Prediction Michael Barlow

[Kane McGoodwin]

For me it gets down to will Barlow be more useful than the likes of Grigg or Henderson Ie. Midfield players we would be looking to delist to make room for Barlow.

 

[Mismatched]

It'll be Podsiadly all over again.

We aren't winning a flag next year. Play the young guys NOW. And go after elite FA next year. Barlow is a pointless stopgap.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree here. I think we absolutely should be winning a premiership next year, or at the very least seriously challenging. We've spent too much time half rebuilding/half challenging, with this "we'll be tip top in 2-3 years time" type attitude, whilst in the mean time players leave, players get injured and players retire.

We're never going to have the perfect side to challenge for a premiership, but at present we have the best forward line in the comp and a backline that is not going to be far off the best for the next 5-7 years. I'd rather see us go all in for 2-3 years whilst we have Betts around and we have the likes of Sloane, Walker, Jacobs, Talia, Lynch, Jenkins, Laird, Smith all in their prime, with the Crouch brothers, Cameron and Lever hopefully in the process of entering theirs.

Okay if it doesn't work, have a 2-3 year reset and go again. We're not talking about giving up key draft picks here for Barlow, we're talking about picking up a 28 year old, big bodied midfielder with significant finals experience as a free agent. We're still picking up a player with our first rounder this year and quite likely the same next year, as they can be phased into the side when ready. Barlow strengthens a weakness of our side, whilst relieving our reliance on young, inexperienced players in the midfield.

 

[Mismatched]

For me it gets down to will Barlow be more useful than the likes of Grigg or Henderson Ie. Midfield players we would be looking to delist to make room for Barlow.

Grigg yes, Henderson's a very different player. In answer to your question, I think he does, its bleeding obvious that the coaching staff have no faith in Grigg, hence there's little point him being on our list and whilst where Henderson filled a need 3 years ago, with the likes of Atkins developing and our drafting in of Hampton, Seedsman, Milera and Doedee, suddenly Henderson is very much surplus.

 

[JimmyTheScoop]

No I said it's NOT a best of highlights. It's purely all from 1 game, so there are going to be a few rushed kicks or ineffective possessions.
Very harsh critique. None of our midfielders (apart from Sloane), produced anything like that standard in 1 game this year.
And as a delisted FA I'm on board. It's not like he's in his 30's, and he can also do a run-with/cooler role well.

We currently don't really have an effective 'cooler' do we?


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[JimmyTheScoop]

If we haven't seen Barlow in Adelaide by now and DFA period 1 starts tomorrow I am doubting its happening.

Wasn't there a rumour about him being in Adelaide last week? (Twitter rumour?) don't know about any truth, but they could test him at our offices in Melbourne. The other thing is that no other club has been linked and very high chance he is getting picked up, so could be us.

I hope we lodge the paperwork and unveil him in Crows gear as Rucci is posting "Crows miss out on another player"


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[JimmyTheScoop]

If we pick up Barlow and he is best 22, he plays. We still need to play younger ones, but competition is healthy. I personally would prefer Thommo to stay in the magoos and coach the youngsters, Pods style. Barlow is a few good years younger than Thommo too and plays well in finals and would be the only player in the team with GF experience.


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[Lynch Mob]

If Barlow has other clubs chasing him I don't think he'd choose the crows. Essendon would be my guess, would probably be sold with tales of better opportunities.

 

[Danger in Texas]

If Barlow has other clubs chasing him I don't think he'd choose the crows. Essendon would be my guess, would probably be sold with tales of better opportunities.

Doubt it, especially since Watson is going around again.

Us or Hawks seem like the best fit.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Doubt it, especially since Watson is going around again.

Us or Hawks seem like the best fit.

GC a good fit IMO

 

[Danger in Texas]

GC a good fit IMO

Apparently GC have ruled themselves out, according to a GC poster seemingly in the know. Wouldn't surprise me considering the amount of list spots they currently have available.

 

[Lynch Mob]

Doubt it, especially since Watson is going around again.

Us or Hawks seem like the best fit.

Watson has a better future as a barista than footballer.

 

[baldandbroke]

Who would MB be keeping out of the best 22 if he was picked? We have no clue at this stage, but CEY looks like the bloke that might be shaking his head if we pick Barlow up. But what if he kept Greenwood out of the side? What if Greenwood has the potential to become an elite midfielder and we never see it in full flight because of MB?

That is the $64,000 question I guess. Is he replacing someone on the list / in the 22 that he shouldn't?

I get why he is worth picking up for depth, but will we play him when we shouldn't ... that is the fear I am seeing (rightly, from a historical pov) expressed in this thread by some.

I suppose the other thing we as supporters tend to do is over-value the players we have on our list. Maybe Greenwood and CEY and Hampton are the depth?

 

[Lynch Mob]

Who would MB be keeping out of the best 22 if he was picked? We have no clue at this stage, but CEY looks like the bloke that might be shaking his head if we pick Barlow up. But what if he kept Greenwood out of the side? What if Greenwood has the potential to become an elite midfielder and we never see it in full flight because of MB?

That is the $64,000 question I guess. Is he replacing someone on the list / in the 22 that he shouldn't?

I get why he is worth picking up for depth, but will we play him when we shouldn't ... that is the fear I am seeing (rightly, from a historical pov) expressed in this thread by some.

I suppose the other thing we as supporters tend to do is over-value the players we have on our list. Maybe Greenwood and CEY and Hampton are the depth?

I guess that's the mystery, we all have an idea of players in our regular starting 22 that we believe shouldn't be there. Problem is we don't know if our "ideal" replacements for said player can cut it at AFL level. If we give Greenwood, CEY, Wigg and Hampton etc a decent run and they flop or get injured it's nice to have a proven performer. And if you take away the potential tag against some of our players he'd be in our top 4 mids as it stands.

