2021 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[TheBloods]

How quick is Sheather? If he keeps coming along, could he be a less plodding option in the midfield? Does he have the power to burst away from stoppages like Chad? We know Brayden is quick but it's unclear what his role will be both short term and longer term.

Sheather is quick . He has power to burst away and attacks every ball and contest at full speed . Liking what i have seen . I said i reckon he'll be in our 22 within the first month of next year . Maybe not in the mids but will start HF and eventually work his way into the midfield

An on ball brigade of Mills as the bull with Chad , Jmac, Gulden , Campbell and Sheather the explosive hard nuts around him would be great for the next 10 years , Stephens too if he can get there

[111431]

Sheather is quick . He has power to burst away and attacks every ball and contest at full speed . Liking what i have seen . I said i reckon he'll be in our 22 within the first month of next year . Maybe not in the mids but will start HF and eventually work his way into the midfield

An on ball brigade of Mills as the bull with Chad , Jmac, Gulden , Campbell and Sheather the explosive hard nuts around him would be great for the next 10 years , Stephens too if he can get there

As much as I like JMac. He needs to build some strength so he can stick tackles if he is to play as a midfielder. I know Stringer is the modern day bull, he brushed aside Justin on a couple of occasions in the clearances. I think he and Stephens are better suited to being outside runners who can use their pace to take the game on

[TheBloods]

As much as I like JMac. He needs to build some strength so he can stick tackles if he is to play as a midfielder. I know Stringer is the modern day bull, he brushed aside Justin on a couple of occasions in the clearances. I think he and Stephens are better suited to being outside runners who can use their pace to take the game on

When you are able to find the ball like Jmac does you dont need to tackle , Dusty has never laid a decent tackle in his career ! He gets to the right places . Different players on different levels but Jmac gets to the right places , hes an attacking player and knows how to work into space to get the ball . Works his arse off doing so as well

[bloodspirit]

I'm curious what people think about the possibility of making a play for Jackson Macrae? While we have become such a polished and skilful team, one area of the game where we seem to be letting ourselves down is winning the ball on the inside, especially at centre bounce. Macrae could help with that. I would suggest we pay for it by trading out one or more best 22 players (e.g. Hewett, Florent).

The pros

* Clearly he's a good player.
* He's in his prime but hopefully still has many years of good footy left in front of him (turns 27 years old tomorrow). Two years younger than Parker and three years older than Mills.
* He's an RFA, out of contract next year.
* The Bulldogs might consider it given their massive depth in midfielders and presumably bulging salary cap.
* We don't need to keep hitting the draft given we have done so for the past several years and we have a glut of young talent.


Cons

* We already have plenty of midfielders and have re-signed JPK. Who's spot would he take? And do we want to deprive our young talent of opportunities?
* Don't know if he would have any interest. He's a Vic Metro boy with an established partner (Louisa Macleod, presumably also from Melbourne).
* Would cost a lot both in $$ and picks. Do we have the cap space? Is this how we would want to spend the draft capital it would cost?
* Might distract us from other more strategically important targets e.g. KPP and ruck.

Overall, I think I've talked myself out of the idea.


****

Do people think we need to do something to address our midfield "weakness"? If so, what can/should we do (other than wait for the people on our list to develop)?


***


Incidentally, it was exciting to see McInerney thrown in the guts yesterday! He's a top 5 favourite player of mine. I know we all love him. Such an inspired pick! Not only did we only pay pick 44, he was on any of the draft pundits radar at all. He was barely previewed pre-draft by anyone. If we didn't pick him, it's possible he would have gone undrafted (it's unclear whether any other clubs had some good mail on him like we clearly did).

[TheBloods]

I'm curious what people think about the possibility of making a play for Jackson Macrae? While we have become such a polished and skilful team, one area of the game where we seem to be letting ourselves down is winning the ball on the inside, especially at centre bounce. Macrae could help with that. I would suggest we pay for it by trading out one or more best 22 players (e.g. Hewett, Florent).

The pros

* Clearly he's a good player.
* He's in his prime but hopefully still has many years of good footy left in front of him (turns 27 years old tomorrow). Two years younger than Parker and three years older than Mills.
* He's an RFA, out of contract next year.
* The Bulldogs might consider it given their massive depth in midfielders and presumably bulging salary cap.
* We don't need to keep hitting the draft given we have done so for the past several years and we have a glut of young talent.


Cons

* We already have plenty of midfielders and have re-signed JPK. Who's spot would he take? And do we want to deprive our young talent of opportunities?
* Don't know if he would have any interest. He's a Vic Metro boy with an established partner (Louisa Macleod, presumably also from Melbourne).
* Would cost a lot both in $$ and picks. Do we have the cap space? Is this how we would want to spend the draft capital it would cost?
* Might distract us from other more strategically important targets e.g. KPP and ruck.

Overall, I think I've talked myself out of the idea.


