Hickey gone?

[samuraisaint]

The article suggests Pick 37 and maybe a future second rounder for Hannebery??? Sydney want to free up cap space - we should have the whip hand. Two picks would be even crazier.

Crazy. We must hold out for pick #20.

[bobmurray]

Maybe we could offer Wet Toast Hickey AND Longer for pick 20.

[saintspremiers]

Hickey isn’t worth Pick 20. Dream on!

Longer isn’t worth anything

[silverhalo]

I can't help thinking back 2 - 3 years ago when Hickey was vying with Gawn for best ruckman - his best is VERY good, he's good below his knees so he's almost that extra midfielder. All the noises I'm hearing suggest he'll go but I think we'll regret it. Will become a top ruckman at WCE.

[fugazi]

Hickey isn’t worth Pick 20. Dream on!

Longer isn’t worth anything

It will be about pick 24 by the time the compos are included... Stanley went for 26 from memory

[bigcarl]

I can't help thinking back 2 - 3 years ago when Hickey was vying with Gawn for best ruckman - his best is VERY good, he's good below his knees so he's almost that extra midfielder. All the noises I'm hearing suggest he'll go but I think we'll regret it. Will become a top ruckman at WCE.

Of course he will. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to move a player like Longer past him.

Strong at the football? Yes? Can he get a kick? Hardly.

Dopey move and it speaks volumes of our inability to develop talent, which, btw, Hickey has.

[samuraisaint]

Hickey isn’t worth Pick 20. Dream on!

Yes he is.
And ask yourself this - why would a club which has won two premierships in twelve years, plus finished runners up twice, be interested in him if he wasn't?

And I would prefer it if he stayed anyway.

[groupie1]

I'm keen to toss Longer the 'get out' sign, and get Jordan Roughead as a defender/chopout in the ruck - giving Pierce the big job. Not against Mumford either. Roughhead IS a defender, so why he's being talked about as a ruckman, IDK.

We have to get some of GC's high picks, somehow, to either go for a Scully/Shiel deal, or load up on the big names in the draft. I'd throw McCartin on the table to do that... if that measn we can land Lukocious, giving us:

Lonie Bruce Long
Membry Battle Billings

as a forward line.

If J Steven wants to go, demand Kelly, who we ontrade to WCE in return for Gaff & first pick (they have no trade leverage), ontrade Gaff to NMF for their 1st and 2nd picks. Getting us a bunch of late 1st and 2nd round picks to trade with.

[Ghost Like]

Hickey isn’t worth Pick 20. Dream on!

Yes he is.
And ask yourself this - why would a club which has won two premierships in twelve years, plus finished runners up twice, be interested in him if he wasn't?

And I would prefer it if he stayed anyway.

Hickey is a band aid for WCE. They cannot or won't match the offer for Lycett because of additional payments for premiership players and what they'll have to pay Kelly. They have a structure, especially with Nic Nat sidelined, that calls for two ruckmen, worked a treat against the two best rucks in the comp. Hickey will get games with them in 2019 through circumstance. I imagine the quality of those will be good to begin with and then taper, seems to be Hickey's way.
I've no doubt the WCE would prefer Lycett to stay.
If we get a 2nd rounder, fantastic. One club's band aid should not be our #1 choice. Fingers crossed for Marshall & Pierce.
If we can move Longer on, perhaps we look at Nicholls from GC & either a State League ruck. Such a pity Preuss wants to play 2nd fiddle to Gawn.
Things cannot stay the same and just because another club has a sniff at some of our players who have been dropped throughout our dismal season does not make them suddenly round 1 draft picks, just much needed currency.

[freely]

We'll find out next year how much of wc's smart negation of gawn and grundy was down to mitchell.

[st.byron]

Hickey isn’t worth Pick 20. Dream on!

Longer isn’t worth anything

It will be about pick 24 by the time the compos are included... Stanley went for 26 from memory

It was Stanley and pick 60 (our fourth rounder) for Geelong’s pick 21, which we then used on Hugh Goddard.

[ListManager]

If Hickey goes, we would need to find another ruck.

Roughead maybe, but plenty of mature age rucks are out there in state leagues. Club is looking at a couple. Similar to how we got Marshall.

Even if Hickey goes we don't need another ruckman. Use the pick on a midfielder. If the club determines that they want another ruckman then grab one in the rookie draft. We need to stop wasting picks on ruckman.

