2026 Trade / FA Thread

[sr36]

I maintain that Ben King won't really solve much for us, especially in the short term.

Ben King has 24 goals this season in a fairly decent forward line being fed by one of the better midfields in the comp

Dan McStay is on 10 goals (which could have easily been 15 or so) in a dysfunctional forward line that is receiving horrid service from the midfield and even further our transition from defence.

I'd wager that if you put McStay in the Gold Coast forward line right now, he really wouldn't be that far off Ben King's goal total.

I don't think Ben King really does much for us right now with how we're playing. Especially for what he'd cost us.

Zac Butters does SO much more for us and his inclusion would have a knock on effect on the forward line anyway. We have Charlie West coming through, Zac McCarthy who hopefully makes it and just recruited Buller.

What do we have in the youth department in the midfield? Nick? pinch hitting Beau? Yeah, Anderson looks like he could be something and so do Swadling and Prindable. But as of this moment, Nick is it. Long has dropped off massively and while he's young I think we've seen the best of what Long has to offer and even then we don't see it all that consistently.

Zac Butters should be soooooo much more a priority for us than King.

I think Butters is the second best player in the comp - so definitely.

But I think you're underestimating what King could do to our forward line. He'd slot into Elliott's deepest forward role and Elliott wouldn't have to wrestle in the hotspot. He'd get to free wheel a heap more. We'd be stronger in the air and stronger at ground level.

 

[No SPIN]

This stat is going to piss people off massively

A Reality check will do that.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

View attachment 2588186

Good on Checkers but did we drop the ball on this one too?

No.

He's playing well for Melbourne but we don't have the profile to re-sign a 33 year old for 2+ years. We chose Elliott over him which was fair given their 2025 output.

It would be a disaster if we went into a free agency in 2026 (which is clearly the plan) with the inability to pay for a key target because we increased the contracts of both Elliott and Mihocek.

 

[magpies42]

Attempting to take off the Collingwood blinders for one second, how many here actually believe we're a genuine chance of getting Butters?

Because I'm not sure how we could pull it off.

The only possible scenario I see Port Adelaide even remotely entertaining (and not necessarily accepting), is:

• This year's first, whatever that may be
• Next year's first
• Beau McCreery

The reason I say this is because I expect Port to match any offer we throw at Zac, forcing us to trade.

I don't think Hawthorn and the Bulldogs will have any better draft hand than we would? (unless I'm forgetting something) given they will both most likely finish higher than us this year.

We also seemingly have more cap space than both.

That’s right, we have to trade a piece. Degoey?

 

[Jafo]

No.

He's playing well for Melbourne but we don't have the profile to re-sign a 33 year old for 2+ years. We chose Elliott over him which was fair given their 2025 output.

It would be a disaster if we went into a free agency in 2026 (which is clearly the plan) with the inability to pay for a key target because we increased the contracts of both Elliott and Mihocek.

How about the Ginnivan one?

Not over or vs Schultz.

Just vs the type of player he’s developing into or he likely wouldn’t have developed into this kind of player if we kept him.

 

[Go Woods]

Daicos willing to do “whatever it takes” to get Butters and King to Pies

“I'd welcome Ben King or Zak Butters any day with open arms.”

www.sen.com.au

Oh but he's leaving for Tassie, they all say...

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Daicos willing to do “whatever it takes” to get Butters and King to Pies

“I'd welcome Ben King or Zak Butters any day with open arms.”

www.sen.com.au

Oh but he's leaving for Tassie, they all say...

To be fair, they're not mututally exclusive

He could very well be willing to do "whatever it takes" to get Butters and King to the club while he's at the club and still weigh up any potential Tassie deal if that offer should eventuate in 2028 or so.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

How about the Ginnivan one?

Not over or vs Schultz.

Just vs the type of player he’s developing into or he likely wouldn’t have developed into this kind of player if we kept him.

Unfortunately for us, I think the trade / forced out move is what he needed to get a kick up the arse and mature a bit. It looks like he's even chilled out on social media and now he's doing an insights podcast with Tom Mitchell.

From all accounts, Hawthorn is the perfect environment for him though.

 

[magpies42]

I think Butters is the second best player in the comp - so definitely.

But I think you're underestimating what King could do to our forward line. He'd slot into Elliott's deepest forward role and Elliott wouldn't have to wrestle in the hotspot. He'd get to free wheel a heap more. We'd be stronger in the air and stronger at ground level.

Undoubtedly King brings value, but our number 1 and 2 needs are midfielders. The forwards become redundant if they aren’t getting quality ball.

Sidebottom, Crisp and Pendlebury will diminish and or depart an already underperforming midfield. Degoey is always injured and also 30.

For me I would continue to play two rucks and rest one forward. They are both great marks. And hope that West comes on and Buller learns the game plan and patterns.

 

[magpies42]

How about the Ginnivan one?

Not over or vs Schultz.

Just vs the type of player he’s developing into or he likely wouldn’t have developed into this kind of player if we kept him.

My understanding is that his position at Collingwood became untenable. Still don’t understand how we pay overs for players, and get nothing in return when we trade one of ours. In Jacks case we actually lost out on the pick trading due to ladder positioning. Ludicrous

 

[sr36]

Undoubtedly King brings value, but our number 1 and 2 needs are midfielders. The forwards become redundant if they aren’t getting quality ball.

Sidebottom, Crisp and Pendlebury will diminish and or depart an already underperforming midfield. Degoey is always injured and also 30.

For me I would continue to play two rucks and rest one forward. They are both great marks. And hope that West comes on and Buller learns the game plan and patterns.

I think you've got to be good across all 3 lines. I think it'll take something like King to make our forward line good. Whereas with Nick there already a solid piece or two rather than a star can give us a good midfield.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

That’s right, we have to trade a piece. Degoey?

