Rumour GFC 2025 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 2

[thegerman]

It seems odd to me though that if the Hawks have been chasing mids for so long, why they are prepared to let one of their own go?

Any number of reasons. Trying to make cap space to chase a bigger target. Geelong lad wants to return home. Who knows, but I’ve seen enough to know he’s an upgrade to TB who may not play for us again, for a while or not at all.

 

[goyoucatters]

It seems odd to me though that if the Hawks have been chasing mids for so long, why they are prepared to let one of their own go?

They clearly don't rate him that highly. And we appear to be quite satisfied that he can be useful in our mids rotation for the next few years. So all this move needs is for us to rate him more highly than them for that support role. It seems that's exactly what is happening here.

 

[D BRIDGE]

It would need to be an injury to a similar forward player for him to get in now. Alas, some in here are willing to trade him after one average season, after kicking 40 goals a season from the previous 2 seasons.

Crazy.

If we trade players after one average season we’d have no players. We’d be bottom of the ladder.

The devil is in the detail.

Give me something good/usable for him, and I'd probably let him go.

Offer up chump change and he can stay and I'll cross my fingers that he can become more than a one-dimensional player (unlikely imo).

 

[FootyLad0]

It seems odd to me though that if the Hawks have been chasing mids for so long, why they are prepared to let one of their own go?

I think it’s very much coming from Worpel’s camp/agent just as much as it is from the Hawks.
Worpel wants to be paid and get job security because of the body of work he’s put in, his 2024 season was phenomenal.

He just got a shit run of luck with an injury and then complications from that injury right as he has come out of contract.
Really shit luck and poor timing but if Geelong are guaranteeing him a best 22 midfield role (I have him coming off the bench as our midfielder rotation to swap with Ax) and Hawks have been wishy washy on him it’s a no brainer for him to leave.

1. Guaranteed role
2. More money and years
3. Get to go back to local roots
4. Competing for Premierships

Hard to say no to all of that. Hawks can only meet two of those points.

 

[standupand]

I think it’s very much coming from Worpel’s camp/agent just as much as it is from the Hawks.
Worpel wants to be paid and get job security because of the body of work he’s put in, his 2024 season was phenomenal.

He just got a shit run of luck with an injury and then complications from that injury right as he has come out of contract.
Really shit luck and poor timing but if Geelong are guaranteeing him a best 22 midfield role (I have him coming off the bench as our midfielder rotation to swap with Ax) and Hawks have been wishy washy on him it’s a no brainer for him to leave.

1. Guaranteed role
2. More money and years
3. Get to go back to local roots
4. Competing for Premierships

Hard to say no to all of that. Hawks can only meet two of those points.

I agree it's a no-brainer from his point of view if that's what we're offering. But what about the hawks? They obviously think there's a good chance he won't be in their first team within the next few years. That has to be either because of 1) the style of game they want to play, 2) they know he's on his last legs, 3) they have quality young mids who will take his place, 4) they are very confident of signing better players in the off-season. My sense is that it may be a combination of 1 and 2.

 

[thegerman]

The devil is in the detail.

Give me something good/usable for him, and I'd probably let him go.

Offer up chump change and he can stay and I'll cross my fingers that he can become more than a one-dimensional player (unlikely imo).

I disagree. You don’t become a player club of choice or a destination club by playing with careers so flippantly. I highly doubt he’d be in any trade discussion other than from ridiculous speculation on here.

 

[D BRIDGE]

I agree it's a no-brainer from his point of view if that's what we're offering. But what about the hawks? They obviously think there's a good chance he won't be in their first team within the next few years. That has to be either because of 1) the style of game they want to play, 2) they know he's on his last legs, 3) they have quality young mids who will take his place, 4) they are very confident of signing better players in the off-season. My sense is that it may be a combination of 1 and 2.

Have the Hawks offered him 3x years?

If that's true... It's hardly "we don't rate him" terms.

 

[D BRIDGE]

I disagree. You don’t become a player club of choice or a destination club by playing with careers so flippantly. I highly doubt he’d be in any trade discussion other than from ridiculous speculation on here.

I have no idea if he is in any trade talks. Probably not because I assume other clubs can see the player he is.

I'm just saying if we were offered something good/usable for him... I'd certainly consider it.

If we traded OH and he was happy to go for more opportunities, IMO that impacts us zero as a club.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Have the Hawks offered him 3x years?

If that's true... It's hardly "we don't rate him" terms.

