade a mid 2nd rounder and the spare Watts cash for a Hibberd (or possibly a Melksham) and get a more consistent hardened player without the weight of expectation.

On the Lever money issue I think if he plays like a 750k player there won't be any issues. That's every chance of happening. Prestia was bought to Richmond on big money and people weren't happy mid way through the year but after a solid end to the year and obviously the team success no one is questioning it now.

I think he's right that players should try to maximise their wage whilst also understanding quality of life is important, as is family, as is injury management, as is development etc. The most money up front isn't always the smartest money. Same with his take on loyalty. AFL clubs can be very loyal in terms of caring for players post career, looking after families, taking the high road defending players. Loyalty is a key part of business - when you treat people right as a business they keep coming back. Players who do their best for clubs will be rewarded with longer deals, clubs who do their best for players will often see those players happy to stay. He's spot on about when players have no value they'll be moved on, I think it's overplayed as a modern concept, that's been happening in footy for decades.

He's soft as butter and mentally weak. A few good hits and a tag and his March form disappears every year. We need outside run but not at the cost of adding a player who will go to water in September (if we make ever make it). Get our young mids fitter and faster and then look for some running players in the draft rather than take on speculative types.

The end of year Misson injury update stated that they finally got a correct diagnosis and surgery for his heel condition this year after he carried it all through 2016 and that he was back running. There's no way of knowing if he's 100% until he's back training and playing but it's clearly on the right path.

They might because they are keen to avoid having to use a good pick on father-son Patrick Naish. If they upgrade one pick to 10 before any team bids on him then they get to pick a guy they want before giving up later picks for Naish anyway. I think they'll ideally want to hold one over for next years stronger draft but if that's not achievable they might want pick 10 now to get someone in like a good midfielder who can given them a bit of extra depth for another September run.

750k isn't that much these days and I'm sure it will be frontloaded. You pay extra to get a guy, there's no doubting that and it doesn't necessarily throw out your payment schedule for the rest of the players. In terms of established senior players I think the likes Jones, Hibberd, Jetta, Garlett, Tommy Mc, Gawn, Lewis, Viney and Tyson should be signed and sealed on generous contracts, why should they complain about getting in a good player? There's room to sign Petracca, Oliver and Hogan to deals worth more than Lever's if they prove superior players. Lever is already one of the best in his position and in the AA squad. A versatile intercepting defender might not be as flashy as a key forward or midfielder but it might be just as important the way footy is played these days. The Dogs paid a lot more for Tom Boyd and it didn't stop them winning a flag.

Had the club made any comment before Watts and his manager were spotted in Adelaide having a meeting with Port? Watts isn't the type of player you would sign without kicking the tyres, so there's no real way of gauging clubs interest in him and vice-versa without it leaking. Unfortunately it leaked and Goodwin had media commitments. It should calm down a bit now until he picks a club - if he does end up having interest elsewhere. Then a trade might get ugly.

Dismal effort against the Hawks early in the year saw him sent back to Casey, but I thought his 3 games later in the year offered a bit. He knows where the ball is going and knows how to link up. Size and speed limitations mean he's a high half forward/midfielder and not that kind of forward pressure or goal kicker some have imagined at times. If he can nail his kicks under pressure he'll stay on the list for longer. We'll see if the balance, composure and calmness to hang in with heat coming his way develops in preseason.

Agree. The Tigers are quick and fit on every line and more importantly smart and disciplined so they were moving in to position perfectly. Early on Adelaide were winning but the Tigers always got the first number back in space to help out as well as keep pressure around the ball. You could see the windows for Adelaide to kick in to were shrinking and they were afraid of one on ones because Tigers always had position to cover off and help. It certainly takes hard running and smarts in space but it starts with pressure at the contest without over-committing numbers. The Dogs mastered this with machine learning teachings, I'm not sure if the Dogs did the same or if it was a human factor - that of old fashioned team work and chemistry, particularly with the forwards. I think having every forward working hard and pressuring makes them predictable and reliable to each other and then you start getting that chemistry where one pressures and the others take care of the outlets. It's where our pressure falls down - at times Garlett gets overly aggressive whilst Hogan and Watts don't chase and then others get left in the lurch.

IF the Dees were in the Grand Final then I'd hope Cam Bruce, Brad Miller, Adem Yze etc were all there watching and cheering the boys on. I'm more concerned that they wouldn't be than that Chaplin - 1 year post retirement - was watching the Tigers.