2026 Trade / FA Thread

[No SPIN]

Are we going to challenge this year, do you think?

I don't think so.

Next year?

I also don't think so.

The reason is that the best teams and their age profiles suggest they will have 3-4 years at the top. Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Fremantle -- we just won't have a list that can battle them in that time.

So, with clever recruiting via the draft, and bringing in players from free agency and, hopefully, from the MSD and rookies, and maybe even trading out a few players late in their careers if we can get some good draft picks, I can see us bouncing a few years down the track.

Whatever the case, bringing in Lachie Neale at 32 won't shift the needle to competing -- I don't think. And in 3 years he too will be retired.

It's possible I'm wrong -- I hope I'm wrong. I was about our last flag year!

You are ignoring the contribution he can make to accelerating the development of our young mids over 3years.

 

[granniewolf]

The right salary & years deal for Neale is worth heavily considering.

Will immediately lift midfield quality … and give the club some time to trade in, draft and develop other younger options… because Long, Anderson, Allan etc will only go so far

I just don’t think he’ll want to come to Melbourne instead of Perth or Adelaide

And whoever gets him will probably have to pay overs to beat out competition

So our vets are paid unders but he'd get overs?

 

[DopeMaster]

I’m thinking (hoping) we may have an understanding with Rowell for his free agency year next year, given the talk at the time but the longevity of our seniors, and perhaps trade capital meant we couldn’t get it done. This would explain why we’ve not made a hard play at Butters this year.

2028: Daicos, Rowell, Neale would be a phenomenal combo.

 

[sr36]

No that is excessive. The reason he is not cooked partly is the depth of lions midfield.
Dont get me wrong he is a fantastic player but with the guns they have he can just focus purely on his extractor role not pinch hitting foward or being fully involved in a defensive system. He just does the one role all be it very well.
Pass from.me. Just play Pendles for another year

Extend your career with a full-time inside mid role rather than resting forward. Smart.

 

[Apex36]

You miss the point. Brisbane is stacked with midfield depth Collingwood is not. At Brisbane he doesn't have to worry too much about defensive running or pushing foward. He floats contest to contest and does his own thing (very very well). At Collingwood which is more system based he'd have to do more which would cook him sooner

God you come up with some nonsense to justify your nonsense…

 

[satty]

I cannot understand why the narrative of neale to Collingwood let alone neale to victoria has any credibility.

His main motivation for moving is to be closer to his children who are currently in WA.

So it really should just be SA and WA teams who will be in the running for his services.

 

[Apex36]

Are we going to challenge this year, do you think?

I don't think so.

Next year?

I also don't think so.

Bet you said exactly the same thing before round 1 in 2022. Surrender monkey.

 

[sherrife]

We desperately need an A grade inside mid. We do not have one and there's nobody on our list that has shown any signs of becoming one. Yes it would be wonderful to get one in the draft that slides to whatever shithouse pick we get this year, but it is very unlikely.

It's also very unlikely that we can get an existing one without trading every first round for the next three years.

So yeah, I reckon we should take one that's available for free, regardless of their age. Salary cap can't be an issue with us, we have a very mediocre squad aside from our veterans who are on peanuts. And then we can just get the next free one when he retires.

 

[satty]

You miss the point. Brisbane is stacked with midfield depth Collingwood is not. At Brisbane he doesn't have to worry too much about defensive running or pushing foward. He floats contest to contest and does his own thing (very very well). At Collingwood which is more system based he'd have to do more which would cook him sooner

Have you seen neale's running power? He can run for days.

The lions conditioning is on another level.

 

[Apex36]

But that's assuming they will just stand pat and not trade anyone else in.

With the draft capital they get for neale and bailey, they could definitely trade in another big name mid from another club.

I doubt they’ll get a whole lot for Neale given his age and likelihood of only a 2, maybe 3 (at a stretch) year contract.

 

[Pistol Night]

Have you seen neale's running power? He can run for days.

The lions conditioning is on another level.

Neale is an elite two way mid and we'd be mad to pass the opportunity up even if only for 1 or 2 seasons to take some pressure off Nick. In all likelihood hes the perfect Pendles fill in for a year or two. Probably wont happen but weakening a rival to strengthen us is a solid play at any rate

 

[Apex36]

I cannot understand why the narrative of neale to Collingwood let alone neale to victoria has any credibility.

Because it’s now come from multiple sources who tend to have good info?

His main motivation for moving is to be closer to his children who are currently in WA.

How do you know what his motivations are? You’re just assuming that’s the motivation. If it was true then there wouldn’t be so much smoke around this.

So it really should just be SA and WA teams who will be in the running for his services.

If he wants to move to be close to his kids as you so confidently say, then WA would be the only option. The difference between Adelaide and Melbourne from Perth is like 1.5 hours by plane. In no way is that a deal breaker.

 

[whiskeytown]

So our vets are paid unders but he'd get overs?

That’s why I said ‘the right deal’… it would have to be the right deal in terms of salary and length. Not Mayne-Wells like deals over paid, long term deals.

Also new arrivals getting more than long term players is already standard practice at the pies

 

[gouki88]

But that's assuming they will just stand pat and not trade anyone else in.

