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Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

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Realistically they're probably going to clear $1.5+ million between Marshall & Steele alone.

They operate under the same cap as everyone else and the contracts they've dished out are well over the market value. It'll catch up to them at some point.

That's not to mention it's debatable how much they will even improve. TDK has potential but he's a top 5-8 ruckman (losing one in the same category), Silvagni (consistently injured), Aleer (barely played AFL), Ryan (possible gun but also consistently injured) & Flanders (a good solid player but a B grader at best).
Doubtful. More likely Steele and Marshall are on not much for next year as they've been heavily front ended over the past few years, hence why they're not bothered if they stay or go. Otherwise they'd surely be pushing both out the door.

Think they've just done the same for a lot of players recently so many of their existing higher paid players are receiving less than you'd expect for the next couple of years, and they've subsequently got excess to splash moving forward.

Would think we should be similar (not as extreme) after having not landed any big targets in recent years and offloading the likes of Smith and Dunkley. I'm sure we re-negotiated Dale and others this year for that reason.
 
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Realistically they're probably going to clear $1.5+ million between Marshall & Steele alone.

They operate under the same cap as everyone else and the contracts they've dished out are well over the market value. It'll catch up to them at some point.

That's not to mention it's debatable how much they will even improve. TDK has potential but he's a top 5-8 ruckman (losing one in the same category), Silvagni (consistently injured), Aleer (barely played AFL), Ryan (possible gun but also consistently injured) & Flanders (a good player solid player but a B grader at best).

For sure, just the amount of cash over many years they're dishing out is extraordinary.

It reminds me of a parent the night before Christmas panicking and overpaying for a lot of cheap, plastic s***** toys that'll only last a few weeks.

Hope we put our 'war chest' to good use.

Edit: I hope us and other clubs are keeping a very close eye on the Saints younger group ready to start offering them the big bucks...
 
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Xander McGuire on X saying that Jake Rogers the small forward for Gold Coast is one to watch.

His management has been gauging interest with rival clubs - after the 2023 first round pick only managed 18 games in his first two years.

Not really sure what sort of small he is, whether he's the pressure or the small/medium type.

Edit: GCS website has him listed as a "Medium Forward", but evidently he's a midfielder.
 
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Xander McGuire on X saying that Jake Rogers the small forward for Gold Coast is one to watch.

His management has been gauging interest with rival clubs - after the 2023 first round pick only managed 18 games in his first two years.

Not really sure what sort of small he is, whether he's the pressure or the small/medium type.

He's play more like a midfielder rather then a small forward.
 
Xander McGuire on X saying that Jake Rogers the small forward for Gold Coast is one to watch.

His management has been gauging interest with rival clubs - after the 2023 first round pick only managed 18 games in his first two years.

Not really sure what sort of small he is, whether he's the pressure or the small/medium type.
I thought he was a midfielder

EDIT: SNAPSHOT: “A diminutive midfielder who punches above his weight, Jake Rogers offers an elite combination of speed, skill, and decision making.”
 
Xander McGuire on X saying that Jake Rogers the small forward for Gold Coast is one to watch.

His management has been gauging interest with rival clubs - after the 2023 first round pick only managed 18 games in his first two years.

Not really sure what sort of small he is, whether he's the pressure or the small/medium type.
He’s quality. Still raw as anything though.
 
Nah, don't buy that. 17 clubs passed on Tom Stewart thinking he wasn't better than what they had.
If your club has a weakness, it’s common sense to take the best available to address that weakness.
Is your point that we should take a punt on a random player in the draft that isn’t as good as what we have, in hopes that we will get lucky and said player will improve out of sight to become an AA defender?

Why didn’t we think of that!
 
Not sure, just went on the GCS website and they have him listed as a medium forward, but his height is 172cm so assumed he was more small than medium category.
Similar to ours with Hynes as a forward

Drafted as Mid/Fwd just playing there now
 

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Nah, don't buy that. 17 clubs passed on Tom Stewart thinking he wasn't better than what they had.
If your club has a weakness, its common sense to take the best available to address that weakness.

you are putting faith in someone who has missed two full pre-seasons and no football for 2 years? You are depending on him to output the high level required at a critical junction of the season?
Oh damn better get on the phone with our recruiters and let them know to draft the next Tom Stewart. How did they not think of that brilliant approach??

And Weightman played last year. If you’re going to contribute to another clubs board at least do the bare minimum and don’t talk rubbish
 

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Jones declined markedly toward the end of 2024. He was excellent before that, in 2023 and for much of 2024. Despite his decline we clearly did NOT "take a gamble" on Busslinger at all. (JOD yes but that's a different discussion) You may remember all the people saying for almost two seasons "what does Buss have to do to get a game?" So the last thing we were doing was taking a gamble with him.

Jones was also given first crack in 2025 and pretty clearly he still hadn't regained his 2023 & early 2024 form. More importantly he hadn't satisfied MC, whatever it was they were looking for. Busslinger didn't debut until AFTER Jones had been given a handful more games (Rd 8) and despite playing well in most people's eyes (I was at that game) Buss was made sub the following week and was not seen again until Round 21 after Jones had been given yet another chance.

I have no idea whether Buss will succeed but I can certainly understand why the club is not prepared to give another season to Jones who will be 35 when the 2026 season kicks off. If it was my call I'd probably have kept him on the list but let's be honest, players hardly ever come back from a sustained decline in form at age 34.

Rather than point the finger at Buss and JOD as the reason for Jones getting dropped it would be more appropriate to recognise that Rory Lobb proved an unexpected success as a KPD and it was his form that allowed MC the flexibility to (eventually) drop Jones. We now know that Lobb is more an interceptor so there is still a man-on-man gap to be filled but the club quite understandably now wants to invest in the younger players.

KPDs don't mature until at least age 25. Buss is 21 and JOD is 23. If they can offer close to or better than what Jones can offer right now, it's a no-brainer.

Buss was a risky proposition when selected at the business end of the season, because he had played only a small number of games, and displayed modest form at best, at AFL level.

Jones had an injury interrupted preseason, then an in-season injury, but still displayed reasonable form in the few games he played at AFL level.

To choose Buss over a fit Jones late in the season, when it was clear our defence was our biggest weakness, was indeed a gamble. And a gamble that did not pay off.

KPD's may tend to peak around 25 but the really good ones play well a lot earlier. Buss has been in the system for a long time and hasn't been a standout performer to date. The time to deliver on his potential was really 2025, particularly with Jones being injured early. His window of opportunity is still open but closing fast.
 

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Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

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