2026 Trade / FA Thread

[Go Woods]

This.
It’s being reposted a bit.
Dandodoesdallas and others

Yeah, not falling for any of this tripe until it's actually the end of the season and from the people in the thick of it.

 

[gouki88]

Who is the highly rated NGA prospect the Doggies have coming through this year? El Souki has some ability but I doubt he'll feature early in the draft if at all.

I hope he doesn’t complain to umps with that surname

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Just a question. Is Zac Bailey a knob?
It seems like every time that he kicks a goal he goes up to his opponent and pushes him or says something to him.
If that's the case, he can go somewhere else.

Unless we are certain he can star in the midfield, Bailey has the same potential issue that Houston and Schultz had… great player who doesn’t necessarily fill a need.

 

[WanderingDude]

Who is the highly rated NGA prospect the Doggies have coming through this year? El Souki has some ability but I doubt he'll feature early in the draft if at all.

El Souki is a long lost part of the Scott family?

 

[gouki88]

Unless we are certain he can star in the midfield, Bailey has the same potential issue that Houston and Schultz had… great player who doesn’t necessarily fill a need.

You don't think so? I think we are dying for mid-forwards with De Goey's decline & (un)availability, and Bailey this year has been incredible. 20 touches a game, almost 400 metres gained on average, almost 2 goals a game and 8(!) score involvements. He does so much damage in the front half

 

[The Royal Sampler]

You don't think so? I think we are dying for mid-forwards with De Goey's decline & (un)availability, and Bailey this year has been incredible. 20 touches a game, almost 400 metres gained on average, almost 2 goals a game and 8(!) score involvements. He does so much damage in the front half

Not anywhere near our need for midfielders or key defenders, key forwards. Maybe if Bobby never makes a comeback and Elliott is legit cooked…

 

[gouki88]

Not anywhere near our need for midfielders or key defenders, key forwards. Maybe if Bobby never makes a comeback and Elliott is legit cooked…

I think he'd play more midfield here given we don't have the luxury of Neale, Ashcroft, Dunkley, McCluggage etc., but even at Brisbane Bailey has established himself as their 4th midfielder, attending 33% of centre stoppages.

 

[Scodog10]

I think he'd play more midfield here given we don't have the luxury of Neale, Ashcroft, Dunkley, McCluggage etc., but even at Brisbane Bailey has established himself as their 4th midfielder, attending 33% of centre stoppages.

I love him. He’s my favourite non Pie because he has everything I like in a footballer, but I’m not as confident. I think he front runs on instinct to much to be in a midfield alongside Naicos. There’s a beautiful symmetry to the two as a one two midfield punch I just can’t see a world where we let it rip at stoppage with two players like that. If he’s then just a role player because you’re taking away his one wood then I don’t think he’s worth it. I don’t think he works for Adelaide either.



It’s what separates Butters as the ideal target, but I can’t see him anywhere other than the Dogs no matter how hard the media push Richmond.

 

[gouki88]

I love him. He’s my favourite non Pie because he has everything I like in a footballer, but I’m not as confident. I think he front runs on instinct to much to be in a midfield alongside Naicos. There’s a beautiful symmetry to the two as a one two midfield punch I just can’t see a world where we let it rip at stoppage with two players like that. If he’s then just a role player because you’re taking away his one wood then I don’t think he’s worth it. I don’t think he works for Adelaide either.



It’s what separates Butters as the ideal target, but I can’t see him anywhere other than the Dogs no matter how hard the media push Richmond.

I hear you, he does love to push forward super aggressively. I just think if we're comfortable with Nick & JDG as a midfield duo, we'd be similarly comfortable with Nick & Bailey, assuming someone like Perryman can be that defensive midfielder that Pendlebury has been for a while.

 

[TradeDraft]

I assume the Ben King confirmed to Collingwood banter on Instagram is unconfirmed drivel?

Any insights?

Unconfirmed Drivel

 

[Vankri]

I hear you, he does love to push forward super aggressively. I just think if we're comfortable with Nick & JDG as a midfield duo, we'd be similarly comfortable with Nick & Bailey, assuming someone like Perryman can be that defensive midfielder that Pendlebury has been for a while.

I think the real ideal would be

• Nick
• An inside beast (Rowell) or inside-out beast (Butters)
• A defensive mid (Pez)
• 4th mid rotating that can hold himself at stoppages (Anderson?)
• stints from players when we want harder forward run (eg Beau)

I agree theres an overlap between Nick and Bailey unless you get Nick to play his 2024 role but not sure that’s best use of him. That said there’s a case of beggars can’t be choosers so if he’s keen you’d back Fly to make it work gameplan wise perhaps a different mix or extra support at stoppages on the defensive side.

 

[gouki88]

I think the real ideal would be

• Nick
• An inside beast (Rowell) or inside-out beast (Butters)
• A defensive mid (Pez)
• 4th mid rotating that can hold himself at stoppages (Anderson?)
• stints from players when we want harder forward run (eg Beau)

I agree theres an overlap between Nick and Bailey unless you get Nick to play his 2024 role but not sure that’s best use of him. That said there’s a case of beggars can’t be choosers so if he’s keen you’d back Fly to make it work gameplan wise perhaps a different mix or extra support at stoppages on the defensive side.

That would be great. Even giving Nick (relatively) lesser complementary players, like Josh Dunkley and Libba.

It's why Sam Berry really intrigues me as an OOC option. His tackling and contested work this year has really taken a leap. Think he'd slot nicely between Nick & Bailey too...

