pantaloons

Firstly, I haven't heard that Dawes doesn't want to come to us, and secondly, I would choose the Dogs over Melbourne if I was in his situation. He's going to be a key target for the Dogs for the foreseeable future. At Melbourne, he can run around at CHF next year and then gradually see his senior appearances diminish as Hulk Hogan begins his reign of terror. If he was making a decision about putting himself in the best side, it's Collingwood. If he wants to give himself the best chance at a prolonged career, he should choose Footscray.

Would prefer Prickle - younger, more pace.

Damian Barrett tweeting that Melbourne is moving closer on a deal for Pedersen.

Roflcoptering as we speak. We'd have to get pick 24 back in that deal, otherwise it'd be the worst trade in MFC history.

I'm uneasy about trading Martin. We're left with three full-time ruckmen, one of whom is next to useless and another who has had half as many ACL injuries as AFL games.

Surely Ben-Hur was making that up for a laugh. Surely.

If that's the case, I look forward to overwhelmed Demonland profanity filters breaking down as you describe the kicking skills of our current list. Anyway, welcome to the club, Dom Barry.

Scoop, you've convinced me. I've been keen on getting Dawes across but my one concern was the one you raise with there being no room for Dawes with Clark and Hogan in the forwardline. I think you're right, and surely it has crossed Dawes' mind since the Hogan deal was completed that the very thing that is making him want to leave Collingwood, being effectively replaced, is going to be an issue for him at the MFC before his contract expires at the end of 2014. If we do keep 20 and use it on a mid though, we still have a gaping cavity at CHF. Can someone who has spent precious hours of their life watching North Melbourne games please inform me as to how much of an upgrade over Sellar Pedersen would be? If he can perform the role semi-adequately and come across for a fourth or fifth rounder, then that's the way I'm leaning now.

This is a day old so I don't know if it came up elsewhere, but... http://boundforglorynews.com/?p=1147 Under the heading 'Rivers to become a Cat'. I don't know how reputable the source is, but Rohan Connolly pumps up their tyres on twitter. A bit of a lol beginning the article with 'Melbourne's hellish season continues'. While it'll be sad if he goes, we'll be compensated, and if we had been dead keen to keep him, he wouldn't have been in the death row 11 who werent getting their contracts renewed until after the season, as leaked to the paper in August.

That doesn't sound very cheap to me, old. Ray has played 9 seasons and would have 4 left, tops. If we went with those players being exchanged, I'd for for some pick movement in the right direction. As for Wellingham, more than happy for him to go elsewhere.

It would be membership-snapping madness to trade #4 away now. We have to select a midfielder with it. There are only a handful of midfielders aged 18-22 who we could justify trading it for, and no club would go for it.

Tomorrow's forecast: early drizzle with clouds clearing by midday, blue skies in the afternoon. Good times. I'm impatient and therefore wish we could get Hogan straight in there next year, but good on the club. Gun midfielder at 4 please.

The sooner Rivers and Moloney make their minds up, the sooner we get an idea of what our free agency compo would likely be and can make a better decision about whether to dilute or lose it with further free agency signings.

Well, the Hogan deal is close: Melbourne Demons set sights on young WA gun Jesse Hogan It does look like 3 and 13 for Hogan, Barry and 20.

I wonder if Melbourne had gotten used to the idea of Rivers and Moloney both leaving and netting us a pick around 27. I doubt we'll get much if it's just Moloney in for Byrnes. Not that I'm hoping Rivers leaves, but it just impacts on our pick situation.

The delisted FA period is separate to the FA period currently underway. It runs in November once the first list lodge meant is done on October 31.

That's great - thanks. I wonder if the deal would be 3 + 13 for Hogan + 20 + Barry or if 20 comes off the table.

Oh I see. So GWS have access to him but no one else does unless they enter into a trade with the Giants? I look forward to seeing how this pans out.

Can someone with a degree in rocket science please explain how this works?

On the bright side, if it happens that way, Dawes for 20 is a lot more palatable than Dawes for 13. Collingwood can take that or leave it, and unless they've got some creative accountants at Vic Park, dealing him is surely a necessity. Even with the Dogs moving up to 21, we still have that covered with 20.

I had been counting down the days until today. That is how sad my life is. Sheer farce. I don't understand it.

That's about right pick-wise, so it'll either be that or Big Stef off to Eddieland. Maybe swap fourth rounders. That's hilarious. Gotta love pre-trade posturing. I'm keen to see Dawes come across and I think we should be able to get something sorted. There have been some wacky comments from the Pies lately though, such as the one you've mentioned, and Eddie's Wellingham comments.

I don't know why Melbourne would be looking at this sort of trade until 10.05am on Monday once we know what pick we'll be using for Viney. This trade would start to sound sane if it was pick 26 instead of 14, but even then it's not even.

No. The point was, the article offers nothing to suggest we would trade him or that he would want to go. This could've written about any player in the league.

In other news, Lance Franklin will be traded if he and Hawthorn so desire.