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.

 

[cyrilweatherby]

Worpel is an experienced body. And nobody had an issue with his performances in our winning finals.

Unless we pick up a DFA or VFL gun, we aren't able to replace that type of player.

I actually think we should be worpelasking Dom Brew to train with us all summer. Strong, inside bull who should have been given a chance at AFL level by now.

Expected him to be the Shaun Mannagh of 2025 but everybody passed on him again.

Worpel was an average footballer at best. Attach whatever accolade you want to him.
We lose worpel makes us use someone else.
We really haven't lost much to my thinking.

 

[Since 2001]

This great and the wiz cooking up im the comments hahhaha

 

[Leather Poisoning]

This might sound harsh but imo we have absolutely improved our best 22 this trade period by cutting dead wood.

Worpel and CJ were best on for the opposition half the games they played.

That does sound really harsh.

I hate the reference to CJ and Worpel as dead wood. Both of them played their best footy for us while the rest of the club was falling apart/restructuring. Huge respect for both of those guys.

They will be replaced by guys who have better disposal, for sure. But I don't wanna every call those guys dead wood.

 

[WaxHawk]

Who looks likely at 10 and 21? Does greeves make it to us?

I reckon we should look at trading that later pick for a F1. Give us two next year to trade with.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

If you don’t trade a 30 year old for 3 firsts

Your a shortsighted club with no ability to future plan, no one thinks your strong, your just inept

Bombers now take a bunch of picks into a draft that doesn’t fix their issues

Merrett goes somewhere else next year

We load up for Butters/Walsh/Merrett by trading picks into the future, or get Greeves

Bit of natural improvement
Pre seasons into Dear and Lewis
Day fit/Frenchy will get a rocket

We good, it’s not ideal, we haven’t flushed any players out, and we are still the best club in the comp

The Clarko crew in here can bitch and moan, but they can GAGF for all I care

Clubs in the right hands

Time for a break

Go Hawks!!!!

 

[Leather Poisoning]

This great hahhaha

I think the absolute B grade photo shop skills make this quite amusing.

 

[bigmaxi]

We play to win.
Sometimes we dont. Onward.

 

[StackedHunch]

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

Real story there is, are Brisbane's list managers ****ing idiots? I mean, great list, sure, I reckon Dodoro at his nadir would have built a premiership list with their free ride, but not to take several picks, just to let the guy walk to the PSD? The sense of entitlement by Foldroy is astonishing.

 

[Brownbird]

Disappointed to not land Zach who is a terrific player and obviously had his heart set on playing for us. But I must admit I’m still a traditionalist when it comes to player movement. Somehow poaching another team’s best player to jag a flag feels like a shortcut to success (like Richmond did with Lynch and Cats with Danger & Cameron) and it would be much more satisfying to go “the hard way” and grow a premiership team largely using drafted players or low-cost discards like Chol, Ginni, Mass etc.

For 2026 we’re now all in on developing internal talent like Ward, Mackenzie, Butler (and maybe a smokey like Ramsden or Anderson?) into A graders. And of course the return of a healthy Day, Lewis and Dear with a full pre season, etc. We weren’t far away in 2025 and I think we can nudge a GF or flag next year if we can finish top 4.

don't forget Mraz - hope he gets over his injury ok and gets a good pre-season in - he was showing such a lot before being injured

 

[eldorado]

Neither is Zach Merrett

Go away

 

[Rioli2Gunstall]

Yes it is interesting. I think Frenchie will surpass Worpel how long that takes is a question. Alot of presurre on Ward & Frenchie to take that next step next season to finish top 4.

Day will need to be managed in the midfield early on. Can we pick a specialist player in the draft to release another midfield option.

He was well on track that hand injury really set him back. Even though its ok to play with takes time to heal properly, hell be good to go next year. We really needed to keep him.

 

[DrkNyt]

Hit the draft or load up for another death ride? I know what i want

 

[Since 2001]

I think the absolute B grade photo shop skills make this quite amusing.

Look at hardwicks insta

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

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.

So we failed one goal out of many that we have achieved since SM has become coach.

We failed once so we should just sit out of 2026 and cry like the whingey bombers?

We lost the battle, we’re still
In it to win the war! We refocus and go hard at what’s in our control. That’s self improvement and drafting!

Man too many defeatist attitudes in here!

