#35,#16 Oliver Henry

[swoop42]

With a older brother already in the AFL system and exposed to player management it probably shouldn't surprise us that Henry has been advised to seriously consider his options and hold off making a decision.

He knows there will be suitors and if Geelong are one then that tells you all you need to know about how he is rated externally. Stephen Wells is one of the best talent identifiers in the game and no fool.

As for some being content in receiving a late 1st round selection for Henry they should seriously consider that if it wasn't for the good fortune of COVID wiping out the U18 season or Geelong using picks 13 and 15 as part of the trade for Cameron we most likely wouldn't have had access to him.

From memory Gary Buckenara rated him around the 6th best talent available that year and nothing so far suggests he got that judgment badly wrong.

Honestly, after pissing away first round picks on Beams and Stephenson, paying for Treloar to play elsewhere and injury killing the prospects of Scharenberg and Freeman we shouldn't be in any rush to dispose of a player that only fell in our lap at pick 17 due to circumstances outside our control. Talk about slapping lady luck in the face.

If Henry is concerned just how he fits in with the coaches thinking moving forward I think that's understandable given the players we have been linked to and the still largely unknown future prospects of a Johnson, Kreuger and an aging Elliott. Will they all swim or some sink due to injury or loss of form?

However I feel that we need to be a little flexible in our dealings with him also and if upping our offer, meeting him half way is the trade off he's prepared to accept for an uncertain pathway to the 22 I don't feel he's being unreasonable with interest elsewhere.

At the end of the day we simply don't know yet what we've got with Henry, at 20 he's far from the finished product and I'm not willing to take the chance we hand a club a gem in the hope he's just a worthless piece of rock.

Finally, some of you now drunk on the successes of the last few months need to be reminded just how excited you were with his potential earlier in the season when making a preliminary final remained the stuff of dreams.

Do you really want to give this kid up so easily?

[Dark Beanie]

[David]

[warburton lad]

Agree with most of the posts here.

No way should we be handing over a player of the quality of Ollie Henry.

If he is pissed at not getting a game, I think that's great.

The question is will he redouble his efforts on the track and in games to knock down the selection door in 2023 and beyond??

His match-winning efforts against Hawthorn, Carlton and Fremantle should not be easily forgotten.

Keep this lad- he has enormous upside and is already a proven match winner.

No trade for mine...

[stui magpie]

Doing "everything in our power" shouldn't include though paying stupid money to a 20 year old who, at present, can't get a regular spot in our best 22.

At 20, he should be prepared to bide his time and do the work. Who's spot would he take in Geelong's forward line right now anyway?

Part of the problem is the $$ figures thrown around in the media. FFS, Luke Jackson is only 10 months older than Olly and is reportedly being offered stupid money to Freo who already have a better ruckman and Henry is statistically a better forward.

If he wants to know his role in the forward line, it's simple. He has to earn one by taking on coaches feedback and working on things. Ash has his spot at the moment, it's up to him to push Ash out.

[BBHS]

Geelong won't have the picks/players to make it happen. Can't see him going there.

[RudeBoy]

My guess is it's Ollie and his manager who are looking for a move elsewhere. I'd be amazed if Collingwood did not want to retain him and have offered him a decent contract. At the end of the day, it takes two to tango.

[Piesnchess]

Keep Ollie, could be anything, Geebung are sniffing around cos they know their elderly forwards, Hawk and Rohan, dont have long to go now, so they want this kid. Stuff that, keep him, let those douche bag flogs from Sleepy Hollow wallow in their own shit, to put it mildly.

[Presti35]

[Mr Miyagi]

Geelong are getting Bruhn. If Ollie wants more money, no way Geelong can afford to pay him too.

[Big T]

You have failed on one assumption - that geelong actually has a salary cap!

[Magpie Russ]

Henry maybe gone but if he stays maybe he should be looked as a Howe replacement.

If our perceptions are correct and this is our line in the sand moment regarding player contract negotiations; and salary cap management then so be it.

[mattdally]

Reports this morning that the Dockers are also going to make a play for Ollie.
I would love to keep him - he has enormous upside and we know what he can do around the goals.

[Mr Miyagi]

If he’s homesick for Geelong and the hour drive is just too much for him, then play hard ball and get a good deal done. There’s a reason he hasn’t been getting a game (before the hand injury). It might be he needs to work on tackling and defensive play, but the timing of him being dropped around the same time he’s rumoured to have told the club the hour drive is too much all matches up. And I call bullshit on Geelong’s claim they weren’t sniffing around.

I bet he’s got some regrets now, watching from the sidelines as we keep winning and are two wins away from a flag.

[inxs88]

His (or his manager's) audacity to string the club out on what is essentially his FIRST contract negotiation shits me. The club used its first rounder on him and he is acting like a 26 year old FREE AGENT!