It's time for me to reinforce my thoughts on the absolute NEED of another best 22 sml fwd (another fantasia would be nice). You would think that with the way footy is being played the team will go with no more than 2 key fwds & Stringer with 3 smalls/resting mids for the foreseeable future. With Daniher fit, I think we have the Key Fwds covered, sure some developing depth would be nice but not a huge priority, I don't think there is a serious need for 2 absolute star key fwds and key fwds can be expensive!
Fantasia & Walla are locks in the best 22. The team obviously requires players to be flexible and small fwds have to be able to play further up the field and in the midfield. Out of the questionable best 22 players that can play the 3rd small fwd/mid position we have: Baguley, Green, Begley, Long, Colyer, Merrett & Houlahan, I would say Begley although still too early to call, is just about the only one that I would have any confidence can be absolute best 22 and give consistent output like any of the Richmond small fwds have done and the Hawks small fwds had done previously. I'd love to target a quick and skillful small fwd that can go through the midfield/wing and provide link up and defensive transition, because I don't think any of those players have shown/have convinced me they have the potential to perform the role consistently enough. I'm thinking/dreaming of players similar to Fantasia/Rioli/Butler/Walters/ Wingard/Breust/Cameron/Greene/Fritsch/Zorko/Elliot/Stephenson. These players are taken at different times of the draft, so could come cheap or we could use a high draft pick on a Rankine if available, most likely not, but one of these types of player would dramatically improve our best 22 and the way we play.
*Also would love a big bodied mid, gun tall fwd, elite running wingman/mid & developing ruck with huge potential, thank you