2015 Trade/FA Discussion (cont. in Pt.2)

[WA Lion]

For the love of god, we better not get dixon at the end of the year. He is the definition of the words "Not living up to expectations and under-performer"

Unless we get him for less than 400k a year, then we are paying way overs, because he will end up be a waste of salary cap space in 2 years time.

Yeah, he is a tough one. Clearly we are in desperate need of a KP forward, but what is the deal with him and his baggage....

You could look at it from the perspective that he has under-performed due to being in what is clearly an appalling environment at the Suns, where players live the high life (cough cough) with leaders seemingly sweeping it all under the carpet. Any club that is having the issue they are right now is hardly likely to get the best out of their players, no matter how talented they are.

If you put him in a truly professional environment and strictly held him accountable for his behaviour and performance on and off the field, would he suddenly flourish?

or.......

He is just a bad egg!

I reckon he will flourish but that is purely my opinion and no doubt others will disagree

 

[Viceregal]

If you put him in a truly professional environment and strictly held him accountable for his behaviour and performance on and off the field, would he suddenly flourish?

or.......

He is just a bad egg!

I reckon he will flourish but that is purely my opinion and no doubt others will disagree

Sorry to have to ask this ... but in footballing terms ... *are* we a 'truly professional environment'?

 

[Big Lion]

Sorry to have to ask this ... but in footballing terms ... *are* we a 'truly professional environment'?

We use to be but we aren't anymore. We are improving but we tend to chase our tails a bit. We use to have initiative and push the boundaries as a club, we've been a rudderless ship for a while now.

 

[a mayes ing]

I dont think we have the leaders to be that "truly professional club"
Browns gone, Blacks gone.
Theonly leaders we have, on field, are Adcock, Rocky, and Hanley. These 3 are the only ones, imo, who are willing to have the tough talks with players who are out of line. You could probably put Zorko in their l guess as well.

 

[Nuggo]

Whats wrong with a coach pulling them into line?

 

[captainrich]

Whats wrong with a coach pulling them into line?

cause he grabs them by the throat when he does....not good for the old image in these times

 

[Greggy85]

Sorry to have to ask this ... but in footballing terms ... *are* we a 'truly professional environment'?

Definitely not. No doubt the kids enjoy it up here. They're getting paid to play footy. It's warm, people are friendlier, there's a great beach down the road. But, I don't believe we have a win at all costs attitude. No hunger.
We had that under Matthews. My gut feeling: Leppa is too much of a teacher-friend.

 

[dlanod]

People seem to be confusing "professional" with "externally visible AFL coach demeanor and/or club environment of preference". The latter does not dictate whether or not a club is professional in its attitude.

 

[The Golfing Lion]

Definitely not. No doubt the kids enjoy it up here. They're getting paid to play footy. It's warm, people are friendlier, there's a great beach down the road. But, I don't believe we have a win at all costs attitude. No hunger.
We had that under Matthews. My gut feeling: Leppa is too much of a teacher-friend.

I doubt the Mathews hard line would work on the youth of today and he was blessed with on field leadership that Voss brought.
I think a teacher-friend is what is needed up in a non AFL state as long as the teacher comes first. The problem is the emotional investment in the coach will always be more than most players and it creates outbursts like O'Brien when the respect doesn't go the other way.

Leppa will develop a harder line as he matures as a coach and as leaders keep developing, the emotional hard line will be shared around as well. Leppa will be a long term coach I reckon and will grow as this group grows and I do think we have great times in front of us.

 

[Big Lion]

Definitely not. No doubt the kids enjoy it up here. They're getting paid to play footy. It's warm, people are friendlier, there's a great beach down the road. But, I don't believe we have a win at all costs attitude. No hunger.
We had that under Matthews. My gut feeling: Leppa is too much of a teacher-friend.

Leppa can be tough when he needs too, he looks to have the balance right between teacher and hard ar*e at least from what i've seen.

Draft some country boys that will fix the hunger and hardness issues.

 

[jackess]

Sam Reid looking really good.

 

[irish]

I just don't get the Dixon interest and the $$$$$talked about. What's he done to warrant it ?

Kicked goals against our under sized defence ! Woopo who's hasn't , I think we are desperate and looking at low hanging fruit

We can aim higher

 

[PattyKwasagun]

We can aim higher

Who?

 

[jackess]

Who?

Apparently Charlie Dixon knows a thing or two about getting high.

 

[Milux]

Who?

I would like to beleive anyone who is uncontracted is within reach. Hawkins would be my pick and i wouldnt mind the 850-900 plus a year to get him here. Until he signs there is always hope.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

I would like to beleive anyone who is uncontracted is within reach. Hawkins would be my pick and i wouldnt mind the 850-900 plus a year to get him here. Until he signs there is always hope.

I have a few major concerns with Hawkins - he's a few years older than Dixon, has always been on the end of an outstanding midfield, and has back issues. Of course I wouldn't be against getting him, but there would be concerns too.

More importantly though, there's barely even the slimmest chance unfortunately. Would take a turnaround of monumental proportions from his end to decide to leave, and even if he did, I can't imagine we'd be his first pick. A team like Freo who could offer him a real crack at a few more premierships in his final years would be much more appealing I'd have thought.