I'm guessing they'd have offered 3 if we had offered 4. Unsigned contracts cost nothing

 

[D BRIDGE]

I'm guessing they'd have offered 3 if we had offered 4. Unsigned contracts cost nothing

My point is that they aren't exactly pushing him out the door if they have offered him 3x years.

They aren't going full St Kilda and Bulldogs by giving up huge $$$ and 6x year contracts willy nilly.

They are acting more like us... give an offer they think is fair, maybe he stays for less than what he can get elsewhere (like plenty of our offers) and if he goes, he goes.

Solid player but not a main character in any footy team.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

My point is that they aren't exactly pushing him out the door if they have offered him 3x years.

They aren't going full St Kilda and Bulldogs by giving up huge $$$ and 6x year contracts willy nilly.

They are acting more like us... give an offer they think is fair, maybe he stays for less than what he can get elsewhere (like plenty of our offers) and if he goes, he goes.

Solid player but not a main character in any footy team.

Yeah I think he'll be a positive addition. Crustacean or otherwise

 

[Gazza Greatness]

I'm very excited by the potential inclusion of Marshall. I get that he is 30 but things are changing, 30 isn't the retirement age it once was.

Stanley has been great but getting Marshall would be our best ruck since Ottens.

In addition to say, landing Butters or another gun mid, it's exactly what we need going into next year.

I know people don't want to lose a trade, but this is a great outcome for Geelong. It could honestly be a premiership.

Hopefully Conway can get his body right, but we can't have any confidence that will happen. Trading in a 30 year old ruck is perfect. Will still be handy for a few years whilst one of the other big boys hopefully comes good.

Think Geelong will get it done and they should. Will likely be more than what many here are wanting to give but if he is on our list next year without losing a top 22 player.... we're doing well!

I'm a huge Toby Conway fan dangerwood: as I've always seen him as a future top 3 ruckman in the league, however I agree with every word that you have written and I'm certain the club see's it the same way too. Let's hope Toby can get his body right with the club fully prepared to play-out the long waiting game to give Toby every opportunity to get himself right and of course we also have a very promising Mitch Edwards who just needs time for his body to fully mature. So at this point in time, it makes perfect sense to bring into the club a highly talented and extremely mobile Rowan Marshall to fill the void of a first ruck and as you say the 30 year olds of today are not the 30 years old of the past. Let's hope that Wellsy and Mackie can get the deal done and the fact Rowan has met with the club this week is encouraging. I guess it'll come down to whether the Saints are prepared to let him go but fingers crossed that is so..... and GO CATS !!!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Hope not as it would mean we had 3 or 4 injuries in the prelim.

If the club saw that Ollie had a role to play this season they would have picked him against Richmond.

Instead they have settled on Bews, Clark and Knevitt being the finals back ups and have been shuffling the deck to keep them ticking over since the Sydney game.

I could see Henry purely because adelaide are quite tall and it looks like stanley wont be fit.

 

[cats_09]

No no no, I disagree - one of the most fun parts of BigFooty are those claiming to be very much In The Know. It's not trade time unless you hear it from Wellsy's mum's dogwalker's third nephew once removed!

I'm disappointed there's no hairdresser involved

 

[Gazza Greatness]

I think it’s very much coming from Worpel’s camp/agent just as much as it is from the Hawks.
Worpel wants to be paid and get job security because of the body of work he’s put in, his 2024 season was phenomenal.

He just got a shit run of luck with an injury and then complications from that injury right as he has come out of contract.
Really shit luck and poor timing but if Geelong are guaranteeing him a best 22 midfield role (I have him coming off the bench as our midfielder rotation to swap with Ax) and Hawks have been wishy washy on him it’s a no brainer for him to leave.

1. Guaranteed role
2. More money and years
3. Get to go back to local roots
4. Competing for Premierships

Hard to say no to all of that. Hawks can only meet two of those points.

FootyLad0: there's just no possible way the MC/club can guarantee Worpel a best 22 position, just won't happen nor should it under any circumstances..... if he requires a guarantee to be in best 22 then he can stay at Hawthorn.

 

[cats_09]

It would need to be an injury to a similar forward player for him to get in now. Alas, some in here are willing to trade him after one average season, after kicking 40 goals a season from the previous 2 seasons.

Crazy.

If we trade players after one average season we’d have no players. We’d be bottom of the ladder.

