2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Peters_Nuts]

I think it will turn upwards in second half of the season.

Important and necessary steps are being taken Steene and Anderson have been introduced. Next is Swadling and West. Then Hill should return.

Just need to solve the connection to the forward line.

Fly also needs to start dropping some of the older players.

This is me being ultra glass half full...but maybe this start to the season is what we needed to show that our older players are indeed coming to the end.

 

[TradeDraft]

I think it will turn upwards in second half of the season.

Important and necessary steps are being taken Steene and Anderson have been introduced. Next is Swadling and West. Then Hill should return.

Just need to solve the connection to the forward line.

Fly also needs to start dropping some of the older players.

Agree with Getting Kids into this Team

 

[Robroy22]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

 

[JLC]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

I believe we have a scout in Adelaide that helped get Beau etc. We have hit gold with South Australians /SANFL

 

[Eric Shin]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

If he can do it with picks in the 40s and 50s, I can only imagine how he’d go with a top 10-20 pick

 

[nickyds35]

NOW: Play West, Harrison, Steel, Hayes, Anderson, Steene, Allen for big chunks of the season of the year. Maybe Swadling/Prindable towards the end if they do well in vfl.

I would be content (happier) to finish 12th playing the kids, then 8th giving Lipinski, Membrey, McStay AND Elliot for 20+ games each.

POST SEASON:

• Offer Butters $2m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Offer King $1.6m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Increase Nicks wage to $2m.

Do the Richmond model (pay 5 big stars). We will literally have no one else to pay in 3 years.

 

[Robroy22]

I believe we have a scout in Adelaide that helped get Beau etc. We have hit gold with South Australians /SANFL

We've always done well with the Croweater boys....right back to Choco Williams, Francis and Russell, Cement head himself, Scotty Burns.....but Obee got the job done....more picks please Shane.

 

[Robroy22]

NOW: Play West, Harrison, Steel, Hayes, Anderson, Steene, Allen for big chunks of the season of the year. Maybe Swadling/Prindable towards the end if they do well in vfl.

I would be content (happier) to finish 12th playing the kids, then 8th giving Lipinski, Membrey, McStay AND Elliot for 20+ games each.

POST SEASON:

• Offer Butters $2m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Offer King $1.6m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Increase Nicks wage to $2m.

Do the Richmond model (pay 5 big stars). We will literally have no one else to pay in 3 years.

Did you follow the club in the '80's?
What you propose sounds strangely familiar.....and almost destroyed us.

 

[nickyds35]

Did you follow the club in the '80's?
What you propose sounds strangely familiar.....and almost destroyed us.

Lol strange comparison….

 

[TradeDraft]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

Could not Draft Worse then Hine did from 2019 to 2024

 

[stormskye]

Lol strange comparison….

He’s calling out your melt. I don’t blame him

 

[JOELY]

Could not Draft Worse then Hine did from 2019 to 2024

Hine drafted West in 2024 didn't he?

 

[stormskye]

Lol strange comparison….

“Naicos would be smart to get the f**k away from this hellhole for the next 10 years”

I’ve read some melts in my time. This is up there

 

[brysie]

NOW: Play West, Harrison, Steel, Hayes, Anderson, Steene, Allen for big chunks of the season of the year. Maybe Swadling/Prindable towards the end if they do well in vfl.

I would be content (happier) to finish 12th playing the kids, then 8th giving Lipinski, Membrey, McStay AND Elliot for 20+ games each.

POST SEASON:

• Offer Butters $2m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Offer King $1.6m x 8 years, heavily front ended.
• Increase Nicks wage to $2m.

Do the Richmond model (pay 5 big stars). We will literally have no one else to pay in 3 years.

Richmond also drafted almost all of those stars, including the biggest of them all.

Butters and King will most likely cost significant draft capital, which would undermine any chance of a recovery if they get injured or don't produce immediately.

Increasing Nick's wage is nonsensical. He's under contract for another 3 years; if it's about money for him (and to be crystal clear, I'm not saying that it is) then at some point we will need to make a hard, dispassionate decision that maximises the return and preserves list/cap integrity.

The better play would be to target players whose clubs are unwilling to match, so as to avoid the draft penalty. Add established players to the list this off season without breaking the bank or the draft hand, draft high and keep some cap space for a big fish when we think we're contending again.

 

[nickyds35]

Richmond also drafted almost all of those stars, including the biggest of them all.

Butters and King will most likely cost significant draft capital, which would undermine any chance of a recovery if they get injured or don't produce immediately.

Increasing Nick's wage is nonsensical. He's under contract for another 3 years; if it's about money for him (and to be crystal clear, I'm not saying that it is) then at some point we will need to make a hard, dispassionate decision that maximises the return and preserves list/cap integrity.

The better play would be to target players whose clubs are unwilling to match, so as to avoid the draft penalty. Add established players to the list this off season without breaking the bank or the draft hand, draft high and keep some cap space for a big fish when we think we're contending again.

I don’t buy that Gold Coast will match, especially in a front-ended deal. Gold Coasts cap is at capacity with Rowell, Anderson, Petracca and Andrew all on $1.2m+.

