This thread is living up to its title.
as far as I know we are the current premiers which means our list can't be that bad. I also think that we shouldn't be looking too far down the track - our window is HERE and NOW - we should be putting everything into winning next year
OK so we lost Franklin and that is huge not just for the BUddy factor but for the fact he kicked 60 goals this year and probably would have won the Coleman Medal if he played every game.
The good news is we have the guy who did won the Coleman Medal. Roughead just needs to play as a permanent forward - Hale out of the goal square Gunston the roaming target, Breust Rioli and Puopolo to do what they did this year and we look alright - maybe we might think about a third tallish flanker who can kick 30-40 goals type but really we are OK up forward (and has plenty of people have said their is Shoenmakers who could play up forward). Paul Chapman's name has come up and he could be useful deep into September - a luxury but certainly not a necessity
The defense of Hawthorn is strong - everyone talks about our fire power up forward but no one ever acknowledges just how damn good our back six are and have been this year. Brian Lake is a Norm Smith medalist and can play on any forward in the league. Josh Gibson is the Crimmins medalist and the partnership they have makes it very difficult for other teams to take hold of us. Stratton is the most versatile defender going around able to play on the third tall or dangerous smalls. Birchall's run was crucial for us and any one of Hodge, Mitchell and Burgoyne playing out of defense has added both hardness and skills. Shoenmakers will be back or forward but will be back. The loss of Guerra will be bigger than the loss of Franklin (for team structure and balance and hardness at the ball) BUT at least this year we started grooming an understudy in Duryea. We also have Suckling though I see him as a liability in the back half - I think he's real position should be on a wing on HHF where his weapon can be used to maximum effect. So again I don't see the real need to recruit specifically for the defense
So that leaves the midfield where we once again have the call for too many aging slow mids. That previously was not enough outside run - but Isaac Smith and Brad Hill seemed to have stopped that problem - and will now only get better with a flag under their belts. SO its back to the Mitchell, Burgoyne, Sewell, Hodge Lewis being too slow and on their last legs. Mitchell should be right to go around again ditto Hodge. Burgoyne does worry me a little but he is so efficient with the ball and has the versatility to play as a defender and a forward as well as a mid. Lewis can have spells up forward and was the one in our midfield who I think had the most disappointing year (I know most finger Sewell for that but I think you are wrong). Sewell's lack of versatility sees him in the cross hairs. We have a group of young mids clammouring for a game (Hallaran, Anderson, Langford) and I think Sewell is only being moved on to give them game time. Having said that personally I wouldn't be off loading him or Savage as they are both quality players. Come September there is no one I'd like to see more than Brad Sewell running out for us.
So where does that leave us for trade week?With the retirement of Bailey I really think we only need one ruckman - preferably the best going.
If it were up to me (and it's not) I would entertain the trade for Longer - but I would also take most of the spare Buddy cash and throw it at a short term 1-2 year contract on Dean Cox - the West Coast have got Nic Nat, Lycett and a couple of other good young ruckmen. They are out of their premiership window and the other veterans in that team (Kerr, Embley and A Selwood) have all retired. Playing Cox is halting their development and the big guy might like one last tilt at premiership glory. He's also a free agent which means we don't need to satisfy a trade with the Weagles.
If we do lose players to other clubs then I'd like our trading to be not for other players but the ruthless pursuit of higher draft picks - bundling the player with a draft pick for a higher one.
those are just my thoughts