Touch wood, but it would be someone like Martin not being available that would be the biggest door opener for Henry - tough he wouldn't offer the same versatility as we saw even on Friday night that Martin went behind the ball for a period before having an early night

 

[goyoucatters]

I'm disappointed there's no hairdresser involved

Yet another one of those 'the game's gone' moments.

 

[iameviljez]

FootyLad0: there's just no possible way the MC/club can guarantee Worpel a best 22 position, just won't happen nor should it under any circumstances..... if he requires a guarantee to be in best 22 then he can stay at Hawthorn.

"Guarantee" is the wrong term, but I think that what's being said is that if we were selecting a Round One team tomorrow and he were available, he would be in it.

The same way that we said to Jack Bowes that there is a spot in our 23 for you, as you are.

It's not an iron-clad guarantee against being dropped, but it is saying that we aren't banking you on potential alone.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Have the Hawks offered him 3x years?

If that's true... It's hardly "we don't rate him" terms.

Our contract offers are very similar, we've both offered a 4 year deal for him.

 

[standupand]

FootyLad0: there's just no possible way the MC/club can guarantee Worpel a best 22 position, just won't happen nor should it under any circumstances..... if he requires a guarantee to be in best 22 then he can stay at Hawthorn.

I agree with you Gazza Greatness that they shouldn't but I also think they would have to wouldn't they? He's not coming here on a hope of making the cut. He would definitely have been given a guarantee of sorts that he would not be playing VFL.

 

[moond0g]

I wouldn't say he has struggled but there definitely isn't a role for him. Danger has come in and effectively merged Gary Rohan and Ollie Henrys roles into one.
As a result theres no spot for him.

Neale and Cameron are the KPF, if Cameron got injured he could come in for him but not at his expense when fit, and he can't play Neales role.
He can't play Stengle, Close, Mannagh or Miers role when they are FP/HFF because he doesn't have their skill sets or open play goal sense.

What he could do but would need to lift his tank is he could do the same thing Dempsey does in regards to dragging his opponent forward and beating them with goal nous, especially since Henry and Dempsey can take pack marks (although I doubt Henry has the timing to score that volley'ed goal).

But honestly, look at the team and the line ups and tell me where Henry comes in? Dangerfield has absolutely taken his spot. If Danger was still a full time mid, that medium forward role wouldn't even be a sure thing for Henry because Martin can play that role too. And what hurts Henry is Martin can play off the HBF or wing, Henry can't.

Even in R25 when Neale was suspended he still didn't get picked. I'm optimistic that he can bounce back next year, but it has been a tad surprising to see just how far down the pecking order he's fallen this season.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Did anything else ever come of those whispers/rumours/"ITK"s about Bews and Clohesy being traded?

A couple of posters dropped a few nuggets and then nothing seems to have been talked about since.....

 

[moond0g]

You just offer them our r1 (will be 17-18 and 20s after bids) and our r2 for marshall and their r3 or r4.
Allows them to trade the Geelong 2025 r2 or stkildas future 2nd for Ryan
Should be straightforward IF they are reasonable.

Our round 2 pick this year wouldn't be worth much. I think it'd be more likely a deal would centre around our first.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Our round 2 pick this year wouldn't be worth much. I think it'd be more likely a deal would centre around our first.

I think he meant both picks together

 

[Reg Hickey]

as much as wanting to get rid of him over one average season. Absolute nuffie thoughts.

Ollie Henry has kicked 92 goals in 60 games over 3 seasons as a Cat.

Basically an average of 1.5 goals a game, or ~35 goals for a full 23 game season.

Thats not bad. Not as good as Cameron, Stengle and Neale (last 2 years, when he's been getting a regular game). Better than Miers, Close, Dangerfield and Mannagh.

The problem for Ollie is that is ALL he brings, while every one of those other players brings far more value to the mix than just goals.

His forward pressure is non-existent. He rarely chases or tackles. He rarely assists. He spends his time trying to take hangers and trying to kick glory goals. Sometimes it comes off, he kicks 3 or 4, and people get excited. But the reality is that while playing like that is great in the backyard, it ain't gonna cut it at AFL level. That's been the frustration with him from the start, and why he's not a best 23 player right now.

He clearly has a lot of talent, I suspect the challenges for him are attitude, fitness and defensive game. I'm not at all suggesting we trade him, but if he wants a long and prosperous career, IMO he needs to do some hard work in the off season and bring a more rounded game to the table next year.