Traded Sam Weideman [Traded with #54 and #72 to Essendon for #37]

Saab NLAW

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I dont get the interest in him specifically as a player, personally.

But I suppose we looked best when we had 3 talls and when Stewart went down we had no depth, so there's that I suppose.

He's a strange one to judge, every Melb fan i know desperately wants him to be successful, perhaps because he's such a likeable person and we have a huge gaping hole in his position. But he just can't put it together and play good footy.

It's not often that I hope a player leaving us has a great career but he is definitely one of them. i think he has the physical attributes and skill to make it, it just seems to be a mental thing. Hopefully a change of clubs will help him achieve his potential
 
Not sure why people are criticizing Essendon for this. Where they are at right now they can't land a big fish. This is a perfectly fine pick up and works for all parties. Good luck to Weideman.

Worked well for Wright too. They were also big on Weidman pre draft, forget who they took in the end name is escaping me. Worth the punt.
 
Jun 11, 2007
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Not sure why people are criticizing Essendon for this. Where they are at right now they can't land a big fish. This is a perfectly fine pick up and works for all parties. Good luck to Weideman.
Wright for F4
If we can get Weideman for same or a downgrade of our 3rd (42 -> 54 & Weideman). That's our FF and CHF (and both can ruck behind Draper) for immediate term. We have no one else on the list to step in - Stewart always injured, the rest of the talls seem to be tracking as backs, Jones I feel is more a 3rd tall given mobility, running power and his ground work being pretty good...plus he's young.
 
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Both will cost late picks worth a punt imo

Dodo has been playing chook lotto over the past decade with dud trades for next to nothing and look at where that has got you.

Time for him to go and a revamp of your recruiting department who then has a focus on securing genuine talent instead.

"you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear"
 
Jun 11, 2007
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Dodo has been playing chook lotto over the past decade with dud trades for next to nothing and look at where that has got you.

Time for him to go and a revamp of your recruiting department who then has a focus on securing genuine talent instead.

"you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear"
We got Wright to top 5 in the Coleman. but I reckon that was more GCS' poor handling. He was always a gun kid.

I think he's done after this period anyway. Suspect with the amount of flux, we haven't removed him yet. But it sounds like Mahoney and RFK are leading a lot of this now.
 

Ants

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I really hope we don’t do this. Melbourne desperately need tall forwards yet are willing to let him go for a late pick. Tells you all you need to know.

Especially given we kept Stewart as depth. It would be more understandable if we and Melbourne were swapping the two.
 
Jun 11, 2007
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I really hope we don’t do this. Melbourne desperately need tall forwards yet are willing to let him go for a late pick. Tells you all you need to know.

Especially given we kept Stewart as depth. It would be more understandable if we and Melbourne were swapping the two.
Josh Bruce apparently on their radar.

Swans are giving Francis a second lease. suspect this is the same. may come off, may not. should come at a huge cost (likely its Francis for Weideman as we send Syd's F3 to the Dees)
 

Hazardinho

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Reckon he is a dud, don't understand the fascination at all.

However, if Dodo wants to keep picking up clubs offcuts/lemons (e.g. Setterfield, Weideman etc) to build a supposed premiership threat, then I am going to watch with some genuine glee at how it all goes pear-shaped.
They’re pretty low risk gambles and will serve a purpose in our team. I think Setterfield in particular is a good addition to our midfield, should free up Merrett and Parish. Weideman probably plays in defence, we have no experienced key backs on the club anymore, so I guess he will provide decent depth or a good player for the vfl.
 

Travisty1331

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They’re pretty low risk gambles and will serve a purpose in our team. I think Setterfield in particular is a good addition to our midfield, should free up Merrett and Parish. Weideman probably plays in defence, we have no experienced key backs on the club anymore, so I guess he will provide decent depth or a good player for the vfl.
There’s no way Weid would play back he would be brought in to take pressure off Jones and if anything Stewart would move back
 

Hazardinho

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There’s no way Weid would play back he would be brought in to take pressure off Jones and if anything Stewart would move back
The news that broke Weideman to Essendon in the first place, mentioned we’re interested in recruiting him for the backline.
 

Ambrosia

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I quite like Weideman in isolation. Good size, moves well, strong hands. Reckon at worst he’d be a handy CHB as not everyone has enough tricks to make it as a forward.

That being said in terms of list construction it further compounds our weird 2020 draft. I think there’s every chance all 4 of Cox, Reid, Eyre and Brand play their best footy behind the ball. Throw in BZT, Stewart, Laverde, Ridley and Francis and that’s a * ton of taller defenders.

