2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Scodog10]

**** King, let's get Gruzewski. Much cheaper and will bring genuine forward craft

He’s too small and similar to West. The biggest issue we have with McStay and Membrey is they’re undersized and Gruzewski would double down on that. Unless of course the plan is to bring him in as a defender.

The GC offer is an admission that King is not ending his career up there. My guess is it’s their best shot at presenting an offer that is the best of both worlds avoiding the messy RFA match and trade scenario (I doubt they can force the trade anyway) and retaining him as long as possible. If this drags out he’s in Collingwood colours in 2027, IMO. The clubs intended outcome post 2026 likely remains the announcement of King’s signing, alongside a 10 year deal for Nick and a transition of the captaincy.

FWIW the article provides no indication that King is chasing a 2 year deal or whether he’s inclined to accept or pass at $1.3m pa.

 

[nickyds35]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

 

[Dtennent94]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

Saving soft cap on staff putting in work with free agents during the year means we can upgrade our fruit bowls in the foyer, though.

Our free agents might not know who we are until the last minute, but it’s the mangoes and blueberries that get them over the line, anyway.

 

[Scodog10]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

What gives you that sense in regards to the three RFA’s this year? We specifically paid out Grundy’s owing balance last year in order to position ourselves for FA this year and beyond. That’s a multi year strategy that would have commenced in at least 2024. We’ve also been into King prior to him signing his previous 2 year deal in 2024. Whenever Kelly speaks publicly he always refers to how active we are in this space.

My two cents. I think you’re projecting anxiety over our ability to sign a big fish as a lack of due diligence on the clubs behalf in the early stages of a FA chase. I’d also suggest the moves on Perryman, Schultz and Houston, were significantly more opportunistic and speak positively to our agility in the list space.

 

[manicpie]

He’s too small and similar to West. The biggest issue we have with McStay and Membrey is they’re undersized and Gruzewski would double down on that. Unless of course the plan is to bring him in as a defender.

The GC offer is an admission that King is not ending his career up there. My guess is it’s their best shot at presenting an offer that is the best of both worlds avoiding the messy RFA match and trade scenario (I doubt they can force the trade anyway) and retaining him as long as possible. If this drags out he’s in Collingwood colours in 2027, IMO. The clubs intended outcome post 2026 likely remains the announcement of King’s signing, alongside a 10 year deal for Nick and a transition of the captaincy.

FWIW the article provides no indication that King is chasing a 2 year deal or whether he’s inclined to accept or pass at $1.3m pa.

He's taller than georgiadis and Morris, not to mention Gunston. We need forwards who actually know how to play forwards. Size is probably irrelevant these days. Even Darcy at 206cm wasn't taking contested marks every delivery. We can have Buller up there for size and west and Max can provide the leads. Our problem is that McStay and Membrey are useless in this department. The only reason Max isn't getting many games is that he has 3 ahead of him. If we get king then forget about Max. I reckon King will make us too easy to predict.

 

[BillyElliott]

That's smart of him to take 2 years, then get a huge paycheck from Tassie

Why Tassie? He'll get a big paycheck wherever he goes.

 

[BillyElliott]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

We've been linked to King for ages

 

[Bianconeri]

He's taller than georgiadis and Morris, not to mention Gunston. We need forwards who actually know how to play forwards. Size is probably irrelevant these days. Even Darcy at 206cm wasn't taking contested marks every delivery. We can have Buller up there for size and west and Max can provide the leads. Our problem is that McStay and Membrey are useless in this department. The only reason Max isn't getting many games is that he has 3 ahead of him. If we get king then forget about Max. I reckon King will make us too easy to predict.

Darcy is able to take so many uncontested marks up forward because he’s too tall to contest against. King is not as tall but is similar. They take marks at the highest point where no other defenders reach.

Short key forwards don’t have that luxury and rely on having space to lead and perfect delivery which’s isn’t a luxury they’ll always have.

