Earl Hood

He might have been involved in announcing the selection but he certainly didnt advocate it. So your point would be

Yes I think Todd has to carry the can for the Toump decision over Wines, can't let Neeldy be the decoy.

Supporters whinging about losing Frawley and not being fairly compensated is perfectly fine.

Considering the AFL haven't exactly bent over for the MFC of late, I understand the concern of supporters.

Also media outlets suggesting last week Frawley would only command 400k - only adds to the concern.

Pick 3 is excellent compensation for a good stoppage backman, with limited skills, poor decision making - and below average execution.

I will certainly be watching Chip with interest to see if these deficiencies suddenly disappear once he has the time and space he never had at MFC as well as support and options all around him in a functioning backline with mid field support. My other interest will be how many games he plays vs Lake. They won't play both of them in the same game too often I would have thought. This is the Hawks bringing in depth at zero cost to them for what is the AFL's near perfect playing list.

Seeing Robbie kick 5 goals in his first September Action was pretty special, 14 years of waiting and not wanting for it to end there pretty much hit the Roos like a freight train in that elimination final at the G in 1987.

Standing in bay 13 I will always remember the roar of the crowd on the members wing during those two fabulous finals wins in 1987 at the Gee whenever Robbie got the ball and went for a run. And then the tragedy at Waverley! Oh well that is life. [censored] The Hawks!

Haven't we just returned to the 80's where the Hawks and Carlton just bought premierships by pillaging tje playing lists of the SANFL and WAFL for nothing except the dollars they could muster. Many other clubs couldn't compete money wise.

Then they could do it because they had the money, now the Hawks have the money but so does everyone else but now they can just pick off the best FA for nothing in trade terms anyway, offering a premiership experience. The salary cap it seems is no impediment to drafting or trading players although it was meant to be.

I find it baffling that that AFLPA are going to push at some stage for the qualification to be reduced to 6 years. Do they seriously not see the damage they are doing to the game?

8 years at least demands good service to the club and time in the "golden years" of 24+. Chip and Buddy are actually good examples of that, I know a lot of people are bitter towards Frawley but the truth is I don't have too much of a problem with him going. That he's going to the team that just won the premiership is a bit of a sting that they can just snap a player up like that, but in terms of him and what he's done at Melbourne I think he's been a good player and served us well in some shocking years. Likewise with Buddy, he was a key component to the Hawks rise and eventually becoming a powerhouse. He gave the Hawks fans A LOT of good memories and as much as the compo was totally under his worth, the Hawks showed that they could cover him.

If the AFLPA succeed in getting 6 year free agency that gets players the opportunity to explore their options at 24 if they are drafting at 18. Right when their coming into their own as a player, after the original club spends time and effort in developing them. If anything the age should be lifted so it does go to what they said it was intended for, getting players who aren't getting a go to their club of choice with no hassle.

If the AFLPA want to go down this path, them forced trading will be opposing force. I don't want to see our game go down the road.

As far as I can tell some good players are exercising their options at 20 or 21, e.g. Gunston. Players out of contract are walking if they want and ask. Why do we need FA at all these days.

Does anybody else have the feeling that we're not gointo get the compensation we expect for James Frawley if he goes to Hawthorn?

He will not be going there on big money, and I don't trust the AFL to look after the Demons. They don't care at all and if Mark Evans has anything to do with the compensation we are going to get he will not look after us. He has a vendetta against Melbourne, because he is too close to Hawthorn. Being a unrestricted free agent, Melbourne has no control on what he will be offered by rival clubs, I think we are going to get something like pick 20.

I am expecting a big kick in the guts when the best side takes one of the best players of the worst side for free on a modest contract that leaves us with a second rounder. Great system.

If you had been a key position back for the MFC for the past 7 years, you reckon you wouldn't be getting the hell out? I don't blame him. Let's just get the best compo and use that correctly.

Wasn't it Kafka and one of his novels,The Trial where people's pictures went missing in Stalin's politburo in the 1930's. what are we becoming? .

Anything over $500k for over 5 years will be band 1.

In 5 years time, $500k will be absolute peanuts for an AFL salary. Ergo, his manager hasn't spent all this time shopping him around (likely to go back to his preferred destinations -- Geelong and Hawks, and tell them what they need to offer) to accept a low-ball offer from Geelong. $550,000 - $600,000 over 5-6 years is roughly where I think he'll be signed.

That Hawthorn and Geelong both want him means they'll bid against one another to get him.

Hope you are right. Then we get tier 1 compo and feel so much better for being shafted!

Well, at least Hawthorn should be able to pay more for Frawley than Geelong would, considering Buddy & Sewell are off the books.

Because it's now almost certain Frawley is not going to Geelong.

But they won't. So we could get screwed here.

Has anyone in the media taken a step back from all this FA, trade frenzy and commented on the injustice of the current system that creates the outrageous situation whereby the two most successful clubs of the last decade are picking over the carcass of the least successful club, squabbling over taking a mature power forward and a fullback in his prime for f-all cost to them.

I could handle this if the AFL had any commitment to equalisation in the long run for all clubs. I am not factoring in tier1 compo at all for Chip until I see it happen.

2014 AFL Offseason ‏@theafloffseason 18h18 hours ago

Both Taylor Hunt and Travis Varcoe have declined an offer to join Melbourne as part of a deal for Mitch Clark.

Good!

This mornings SEN phone poll was "Do you think Geelong should give up its first round draft pick for Mitch Clark"? When I heard it I thought you have got to be kidding. Well the final result was 66% of callers said yes!!