With Butters they are much more likely to match, but still think it will be highly dependant on where Port finish. If Port finish bottom 4, it is likely pick 4-5 is more attractive to Port this year than 3 x likely picks 15-18. This is also helped by fact that Port need points this year for Cochrane and Salopek in 27.

 

[gouki88]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

Absolutely. Snag some Mannagh types!

 

[Matrix10]

The drafting of Anderson shows that Obee has his fingers on the pulse and that we can look forward to a few more budget priced gems like Geelong have enjoyed in the past. Go get em Shane.

Good call. Ashton Circus is in need of a clown ... how much currency does our Limpdicksci have ! Thinking a soft vanilla cone ice cream should complete the deal

 

[Go Woods]

Hine drafted West in 2024 didn't he?

Only because Ned was probably holding a to he's head.

 

[gouki88]

Hine drafted West in 2024 didn't he?

Wasn’t Leppa also heavily involved?

 

[Ugene41]

It's fine if this ends up being a down year like 2024 because we have our full suite of draft picks. Might not be a bad thing to get a good draft in before Tassie.

The key is to keep bloodying kids. Steele, Steene and Anderson is a good start. West is a must though. In his second season we can't have him languishing in the VFL whilst our key forwards are bog average. Make the hard decision. If Logan Morris was on our list, Fly would probably have had him in the VFL till his 4th season and who knows what his development would've been.

If we can blood the kids, have a good draft and snag a King/Bailey via FA then I think we can be in for a quick rebound back into contention as long as we have the Nick.

 

[Carlthetruth]

We've always done well with the Croweater boys....right back to Choco Williams, Francis and Russell, Cement head himself, Scotty Burns.....but Obee got the job done....more picks please Shane.

Not always, whatdayamean Wasley.

 

[Eric Shin]

It's fine if this ends up being a down year like 2024 because we have our full suite of draft picks. Might not be a bad thing to get a good draft in before Tassie.

The key is to keep bloodying kids. Steele, Steene and Anderson is a good start. West is a must though. In his second season we can't have him languishing in the VFL whilst our key forwards are bog average. Make the hard decision. If Logan Morris was on our list, Fly would probably have had him in the VFL till his 4th season and who knows what his development would've been.

If we can blood the kids, have a good draft and snag a King/Bailey via FA then I think we can be in for a quick rebound back into contention as long as we have the Nick.

This is our every supporter should be viewing this year. You’ve nailed it phasing in the kids. That’s the key.

 

[Rusty Beam]

Just trawled the out of contract lists.

I reckon the below players are all worth inquiring about. They are all the right age demographic for our list and could really build up our young depth without costing the world.

Some I like based on limited exposed AFL opportunities and consistent VFL form, some can be acquired cheaply despite their talent due to injury, and some I perhaps naively still like based on their juniors.

Sam Berry

Alex Davies

Luke Pedlar

Zak Johnson

Jake Rodgers

Lewis Hayes

Jed Walter

Calsher Dear

Ollie Greeves

Cam McKenzie

Riley Onley

Zane Duursma

Brayden George

Cooper Trembath

Tom Sims

Elijah Hewitt

Jedd Busslinger

 

[gouki88]

Just trawled the out of contract lists.

I reckon the below players are all worth inquiring about. They are all the right age demographic for our list and could really build up our young depth without costing the world.

Some I like based on limited exposed AFL opportunities and consistent VFL form, some can be acquired cheaply despite their talent due to injury, and some I perhaps naively still like based on their juniors.

Sam Berry

Alex Davies

Luke Pedlar

Zak Johnson

Jake Rodgers

Lewis Hayes

Jed Walter

Calsher Dear

Ollie Greeves

Cam McKenzie

Riley Onley

Zane Duursma

Brayden George

Cooper Trembath

Tom Sims

Elijah Hewitt

Jedd Busslinger

Would love to steal Brayden Cook too. He’s really come on this year

 

[brysie]

Just trawled the out of contract lists.

I reckon the below players are all worth inquiring about. They are all the right age demographic for our list and could really build up our young depth without costing the world.

Some I like based on limited exposed AFL opportunities and consistent VFL form, some can be acquired cheaply despite their talent due to injury, and some I perhaps naively still like based on their juniors.

Sam Berry

Alex Davies

Luke Pedlar

Zak Johnson

Jake Rodgers

Lewis Hayes

Jed Walter

Calsher Dear

Ollie Greeves

Cam McKenzie

Riley Onley

Zane Duursma

Brayden George

Cooper Trembath

Tom Sims

Elijah Hewitt

Jedd Busslinger

Berry, Davies, Walter, Dear, McKenzie and Busslinger would be top of my list from those you've listed.

Other out of contract players worth a look would be Darcy Wilson, Matt Johnson and Max Gruzewski.

In addition to the above, the following are unrestricted free agents - Jordon Butts, Mitch Hinge, Tom Sparrow, Lachie Bramble, Darcy Gardiner, in addition to Bailey, Khamis and Fritsch who are restricted free agents whose clubs I don't think would be likely to match.