Mega Thread Trade Targets 2014

[Big Sim]

You wouldn't want to risk PSD either and you won't win by putting a price on your head.

We may have to settle for a 35 - 45 pick and move on.

He would have to be considered a high risk proposition to any suitor right now and I would settle for that Harks.

There is a story there which is not a happy one for him or us but he was rookie from whom we got some great football, a lot of goals, and an extensive highlights reel.

Bye bye Jeffy, good luck and thanks for the memories.

 

[blue healer]

Bingo !!!

We have gambled how many times in the past and got it wrong ??

Time to play the percentages, we are not in a position to take risks, smart safe choices for the long-term please.

If we let Waite go under FA without a whimper we are likely to get no better than a third (if lucky) pick.

Looking at Thursdays team we had 4 players who had been taken between the first round of the draft and the rookie draft. Two of these were Simpson and Waite, so in the 13 years since Simmo we are able to play only 2 later round picks in the best 22. Even allowing for a fully fit list to choose from we would probably only be able to fit Robbo and Buckley into our best 22.

I'd suggest, with our record, that our best chance of "playing the percentages" would be to offer Waite 2 years. We've been gambling and losing for 13 years.

We had 10 current or ex rookies in that team. Perhaps the best way of playing the percentages is to skip the middle rounds of the draft and go straight to the rookie draft.

 

[Jatz]

I'm puzzled as to how getting 1 player out of a list of 38, constitutes a 'quick fix' any more than acquiring Andrejs Everitt who has stepped up from day 1 as best 22.

Clearly you don't rate Higgins; others do.

we're not talking the 'quick fix' dark days of Martyn, Ackland, Bowyer, Harford, Mclaren, Clarke, Johnson, Morrell, Angwin, Chambers, Longmuir and countless other retreads.

It's the reasoning behind acquiring that one player. Higgins has a season or two before he starts to slowly (or quickly) decline. What's the point? We're not challenging for a flag in that time.

I do rate Higgins. I just don't think he's a good acquisition for where our current list is at. Of course others have their opinions, I don't believe I've shut anyone down or belittled them in what I've written? Apologies if that's the way it's come across.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

No doubt, not blaming that solely on Mick. But as the head coach, he should still be able to get the best out of the cattle he has. Can we say that he has this season?

Maybe he has got the best out of all on the list?

Before this season (I hate to say this) But Gibbs was just an above average player.
Yarran had potential. He now is fastly becoming one of our most important players. Takes the game on and has elite skills.
Buckley potentially could have been delisted at the end on 2014.
Robbo even looks better...
Doc is developing fastly and I think he may even be more midfield next year.
Rowe. Well, we all know how much he has improved this year. Delist material for sure, but now...
Nick Graham was told to go and work on his game. Seems he has and is getting closer to best 22. Just needs a bit more time
Everitt, best season yet.
Cas. Presents, clunks and now slots goals from outside 50
Even Simon White is a damn decent and reliable defender. Has mongrel in him and loves a contest.

Yes, there is always a few that stay the same and a few that don't buy in.
But I have just named 10 players on our list that have bought in and taken their game to the next level.
God help other teams out there if we get another 10 that do the same next year.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

It's the reasoning behind acquiring that one player. Higgins has a season or two before he starts to slowly (or quickly) decline. What's the point? We're not challenging for a flag in that time.

I do rate Higgins. I just don't think he's a good acquisition for where our current list is at. Of course others have their opinions, I don't believe I've shut anyone down or belittled them in what I've written? Apologies if that's the way it's come across.

1-2 or possibly 5 years. None of us know.

 

[Jatz]

1-2 or possibly 5 years. None of us know.

I think it's safe to say he won't be playing his best footy at 31 years of age. Although I'm happy to be proven wrong on that one.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

I think it's safe to say he won't be playing his best footy at 31 years of age. Although I'm happy to be proven wrong on that one.

As I said, who knows. The time away from the game due to injuries may give him another year or 2.

 

[Jatz]

Maybe he has got the best out of all on the list?