 

[GreyCrow]

I've been a bit 50-50 on Barlow thus far, but at present I'm probably leaning towards yes. He's not the ideal pick up, but given our failure to pick up a Gibbs/Rockliff type to bolster our inside midfielder stocks, I think he's probably our best bet. I'd prefer someone with more pace and class, but I keep coming back to the fact that at times during the year and especially in the Sydney final, our midfield just got beat up on.

This for me. I am also on the fence with Barlow. But maybe I have been swayed when I read about offering a 3 year contract and I immediately say no.

2 year deal and get the best mid from the draft and I'm sold. But also if we don't I wont be too concerned.

 

[Mismatched]

If Barlow has other clubs chasing him I don't think he'd choose the crows. Essendon would be my guess, would probably be sold with tales of better opportunities.

Depends what he's after, whether its simply game time, or if he'd prefer to chase a premiership. Essendon might be a reasonable option for both, but then its hard to know where they'll fit in. If he's chasing a premiership Adelaide and Hawthorn are probably the best fit.

GC a good fit IMO

Apparently GC have ruled themselves out, according to a GC poster seemingly in the know. Wouldn't surprise me considering the amount of list spots they currently have available.

Discounting list spots, I would have thought Barlow would have been a great fit for GC, they need some big bodied, experienced mids to partner Ablett. They need to become competitive soon, or they'll continue to bleed players and really start to struggle in the brutal GC sporting market.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

This for me. I am also on the fence with Barlow. But maybe I have been swayed when I read about offering a 3 year contract and I immediately say no.

2 year deal and get the best mid from the draft and I'm sold. But also if we don't I wont be too concerned.

Surely no clubs would be willing to offer Barlow or any of the other DFA a 3 year deal

 

[dylan123]

If Barlow has other clubs chasing him I don't think he'd choose the crows. Essendon would be my guess, would probably be sold with tales of better opportunities.

Essendon's midfield is going to be pretty stacked when they get all their players back - Heppell, Watson, Merrett, Stanton, Zaharakis, Parish, Goddard, Myers, Hocking, Colyer etc. I suppose once Watson/Goddard retire they might be lacking a bit in that big bodied midfielder outside of Myers but I think they're pretty set for next year at least.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Essendon's midfield is going to be pretty stacked when they get all their players back - Heppell, Watson, Merrett, Stanton, Zaharakis, Parish, Goddard, Myers, Hocking, Colyer etc. I suppose once Watson/Goddard retire they might be lacking a bit in that big bodied midfielder outside of Myers but I think they're pretty set for next year at least.

Heppell and Goddard dont spend much time in the midfield

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

It'll be Podsiadly all over again.

We aren't winning a flag next year. Play the young guys NOW. And go after elite FA next year. Barlow is a pointless stopgap.

Bullseye

The club probably sees the Podsiadly recruitment as a success

Edit - I think we are quite capable of having an impact next year though providing that we don't pick up Barlow and don't play all out older strugglers

 

[1970crow]

For me it gets down to will Barlow be more useful than the likes of Grigg or Henderson Ie. Midfield players we would be looking to delist to make room for Barlow.

The negative to getting Barlow is that in our best 22 he effectively replaces Thommo. This leaves Wigg and Greenwood in the shed organically growing in the SANFL. CEY is a solid toiler, but I'm not sure he has another level to go to so I tend to see him as good depth who we're confident can do his job when required. I'd say Barlow will make us a better side and his best game if played against the Swans would have been a huge improvement on Thommo. I'm really not fussed either way, but I am keen to see Wigg and Greenwood get a few games next year. As long as Thommo is relegated to where he should be, even with Barlow, I reckon those 2 will get some games.

 

[dylan123]

Edit - I think we are quite capable of having an impact next year though providing that we don't pick up Barlow and don't play all out older strugglers

What do you mean by impact? And does that also mean you see us being a worse side next year with Barlow in the team ahead of a near untried player?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What do you mean by impact? And does that also mean you see us being a worse side next year with Barlow in the team ahead of a near untried player?

By impact I mean sniffing around top four

Yep - I reckon we're a worse team in 2017 and in the future if Barlow is in and Milera, Menzel, Hampton, Knight or whoever is out.

If we play Thompson and Barlow we'll miss the finals IMO. Every team is getting quicker and applying immense amounts of pressure around the ball. Would be a bold move to go in the opposite direction.

 

[JimmyTheScoop]

Bullseye

The club probably sees the Podsiadly recruitment as a success

Edit - I think we are quite capable of having an impact next year though providing that we don't pick up Barlow and don't play all out older strugglers

I think what Pods offered in leadership/coaching and then being kept on as a Coach made it worthwhile. Wasn't a list clogger IMO.


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[dylan123]

By impact I mean sniffing around top four

Yep - I reckon we're a worse team in 2017 and in the future if Barlow is in and Milera, Menzel, Hampton, Knight or whoever is out.

If we play Thompson and Barlow we'll miss the finals IMO. Every team is getting quicker and applying immense amounts of pressure around the ball. Would be a bold move to go in the opposite direction.

Wouldn't it be a rather similar team to our 2016 team, Lyons comes out and Barlow comes in?

Obviously the ideal scenario would have Thompson coming out as well but given it's Adelaide, I'm fully expecting him to play come round 1.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Wouldn't it be a rather similar team to our 2016 team, Lyons comes out and Barlow comes in?

Obviously the ideal scenario would have Thompson coming out as well but given it's Adelaide, I'm fully expecting him to play come round 1.

If it's a similar team then others will move past us. Need an injection of speed and skill in the middle and across half forward just to stay at the same level as 2016.