My earlier post (certainly not directed towards you) but others who thought I was for pushing one of Fletch or Talia out for trade, well its certainly not the case. 1 or 2 pages earlier I said if we lost one I wouldn't be pleased and losing both would be diabolical in my eyes. But both are out of contract this season and both are talented defenders that no doubt are being thrown offers their way.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...et-for-a-healthy-pay-day-20150427-1muabc.html
Like this article suggest Talia's currency is rising and no doubt the more Fletch plays in the ones the more his will rise too. We are at risk of losing one and I hope we can retain both, hence why I have suggested we should go all out for someone like Steven May (who we have gone after before), because he can play on the 195cm guys (Cameron, Hogan) and also the tall-medium guys (Stringer, Darling etc) and we could keep Roberts and Talia in the best 22.
Yeah that'd be a disaster, I'm pretty confident in keeping Fletch, not as much in Talia but still confident I guess. Agree someone like May would be perfect, someone who compliments those two not replaces them. In saying that I like both Hamling and Cordy in that role but if a ready made quality one came along you wouldn't pass them up, but I still wouldn't give up a huge amount because Moz can still hold down that spot until their ready, Hamling is like 22 or close to it if he's any good he will be ready soon. I guess I rate all those guys enough to not see it as a huge need like most around here, either way we will know a lot more by the end of the year, if 3 of those guys hold down the spots to a competent level for the rest of the year at this age, well we're looking good and can focus elsewhere IMO.
In saying that I always rated Fletch forward, not fussed that he doesn't really have a presence he doesn't need to, that's what Boyd and Stringer are for. As long as he can get a decently big tank then his speed doesn't worry me either, if he can then we have a CHF who reads the play well, can make repeat leads up the ground, is a fantastic contested mark and has great skills. That's what we're looking for IMO. Just depends on the tank though, I wouldn't know if he has that in him.
I know you don't want to add any more talls to forward line and I understand why but with a bit of restructuring that set up could be pretty effective.
Carlisle, Talia and Moz/Hamling/Cordy down back
Rough in the ruck
Boyd, Stringer, Fletch, Crameri up forward. Fletch and Boyd can share pinchhitting duty in the ruck, I'm quite happy using Boyd in the ruck as it allows us to restructure our forward line leaving us more unpredictable and isolating Stringer deep where he is a defenders nightmare. This would probably also require Stringer and Crameri to do more work up the ground but I'm okay with that.
So really with that set up I dont think we're top heavy at all considering how mobile a lot of those talls are, and the flexibility is ridiculous. Also long term I think that leaves us with an A grade defender in Carlisle, B grade (possibly higher) in Talia, 2 A grade forwards in Boyd and Stringer and a B grade in Fletch and a B grade athletic ruck in Rough (honestly believe he could be an A grade too tbh, impressed me so much lately)
Now that's one hell of a spine, to think our smalls is where we really shine...