Gaps in our current list

[RudeBoy]

With Nick Daicos out and Mitchell doubtful, I'd like to see Fly throw out the challenge to a couple of our young guns in Carmichael and Ed Allen.

[Johnno75]

JDG can be the bull but last week against Carlton although Cripps was good the damage was mostly Cerra then Dow after the sub was made. We need a couple of guys that can read the play doesn’t necessarily have to be a bull.

[Quincy]

And again the footy gods are not with us and yeah I agree that we have to change the midfield mix.

[Jezza]

The lack of inside midfielders is our real weakness.

Mitchell was serving a benefit as our extractor in clearances at the beginning of the season.

However, with his form tapering off, the clearance numbers have regressed to 2022 levels again.

[piffdog]

I don’t intend to move away too quickly from the glory of our victory, but the trade season is upon us already. I know there’s a thread for who’s available, but I wonder if a better way to look at it, much like we did this year) was to ask ourselves what we need first…

I’m not great at this, and I know you will all say “key forward/inside midfielder/etc” but for the sale of this thread let’s try and justify the view, rather than offering up “get Ben king”…

For mine we need to bolster:

Clearance/contest. We added Tom Mitchell who was immense in the granny and delivered exactly what we got him for. I felt his second half of the H&A season trailed off but he was mighty in the finals. I’m looking at his age, and Adam’s propensity to get injured and wondering if we need a younger version of the two (24-25?). We might already have one in McRae. So the question is then how do we find a way to get him 20 games in the middle in season 24? Similarly, could McReery turn into one of these players? Probably not gonna happen in a single season. Can Carmichael take a chance with another pre-season and more endurance? Maybe off to Bali on a Jordy training regime in the pre-season?

I think we will need a key forward in the next 2-4 years as Checkers comes to the end. I dont know if we need to get one this year - at least not an experienced one. I would feel ok going into next year with Checkers and McStay again, especially given the potency of our small forwards. Also - remember that we have a salary cap to manage as well.

Running half back/wing. We’re likely to see more Daicos and Crisp in the middle and Hosko may have 1-2 years left. I think Sidey may only have 24 left. Those two go out and we look short on two way runners out wide. We have Noble, who will no doubt set himself to improve. He’s a little small, but does he have the tank to play the Hosko role (which isn’t as physical)? Could Lipinski roll into this function? Maybe this is what they were thinking of with Jakob Ryan?

Key defender to replace Howie. Probably not for season 2024, but you want to try and identify where these guys are coming from.

I like how much speed we played with this year. I think it’s a great attribute.

Perhaps we have enough inside the club already for our ‘24 tilt and we can both pool our resources for a bigger trade next year and look for some more youngsters to backfill behind Richards, Allen and Ryan for several years down the track.

But for me, with a focus on the very near future:
-Inside mid to replace Adams/Mitchell
-Outside runner to prepare for Sidey/Hosko

[think positive]

A fully fledge bono fida very tall agile FF!

[LaurieHolden]

[Meredith1965]

I think a certain amount depends on whether Charlie Dean can get right. He is a new recruit, in a sense, in 2024, and since Moore and Murphy are nowhere near the twilight, Dean seems the Howe role replacement.

The other one I hope to see break through in 2024 is Ed Allen. Tons of potential there.

I’d not trade McCreery, though. Each year he gets better and I think he is coming into his prime. I think players are best traded when you know their full development path and can judge it’s at plateau. I think McCreery has upside. Less sure about Ginnivan.

[LaurieHolden]

[masoncox]

[LaurieHolden]

[Pies2016]

^^^

Probably a far less provocative solution to getting closer to a top 10 pick, is to bundle up this years first round selection and next years first round selection.
In that case and depending on other clubs needs ( Lions will need big points for Levi Ashcroft in 2024 ) we could possibly net something close to # 10 in this years draft.
We’re about to enter a period where draft picks will return less currency than usual due to further dilutions and concessions within the system. The next couple drafts aren’t anything special either, so the bang for your buck will likely come from drafting at the pointy end of these upcoming drafts or just trading out those early picks out for ready made talent ( albeit the restrictions that come with continual on trading of first round selections )

[piffdog]

Ahh the predictable "get me a key forward" chat.

a) with what currency?
b) to deliver for us when?
c) if we had one for season 2024 who would you tip out?
d) should we blow half our cap on someone who goes cold in finals? (Charlie Curnow...)

I actually liked the structure of our forward line this year - when it included McStay and Mihocek and then a rotating fleet of fast smalls who can jump and also provide pressure.

I dont think we should contemplate trading McReery - if he is indeed a project midfielder he can hopefully become a replacement for mitchell/adams.

I think we are in much greater need of a key defender - or at least someone who can become a key defender in the next 2-3 years, as well as an elite runner (Sidebottom replacement).

As I posted earlier - we may have all these things on the list already, but havent had a chance to see it develop on field.

I would be approaching this year's draft/trade period without too much activity.

For the record, I would certainly not be blowing the bank for a KPF this year.

If we do have some of these ingredients already, the question then becomes how do we get them gane time so they can develop?

[LaurieHolden]

^ either way I do expect we'll be doing something bold involving current contracted players or next years 1st rounder will occur.

Similar to the Lions, the Bulldogs will need some point additional collateral to deal with a top 10 F/S prospect in Jordan Croft likely to go early. That's already on top off their list management contract quandary of Naughton, Smith, Ugle-Hagan and English.

It's been well flagged GCS will need to build a points bank to secure their Academy prospects.

With Tasmania coming into the competition in 2027, your point re weaker drafts and talent pool picked over early by the Devils, getting our list positioned in the next 3 years will no doubt be at the front of list managers minds.

All in all, we'll need to take a good deal emotion out of the decision-making process.
This draft period should be fascinating as the first moves start to drop.

[LaurieHolden]