Unofficial Preview Sam and Tom break WA's brain and other Trade discussions 2025

[MrPremiership]

109 days til trade period!

 

[Whats a Battle]

I can see where you're coming from but given Carlton's turnaround in form and any F/S or Academy picks there might be, our first-rounder this year may not even be a Top 10 pick - and I don't think the other club would think our first-rounder will be a Top 10 pick in the 2026 draft either.

If we're going to net a big fish, we will, in all likelihood, have to give up a member of our Best 23 (in addition to draft picks) and it might well be a Hawks nuffie like Scrimmers or Frenchie or Wardy - or even Moorey, although Dyl's probably the least likely candidate in terms of whom we'll put on the trade table.

Ahh I get you. The Trent Croad strategy. Do any of those blokes have Hawthorn tattoos?

 

[Yardie]

Why not let the players decide what type of contract they agree to? Some may want power of veto to a trade/move, others may allow anything goes as long as they are contracted. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

Yep, and clubs will be willing to pay a player more if they know they can torpedo the contract when it suits them.

I really would like the AFLPA, Clubs and AFL to explore the options. Really good suggestions here on how it could work with a balance between clubs and players.

 

[birch]

Why not let the players decide what type of contract they agree to? Some may want power of veto to a trade/move, others may allow anything goes as long as they are contracted. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

This happens in some American sports I’m fairly sure. I know in the NHL there are players with no trade clauses, unless it’s to 8 teams of their choice for example.
Would be a big change to how we do things

 

[Come back Cyril]

I really would like the AFLPA, Clubs and AFL to explore the options. Really good suggestions here on how it could work with a balance between clubs and players.

Probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I really like the AFL transfer rules. Making it harder to trade players fosters a level of loyalty/continuity that encourages a much greater emotional investment from players in their club. I'm a big NBA fan (played semi pro in my twenties) but the constant player movement means I have never emotionally invested in a club to yhe degree I have in Hawthorn. NBA players realise they are a commodity and act accordingly with most of the best players moving teams at some point (often to teams that are better). Very few Dylan Moore types that bleed for the club.

A big part of my emotional investment in the Hawks is knowing that we have players like Dylan Moore, Finn Maginness etc. who absolutely invested in our club and I desperately want to see them succeed.

The draft on the other hand - with the academy/free agency compo/priority picks making up half of the first round picks - that is an absolue sh**t show that needs a conplete overhaul...

 

[Yardie]

Probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I really like the AFL transfer rules. Making it harder to trade players fosters a level of loyalty/continuity that encourages a much greater emotional investment from players in their club. I'm a big NBA fan (played semi pro in my twenties) but the constant player movement means I have never emotionally invested in a club to yhe degree I have in Hawthorn. NBA players realise they are a commodity and act accordingly with most of the best players moving teams at some point (often to teams that are better). Very few Dylan Moore types that bleed for the club.

A big part of my emotional investment in the Hawks is knowing that we have players like Dylan Moore, Finn Maginness etc. who absolutely invested in our club and I desperately want to see them succeed.

The draft on the other hand - with the academy/free agency compo/priority picks making up half of the first round picks - that is an absolue sh**t show that needs a conplete overhaul...

But you aren't giving the players a choice on how they want to structure their contracts to maximise returns.

 

[Come back Cyril]

But you aren't giving the players a choice on how they want to structure their contracts to maximise returns.

Players who want to be traded almost always find a way. And choice is an interesting concept - the NBA has the ability for players to have a no trade clause in their contracts, predictably, the only ones who end up getting it are the superstars (LeBron James etc.) who have power in the negotiations that the role players don't.

To me, the transfer rules are encouraging loyalty on both sides, while still allowing player movement - particularly for players wanting more opportunity or to move to where family us located. I'd be loathe to tinker with it as I actually think it's working well.

There are other areas around draft compo that are much more in need of attention.

 

[kazzooka]

Great idea.
Some might negotiate a higher wage, knowing they could be traded. Others might take 'unders' because longevity or location is more important than dollar amount.

You could also say that you are happy to be traded undercontract so long as to a team in top 8 or only teams in victoria, or SA.

 

[hawkheart]

Bizarre take.

Surely a forced move 1,000km across Europe, with completely different language etc., is harsher on a player than a forced move from say Richmond to Hawthorn, where you'd barely have to find a new favourite butcher.

That'd be Hopper or Taranto

 

[Blackhawk42]

Bizarre take.

Surely a forced move 1,000km across Europe, with completely different language etc., is harsher on a player than a forced move from say Richmond to Hawthorn, where you'd barely have to find a new favourite butcher.

I wasn't referring to in-state player movements.

