2026/2027 Draft & Trade Periods

[Iva Bigun]

Bailey looking at Longy going you can have 2 of my years if you like

 

[lommy]

For conversations sake. Let’s say we llose both King and Walter at the end of the year (match king, trade Walter - decent return for both) JUH makes it into the team, but hasnt yet shown his pick 1 status.

Who, if anyone would we target for the forward line?

 

[KaySwizzle]

For conversations sake. Let’s say we llose both King and Walter at the end of the year (match king, trade Walter - decent return for both) JUH makes it into the team, but hasnt yet shown his pick 1 status.

Who, if anyone would we target for the forward line?

If that happened it would be pretty bad. I don’t think there is much of a tall forward market at the moment.

An internal fix is to just move Mac forward with Read and JUH, and hope Adams comes along as a third defender.

 

[thurls64]

If that happened it would be pretty bad. I don’t think there is much of a tall forward market at the moment.

An internal fix is to just move Mac forward with Read and JUH, and hope Adams comes along as a third defender.

Adams is looking better and better, was very solid against WC

 

[Jirik13]

Only 2 games for Lombard and 1 game for Rogers this season but both played quite well, IMO. I still expect up and down season for them especially Lombard who played only 6 games.

My question is - Do we still need to draft or trade in a small forward? A lot of people here talked about small forward as our weakness and most urgent need. It does not look like for me.

 

[Scotty_222]

Only 2 games for Lombard and 1 game for Rogers this season but both played quite well, IMO. I still expect up and down season for them especially Lombard who played only 6 games.

My question is - Do we still need to draft or trade in a small forward? A lot of people here talked about small forward as our weakness and most urgent need. It does look like for me.

I think a natural small forward is the hardest position to trade for, there just isn’t enough good ones around.

 

[Supersuns]

Only 2 games for Lombard and 1 game for Rogers this season but both played quite well, IMO. I still expect up and down season for them especially Lombard who played only 6 games.

My question is - Do we still need to draft or trade in a small forward? A lot of people here talked about small forward as our weakness and most urgent need. It does look like for me.

There isnt many premiership teams these days without an out and out star small forward. Charlie Cameron, Stengle, Hill/Elliot, Pickett just since 2021. I like both Rogers and Leo but neither are out and out small forwards. I still think we need one, how we get one is a whole other issue.

 

[Jirik13]

There isnt many premiership teams these days without an out and out star small forward. Charlie Cameron, Stengle, Hill/Elliot, Pickett just since 2021. I like both Rogers and Leo but neither are out and out small forwards. I still think we need one, how we get one is a whole other issue.

I made a mistake in my post. I think we don't need a one, haha. Interesting to hear people's views. Both Lombard and Rogers exceeded my expectation so far for that small pressure forward role, with nice I50 deliveries, great speed and both can score. Rogers kicking and quick hands were great with 9 SI. Lombard looks like a great runner.

Let's see how they go for the rest of season. I think it's all about learning the role in Dimma's system. I am optimistic about both of them.

 

[GC2015]

My question is - Do we still need to draft or trade in a small forward?

We tried last year with guys like Bobby Hill/Jamie Elliott and just couldn't get anyone to bite. Brisbane got incredibly lucky that there was a young small forward from Queensland who was interested in coming home when they managed to convince Charlie Cameron to leave the Crows. If there were more small forwards from Queensland in the league then we probably wouldn't have an issue recruiting one, but right now that's not the case. FWIW 23yo Paul Curtis from the Kangaroos is the one I'd be trying to recruit if I was deadset on bringing in a high quality small forward from another club.

 

[Jirik13]

We tried last year with guys like Bobby Hill/Jamie Elliott and just couldn't get anyone to bite. Brisbane got incredibly lucky that there was a young small forward from Queensland who was interested in coming home when they managed to convince Charlie Cameron to leave the Crows. If there were more small forwards from Queensland in the league then we probably wouldn't have an issue recruiting one, but right now that's not the case. FWIW 23yo Paul Curtis from the Kangaroos is the one I'd be trying to recruit if I was deadset on bringing in a high quality small forward from another club.

So you also think we should get one? I am pretty bullish on Lombard/Rogers. It looks like I am the only one here, haha.

Also trade in e.g., Curtis would cost a lot money.

 

[GC2015]

So you also think we should get one? I am pretty bullish on Lombard/Rogers. It looks like I am the one here, haha.

Also trade in e.g., Curtis would cost a lot money.

