Mega Thread List Changes, Drafting, Trading & Rookie Thread

[Oliver King]

Are we a bunkhouse for all the other teams' rejects now?

 

[n4nirvana]

Are we a bunkhouse for all the other teams' rejects now?

You can almost imagine Rohdey rubbing his hands with glee looking at the delist/free agent lists shouting "GOLD, GOLD, GOLD"

In fact he might even do a jig

#thatsourrohdey

 

[Schulzenfest]

It is a shame Mitch hasn't gotten more of a go this year. who knows how he will have delevopled.

I can't help but feel that he is a lot like Thomson and Farmer though. Both of whom probably deserved more of a go and from the outside seemed harshly done by but in the end just weren't quite up to it (and I was a big Farmer fan).

Except we've already seen that Rex can be a contributor at AFL level.

He might be a one year wonder like Thomson (or Symes), and we'll see whether or not that's true in the coming years, but he's not comparable to Farmer. Farmer was a no year wonder. Although he did get us Schulz, which probably makes him our best use of a draft pick in about a decade.

 

[Oliver King]

The thing that annoys me is that supposedly Banner hasn't been getting a game because of his lack of defensive side, but Rodin and most of our defenders have all managed to get a game without one.

 

[Forzaport]

The thing that annoys me is that supposedly Banner hasn't been getting a game because of his lack of defensive side, but Rodin and most of our defenders have all managed to get a game without one.

Add in that Rodin is 28 and Banner 22 and you have yourself a paradox that would make Bonini's head spin.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Not to mention Pfeiffer getting dropped for his skill level while Thomas, Logan, Cassisi and McCarthy have been dropped for one game between then since Round 12.

 

[PJ Power]

As I see it, we have about 25 players on our list who are capable of playing high level AFL football given the right coaching, strategy, conditioning and environment.

Then there is a list of "no-hopers" who at absolute best are mediocre and lack the class required to improve (Logan, Thomas, Daniel Stewart, Phillips, possibly Pfeiffer and Renouf although harsh on those two), followed by too old to improve substantially (Cassisi, Cornes, Rodan, Brett Ebert) and finally unlikely to stay given their treatment in 2012 (Banner, Salopek). Then there are the uncertains but unlikelys, of which Hitchcock, D. Butcher and Irons are the obvious candidates although the jury is well and truly out on Newton (due to injury) and AhChee (due to lack of meaningful senior level exposure).

In an indeal world, we'd move on the no-hopers and hope to hell that a new coach can salvage what could and should still be very decent careers of Banner and Salopek.

I'm not convinced about acquiring ordinary, over-aged free agents although it's clear that our depth needs to be improved quickly and preferably with players capable of a higher standard than Thomas and Logan.

The problem at the moment is that the current inner sanctum seems to glorify the "toughness" of Thomas and the "grittiness" of Logan and not lament their complete lack of poise, polish and skill which kills our momentum so often in matches.

Outstanding areas to address in drafting/trading:
1. Pace, handling assuredness and footskills in the midfield and across half-forward and half-back. We need to find at least three very clean ball handlers who have both genuine pace and very good kicking ability and who are natural and reliable line breakers. If they are good enough (pick 7 I'm looking at you) to play the inside game also, then fantastic. Currently we have Brad Ebert, Boak and Moore who can become very good inside midfielders. We also know that Hartlett, Broadbent, Gray and Wingard are decent in the contest and arguably our best ball users and handlers of the footy. That group needs to be added to significantly.
2. A good prospect to develop alongside of Butcher up forward. Mason is the only name I've heard that seems to realistically fit the bill.
3. A tall defender with the capacity to do a Harry Taylor and come from nowhere to be a star. Given that this is likely to be a lowish draft pick, we need to look very carefully at the state leagues.

 

[Schulzenfest]

^^^ Excellent, excellent post.

 

[TheCrowvertiser]

How would Ben Kennedy fit into ports lineup?

 

[Portmanteau]

I would be very happy with Kennedy at 7.

 

[YoungsterPA]

Kennedy at 7 is probably a bit to high but wouldn't complain if we did pick him up

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Chris Knights and Troy Chaplin heading to Richmond according to The Age.

Do we play chicken with Richmond and match their offer to Chaplin to set up a trade (especially if Thomas is also heading that way as rumoured by a couple)?

 

[Malibu#27]

Chris Knights and Troy Chaplin heading to Richmond according to The Age.

Do we play chicken with Richmond and match their offer to Chaplin to set up a trade (especially if Thomas is also heading that way as rumoured by a couple)?

What would Richmond give up?