Before this season (I hate to say this) But Gibbs was just an above average player. Disagree on this. His games against Port and Richmond in the EF were elite. Much better than an above average player.
Yarran had potential. He now is fastly becoming one of our most important players. Takes the game on and has elite skills. Again, has improved but he wasn't exactly poor last season.
Buckley potentially could have been delisted at the end on 2014. Agree
Robbo even looks better... Disposal has improved. Is still on the chopping block though.
Doc is developing fastly and I think he may even be more midfield next year. Could be put down to natural progression as well as playing consistently.
Rowe. Well, we all know how much he has improved this year. Delist material for sure, but now... Agree on Rowe.
Nick Graham was told to go and work on his game. Seems he has and is getting closer to best 22. Just needs a bit more time Agree, has done everything asked of him and is now reaping the rewards.
Everitt, best season yet. Most consistent season yet. Wasn't exactly a slouch at Sydney.
Cas. Presents, clunks and now slots goals from outside 50. Agree, Malthouse has done wonders for him.
Even Simon White is a damn decent and reliable defender. Has mongrel in him and loves a contest. I actually believe Whitey was always this way, it's just that Malthouse has actually played him. Kudos for that.

Yes, there is always a few that stay the same and a few that don't buy in.
But I have just named 10 players on our list that have bought in and taken their game to the next level.
God help other teams out there if we get another 10 that do the same next year.

While he has certainly worked well with players, there's still several that have gone backwards under him at the same time.

I am an unabashed Malthouse fan and believe he should be given another 3-5 years but I don't believe he's been great at the helm up to now.

 

[Matty411]

Maybe he has got the best out of all on the list?

Before this season (I hate to say this) But Gibbs was just an above average player.
Yarran had potential. He now is fastly becoming one of our most important players. Takes the game on and has elite skills.
Buckley potentially could have been delisted at the end on 2014.
Robbo even looks better...
Doc is developing fastly and I think he may even be more midfield next year.
Rowe. Well, we all know how much he has improved this year. Delist material for sure, but now...
Nick Graham was told to go and work on his game. Seems he has and is getting closer to best 22. Just needs a bit more time
Everitt, best season yet.
Cas. Presents, clunks and now slots goals from outside 50
Even Simon White is a damn decent and reliable defender. Has mongrel in him and loves a contest.

Yes, there is always a few that stay the same and a few that don't buy in.
But I have just named 10 players on our list that have bought in and taken their game to the next level.
God help other teams out there if we get another 10 that do the same next year.

Prediction Hats on... (and it may be too early to call) NAME 5 players that (pending they're still on the list) that need to/could take their game to another level and 'buy in' for 2015?

My picks are:

Cripps - injury free pre-season should see him build his engine and make an impact
Graham - expecting him to work hard off-season to make the best 22 in 2015, games at end of 2014 will make him hungry
Menz - after he signs on (hurry up Menz) he will be set to explode in his 'breakout 3rd season'
Kreuz - spend the off-season getting the body 100% and attack 2015 and cement his spot as a top-5 league ruckman
Hendo - has played injured a lot this year, with a full off-season and a good draw - I expect him to truly breakout as an elite CHF in 2015 under Mick and the tutelage of Brad Green

I think there is/was a thread for this for 2014, maybe we need to make one for 2015... HARKER ?

 

[Coona Blues]

Still have a problem with those on here denigrating the list. We are a couple of A graders (or B+) short. We do not have a
lamentable list. Unless we are seriously in to a "super trade" using Walker, why do we need to pay overs (FA guarantees) for
a flanker/outside mid without any stand out qualities.

Who would Higgins replace? Walker, Simpson, Docherty, Buckley, Yarran, Menzel, Everitt, Thomas, Robbo, the Irish contingent??????
May be a slight upgrade on a couple, but at what price?

Malceski would be a bigger upgrade, is great mates with Simmo, and comes from a "culture" from which we could "learn" if MM open to
suggestion. With our developing players, if the price tag is comparative, if we must take one, I would plonk for the "leader" for 2 years,
as opposed to perennial potential. We have seen enough of them.....and still have a couple yet to reach their potential.

The biggest issue is adding up to a handful of viable and/or highly promising talls to the list, along with a line breaking mid or 2.

Not against the Goldsack suggestion, a bankable 3rd tall at either end. Big questions still remain over the upside of Cas, Rowie and Watto, as well as the future of Waite, although I get the feeling MM is leaning towards creating "his list", thus he may be gone, if he won't accept "unders".

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Not saying these players will be on our list next year because we just never know. But lets look at it this way,

Kruezer if fit will help us immensely.
Walker has been playing injured all year and still has been ok. He will be better next year
Tuohy has dropped off in my eyes, but there is still improvement left in him
Bell has been offered a contract and he's here to stay. Should get better
Menzel will definitely get better and is looking the goods already
Cripps will be better after a full preseason
Giles (bigger bloke) will need more time
Holman seems to be getting close to a debut and is improving
And Thomas will 100% be better after a full preseasn.

