Trade Targets ~ Free Agency & MSD player discussion

[jonmac1954]

I wouldn't be giving Keane any smoke over this – he's entitled to explore his options and talk to us; and if the Crows upped their offer as a result then he's also entitled to reconsider his decision to leave. That's all part of the process, and I have no time for arguments that all the power should rest with clubs as opposed to players when it comes to trade negotiations.

David I agree . . . somewhat.

Players put their bodies on the line and give up most normal freedoms to create a worthwhile career and thus deserve respect and a fitting reward for their efforts and sacrifices.

But . . .

Clubs also invest heavily in players making sure they have all the facilities and structure to become successful AFL footballers.

So . . .

In my opinion one cancels out the other and the scales are level.

But . . .

The media and player managers concoct the most fantastic lies to get their way yet if the club is seen to be anything less than accommodating to a departing player they are publicly pilloried.

FAR too much power resides in the hands of player managers encouraging a culture of greed and deceptiveness.

The scales have tipped far too much in favor of the player managers and the gutless AFL are to blame.

[Pies4shaw]

^ Guarantees a senior spot for Sidey for another 5 years - someone's got to do their chasing and tackling for them.

[SLORT]

For all those boo-hooing the possible roping of Stringer, take a look at Stengle. If your club is good at people management then one should have faith that they can take a diamond in the rough and with a bit of spit and polish produce a gem. Otherwise you're basically left waiting for a savior whilst you spend years languishing at the bottom of the ladder recruiting talented boy after talented boy. Unless you're saying Geebung is a special case, and we could never hope to replicate what they do.

Looking back through the history I'm reminded of the almost trade that got boo-hood out the door. Plugger. And still people would say "no, no, we dodged a bullet!".

Either we are a great club that gets the best out of our people, or we're not.

[Piesnchess]

He's more than that. He's an AA attacking backman. Nothing dour about him at all.
But I suspect we'll miss out on everyone important, because Collingwood sadly doesn't do well in the trade period. Clubs don't want to deal with us.

I meant dour in the perspective that he never gives up. ever. Dunno bout trade period. we can get em sometimes, lookat Bobby Hill, McStay. two very good trade pickups.

[Big T]

Trading I am generally happy with apart from when we trade away our first round pick for an established player, always ends in disaster.

It’s the draft that has let us down either that or youth development

[RudeBoy]

@Big T Speaking of disasters, we have also wasted several first round picks on players who never cut the mustard - the names Scharenberg, Freeman and Stephenson immediately come to mind.

[LaurieHolden]

@RudeBoy Two of those succumbed to career ending injuries before they got started. When the young Scharenberg was touted by Mark Williams as the best schoolboy prospect since Wayne Carey, no-one was complaining. Freeman was lightning quick and an area we needed addressed.
Stephenson debut season was as exciting as any I've seen. Who knew we'd have not been able to mould his character in line with our culture, even if it was apparent at such a young age.
But this discussion of draft busts belongs in another thread, and already well picked over.

[mattdally]

Stephenson debut season was as exciting as any I've seen. Who knew we'd have not been able to mould his character in line with our culture, even if it was apparent at such a young age.

I would argue that Stephenson was indeed a product of the culture we had in place at the time!! We tend to forget that a lot has changed since 2018

[warburton lad]

Ok- So this is how I would approach this Trade/Draft Period- it may seem ultra-aggressive but I believe we need to be aggressive

Our current Draft hand is as follows: 32, 48, 50

1) Noble and Pick 32 for Alex Davies and Pick 20
2) Richards for Pick 37 (Port)
3) Collingwood future first to Richmond for Pick 21 & Pick 39 this year's Draft
4) Bundle our Picks 37, 39 & 48 (1231 points) for Brisbane Pick 14 (1161 points).
5) Pick 50 and Fin Macrae for Peatling GWS (he is out of contract and we can offer him 4 years at, say $600K/annum).
6) Offer Stringer a three year deal and Essendon Pick 72 (they sound like they are happy to 'lose' him...)
7) Offer Haynes (GWS) a two year deal- he is an Unrestricted Free Agent...

