2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Scodog10]

Very harsh on Steene. The kid is 22 with plenty of scope for improvement.

I am more glass half full. He has been given limited opportunities and taken them. Meek/Reeves are 27 and 28 whilst Grundy is 32. So if those ruckman are.not beating Steene now then they never will.

Let’s get away from generalised statements and focus on what part of my post was harsh. Was it the observation that he’s had 5 good quarters? Was it that he’s a PCL injury induced rule change from being in trouble? Was it my assessment of how those matchups are likely to play out?

I agree with the last sentence because I think it would be a fantastic sign for him if he can hold his own against rucks that should and likely will dominate him. The flip side of course that you didn’t acknowledge was my point that equally he should be dominating those Pittonet/ Briggs type matchups given his one wood is up there with Jackson as the most dominant one wood in the league (against certain types).

As a supporter base there is a feverish desire to see some green shoots from our U23 cohort and in Steene we’re not only seeing those green shoots, but alongside it one of the potentially most dominant traits in the league. The reality is though that we are several stratospheres from declaring him the type of untouchable talent that lead to this discussion. For context on why I’m exercising restraint go back and read the post match review of Rd 24 2024.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

So Mitch Lewis is out of contract and hasn’t even entered discussions with Hawthorn. How many years would he need in a FA deal? “About five”. WTAF?!

 

[nickyds35]

Might be controversial, but stylistically, a fit Mitch Lewis on $700k/year is probably a better fit for us then 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

on $1.4m.

Pretty much:

• King 3 goals/1 contested mark a week
• Lewis 2 goals/2 contested marks a week

 

[Cory]

Why would he leave Hawthorn?

 

[manicpie]

Perhaps we should park discussions on Steene until after the next month once he’s come up against one he should dominate (Wright), one who’s a peer (Edwards) and two who will tear him a new one (Meek/ Reeves and Grundy)?

We’re early days so no one should be talking absolutes about him, but his career to date consists of using his one wood for 5 quarters against two of the most ill equipped ruckmen for the new rules in the league. He struggled for 3 Q ‘s Pittonet because they were jumping into each other leaving it 4 v 3 at ground level once Pittonet bowled him over. His one wood, whilst potentially exceptional, needs a lot of work with Stafford and is at the mercy of the first ruck PCL injury.

Too many ifs buts and maybes bro. Grundy hasn't taken an overhead mark for 10 years. He kicked 2 goals on Pittonet who's a better ruckman than you give credit to. Anyway, the kid has played a handful of games. Do we even know if Port are interested in him?. You want to give everything we have for one player, let that sink in. What if butters does a knee in his first game. In the 80s, 2 quality midfielders might have won you a flag but you need a hell of a lot more than that today. We won't be selling the farm for butters.

 

[unplugged]

Using Tassie to boost Mccreery's number is such a Rolex Robbie thing to do.

 

[sr36]

Do we really think we should be splitting hairs when talking about the 2nd best to 4th best? I think most fans would suggest there’s a clear top 4 this year in Heeney, Daicos, Bont and Butters. I’m sure there’s wildcards like Cats fans suggesting Cameron or Hawks nutters suggesting Watson (not yet for him), but for me those 4 are just on a different level in terms of output and performance.

I'm a nutter who would throw Kosi into the 4 and make it a 5.

 

[manicpie]

I'm a nutter who would throw Kosi into the 4 and make it a 5.

I'm even nuttier and would have Cameron and Smith in there. Kosi is a no brainer also

 

[sr36]

I'm even nuttier and would have Cameron and Smith in there. Kosi is a no brainer also

Trac is back in town too.

Let's recruit them all.

 

[manicpie]

Trac is back in town too.

Let's recruit them all.

It's a futile exercise, there's many great players this year. The only true standout is Nick. You can raffle the rest

 

[UltraEgo]

thank god scodog has nothing to do with the football club

 

[Mick F]

Where did you hear it? from someone who works at the club? or was it just gossip from another fan? without sounding rude, it's a bit weird to claim these things and only back it up with "just what I heard". For all anyone here knows you're just saying these things for social points.

Even the slightest hint is helpful in determining whether or not that claim is worth putting energy into discussing.

New here are we??

 

[sr36]

It's a futile exercise, there's many great players this year. The only true standout is Nick. You can raffle the rest

The ball handling and skills of the best are just so good these days. It's just about how they're defended and how often it falls to their advantage on the day. Nick's the best as he's just so sharp that he makes it fall for him more often and can execute at a higher speed.

 

[yeah man]

thank god scodog has nothing to do with the football club

What issue do you have with his comments? Ive always found them to be well adjusted and realistic.

I might start paying attention to the things you say more often to decide whether or not you should be anywhere near the club lol

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

thank god scodog has nothing to do with the football club

Scodog is one of the few people here who doesn't get sucked into forming parasocial relationships with our players just because they had one good moment. I'd be way more confident about the future of our list if he was involved.

