Des Headland??

[Mead]

Shame on me for believing anything that the Sunday Times writes, but given that there is probably a pretty good chance of him heading back west next season, do we want Des Headland?
For me the answer is yes!, classy young utility player, can play back or forward, would go some way toward filling our small defender hole, whilst giving us another HF option. Has speed, strength, good mark, great kick.
The question is can we afford him? Difficult to say, but I doubt very much if Fremantle can, since they have several blokes to sign, a number of high budget recruits already, and the Fabian Francis debacle to sort out. If thats the case, we might find ourself in a buyers' market, since by all accounts he's pretty desperate to head back west, and I don't think Brisbane will be silly enough to hang onto him if he really doesn't want to be there.
So who would you be prepared to give up for Des Headland?

 

[Voice of Reason]

Agree with everything you've said, Mead, although every game I watch Headland plays better so Brisbane may want to hang on to him if at all possible.

What would Brisbane want? They're pretty well covered in the midfield and ruck and have no obvious weaknesses, so they'll probably want draft picks more than players.

I'd offer Braun plus a draft pick.

 

[larrikin]

We could probably offer up one of the young attacking talls + draft picks. I'd had to see any of them go, but it's probably one of the areas we have a surplus and I can't see us fitting Seirakowski, Lynch, Gaspar and McDougall in the same side.

Headland would be a fantastic pick up for the reasons stated by Mead, so it might be worth it. i'd much rather see Headland targeted than Chick.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

My opinion:
Embley + 2nd round draft pick. With the strength of Brisbane's team I think Embley could prosper in not having to play such a major role with them as he does with us (often our focal point at HF). As much potential as he has, i don't think he looks like fulfilling it with us. Especially with the amount of HFF we have. I wouldn't mind if he was traded.

Or

1st round draft pick. This year the draft is said to be pretty thin, so giving away a 1st round draft pick (probably pick #8 to #12) would not hurt us as much as in other years. And since Brisbane have a strong list as it is, it would not really hurt them either as they could afford to wait 2-3yrs while the kid develops.
_________________________________________________

I don't think they would take a midfielder as they seem to have good stocks of them, and even drafted in a few more last year. They are more likely to want a tall utility. Also, since Headlands contract expires at the end of this year their bargaining strength is not as strong as it would have been otherwise.

 

[Raelene]

We won't have to worry. Every person who say they would like to come home, the Dockers put their hands up for them!!

 

[iceman]

Seems to me that recently Headland keeps getting better and better.

A first round draft pick is not unreasonable for a player who can slot straight into our side and play defence or forward.

 

[noodle]

definitely take headland if the trade can be worked out.

lynch (brisbane) is getting on a bit and would be retiring in a few years so maybe they would like someone to take his place when he moves on. we have a surplus of tall forwards so maybe that's a go.

does anyone know if we have anyone on our list from queensland? i can't think of any.

 

[larrikin]

Originally posted by noodle
definitely take headland if the trade can be worked out.

lynch (brisbane) is getting on a bit and would be retiring in a few years so maybe they would like someone to take his place when he moves on. we have a surplus of tall forwards so maybe that's a go.

does anyone know if we have anyone on our list from queensland? i can't think of any.

Nah the closest would be Wooden who's from country NSW but on his form he won't be going anywhere.

 

[Unwritten_Law]

From a neutral prospective:

Headland would be a good pick up but i doubt that the Lions will let him go.

The Lions would most likely want either a key position defender (which WC dont have in abundance) or a key forward (as someone said Lynch will probably retire at the end of the season).

I would think that Bradshaw and Brown are sufficient up forward with Bradshaw's younger brother waiting in the wings.

In defence you would think that White is just about past his use by date so they will need another key defender to either fill this gap or allow Leppitisch to go forward.

The big question is do WC have anything that they are willing to give up that just happens to be required by the Lions. I would probably say no.

If a trade of this sort was drawn up i would expect a number of draft picks (Brisbane wont want to let a former #1 pick go cheap) or one of those hard to follow trades that involve a number of clubs.

With possible players such as Pavlich, Richardson, Carey on the market you never know who wants what and what they are willing to give up for it.

 

[Mead]

Originally posted by Unwritten_Law
From a neutral prospective:

Headland would be a good pick up but i doubt that the Lions will let him go.

