A grade midfielder

[MC Gusto]

Based on where we are at is this continual talk about being aggressive in the trading period and buying an A grade mid and a full back the right option for our club?? Wouldn't a better approach be trading hard for picks and going hard in the draft(s) so we have a core bunch of talent coming through again?
I can't help but think that buying in the free agency will likely mean paying over the odds (a la Goddard and essendon) and will simply bandaid the performance issues and potentially lock up our cap again?
I really think we need to focus on drafting unless pelchen pulls out some miracle trades...

[gringo]

I would look at established talent as they are guaranteed and will add quality to the kids. We need a Gherig and Hamill about now just to add hope even.

i would look at guys like Thomas but then also be looking at guys who are good now, young but look like future superstars. Offer masses of overs to guys like Nat Fyfe- his body would handle the melbourne soft grounds better. A future Dangerfield or Kennedy some one like Chad Wingard or Andrew Gaff. Plenty of franchise kids will be open to moves. Most players will get to move where they want these days even if they aren't free agents.

[jonesy]

Definetly need to go hard at young talent. F*** the quick fix second hand reject options. Trying to eek out 10 wins a year for the next 3 years will only prolong the recovery.

Get moving,play the kids, thank the oldies, it's time to move on,seriously. Forget about 09/10,there will be no redemption,it was clear when Lyon walked there would be no redemption,yet we keep going down the path of trying to top up,extraordinary!

Get as much time into Hickey as possible, if we can fast track him,and Bens natural progression,we all of a sudden have one that we can offload with currency at the end of 2014 when we poach a GWS young gun.

We need to get the next 24 months right,as the last 5 years have been a spectacular c*** up in drafting/trading. Stuff up the next two years,and you can kiss this decade goodbye

People on here will keep kidding themselves with there rose coloured glasses on about up and coming talent we have,and perceived depth, and how with a bit of tinkering we will challenge again. Absolute rot, we are a long way behind the 8 ball looking to the future. Pelchin will want to have a good 24 months, not sure his first 24 have been to crash hot.

[cannavaro17]

From a game day perspective I am almost happy to lose every game by one point as long as our young ones are developing. Hopefully we can get some A graders in the few years in terms of drafting quality youngsters and we have a crack again in 4 years. Reality is that the game goes in cycles, as long as we improve its ok in my eyes. Just don't want to end up like Melbourne. I would like to think that:
Stanley
Sipposs
Roberton
Geary
Simpkin
Saad
Wright
Murdoch
Armo
Steven
Mcevoy
Hickey

Could be apart of this push when they peek, but obviously we need to get our hands on the next Judd, beams etc in the next few drafts if we are lucky/good enough. Just my thoughts I hope I made sense.

[borderbarry]

We need to pinch a good mid off GC or GWS too if we can.

[St Ick]

We need to pinch a good mid off GC or GWS too if we can.

Both clubs have locked away most of their elite talent already.

I thought we should've made a huge play for Beams last year to be honest when he was at odds over contracts. Hard to see a kid wanting to come to us unless it was to break our salary cap.

[gringo]

We need to pinch a good mid off GC or GWS too if we can.

Both clubs have locked away most of their elite talent already.

I thought we should've made a huge play for Beams last year to be honest when he was at odds over contracts. Hard to see a kid wanting to come to us unless it was to break our salary cap.

i think we should be watching every reserves game from both those clubs. They have had so many compo picks it's not funny if there aren't 2 or 3 potential guns siting at reserve level they must have crap recruiters. We need some solid kids as much as a superstar for depth.

[Old Mate]

Develop within is the way to go. Watters has said rebuilding began at the beginning of last season and expect it to continue for 2-3 years. We will likely nab 3 top 10, even top 5 draft picks over the next 3 years. Its important not to trade them away unless for a quality kid from GC or GWS. Gaff would be nice from the Weagles too. As far as free agents go such as Thomas I don't believe we are in a position to attract them. We're are better off pulling the trigger on a FA when we are about to start playing finals again (2-3 years minimum).

[saintsRrising]

Watters said pre-game that net year we are in the maket fora a grade mid and full back.

One can presume both on the youngish side.

However convincing a good mid to come to a "sliding" club is easier said than done. Is there any wonder Caddy chose the Cats over us? And Caddy is not even a first tier mid. He preferred to go to a more competitive club, rather than a club where it would be easier for him to get midfield game time.

[plugger66]

Watters said pre-game that net year we are in the maket fora a grade mid and full back.

One can presume both on the youngish side.

However convincing a good mid to come to a "sliding" club is easier said that down. Is there any wonder Caddy chose the Cats over us? And Caddy is not even a first tier mid. He preferred to go to a more competitive club, rather than a club where it would be easier for him to get midfield game time.

I reckon you can get anyone for the right, or should i say the wrong money. Ablett went to GC and they are very unlikely to get close to a flag in his time. Clark went to Melbourne and they wont win a flag in his time. Having said that is is no good us getting a star through FA next year. They will have to be at least 26 years old and that means they will be to old when we next challenge. If we get someone it has to be a younger person who wants to leave their club.

[ShanghaiSaint]

on top of a Mid and key defender we also need a new forward... With Roo's knee you can't expect to much more from him. Stanley could be a key defender... HF replacement with a key mid? I still think Terry could become a top runing mid.

