Would you do the deal?

[kelvin_sheedy]

The thing is, Gumbleton and Neagle are going to develop a lot more easily alongside Lloyd and Lucas.

They don't have to play 22 games each next year. Rotate them through the side and let them practice being the 'main man' at Bendigo. Chances are that Lloyd and Lucas won't play every game, we could even rest them every once in a while. That leaves them both with games tallies in the teens, and ample experience. If we want to keep them in the side, depending on the form they show, we could also give them a go down back every once in a while.

Keeping Lucas isn't going to put a stop sign in front of their development. If anything, it'll ease their transition into football.

I'd like to see us sign Scotty for one year and not two, but I don't want us to trade him, especially for anything less than a top 15 pick. The damage that that could do could be very costly, and for a player that may never be anything.

Neagle will be in his 4th year and should be commanding a place in the 22. Gumbleton in his 3rd and should also command a place in the 22. They have already been learning for 2 years off Lucas and Lloyd anyway and from next year should play every game. This year is the one for rotations.

I agree that they probably won't all play due to the nature of injuries and other things but we have plenty of forward options. Laycock will still be on the list and will have to go forward a bit, McPhee's there and Daniher looks more forward than back at the moment.

We are top heavy with forward options.

We've been nice for too long and it's time to get ruthless and shake things up a bit. We shouldn't be turning the club into the friendly retirement village for every player as you can't afford to do that in today's climate.

Lucas is our biggest carrot at the moment and only Lovett would get us more value. We need a few more hits in this draft to go along with the 05/06/07 ones so that we can be a force again.

 

[Duckworth]

Neagle will be in his 4th year and should be commanding a place in the 22. Gumbleton in his 3rd and should also command a place in the 22. They have already been learning for 2 years off Lucas and Lloyd anyway and from next year should play every game. This year is the one for rotations.

A good argument and I can see your point, he is our biggest carrot. But there are way too many 'shoulds' in there. I say keep him.

If you compare Lucas and Tarrant then we should get at least a top 10 pick and a set of steak knives (Medhurst was good for steak knives)

 

[MilhouseVanJohn]

Yes.

I think our forward line with Gumby, Neagle, McPhee, Daniher will go alright over the next few years.

Any pick <30 and I'd take it.

People will get over it pretty quickly if we draft a good kid in his place.

The fabric and culture of the club is changing - no Hird, Sheedy, Bolton. Its a new era with a new bunch of people and we need to get on board.

We lost players like Merrett, Wanganeen and Hardwick in the past and we've recovered.

Bolton?

 

[Slattery_20]

Exactly my feeling. And everyone bagged me last year when I said we should have traded him to the Dogs for their pick5. I would think that would be a good deal. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I love Lucas as much as the next bloke but it will be 4-5 years before we are a premiership side again and Lucas will not be in that side. I wouldn't trade Lloyd.

Did they offer?
I doubt it
It'd need to be a serious deal to tempt us. & I don't think many clubs these days would be prepared to offer more than a 3rd rounder for a player who is likely to only have 2 years left. Nice hypothetical, would never be more than that

 

[Ricky]

if it was too get someone like a kerr or a hard running midfielder i definately would..
its going to help us in the long term

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Did they offer?
I doubt it
It'd need to be a serious deal to tempt us. & I don't think many clubs these days would be prepared to offer more than a 3rd rounder for a player who is likely to only have 2 years left. Nice hypothetical, would never be more than that

Probably wasn't offered. I said at least we should put Lucas on the table, I recon we could have got that pick 5 imo.

 

[TUBE22]

Probably wasn't offered. I said at least we should put Lucas on the table, I recon we could have got that pick 5 imo.

Scotty Lucas is staying put at Essendon. Leave him alone he will kill it this week. Who is the weagles going to play on him.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Ask me at the end of the Year

 

[daffo]

I'm of the belief that you don't trade champs. Although anyone on our list is avaliable at the right price. If there would be a deal of Kerr for Lucas and our third round, i would take it.
We won't get what we this Lucas is worth (1st round) so what will happen is Lucas will take the one year deal.

 

[Tony Delaney]

Trade him. Hard cos he is a bomber through and through. He's our best player bar Fletcher. But he won't be here next premiership. Has value for a guy of 30's. Makes me sick to say it, but trade him. Reality is we need to rebuild, and development with two new teams coming in taking the avenue for talent in the future beyond next years draft is narrow.

I do feel sick saying it.

Then we may as well trade everyone who is over 28 yo with your logic.

Part of rebuilding is players teaching younger players how to play out on the field and how to go about their footy off the field as role models. And there is none better than Scott Lucas. There is a reason he didn't come back through Bendigo - because he is a superstar and won't be traded for anything.

The age thing gives me the s##ts. Like Leigh Matthews said to his Brownlow medalists - "your the same footballer you were the day before you won it". Same as age players don't suddenly wake up from turning 30 and find the body has shut down, they are slow, no recovery etc etc. Each player should be judged on their merits. Look at Dermie and Healy they were finished at a relatively young age whereas Craig Bradley, Crawford and Robert Harvey types last a lot longer. Lucas hasn't started to dwindle at all if anything he has got better.

 

[TheDon35]

I know my fellow bombers supporters are going to eat me alive. But would you trade Scott Lucas if another club came knocking with a draft pick between 15-24. Personally, with all the problems our list has got, we have no chance of a premiership in the next 2-3 years, while a valuable draft pick early 2nd round could unearth a potential quality player. Btw, not interested if you dont think he is worth that pick, but simply from an essendon point of view.

Excellent call hypothetically

Draft and trading policy at AFL clubs has been a joke for too long.

You're right, we won't win a flag for the next 2 years after which Lucas is every chance to be retiring. Jagging a top 20 pick for him would be speculative but a strong aggressive move toward the future. Couple this with a top 3 pick which we will get this year, potentially a priority pick at start of second round as well as an early second round pick and we'd have 4 picks under 20 - 25... In a strong draft.

There should be no such thing as an untouchable at AFL clubs. if the right deal is put on the table, clubs need to be prepared to do what's right to get the team building for the future. The bombers have no players on their list that are untouchable for the right trade, particularly the older guys.