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.

 

[Yardie]

Serious question: When did it become acceptable within AFL punditry to behave in a biased way toward the club you support? Was it when McGuire became president of Collingwood?

Robbo says hi!

 

[PenAndPaper]

Agree with everything you've written except for where you quoted me.
Talent is what you do. Yes it can be moments and not consistent output, but you expect to see growth in output where those moments become more connected or areas not exposed become seen.
His greatest exhibition of talent thus far, to me at least, is his explosiveness.
I expected watching him as a junior we'd see far more from him aerially. I really thought that would translate, and while he's taken a few hangers that are 'awe geebus', he doesn't win in the air nearly as much as I expected.
He's not great around goals.
He's totally one sided.
Not a good handballer, as in he doesn't put it in to space and 'play' teammates open.
His foot skills are pretty damn ordinary.
Doesn't show much maturity or leadership.

What he is, is dynamic. Explosive. Could be special, as in very very special, as an inside contest breaking it open player. Or breaking out ahead of the ball into space and taking it and going, hopefully to find a teammate further upfield in better position.
He'd want to get soooooo much better at the things I've listed above, which have nothing to do with being sat on by opposition, to be anywhere around the player people here are projecting.

That's the thing with those concerns you listed, I think a lot of those can be explained by playing at a rabble club where he is being focused on by the opposition at such a young age:
He was very good around goals as a junior, hard to translate at a club that doesn't score much, or get many inside 50s.
He's as one sided as a lot of players but that's a fair concern.
Think you're being harsh on his disposal because he often doesn't have great outlets to go to (West Coast barely have any outside mids).
Most 20yo players aren't going to show much maturity or leadership.

 

[Yardie]

So...

Two first round picks, one a top 10
Two second round picks
Any Worpel compo, say, pick 20
AND another 2 players?

For Sheezel?

Just checking, because that's what it reads like...

I know what you're thinking, it's not enough........

 

[flinchfree]

That's the thing with those concerns you listed, I think a lot of those can be explained by playing at a rabble club where he is being focused on by the opposition at such a young age:
He was very good around goals as a junior, hard to translate at a club that doesn't score much, or get many inside 50s.
He's as one sided as a lot of players but that's a fair concern.
Think you're being harsh on his disposal because he often doesn't have great outlets to go to (West Coast barely have any outside mids).
Most 20yo players aren't going to show much maturity or leadership.

Fair enough, you're more generous in your take and that's totally fair.
As I see it, there's an enormous gulf between NWM and Reid, and I'd take Curtain, Wizard, Darcy, and likely a couple others if I was spending the cash and picks.
But I get it, landing a difference maker can be transformative.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Fair enough, you're more generous in your take and that's totally fair.
As I see it, there's an enormous gulf between NWM and Reid, and I'd take Curtain, Wizard, Darcy, and likely a couple others if I was spending the cash and picks.
But I get it, landing a difference maker can be transformative.

Yeah I think I just kind of have Reid in that same bracket as those guys you listed and he fills a bit more of a void for us. In saying that though, NWM would probably still be my #1 target if he was gettable and worth the same amount trade/wage wise.

I just really hope we are aggressive this year in trying to land a big fish or potentially generational talent. Luckily it looks like we are doing just that.

 

[TazHawk15]

I really admire one club players.

“I really really would admire Harley if he became a one club player”

 

[TylerDurden]

Butters is out of Port this year

Dogs?

 

[SSSSSS]

Dogs?

Do they have the capital?

Port will be likely to get a top 4 pick for Butters as a FA next year, or if they can turn their performance around they might be able to convince him to stay.

 

[eldorado]

I know what you're thinking, it's not enough........

They'll tell us we're dreamin'...

 

[unitedhawk2]

Does Harley have elite talent?
Yes. If you compare his first two years to the corresponding years from Dusty and Trac, I'd suggest Harley is tracking pretty well. His second year hasn't been as good as his first but he's been sat on and had very little help in 2025.

Will that elite talent translate into elite performance over a sustained period, like Trac and Dusty?
Don't know but the clubs chasing him would be confident that it would in their environment.

Do I want him at the Hawks?
Depends on the price - both trade and salary. He's second behind Butters on my wishlist.

As ever, I'm sure MM, Sam and Co. will make the decision that's right for the club - if we're in the conversation.

 

[Sixpence]

I think people need to take a look at how bad Horne-Francis was at North compared to how good he's been at Port. Being in a club that isn't an incompetent, soulless wasteland makes a huge difference in ones mental state and how they go about their footy. Harley just needs to be in a better system.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

It feels like he will be a dog or a cat either this year or noxt but for the life of me i can not understand why the Dogs are keen on him.

I get talent like that is incredibly enticing but they just moved on Macrae because they had too many mids. They have Bont, Richards, Kennedy, Libba, Treloar (near the end) and a young Sanders. This is while having one of the worst backlines in the comp.