[older saint]

I get a feeling it could be Thomas they are looking at - Waters would have worked with him at Collingwood and out of contract at years end?

[saintsRrising]

I reckon you can get anyone for the right, or should i say the wrong money. Ablett went to GC and they are very unlikely to get close to a flag in his time..

While true if the money is obscene in amount, I think the Suns were assistied with Ablett as a large slice of what he gets is "marketing" rather than salary cap.

Doubt that we will have the AFL tilting things our way, or that we will have private benefactors willing to tip in obscene off field deals (or that they would be allowed).

So best chance would be over the odds money for a young mid, or possibly two. As we will be deemed a "bottom-ish" slidin team we will have to paya premium compared toa "rsing' or "there" team. The "theres" may not have as much salary cap room though.
In 2014 we have more freedom for this sans- BJ and Gram.

However, I doubt that we will be in the "anyone" recruiting territory as other clubs with "tilting" in their favour can outbid us.

[plugger66]

I get a feeling it could be Thomas they are looking at - Waters would have worked with him at Collingwood and out of contract at years end?

I would hope not. He will be 27 half way through next year. Dont see the point of getting players that age.

[older saint]

Didnt realise that old. Need to look at the out of contract / free agent list.

[plugger66]

Didnt realise that old. Need to look at the out of contract / free agent list.

Thats the problem getting someone from the FA list. They will all be at least that old.

[saintsRrising]

I get a feeling it could be Thomas they are looking at - Waters would have worked with him at Collingwood and out of contract at years end?

I would hope not. He will be 27 half way through next year. Don't see the point of getting players that age.

Agree as he would be 30-33 when hopefully we are making our next genuine tilt.

They would need to be 20-24 now.

The cloud on this horizon is that this is going to be when you would expect GWS and Suns to be really up and about.

Current 26/27 year olds already on our list may be part of it, but I would not see the club recruiting anyone net year who will be 27 or older net year.

TDL must have been a borderline pick up based on his age.

[defacto]

I get a feeling it could be Thomas they are looking at - Waters would have worked with him at Collingwood and out of contract at years end?

I would hope not. He will be 27 half way through next year. Dont see the point of getting players that age.

huge plus 1.

we need to find our own A grade mids i nthe draft. if were going to trade in then it has to be along the lines of lee/hickey where they are less than 24 now. so they are not 30+ when we make a tilt for the flag next

[FQF]

Caddy would have been handy

[Old Mate]

Caddy would have been handy

I thought he may improve being at a better club but so far I'm seeing the same problem with Caddy - He doesn't get nearly enough of the footy. I don't believe it's his engine cos from what I've heard he's an animal on the track. Even know he is young he's got a big body but doesn't seem to win many one on one contests. Agreed that's he's in the age demographic we need to target, or look for a gun midfielder in the draft....Think how good Whines is gonna be and he was selected with pick 7 in the draft! I reckon that's about where our first round pick will be come draft time.

[bergholt]

I thought he may improve being at a better club but so far I'm seeing the same problem with Caddy - He doesn't get nearly enough of the footy. I don't believe it's his engine cos from what I've heard he's an animal on the track. Even know he is young he's got a big body but doesn't seem to win many one on one contests.

He's played 20-odd games and is 20 years old so I reckon you just can't tell yet. Some players take time. Our own Joey Montagna was 22 before he had his first reasonable season in 06 and 25 before he reached AA form in 2009.

[Old Mate]

I thought he may improve being at a better club but so far I'm seeing the same problem with Caddy - He doesn't get nearly enough of the footy. I don't believe it's his engine cos from what I've heard he's an animal on the track. Even know he is young he's got a big body but doesn't seem to win many one on one contests.

He's played 20-odd games and is 20 years old so I reckon you just can't tell yet. Some players take time. Our own Joey Montagna was 22 before he had his first reasonable season in 06 and 25 before he reached AA form in 2009.

I see your point berg but like I said, Caddy is a mature body with a very good tank (from what I've read) and was a very high draft pick. All the ingredients for a player ready for senior footy. Joey was very slight when he began and was competing with senior mids Harves, Hayes and Thompson and was behind our top draftees that same year Ball, Dal Santo and Clarke. I remember a game last year where Caddy was jeered by supporters. He played a full game and ended up with about three disposals...That's been his knock in his first two and a bit seasons, he doesn't get near the footy enough. It's his third season, he would want to start showing something as a high pick midfielder.

[BigMart]

Can't 27 yo players play the game?? Obviously we thought Lovett could??
We have 5 players over 32
A graders generally play until 32

We just lost an a grader of that age (most a graders are that age)

The key to recruiting/trading
Can/will this player play 100 games?

If you get a return of 100 games that is a good return... We need, should be paying our cap and have all age demographics covered.

[plugger66]

Can't 27 yo players play the game?? Obviously we thought Lovett could??
We have 5 players over 32
A graders generally play until 32

We just lost an a grader of that age (most a graders are that age)

The key to recruiting/trading
Can/will this player play 100 games?

If you get a return of 100 games that is a good return... We need, should be paying our cap and have all age demographics covered.

32 years old can play the game but we arent going to win a flag in the next 5 years IMO so why get a 27 year old now. What is the point unless he is a super star like Ablett. We still have very good older players and even they cant help us win games anymore.

[paddy]

anyone under 23 is still young enough to take us through to our next window