Sit this one out champion.

 

[Apex36]

Trac is back in town too.

Let's recruit them all.

I’d have Trac at 3 behind Naicos and Bont, and the gap isn’t large.

 

[Harry O]

Very harsh on Steene. The kid is 22 with plenty of scope for improvement.

I am more glass half full. He has been given limited opportunities and taken them. Meek/Reeves are 27 and 28 whilst Grundy is 32. So if those ruckman are.not beating Steene now then they never will.

Agree

Reckon there are a lot on here who had written Steene off who are now almost barracking for their original scouting to be accurate. Real Kane Cornes areas

 

[sr36]

I’d have Trac at 3 behind Naicos and Bont, and the gap isn’t large.

They're all great.

A lot of it is our biases about what we think is most important.

I'm a Butters fan as I think he's the best at taking it from chaos to control.

I love Kosi too. To me he's the most damaging in the league in an individual situation - but can't be in as many of them as the pure mids who rack up the kms. Watson trending that way too.

Daicos brilliant at both is my choice pretty comfortably. But Bont is the most complete and flawless of the stars.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

They're all great.

A lot of it is our biases about what we think is most important.

I'm a Butters fan as I think he's the best at taking it from chaos to control.

I love Kosi too. To me he's the most damaging in the league in an individual situation - but can't be in as many of them as the pure mids who rack up the kms. Watson trending that way too.

Daicos brilliant at both is my choice pretty comfortably. But Bont is the most complete and flawless of the stars.

This is a great summary.

Kosi & Watson are probably the most dangerous players in the comp but you're unlikely to get a 4 quarter performance from them.

If Nick can start to be a consistent presence in the forward line, he's going to be the best in the comp by the length of the straight. Bont and Heenry still has him covered for that part at the moment.

 

[sr36]

This is a great summary.

Kosi & Watson are probably the most dangerous players in the comp but you're unlikely to get a 4 quarter performance from them.

If Nick can start to be a consistent presence in the forward line, he's going to be the best in the comp by the length of the straight. Bont and Heenry still has him covered for that part at the moment.

Rankine is the other freakshow talent, but they're doing a slow build with him this year.

Head trainer under heaps of pressure, replacing the most highly rated in the business. Injuries mounting early including a Rankine hamstring - can't afford another Rankine injury.

 

[SchuPie]

Apparantely Beau has moved management companies He’s now with Robbie D’Orazio from connors sports

He dodged the Q when interviewed (can't remember what show)
"Just happy to focus on the next game..."

 

[Robroy22]

Might be controversial, but stylistically, a fit Mitch Lewis on $700k/year is probably a better fit for us then Ben King on $1.4m.

Pretty much:

• King 3 goals/1 contested mark a week
• Lewis 2 goals/2 contested marks a week

What is this thing you call "a fit Mitch Lewis"?

 

[NoRebuilds]

Might be controversial, but stylistically, a fit Mitch Lewis on $700k/year is probably a better fit for us then Ben King on $1.4m.

Pretty much:

• King 3 goals/1 contested mark a week
• Lewis 2 goals/2 contested marks a week

If it means you can fit an extra elite mid into the equation absolutely.

 

[Bussie]

Agree

Reckon there are a lot on here who had written Steene off who are now almost barracking for their original scouting to be accurate. Real Kane Cornes areas

I was one of those people, I figured there must have been something wrong with him since he had been on the list for so long without a debut, even if he is 200cm. That said, still in the infancy of his career, I'd be happy to keep him in unless he has a massive form slump, I'd rotate him around in our forward line and see if he could be that missing key forward we need. Orrrr.....rotate the ruck between Buller, Steene, McStay, Frampton and Cameron and keep the oppo guessing! Cameron is a great intercept mark and could be a stop gap in defence if needed.
I would consider Lewis over King, Steene and Buller in the F50 and we go after another mid to keep up with Naicos. We'll be losing Pendles and Sidey soon too, if Howe goes with them, that's over 1050+ games and it's not just experience but it's also the classy movement and our shaky depth, we either need to fill those gaps in 2027 or draft accordingly.
I wouldn't be against drafting a young ruck either, planning for the future and the compromised drafts.

 

[sr36]

Perhaps we should park discussions on Steene until after the next month once he’s come up against one he should dominate (Wright), one who’s a peer (Edwards) and two who will tear him a new one (Meek/ Reeves and Grundy)?

I don't think anyone will tear him a new one. We'll continue to use him pretty sparingly as an impact player with DC doing the bulk of the heavy lifting and I think he'll get over the top of a couple of those in a centre bounce when he's relatively fresh. The clunks up forward continuing are the more doubtful part.