Mega Thread Free agency discussion - 2013

[Topkent]

Here's the full list of free agents , I ask who can we realistically chase ? I see the daisy Thomas argument but can't see him wanting to come here

Midfielders are obviously the target and some of these guys may have re signed already

I've bolded who I think are realistic options

Adelaide
Scott Thompson (restricted)
Nathan van Berlo (restricted)
Graham Johncock (unrestricted)
Jason Porplyzia (unrestricted)
Brent Reilly (unrestricted)
Ben Rutten (unrestricted)

Brisbane Lions
Joel Patfull (restricted)
Simon Black (unrestricted)
Jonathan Brown (unrestricted)

Carlton
Eddie Betts (restricted)
Heath Scotland (unrestricted)

Collingwood
Nick Maxwell (restricted)
Dale Thomas (restricted)
Alan Didak (unrestricted)
Ben Johnson (unrestricted)
Alan Toovey (unrestricted)

Essendon
Jobe Watson (restricted)
Dustin Fletcher (unrestricted)
David Hille (unrestricted)
Nathan Lovett-Murray (unrestricted)
Jason Winderlich (unrestricted)

Fremantle
Michael Johnson (unrestricted)

Geelong
Paul Chapman (unrestricted)
Joel Corey (unrestricted)
Corey Enright (unrestricted)
Josh Hunt (unrestricted)
Mathew Stokes (unrestricted)

Gold Coast
Nil

Greater Western Sydney
Nil

Hawthorn
Lance Franklin (restricted)
Max Bailey (unrestricted)
Xavier Ellis (unrestricted)
Brent Guerra (unrestricted)
Luke Hodge (unrestricted)
Sam Mitchell (unrestricted)
Michael Osborne (unrestricted)

Melbourne
Aaron Davey (restricted)
Colin Sylvia (restricted)

North Melbourne
Michael Firrito (unrestricted)
Brent Harvey (unrestricted)
Scott McMahon (unrestricted)
Drew Petrie (unrestricted)

Port Adelaide
Alipate Carlile (restricted)
Kane Cornes (restricted)
Brett Ebert (unrestricted)
Tom Logan (unrestricted)
Matt Thomas (unrestricted)

Richmond
Daniel Jackson (unrestricted)
Luke McGuane (unrestricted)
Chris Newman (unrestricted)
Shane Tuck (unrestricted)
Matt White (unrestricted)

St Kilda
Nick Dal Santo (restricted)
Jason Blake (unrestricted)
Lenny Hayes (unrestricted)
Justin Koschitzke (unrestricted)
Stephen Milne (unrestricted)

Sydney
Jude Bolton (unrestricted)
Adam Goodes (unrestricted)
Nick Malceski (unrestricted)

West Coast
Mark LeCras (restricted)
Dean Cox (unrestricted)
Andrew Embley (unrestricted)
Darren Glass (unrestricted)
Mark Nicoski (unrestricted)
Adam Selwood (unrestricted)
Beau Waters (unrestricted)

Western Bulldogs
Adam Cooney (restricted)
Dale Morris (restricted)
Dylan Addison (unrestricted)
Daniel Cross (unrestricted)
Daniel Giansiracusa (unrestricted)



The ones we should go hardest for are


Joel Corey , late pay day although I doubt he'd wanna leave the cats
Xavier Ellis, classy ball user who should play every week , remember his grand final ? He can play
Jason winderlich, genuinely quick and a mature player now
Alan toovey, solid hbf
Adam cooney , if his knee holds up we might wanna risk getting him in

Dal Santo and Thomas we should go hard for but I can't see them leaving there clubs
Apart from cooney we can offer more money for those players than there clubs would be willing to pay bar cooney who we could risk throwing a longer contract at

 

[wowlace]

Nick dal santo would surely be looked at. I'm more inclined to work on keeping what we have (Sylvia) and draft more mids.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Nick dal santo would surely be looked at. I'm more inclined to work on keeping what we have (Sylvia) and draft more mids.

This. So this. I don't give a stuff who is out of contract right now. We need to re-sign our own players and draft some better mids into the side.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Daniel Cross, if he's available.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Daniel Cross, if he's available.

We have enough plodders already. We need some class.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

We have enough plodders already. We need some class.

If we can get a guy of his caliber for 'free' - I'd take him.

 

[Topkent]

If we can get a guy of his caliber for 'free' - I'd take him.

He would take a hell of alot of pressure off jones an trenners

 

[Tulip]

We have enough plodders already. We need some class.

Cross is the best trainer in the AFL, and whilst he may be old, he's a far better player than the likes of Magner and Rodan and a far better educator than the likes of Pedersen.