 

[manicpie]

Not anywhere near our need for midfielders or key defenders, key forwards. Maybe if Bobby never makes a comeback and Elliott is legit cooked…

I see him more as an icing on the cake if we get a genuine mid or a genuine KPD. He can go missing at times and is more a FWD/ MID. I'm with you, I think we have other needs

 

[stormskye]

I don’t think we can afford to have two 2 million dollar players in both nick and butters in the midfield. I also don’t want to spend both that much in $ and draft capital.

Interesting graphic re butters they highlighted on footy classified and whether he’s worth the 2mill based on scoring impact atleast

 

[Scodog10]

I hear you, he does love to push forward super aggressively. I just think if we're comfortable with Nick & JDG as a midfield duo, we'd be similarly comfortable with Nick & Bailey, assuming someone like Perryman can be that defensive midfielder that Pendlebury has been for a while.

I think that world included two of the greatest to ever do it for our club at protecting the rear, Steele and Pendles. I’m on board with Perryman’s role changing and us getting another ball hunter through there, but I’m just not convinced. I only like it more than King because of how highly I rate Bailey. I am most definitely on the Berry train as well added to the contest stuff you highlighted he seems to have an explosiveness about him that I didn’t think he was capable of. More than any other year it feels like there’s a lot of quality coming OOC.

 

[gouki88]

I don’t think we can afford to have two 2 million dollar players in both nick and butters in the midfield. I also don’t want to spend both that much in $ and draft capital.

Interesting graphic re butters they highlighted on footy classified and whether he’s worth the 2mill based on scoring impact atleast

View attachment 2582357

That’s definitely his growth area. He’s been getting more involved in scores this year, but still doesn’t personally hit the scoreboard often.

 

[gouki88]

I think that world included two of the greatest two ever do it for our club at protecting the rear, Steele and Pendles. I’m on board with Perryman’s role changing and us getting another ball hunter through there, but I’m just not convinced. I only like it more than King because of how highly I rate Bailey. I am most definitely on the Berry train as well added to the contest stuff you highlighted he seems to have an explosiveness about him that I didn’t think he was capable of. More than any other year it feels like there’s a lot of quality coming OOC.

It’s an exciting time to have a war chest of some description. Hopefully we can make a splash

 

[No SPIN]

Unless we are certain he can star in the midfield, Bailey has the same potential issue that Houston and Schultz had… great player who doesn’t necessarily fill a need.

Why are you saying Houston and Schultz didn’t fill needs.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Why are you saying Houston and Schultz didn’t fill needs.

We were not lacking for half-backs when we recruited Houston. We even use Perryman as one.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Noble, Markov both not close to Houston. And we didn’t have a manic pressure small fwd, to assist Bobby so Schultz also filled a need.

Josh Daicos
Perryman
Quaynor
Maynard
Pendlebury
Crisp

Parker
Ryan
Markov
Noble

How many half-backs do we need?

 

[No SPIN]

Josh Daicos
Perryman
Quaynor
Maynard
Pendlebury
Crisp

Parker
Ryan
Markov
Noble

How many half-backs do we need?

Are unproven or 30plus players in the conversation- given Houston was an AA?
Of the remaining JD is an AA wingman, Perryman is better suited to the midfield tagging role. IQ and Bruzz are true locks in the backline, so really adding Houston made sense to bolster quality there IMO. And Noble’s kicking, and poor man on man defense, was always a vulnerability that further opened the door for Houston.

 

[riddick78]

Are unproven or 30plus players in the conversation- given Houston was an AA?
Of the remaining JD is an AA wingman, Perryman is better suited to the midfield tagging role. IQ and Bruzz are true locks in the backline, so really adding Houston made sense to bolster quality there IMO. And Noble’s kicking, and poor man on man defense, was always a vulnerability that further opened the door for Houston.

I would love to see Jaicos and Pez play full-time midfield. Even if it might weaken our backline slightly, we would win more clearances and give our forwards better service, a good trade off

I believe we have a great side if we start moving players around, get Parker, HH, Hill etc into the side, move Jaicos and Pez into the midfield, offer King a decent pay day, something GCS can't match, hit the draft and get a quality midfielder with our rnd 1 pick.

Any good FA backmen available this year?? Hopefully Reef steps up this year and Howes and/or Cochran show something in our backline.

 

[BigVic]

Great news all round

 

[brysie]

I would love to see Jaicos and Pez play full-time midfield. Even if it might weaken our backline slightly, we would win more clearances and give our forwards better service, a good trade off

I believe we have a great side if we start moving players around, get Parker, HH, Hill etc into the side, move Jaicos and Pez into the midfield, offer King a decent pay day, something GCS can't match, hit the draft and get a quality midfielder with our rnd 1 pick.

Any good FA backmen available this year?? Hopefully Reef steps up this year and Howes and/or Cochran show something in our backline.

Khamis from the Dogs is a RFA - if the Dogs are successful in their chase for Butters, it might provide some scope to shake Khamis free.

Jordon Butts is also a RFA.

While neither move the needle in terms of replacing Moore from a long-term perspective, they would both add to our back 6 and potentially allow someone like Perryman to transition to the midfield. Hinge from Adelaide is an UFA so if the deal was right, he could potentially be someone to play at half back which would give us better flexibility with Jaicos.

 

[nickyds35]

Khamis from the Dogs is a RFA - if the Dogs are successful in their chase for Butters, it might provide some scope to shake Khamis free.

Jordon Butts is also a RFA.

While neither move the needle in terms of replacing Moore from a long-term perspective, they would both add to our back 6 and potentially allow someone like Perryman to transition to the midfield. Hinge from Adelaide is an UFA so if the deal was right, he could potentially be someone to play at half back which would give us better flexibility with Jaicos.

You mean unrestricted free agents?