Unofficial Preview 2025 Hawk's Hypothetical Trade Discussion...now with added DFA spitballing!

[Strapping Young Lad]

This thread is becoming increasingly popular, and to keep some sort of order, we will have some….

Rules of engagement:

1. Bring valid news or links to Twitter posts from notable sources. Don’t post screenshots or “some bloke just said on SEN” or what some “trade whisperer” has posted on a Facebook page.

2. Ignore what other team boards are putting up as trade offers. Don’t quote or bring them here either.

3. Don’t post “buckle up” for the lols.

4. If you can’t say anything nice about Worpel or CJ, don’t say anything at all. The continued slaps and backhanders are just going to be deleted.

 

[Chubbs25]

Just realised Adelaide have done nothing either. Ah Chee trade didn't go through.

Walk him straight to the pre season draft

 

[StackedHunch]

Is this a pisstake? And if not who said it

Direct quote from a certain board.

 

[Mercy Seat]

FFS where is the koolaid? We couldn’t afford his contract demands - get over it.

Pretty sure we had loosely agreed terms and he walked when we targeted Merrett because he (or his management) thought we wouldn’t be able to get both done.

All moot now but he was all but coming until Merrett showed up.

 

[Blackhawk42]

The same internal improvement that took us from 0/5 last year to a prelim? Oh no, whatever will we do…

Huh?

That was aided in a BIG way by the additions of D'Ambrosio, Chol, Ginnivan, Battle and Barrass.

 

[Yummy5454]

This sucks. Clearly.

But it’s NOT copium to say that while this wasn’t plan A, we have an interesting plan B here.

With Tassie coming in (and ideally a few years of flag hunting in our near future), we get the opportunity to hit the draft heavily a final time.

If we nail even one of these picks, we’re looking at 10+ years of quality service. It’ll certainly make draft night fun.

PLUS, the likely players on the market next year are younger than your Trac/Merrett types. Think Bailey, Butters, Humphrey.

We could easily look back at this and say, while it hurt our immediate contention, it actually wasn’t a bad thing.

 

[QuietB]

Anyone in the cheersquad in this thread? I hope they come up with some clever banners about Zach being held hostage for round 1.

 

[To the Hawk]

FFS! Do you think this will be Sam Mitchell’s take? Hell NO!

He empowers the players to be the best they can and place no ceiling on what they can achieve.

I for one believe our youthful midfield has another couple of gears yet they can go up.

Mackenzie started well, injury derailed his season and confidence. He will learn from this ….

We said we would be "ruthless" in trade period to bring a premiership. We didn't strengthen our one weakness, like we set out to. We didn't make one hard decision to trade a best 23 player (not saying to Essendon).

What we publicly said, we failed to deliver on.

 

[Chubbs25]

From the prelim team
CJ and worps out.

I'd expect day and Mackenzie in.

Day and mackenzie are better by foot and better decision makers

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Pretty sure we had loosely agreed terms and he walked when we targeted Merrett because he (or his management) thought we wouldn’t be able to get both done.

All moot now but he was all but coming until Merrett showed up.

A few ITKs said his contract and the additional year he wanted put him out of reach. Just going by what they said.

 

[BobHawk]

I doubt a 38 year old Danger will cook us in a final next year either

Another way to look at it is that we will have on field leadership that won't allow something like that to happen. Our blokes just don't seem to have the presence of mind and grit to basically say, nope.

 

[StackedHunch]

View attachment 2457849

ROFL, genuinely LOL'd at that one. Maybe a bit too dark for the footy...maybe worth doing it anyway??

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Huh?

That was aided in a BIG way by the additions of D'Ambrosio, Chol, Ginnivan, Battle and Barrass.

3 of them started in 2024 and we have developed them since then. If you want to be perpetually negative then have at it - sounds like a shitty existence. Personally can’t wait for the preseason reports.

 

[perrdan86]

Where was plan B and C? Would have preferred to get in Steele or Simpkin, then waste time pursuing the unattainable. Our list is now weaker, hope Mitch gives some proper game time next year to Hustwaite and MacKenzie.

lol.. have you watched those two play?

