Universal Love Sign Barlow up

[Cobbler]

Hmmm this is genuinely getting tricky now with some of the players we were considering to trade showing they're best 22.

Here's my dilemma.

Let's bring in Fyfe, Sandilands, Bennell, A Pearce as walk in best 22 players. Let's say Apeness, Hughes, Langdon will be pushing for best 22 next year.

Let's assume Pavlich retires. Let's assume nothing with Johnson.

So that leaves us with anywhere between 4-8 changes just from yesterdays team.

Then you have McCarthy plus an early rounder from this year. Balic, Yarran, Morabito as unknowns.

Once all of that is considered where does it place Barlow? Personally, the guy is the definition of character BUT you can't go wrong with a sell high mentality and he and Mayne might just need to be moved on. Ibbo is playing poorly, but he may also need to make way.

I'm very conflicted, but another 2-4 years of Barlow kind of goes against our play the kids mentality. Especially when the other guns come back in.

Put it this way if it was between Blakely and Barlow who would guys rather have in the side? What if Barlow v Weller or Tucker.

His value is reasonable and he is in a position to take care of himself for the next 2-4 years and our club will be in a position to continue to develop.

I hate to say it, but I'm in the will need to move Barlow on camp.

 

[One_Wing]

I still think we should trade him. His form is a bonus as it increases his value.

I don't believe he will be part of our next premiership and we could get a 2nd round pick for him

The thing is Barlow bleeds purple and is probably one of if not the most popular guy at the club. His work rate is great and he sets a good example for younger players. Keeping him around is great for club culture, getting rid of him could be greatly damaging to the club in many ways. I may catch some flak for this but I think Barlow is worth more then what he brings to the field each game. And really he is playing some good football at the moment. So for now I think it's too soon to say if he does or doesn't have a part in Freo's next flag tilt.

 

[Cobbler]

The thing is Barlow bleeds purple and is probably one of if not the most popular guy at the club. His work rate is great and he sets a good example for younger players. Keeping him around is great for club culture, getting rid of him could be greatly damaging to the club in many ways. I may catch some flak for this but I think Barlow is worth more then what he brings to the field each game. And really he is playing some good football at the moment. So for now I think it's too soon to say if he does or doesn't have a part in Freo's next flag tilt.

I won't disagree. Barlow, Mayne and DeBoer are great club men. Tough decisions will need to be made.

 

[mightymouse75]

Can't trade out heart and souls. You might end up with a team full if stars. That dosnt mean you will have a team that stars.

 

[Cobbler]

Can't trade out heart and souls. You might end up with a team full if stars. That dosnt mean you will have a team that stars.

Yes and no.

Depends how bad we want to win a flag.

 

[Purpletown]

Regardless of the future, be it to trade or keep any player, it is a real win for the club and the player that they be in good form. More options open up for both. Well done Mick and RTB for his transition to his new role.

 

[yoong]

Don't think I understand the logic here. Barlow just proved that he can play the negating role and still rack up big numbers, hurting the opposition the other way. He've reinvented his game to fit back into our team structure.
Non of the young players are playing a run with role. Barlow is keeping non of them out.

 

[Grape Bear]

I can't see any team offering anything close to even a mid to late second rounder.

For that, he's worth more to us than any other team.

 

[Cobbler]

Don't think I understand the logic here. Barlow just proved that he can play the negating role and still rack up big numbers, hurting the opposition the other way. He've reinvented his game to fit back into our team structure.
Non of the young players are playing a run with role. Barlow is keeping non of them out.

What about next year? We'll have quite a few walk back into the 22.

Who goes out? If not Suban and Zac Dawson from current 22 it will be youngsters.

 

[electricfeel]

What about next year? We'll have quite a few walk back into the 22.

Who goes out? If not Suban and Zac Dawson from current 22 it will be youngsters.

Midfield wise we are looking at Fyfe, Bennell, Sandilands who are easily best 22 right now. I'd argue those three coming back would replace Griffin/Clarke/Hannath, someone like Suban and maybe even Danyle Pearce would make way for Sandi, Fyfe and Bennell. We already have the likes of Blakely, Weller and Tucker playing with Barlow. Then you always have players out of form that will need to make way for other players. You will never have your best 22 out there at all times. Someone like Langdon would be great to get into the team but lets be honest, he is not knocking down doors at the moment, likewise with Grey. If having Barlow in our squad means a better competition for spots then that's great for us.

The likes of Mzungu, De Boer, Clancee Pearce are pretty much done I think. So these are the only guys who Barlow is keeping out of the team....and we all know that is a positive thing.

 

[yoong]

What about next year? We'll have quite a few walk back into the 22.

Who goes out? If not Suban and Zac Dawson from current 22 it will be youngsters.

