Rumour GFC 2024 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 1

[iameviljez]

The free agents list is looking a little thin. Balancing that against clubs with talent coming in .... is Jarred Berry getable? RFA so they probably match anything less than a very good offer.

I don't think he offers enough gain over a Knevitt type of player to justify the spend or the spot.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Berry is probably gettable if a club offered him enough.

Probably just a fringe player though and I would rather just pass and save the $$$ for someone worth going hard for in the future.

 

[Turbocat]

I don't think he offers enough gain over a Knevitt type of player to justify the spend or the spot.

Im not sure Id want to throw the type of money required at him but he would be Pnp..he is the right age and would be immediately best22. As it stands MK is not ..although he may be down the track. As I said ..its a thin FA group this year.

in the end ... if a player of his type signalled that he wanted to come then we would be all over him ..as the hardest part is persuading a player to join your club

 

[Footy Smarts]

Berry is very average.

We either go for someone who really moves the needle. McCluggage is the obvious one of the free agents but maybe Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

is that too.

Or you pick up someone fairly cheap who is flexible and can contribute in multiple roles. I think Andrew McGrath

1

Andrew Mcgrath

Age

25

Ht

180cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

11.1

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

6.4

5star

MG

252.9

4star

D

22.7

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

11.1

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

6.4

5star

MG

252.9

4star

D

22.0

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

11.0

5star

M

1.2

2star

T

6.4

5star

MG

219.0

4star

is that type.

Getting in Berry who is just an ok winger or mid but can't really play in defence or attack is just asking for trouble. Chances are in a couple of years of he's playing regularly you're an ordinary team.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Berry is very average.

We either go for someone who really moves the needle. McCluggage is the obvious one of the free agents but maybe Bailey Smith is that too.

Or you pick up someone fairly cheap who is flexible and can contribute in multiple roles. I think Andrew McGrath is that type.

Getting in Berry who is just an ok winger or mid but can't really play in defence or attack is just asking for trouble. Chances are in a couple of years of he's playing regularly you're an ordinary team.

I agree with that. Berry is slow and ordinary kick and doesnt add a lot we dont have
If youre going the free agent route you want player attributes that fill a need say like a florent or hayward or cumming or perryman or even hardwick as a small defender. Otherwise target young quality talent like smith or perkins or go to the draft.

 

[iameviljez]

If youre going the free agent route you want player attributes that fill a need say like a florent or hayward or cumming or perryman or even hardwick as a small defender.

As always, it depends on where you see yourself as being relative to the "window".

 

[Turbocat]

Berry is very average.

We either go for someone who really moves the needle. McCluggage is the obvious one of the free agents but maybe Bailey Smith is that too.

Or you pick up someone fairly cheap who is flexible and can contribute in multiple roles. I think Andrew McGrath is that type.

Getting in Berry who is just an ok winger or mid but can't really play in defence or attack is just asking for trouble. Chances are in a couple of years of he's playing regularly you're an ordinary team.

Smith is not a free agent... so I cant see the tie to him. McL if he was willing to move ..then sure..but I highly doubt he is going anywhere. McGrath is a name I listed previously but how much do you want to throw at him..cause anything less than band1 money would be matched.

 

[Turbocat]

I agree with that. Berry is slow and ordinary kick and doesnt add a lot we dont have
If youre going the free agent route you want player attributes that fill a need say like a florent or hayward or cumming or perryman or even hardwick as a small defender. Otherwise target young quality talent like smith or perkins or go to the draft.

perryman? Gees I cant agree that he is better than Berry. We lack mature mid bodies more than we lack defenders.

 

[iameviljez]

We lack mature mid bodies more than we lack defenders.

True, but we'll know more by the end of the year as to how that situation is looking - i.e. whether Guthrie can get on the park, how Knevitt, Clark and Bruhn are tracking, whether Stevens might break into the AFL side...

 

[Footy Smarts]

Smith is not a free agent... so I cant see the tie to him. McL if he was willing to move ..then sure..but I highly doubt he is going anywhere. McGrath is a name I listed previously but how much do you want to throw at him..cause anything less than band1 money would be matched.

Nobody has ever matched a free agent for any reason other than forcing a trade. There's no way we're trading a first rounder for McGrath so they're not matching band 2. And if we finish well above them they won't match band 3 either.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Nobody has ever matched a free agent for any reason other than forcing a trade. There's no way we're trading a first rounder for McGrath so they're not matching band 2. And if we finish well above them they won't match band 3 either.

