Craig Bird??

[RavsterII]

PREMIERSHIP defender Craig Bird could be open to a move this trade period after playing just six senior games for the Sydney Swans this year, including just one after round five.

Bird, 26, is contracted for 2016 and remains a required player at the Swans, but if a suitable opportunity comes up at a rival club it is believed both Bird and the Swans would seriously consider an amicable parting.

Several rival clubs have already expressed preliminary interest in Bird.
-AFL web

a quick running defender who can play through mid(line breaker type). would slot nicely in defence

surely we should be after him

What is your view?

[matrix]

That all the threads you've made should be in the draft thread...about 5 threads down

[Wayne42]

I think we should offer him a spot on Sandy's list, Hudson needs some quality seconds players.

[Goose is king]

Well, there are no dud premiership players.
But no thanks for mine

[Jacks Back]

We've already got running defender types in Webster and Roberton.

In this case a Bird in the hand would not be worth two in the Seaford scrub.

[spert]

Players who come from a successful premiership culture are good to have on the list, and Bird has plenty to offer. Maybe this could explain it:

[White Winmar]

Oh haven't you heard? A well a Bird Bird Bird, Bird is the word, a well a Bird, Bird, Bird Bird is the word!

[saintsRrising]

Bird, 26, is contracted for 2016

What is your view?

Two Aspects.

26

26 = most likely too old. Particularly as he is 26 yrs 8 months!

Carlisle turned 24 on Oct 1 and that age is about the limit, as we are building our next GF tilt around a core of players 24 and under.
We need to keep recruiting players whom are 24 and under at present to keep adding to this demographic so that we build a generation that will age and play together over a period of time. In two seasons it will be ok to add 26 year olds, but not this year.

Savage, Shane 24yr 9mth B
Hickey, Tom 24yr 7mth C
Roberton, Dylan 24yr 3mth B
Carlisle 24 yr A
Weller, Maverick 23yr 7mth C
Bruce, Josh 23yr 3mth A-B
Curren, Thomas 23yr 2mth D
Newnes, Jack 22yr 7mth B
Ross, Sebastian 22yr 4mth B-C
Longer, Billy 22yr 4mth A-C
Webster, Jimmy 22yr 3mth A-B
Minchington, Darren 21yr 9mth C-D
Murdoch, Brodie 21yr 8mth C-D
Wright, Nathan 21yr 7mth C-D
Membrey, Tim 21yr 4mth B-C
Saunders, Josh 21yr 1mth D
Pierce, Lewis 20yr 10mth ?
Dunstan, Luke 20yr 8mth A-B
Sinclair, Jack (R) 20yr 7mth A-C
Freeman 20 yr 3 mth A-B
Billings, Jack 20yr 1mth A
Templeton, Eli 20yr 1mth D
Acres, Blake 19yr 11mth A-C
McCartin, Patrick 19yr 5mth A-C
McKenzie, Daniel 19yr 4mth A-C
Lonie, Jack 19yr 1mth A_C
Goddard, Hugh 19yr 1mth A-C

I have done a rough ranking. There is a range for some as I am more unsure where they wil end up. ie Acres. Ds probably will not make it long-term.

In particular what we need to really do now is keep adding CLASS to the group we now have. We have assembled a reasonable list above with most positions covered, but we now need more top end talent and if we do land Carlisle it will be mainly very good mids that we will need. I am not sure that Bird is enoug of an upgrade to make him worth chasing.

Hopefully we keep pick 5 to land one this year.

Contracted

With Carlisle and Freeman both being re is the contracted it means the strong likeliehood of gaining them at a cost below their true worth. Not for peanuts though, but yes at a discount.

Contracted players will normally cost more. If you can keep gaining uncontracted players that fit our needs, including FA's then that means ovr time you should out-perform.

So with Bird being almost 27 and contracted he has two strikes against his name. If he was free, or virtually free you may look at him, but he is stil 27 and older than the playing window that we are building.

[spert]

I reckon 30yo is a good cutoff limit, but 27yo is fine. We need to recruit specific players to strengthen the team in various positions- that's what the Hawks do without fail.

[terry smith rules]

Carlisle 24 yr A
Freeman 20 yr 3 mth A-B

Wow talk about the grass been greener

Carlisle has played maybe 15 good games in his career but he is an A Grader!!!

and Freeman has played ZERO games but is an A-B (based on what, I suspect hope)

[Jacks Back]

I have done a rough ranking. There is a range for some as I am more unsure where they wil end up. ie Acres. Ds probably will not make it long-term.

If we (the saints) can rank the players and positions then you would always be wanting to replace all D graders with C graders, etc, whenever possible otherwise we won't improve.

[mr six o'clock]

Oh haven't you heard? A well a Bird Bird Bird, Bird is the word, a well a Bird, Bird, Bird Bird is the word!

[saintsRrising]

Carlisle 24 yr A
Freeman 20 yr 3 mth A-B

Wow talk about the grass been greener

Carlisle has played maybe 15 good games in his career but he is an A Grader!!!

and Freeman has played ZERO games but is an A-B (based on what, I suspect hope)

It is just a relative rating of that group of players......and was not ranked compared to all AFL players.