The big attraction of free agents is that you dont give anything up. If they really really want Chaplin we would be a chance but if they only really want Chaplin as they dont have to give up anything to get him then we are screwed.

I ask again....what FA compo would we get for him? If it was to be a top 20 pick would you even bother playing chicken when at best Richmond had a mid teen pick?
the club must demand to know what compo they get prior to deciding to match or not.

 

[Macca19]

Given we are widely tipped to play a big part in FA, we wont get any compensation for him.

 

[Malibu#27]

Given we are widely tipped to play a big part in FA, we wont get any compensation for him.

Thats true, but we then need to also weigh up compo for chappy against any player(s) we bring in as a free agent.

That may add weight to idea of forcing a trade for him as was mooted above.

Second rounder (for chappy) from Richmond + bring in two FAs > chappy for 2 FAs

 

[Forzaport]

I think I've posted this before: Lose Chappy, get Moloney + a 3rd round pick --> Winning!

 

[Schulzenfest]

It has them chasing Chaplin, Ford. It doesn't necessarily have him heading there. Bit of a Crapvertiser moment from you. 2 + 2 does not equal 5.

Anyway, I vote that we threaten to match his contract unless they also agree to take Thomas off our hands, in which case we agree to let him go for free.

 

[Portmanteau]

Given how the narrative surrounding free agency has been the need for an attitude/culture shift from clubs towards dealing free agents (i.e. "getting over it" if they are approached and leave), I wonder how the AFL world in general will deal with restricted free agents getting their contracts matched.

We could hold onto Chaplin for four years, seemingly against his will, if we are to believe what we read.

The Cornes/Brogan situation will be a mere drop in the ocean compared to the "think of the children" moment when Anjdrew Advertiser and Cheryl Facebook fail to understand the concept of restricted free agency.

 

[chachi11]

Is colin sylvia a FA..?
Would prefer over moloney...

 

[philthy05]

i definitely absolutely would not be letting chappy go out of kindness.

we are not in a position to give charity. he is restricted and that means we do not have to. we have the cap space to do what we want here.

it seems like we are hard after a fa and probably likely to get one and i doubt we will get a compo pick.

anyone who thinks that with chappy out and one of maloney/ russell/ monfries in we would get a compo pick as well is not familiar with the afl and port adelaide.

 

[Jonts]

If we lose today i expect some sort of PP

May it be mid first round or Number 1

I Expect something, hope the club does something about it

 

[PJ Power]

We have an opportunity to re-set our list here and need to make sure we don't make the shocking sorts of mistakes that saw Lonie and Shattock end up on our door, just because we wanted a bit more experience or "players in a certain age group".

Taking the scraps of two teams that did not make the finals is a pretty big worry in our current predicament, especially when neither of them will offer us more than 3-4 years of average-good rather than great service.

If it's between Moloney and a first round draft pick, then we are absolutely crazy to pursue the FA player. Would we be prepared to do that as a trade? Of course not. Then let's NOT do the equivalent in the FA context.

Much better exchanging that late first round pick (for Chaplin) for a player with real upside, such as Greenwood - Port boy, knows the likes of Brad and Broady and would add a shit-load more to the list than Moloney, stepping straight in as an immediate replacement for Thomas, Logan or Pfeiffer.

My preference:
1. Keep one of the late first round picks we get for Jacobs (in the trade process) and pray to God we can secure a quality player with it in the draft.
2. Use the other end of first round pick we get for Chaplin to get Greenwood or a similarly promising <24yo midfielder.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

It has them chasing Chaplin, Ford. It doesn't necessarily have him heading there. Bit of a Crapvertiser moment from you. 2 + 2 does not equal 5.

Anyway, I vote that we threaten to match his contract unless they also agree to take Thomas off our hands, in which case we agree to let him go for free.

I posited it as a hypothetical for a bit of discussion not a carved in stone trade. It equally applies whichever club he goes to, if he is indeed leaving.

 

[pastmyprimus]

I suspect that Port will chase hard for one or more free agents. If an interstate player like Maloney they'll most likely need to pay over the odds especially if other clubs are chasing their signature.

The club's possible thinking - we need a good year leading into the move to Adelaide oval, and one or two free agents could strengthen the squad. It is a focus on the short term, possibly at the expense of the long term.

I wouldn't be too opposed to this. We've spent too many years near the bottom of the ladder.

 

[Portia]

For me, the bigger worry is not the short-term spend, but the length of contract we'll offer to lure them.

No 28 year old FA is going to move to Adelaide for a one year contract, ts probably going to take 3 or more, so can you really afford to offer 3 year deals to FAs that operate in the shallow end of the depth pool?