Most taggers negate opposition's influence at the expense of his own. A run with player who can negate and still rack up 20-30 disposals a game is worth his weight in gold.

We have the whole of this year to trial and test young players and new roles. At the moment, I think only Weller and Blakely have cemented their spot. On the other hand, Suban, Mzungu , DeBoar, Mayne, Ballas, Clancee, Ibbo and yes Barlow needs to prove their worth to stay in the team.
Barlow just tried and excelled in his new run with role. If he keep up this kind of output, I don't see why he can't stay in.
List wise, we are not in that good a shape that a well performing youngsters will have trouble breaking in, tbh.

 

[hoss]

Yes and no.

Depends how bad we want to win a flag.

You'd think when we win a flag, we'd have a mix of older and younger players. Barlow shouldn't be anymore expendable than others aged 28 and above on the list. You need some experience and especially players that epitomize effort in the mix, to help blood the young fellas. Barlow has a new role and I'm not sure who's in the wings to take it on.

 

[hoss]

What about next year? We'll have quite a few walk back into the 22.

Who goes out? If not Suban and Zac Dawson from current 22 it will be youngsters.

And unless a perfect world we'll have injuries to our best 22. Players with a specific role would be less likely to be traded or face the chop than others. In any case, to win a flag we need a solid 32, not 22.

 

[Cobbler]

If the plan is to keep him in this role where he can play midfield then perhaps he's still worth an further 2-3 years. I'm not arguing about him being good, I'm seeing an opportunity to seek value out of him in pursuit of the longer term goal.

I do guess his run with role is unique to him and hopefully this is what saves him.

 

[wayToGo_]

So if we classify Barlow exclusively as an inside mid/run with player now then I think there is still probably a spot for him next year even with Fyfe and Bennell coming in to the side as both of them can rotate forward and Mundy can rotate back. Ross has moved Suban to an outside mid role, we are realising Walters and Ballaz aren't winning much contested ball in the middle and can probably stay forward next year, Hill seems to be being played less in the middle, and I can also see Bennell playing HFF and on a wing more than in the middle as he isn't a massive contested ball winner either. So I think we can play Neale, Barlow and Blakely all as inside mids in the same team. And there are no other youngsters I can see pushing for an inside mid role in 2017 so it's not like Barlow would be taking up one of their spots.

Fyfe - inside mid & forward
Mundy - inside mid & defender
Bennell - inside/outside mid & forward
Neale - inside mid
Barlow - inside mid & tagger
Blakely - inside mid
Walters - forward & inside/outside mid
Hill - outside mid & defender
D.Pearce - outside mid
Weller - outside mid & forward
Sheridan - outside mid & defender
Crozier - defender & outside mid
Sutcliffe - defender & outside mid
Tucker - outside mid & defender
Langdon - outside mid & forward
Suban - outside mid
Ballantyne - forward

 

[Arcassius]

Hmmm this is genuinely getting tricky now with some of the players we were considering to trade showing they're best 22.

Here's my dilemma.

Let's bring in Fyfe, Sandilands, Bennell, A Pearce as walk in best 22 players. Let's say Apeness, Hughes, Langdon will be pushing for best 22 next year.

Let's assume Pavlich retires. Let's assume nothing with Johnson.

So that leaves us with anywhere between 4-8 changes just from yesterdays team.

Then you have McCarthy plus an early rounder from this year. Balic, Yarran, Morabito as unknowns.

Once all of that is considered where does it place Barlow? Personally, the guy is the definition of character BUT you can't go wrong with a sell high mentality and he and Mayne might just need to be moved on. Ibbo is playing poorly, but he may also need to make way.

I'm very conflicted, but another 2-4 years of Barlow kind of goes against our play the kids mentality. Especially when the other guns come back in.

Put it this way if it was between Blakely and Barlow who would guys rather have in the side? What if Barlow v Weller or Tucker.

His value is reasonable and he is in a position to take care of himself for the next 2-4 years and our club will be in a position to continue to develop.

I hate to say it, but I'm in the will need to move Barlow on camp.

Barlow has been going great guns, but he's also increased his trade value.

If the club has committed to not playing a tagger as the way the club wants to move forward (Lyon mentioned that having a tagger creates tactical challenges), then I see his current role (despite being successful) as having a limited lifespan.

Additionally with tagging, his output will decrease as he gets older - so as a 28 year old, there will be diminishing returns. An older Barlow won't be able to keep up with the Bonts, and the younger up and coming midfielders of the competition. I see his current role as being a 2-3 year option at most. We dropped Crowley as a 31 year old after all.

The question becomes this - Is this a role and direction the club wants to continue to move in moving forward? If it is, then he stays for 2-3 years. If it's not, then this is the best time to trade him while his currency is high. A GWS or GC could do with him for instance in a trade for 1-2 players to support their younger brigade.