[stonecold]

If Hickledik goes, we will be better off and West Coast will be worse off, simple!!!!!

[silverhalo]

If Hickledik goes, we will be better off and West Coast will be worse off, simple!!!!!

I don't agree, I don't want to lose Hick but it's looking likely he will go. I just hope our 'brains' trust remembers how we got bent over in the Cripps deal by WCE and look to get a decent return on him.

[groupie1]

I'd prefer they were chasing Longer, of course

[SydneySainter]

If Hickledik goes, we will be better off and West Coast will be worse off, simple!!!!!

We might be better off as long as Lewis & Marshall are the first choice rucks and Longer is the insurance policy.

[groupie1]

Totally agree the future is Peirce and Marshall, but wouldda preferred Hickey as insurance (if Longer wouldda gotten us the same pick as the Hick)

[mightysainters]

Take a 2nd rounder whether it be late or early it’s a win.. Hickey isn’t much and Pierce and Marshall have much better upside

[SydneySainter]

Totally agree the future is Peirce and Marshall, but wouldda preferred Hickey as insurance (if Longer wouldda gotten us the same pick as the Hick)

Agreed also. Problem being, Hickey’s better than an insurance policy, he’s a decent enough footballer to be in the best 22. Therefore, if he stayed, he would probably have to be first ruck and I just can’t see him getting better as long as he’s a Saint and as long as Richo is coach. New club is probably the best thing for him.

Longer, change of guernsey or not, I can’t see him improving, no matter where he goes.

[dragit]

Lewis Pierce has played 4 AFL games… in his last 2, he had 17 & 14 hitouts, 7 & 9 disposals, 0 & 2 marks.

Absolute delusions of grandeur to consider this guy a better option than Hickey at this stage.

Marshall looks promising, but looks more like a forward/ruck rather than a #1 ruckmen.

[st.byron]

AFL website reporting that Lobb has chosen Fremantle and will seek a deal to land there.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-08/w ... he-dockers

So that would perhaps increase the likelihood of Hickey finding his way to WCE.

[degruch]

AFL website reporting that Lobb has chosen Fremantle and will seek a deal to land there.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-08/w ... he-dockers

So that would perhaps increase the likelihood of Hickey finding his way to WCE.

Sounds like it...it would probably be a two-way race between Hickey and Roughead, who most neutrals seem to see as same-same. We might hold the whip hand, but Roughy is a FA and may come cheaper, so if we push too hard Weagles may look elsewhere. From what I'm reading they may be set to gain some picks in the mid-high 20's from trades, I'd love one of them.

[Saintmatt]

Take a 2nd rounder whether it be late or early it’s a win.. Hickey isn’t much and Pierce and Marshall have much better upside

That's true. Although it's likely we'll successfully manage to de-skill Pierce and Marshall to the point they're traded.

[st.byron]

AFL website reporting that Lobb has chosen Fremantle and will seek a deal to land there.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-08/w ... he-dockers

So that would perhaps increase the likelihood of Hickey finding his way to WCE.

Sounds like it...it would probably be a two-way race between Hickey and Roughead, who most neutrals seem to see as same-same. We might hold the whip hand, but Roughy is a FA and may come cheaper, so if we push too hard Weagles may look elsewhere. From what I'm reading they may be set to gain some picks in the mid-high 20's from trades, I'd love one of them.

Both about the same age. (3 months apart). Hick 80 games, Roughead 140. If there’s no competition for Roughead, and WCE rate them similar, they hold the reins in negotiations.

[sunsaint]

Both about the same age. (3 months apart). Hick 80 games, Roughead 140. If there’s no competition for Roughead, and WCE rate them similar, they hold the reins in negotiations.

this is a litmus test for our club tho
yep WC at this stage seem to have the upper hand
they are hoping Nicnat comes back next year - but really at 28 how many more good years has he got?
So they lose Lycett and have looked to Hickey as a statistically similar player but his age is similar to NicNat and will cost something in negotiation terms
J roughead is in the picture as a RFA and comes at 28yrs but a much poorer ruckman
They could also get Mumford and a wheelchair for 12 months or go with best local ruck in the WAFL - cheap cheap

they way I see it - they have options but there really is only 1 ruckman out there so we should dictate them terms
lets say a sub 30 pick
we wont