Neil Craig's Trading Philosophy

[Crow-mo]

They were.. but that's not particularly noteworthy.

If you go back over the previous 4 years you discover the following:
2008: 5 teams did not trade and 10 teams did not receive a player
2007: 3 teams did not trade and 5 did not receive a player
2006: 6 teams did not trade and 10 did not receive a player
2005: 4 teams did not trade and 9 did not receive a player

Only 4 clubs were involved in trades in all 5 years (Collingwood, Footscray, St Kilda and Sydney).

or as I like to call them:
- 1st
- 3rd
- 4th
- 5th

on the 2010 premiership table.

Amongst them will be both grand final participants, and of course this years premiers.

not bad company to keep.

Adelaide have been the least active, participating in only 2 trade weeks in the last 5 years (though we were VERY active in 2007). Fremantle, Hawthorn, Melbourne, and North have only been involved on 3 of 5 occasions.

whereas I like that group less.

NB. Hawthorn were incredibly active traders just prior and their 2008 premiership was based on an explicit strategy that involved heavy trading.

Geelong have traded for only 1 player in the last 5 years (Marcus Drum - 2009), most of their trades during this period have seen players departing and picks arriving. Hawthorn's only trades resulting in a player arriving were also in 2009.

This is true. Geelong's big move was to get Ottens, at the end of 2004.

Mind you they did try to get Andrew Lovett before the League ruled them unable to fit him in the cap.

In summary.. one data point taken in isolation is not sufficient to prove a theory! You're better than that Crow-mo.

hang on. I made a simple, statement of fact. it is fact. its not interpreted. its not misrepresented. its a plain truth.

what's more, if we consider context we had overwhelming motivation to try and take the next step. Not only did we not trade, we publicly stated that we did NOT need to.

bottom line I want to be in the first group.

 

[Crow-mo]

Biggest club in australia, playing out of melbourne, the power of eddie etc For all that they havent landed a big fish either... Ball and Jolly were very good pickups for them, but they are not 'superstars'.

Oddly enough to combat Geelong, they needed to be stronger in the stoppage.

a tough inside extractor and a top grade ruckman fits the bill exactly.

pretty good move eh?

 

[feenix67]

Oddly enough to combat Geelong, they needed to be stronger in the stoppage.

a tough inside extractor and a top grade ruckman fits the bill exactly.

pretty good move eh?

Funnily enough, it wasnt stoppage work that won for them last night. I reckon they broke even at best in the first quarter from clearances. Their game is all about forcing turnovers and hurting on the rebound, not forcing stoppages a la Sydney circa 05/06.

Jolly and Ball have been great for them this year, but I dont see how a change in trading philosophy would have attracted either of those two, or a Judd for example, to Adelaide. As Redden himself said, finding a good player who actually wants to come here is like finding a little piece of gold. Cant blame Neil for that.

 

[Crow-mo]

Funnily enough, it wasnt stoppage work that won for them last night. I reckon they broke even at best in the first quarter from clearances. Their game is all about forcing turnovers and hurting on the rebound, not forcing stoppages a la Sydney circa 05/06.

Jolly and Ball have been great for them this year, but I dont see how a change in trading philosophy would have attracted either of those two, or a Judd for example, to Adelaide. As Redden himself said, finding a good player who actually wants to come here is like finding a little piece of gold. Cant blame Neil for that.

if you weren't wrong about the stoppages, this would be a fair point.

Geelong are the heaviest scorers in the league from stoppages and have killed the pies the last 2 years through it.

 

[feenix67]

if you weren't wrong about the stoppages, this would be a fair point.

Geelong are the heaviest scorers in the league from stoppages and have killed the pies the last 2 years through it.

Sure about that? I reckon Gaz Jr got a lot of his touches out of the middle, and they pretty much broke even on hit outs.

 

[Allefgib]

Is it Craigy who is responsible for trading? I don't think so.. surely hope not given he might not be here after end of next year! (a plausiable reality even if you do love him).

On the loyalty/culture aspect - I personally believe its a very minor factor. Many people were banging on about Danger resigning because of culture and loyalty - but if when you read the article about it he was quoted as saying if he didn't believe success was possible in the next few years he wouldn't be here. So - if the culture breeds success, then maybe that engenders more loyalty. If a club bends over backwards for you but continually underperforms its really only the Richo's/Grant's of this world that are likely to stick around. How well paid were those 2 guys out of curiosity....?

 

[Allefgib]

Sure about that? I reckon Gaz Jr got a lot of his touches out of the middle, and they pretty much broke even on hit outs.

Maybe pies got SMASHED in the stoppages last few yeras and this year managed to get it to more acceptable levels to stop them being exposed so heavily out of the stoppages? Doesn't mean they 'won' the stoppages by picking up ball and jolly - just that they didn't get smashed in them.

 

[feenix67]

Back on topic, is there a case to be made for salary cap concessions for ALL non Victorian clubs? The AFL are all about equalisation afterall. Or should the AFL be doing more to expand it's "industry" in states other than Victoria. Encourage more local media content, relocate sections of it's operations to other parts of Australia etc.

Seems to me that the big issue around where a player plays is more to do with his life after football. I cant see how our trading "philosophy" can affect our ability to attract big time players. We have trouble attracting big time South Australians back home in the twilight of their careers these days. Doesnt seem like an even playing field to me.

 

[afc1991]

Oddly enough to combat Geelong, they needed to be stronger in the stoppage.

a tough inside extractor and a top grade ruckman fits the bill exactly.

pretty good move eh?

Yes and I said as much, please dont deflect the point. That point being the club that is in the best position to poach a superstar has failed to do so time and again.

 

[Crow-mo]

Yes and I said as much, please dont deflect the point. That point being the club that is in the best position to poach a superstar has failed to do so time and again.

well considering its well known Collingwood were Judd's first choice, except WCE didn't like their goodies I'm not sure its much of a point.

they traded to go over the top, that's the only relevant point.

 

[afc1991]

well considering its well known Collingwood were Judd's first choice, except WCE didn't like their goodies I'm not sure its much of a point.

they traded to go over the top, that's the only relevant point.

Nah, you have a go at us for not trading in big guns, like it's easy- but it is very difficult to get all parties on the same page... your post here helps to prove that.

As for the pies, well, ball and jolly will be regarded as outstanding moves -especially if they win the flag next week. Cant argue there. I wouldnt get too carried away though- we have also seen an example of trading only to be further away from a flag this year.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I wouldnt get too carried away though- we have also seen an example of trading only to be further away from a flag this year.

And an example of not trading only to be further away from a flag.

 

[afc1991]

And an example of not trading only to be further away from a flag.

And an example of trading only to finish in the same spot as last year.

So we get ball and jolly and we're lining up next week?