Also, I can't believe what I'm reading about the draft! Poisoned chalice at the moment with our list. FA is FA, we pay nothing - first round picks will develop better alongside a Cross or Dal Santo than a Sylvia.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Cross is the best trainer in the AFL, and whilst he may be old, he's a far better player than the likes of Magner and Rodan and a far better educator than the likes of Pedersen.

Also, I can't believe what I'm reading about the draft! Poisoned chalice at the moment with our list. FA is FA, we pay nothing - first round picks will develop better alongside a Cross or Dal Santo than a Sylvia.

Apparently Rodan, Byrnes etc are great trainers also. We've seen how little it seems to have mattered so far. The bloke can find the pill but he can't kick it over 40, can't hit a target over 20 and is well and truly getting on in age. Your arguments for him above would have fit anybody else's arguments re: the acquisitions of our off season players a few months ago. He isn't going to solve any problems.

I'm sure we'll be a player in FA and our first pick may even be on the table with Hogan already coming on to the list at the end of the season. Will be a very much wait and see off season.

 

[Tulip]

Apparently Rodan, Byrnes etc are great trainers also. We've seen how little it seems to have mattered so far. The bloke can find the pill but he can't kick it over 40, can't hit a target over 20 and is well and truly getting on in age. Your arguments for him above would have fit anybody else's arguments re: the acquisitions of our off season players a few months ago. He isn't going to solve any problems.

I'm sure we'll be a player in FA and our first pick may even be on the table with Hogan already coming on to the list at the end of the season. Will be a very much wait and see off season.

Rodan was a flaky burst midfielder who certainly wasn't a good trainer and didn't last at two clubs. He's improved now, but his appeal still lay in education and bursting packs when we recruited him. I can't speak for education, but he can't burst a pack anymore. Byrnes was a hard working HFFer in a champion team, and has been okay for us. Cross was a major figure in a 4xPrelim side. It's not about the mature agers, it's about acquiring the correct guys.

I don't think we'll trade our first pick, but I desperately hope we do.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

Rodan was a flaky burst midfielder who certainly wasn't a good trainer and didn't last at two clubs. He's improved now, but his appeal still lay in education and bursting packs when we recruited him. I can't speak for education, but he can't burst a pack anymore. Byrnes was a hard working HFFer in a champion team, and has been okay for us. Cross was a major figure in a 4xPrelim side. It's not about the mature agers, it's about acquiring the correct guys.

I don't think we'll trade our first pick, but I desperately hope we do.

Just as Byrnes was a major figure in the first few Cats premierships. I agree in acquiring the correct guys, just not convinced at all that Cross is one of them.

With you on the first rounder in terms of trading it. I think if the right player is there to get it's the perfect time to trade it as we are essentially getting a first rounder in Hogan already. But I don't think it will happen either...

 

[Tulip]

Just as Byrnes was a major figure in the first few Cats premierships. I agree in acquiring the correct guys, just not convinced at all that Cross is one of them.

With you on the first rounder in terms of trading it. I think if the right player is there to get it's the perfect time to trade it as we are essentially getting a first rounder in Hogan already. But I don't think it will happen either...

C'mon, Byrnes was never a major figure. Ablett, Corey, Bartel, Kelly, Johnson, Chapman, Selwood, Scarlett, Enright, Harley were the major ones in 07 and 09.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

C'mon, Byrnes was never a major figure. Ablett, Corey, Bartel, Kelly, Johnson, Chapman, Selwood, Scarlett, Enright, Harley were the major ones in 07 and 09.

Ask Geelong fans and look at the stats. He wasn't one of those guys above but he wasn't just a bit part player in those flags either. Kicked a few in those Grand Finals too.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Rodan was a flaky burst midfielder who certainly wasn't a good trainer and didn't last at two clubs. He's improved now, but his appeal still lay in education and bursting packs when we recruited him. I can't speak for education, but he can't burst a pack anymore. Byrnes was a hard working HFFer in a champion team, and has been okay for us. Cross was a major figure in a 4xPrelim side. It's not about the mature agers, it's about acquiring the correct guys.

I don't think we'll trade our first pick, but I desperately hope we do.

Our first pick will be between picks 1 and 4, trading that pick is not the way to go.

We would want a star player or two very good players for that price.

None of the above would want to come to Melbourne if we don't improve.

 

[Cannon82]

C'mon, Byrnes was never a major figure. Ablett, Corey, Bartel, Kelly, Johnson, Chapman, Selwood, Scarlett, Enright, Harley were the major ones in 07 and 09.

Wojcinski is a triple Premiership player. Pretty amazing result for a bloke who'd make two highlight reel runs per game, kicking a goal on the run from 50 with one and shanking the other out on the full.

Can't see any of the quality players on that free agent list being a realistic chance of coming to us. I'd prefer to pick off some emerging fringe players at the trade table instead of paying a (washed up?) player well over the odds to retire here.

