Would it have been worthwhile to cash in on Ray whilst he was still in demand this season as opposed to waiting another year?
Has kind of a Matthew Bate feel about it where the Dees were offered a pick in the 30-40s for him at the end of 2011 and declined only for him to be delisted today.
IMO, sometimes clubs/coaches "value" players a little too much which clouds their judgment on the reality.
As saintsrfreak said, we had no interest in using any draft picks over 45 and 49 was the best we were likely to get for Ray in the end, so trading him for 49 would have been like delisting him and he is way too useful to just delist, or trade for a pick we wouldn't have used. He's still only 26, rarely gets injured and is pretty consistent, experienced and versatile. If we're going to lose him for virtually nothing, we'd rather do it after having his services for at least another year. He was also very stiff to not play most games this year (having said that, there will be more "kids" ready to get games next year and he would be one of the first most likely to make way for them, when we want to get them senior games).
We were hoping that Melbourne would get pick 33 from Brisbane for Stefan Martin, as, I imagine, were Melbourne. If that had happened then we would have been prepared to trade Ray for that pick (even if we gave back one like 44, I imagine), but when Melbourne only got 50's and 70's picks for Martin, that potential deal for Ray got killed off. Maybe we should have offered Brisbane pick 44 to go with Martin, in a 3-way deal (Martin and pick 44 to Brisbane, pick 33 to us, Ray to Melbourne), to help get that done, but I think we were too distracted with our Brown negotiations to do much else on the last day of trading.
Raph Clarke would take a one year deal from St Kilda if they offer him one you would imagine.
Maybe, but the chances of that happening are very remote, I believe, as we need to cut at least two more from our list I've heard and he is possibly the only one that isn't contracted for next season, so he is almost certain to go. He's had more than enough chances, spent most of this year in the VFL and would be even less likely to get a game with us next year.
GWS could do a lot worse than to pick him up, since they have identified run off HB as a major area they are lacking and failed to attract anyone experienced through FA or trading to fill that need. He can do that well enough for them for at least a year, while they develop someone else. He will show them how to get run down from behind with the ball, but will also show them how to put your body on the line and how to give everything you've got. SOS coached him at St Kilda, so he'll know if he's worth getting or not.