2026 Trade / FA Thread

[manicpie]

Jed Walter dropped for GC

He is good enough to start cementing his spot but I'm starting to think he's the type who doesn't want it bad enough.

 

[stormskye]

He is good enough to start cementing his spot but I'm starting to think he's the type who doesn't want it bad enough.

Been very underwhelming from the games I’ve seen. Def buyer beware with that one.

 

[manicpie]

Been very underwhelming from the games I’ve seen. Def buyer beware with that one.

I agree. He's also a GC boy which would make it harder for him to leave

 

[footballsack35]

I don't mind sam marshall (20), OOC this year and isn't getting at brisbane. Is stuck behind the likes of Neale, Dunkley, Mcluggage, Ashcroft 2x etc. He was pick 25 a couple years back and wouldn't cost us. Is also from melbourne.
These are the players we need to poach

 

[footballsack35]

I agree. He's also a GC boy which would make it harder for him to leave

Doesn't help JUH is getting games now

 

[No SPIN]

All 4 share in common ripping small forward groups when they’re on which for me has become the defining area of the ground for premiership success. Unfortunately the loss of Hill took too big a residual toll on us by year end and it’s why I’d like us to find another in the MSD (if possible).

The reason I went most of the way and wasn’t fully on board is that it draws down our score. It would have levelled I50’s and contested ball to a degree, but maybe forcing them to go the length of the field opens up better looks because they’re going in to less congestion? They then convert better and again we see more centre clearance which they dominate. We’ve still got to find say another 3-4 goals from those scrounged I50’s as well.

It’s definitely not as straight forward as Corn made it out to be that statistical dominance should mean scoreboard dominance (primarily because it largely discredits the good work we did), but I’m not totally convinced you’d see the same or similar result if we converted worse.

When a team wins a Flag based on expected score then Cornes will be right.

 

[sr36]

The reason I went most of the way and wasn’t fully on board is that it draws down our score. It would have levelled I50’s and contested ball to a degree, but maybe forcing them to go the length of the field opens up better looks because they’re going in to less congestion? They then convert better and again we see more centre clearance which they dominate. We’ve still got to find say another 3-4 goals from those scrounged I50’s as well.

It’s definitely not as straight forward as Corn made it out to be that statistical dominance should mean scoreboard dominance (primarily because it largely discredits the good work we did), but I’m not totally convinced you’d see the same or similar result if we converted worse.

WHat would have happened on the scoreboard is a complete guess, but such was their centre clearance dominance that you can guarantee that if we had have converted worse, their field position and thus inside 50 dominance would have been less. Each goal (except when Steene chose not to contest to draw a crossing the line free) resulted in an inside 50 for them and then repeat entries and we had very few repeat entries because we kicked a goal whenever we went forward.

 

[nickyds35]

Sam Switkowski

39

Sam Switkowski

Age

29

Ht

179cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.8

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

6.5

4star

M

2.7

3star

T

4.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.4

3star

is a "Fly" type player.

High-pressure, quick and can score a goal.

Is an unrestricted free agent from memory. Wouldnt be suprised if we had a go.

 

[manicpie]

Sam Switkowski is a "Fly" type player.

High-pressure, quick and can score a goal.

Is an unrestricted free agent from memory. Wouldnt be suprised if we had a go.

He probably would be the type of player Fly likes but he's a bit of a poor man's Schultz. Would be handy depth at the right price.

 

[brysie]

He probably would be the type of player Fly likes but he's a bit of a poor man's Schultz. Would be handy depth at the right price.

With Hill (fingers crossed), Schultz, Hayes, Harrison and Saxena I'm not sure that there's a strong justification for the acquisition.

 

[Scodog10]

With Hill (fingers crossed), Schultz, Hayes, Harrison and Saxena I'm not sure that there's a strong justification for the acquisition.

The only player of that group who’s a mid term lock is Shoota. The rest could quite easily go one way or the other.

 

[brysie]

The only player of that group who’s a mid term lock is Shoota. The rest could quite easily go one way or the other.

Sure. But the point is there are plenty putting their hands up for the same position, all with varying levels of development.

In my view there are other needs that need to be addressed before adding another small forward.

 

[sr36]

Sure. But the point is there are plenty putting their hands up for the same position, all with varying levels of development.

In my view there are other needs that need to be addressed before adding another small forward.

If we get a player in the msd who becomes a decent player it's a win regardless of position. Back flank is about the only area that isn't a position of need over the next couple of years.

 

[Dtennent94]

The only player of that group who’s a mid term lock is Shoota. The rest could quite easily go one way or the other.

