Trade Targets ~ Free Agency & MSD player discussion

[Pies2016]

I get where Laurie is coming from when he raises Maynard as a trade option because you gotta give up quality to receive quality in return. You release a position that’s deemed as surplus to your needs in order to fill a void elsewhere. Personally, I wouldn’t like to see Maynard traded because he’s part of our leadership group and that’s soon to become less with pending retirements. He, like Murphy, drive uncompromising on field standards. You need players who attack the ball ferociously and embarrass their teammates into doing nothing less.
We also don’t need to only consider out of contract players in this exercise. Any player can be traded at any time as long as all three parties agree ( parent club, destination club and player concerned )
You could POTENTIALLY trade out the likes of any 2 / 3 player combination of Johnson, McCreery (?) Noble, Harrison, Markov etc ( examples only ) and then bundle up their modest trade returns for something more significant. These “ on the fringe “ players are often willing to play elsewhere because they can see themselves as part of another clubs best 22 every week. Ultimately our own depth would suffer but you base these decisions on being honest about where the club lies in terms of the old premiership clock analogy.
While there are a lot of ways to skin a cat, there is also no such thing as a free lunch. Such is the balancing act of an AFL list manager.

[Pies2016]

I think we can safely say the Nathan Murphy retirement will now have Collingwood prioritising a key defender over a key forward in the short term at least. We have a competent key forward who hasn’t played this season, so I don’t see the club picking up another one as either an MSD or free agent selection this year.
Murphy’s retirement and the pending retirement of Howe will shift the focus to filling those defensive voids with a key back who can at least cut it as an AFL defender. The good news is it’s easier to find a key defender over a key forward but the bad news is they still don’t grow on trees.
Eyre may yet be alright in time but it won’t be this year. Similar situation with Dean. Personally, I would like to see Krueger trialled at C H B the moment he returns to play his usual two consecutive games in the VFL before injuring himself again.
The key defensive stocks are very thin right now but there’s at least some comfort in knowing McStay upon his return, is well up to AFL standard.
Even having said all that, there’s also no point in the club choosing a key defender just for the sake of it if they don’t believe he’s got considerable upside in him ( a minor detail that seems to get lost on a lot of supporters )
The upcoming MSD is going to be a tough call for the club and it only gets tougher if we keep winning because our first pick drifts out further with every win.
So does the club go with the next best player available, who would likely be a medium height type or do they roll the dice on the next best key defender in the country in the knowledge he may very well not cut it at the highest level.
Dare I say it, in Hine we trust ( some more so than others )

[The Black and White Lion]

After the pies resurgence and destruction of Port yesterday, we’ve gone from wrecks to wonders in the space of 6 weeks. Back to 3-3 and seemingly yesterday, we had no weaknesses on the ground. Partner the first 20mins, everyone contributed and pretty much everything worked. Our defence worked. Our mids worked and won the contested ball, our wings and half’s connected and we didn’t long bomb to congestion every time. If we keep that up over the next month it will be hard to identify a discrete weakness other than age or injury.

Reckon we could take a medium forward or another big body mid in the MSD, Hutchison or Long if they’re available has already been widely broadcast in the media. Hope fully either of them are still there and will be happy with either.

Cox turned things around 180 yesterday and was great to see. Not sure on our back up ruck option if he or Cameron go down or if Cox’s form drops off again. Frampton has to be a lock down back now.

So a mature ruck who can ruck fwd and mark is my third choice for the MSD. Teakle could yet be our MSD selection. He showed enough to me in the preseason to show he could play a back up role.

[Alex]

Yeah we need to go tall. We have enough depth in our smalls: Macrae, Markov, Harrison, Richards, Sullivan, Bytel, and more.

Probably a Key Defender more likely, our depth there is Dean and Eyre, who are both injury prone. McInnes, Ash, and Kreuger is probably viable depth. Is Begg good enough to play if an injury occurs to Darc or Mason? Preferably want someone that can improve enough to take Cox's spot within the next 18 months.

[WhyPhilWhy?]

I wonder how Reef would go in either the Murphy or Howe role?

The latter arrived with a forward role in mind.

[piedys]

Sharenberg, Freeman and Langdon. All had real potential but from memory only Langdon played in 2018 GF. Is that right?

Bonafide cripples prior to their drafting. We were warned.
Neither in the class of Cripps.

I will give you the FACTS on Freeman because I coached him at U16 level.
...
While all recruiters get it wrong at some point, they should also be congratulated for identifying talent when no one else sees it.
Win some, lose some and that will never change.

Thanks for prompt reply there Pies2016; that's the sort of insider intel we need.
Not saying that these blokes drafted didn't have talent; they simply weren't anywhere near top 10 quality. And we paid/are still paying the price.

[stui magpie]

I wonder how Reef would go in either the Murphy or Howe role?

The latter arrived with a forward role in mind.

He'd likely go alright if he was trained for it, but I don't think intercept marking is his thing. His main attribute is speed off the mark. He has full forward written all over him if we can learn to kick to his advantage and he can learn to play the role.

McStay played as a 3rd tall forward at Brisbane. He's not a 1st key forward. He can fit into our system and be a role player but he's never going to be a dominant force. All our key forwards are either smalls or 2nd/3rd KPF.

I'd give your left nut for Cadman or one of the King brothers or even Jed Walters.