 

[manicpie]

Darcy is able to take so many uncontested marks up forward because he’s too tall to contest against. King is not as tall but is similar. They take marks at the highest point where no other defenders reach.

Short key forwards don’t have that luxury and rely on having space to lead and perfect delivery which’s isn’t a luxury they’ll always have.

Morris and Geargiadis are kicking goals for fun at 191cm. The reason is their ability to find space. We had Jamie kick 60 goals last year, height is over rated. You don't have to go at 100% Disposal efficiency to hit a forward that can find space.

 

[Bianconeri]

Morris and Geargiadis are kicking goals for fun at 191cm. The reason is their ability to find space. We had Jamie kick 60 goals last year, height is over rated. You don't have to go at 100% Disposal efficiency to hit a forward that can find space.

King has 26 goals to Geargiadis’ 17 and Morris’ 13. McStay has 12 only one less than Morris. Gruzewski has scored a total of 17 goals his career.

If Elliott was King’s height he’d score 60+ goals every season.

 

[WanderingDude]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

Shultz was a plan to be completed a year latter. Shultz personal issues brought it forward a year, this was unexpected. Shultz was a long term plan. Houston and Perryman were opportunistic and brilliantly done. The one that got away was apparently Rowell. The club was convinced they had him. The “big fish”. The very top liners have gone for heaps. There have been some players grossly overpaid or priced. There have been players that have moved and failed. The club has done very well. Naicos needs a wingman.

 

[Scodog10]

He's taller than georgiadis and Morris, not to mention Gunston. We need forwards who actually know how to play forwards. Size is probably irrelevant these days. Even Darcy at 206cm wasn't taking contested marks every delivery. We can have Buller up there for size and west and Max can provide the leads. Our problem is that McStay and Membrey are useless in this department. The only reason Max isn't getting many games is that he has 3 ahead of him. If we get king then forget about Max. I reckon King will make us too easy to predict.

Are Morris, Gunston and Georgiadis playing alongside another undersized KPF? Are they having the ball come I50 the way we tend to move it? Does Gruzewski have the same forward craft of Gunston or aerial ability of Morris/ Georgiadis?

Don’t get me wrong I find it nonsensical that there is such an emphasis on the top of a persons head in terms of their ability to play a certain role at AFL level, but context matters. The way we play doesn’t suit having two undersized KPF’s and it’s shown with how much we’ve struggled against the best interceptors the past year with our inability to score.

Sure if Gruzewski was clearly in that echelon of player you named I’m a yes, but he’s not and remains a long way off (if he ever gets there) otherwise he’d be getting a game at GWS. For context I’m far from sold on King as a fit for us, he just suits us much better than Gruzewski. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the type that would work best for us is a Thilthorpe or Treacy who just go for it in the air and have the size to match. Neither of them is a realistic option though. Heck even Lewis is a better option than Gruzewski and I hated seeing his name put forward…

 

[nickyds35]

What gives you that sense in regards to the three RFA’s this year? We specifically paid out Grundy’s owing balance last year in order to position ourselves for FA this year and beyond. That’s a multi year strategy that would have commenced in at least 2024. We’ve also been into King prior to him signing his previous 2 year deal in 2024. Whenever Kelly speaks publicly he always refers to how active we are in this space.

My two cents. I think you’re projecting anxiety over our ability to sign a big fish as a lack of due diligence on the clubs behalf in the early stages of a FA chase. I’d also suggest the moves on Perryman, Schultz and Houston, were significantly more opportunistic and speak positively to our agility in the list space.

All three are either favourite to move somewhere else (Butters - Dogs/Cats, Bailey - Adelaide) or stay (King- GC).

Like I reported here many times, I spoke to someone very close to Butters (cant be closer) around August last year and he advised that Bulldogs and Geelong had both put significant offers to Zak. When I asked him about Collingwood, he said we were attractive, but we haddnt made a signficant offer/pitch to him at that stage.