So there you have it, the people have spoken Balmy! Now let's do it.

My only concern is that Franklin got a 9 year 1mil per year contract. Frawley goes to Cats its only 5 years at approx 500k per year. Does that equate to pick 3?

My other worry is that Chip decides on the Hawks who have said they are interested but do not pay overs for anyone. It would be the ultimate kick in the guts if he went to the Dorks for much less on the hope of winning a premiership and in the process dropped to a tier 2!

I don't get it. We move all the admin in together at the G but where do the players train? If it was on the G I say great. But if they still have to run over to Gosch's what is the gain? Or do the players stay at AAMI?

Much as we all feel that Dangerfield will be a big boost to the Club, I am confident that we will see us use picks 2-3 to better effect and gaining 2-4 high calibre players for the midfield or a combination of key position and midfield options, citing last year's Tyson trade as an example.

Agree CB, I would take Brayshaw and do a Tyson deal with the other pick to get another 2 players in.

I don't agree with throwing everything at one player no matter how good at this stage of our "rebuild". This scenario is reminding me of the Moore and Templeton saga back in the 80's. That trade didn't get us far up the ladder even with Moore winning a Brownlow. We need a quantity of good players to fill the gaping holes in our list not just one elite.

Interesting we haven't got pick 3 yet. Still a possibility Chip runs off to the Hawks for a smaller contract than envisaged, after all they can guarantee the next grand final appearance. Maybe then we get shafted and thebHawks yet again get what they want for zippo!

I am sure this would make the AFL happy. We may complain but they don't listen.

You wouldn't wish him anything if what i was told today is true.

I have no time for Clark at all...

??? Do you want to give us a clue or is it confirming some of the earlier scuttlebutt on this thread?

Luck?? More than that... Yes all clubs have early picks which fail... But good clubs get the good ones right! Along with good culture & development...

I'm frustrated to see posters say they wr lucky getting stars drafted etc ... You dont win 3 flags in 7 yrs inc back to back thru luck!

And you don't win 3 in 7 without your fair share of luck. Even the Hawks hierarchy I think would admit that, along with bucket loads of hard work and great management over a long period. To have Hodge and Mitchell still playing great football after 13 years requires some luck on two fronts. One you can't manage a Hodge type pick, you hope with number one you get a great player but you can't be sure. Two if the pick is great you can't manage that they will still be playing their best footy 13 years later. Ball and Judge are shot or all but shot but the Hawks have two 2001 draftees still going strong. Add Lewis to the list who goes at it like a battering ram but keeps fit somehow after 10 years.

You can manage Hale, Burgoyne, Lake because you know what you are drafting in. But did they or Adelaide realise how good Gunston would get so quickly?

Yesterday's win owes a lot to the three musketeers Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis, 120 possessions amongst them. That is a cup that is 13 years in the making! Can you manage that I am not sure. I think that part of the winning equation is about 40 percent management and 60 percent good fortune when measured over such an extended time

Are you serious? The Hawks dealt with serious injuries all year long. Mitchell, Gibson, Rioli... at least half of their starting 22 suffered setbacks yet still they managed to persevere. Makes the premiership that much more incredible, from my point of view.

I think we have different definitions of what is a serious injury. My definition is an injury that affects your playing career, not a strained hammy. Fact is they had a full list to choose from at the business end and all appeared fully fit. That doesn't happen that often after 24 games in a season.

You had to pick them up?

I would have refused. This is why trains exist.

Must remember that for next year when the Hawks play off yet again! They will go for a threepeat because no one ever gets serously injured in that club.

Just to let you know I watched some of the game between doing other things but then had to go pick up the wife and assorted nephews after the match, they are all mad Hawks fans. But the catch was I had to walk thru the G after the match with all thebHawks fans then sit thru the after concert waiting till the Hawks players appeared on stage. Talk about self flagellation while all the way having to appear mildly happy that the Dorks won to keep my wife and in laws happy! After all I would hate to be seen as a nasty, vindictive bastard who wishes nothing but total evil to the Hawks.

So did I 'Hood', it was just one of those days where you can run around and get absolutely nowhere fast.

And get shirt fronted in the guts while stretching high for a ball and collapse in a heap and have some commentators calling this the tackle of the decade. Really it was an opportunistic cheap shot.?

Well lets start or re open a thread.

He didn't have a great day today but wasn't on his own there. I'm sure the door would be slightly ajar down at MFC if he would like to step in.

I thought Hannebery tried, where were some of the others?

After today thevSwans won't be letting this kid go. In fact Horse is probably lamenting he didn't go with an extra running player or two. Reid was a waste of space, they had Buddy, Tippett, Goodes but they were smashed around the ball so it didn't matter who you had up forward.

True, but their players are always getting free and under little pressure to receive the ball. There were many instances today of miss kicks and half volley passes making good because the players had time to recover and while they did that support was always arriving to help mop up.

The Hawks awareness of their team mates and where they are was just extraordinary today. The ball player always had options forward, sideways and often behind. There is zero risk attacking the ball because you know you have support and someone to pass off to, everytime. The Swans in contrast never functioned as a team, mid fielders often got the ball but had few options to pass off and then got tackled and spilled the ball to,a contest. The inside mid group for the Swans struggled, Jetta, Rowan, provided zero outside run, Reid nothing up forward and Tippett not much at all. MFC is so far off the mark it is scary.