There is great improvement in our list just there.

Smart drafting and trades will make us a better team come 2015.

We are down the bottom, yes. But we haven't had a great run with injuries this year also.
As i said before. Add another year to these guys and to the mob mentioned before and we really aren't too far off.

 

[blue healer]

It's the reasoning behind acquiring that one player. Higgins has a season or two before he starts to slowly (or quickly) decline. What's the point? We're not challenging for a flag in that time.

I do rate Higgins. I just don't think he's a good acquisition for where our current list is at. Of course others have their opinions, I don't believe I've shut anyone down or belittled them in what I've written? Apologies if that's the way it's come across.

Not sure that we are as far away as you think. From a flag?, maybe. But we could be still 10 years from a flag in which case very few of our current players will be here.

But I don't think we're that far from contending. If we had played the way we're playing now all year we would never have been beaten by Richmond, GWS, Melb or Brisbane and were not far away from beating both Geelong and Freo. Slide the doors and give us those wins and we're locked in a battle for 4th.

I know that history cannot be rewritten but I think, overall, we are in a much better place than this time last year and, if we can nail the draft/FA/trade as we did last year, contention is not that far away.

Whether Higgins can help, I don't know, but I think he'd be better value to us than players like Lucas, Armfield, Ellard, McInnes etc. on exposed form.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Still have a problem with those on here denigrating the list. We are a couple of A graders (or B+) short. We do not have a
lamentable list. Unless we are seriously in to a "super trade" using Walker, why do we need to pay overs (FA guarantees) for
a flanker/outside mid without any stand out qualities.

Who would Higgins replace? Walker, Simpson, Docherty, Buckley, Yarran, Menzel, Everitt, Thomas, Robbo, the Irish contingent??????
May be a slight upgrade on a couple, but at what price?

Malceski would be a bigger upgrade, is great mates with Simmo, and comes from a "culture" from which we could "learn" if MM open to
suggestion. With our developing players, if the price tag is comparative, if we must take one, I would plonk for the "leader" for 2 years,
as opposed to perennial potential. We have seen enough of them.....and still have a couple yet to reach their potential.

The biggest issue is adding up to a handful of viable and/or highly promising talls to the list, along with a line breaking mid or 2.

Not against the Goldsack suggestion, a bankable 3rd tall at either end. Big questions still remain over the upside of Cas, Rowie and Watto, as well as the future of Waite, although I get the feeling MM is leaning towards creating "his list", thus he may be gone, if he won't accept "unders".

I see Doc playing more in the midfield next year so a 50/50 split with him would be ideal.
Simpson may only have 1 more year left and (depending on how his body is holding up) I could see him being used towards the end of the year as the super sub.
Buckley to me will still play around 10-15 games next year. Love him being in the side, but think he has another year to go.
I think Robbo is gone tbh so if that happens, then there's a spot.

I still think Mal would be a decent addition to our squad.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Not sure that we are as far away as you think. From a flag?, maybe. But we could be still 10 years from a flag in which case very few of our current players will be here.

But I don't think we're that far from contending. If we had played the way we're playing now all year we would never have been beaten by Richmond, GWS, Melb or Brisbane and were not far away from beating both Geelong and Freo. Slide the doors and give us those wins and we're locked in a battle for 4th.

I know that history cannot be rewritten but I think, overall, we are in a much better place than this time last year and, if we can nail the draft/FA/trade as we did last year, contention is not that far away.

Whether Higgins can help, I don't know, but I think he'd be better value to us than players like Lucas, Armfield, Ellard, McInnes etc. on exposed form.

Like your sliding doors quote. Whats done is done and this year is.
Sometimes injuries and luck doesn't always go your way.
But sometimes, you need to see a team drop off for a year or two and if they can keep building on game plan and personal, a challenge can come sooner rather than later.
Finishing down this low and getting say pick 7 (decent player via draft or trade) will help and we may look back and say although 2014 sucked, it helped us in the long run.

 

[blue healer]

Like your sliding doors quote. Whats done is done and this year is.
Sometimes injuries and luck doesn't always go your way.
But sometimes, you need to see a team drop off for a year or two and if they can keep building on game plan and personal, a challenge can come sooner rather than later.
Finishing down this low and getting say pick 7 (decent player via draft or trade) will help and we may look back and say although 2014 sucked, it helped us in the long run.