Also - Twomey has mentioned multiple times on Gettable that we dont put in ground work on players early in the peice.

 

[BillyElliott]

 

[nickyds35]

RE: King

Feels like Gold Coast just want to get him under contract again so they can a) have him for another 12 months whilst Walter/Reid/Jamarra develop; and then b) drive a hard bargain for a contracted forward in 12 months.

I am pretty certain King wont be playing for Gold Coast in 2028, just whether he leaves a free agent this year or via a trade next year.

Also, they are in no position to match a front-ended free agency offer for King.

 

[sideswipe]

RE: King

Also, they are in no position to match a front-ended free agency offer for King.

Excellent capology - but points are deducted for absolutism. They way any club can match a front-ended RFA is by back-ending other players.

 

[Chunky Steak]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

The issue with viewing it this way is that it probably doesn't consider the full equation. This recruitment success (e.g..Houston or Perryman) isn't an accurate measurement of the overall strategy or the amount of work put in.behind the scenes.

We've been into players for a lot longer. Matt Rowell is the most public and recent example. King this year is another and we'll see how it pans out.

A more accurate criticism might be that we don't seem to land many of those long term targets (and that's been a problem on and off for many decades).

 

[sr36]

Excellent capology - but points are deducted for absolutism. They way any club can match a front-ended RFA is by back-ending other players.

If that's the case, I'd go for a huge middle - shaped like ad anaconda that has swallowed a cow - that'll **** them.

 

[WanderingDude]

The issue with viewing it this way is that it probably doesn't consider the full equation. This recruitment success (e.g..Houston or Perryman) isn't an accurate measurement of the overall strategy or the amount of work put in.behind the scenes.

We've been into players for a lot longer. Matt Rowell is the most public and recent example. King this year is another and we'll see how it pans out.
.
A more accurate criticism might be that we don't seem to land many of those long term targets (and that's been a problem on and off for many decades).

I would love to know the inside considerations and options. There would be many that don’t survive long and some that exist for ages. I bet many we would have loved for whipping boys.

 

[Roverjg]

He's taller than georgiadis and Morris, not to mention Gunston. We need forwards who actually know how to play forwards. Size is probably irrelevant these days. Even Darcy at 206cm wasn't taking contested marks every delivery. We can have Buller up there for size and west and Max can provide the leads. Our problem is that McStay and Membrey are useless in this department. The only reason Max isn't getting many games is that he has 3 ahead of him. If we get king then forget about Max. I reckon King will make us too easy to predict.

I tend to agree with you with regards to height. We recruited Buller as a tall forward and cut out in the ruck. But he plays small. Whereas West is not as tall but plays like a tall forward. With regards to King GC play an open forward line. It is predictable that they will go to King and he still gets it and kicks goals. He is good one on one. He won't be effective if we have him competing against McStay, Buller and Billy coming from 3 deep and their opponents as well

 

[AmericanMustard]

That's smart of him to take 2 years, then get a huge paycheck from Tassie

Except for the whole, live in Tassie thing

 

[Rorzza]

So GC don't want Ben, 2 year deal at 1.3m.

 

[Go Woods]

Can’t help but feel we are late to the party with all the free agents…

Recent history (Houston, Schultz, Perryman) shows we do our work very late in the piece and hope our brand/stature gets them over the line.

This might work with “good” players but I don’t think it works with the absolute top liners like Butters, King and Bailey.

We've been reported as linked to both King & Bailey over the past year.

 

[Dead Eye Didak]

Why Tassie? He'll get a big paycheck wherever he goes.

How much would we be prepared to offer compared to what Tassie could offer?
Considering Tassie are willing to pay $1M a year to McCreery, you could imagine what they will be prepared to pay King.....

 

[manicpie]

We've been reported as linked to both King & Bailey over the past year.

And knowing us, we won't get either one