There could potentially be a separate rule for that, however it probably favours the Victorian teams too strongly.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I really like the AFL transfer rules. Making it harder to trade players fosters a level of loyalty/continuity that encourages a much greater emotional investment from players in their club. I'm a big NBA fan (played semi pro in my twenties) but the constant player movement means I have never emotionally invested in a club to yhe degree I have in Hawthorn. NBA players realise they are a commodity and act accordingly with most of the best players moving teams at some point (often to teams that are better). Very few Dylan Moore types that bleed for the club.

A big part of my emotional investment in the Hawks is knowing that we have players like Dylan Moore, Finn Maginness etc. who absolutely invested in our club and I desperately want to see them succeed.

The draft on the other hand - with the academy/free agency compo/priority picks making up half of the first round picks - that is an absolue sh**t show that needs a conplete overhaul...

You've done well here.

I don't have the same basketball background do you, but the way you've just explained it pretty much sums up why I've never been able to get into it.
Also why I get frustrated when footy fans say we should 'follow the NBA's lead' on player movement matters.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Again with the land. Footy players in Melbourne buy in sought after Melbourne suburbs around $2M in value or more and nobody bats an eyelid. A Geelong player buys a shitty parcel of land out in Bannockburn and people have a tantrum.

Footy players in Melbourne are actually paying market value though, even if it is at a highly reduced interest rate.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Ahh I get you. The Trent Croad strategy. Do any of those blokes have Hawthorn tattoos?

You're well ahead of me with your thinking!

Trade out a Hawks nuffie for a big fish and then trade him back in to win a flag. I like it!

 

[Brant]

Trade out a Hawks nuffie for a big fish and then trade him back in to win a flag. I like it!

You reckon we can get all that done by late September?

 

[wahawk]

You reckon we can get all that done by late September?

We probably should’ve done it years ago

 

[cryptor]

Ollie Florent attracting interest from Vic Clubs, contracted til 2029 having a down year has lost his place under Dean Cox.

Was a hawks fan growing up, I wonder if we'll have a look.

Could be a good cheap addition given Swans may want to get out of his long term contract.

Happy for the Swans to keep him and eat that long contract along with a bowl of shit.

Otherwise I believe a bundled top 10 pick is the going rate for helping out franchise clubs with their poor list management decisions.

 

[Yardie]

Players who want to be traded almost always find a way. And choice is an interesting concept - the NBA has the ability for players to have a no trade clause in their contracts, predictably, the only ones who end up getting it are the superstars (LeBron James etc.) who have power in the negotiations that the role players don't.

To me, the transfer rules are encouraging loyalty on both sides, while still allowing player movement - particularly for players wanting more opportunity or to move to where family us located. I'd be loathe to tinker with it as I actually think it's working well.

There are other areas around draft compo that are much more in need of attention.

It's not working well for the clubs.

 

[lyger]

Happy for the Swans to keep him and eat that long contract along with a bowl of shit.

Otherwise I believe a bundled top 10 pick is the going rate for helping out franchise clubs with their poor list management decisions.

A top ten pick, or the Swans eating a bowl of shit….. hmmm

 

[butlers hawks]

Ollie Florent attracting interest from Vic Clubs, contracted til 2029 having a down year has lost his place under Dean Cox.

Was a hawks fan growing up, I wonder if we'll have a look.

Could be a good cheap addition given Swans may want to get out of his long term contract.

does he even crack the 23? Providing the expectation guys get better, is he enough of a needle mover to be an automatic selection and therefore worth going for?

 

[Come back Cyril]

It's not working well for the clubs.

Why not?

 

[excitingnews]

His family are diehard doggies supporters, so that is the ultimate destination.
How long the Hawks play the other woman for, is the question.

Just repeating what I have heard, but I don’t think which team a family supports is the driving factor in a trade, in almost all cases

 

[MasterSamurai]

Lol. Ollie Florent, I've heard of him but honestly don't have a clue what he looks like. C grade. No thanks.

 

[tommyk72]

You've done well here.

I don't have the same basketball background do you, but the way you've just explained it pretty much sums up why I've never been able to get into it.
Also why I get frustrated when footy fans say we should 'follow the NBA's lead' on player movement matters.

Agreed. I find myself following players more than teams in the NBA.

 

[CobberRodgers]

Happy for the Swans to keep him and eat that long contract along with a bowl of shit.

Otherwise I believe a bundled top 10 pick is the going rate for helping out franchise clubs with their poor list management decisions.

Every time I read this I get happier and happier. What a lovely post.

The bowl of shit is great but the little whack at the end dead set gives me pant movement.

More please.

 

[Yardie]

Why not?

In most cases the clubs have invested heavily in a player and then aren't able to extract the best outcome for them in a trade. As the player usually says I want go to a specific club even though other clubs could offer a better trade deal.