2026 Trade / FA Thread

[stormskye]

Nobody is saying he needs to play ahead of the others right now - I just think you are being pessimistic for no reason. He showed great signs and he’ll get even better moving forward.

I’m with you on Westy Jen but I do need you to start hating that plastic franchise

 

[manicpie]

Nobody is saying he needs to play ahead of the others right now - I just think you are being pessimistic for no reason. He showed great signs and he’ll get even better moving forward.

I'm actually optimistic. You pretty much said the same thing as me. He doesn't look quite ready to me. It's just my observation.

 

[SchuPie]

Go look at what Gold Coast paid for him and tell me how we get that done without seriously compromising our chances of landing Butters or King this year

You’re not allowed to post about Butters, earlier in the thread a number of posters have said he’s def going to the Dogs

 

[Run n Spread]

The West obsession is getting ridiculous. He looked a mile off against norf. Let him continue to learn in the vfl. If we get injuries, then he might be considered. Buller was covering heaps of ground and presenting really well. Which debutante would you play?

Cocharene should have got a run and saxana with the skills.
Look at what Brisbane do.
They've overtaken us since 23 gf.
Why is everyone here so afraid of playing anyone under 22?

 

[manicpie]

Cocharene should have got a run and saxana with the skills.
Look at what Brisbane do.
They've overtaken us since 23 gf.
Why is everyone here so afraid of playing anyone under 22?

I'd like them all to play but not until they're ready. You'll get your wish this year, it just might not be till later in the season. Brisbane have been lucky with 3 father sons and quality academy kids. Our kids aren't anywhere near those guys.

 

[granniewolf]

I'd like them all to play but not until they're ready. You'll get your wish this year, it just might not be till later in the season. Brisbane have been lucky with 3 father sons and quality academy kids. Our kids aren't anywhere near those guys.

The problem as I see it is that if we are in top 4 or 5 by round 9 or 10 then they will keep chasing points and not want to risk playing kids.
Hopefully, we can do both.

 

[manicpie]

The problem as I see it is that if we are in top 4 or 5 by round 9 or 10 then they will keep chasing points and not want to risk playing kids.
Hopefully, we can do both.

They'll still play them if they demand a spot, maybe even if they don't in our eyes. It's a very long season

 

[stormskye]

Cocharene should have got a run and saxana with the skills.
Look at what Brisbane do.
They've overtaken us since 23 gf.
Why is everyone here so afraid of playing anyone under 22?

why stop at saxena. Bring in McCarthy, prindable, swaddling and co as well.

 

[Apex36]

LOL at all the people telling us not to target Petracca because his body was done.

Would of singlehandedly extended our window, and if he dug his heels in, we could have got a deal done.

Wouldnt put it past him to win the brownlow this year.

Incredibly unlikely. GC made an offer that was too good for them to refuse, for what we could have offered MELB would have been better off retaining him.
His management would have made that clear to him, it’s the most likely reason why he did an about face in regards to wanting to play for a “big club”.

 

[Run n Spread]

why stop at saxena. Bring in McCarthy, prindable, swaddling and co as well.

Exactly

 

[Run n Spread]

12 PFs in 24 years don't happen by themselves.
Play the kids and get them into the system

 

[manicpie]

12 PFs in 24 years don't happen by themselves.
Play the kids and get them into the system

Just trying to get some perspective. Do you think we'll bottom out this year?,

 

[Apex36]

This is not an attack just an observation

2 players we really wanted but didn’t give up enough to move to the pick to grab them

• Bont
• Humphrey

I don’t know if St Kilda would have moved off pick 3 or if GCS would have moved off pick 6
(Or what it would have taken)

We tried to move up the order to get Bont but St Kilda wouldn’t risk losing Billings (lol) so we had to hope pick 6 was enough. It looked that way until the dogs showed late interest and swooped at pick 4.

 

[Apex36]

The West obsession is getting ridiculous. He looked a mile off against norf. Let him continue to learn in the vfl. If we get injuries, then he might be considered. Buller was covering heaps of ground and presenting really well. Which debutante would you play?

I think you’re underselling Wests game tbh, his numbers were perfectly respectable for a key tall under any circumstances let alone the conditions of that day.

