DeeSpencer

I doubt the Saints will trade pick 12, more likely a 2nd rounder and pay all of Shiel’s contract. When Shiel’s true value is a 3rd rounder and the bombers chipping in 200k Essendon will still getting be overs and using that to pay Gresham overs. 2 teams working together to use salary cap space to create draft a high draft pick. Gross.

Our future first is on the table, probably with pick 13 or whatever it is and a 2nd rounder maybe for something back. The Dogs have a stronger hand and North be even stronger than that. It’s a lot for what might end up picks 6 or 7 and drafting back to back in that range of this draft makes me nervous.

TB says Leon Cameron happy to remain in Sydney. Let’s hope he is

Does he come with a Time Machine to get him back to 2018. He’s cooked

I’d imagine a ruck would care that he’s joining 2 All Aus 23 year old mids who will be the future leaders of a club. Could also see the question of where Wines and Jonas are Personally I imagine lifestyle is a factor but also the Swans game plan suits Grundy better, as does the SCG

So, how about we pay 200k of Grundy’s salary for 3-4 years and in return the Swans pay JJ another 200k per year and boost his compo.

Suburban grounds are great Stupid time slot especially with a camera position that was always going to cause a nightmare is the problem

The question is can we pay either out in the 2023 cap? If not, then the payouts mean we keep both on the list for next year and there’s no huge difference between winding them up in October and winding them up in March assuming we have the main list spots. I’ve seen enough with both. But I guess if T Mc wants to do a preseason and can actually impress then we’re paying for it no matter what so might as well have him.

North only offered Brown 3 I think. No one else went 4. But I’m fine with it because he was a crucial cog. It’s more than time for BBB to give it away tho, at this stage playing him is just painful. Would be nice if he’s agreeable and whilst he deserves his money owed could be nice if he’s able to assist the club in other ways to earn it. Without knowing full details Tommy Mc getting his 2022 contracted smoothed and extended to 2024 was a mistake. He played half a dozen good games to start 2021 after doing nothing in 19 and 20. Nothing to end 2021 either. Unless it was vital to sign a big name in 2022 the smoothing of his deal has proven to be a costly error.

Not sure Goody is valued anywhere like a Hardwick or Clarko, but hard to say a coach on the rise shouldn’t attach themselves to the Dees midfield. Reckon the Dees forwards are a huge opportunity too for a good coach to come in and fix them up

Mark McVeigh - started to get the Giants back on track with Himmelberg back and more expansive game plan. Swans academy and Allies coach now so exposed to a lot of elite juniors Stuey Dew - probably prefer him as forwards than mids, don’t like the Suns defensive structures or ball use but their forwards compete hard McQualter - didn’t love his caretaker stint but would like some Richmond ball movement IP

Birch needs to be dropped now so her poor form is arrested before big games. She’s having an awful year

Hawks lining up to own the Mornington Peninsula after a Dingley move

I’d trade for anyone who can be 8 points a game better than T Mc. We also have Grundy going out and surely at least one of the old boys, we need to add at least one tall purely for depth.

If you don’t want to watch Schache or Tom McDonald next year then you really do. (Barring the unlikely event of getting someone really good)

Skills aren’t great but he has physicality and athleticism than Schache doesn’t. One of the best of bad options

Unless it’s used in a different deal I’d probably rather 23 and 32 now than wait a year to use 12-18.

Kositschzke to the Tigers. Thought he was one of the best of the buy low options. Probably just filling the gap for Riewoldt. But Lynch available?

Verrall is a long term option, perfect number 3 right now. Need a number 2. Ideally 23-25 years old with multiple preseasons under his belt JVR played most of his games as the back up this year. I like that it gets him in the game and around the ball. Long term he should end up a forward only.

North Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs have all expressed interest in the West Australian as they prepare for ruckmen to depart during next month's trade period. Someone wake Kelly O’Donnell up from his sleep and let him know we need the Teakle

You have a source that you won’t name or you’re just speculating? JJ’’s all but gone so that’s irrelevant. Id be happy to move on Tommo but the key defenders available are limited, can see more over the last week why they’d keep him.

Something went wrong for Lynch, the Suns stank and were stripping it down and almost entirely starting again. I’m still shocked Jezza Cameron moved but it took a rare combination of Leon Cameron being terrible and Geelong literally selling the farm (to him). Free agency opens opportunities now as players don’t look as bad for sniffing around, but guys are signing 18 months out if they’re happy. I don’t blame our list managers for not getting a big name. I do blame them for not taking more risk/reward chances searching for someone who can do a job.

There’s wasn’t really a time in Larkey’s career when he was out of contract and wouldn’t have had 17 clubs on the phone to him. When we got Brown after 2020 North knew what they had in Larkey and were happy to ship Brown off, there wouldn’t have been a reasonable offer they’d have accepted. Same for this year, we’d surely have offered a boat load of cash and picks, Larkey trusts North’s vision and if they’re really getting more priority picks it’s hard to blame him. They’d have to fire Clarko and hire Neeld to stuff this up. Gun key forwards pretty much only move if something unexpected has gone wrong in their career or for personal reasons. Hogan, Daniher, Buddy and Barry Hall up to Sydney, not really all that many move.

There's danger signs. Game plan clearly is stale and they're having a hard time with the current players migrating from the 2021 plan to a new more expansive, skillful style that creates better scoring options. Plus the personnel: Our elite players are May, Gawn, Viney, Salem, Oliver, Lever, Petracca. 2 are very much in veteran territory now: Gawn is slowing down and we are unlikely to have a great back up. May, slow start to the year, epic finish 2 more might have to change roles: Viney had a great year but a year that ended with him butchering it. There's an argument he has to go forward now and be used in midfield bursts like Taylor Adams, we just can't have so many costly Jack turnovers. Tracc might have to be a forward/mid too if he continues his inconsistent defensive pressure. I'd still back him on his day to be the best player in the comp but he might not be a week to week superstar. 3 others: Oliver....where to start, where to finish. No comment Lever...maybe he just isn't that good? Great interceptor on his day but shaky at times and doesn't provide kicking skills or running the ball out skills to match the intercepts Salem - had a nightmare 2 years Do we have any other elite players on our list? Fritsch? Petty? JVR? Pickett? Rivers? Sparrow? Not sure. Now if everything goes well then we nail a new game plan in 2024. We do find out that possibly Petty and Rivers or others are genuinely elite. And we'll have added some real quality in the drafts. So there's hope. But we're much more in to the unknown now than we were these last 2 years IMO.

He looks the second best aerialist of the key forwards I’ve seen in this crop (behind Walter) but the reality is 191cm isn’t a good size. Really hard to make it as a tall forward that size these days, unless you have the ability to get it done on the lead and the ground like Fritter or really good defensive work ethic.