Same argument goes for Mayne, and every other player we have over 27. Decisions will need to be made as to whether we need their experience, hardened bodies, leadership - or whether we slowly transition them out and build a team that will be together for 5+ years. I would imagine the club would move on Mzungu, Ibbo, Silvagni, De Boer, Mayne, Barlow, Suban over the next few years in that order.

 

[freoextra]

Always hard to see great servants going but first off the list is clearly:
Mzungu
DeBoer
Silvagni
C Pearce
DeLuca
Hannath

Trade considerations
Ibbotson (we seemingly have lots of options for his position) end of round 2 hopefully

Keep
Mayne ( we look so dangerous in the forward line now)
Barlow (great role and he is a class above the delist list)

Get McCarthy and keep an early draft pick and we are on our way.

 

[andrew99]

Barlow has been going great guns, but he's also increased his trade value.

If the club has committed to not playing a tagger as the way the club wants to move forward (Lyon mentioned that having a tagger creates tactical challenges), then I see his current role (despite being successful) as having a limited lifespan.

.....

Same argument goes for Mayne, and every other player we have over 27. Decisions will need to be made as to whether we need their experience, hardened bodies, leadership - or whether we slowly transition them out and build a team that will be together for 5+ years. I would imagine the club would move on Mzungu, Ibbo, Silvagni, De Boer, Mayne, Barlow, Suban over the next few years in that order.

Despite Barlow's form I would not be surprised if he was traded or even delisted , Ross is not adverse to a shock list management decision ( see Broughton et al).

Besides, Gu who even Lyon talks of in sombre, reflective terms there's not much certainty on where things will go at season's end. But given our onfield situation and general position of the club you'd suspect there's going to be a good cleanout. I hope so at least.

 

[Cobbler]

Despite Barlow's form I would not be surprised if he was traded or even delisted , Ross is not adverse to a shock list management decision ( see Broughton et al).

Besides, Gu who even Lyon talks of in sombre, reflective terms there's not much certainty on where things will go at season's end. But given our onfield situation and general position of the club you'd suspect there's going to be a good cleanout. I hope so at least.

Not a chance in hell.

 

[andrew99]

Can't trade out heart and souls. You might end up with a team full if stars. That dosnt mean you will have a team that stars.

Heart and soul players don't win premierships either. We've tried: no matter how much effort you put into it, or how strategic you're with what assets you have, unless the raw talent is there you won't win a premiership.

We might have to be ruthless to get that elusive premiership. We've persevered with Ross favourites for too long and only now we've broken the status quo we're finally seeing the potential we had that was languishing in the 2nds.

 

[andrew99]

Not a chance in hell.

Same would have been said about Broughton before he was traded (and told he would not be given any more opportunities @ Freo.)

There's a chance he'll be delisted (Mick B). I'm not sure how big this chance is but it does exist. Depends on lots of factors (trade value, what's on with Lyon's planning etc).

 

[electricfeel]

Broughton is pretty different to Barlow. We all kind of rated him but he wasn't the heart and soul like Barlow is. And Barlow is so much better than Broughton.

No chance Barlow is delisted, at worst he'll be traded to a Melbourne club like Essendon.

 

[Cobbler]

Same would have been said about Broughton before he was traded (and told he would not be given any more opportunities @ Freo.)

There's a chance he'll be delisted (Mick B). I'm not sure how big this chance is but it does exist. Depends on lots of factors (trade value, what's on with Lyon's planning etc).

Broughton was traded.

My not a chance in hell comment was in reference to Barlow being delisted.

If we can't find a suitable trade for him he'll be offered another year or 2. There's no way he'll be delisted when there are heaps that could be before him.

So the Broughton comment is irrelevent.

 

[andrew99]

Broughton was traded.

My not a chance in hell comment was in reference to Barlow being delisted.

If we can't find a suitable trade for him he'll be offered another year or 2. There's no way he'll be delisted when there are heaps that could be before him.

So the Broughton comment is irrelevent.

The difference to be forcefully pushed out in a trade (and possibly being delisted if he refused said trade/or languishing in the 2nds) and being delisted is not that great a distinction. If Broughton was forced into such a trade it is easy to imagine that he might have faced delisting too.

We'll see how it pans out.

 

[Cobbler]

The difference to be forcefully pushed out in a trade (and possibly being delisted if he refused said trade/or languishing in the 2nds) and being delisted is not that great a distinction. If Broughton was forced into such a trade it is easy to imagine that he might have faced delisting too.

We'll see how it pans out.

I'll just go off the word DELISTED or the word TRADED.

You can make your own distinctions and colour your own grey box. I just deal with facts.