With the draft capital they get for neale and bailey, they could definitely trade in another big name mid from another club.

They will get nothing for Neale really, and given their likely finishing position not much for Bailey. Given reports that their cap is fluffed I don’t know that they’ll be big players with all the pay rises they’ve got coming

 

[sr36]

God you come up with some nonsense to justify your nonsense…

Neale has got the cushy job of only playing inside mid ...

 

[domus]

So our vets are paid unders but he'd get overs?

If that's what it takes to get him. Yep!

 

[sr36]

They will get nothing for Neale really, and given their likely finishing position not much for Bailey. Given reports that their cap is fluffed I don’t know that they’ll be big players with all the pay rises they’ve got coming

What they will get though is continued improvement from those young players needing a pay rise. I think Fletcher and Levi are ready to play big roles.

 

[Pistol Night]

What they will get though is continued improvement from those young players needing a pay rise. I think Fletcher and Levi are ready to play big roles.

The campaigners are absolutely stacked in there for the next decade. Neale is expendable to a point really

 

[sr36]

So our vets are paid unders but he'd get overs?

That's pretty much the industry at the moment. A big chunk of the salary cap is set aside for recruiting. The guys who move clubs get paid a bonus for it and those with years left beyond their contract get paid not only for their contracted years but for their likely post contract value. So veterans who stay don't get much of the salary cap. And Lachy Neale probably would have accepted not much to stay, but he's had what is probably a big shock to his financial situation, so he'll chase money. And Checkers left because he started late and wouldn't be as financially set up as most his age still running around.

 

[sr36]

I cannot understand why the narrative of neale to Collingwood let alone neale to victoria has any credibility.

His main motivation for moving is to be closer to his children who are currently in WA.

So it really should just be SA and WA teams who will be in the running for his services.

Money is likely to be a big factor. Big financial hit recently and don't forget he moved to Brissy when they were a basket case - that will have been money motivating him.

 

[WanderingDude]

The inclusion of Neale would be one list position and not necessarily destructive to youth. He could assist development. Support for Nick.

 

[Scodog10]

So our vets are paid unders but he'd get overs?

This is the only element that gives me pause, but Elliott got paid. It may have cost us Mihocek Sunday showed though why we low balled his offer. Neale is a significantly better footballer than Elliott and would walk in as top 3 on our list so you frame it to the vets that they’ve been looked after over their career and this is purely about winning. They’re OOC though and not as valuable as Neale would be so they can look elsewhere.

 

[Roverjg]

I don’t know anything, only that they’re average. But I want us to start going after young guys who hopefully won’t cost much but we can make them better in our environment.

I wouldn’t mind a Darcy Wilson type. He’s a good example. I think we could make something out of Elijah Hewett from WC too.

The Pies getting Darcy Wilson cheap is just not going to happen. He will cost us $$$ and a decent pick or player

Given the trajectory of Darcy Wilson and with many clubs already expressing express an interest in him, he’s entering the exact sweet spot where clubs overpay for upside: elite running capacity, wing/half-forward versatility, high draft pedigree, and already proven AFL-level production at age 20

Damien Barrett reported on Footy Classified back in March (Quoting this from Footy Classified)
“He’s going to let this play out. There’s a lot of interest in him; he’s known this now for the best part of 18 months, that other clubs are coming for him. St Kilda knows this too … he is a player they want to keep.

“But, he’s a smart young man — he knows what money is now being offered to players he’s playing with … he knows the players who have been with him at St Kilda are on money that he’s not on.

“He, obviously, is aware of that, and wants to line up his wage with those wages.”

Callum Twomey also recently reported on Gettable that Wilson is in no hurry to resolve his contract for next year and that nearly every Victorian club has enquired with Wilson’s management. He indicated that suitors would have to cough up a good pick(s) and a large wad of money

The reporting from Damien Barrett and Twomey is important because it suggests Wilson’s camp already understands:

• he’s outperforming his current contract tier,
• peers are earning significantly more,
• and multiple clubs are validating his market.

John Ralph has reported that if Wilson’s stats continue to trend further upwards this season then then a 6-7 year offer around the $850k-$1m mark becomes very plausible by the end of 2026.

Hewett would be cheap. The biggest knock on him pre-draft was his kicking. It’s hard to believe that both Tsatas and Ned Long have Hewett covered for career kicking efficiency. Hewett has been dropped this week after struggling to get near the ball this season averaging only 4 kicks per game

 

[The Royal Sampler]

If that's what it takes to get him. Yep!

Ho noes, this multiple premiership-winning Brownlow medallist has taken advantage of free agency to get paid more than me!

 

[Apex36]

This is the only element that gives me pause, but Elliott got paid. It may have cost us Mihocek Sunday showed though why we low balled his offer. Neale is a significantly better footballer than Elliott and would walk in as top 3 on our list so you frame it to the vets that they’ve been looked after over their career and this is purely about winning. They’re OOC though and not as valuable as Neale would be so they can look elsewhere.

The vets won’t care, they’d be chomping at the bit to get him in if it means one last crack at a flag.