Ouch!

Whilst I know the title of the thread is about players who might request a trade, putting players like Kent, ANB, and Salem on this list is interesting because even players who are best 22 players will be shopped around or traded for 'upgrades'. The club and the list development is about getting depth, and a strong list will throw up opportunities for players to request trades to go elsewhere, but also for the club to have a valuable currency during the trade period. I could quite easily picture a player like the ones mentioned above be offered as part of a trade in years to come, regardless of whether they have cracked the 22 or not. As we become a destination club, and the list becomes stronger, our players also become more valuable by extension.

I too thought there could be a chance Vince could retire, depends how close we run to finals.... Lumumba is another spot I had forgotten about, but I reckon Pederson, Trenners and Garland will need everything to go right before getting offered a contract for 2018.

Don't points get reduced from their first pick in the draft? it's not the clubs call to assign where they come from.... At the end of next year they will get a assigned the pick in the draft that is commensurate to their ladder position, and then 1000 points will be deducted from that pick to determine their actual pick. The thing is... they still need to reduce their list next year so offload more budding stars for high picks anyway, and if they are the favorites for the premiership and win it next year, they won't give a toss about the penalties.

It's also interesting that Geelong and Hawthorn players are the ones being vocal at this point, they used the tactic a lot more than other clubs, and when you look at their rucks you can see why they needed to. Stanley at Geelong is more a ruck forward, and Ceglar is an honest tryer for the Hawks. McEvoy is a bit better than that to be fair, but hasn't really ever set the world alight. I am also interested to see the impact this might have on a player such as Watts, or Trengove @ Port in the ruck as the secondary ruck option, they are not going to get crunched by the third man up, they'll be undersized but it might create less risk putting them in there than previously would have been the case.

How do we know they haven't spoken and made their peace? and to be honest, it has stuff all to do with any of us. This is between Garry, Billy and his ex-wife and the families involved. I still have no idea why a single party has been painted to be the bad guy in all of this, there are clearly more than one party involved in this whole saga, and no indication of a lack of consent, so blame should be proportionate also. Garry and Billy's relationship is likely damaged beyond repair and won't ever be the same, caused a lot of pain for all of the people involved, and has been magnified to the extreme by the media who can't get enough of this! Let it be! Glad he is back calling the football in 2017.

Rather than go into a huge amount of detail I'll agree with those saying that our list is in a better spot, we have better depth, but perhaps more importantly I think we have finalised a few contracts that would have cost us a bit in player payments, and whilst Hibberd & Lewis would be on a decent coin, I would think that we would have a healthy enough buffer in our cap to make a play at a good free agent next year (along with a lot of clubs mind you!) Only caveat here would be Lumumba and what happens with him and his settlement. Equally as a comparison point, there are not a lot of players that I can say are 'lucky' to still be on our list anymore, or who should be 'playing for their future!' Last year there were probably 6-8 players, now I can't think of more than 2 (which I don't think is fair to name up in the pre-season or in Goodwin's first year as coach where all players get a chance to impress)

.... can we start the footy season again? I didn't think I'd say it, but I am questioning why we even play test cricket, the players all say it's the epitome of the game, and the purest version of the game, but they get paid more to be playing for franchises, it's less stressful on their bodies, and it's a bigger and better spectacle for the crowds. surely those facts alone suggest that test cricket is dead... I have almost 0% interest in it these days.

It's a reality of the game, Port are heading to China, Gold Coast play in Cairns, Hawks to Launceston, North to Hobart, GWS to Manuka. Even the Swans and the Lions to a lesser degree ask to get games in Melb to acknowledge their origins. If it means we get a couple of fixed games against teams that wouldnt draw huge numbers here, and we grow our base (and remember we have a zone in the NT) and get a good return then rather than harping on about 'selling games' accept it is a part of the landscape and embrace it. Both of these games are winnable, and the return match after Darwin is something that the club should know how to deal with now, so its a non issue.