McGrath for a late 1st rounder would be a bargain imo.

Clearly better getting him for nothing as a FA though.

Not sure what his situation is… He will probably just stay at Essendon (Parish style) I’d guess.

But I’d think any team having a dip at him via FA would need to be in that band 1 range.

We surely have plenty of cap room… I’d like to think we have some targets lined up over the next couple of years.

Is McGrath on our list?
I got no idea to be honest.
Hopefully some good players are.

 

[iameviljez]

McGrath for a late 1st rounder would be a bargain imo.

If Andy McGrath went on the market, there would be 17 clubs just waiting to bite Essendon's hand off.

 

[CatRiot]

Unfortunately he's a recidivist. Already in big trouble for sexual assault allegations, he was going through an education and rehabilitation program when he started sending violent threats to yet another woman.

If they put him on dopamine blockers for an extended period of time then forget the football career, or any career involving physical activity. The motivation reward system won't exist in his brain at that point. Future of fatness and binge eating then, and a weak body. Will not be an athlete at all.

 

[CatRiot]

I have forgotten but do we have a list spot for the mid-season draft?

 

[cats_09]

I have forgotten but do we have a list spot for the mid-season draft?

Nope

Unless there's an early retirement or LTI

 

[iameviljez]

If they put him on dopamine blockers for an extended period of time then forget the football career, or any career involving physical activity. The motivation reward system won't exist in his brain at that point. Future of fatness and binge eating then, and a weak body. Will not be an athlete at all.

I get your point, but to my mind his athletic qualities are completely irrelevant till he has a couple of years of a clean sheet behind him.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Smith is not a free agent... so I cant see the tie to him. McL if he was willing to move ..then sure..but I highly doubt he is going anywhere. McGrath is a name I listed previously but how much do you want to throw at him..cause anything less than band1 money would be matched.

Mcgrath at 600k would be useful but they will want 800k (ie band 1 money) or they will match and i wouldnt pay that.

Mcluggage wont go anywhere.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

perryman? Gees I cant agree that he is better than Berry. We lack mature mid bodies more than we lack defenders.

Perryman is miles better than berry..better skills for a start.
I agree we lack mids but perryman is a mid he simply plays hbf as gws midfield is stacked. For us he would be an inside mid.
Obviously a small defender like mcgrath or hardwick would be useful (on the right money) and a hbf like florent to release holmes to the midfield would be useful. We would love a key fwd if hawkins retires but there arent any good ones on the market.

 

[foxdog50]

Where are these rumours on us McGrath coming to Geelong? Or is it just people on our board wanting him?

 

[iameviljez]

Unless there's an early retirement or LTI

If Bews isn't back in the team by mid-year, does he get leant on to develop an achilles issue that pings him for the year...?

 

[iameviljez]

Where are these rumours on us McGrath coming to Geelong? Or is it just people on our board wanting him?

The latter.

 

[cats_09]

If Bews isn't back in the team by mid-year, does he get leant on to develop an achilles issue that pings him for the year...?

Doubtful, because even if he's not playing seniors there's value to having him in the VFL assisting the next gen

Besides, we've seen in recent seasons when we've had obvious LTIs but not pulled the trigger to open a spot that we're unlikely to unnecessarily force an issue to open a spot

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Where are these rumours on us McGrath coming to Geelong? Or is it just people on our board wanting him?

I doubt we'd even be entertaining McGrath.

The only 'rumours' (E.g still highly possible it's bs, but it's something) are Smith, Perkins, & Jamarra, and all of them feel unlikely to varying degrees at this stage.

Tbh, there won't be anything of value until post mid-year anyway. This time of year it's just whoever's OOC, and whatever your weaknesses are, and journos connect the dots.

It's a weird situation though, because I highly doubt we're going to be quiet two years in a row with the cap space we've got.

....but I also can't see many names that are enticing for us right now, or that would be exciting to Scott, Wells & Co.

I can't imagine Scotty's sitting at home thinking "F**k me, I can't wait to get Jarrod Berry and Andrew McGrath into this side. That'll move the needle"

 

[CatToTheFuture]

If Andy McGrath went on the market, there would be 17 clubs just waiting to bite Essendon's hand off.

But he is OOC and RFA and at this point crickets

 

[iameviljez]

But he is OOC and RFA and at this point crickets

Early days yet. Wait till July