No chance they take De Goey

I’d be shocked if anyone other than Beau would get the deal across the line

• Under 25
• Game breaking potential
• South Australian
• Still plenty of upside

 

[Jafo]

Unfortunately for us, I think the trade / forced out move is what he needed to get a kick up the arse and mature a bit. It looks like he's even chilled out on social media and now he's doing an insights podcast with Tom Mitchell.

From all accounts, Hawthorn is the perfect environment for him though.

Yeah I thought the kick up the ass trade part sparked his change too

 

[Jafo]

Attempting to take off the Collingwood blinders for one second, how many here actually believe we're a genuine chance of getting Butters?

Because I'm not sure how we could pull it off.

The only possible scenario I see Port Adelaide even remotely entertaining (and not necessarily accepting), is:

• This year's first, whatever that may be
• Next year's first
• Beau McCreery

The reason I say this is because I expect Port to match any offer we throw at Zac, forcing us to trade.

I don't think Hawthorn and the Bulldogs will have any better draft hand than we would? (unless I'm forgetting something) given they will both most likely finish higher than us this year.

We also seemingly have more cap space than both.

I’m still in the would love him to come to us. Sure I’ve been saying hopefully been in his ear (the club) for some time now given he seems to have only signed two year contracts up until now. But almost resigned he goes to the Dogs.

You think Hawks might have a crack too or go back to Merrett?

 

[DERKADERRR]

As much as I'd love Zak Butters

9

Zak Butters

Age

25

Ht

181cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.3

4star

K

7.7

3star

HB

6.7

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.8

3star

D

14.7

4star

K

8.9

4star

HB

5.9

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.1

3star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

, Port would match and we'd have to pay way too much in draft picks.

Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

is the one I want, Brisbane wouldn't match and he's an absolute gun.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

As much as I'd love Zak Butters, Port would match and we'd have to pay way too much in draft picks.

Zac Bailey is the one I want, Brisbane wouldn't match and he's an absolute gun.

Why wouldn't Brisbane match?

 

[DERKADERRR]

Why wouldn't Brisbane match?

I should preface this is my option based on comments Fagan has made, as well as the amount of talent on their list putting pressure on their cap. If we offered 1.7m a season for 7 years I don't think they would match, and I reckon he's worth paying that much. Give him more midfield time and he'd be up there in the elite midfielder bracket.

 

[Apex36]

I maintain that Ben King won't really solve much for us, especially in the short term.

Ben King has 24 goals this season in a fairly decent forward line being fed by one of the better midfields in the comp

Dan McStay is on 10 goals (which could have easily been 15 or so) in a dysfunctional forward line that is receiving horrid service from the midfield and even further our transition from defence.

I'd wager that if you put McStay in the Gold Coast forward line right now, he really wouldn't be that far off Ben King's goal total.

I don't think Ben King really does much for us right now with how we're playing. Especially for what he'd cost us.

Zac Butters does SO much more for us and his inclusion would have a knock on effect on the forward line anyway. We have Charlie West coming through, Zac McCarthy who hopefully makes it and just recruited Buller.

What do we have in the youth department in the midfield? Nick? pinch hitting Beau? Yeah, Anderson looks like he could be something and so do Swadling and Prindable. But as of this moment, Nick is it. Long has dropped off massively and while he's young I think we've seen the best of what Long has to offer and even then we don't see it all that consistently.

Zac Butters should be soooooo much more a priority for us than King.

You’re giving King too little credit and McStay far too much.
Dan might be doing a bit better in GC’s forward line, but to say he wouldn’t be far off Ben King who is currently averaging 4 goals a game is taking an enormous amount of piss. McStay in Collingwood’s very functional forward line of 2023 was averaging about what he is right now.
No player in this day and age, no matter how good their midfield is, averages 4gpg without having exceptional forward craft. King would straighten us up like nothing else, to say we wouldn’t benefit from having him is bonkers.

 

[Apex36]

View attachment 2588186

Good on Checkers but did we drop the ball on this one too?

No.

 

[sr36]

View attachment 2588186

Good on Checkers but did we drop the ball on this one too?

It goes without saying that we would be better with Checkers. He was injured at the end of last year but was playing well early - the banged up stuff is silly. But we needed to keep the salary cap if we want to recruit to stay up the ladder for any length of time.

 

[Carlthetruth]

It goes without saying that we would be better with Checkers. He was injured at the end of last year but was playing well early - the banged up stuff is silly. But we needed to keep the salary cap if we want to recruit to stay up the ladder for any length of time.

The banged up stuff isn't silly, the way he plays he'll wear down and they'll be a dramatic second half of the year fall off, it is inevitable .

 

[sr36]

The banged up stuff isn't silly, the way he plays he'll wear down and they'll be a dramatic second half of the year fall off, it is inevitable .

Him getting injured isn't inevitable. And when he's not injured he's still a good forward. He was playing with an injury last year. He had a ligament strain in his foot. Trained fully once in September - loaded up on anaesthetic.

 

[Exambolor]

Why wouldn't Brisbane match?

They’re apparently reluctant to overpay him according to media reports

 

[sr36]

Why wouldn't Brisbane match?

Don't want to overpay a player. They've got a lot of good ones to keep.

 

[No SPIN]

Him getting injured isn't inevitable. And when he's not injured he's still a good forward. He was playing with an injury last year. He had a ligament strain in his foot. Trained fully once in September - loaded up on anaesthetic.

I don’t think we can deny the cumulative effect of body contact at high intensity as is Brodies style, has blunted his effectiveness and ability to play at the same level over 4 QTR’s, as a few years ago.