The Lions would most likely want either a key position defender (which WC dont have in abundance) or a key forward (as someone said Lynch will probably retire at the end of the season).

I would think that Bradshaw and Brown are sufficient up forward with Bradshaw's younger brother waiting in the wings.

In defence you would think that White is just about past his use by date so they will need another key defender to either fill this gap or allow Leppitisch to go forward.

The big question is do WC have anything that they are willing to give up that just happens to be required by the Lions. I would probably say no.

If a trade of this sort was drawn up i would expect a number of draft picks (Brisbane wont want to let a former #1 pick go cheap) or one of those hard to follow trades that involve a number of clubs.

With possible players such as Pavlich, Richardson, Carey on the market you never know who wants what and what they are willing to give up for it.

I'm sure that given the amount of time they've spent developing him and the obvious ability he display, the Lions would love to keep Headland. However, if players are unhappy where they are, you'd have to be pretty stupid to try and force them to stay at your club. Eg, if at the end of this season, Pavlich says 'I WANT to go back to South Australia, I don't think I'll enjoy my footy or be able to put in 100% as long as i stay here,', Fremantle would be idiots to try and hang onto him. A guy can't play well under those circumstances, and no matter how good he is, the disruptive influence of an unhappy camper could ruin the club.

Now, from what I've heard, Headland wants to return to West Aust very badly. Given that Brisbane can't get good football out of him if he doesn't want to be there, they're put in a position where they just have to extract whatever they can of value for him.

 

[chrisjudd3]

This could be our chance to build a defense again with the emphasis on specialist backmen.

Des Headland playing on a half back flank and streaming down the field to kick goals. I'd like to see that.

Lets appeal to his inner sandgroper to come back to WA and play some good footy, he was a West Coast supporter before being drafted.

Then again so was Simon Black(arrrrrrrrrrrgh) but thought maybe I'd win a premiership in Brisbane(I wouldn't blame him either)

Come Back Dezzy.

 

[Au_Blue#24]

what do you mean "the lions wont let him go ?" he's GOING.
He wants to come back to wa so we must male sure he comes here and not to freo. You would think freo have all their cash tied up in keeping pav. We could even and up with chick as well. BTW - how old is chick ??

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I think Chick is 26.

 

[jod23]

I think if we can get him relatively cheap then go for it but it they start asking for players like Judd, Kerr, Punda then no thanks. In fact i dont really want to give up any players for him. If we can trade some draft picks for him then yes i would do it.

Right now though we have plenty of young talent like Lynch, Gaspar, McDougall, Embley, Cox, Gardiner, Glass, Hansen, Seaby, Hunter....

All talls capable of playing forward or back, why do we need another one. Im very happy with where the club is heading.

 

[campbell]

Sorry to burst your bubble. Headland and his lady are expecting their 2nd child in October. They are settled and happy in Brisbane.He ain't going no where.

If he was, he hates west coast, being a Freo supporter .

 

[bunsen burner]

Originally posted by campbell
Sorry to burst your bubble. Headland and his lady are expecting their 2nd child in October. They are settled and happy in Brisbane.He ain't going no where.

If he was, he hates west coast, being a Freo supporter .

Do you know him do you? I bet you know Suzi_Olsen too.

 

[bunsen burner]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
My opinion:
Embley + 2nd round draft pick

Or

1st round draft pick.

Headland would be an excellent pickup.

 

[USAEagle]

If he was, he hates west coast, being a Freo supporter .

I will give you another name....

Mark "I will never play for West Coast" Merenda.

Ben "I was dirty after the 92 and 94 grand finals" Cousins

Lots of people are or were supporters of other sides and then end up playing for clubs they hate.

Paul Medhurst was an Eagles Supporter all his life and....

I am sure Des Headland would come to love being an Eagle.

 

[Frodo]

Headland would love to play for Eagles or Freo. He wants to come home. He wanted to do so at the end of last season but a trade couldn't be worked out with the Eagles. Make no mistake about it if the Eagles had been prepared to lose their Sampi pick then Headland would be playing at West Coast now.

But in reality Headland will go to Freo and Chick to Eagles. Discussions with their managers and the clubs have been going on unofficially for some time now.

 

[Captain Random]

Originally posted by USAEagle

I will give you another name....

Don't forget Peter "Chicken Walk" Wilson.