Totally agree and probably why I'm not too fussed about winning another game (or shattered by the Freo loss) as long as we can show the competitiveness that we've shown lately. It's kinda like legal tanking, I guess.

Just don't think we're as far away as some think.

I probably should edit the first sentence by adding "except Essendon" to the first part. The satisfaction of beating them will more than compensate for a possible lower draft pick.

 

[FoeverBlues]

One day we'll laugh about turning down pick 9 from Port for Hampson.


I guess we wouldn't have Doc if we did that deal...

Could be Butcher too.
Butcher and Casboult -best contested markings duo

 

[Big Sim]

Malceski is 30 this month and after a fat 3 year contract.

No thank you.

 

[etsal1]

That was a rumour.

Chocco wanted Hampson and offered us Pick #9 (they used on Moore), but he was overruled by the Port Administration.

Haha so that's how he got to Richmond. Oh the LOLs.

 

[Bic]

Higgins would be a great get! We just can't offer him a lot of money. But what we can offer him is a particular role in our side.

He has far more class than Mitch Robinson - Both could really compliment each other and the side as that half forward role that can go into the midfield.

He could drift in and out of the 50 and pop up for 20-30 goals a season. That would be a great return.

 

[etsal1]

Who would you rather - Higgins or Ellard or Lucas?

Because we won't be able to cull all the dead wood on the list that we want to if we don't pick up a FA or too. We'll be left filling list spots with picks in the 80s+. I'd rather Higgins than pick 86.

Higgins isn't after money. He's after more than 2 years.

I don't see him as a quick fix simply because he's not going to stop up from bringing in any kids that will help our development through trade or draft.

 

[blue healer]

Who would you rather - Higgins or Ellard or Lucas?

Because we won't be able to cull all the dead wood on the list that we want to if we don't pick up a FA or too. We'll be left filling list spots with picks in the 80s+. I'd rather Higgins than pick 86.

Higgins isn't after money. He's after more than 2 years.

I don't see him as a quick fix simply because he's not going to stop up from bringing in any kids that will help our development through trade or draft.

Id rather him than Ellard, Lucas or Armfield as well.

 

[etsal1]

Id rather him than Ellard, Lucas or Armfield as well.

Which is why it can't be considered a quick fix. It's upgrading the list by improving our bottom 6.

 

[Azul]

It's the reasoning behind acquiring that one player. Higgins has a season or two before he starts to slowly (or quickly) decline. What's the point? We're not challenging for a flag in that time.

Your premise is that we should only recruit players who'll be part of our next flag. By that logic, recruiting Thomas was a mistake? (Consider the Swans list who had several players in their 30s during their 2012 premiership.)

19 years and counting - no one can predict when the next one will come.

But some questions, which I'd answer each in the affirmative

1. Would Higgins add to our best 22? Goalkicking hf/wing with better than average footskills - I believe so.
   
2. Does Higgins provide leadership given a staggering of retirements in the next 18 months? We'll go from an old list to a young list overnight.
   
3. Do we have ample cap space to accommodate another free agent? Judd, Carrazzo, Waite, Duigan, Scotland - days of big money over.
   
4. Does he represent a bargain trade-wise, where going the traditional route he'd cost a 2nd round pick? We need talent in addition to our 3 picks inside the top 45. Hence our punt on Russell and the Irishmen. F/A too bypasses the main route.

 

[FoeverBlues]

That maybe worse that all. Why not Fyfe and Carlisle, or Duncan and Christensen, or Sam Reid/Jack Gunstan/Lewis Jetta/Daniel Talia. Oh god!!! lol

Posted before somewhere i can't remember

With eagle eyes hind sight, i think that was the year that make/break our list if we had a list strategy.

1. We traded 1st rounder for McLean well before the trade period started (amateur), same year Hawks' J Kennedy traded for second rounder to Swan and Tiger's Tuck available for a bag of chip.

2. We could have picked up highly rated KPD Talia, who fit a need and best fit.

3. Could use the McLean pick for Lucas, Fyfe etc..

In a way we could have fixed up our spine (Talia, Hendo), inside mid (Kennedy/Tuck) and outside mid Lucas / Fyfe etc all around our picks , then the next year we would not have to try to draft all talls in one draft.
Like a dog chasing its tail we were....

 

[BM123]

Higgins would be a good get imo.

Better then our fringe players and his price tag is easily affordable with our upcoming retirements and the likes of Lucas, Garlett etc opening up cap room.