McEvoy to Hawthorn

[Middo]

I heard that we are shopping Gilbert & pick 21 to GWS for Tyson & Bruce…

I'd jump at that. Legit?

I think Dragit was proving a point. The point is how easy is it to start a rumour. Maybe im wrong and he did hear it. We will get Savage though. That is fact. Not for Ben though.

I lol'd ...

[ausfatcat]

It's believed Carlton is willing to part with the pick No.28 that it got from Richmond in the Shaun Hampson deal in order to get Savage.

If thats what savage is worth then I like the trade but sad to see Mac go

[duckduckduckgoose]

Well full marks to the pelican for rolling the dice.
It takes some nuts to ditch any proven player with a certain 10 year career ahead of them.

It's easy to ditch guys who could fall off the radar after a few years... no chance of that happening with ben.

Well- now it's over to savage, pick 18 and stanley to make the gamble pay off.

I personally think ben was severely hampered by no support this year from a still developing hickey and will do VERY well at the hawks.
Having said that though- it could mean a huge boost for stanley... he could be like a brand new recruit next year.
If that happens, it's a good trade

[dragit]

I reckon the phone conversation when something like

Pelchen "G'day Big Boy"

McEvoy "Hi Big Bird"

Pelchen "Look I have a really big decision for you to make, how would you feel about joining Haw…"

McEvoy "Yep, done"

Pelchen "Okay, wow great, do you want some time to think…"

McEvoy "No, I'm good, I'll come and get all my s*** tomorrow…"

[Spud]

It's believed Carlton is willing to part with the pick No.28 that it got from Richmond in the Shaun Hampson deal in order to get Savage.

If thats what savage is worth then I like the trade but sad to see Mac go

Heard Macca's management on radio say he wanted to be a one club player but once he got his head round the deal and realising it is a business these days he was ok with leaving. On the basis of him being a one club player I will be sad to see him leave, but I really rate Savage, and pick 17 is nothing to sneeze at.

[maverick]

To me Ben's a good solid player but will never be a champion, never win a B&F, will not dominate the ruck and by the time we are contending again, the game may have passed him.

The Hawks will do well in the next couple of years but by the time he is 28 I think the game's gone past him.

Very much a case of more value to the Hawks than to us.

Two good mids (potentially) for a seemingly surplus ruck is a good trade....

[ace]

I used to think Hawthorn had a half decent recruitment department.
Now they have proved me wrong.

Why would anyone want a ruckman who can wrestle, instead of a ruckman who can run and jump.
Instead of a ruckman who can ruck.
Instead of a ruckman who can give his midfielders first use of the ball.

Mc Evoy was the ruckman you have when you didn't have a ruckman.
He cost St Kilda pick no 9 at the end of 2007, he cost St Kilda Patrick Dangerfield or Cyril Rioli.
But we needed a ruckman.

Now Hawthron have good citizen and born leader, leader of a losing midfield.

St Kilda has only had 2 top 10 draft picks since they wasted pick 8 on Raph Clarke in 2004.
They used those 2 top 10 picks on the cream of the midfield crop - Mc Evoy and Armitage.
2 players who try their hearts out only to be thrashed week in week out because they were only ever curd.

[Con Gorozidis]

I used to think Hawthorn had a half decent recruitment department.
Now they have proved me wrong.

Why would anyone want a ruckman who can wrestle, instead of a ruckman who can run and jump.
Instead of a ruckman who can ruck.
Instead of a ruckman who can give his midfielders first use of the ball.

Mc Evoy was the ruckman you have when you didn't have a ruckman.
He cost St Kilda pick no 9 at the end of 2007, he cost St Kilda Patrick Dangerfield or Cyril Rioli.
But we needed a ruckman.

Now Hawthron have good citizen and born leader, leader of a losing midfield.

St Kilda has only had 2 top 10 draft picks since they wasted pick 8 on Raph Clarke in 2004.
They used those 2 top 10 picks on the cream of the midfield crop - Mc Evoy and Armitage.
2 players who try their hearts out only to be thrashed week in week out because they were only ever curd.

thanks for the reminders
i am officially going to jump off a cliff.

[Watts the Buzz]

Get ready for this deal.
Shane Savage and Hawthorn's first pick for McEvoy.
Likely to be announced in next day or so.

Good call matey. So what's on the agenda for tomorrow Nostradamus!

[skeptic]

St Kilda has only had 2 top 10 draft picks since they wasted pick 8 on Raph Clarke in 2004.

Who should we have taken instead?