I'm in the 'wait and see' category right now. I like what I'm seeing from Lombard and Rogers so far, but I also understand they are young and their output can drop off at any moment. If we get to the end of the year and Lombard kicks 40 goals then I think we're fine. If we get to the end of the year Lombard only kicks 20ish goals then we're basically in the same position we were in with Ainsworth in terms of goal kicking output. Having said that, I think we're getting more from Leo higher up the ground with his blistering runs on the wing as well as the defensive pressure he applies so you have to factor that in as well.

We basically need multiple small forwards kicking 30+ goals a year to have a realistic shot at winning a flag. That's what Brisbane had last year with Cameron, Bailey & Rayner. I think we can pretty safely say Ben Long should kick more than 30 goals this year and if we can get Humphrey to go from a 20 goal a year player to a 30 goal a year player then we probably only need one more in Lombard or Rogers to be in the 30ish goal territory to be where we need to be from a small forward production point of view. Although there is a wildcard in Petracca and he could end up kicking 30+ if he keeps up his current form, which would require less output from Lombard/Rogers.

I'd still be talking to small forwards around the league to keep the door open if it turns out we do need to bring one in at the end of the year.

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

So you also think we should get one? I am pretty bullish on Lombard/Rogers. It looks like I am the one here, haha.

Also trade in e.g., Curtis would cost a lot money.

Rogers hopefully turns into a Miers type with his high skill level. There is still a place for a rapid, high pressing, front and centre type of small forward. They don't need to be a star necessarily.

 

[thurls64]

So you also think we should get one? I am pretty bullish on Lombard/Rogers. It looks like I am the only one here, haha.

Also trade in e.g., Curtis would cost a lot money.

I am happy with both of them will develop to be guns

 

[lommy]

If that happened it would be pretty bad. I don’t think there is much of a tall forward market at the moment.

An internal fix is to just move Mac forward with Read and JUH, and hope Adams comes along as a third defender.

I somehow always forget we could make Mac a forward.

Had a bit of a look around today, both Mitch Lewis and Joel Amarty are UFA

 

[TheGoldPersons]

 

[Southern Sun]

I've been confident King will stay but this talk of matching for more compensation does seem a little worrying, same talk coming from Port re butters.

 

[RowellAnderson12]

I've been confident King will stay but this talk of matching for more compensation does seem a little worrying, same talk coming from Port re butters.

how much is a guy who goal accuracy at 94.1% worth? Automatic goal when he gets a kick

 

[Jirik13]

Gold Coast set to match any free agency deal for star key forward Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

25

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

Collingwood and Hawthorn are two clubs leading the charge for Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

25

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

, but a big call from the Suns will make the pursuit much harder.
Jon Ralph and Glenn McFarlane

Gold Coast is prepared to match any free agency deal for footy’s hottest forward Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

25

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

, unwilling to lose a second premier key forward in a decade after Tom Lynch’s 2018 departure.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-set-to-match-any-free-agency-deal-for-star-key-forward-ben-king/news-story/33efd19fad7f0f1c1e4ac54f5362c1f8

 

[Brenton87]

how much is a guy who goal accuracy at 94.1% worth? Automatic goal when he gets a kick

Alot I'd imagine but losing him would be massive. The article says opposition thinks he stays so thats a positive

 

[Jirik13]

how much is a guy who goal accuracy at 94.1% worth? Automatic goal when he gets a kick

Excess of 1.5M from other clubs according to article I posted.

Rivals had believed the Suns’ cap picture might mean they could crowbar him out of the club with massive long-term deals well in excess of $1.5 million a year.

But he has told the club that his decision will be based on where he wants to live his life away from football while also considering on-field considerations.

 

[Brenton87]

Excess of 1.5M for other clubs according to article I posted.

Does that last one hint at a move home or is happy living on the GC?

 

[Jirik13]

Does that last one hint at a move home or is happy living on the GC?

No idea. I thought he loves it on GC.

 

[RowellAnderson12]

$1.5 mil is pretty cheap considering he's kicked 188 goals 71 behinds in 70 games since returning from his ACL injury

 

[Jirik13]

$1.5 mil is pretty cheap considering he's kicked 188 goals 71 behinds in 70 games since returning from his ACL injury

Excess of 1.5M, haha. Thanks God for ambassador money

With new increased cap I would say we can have 1+M 5-6 players. Andrew, Anderson, Rowell, Petracca, Miller, Rioli.

 

[Southern Sun]

No idea. I thought he loves it on GC.

He might but does she?