Yeah but it’s also fair to include McCreery, plus Elliott for the rest of this year and next. Sullivan?

 

[well left]

I don't mind sam marshall (20), OOC this year and isn't getting at brisbane. Is stuck behind the likes of Neale, Dunkley, Mcluggage, Ashcroft 2x etc. He was pick 25 a couple years back and wouldn't cost us. Is also from melbourne.
These are the players we need to poach

Marshall is a good shout.

 

[brysie]

If we get a player in the msd who becomes a decent player it's a win regardless of position. Back flank is about the only area that isn't a position of need over the next couple of years.

I'm not sure what the relevance of the mid-season draft is to Switkowski.

By all means recruit a small forward via the mid-season draft. Don't however chase Switkowski when there are other areas of need and other free agents out there capable of filling those needs.

 

[Scodog10]

Sure. But the point is there are plenty putting their hands up for the same position, all with varying levels of development.

In my view there are other needs that need to be addressed before adding another small forward.

Isn’t the point that none of them are close to Switkowski who is a well established player in a top 4 team? Aside from Hill of course.

With the way the game and our forward mix is going I’m not convinced there’s a greater need on our list. My only concern is whether he’s classy enough for our mix.

Yeah but it’s also fair to include McCreery, plus Elliott for the rest of this year and next. Sullivan?

I wouldn’t include McCreery or Sullivan in this discussion because Sullivan won’t be with us next year and I’d be surprised if McCreery wasn’t a full time mid (he’d be approaching full time mid this year if not for his foot). I’d be replacing McCreery with Anderson who is another that could go either way.

My view though is based entirely on Switkowski being a FA which I believe he qualifies as because he was once delisted. I definitely wouldn’t trade for him.

 

[Ugene41]

Has Tsatas name been mentioned as a cheap (F3 type trade) option?

 

[brysie]

Isn’t the point that none of them are close to Switkowski who is a well established player in a top 4 team? Aside from Hill of course.

With the way the game and our forward mix is going I’m not convinced there’s a greater need on our list. My only concern is whether he’s classy enough for our mix.

I wouldn’t include McCreery or Sullivan in this discussion because Sullivan won’t be with us next year and I’d be surprised if McCreery wasn’t a full time mid (he’d be approaching full time mid this year if not for his foot). I’d be replacing McCreery with Anderson who is another that could go either way.

My view though is based entirely on Switkowski being a FA which I believe he qualifies as because he was once delisted. I definitely wouldn’t trade for him.

I think you've answered your own question. He's not classy enough for our list, but plays a role for Freo.

He's also 29 and his stats this season are, largely, down on his career averages. Career-wise his best statistic is tackling, so a team is likely getting another Schultz, which is probably not what we need. I'd persist with Hill/Hayes.

The AFL has him listed as an unrestricted free agent, so the trade cost is negligible. The salary cap cost though isn't worth it in my opinion, given the options we currently have on the list and other list needs.

 

[sr36]

Isn’t the point that none of them are close to Switkowski who is a well established player in a top 4 team? Aside from Hill of course.

I think ruck is a greater need. It's become the dominant factor at centre clearances. Can't believe I'm saying that as I didn't think the rule would do much, but rucks are controlling the clearance at the moment. Steene has been awesome when he gets the right match up, but a lot of teams will have rucks that he can't compete against. We saw that in the Hawks dominance of centre clearance.

The rules are great for Steene, but they suck for us. It's gone from a really strong position for us to one that's going to be costly some weeks.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Sam Berry had a nice game…

 

[rdangelo]

We should have delisted Pendlebury 5 years ago when he was 33.

Pendles mentioned he was going to retire at the end of 21 but Fly gave him a new spark. Here we are 5 years on

 

[Harry O]

Sam Berry had a nice game…

Have always liked him. Have we got that role sort of covered with Anderson and Long?
Would not say no as midfield definitely needs big additions but do we need slightly different types ideally?

 

[Chunky Steak]

I think every one has said it well already, but we'd be insane not to take a free hit at Neale as a FA, if there's any chance.

This year he's averaging 31 possessions per game, along with 2 tackles and nearly 14 contested possessions.

If we brought in Neale and King as FA and still retained our first rounder, it would be great to give O'Bree the chance to do his thing with a decent pick in a good draft.

Helps us have another crack at a flag in 27 but also bring in quality youth, which we obviously need.

I could get greedy and say let's get 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

too with a contract the Lions can't match, and that would be amazing but it's venturing into fantasy footy territory. I can dream.

 

[coolidge1000]

I think George Hewitt from Carlton might be worth a look I watched him in the vfl and I'm not sure what exactly he's doing wrong