Giving up the cap and collateral to bring in another mid just feels like a perfect way to be another week 1 finals exit.

Maybe they are just banking on the Darcy, Naughton, Weightman and West forward line to dominate with the delivery from that midfield.

Straight shoot-outs every game would be entertaining.

 

[hardway]

Have heard some interesting information re NWM from someone involved with St. Kilda who has been a reliable source in the past re anything St. Kilda.

Saints know of 3 clubs going hard for NWM. Port, Crows & Hawthorn.
I quizzed them on Hawks interest and from what they are aware it has been more of a late charge compared to the other 2.
Port or staying at Saints still most likely.

This is exciting to know we are putting our hat in the ring for him but if it's more of a late/recent charge it makes me think/worried we have missed out on our other targets like Reid/Butters. Or hopefully just keeping our options open.

I just formed a Teepee in my pants after reading this post.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Reid's three week spell from R17 to R19 showed what he can do when playing through the middle.

i don't think anyone from his draft class bar McKercher (who plays an easier possession-friendly role), and Watson at the end of last season, has put together three games like that in a row.

He has also demonstrated his impressive strength and explosiveness in bursts, and has taken enough hangers to show that he has that in his bag of tricks.

IMO he would be an absolute weapon in a better team. Every club/coach seemingly agrees given the interest and contract numbers that have been discussed. There are a bare handful of players list managers wouldn't gladly trade for him.

 

[GerryLewis]

I just formed a Teepee in my pants after reading this post.

It's the pleats.

 

[scrim reaper]

I think people need to take a look at how bad Horne-Francis was at North compared to how good he's been at Port. Being in a club that isn't an incompetent, soulless wasteland makes a huge difference in ones mental state and how they go about their footy. Harley just needs to be in a better system.

That archetype of player takes time too. A game that's based around explosiveness and strength that dominates juniors takes a hit when everyone is now the same size and they can't be burst past or physically overpowered.
After a few preseasons when they can reinstate the physical gap and understand the spacing and timing and what they can get away with, they take off. Not to mention it's obvious he also lacks a tank at the moment which means repeat explosive efforts are going to be diminished in a big way, thus fading in and out of games.

You see the Daicos and Sheezel types start hot because their game is far less predicated on crash and bash and more around aerobic capacity, uncontested possession link up play, and clean ball use, which translates better early.

Dangerfield, Dusty, JHF, Trac, JDG, all guys in that mould that took years to hit their straps. The argument could be made he is tracking ahead of all of them.

JDG is the floor and Dusty is the ceiling.

 

[Hawked Wings]

Dogs?

I’ve been told for over a year he’ll be a dog, just not sure when

 

[Nugett]

So half our best 18 are out of contract next year.

I wouldn’t expect them to be out of contract by the end of next year.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[Mercy Seat]

Not sure why people get so upset with what a player is getting paid (or offered). They post like they're the ones forking out the cash.

Unless you're inside the four walls of the club, you don’t know the full picture: how the list management strategy works, what’s been communicated internally, or whether leadership and senior players have been consulted. There are layers of context around player payments that we simply aren’t privy to.

I think it's fine to think we overpaid in terms of draft picks and trades, and certainly discussing what a recruit means from a team dynamic and who might miss out and whether they're a good fit. But the emphasis on what they're earning is slightly strange to me. The reality is, we have to fork up somewhere if we want to win a flag, and that probably means paying overs. As long as we get them to the club and everyone's happy, the money is not as important to me.

 

[unitedhawk2]

If the AFL intends to reverse the ruck rule they brought in a couple of years ago, Ned's value will be much higher than it currently is.

I hope we extract the appropriate trade value if he leaves.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Would you rather keep Reeves or Ramsden? Clubs are circling both and I can't see us losing both.

 

[hfc70]

Would you rather keep Reeves or Ramsden? Clubs are circling both and I can't see us losing both.

Whoever has the biggest hands , we keep

 

[SSSSSS]

I think people need to take a look at how bad Horne-Francis was at North compared to how good he's been at Port. Being in a club that isn't an incompetent, soulless wasteland makes a huge difference in ones mental state and how they go about their footy. Harley just needs to be in a better system.

JHF at least had LDU/Simpkin taking the midfield heat.

Look at the shit trucks Harley has to play with. A peaheart Kelly who is B grade on the days he turns up and D grade every other day. Yeo can't get on the park. Some other random literal who's?

He's getting tagged and scragged every game. He had JOM hanging off him in the showdown and took him to the goal square and dropped 2 goals on him.

On top of that instead of having Goldstein palming it down to him he has potatoes in Flynn and Williams.

 

[A1fromDay1]

The only way that Port lose Butters this year is if Nasiah nominates them and they need the assets to satisfy a trade.