Thats probably partly to do with Roos and his view that he would prefer to move a person on with a year to go in a contract as the player has more currency (to the club they are leaving) than when they are out of contract.

.. the player in the Como? I have no idea what that means sorry?

Would anyone here accept a straight trade for Fyfe if it was presented as an option?

The fact that he has head back to Perth isn't anything other than returning home to family and friends after the season finishes, not as if he isn't able to be contacted by his manager or the club. I agree that if we were to lose him it needs to be based on this year rather than next to ensure the best return from Freo, but I haven't given up on him. Also think the main reason he put off contract talks was to wait and see what the new wage agreement looked like, if anything that being dragged out by the AFL is more the issue for Hogan rather than stay or go home factors. He has a contract for next year, his manager wants to see what that looks like before negotiating a contract. People need to chill, he will be a great player, his kicking will get sorted out, and lets hope its him kicking goals for the MFC.

I agree WB, I think other than Hibberd, we might get involved in a three way trade as a circuit breaker, but I am thinking we'll be pretty quiet unless someone approaches us with a offer too crazy to refuse. Jason Taylor to show his worth by having a draft without any picks at the top of the draft...

Perhaps because in order to get a good player you have to give up a good player. If we are remotely serious about trying to get into someone like Prestia, O'Meara or Mitchell, I suspect we would be required to move a young gifted player (or two) and picks in order to satisfy needs. Tyson, Salem, Kent, Brayshaw, Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Hogan, Hunt, Weidemann. Probably our best 10 young players... Gold Coast potentially losing 2 of their best 6. Mitchell could be rated in the top 6-8 young players at the Swans and is just coming into his prime. I can see that this is what it would take to get the clubs to release these players... can't say I want to do the trade though. Gold Coast don't want picks, they don't need more picks, they need experienced players coming into their prime, they have a heap of picks this year already. Salem *could* be attractive trade bait, except hasn't been on the park to justify it yet...

Tend to agree, and what else it provides is depth. I don't recall to many times in the last 5-6 years where we can say that we had 3-5 players that could be considered unlucky not to get a game for the seniors. This year ANB, Grimes and latter in the year Trengove... possibly Michie, White, Newton, Garland, Dunn and the like that were getting games although NOT knocking the door down to be selected who can't get a game now even when in form. I see the role that Hibberd can play, Melksham too, but we are accumulating a lot of half back flankers that can run and take on the game. In the past though, we haven't had a lot that delivered the ball well...

I see Salem as a smaller version of Jack Watts, excellent skills, evasive, good footy brain. However on the flip side, development has been a bit stunted (for different reasons) and I'm not clear where his best position is. So my primary concern is that he won't be afforded the same amount of time in terms of development as Jack's because as a midfielder you don't get the same luxury. We pulled the pin quickly... and correctly on Toumpas and he was a top five pick. Salem also doesn't seem to be a big accumulator of possessions, so what he does with those possessions will be the key. I like Salem, and would not like to lose him, but if I am to be honest players like him, ANB, AVB, Trengove, Harmes, White, JKH etc are going to be a considered as tradeable at the end of the year if we are looking to be a part of any of the trades surrounding Prestia, O'Meara, Mitchell etc. These players are not going for picks, and lets face it even those players are not going to cut it. We won't be trading Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver, Viney, Weid or Hogan to secure them ... My gut feel is that we are going to be a fringe player in trade week, and not in the market for those guys we have our sights on one or two players, and backing in the players on the list to grow together, we might be part of a couple of three way trades where other clubs need us. A lot of people commenting that we are a destination club, and whilst things are turning in that direction, we have to focus on securing Hogan first. We haven't achieved anything yet...