[Pies2016]

^^^
Interestingly enough, I heard Hine say at the time Allan was drafted, they felt Allan also had the attributes for a tall defender ( not necessarily a key defender I would guess )
That’s the beauty of young hybrid players, they have the physical gifts to be considered for multiple roles. Conversely, you can also end up being a jack of all trades and master of none.
We need to remember Allan is still only 20 and Reef has only recently turned 21. It takes time to grow into 194cm bodies. Nathan Murphy and plenty of others can all vouch for that.

[warburton lad]

This lad has signed on for our VFL program.

At 205cms, he would be a project player, but would be nice to have on the list..

https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/boston-dowling/

Boston Dowling
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Community Club: Old Trinity Grammarians
Date of Birth: 08/04/05
Height: 204cm

Mobile ruckman/forward who is still honing his craft playing eleven matches for the Chargers this year averaging 11 disposals, two marks and 13.5 hitouts but it was for the AGS in its annual representative game against the APS that he gave a glimpse of his obvious potential having 17 disposals, 29 hitouts and seven clearances. Recorded an 84cm running vertical jump and 3.16 seconds for the 20m sprint at the state Draft Combine which were good results for a player of his size.

[Charlie Oneeye]

Jordan Sweet age 26, 206cm, Bulldogs traded to Port for pick 50.
Jeez, there is a lesson to be learned here. (buy cheap, buy twice if you're lucky)

Reef to me looks a natural forward, like Checkers, I think he loves a goal.
However, I watched him play in the backline (not KP) for Oakleigh, and he looked good there too. Rowell and Anderson apparently kept him out of the middle, so it seems he could play on every line.

If he and Ed Allan come good, two good-sized, skilled players for the future who should find their place on a line.

We have ground cover for a few years imo.

Let's buy a KP or two.

[qldmagpie67]

Sharenberg, Freeman and Langdon. All had real potential but from memory only Langdon played in 2018 GF. Is that right?

A fit and seasoned Freeman and Scharenberg might have been the difference but neither stayed injury free for significant periods in order to fulfill their potential.

Bonafide cripples prior to their drafting. We were warned.
Neither in the class of Cripps.

I will give you the FACTS on Freeman because I coached him at U16 level. He and his family were also my next door neighbour for a number of years. Firstly Freeman never had a soft tissue injury during his time at either U16 or U18 level.
Because I coached him at U16 level, Rendell spoke to me as part of the clubs diligence required for collecting the social profiles of all potential prospects. Rendell said at the time they were very keen on Salem ( Freeman’s Dragons team mate ) They felt his ball use and composure made him more desirable than Freeman but the club had also put a priority on speed as an immediate need. At the time we spoke, the final draft order hadn’t been finalised, so it was more about collecting information before they prepared their selection order. It’s history now that Dees picked Salem at pick 9 and our recruiters then went with satisfying the need for speed fixation with Freeman at #10. Freeman was lightning quick for a player of his build but lacked composure and was one sided. Freeman’s ( Hailbury ) stocks also rose when he torched Salem ( Brighton Grammar ) in an APS game during their draft year.
To your point, on the night when he was picked at ten, I remember saying to myself, he doesn’t strike me as the tenth best junior in the country. That nasty hammy in the last practice match before the season started didn’t help either but it should also be remembered another club, StKilda also thought he would make it.
Langdon was another Dragon and an inspired selection in the sixties whose career was cut short with degenerative knee (s). I saw a bit of Langdon as an U18 and he was pretty underwhelming, so when they selected him on the night, I almost thought they called out the wrong name. While all recruiters get it wrong at some point, they should also be congratulated for identifying talent when no one else sees it. Win some, lose some and that will never change.

That draft year for us was a nightmare
Firstly I know our first choice at #6 was going to be The Bont and until the day prior we believed we had him when the Bulldogs had a last minute change of heart.
We went with Scharenberg who from all reports coming out of SA had everything it took to be a AFL footballer until a late season foot injury
When he finally got on the paddock he showed enough for that to be a fair assumption then bang he dies a knee.
I honestly believe had he played on the 2018 GF we would have won.
As for Langdon being underwhelming that’s a fair statement it sums up his career. Had he not played in the 2018 GF we likely win. His glaring errors not only turned the momentum but he personally gifted west coast 4 goals

[qldmagpie67]

Listening to Clarkson north are still going to invest heavily into the draft for the foreseeable future
So if we believe we need a true KFF is Larkey gettable ?
He’s a noted goal kicker even with his limited opportunities he gets

[mattdally]

I'd love Larkey but didn't he just sign a long term deal with the Roos?

[piedys]

That draft year [2013] for us was a nightmare
Firstly I know our first choice at #6 was going to be The Bont and until the day prior we believed we had him when the Bulldogs had a last minute change of heart.

Was wishful thinking hoping Bont would still be there at #6, but Welfare nabbed him first.
Still should have taken Aish before the other two, as we had to then poach him from Bears two years later, with more trade pain and bleeding from our arse.

[Magpie Russ]

Was wishful thinking hoping Bont would still be there at #6, but Welfare nabbed him first.
Still should have taken Aish before the other two, as we had to then poach him from Bears two years later, with more trade pain and bleeding from our arse.

but we rectum in the 2023 Grand Final