2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[707]

Trading drafting thread .....

[S.S. Bleeder]

He wasn't better than both of them in 2016. They were both All Australians that year. For Hannebery it was his third AA guernsey, something Mitchell hasn't yet achieved.

Hannebery has clearly been affected by injury for the past two seasons, something that couldn't have been anticipated when Mitchell was traded (and he'd made up his mind to leave long before Wood clattered into Hannebery's knee in the 2016 GF). Parker was also significantly affected by a knee issue (or lack of pre-season arising from a knee injury) in 2017 yet still finished the season strongly enough to win a B&F in a team that finished higher on the ladder than Mitchell's team.

And while Mitchell is a good player who has won heaps of the ball for his team over the past two seasons (though not as many games for them), I don't think his package of attributes is more attractive than that offered by Parker or Hannebery. Parker's marking and forward line prowess, for example, gives him a dimension Mitchell doesn't have. And in the final quarter of last week's game he showed he can generate clearances that actually get the ball moving forward just as well as Mitchell. He just doesn't spend as long doing it as Mitchell does in his team. I agree 2018 hasn't been one of Parker's most consistent seasons but he's still been a pretty good player.

And then there's the fact that both Hannebery and Parker were contracted. Mitchell wasn't. Mitchell exercised his option to leave. The Swans maybe didn't try overly hard to keep him but nor did they push him out.


Mitchell would be a poor replacement for Kennedy. He gets a lot of the ball but I've never seen him completely dominate portions of games in the way Kennedy can. Of course, if he were still on our list when Kennedy retires, he'd take over more of the centre bounce work, and he'd win clearances in his own way. But he wouldn't be a "replacement" as such.

I'm not saying he was better than both of them in 2016 but it was clear to blind Freddie that he was going to be better than both of them in a couple of years, ie, now. Yes, they were both contracted at the time but that doesn't mean that one of them can't be traded. If they really wanted to keep Mitchell then they could have back ended his contract and traded someone when their contract was up.

[The Big Cat]

I'm not saying he was better than both of them in 2016 but it was clear to blind Freddie that he was going to be better than both of them in a couple of years, ie, now. Yes, they were both contracted at the time but that doesn't mean that one of them can't be traded. If they really wanted to keep Mitchell then they could have back ended his contract and traded someone when their contract was up.

Wrong wrong and wrong

[Blood Fever]

I'm not saying he was better than both of them in 2016 but it was clear to blind Freddie that he was going to be better than both of them in a couple of years, ie, now. Yes, they were both contracted at the time but that doesn't mean that one of them can't be traded. If they really wanted to keep Mitchell then they could have back ended his contract and traded someone when their contract was up.

He was given a godfather offer that we couldn't match. We looked after him early on paying him 400,000 a year while he struggled with injuries. He took the money and ran . Don't blame him but we weren't prepared to compromise our list by losing other promising players. Decision culturally sound I reckon.

[Melbournehammer]

there is lots of hindsight here. In 2016 it was never obvious Mitchell was going to be the best of the midfielders. He was and largely is an accumulator. He had and has great hands. But he had a non penetrating kick and was not great in the air.

In 2016 Parker had 2 strings to his bow marking and getting the ball but he was slow, hanners could play inside but also as a winger motoring up and done - and while not lightning quick he covered Mitchell for pace and repeated runs, jack could provide you with a bit more zip and great tackling and Kennedy was the best stoppage player in the league.

The swans made the decision that he was our 5th most important midfielder and were offering him money - on the back of an inflated initial contract - that reflected that.. it also reflected an awareness of the future swans salary cap issues with Tippett and buddy's wages.

Hawthorn stepped in with a better offer knowing that they were clearing out their midfield of Lewis, Mitchell and hodge. It shouldn't be said it was a godfather offer - I'm pretty certain Carlton would have matched and exceeded anything the hawks offered.

Only With the benefit of hindsight can we say he was going to exceed hanners whose injuries have curtailed his ability to run - Parker still offers more as a resting forward because he is good to very good as a forward - as demonstrated yet again on Friday night where his protection of the drop zone for the first swans goal was excellent. Kennedy head to head with Mitchell - I'd still choose Kennedy. It's the breaking of jack and hanners in particular only which makes you say we made an error.

You win some and you lose some. Any anger you have here should be replicated by trading Schneider and Dempster and keeping amon Buchanan - now that was one which gave the saints years and years of value and we got Brett Meredith.

[penga]

Jarryd Lyons surely has to be on our radar. Has the same clearance numbers and average contested possession as JPK so far this year and is out of contract. I can't say I've taken too much notice of him, but those numbers don't lie.

[ugg]

Penga I had a chat with a Gold Coast fanatic friend of mine and he says Lyons signed a three year contract with the Suns when he joined and this is currently his second year.

[Ludwig]

Going all out to try to win the premiership this year is like spending the rent money on lottery tickets. The best result for us would be to lose the remaining 4 games and finish around 10th. We don't have to tank, just not play injured players and get some game time into players like Cameron, AJ and Foote. With a 1st draft pick around #9 we might be able to trade up to GC's likely pick 3 (from Tom Lynch compensation) and take whoever is left between Izak Rankine or Sam Walsh. Then take Blakey with our next pick or picks.

Let's get rid of as much of the dead wood as possible:

1. Tippett: retired
2. Naismith: to the rookie list
3. Macca: retire
4. Grundy: retire
5. Robinson: delist or trade
6. Marsh: delist or trade
7. Rose: delist or trade
8. Newman: try to trade, but probably stays
9. Hannebery: try to trade, but most likely stays due to long-term injury concerns from other clubs.

Jack and Towers still have another year left on their contracts, so will likely remain depth players next year.

We should target FA Luke Dahlhaus to add to the depth of our midfield.

Plenty of seasons have been compromised or ruined by injury, so we shouldn't be too overwrought or disconsolate about the season. It's just something that's likely to happen from time to time. We need to be clear about where we're at and how to get the best out of next year.

[The Big Cat]

Let's get rid of as much of the dead wood as possible:

1. Tippett: retired
2. Naismith: to the rookie list
3. Macca: retire
4. Grundy: retire
5. Robinson: delist or trade
6. Marsh: delist or trade
7. Rose: delist or trade
8. Newman: try to trade, but probably stays
9. Hannebery: try to trade, but most likely stays due to long-term injury concerns from other clubs.

Jack and Towers still have another year left on their contracts, so will likely remain depth players next year.

1. Agreed
2. Our number one ruckman who has been sorely missed this year.
3. Probably Agree
4. Still good value
5. Delist. tried to trade him last year and received zilch interest
6 Agree
7. Agree
8. Wants to go, so trade him
9. Get him right physically. three times AA
10. Foote - Delist
12. Towers trade

[Markwebbos]

I understand the itchy trigger fingers on this list but if we get rid of that many players who is going to play next year?

[penga]

Penga I had a chat with a Gold Coast fanatic friend of mine and he says Lyons signed a three year contract with the Suns when he joined and this is currently his second year.

I'm glad we're on the same page, ugg, but I was trawling here (https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...ntract_players) and Lyons and Seedsman are the two that stand out to me. I've tried to find details on Lyons' contract but google has not given me any love as yet.

[ugg]

There are inaccuracies on that page. From the Swans alone, Sinclair has a contract that extends beyond this year. Anyway I have confidence in my mate, he knows his GC stuff inside out.