Mundy went at 17 a whole 9 picks later

Best player after that is arguably Sam Fisher at 55 or Stanton at 13 or maybe Shane Tuck in the 70s

Going through that draft, the top 5 were stand outs and it all quickly fell away after that

Raph pbly within the top 10 players taken that year or thereabouts

Certainly not a howler

[Con Gorozidis]

Get ready for this deal.
Shane Savage and Hawthorn's first pick for McEvoy.
Likely to be announced in next day or so.

Good call matey. So what's on the agenda for tomorrow Nostradamus!

Jaxons
Clearly you know whats going on.
Whats next ?

[jaxons]

There is a lot happening but nothing I can report yet.
Will give it to you as soon as I can.
I can confirm that there were further picks in the McEvoy deal that is even stronger for us but that will not come to light until compensation for Buddy is announced by AFL.

[Teflon]

There is a lot happening but nothing I can report yet.
Will give it to you as soon as I can.
I can confirm that there were further picks in the McEvoy deal that is even stronger for us but that will not come to light until compensation for Buddy is announced by AFL.

Cheers Jaxons

[SemperFidelis]

There is a lot happening but nothing I can report yet.
Will give it to you as soon as I can.
I can confirm that there were further picks in the McEvoy deal that is even stronger for us but that will not come to light until compensation for Buddy is announced by AFL.

Thank you for checking back in, good to hear from you Jaxons!

Hoping today is a another strong day for the club, but not sure I can survive another few weeks like yesterday ... Advanced warning of bombshells now greatly appreciated ...

[MC Gusto]

The buddy compo pick is now being reported by the age etc. this is great news - we clearly won this trade

[St Ick]

There is a lot happening but nothing I can report yet.
Will give it to you as soon as I can.
I can confirm that there were further picks in the McEvoy deal that is even stronger for us but that will not come to light until compensation for Buddy is announced by AFL.

Fantastic news thanks! I was hoping the rumour re our pick upgrades to their teen compo was true. Actually, its probably too soon still to see the words teen compo when talking about us isn't it?

[saintspremiers]

There is a lot happening but nothing I can report yet.
Will give it to you as soon as I can.
I can confirm that there were further picks in the McEvoy deal that is even stronger for us but that will not come to light until compensation for Buddy is announced by AFL.

Fantastic news thanks! I was hoping the rumour re our pick upgrades to their teen compo was true. Actually, its probably too soon still to see the words teen compo when talking about us isn't it?

Teen but 18 or over so there can't be any misinformation from the media

[St Loxton]

Im happy with that trade.

[lewdogs]

Just wanted to share some quick thoughts on Macca...

Earliest memory is obviously the ball to the head moment. I thought "Great Saints, we've picked up another spud."

Of course, that didn't turn out to be the case. Early on Macca was average, but his marking became incredible around the ground and he liked to bob forward and kick a goal too, something that was lacking a bit in those days. 2010 he was solid but he got dropped for the Grand Final. I remember thinking how devastated he must have been. All the same, I got really upset when I heard an interview with his mum on the radio days after the draw.

She said that in the dying minutes, knowing that Gardiner was injured, she had been cheering on the draw and they pumped fists when it happened. This upset me a lot, especially after watching footage of Gardiner sobbing on the sidelines, knowing his last chance was done. "Well you had better prove yourself next week Big Mac," I thought, "Mum talked the talk, now walk the walk."

Of course, he didn't walk the walk, in fact he was absolutely smashed by Jolly in the replay. I was pissed at him after that, or at least pissed at his mum. One for all and all for one has to be our motto. Strength through loyalty. Macca was young and he got a baptism of fire that day.

In subsequent years I forgave Macca because he gave everything on game day. He would run until he looked like he was going to drop dead, probably inspired by the captain. He would heave slowly to the bench looking like he had nothing left to give, and moments later be back on to contest. That is the great thing about Macca, along with his hands, he gives everything. 2011-12 were great years for Big Ben and I loved watching him go about it, even if he did get smashed at the ruck contests every week.

But this year, Macao just seemed to... dwindle. He looked slower than the slow bloke of years gone by. He would get flogged every week in hit outs and you would ask "When is this guy going to learn to win a tap?" When I saw Hickey's named as first ruck and Macca on the bench in the last couple of games, I knew something was up. When I heard of the trade it didn't come as a surprise, and now while I feel a bit sad I am also excited. I'm excited that the club can make tough decisions on a bloke who tries hard but who has stagnated as a player, and I'm excited that we have clear direction for our list.

I wish Macca all the best, and it looks like Mum might get to cheer him on in a big dance again sooner rather than later... What's crazy is that I'd be cheering on Darren Jolly this time.