Mega Thread 2019 List Management, Free Agency & Trade thread

[Joao]

My biggest concern with Cox going is whether Luke Ryan would also go; if they are going to match each other's stupid hair colours you would think it was a real risk. Ryan is probably our second most important defender right now behind Pearce and is very instrumental to our backline regularly breaking the lines. Of Ryan goes then you are down to Cerra and Wilson to provide the drive, and one will probably graduate to the midfield next year and the other is not playing that great atm.

Having said that, it is clear that Cox becomes one of the biggest talking points around trades; his early form was suggesting he was going to be close to having a similar kind of breakout to what MacCarthy and Taberner have been having, but atm you would think the preference would be for the forward line Hogan, Lobb (with Darcy back in ruck) and one other, with a couple of backups including an understudy (let's say understudy is Dixon). It is probably one too many atm and as mercenary as it sounds now is the best time to cash in on his value. If we could convert him into Logan MacDonald (a top WA mobile tall forward or tall midfield option for 2020) we would be laughing I reckon....

List wise, another real ruck forward option would add a bit of balance and backup to the options around Darcy&Lobb. It makes me wonder, assuming we can get Liam Henry for a second round pick max, do we go for Luke Jackson with our first pick? He is sort of undersized for the ruck which I reckon will see him fall down the order, but his skills and athleticism are good and you could see him as a 60 forward / 40 ruck option and being WA is probably a smaller flight risk. He then replaces Meek on the list who really is too one dimensional (I think we hold onto Jones as a mature bodied ruck option in case of worst case injury scenario).

Picking Jackson makes no sense unless we think he is generational.

I'll be amazed if we don't just pick best available mid/flanker this year (if we keep our first).

 

[go_the_dockers]

Picking Jackson makes no sense unless we think he is generational.

I'll be amazed if we don't just pick best available mid/flanker this year (if we keep our first).

I am hoping there is a gun small forward available. And we pick him

A Stephenson clone would be perfect

 

[theGav56]

Darcy and Lobb complement each other perfectly. I mentioned this earlier and agree that we should hold onto Cox if possible but if a club came with a very favourable offer for Cox I could wear that. It would have to favour Freo.

Darcy is going no where. Re: Cox a significant injury to either Pearce or Hamling and he is right in the mix for the KPD role.


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Once Logue comes back I am not sure about Cox being injury cover for our KPDs. Any of Logue, Duman or Hughes can step up as injury cover depending on the opponent. Great mark, but reduced mobility is my issue, and is why he seems better as a forward option.

 

[theGav56]

The prep for Mundy going is going okay atm imo:

1. Blakely - player roughly same size with a bigger tank and gets more of the ball but less effective with it in hand. Closest immediate replacement atm and probably about ready.
2. Tucker - about an equally good user, about same speed or slightly better, slightly smaller and closing in on winning the same kind of ball numbers (currently low 20s this year). Potentially 1 - 2 years off.
3. Sturt - Same-ish height and equally skilled, also faster but currently very light (but will end up being same kind of build) and endurance not at afl standard yet. Needs to do a 3 or 4 years apprenticeship on a flank or a wing.

Valente perhaps more than any of those Ysaye. Big body. Clearance specialist. Good user.

 

[theGav56]

I am hoping there is a gun small forward available. And we pick him

A Stephenson clone would be perfect

Henry and Sturt will both be getting fast-tracked.

 

[theGav56]

Picking Jackson makes no sense unless we think he is generational.

I'll be amazed if we don't just pick best available mid/flanker this year (if we keep our first).

I agree with you here, and also admit I would like Jackson.

I just think that the ruck position is changing a bit, becoming more around-the-ground mobile. There is less importance on winning the ruck battle, and more importance on "other" attributes. I see Jackson as perhaps becoming like Taberner with ruck-ability. That is kind of what we have with Lobb already, and I think another in that mold may be the ideal combo with Lobb.

I am also not minding that our midfield is getting used to the idea that we may not "win" the ruck and get silver platter service. If we are dependent on it, then it is a vulnerability.

 

[Lach72]

Henry and Sturt will both be getting fast-tracked.

Agree with this. With Switta, Schultz, Matera, Henry and Sturt plus Walters I think we're ok for small forwards for a while

 

[go_the_dockers]

Henry and Sturt will both be getting fast-tracked.

Is Henry a small forward or a mid??

 

[Lach72]

Is Henry a small forward or a mid??

Both, like Walters I reckon.

Wingman at the moment

 

[theGav56]

Is Henry a small forward or a mid??

Asking the wrong guy, but when I asked that question I was told that he is a mid/wing who will debut forward.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Asking the wrong guy, but when I asked that question I was told that he is a mid/wing who will debut forward.

Have you got to talk to someone at the club or in the academy first hand, any idea hows he rated outside of here?

 

[FD2646]

W

Valente perhaps more than any of those Ysaye. Big body. Clearance specialist. Good user.

Im a big Valente fan, but Cerra is the Mundy clone for me.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Agree with this. With Switta, Schultz, Matera, Henry and Sturt plus Walters I think we're ok for small forwards for a while

Quantity vs quality ?

Sturt, Henry, Switta, all flanker or miss.

Walters is better as A flanker or mid as well.

I am not sure about Matera, but his form has been good recently. I would like 1 more natural forward.