** Alternately- we can look at the following two Unrestricted Free Agents from Adelaide- Elliott Himmelberg 200cms and 25 years of age: Ben Keays- Adelaide- 185cms and 89kgs and 27 years of age.
** Unrestricted Free Agent- Harry Perryman- GWS- 186cms- 25years old
** Unrestricted Free Agent- Adam Tomlinson- Melb- 193cms and 87kgs - 31years old- wingman & swingman...
** Unrestricted Free Agent- Jason Johannison- 32 year old- 180cm running half back

In summary:

Outs: Noble, Macrae, Richards and Picks 32, 37, 39, 48 & 50

Ins: Alex Davies, Peatling, Stringer, Haynes and Picks 14 and 21...

Then we can go to the draft, confident that we can acquire two talls (Whitlocks, Mraz, Tom Sims-199cms or Alex Dodson- 203cm ruck from SA)

[jonmac1954]

Speaking of disasters, we have also wasted several first round picks on players who never cut the mustard - the names Scharenberg, Freeman and Stephenson immediately come to mind.

People keep on bad mouthing the Shazza and Freeman recruitments - both had horrendous, unforeseeable injury runs which simply wouldn't stop. The disaster was through injury not recruiting.

Along those lines losing Swanny to a freak foot injury did as much or more to deny us another flag as anything.

[SLORT]

@warburton lad Sounds awesome, though I think you've been smoking a bit too much hopium in regards to Macrae to GWS (would be even less likely to get a game for them than us), and Essendon taking 72 for Stringer (surely some other club will offer more than that).

[BazBoy]

I saw Nathan Freeman in a pre season practice match at the Richmond footy ground when he first arrived
Mate he looked the goods

[warburton lad]

Ok-

So GWS will need points this year so they will take Pick 50 & Macrae for Peatling
Essendon will take Pick 72 for Stringer (he will clear salary for them to pursue another Free Agent)

Provided, for the two above- that they nominate us as the club they wish to be traded to.

That will put us in a strong bargaining position.

An alternate universe might see us trade Macrae to North Melbourne for Pick 40.

Pick 40 to GWS for Peatling
Picks 50 & 72 to Essendon for Stringer

[SLORT]

@warburton lad
I think that North has also got an overabundance of young midfielders. Sides that I think may be a better fit for Macrae would be Adelaide, St Kilda, and Melbourne (though I don't think they want to play ball with us anymore...).

Good work though on showing what could be a great outcome for us.

On a side note ~ apparently Sam Mitchell's wife has been helping to sell the Hawthorn vision to possible recruits. No idea how that works but maybe it's time for Lady Fly to come help the team out?

[qldmagpie67]

There’s many circumstances for a player to choose to leave his current club and join another
The most often trotted out line is homesickness. That gem is generally used by younger players to get home and to a bigger club.
The term “destination club” Is a load of BS
95 out of 100 players choose a new club for financial reasons be it longer deal or more $$ per season
There is a small % that when their careers are nearing the end they’ll go to a club who they think will be in the premiership hunt generally on less cash.
The average to mid tier player will often choose the longer deal with better dollars.
The good player will more likely choose a stronger club where he will forgo a few dollars for a premiership
The stars get to choose where they go and still demand the mega $$
We get linked to players on all levels because it drives up there asking price elsewhere
We are a good bargaining tool for managers
Personally my biggest concern is right now we don’t have any one experienced sitting in the decision making chair. Last time we did this with Ned Guy our cap ended up in disaster and it took 3 years to get right again.
I don’t have faith that we are putting our best foot forward to potential recruits and using experienced negotiating tools.
I know for a fact our presentation to McCluggage was underwhelming to say the least.
Yes the coach met with him but we didn’t have Nick and Pendles and Moore at that meeting.
When you captain and best player and most respected player aren’t there a potential recruit can ask themselves the question am I that important.
Now we mightn’t have been able to get McCluggage over the line even if they attended but we didn’t put our best foot forward.
Right now we have a 4 year deal sitting on the managers desk of Peatling. Obviously he won’t make a decision until after GWS last game but I hope we’ve had Nick Darcy and Pendles all reach out via text or a call at least.
Time will tell if we land a couple needed recruits and move forward. If we don’t then we need to ask some serious questions of this entire year and the clubs decision to allow Wright to go on vacation and job share his job