My opinion is that rebuilding sides really shouldn’t waste top picks on tall defenders.
 
Sep 2, 2008
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I quite like Weideman in isolation. Good size, moves well, strong hands. Reckon at worst he’d be a handy CHB as not everyone has enough tricks to make it as a forward.

That being said in terms of list construction it further compounds our weird 2020 draft. I think there’s every chance all 4 of Cox, Reid, Eyre and Brand play their best footy behind the ball. Throw in BZT, Stewart, Laverde, Ridley and Francis and that’s a * ton of taller defenders.

My opinion is that rebuilding sides really shouldn’t waste top picks on tall defenders.
Will take a load off Peter Wright and won't get the best defender every week.

Will also allow Harrison Jones to be that 3rd forward.
 
Aug 13, 2006
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We played Weid back for a little bit against Freo and it was awful, in fairness, we never gave him an extended run down back at VFL level and we really should've.

His best traits often come in useful in the ruck - gorgeous handballer, good tackler if he can catch opponents, can link up well.

Otherwise his best work is when he's allowed to sit deep he can hit up on a lead inside 50. In those situations he attacks the ball hard.

Whenever he's forced to body up an opponent he gets pushed around or can't get back to the ball quick enough. Back leading in to space has never worked for him. And in packs he doesn't time his jump or have much of a launch either. Plus he's fairly diabolical as a forward 50 pressure player.

Essendon kick the ball to a lead better than Melbourne and they seem to play their forwards deep and allow them to lead. Not sure if that will continue under Scott or not.

If Weid can ruck 20-30% to get him involved in games and then can spend the other 30-40% of time forward sitting deep and leading up at the ball he can be useful.

Expecting a more rounded game from him seems unlikely unless he gets his confidence up and completely starts to round out his game, which is possible. Essendon seemed to keep it really simple for Peter Wright. He rucked, he led from the square. Then he started to add to his game and now he's a far more complete footballer. In theory that could happen with Weid.
 
Jun 11, 2007
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Straightens us out

CHF/Ruck - Weideman
FF/F50 ruck - Wright
3rd tall - Jones

Stringer needs to be more in the De Goey/Martin role again. if he can't get fit enough to do that, we need to start dropping him. Be interesting to see how Scott approaches him. His North side put a lot of effort into nullifying peak Stringer in his dogs days.

Now we just need some smalls.
 

old55

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Needs to be a good deal for MFC that enables us to make some other trades happen to be worth it IMO. He's break glass Ruck/KPF depth next year and will probably play games in this role when Gawn or Grundy miss or are rested.
 
Sep 2, 2008
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We played Weid back for a little bit against Freo and it was awful, in fairness, we never gave him an extended run down back at VFL level and we really should've.

His best traits often come in useful in the ruck - gorgeous handballer, good tackler if he can catch opponents, can link up well.

Otherwise his best work is when he's allowed to sit deep he can hit up on a lead inside 50. In those situations he attacks the ball hard.

Whenever he's forced to body up an opponent he gets pushed around or can't get back to the ball quick enough. Back leading in to space has never worked for him. And in packs he doesn't time his jump or have much of a launch either. Plus he's fairly diabolical as a forward 50 pressure player.

Essendon kick the ball to a lead better than Melbourne and they seem to play their forwards deep and allow them to lead. Not sure if that will continue under Scott or not.

If Weid can ruck 20-30% to get him involved in games and then can spend the other 30-40% of time forward sitting deep and leading up at the ball he can be useful.

Expecting a more rounded game from him seems unlikely unless he gets his confidence up and completely starts to round out his game, which is possible. Essendon seemed to keep it really simple for Peter Wright. He rucked, he led from the square. Then he started to add to his game and now he's a far more complete footballer. In theory that could happen with Weid.
Looking at Peter Wright should give Weid great confidence that we might get the best out of him
 
Aug 13, 2006
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Looking at Peter Wright should give Weid great confidence that we might get the best out of him
Correct, although it’s now a new coach, a new system and there already is one Peter Wright.

And as good as Wright was this year I’m not convinced he’s now 100% locked as a gun and won’t need time in the ruck and time at full forward getting good service to play his best either. Some players need that tune up at times.

A smaller line up with another medium forward might be preferred if Scott wants defensive first. Similarly a second ruck so Draper can rest forward and cause havoc could be the way to go too. Not exactly guaranteed.
 

TakingThePies

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Jul 11, 2020
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We offered our third pick… Melbourne said no. Did you want us to offer a second rounder??? No way. Don’t need to get in a bidding war over a vfl depth player mate. But don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story
Essendon are getting him for a future 3rd mate.

He didn't want to go to you.
 
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