Im backing in Gia to help bring our young guys up. Id much rather play Mackenzie than Simpkin and Steele cant hardly move.

 

[dermie50]

Can this work- Zac retires and then nominates for the mid season- season draft in 2026 and nominates Hawthorn ?

 

[Hawkk]

Worpel and CJ were woeful footballers and I am more than happy to bank on internal improvements.

And Serong couldn’t even get a game.

 

[QuietB]

We said we would be "ruthless" in trade period to bring a premiership. We didn't strengthen our one weakness, like we set out to. We didn't make one hard decision to trade a best 23 player (not saying to Essendon).

What we publicly said, we failed to deliver on.

You don't improve by losing players. Especially third year players who are showing signs.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Our side has enough improvement left in it to get us into the top four during the H&A. That's not the issue for us, IMO. It's going the next step.

The midfield is what takes you all the way in big finals, and this is what we will be up against:

Rowell, Anderson, Petracca, Miller, Humphrey, Davies

Neale, Washcroft, McLuggage, Dunkley, Bailey + Berry, Lashcroft, Marshall, Fletcher

I don't see how anyone else can overcome those units.

 

[Rioli2Gunstall]

Reminds me of trying to settle my divorce, thank god we didn’t, but even if we had offered 4 firsts they would’ve moved the goal posts because you can’t negotiate with campaigners.

Rosa said after in the interview there only goal was to hold merrett so what the **** was the whole thing about anyway? Just a waste of time youre exactly right, if we came back with 4 first rounders theyd say add in a cam mac or connor mc, add that then they want both they were just stringing hawks along with no plan to ever do a deal. Swap some picks for next year go hard at butters.

 

[Hawkk]

You don't improve by losing players. Especially third year players who are showing signs.

How many 3rd year players get three votes in a game too?

Including Cam Mackenzie in any trade (unless it was in the Humphrey deal) is madness. Can we now trade back into next years draft and build a war chest to grab him in a trade?

 

[eldorado]

Direct quote from a certain board.

The swagger is back, baby!

 

[mac11]

Looking forward to see Cam Mackenzie take big steps next year. No Worpel or CJ and 5 on the bench will see him getting plenty of opportunity.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see us trade pick 10 into 2026 (maybe to try bring in BH?).

Happy to see who we can pick up in the draft otherwise. Still reckon there’s plenty of organic improvement to come with this team.

 

[SSSSSS]

Because depth is important and we added nobody. Absolutely nobody.

Brisbane will continue to get better.
Geelong were runners up and added another experience mid and a ruckman who is super underrated.
Sydney added a two time Coleman medallist.
GWS have taken a risk, but they'll look like geniuses if the Oliver trade works out.
Gold Coast added a former number 1 draft pick AND a Norm Smith medallist.

We did nothing.

Other challenges got better. We didn't.

We need to bank on internal improvement now, but I guarantee Sam Mitchell will be furious.

What ruck did Geelong add?

 

[cyrilweatherby]

And Serong couldn’t even get a game.

True. How people can complain about him deciding to move on baffles me.

 

[nickrebellious]

Merrett has 6 weeks to get himself delisted

 

[kazzooka]

End of the day we keep all the players we wanted to keep. The talk of Lewis, Scrim, Mackenzie and Hustwaite. Well they are all still with us and ALL will have better years next year.

We are still well placed, and are Fitter than 2025. Day, Finn, Morrison, Lewis, Dear, Nash, Scrim, Mackenzie, Sicily, Weddle, Ginnivan (and Worpel) all had their injury issues in 2025.

Just having Day, Weddle, Dear, Lewis every week would have gotten us a top 2 spot, then it's home finals and who knows.

Confident that we have our eye on a few players in the draft for 10 an 22 that will be long term players for us.

Not sure if we need some mature age players as backup depth just in case. Mids next year will be starters > Day, Newcombe, Ward, | Bench > Nash, Mackenzie, Maginness | Depth > Hustwaite, Anderson.