 

[Topkent]

Wojcinski is a triple Premiership player. Pretty amazing result for a bloke who'd make two highlight reel runs per game, kicking a goal on the run from 50 with one and shanking the other out on the full.

Can't see any of the quality players on that free agent list being a realistic chance of coming to us. I'd prefer to pick off some emerging fringe players at the trade table instead of paying a (washed up?) player well over the odds to retire here.

We need onfield leaders , someone like a Joel Corey could provide them first hand experience on the field , all out midfielders have to learn off is jones , a cpl experience mids wouldn't be bad

 

[Cannon82]

We need onfield leaders , someone like a Joel Corey could provide them first hand experience on the field , all out midfielders have to learn off is jones , a cpl experience mids wouldn't be bad

Maybe, but I don't know why we need these guys to be taking up space on our list and chunks out of the salary cap. If we want our players to have someone to learn off, pick up a quality retiree as a coach. Lenny Hayes would be ideal but I can't see him leaving the Saints as he's the type of person who'd want to be a one club player and I'm sure they'd be happy to keep him on in a coaching role or similar capacity. If he wants a fresh environment to learn in, throw the kitchen sink in to get him here. Ditto with Simon Black.

If we really wanted to pick up one of these experienced mids, Sam Mitchell would be the best. Great skills and very composed - that's what we need our players to be like. Again, can't see any of these guys wanting to leave their finals bound and title challenging clubs to come here though. We could probably get in Johncock, Ben Johnson, David Hille and/or Osborne looking at the list, but why would you want to?

 

[dee_mac]

Hayes has spent a couple of years as a part time midfield coach at oakleigh chargers too I think. Couples with his playing and leadership credentials would be a great mentor for our young mids

 

[AFL is Number One]

Bye bye Sylvia. Bye bye Davey

 

[Turbocat]

Ask Geelong fans and look at the stats. He wasn't one of those guys above but he wasn't just a bit part player in those flags either. Kicked a few in those Grand Finals too.

Byrnes was key in 09 GF. His quarter4 was very good. Overall he struggled to be more than a in and out player , not due to anything more than a quality group. No Geelong supporter was upset at him leaving for a better chance at footy with Melb as he would still be struggling at geelong as he was an top team man.
But in general , I'm not sure that FA will work for a club till they start to be mid range competitive.Would Goddard have gone to Ess without thinking they were on the rise?

 

[Spirit of 39]

Free Agency won't rescue us. We'd need to offer $300,000 over and above what other challengers will offer players for them to even talk to us at this stage. It's to the draft and developing our own we go. This, and perhaps targeting fringe players at other clubs who can contribute to our club. There will be no short-term fix.

 

[Cannon82]

Free Agency won't rescue us. We'd need to offer $300,000 over and above what other challengers will offer players for them to even talk to us at this stage. It's to the draft and developing our own we go. This, and perhaps targeting fringe players at other clubs who can contribute to our club. There will be no short-term fix.

Was never going to. It'll help the top teams stay on top and the struggling teams are a chance to get their best players cherry picked. We'd still have Rivers if not for FA. He could have gotten more money here but Geelong were offering finals football.

 

[AFL is Number One]

Free Agency won't rescue us. We'd need to offer $300,000 over and above what other challengers will offer players for them to even talk to us at this stage. It's to the draft and developing our own we go. This, and perhaps targeting fringe players at other clubs who can contribute to our club. There will be no short-term fix.

I agree in that FA is not going to help the MFC. In fact I thing FF will make things worse for us. I think that we will se a trickle of players start to leave for opportunities to go to a club that is in the premiership window. And good luck to them...you can,t begrudge them that opportunity. I would love to see Rivers get to hold the Cup on that final last day in Sept.
that why I can see Sylvia as a certainty to leave us in 2014. A perfect fit in say an Essendon as an example. And good luck to him.

 

[Spirit of 39]

Was never going to. It'll help the top teams stay on top and the struggling teams are a chance to get their best players cherry picked. We'd still have Rivers if not for FA. He could have gotten more money here but Geelong were offering finals football.

Our only hope to get anything out of free agency is to create a footy club that people want to be around. I think that we are heading in the right direction. Our players are a tight-knit group and they have belief in the direction we are heading. But until this correlates into wins it means very little.

 

[Cannon82]

I agree in that FA is not going to help the MFC. In fact I thing FF will make things worse for us. I think that we will se a trickle of players start to leave for opportunities to go to a club that is in the premiership window. And good luck to them...you can,t begrudge them that opportunity. I would love to see Rivers get to hold the Cup on that final last day in Sept.
that why I can see Sylvia as a certainty to leave us in 2014. A perfect fit in say an Essendon as an example. And good luck to him.

He's been a pea heart for us for 10 years so good luck to him? He'll go, and when we take on whoever he ends up playing for next season, I hope Tapscott, Jones, Gawn, etc absolutely iron him out.