 

[Scham]

Agree with this. With Switta, Schultz, Matera, Henry and Sturt plus Walters I think we're ok for small forwards for a while

A bit more quality wouldn't go astray.

Schultz is yet to prove himself past WAFL level, so too Sturt, who is more a medium forward in any case and is being groomed as a defender and mid. Henry we haven't got yet and is unproven also.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

A bit more quality wouldn't go astray.

Schultz is yet to prove himself past WAFL level, so too Sturt, who is more a medium forward in any case and is being groomed as a defender and mid. Henry we haven't got yet and is unproven also.

Uhhh, Henry will be greatest small forward since Betts, we know this because his in our academy

 

[sherrif]

Uhhh, Henry will be greatest small forward since Betts, we know this because his in our academy

Interestingly we could have to match an early bid for Henry in 2019 Draft and could have another early bid required for Brandon Walker in 2020. Makes me think that that perhaps trading 2019 first pick and 2020 first pick for a player with multiple picks say a second rounder and change coming back in exchange for a gun player could be an option at the end of the year. That depends on who's available, obviously. But we could get the best of both worlds by bringing in two elite young player (with second or third round bids like Thomas at North) and then trading in a gun player from another club. Brandon Walker sounds like the elite super quick defender that would round out our defensive group nicely. Henry the super skilled quick half forward that potentially kicks goals, add pressure and improves delivery to forward fifty. Happy days hopefully. Yeah I know its a long way out particularly to work out B.Walker's value. Eighteen months before Carter's draft he was talked about as requiring an early bid as well. B. Walker does sound super promising though.

 

[Joao]

Interestingly we could have to match an early bid for Henry in 2019 Draft and could have another early bid required for Brandon Walker in 2020. Makes me think that that perhaps trading 2019 first pick and 2020 first pick for a player with multiple picks say a second rounder and change coming back in exchange for a gun player could be an option at the end of the year. That depends on who's available, obviously. But we could get the best of both worlds by bringing in two elite young player (with second or third round bids like Thomas at North) and then trading in a gun player from another club. Brandon Walker sounds like the elite super quick defender that would round out our defensive group nicely. Henry the super skilled quick half forward that potentially kicks goals, add pressure and improves delivery to forward fifty. Happy days hopefully. Yeah I know its a long way out particularly to work out B.Walker's value. Eighteen months before Carter's draft he was talked about as requiring an early bid as well. B. Walker does sound super promising though.

It would be great if our boys were worthy first round talents but I think positionally alone it seems unlikely. You need to be outstanding if you are as small as Henry is and half backs generally don't go top 10. I would think easy comparisons would be Butters (Henry) and Quaynor (Walker) as probably the upper limit of draft cost. I think the chances are our first both years should be safe (hope I am wrong though).

 

[maccamk]

It would be great if our boys were worthy first round talents but I think positionally alone it seems unlikely. You need to be outstanding if you are as small as Henry is and half backs generally don't go top 10. I would think easy comparisons would be Butters (Henry) and Quaynor (Walker) as probably the upper limit of draft cost. I think the chances are our first both years should be safe (hope I am wrong though).

Stephenson at pick 6?

 

[Joao]

Stephenson at pick 6?

Not sure what you are getting at?

 

[Taylor]

Jaidyn Stephenson wasn't drafted to be a medium forward.

 

[maccamk]

Jaidyn Stephenson wasn't drafted to be a medium forward.

He was drafted as a forward/ wing. Same position as Liam Henry. This draft is supposedly heavily weighted to WA & SA players so there is every chance we will need our first pick on Henry particularly if he continues to rack up ‘sizzling’ performances in the National champs. He has been hidden in the PSA comp previously so is still relatively unknown

 

[Superkoops]

Reading the past couple of pages just a couple of points worth noting from my perspective.

Whilst I agree that Darcy needs to continue to improve his fitness and agility I disagree with the point made about the centre bounce tap work being less important in the modern game and drafting more for mobile ruckmen. With the 6-6-6 rule in particular the ruck-tap and centre clearance is becoming more important. Darcy’s ruck-tap work is his strength. A fully fit and in form Sandy (whilst a pipe dream) would have us absolutely flying. Brodie Grundy is also a very good tap ruckman.

Also Liam Henry is currently measured around 182cm so is a reasonable height already (ie. should he grow a little more over the next year or two). Someone made a comment as if he is 174cm height.


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[Scham]

Stephenson at pick 6?

Yep. Quite possibly would've gone earlier if not for his heart condition too. The number 1 picks in 2017 and 2016 were both small forwards. There's no substitute for quality regardless of position. Maybe in the old days but now with players moving all over the ground regardless of their starting position, adding quality anywhere on the field is golden.

 

[theGav56]

I struggle to see our Academy players being bid on for anything near actual draft value. I think clubs will only bid when there is the word "BARGAIN" emblazoned in the recruiters minds. Even at the high end of the draft, clubs will want to be choosing players who want to be at their club, not players who have been wrenched away from their academy host clubs.

 

[Paracleet]

The number 1 picks in 2017 and 2016 were both small forwards.

Rayner was medium forward / midfield (187 cm) and McGrath was a midfielder.

Without checking the only small forward I can recall being drafted in the top 10 of recent drafts is Ainsworth at the Suns