****

Do people think we need to do something to address our midfield "weakness"? If so, what can/should we do (other than wait for the people on our list to develop)?


***


Incidentally, it was exciting to see McInerney thrown in the guts yesterday! He's a top 5 favourite player of mine. I know we all love him. Such an inspired pick! Not only did we only pay pick 44, he was on any of the draft pundits radar at all. He was barely previewed pre-draft by anyone. If we didn't pick him, it's possible he would have gone undrafted (it's unclear whether any other clubs had some good mail on him like we clearly did).

Inside midfield is an area we could improve only because we are still a bit reliant on Parker and Kennedy . They are masters , but they wont be around forever , and after Mills and Chad it drops away pretty quickly with young mids

Florent - Decent but yet to show he will be a star , not great on the inside probably more suited to a wing , tradeable

Hewett - Decent but again hes 25 and yet to prove hes a star . Tradeable

Jmac - Based on yesterday showed he could be great as an inside mid but it was 1 game , want to see more if we are gonna put our future in his hands

Campbell , Stephens , Gulden, Sheather - Exciting kids but speculative for now as far as inside mid potential goes

So we need to get some more midfield talent onto the list i reckon , but those above might be enough but just to be safe we should go for more. Cheap ones so we dont have to sell the farm

[bloodspirit]

So, if we got someone cheap in, TB, would we recruit them to play first team (i.e. best 22)? It's easier to justify denying one of our youngsters a spot for a real star like Macrae than someone who would come more cheaply. Also, are you thinking someone who is currently getting a game (like Lipinski) or someone who is waiting for their chance (like Constable)? Also, any suggestions about who might be a viable cheap trade target?

Thanks for the responses about Sheather all.

[Ludwig]

George H has been suggested a number of times, but we shopped him around to no result last off season - and his currency probably won't have skyrocketed on the back of the current season.

But this year George is a free agent, so a club can get him without losing a player. I think we would take the AFL compo pick if it's at least a 2nd rounder.

[The Runner]

We are 1-2 years away from a world of pain on the salary cap. We're going to have a lot of very good, highly rated, young players who want big long term deals. And opposing clubs will be letting them know their worth.
Our list is very skewed in age, which is great for now, but a problem down the track potentially if all those deals are bulky at the same time.

I don't think bringing in a top line player from anywhere is a reality for a while. Perhaps a veteran via FA or improving our hand for future drafts via trades, are more our reality

[Ludwig]

I think Rowbottom with become a centerpiece of our future inside mid brigade. He has the most complete game of the young mids. He plays both sides of the ball well, has decent breakaway pace, tackles well and can hit the scoreboard.

I'm surprised he wasn't mentioned by many.

Of course Mills will be there for a long time. We have lots of other candidates, with Warner almost equal to Rowbottom. Mills, Warner and Rowbottom would be a solid key trio, with plenty of others in the rotation. But lets not forget that Parker still has plenty left in the tank.

[TheBloods]

So, if we got someone cheap in, TB, would we recruit them to play first team (i.e. best 22)? It's easier to justify denying one of our youngsters a spot for a real star like Macrae than someone who would come more cheaply. Also, are you thinking someone who is currently getting a game (like Lipinski) or someone who is waiting for their chance (like Constable)? Also, any suggestions about who might be a viable cheap trade target?

Thanks for the responses about Sheather all.

Both Lipinski and Constable types , cheap younger ones who go ok and between them and Campbell Stephens Sheather etc will have a good group of young mids who will push each other . Competition for spots , best ones will get games . Better to have that spread of talent than rely on one superstar on big bucks like Macrae

[707]

Warner is the one we need to add to the centre square to make us better, looks like a young Dangerfield to me!

Campbell is a mid who will do a HBF/BP apprenticeship but hopefully not all long as Mills. Think we've got a nice pipeline of midfielders and could add another with ND pick 20 this year. The decimation of the second tier comp last year and this year hasn't helped the development of a number of our key youngsters. Pity BOC who comes from Ireland and needs to learn the game to be faced with almost no game experience for two years.

Intriguing trade/draft for us given our explosion up the ladder. Ruck and KPD still the most pressing needs.

On Macrae from the Dogs, they don't need players, they desperately need points to pay for Darcy likely selected at pick 2/3/4

[bloodspirit]

If we're looking at veterans, what about Cam Guthrie? He's 29 this month and out of contract at the end of the season. It doesn't look like the Cats are going to be able to pay him because they have maxxed out their cap, although he may take unders to stay part of that group (his brother is at Geelong too). Still, he wouldn't exactly be cheap. But I reckon he's still got a few seasons in him.

I'm not sure we would want to get him while we still have JPK on the list. Maybe after JPK is gone we could look at bringing in another veteran.

There's still the problem of robbing our youth of games (unless we trade some of them out).

I invite you all to put forward specific names - both for trading in and out - that could make us better and really help put the finishing touches on a premiership contending team.