 

[Apex36]

Against norf in a practice match. Not exactly a good guide. He won't be playing ahead of our other 3 tall forwards unless there's an injury or a dramatic form slump. He'll get a few games but can't see him being a regular this year, which is perfectly fine

Against an almost full strength Norf getting delivery from our VFL midfield. If you’re going to add context at least give the full picture.

 

[Apex36]

Cocharene should have got a run and saxana with the skills.
Look at what Brisbane do.
They've overtaken us since 23 gf.
Why is everyone here so afraid of playing anyone under 22?

What’s the point of throwing under 22’s to the wolves if they’re not ready yet?

Brisbane overtook us in youth largely because of superior picks and a wealth of FS/academy prospects coming through at the right time.

 

[manicpie]

Against an almost full strength Norf getting delivery from our VFL midfield. If you’re going to add context at least give the full picture.

There's no context in practice games. This is just my opinion. Putting credence in a practice game is foolish. I just think he'll still be in development this year, that's all. It has no bearing on his future. Let's at least see how the season unfolds before we declare him a regular senior player. Happy if you think he's better than that already but it's not my observation.

 

[Run n Spread]

Just trying to get some perspective. Do you think we'll bottom out this year?,

No.
If the old boys hold it together another preliminary and anything can happen
Realistically a 7-8 finish (13 wins) and a wild card play off. From there a premiership from 10th would drive everyone nuts

 

[manicpie]

No.
If the old boys hold it together another preliminary and anything can happen
Realistically a 7-8 finish (13 wins) and a wild card play off. From there a premiership from 10th would drive everyone nuts

Fair enough. I just thought you thought we would bottom out. It's a very long year and you could get your wish, who really knows

 

[granniewolf]

Against norf in a practice match. Not exactly a good guide. He won't be playing ahead of our other 3 tall forwards unless there's an injury or a dramatic form slump. He'll get a few games but can't see him being a regular this year, which is perfectly fine

Do you really think Buller did so much better than Charlie?
I think Charlie's ready and so did Fly last year, he would have gotten more games if not for injuring his foot.

 

[granniewolf]

They'll still play them if they demand a spot, maybe even if they don't in our eyes. It's a very long season

The kids need to play while we still have Pendles, Sidey and Howe to mentor them.
This year is realistically the last chance for that.
Oh and Timmy too. No way of knowing if he will be given another year.
This is just my opinion as usual.

 

[stormskye]

Do you really think Buller did so much better than Charlie?
I think Charlie's ready and so did Fly last year, he would have gotten more games if not for injuring his foot.

Buller was good for a tall in the conditions I thought. 2 goals, Competed well in air and ground lvl. 5 tackles for a big fella (3rd) and led our team for score involvements with 7.

 

[manicpie]

Do you really think Buller did so much better than Charlie?
I think Charlie's ready and so did Fly last year, he would have gotten more games if not for injuring his foot.

I'm starting to reconsider putting my opinions on here. These are just my amateur observations. I think Buller was much better than West. We can't play all 4 players and West will play soon enough. I'm trying to encourage conversation on a very slow day. Either people think I'm expert or they're just having a bad day. West looked so far away in his only game last year that I seriously doubt he would have been in the conversation so close to finals. I'm just preaching patience, that's all. If he proves me wrong, then I would have thought it's a good thing and not something to haggle over.

 

[granniewolf]

Buller was good for a tall in the conditions I thought. 2 goals, Competed well in air and ground lvl. 5 tackles for a big fella (3rd) and led our team for score involvements with 7.

He also jumped across a ball headed for Charlie and stuffed up the mark.
Charlie might well have had 3 goals if that hadn't happened. Even the commentators noted this.

 

[stormskye]

I'm starting to reconsider putting my opinions on here. These are just my amateur observations. I think Buller was much better than West. We can't play all 4 players and West will play soon enough. I'm trying to encourage conversation on a very slow day. Either people think I'm expert or they're just having a bad day. West looked so far away in his only game last year that I seriously doubt he would have been in the conversation so close to finals. I'm just preaching patience, that's all. If he proves me wrong, then I would have thought it's a good thing and not something to haggle over.

I’m scared to offer realistic observations on the youth