Don't think that's quite right. Clubs nominate who they want as their marque players and the AFL makes the call. Daisy is extremely likely to be ours, Tayla is likely to be Brisbanes. But she isn't signed up as theirs yet. I think Brisbane got told they couldn't sign her yet, even though they tried to say she was. She is currently working for Brisbane I thought... But she can't be signed up as a player.

and I think you are kidding yourself if you think that Jones would not have fit into any of those. 2011, Jones would have been better than Varcoe and Stokes at the very least 2012 O Keefe was a flanker, Parker played as a forward 2013 Shiels and Sewell would have been behind him 2014... Langford ahead of Jones?? ... and that is me being very critical, I suspect Jones would have been ahead or at the very least equal to several others you have listed.

I think his point is that it is disrespectful to say that premiership sides have 8 elite mids each of whom are better than Jones... I am struggling to think of a team that has 8 midfielders in the elite category... possibly GWS are getting close with their list, but I don't think the Hawks, Swans or Geelong have that many. 4-5 yes... not 8.

By going through the hard times, it would make the good times all the more worth it. We just need to improve and build as a group. MFC has identified the nucleus of the team that they want to take them forward, it is starting to rely less on players such as Jones having to be the best player on the ground, and he can focus on being a leading the team to greater things. Hogan knows this, and I'm pretty confident that his intentions are to stay, and I don't begrudge him waiting until the new bargaining arrangement has been resolved between the AFLPA and the AFL before committing. Once that's sorted, I'd be amazed if TMac, Hogan and Watts aren't signing up soon afterwards.

He might have asked the coaches (and that Burgo chap) to keep the announcement low key and to not make a big deal of it. Strikes me as the type that would want to just play football and get on with it. Find out soon enough I guess

I have no problem that Frost was started up in attack, he trained there in the preseason, but with Dawes back playing, and Weideman and Huelett coming on well, its not a bad thing for Frost to go back. Garland and Dunn have not been in career best form it's fair to say, and OMac is not quite ready for a spot either. Roos alluded in one of his press conferences last week that with a lot of players in form trying to push into the seniors that the coaches had to give them other tasks in other roles to give them the best chance of playing seniors. Grimes is playing more wing & HF. They gave Michie a chance at HB. It makes sense that they play Frost in defence to get another chance also.

That footyfeed thing on the AFL site seemed to indicate that Oliver looked sore or injured. Anyone know anything on that?? Didn't look like he was running very freely.

Viv following a similar career path to Nev Jetta in that dropped from the senior list onto the rookie list and working his arse off knowing that it's his last chance. A lot of players get cut from the list altogether and have to fight back from the state leagues... much harder path as you are not under the eyes of the AFL coaches, just talent scouts. Good luck to Viv, and I hope he makes the best of the opportunity. I thought it would be either Grimes or Viv that got the call up. I reckon a few more changes this week to come yet, can't see Trenners coming in after the Roos comment (but I did like the fact we are giving him time to play good footy, Trenners knows it's his last contracted year so he has to perform at some point.) ANB could come in as rewards for good effort, maybe Stretch who had a good game last week too. If the comments about TMac are true last weekend, I'd love for the coaches to drop him for not playing 'team footy' and possibly bring in OMac, but don't think they have the balls to do it. More confident this week than I was last week. Our midfield I think can match theirs, set Viney to play head to head and beat Ablett Keep a close eye on Lynch. Exploit their problems down back and most importantly gotta use the chance to sell ourselves on the footy field to one D Prestia. Give him no doubt as his preferred destination next year with a very solid performance!

For those thinking about ANB coming in, I suspect that as good as his form might be, the club has him earmarked as a mid and not a flanker. So I suspect that for him to make his way into the team you are going to need an injury to Viney, N Jones, Tyson etc... he's not going to be coming in to replace Harmes, Hunt etc. Roos said Petracca would now be selected based on form, not fitness which should suggest he gets a game pretty soon, however with a loss to Willy, and Petracca being good, but not great could mean he doesn't get a game till Gold Coast in the following week. Trengove was solid again, and would be great to see both come back into the seniors together. Frost and Wagner Out Trengove and Petracca In, Oliver to have a run in the twos and will be back very soon.