Stop feeling sorry for ya self! We have a 2026 season to prepare for, we are genuine contenders still!

 

[excitingnews]

I’m taking solace in a couple of things:

1. This was the drug cheats decision.
2. Given it was there decision, they will have made the wrong choice.

Could you possibly imagine committing to another rebuild, allowing Draper to walk for sweet fa and then refusing to trade a player that doesn’t can’t to be there for 3 first round picks, out of what? Pride?

How **** f**k is there any pride remaining in that football club?

They’re the worst run club in the afl and this will go wrong for them for the same reason it always does. They still have that bullsh*t misplaced sense of arrogance despite being an absolute disgrace to the game for more than 20 years now.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Neither is Zach Merrett

Sorry buddy, you have to have watched your side win a flag to post here.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Neither is Zach Merrett

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Merrett has 6 weeks to get himself delisted

Someone mention pulling a JUH here on his team mate.

I reckon he’d have just reason to pull a JUH on Welsh and Scott. That should see him delisted.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Real story there is, are Brisbane's list managers ****ing idiots? I mean, great list, sure, I reckon Dodoro at his nadir would have built a premiership list with their free ride, but not to take several picks, just to let the guy walk to the PSD?

Northern clubs just play by different rules, why care about 2nd and 3rd round picks when you just get given top 5 prospects every year.

 

[hk89]

I tried to warn you all.

It panned out almost exactly as I thought it would.

Despite all the bull sh!t that was posted on here. Not going for Petracca is a major f@ck up no matter how the coolaiders will try and spin it.

Looks like Suns probably paid roughly the same as what we offered for Merrett (perhaps slightly less depending on where you think melbourne/hawthorn/suns will finish next year).

I'd have preferred Merrett, a better player IMO, and laser focused on winning instead of "Brand Merrett". Merrett hasn't won a final, Petracca has won a flag. Merrett would have been desperate for success, get the feeling Petracca after a gold coast retirement plan.

Essendon have a history of this. Can't say we shouldn't have know from the start it was a huge possibility.

Yes, we've let them **** us, by being all-in on Merrett and no plan B. As you say, we should have expected this, and put some risk mitigation in place. The fact that we've been left without any incoming players is very much on our list management team.

 

[kazzooka]

Who looks likely at 10 and 21? Does greeves make it to us?

Should do.

Twomey has him at 16. our pick will land about 14 After the Uwland, Patterson and Annable, Harry Dean bids.

Harry Dean is rated at 8 and Carlton have traded with us to slide up to 9 and 11 likely hoping the get a pick in before the bid. I think they are going to bundle those picks to try and either move up OR move them into next year for some 20s picks back.

But assuming Carlton's picks remain as is (they wont) AND they match a bid before 9 and 11 we move up anyway.. Pick 22 will come into 17 as Carlton 9, 11, GC 15,18 and Brisbane 17, picks will disappear in the matching.

So looking like excluding academy prospects, we get the 10th and 17th best prospects.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Neither is Zach Merrett

When you win a flag come chirp

Until then, go be like your “employement contract” coach

Expendable

 

[Baz_hawk]

Loving the bombers celebrations around this. It must be tough to support a club that is so shit that not trading a player who wants to leave out is considered a win for the supporters. Also the amount of Mitchell comments shows you how rent free he lives in their head from that little jab gesture all those years ago.

Almost feel bad for them. Almost.

 

[danielG]

The trade with Carlton doesn’t look great now!

By all accounts this draft drops off the cliff at 30.. To move from the 30s to 22 is important.. That 22 could be a future first..

 

[George Zip]

What’s not in the CBA / what remains the responsibility of the contract or law​

• The CBA does not explicitly provide a clause for a player to unilaterally terminate (i.e. “resign from the club”) at will without consent.
• Whether a player can do so depends on the individual contract terms (Standard Playing Contract + any addenda) and general contract law (e.g. whether there is a termination‐for‐cause or exit clause).
• If the contract has a clause allowing termination (for example, in case of serious injury, breach by the club, or other “for cause” provisions), that might legally permit a player to depart early.
• Absent such a clause, a player walking away could constitute a breach, and the club might seek remedies (damages, specific performance, or other relief depending on the jurisdiction).
• The CBA’s grievance mechanism is likely the first internal step for resolving disputes about contract interpretation, performance, or termination.