Macca

Yeah but they are playing hard ball and we probably won't get what we want

Well Sydney don't rank him too highly as they've only offered pick 46 The question is ... do Sydney want him that badly?

Grundy turns 30 early next year and is on a combined $4Million deal for 4 years ($300k covered by the Pies) If we were in need of a first choice ruckman would we be prepared to pay that amount of money plus give away a pick in 20's? For a 30yo ruckman with limitations? Can't play back or forward? A pick in the 30's is probably going to happen

Yes but equally, do we value Grundy? If so, how on earth does Schache get preferred to Grundy?

Of course the Pies are still liable I'm talking about paying a percentage of $700k if we want a better placed draft pick (in theory) My reading of the deal is that the Swans need Grundy but we need him off the books ... so a compromised solution could be reached

The Swans opening offer of 46 and us having Schache as the sub before Grundy was quire pointed If we somehow get a pick in the 20's we might be liable to pay some of Grundy's salary (as the Pies did)

I think you'll find we are (or were) Pies $300k

@layzie @Gorgoroth @JV7 @DeeSpencer @Go the Biff @titan_uranus @BDA @Dr. Gonzo @Clintosaurus @DemonDave @Dee Zephyr @Dappa Dan 1 point on offer this week (the bonus point on offer as well) Leaderboard Tipping Comp 3 - Dr. Gonzo, Clintosaurus, DeeSpencer*, Macca* 2 - DemonDave, Go the Biff, layzie 1 - Gorgoroth 0 - Everyone else 🤔 * Denotes 1 bonus point awarded The Eagles & 49ers look to be the standout road chances but it's not an easy week for road winners Not many great match-ups either ... perhaps Seattle @ Cinci or Colts @ Jags. Lions @ Bucs looks alright and MNF could be close

Game 2 vs South Africa on Thursday around 7pm on 9Gem and then the main channel (Ch9) later in the evening A must win otherwise we'll be 0 & 2 with 7 games to play South Africa smashed Sri Lanka in their first game with 3 of their players making a century!

Time will tell but the salary is relevant as it's for another 4 years ... so close enough to $3Million. It's a big commitment for Sydney and we won't be wanting to be paying a percentage of Brodie's salary as the Pies are My view is we'll get a pick somewhere in the 30's and that will be the end of it

In an earlier post I mentioned that Grundy filled in admirably when Max was injured But that was then and once the decision was made to go solo with Max, that was the end of Brodie ... to a point where he was actively looking elsewhere and indeed meeting with clubs in the season proper So we showed our hand and played our hand. So ideally, the Swans pay all of his $700k per annum salary but they may not want to give us a decent draft pick in return We payed pick 25 or thereabouts to Collingwood but we'll do well to get that sort of pick if Sydney pay his full salary - just my view

You want to give $700k per annum to a player who has clearly checked out? There's also a chance that we may need the salary space if we trade a player in

We need Grundy off the books and the Swans know it. Equally, they need a ruckman but it's going to cost them around $700k per year for his services Pick 11 (or better) if he was an established contracted senior player with us but he isn't ... he plays at Casey. In plain sight A pick in the mid to late 20's or 30's will get the deal done

Grundy wasn't treated badly at all It simply didn't work out so he got dropped. That's footy. A bruised ego? He'll get over it We tried to make the him a more versatile player but as it turned out, he's a ruckman/follower and that's it His value came to the fore when Max got injured early in the season and the replacement ruckman in place of Grundy will need to play a similar role He'll get moved on and off the books and we'll get market value back in return And let's not forget that he got paid close on $700k for services rendered Similar to James Jordon who is a reasonable player who couldn't nail down a permanent spot ... so he moves on No big deal either way. Clubs make experimental moves on a constant basis and there's no better example of that than drafting unproven (at AFL level) teenage talent ... sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. That's the cut and thrust of recruiting

It's the sort of sport where the skaters consistently fall or trip each other up So when he won, he'd lost the speed in his legs which turned out to be an advantage as he was always going to be off the pace (in the SF & Final) He also won his SF in the same manner and wasn't even expected to advance to the final ... so he lucked out twice after being dreadfully unlucky in previous Olympics Most people would be unaware of all the details but who follows short course speed skating? But 'Doing a Bradbury' has become folklore now As for how it relates to the Demons? At the end of 2020 not many of us here were envisaging a flag in 2021 ... in fact, most wanted the coach gone and a flag seemed a million miles away (save for the views of the extreme optimists) But we won and now we get annoyed that we haven't won another one yet!!

Yes and in 2 previous Olympics Bradbury was highly rated and heavily favoured to medal (or win) but hit the deck both times in identical fashion to what happened to his competitors when he won What goes around comes around (in this case, quite literally)

India produce a wicket that spins a bit and we don't play spin well ... thus, they win But the format is that we have one big group of 10 with all the teams playing each other once (9 games each team) The top 4 go through to the SF's so 7 wins probably gets a berth (maybe 6 wins at a stretch) Next up is South Africa then Sri Lanka and then Pakistan

Extended highlights ... Jaguars @ Bills (London) Texans @ Atlanta Bears @ Washington

Yeah that's going to be hard to top, JB Historically we've endeavoured to move picks up in the draft so we could do something with pick 13 ... if it is another midfielder that we're looking at somewhere in the top 10 might suffice

Spurs top of the table! Best start since 1960 apparently It's already looking like a race in 4 unless Man Utd & Chelsea can get on a roll Arsenal vs Man City tonight might tell a story if either team wins but Liverpool can't afford to drop points at Brighton. Villa can make things interesting if they can keep winning (at Wolves tonight) Hammers vs Newcastle rounds things out tonight as well

And just like that we lose a wicket ... always the way on this thread, d4!! They've got 3 world class spinners in their team on a wicket that is taking spin. 230 - 270 tops but can we defend that sort of total? Edit: we're in allsortsa! (currently 5-120 off 30 overs)

Chiefs Eagles Bengals

There are some good match-ups this week including Eagles @ Rams, Jags @ Bills (London) & KC @ Vikings but SNF is a beauty ... Dallas @ San Francisco The winner can gain an advantage with regards to playoff position so a lot riding on the result Packers @ Vegas (MNF) could be an interesting game and the early Sunday game between old rivals (Ravens @ Steelers) could get willing as well NFL Week 5 Preview

Well said Steven May! A straight shooter who walks the walk. Pressure is a good thing if harnessed the right way. Goodwin, Gawn & co would have loved what May had to say I hope we play them twice in the H & A next season. The rivalry is back and they're the villain. Bring it on!

Gut feeling is that we get hold of pick 4 and then try and trade up with 4 & 5 And then draft 2 topline midfielders with excellent disposal skills ... let the 2 draftees learn from the best (Petracca, Oliver, Viney & Brayshaw) We need to look to the future and we may not get another chance at the top end of the draft for quite some time Petracca can play forward, and Brayshaw can play shallow back (defensive midfielder) Viney & Oliver being the 2 main extractors Forward flankers can be attacking midfielders (Petracca & ?) whilst back flankers can be defensive midfielders with an attacking mindset (Salem, Rivers - maybe Sparrow) Our 2 wingmen will likely stay as they are but Brayshaw could fill the role as a wingman with aplomb as he has done previously With Brown & T-Mac likely to play on along with Petty, JVR & Smith fit and raring to go, our existing forward stocks can work. And Jefferson could be decent too (down the track) Not forgetting Fritsch, Petracca & Kozzie as forwards. We just need our forwards to remain on the field So we need to cash in if we end up with 2 picks at the top end of the draft So for those who are all over the potential top 8 draftees (i.e. midfielders), what's the standard like?