 

[POBT]

Dixon
Dixon
Dixon
Dixon is s**t. Let's get Hawkins.
We'll never get Hawkins.
Dixon
Dixon
Dixon
Dixon is s**t. Let's get Hawkins.
We'll never get Hawkins.
Dixon
Dixon
Dixon
.....

There's a reason the conversation is centred around Dixon and it is because he is not a pipe dream.

 

[irish]

Yes Dixon may be getable but what are we getting ? No good buying for buying sake

What's he done to warrant it ? And that much money ? No carnt see the worth to me , stick with the kids , put games into them rather than splash the cash unless it is a true a A grader like beams was last year

This bloke is a 200cm plodder at best with a ? On behaviour

 

[Skoob]

Meanwhile, a very good mid-field is running around & around, running themselves ragged waiting for someone to kick to.
At the moment, the "low hanging fruit" is about all we can reach. I too have concerns about Dixon's value and prospects/potential, but I'd rather have him than not have him. He presents as an opportunity.
Hawkins being mentioned every second page is head scratching. Like Cloke to Collingwood, Hawkins is Geelong, through and through. Besides that, he is 27 this month, and probably at his peak. We're not ready for someone at their peak, nor a big heavy man with a bad back, who I reckon will be lucky to last another 4-5 years.
If Dixon fulfils his potential, he will be hitting his peak around the same time as most of our mid field. In terms of age and experience, he is a really good fit. Not the best forward in the game by a long, long way, but a risk worth taking.
There are Kennedys, Darlings, and Hogans out there, but we have to be realistic. Having said that, just because people on a forum and the media continue to bang on about the low hanging Dixon, don't think for one minute that the club hasn't rattled every worthwhile forward's cage. They would have put the feelers out in every management camp, looking for a nibble. The fact we haven't heard anything may mean nothing, or it might mean there is nothing to hear.

 

[dlanod]

Yes Dixon may be getable but what are we getting ? No good buying for buying sake

What's he done to warrant it ? And that much money ? No carnt see the worth to me , stick with the kids , put games into them rather than splash the cash unless it is a true a A grader like beams was last year

This bloke is a 200cm plodder at best with a ? On behaviour

Will he be an upgrade on our current forward options over the next four years?

What other options do we have for our salary cap space to improve our team, which we either use it or lose it?

And to head off the "bump up our other players' contracts", I'll also note that having players contracted disproportionately to their production is why we had cap issues when Gubby departed.

FYI most of those in favour of getting Dixon are answering the questions as "yes" and "none as realistic".

 

[Viceregal]

Does Mitch Clarke feel like 'coming home' instead of Hawkins?

 

[Nuggo]

I think Mitch has had his dance. Way to inconsistent on all levels really. The cost to value for Hawkins is not there for me. I think I would be more disappointed with a Hawkins flop then a Dixon flop. Dixon can also play down back if required as well. Dixon is not the second coming but he can play a role a lot better than what is being played now.

 

[CocoMambo]

Did anyone here watch the Carlton v Suns game? Because it really showed the highs and lows of Dixon. Basically carried Gold Coast with gut running (including an amazing play when he started the chain and sprinted 100+ metres to receive the ball in the 50). Alas then what we should actually be concerned about happened which is the amount of times he is injured during a game (In particular his ankle).
Also we have to add the value of how good he is as backup ruck due to his mobility and ball control for a bloke that big. He's not just a big unit but has s'more really good ball handling skills in close (very similar to a bigger and slightly slower Jarryd Roughead). He's also only 24 and it's not exactly as if his injuries have allowed for a fast tracked development.

TLDR Dixon will be an absolute gun and we should only be concerned as to whether he can stay on the park
*Also has kicked 6 goals in a game more than once and I'd like to have at least one player on our list who knows that it's actually possible to kick more than 4

 

[Ironmonger]

Did anyone here watch the Carlton v Suns game? Because it really showed the highs and lows of Dixon. Basically carried Gold Coast with gut running (including an amazing play when he started the chain and sprinted 100+ metres to receive the ball in the 50). Alas then what we should actually be concerned about happened which is the amount of times he is injured during a game (In particular his ankle).
Also we have to add the value of how good he is as backup ruck due to his mobility and ball control for a bloke that big. He's not just a big unit but has s'more really good ball handling skills in close (very similar to a bigger and slightly slower Jarryd Roughead). He's also only 24 and it's not exactly as if his injuries have allowed for a fast tracked development.

TLDR Dixon will be an absolute gun and we should only be concerned as to whether he can stay on the park
*Also has kicked 6 goals in a game more than once and I'd like to have at least one player on our list who knows that it's actually possible to kick more than 4

On the backup ruck issue, we'd be mad to make him one of our highest paid players and then subject his injury prone legs to regular poundings into the Gabba centre wicket area.

Someone else will need to continue to provide a chop-out.

 

[POBT]

On the backup ruck issue, we'd be mad to make him one of our highest paid players and then subject his injury prone legs to regular poundings into the Gabba centre wicket area.

Someone else will need to continue to provide a chop-out.

Depends how long we expect him to ruck for. If we are talking no more than 5-10 minutes a quarter, then it lessens the risk. With a first ruck like Martin, who is fit enough to ruck for long periods, chances are the second ruck won't be called on to do that much work.