Next years recruiting becomes so important

[Darkstranger]

Just thinking out a loud, reckon we need to really go after a big fish and a medium type running defender. We have a pretty young side so think we can take some chances for one year to forgo a early pick to pick up say a Frawley, I'm a on the right track?

[Mugwump]

We're broadly covered for specialists on most lines and up the spine. When that's the case, you go for a premier mid. You can't have too many of them, amd I'm not sure about our next generation post Swan and Ball and, ultimately, Pendles.

[John Wren]

^ over the next few years any or all of jt, freeman, scharenberg, karnezis, adams, fasolo, kennedy, blair, sidebottom and beams could run through the mdifield. some will need to build their tanks and develop into the role but i don't think our stocks are too bad.

[Burns4PM]

I'll say two words.... Danger Field!!!!
Have it on very good authority, he's in the bag.... of course, that is a whole lot o cr@p, but gee, we should go after him HARD!!!!

[stui magpie]

I think we're covered for depth in each area except the Ruck.

While I don't think we should target any big fish, we should look closely at who is available via free agency and see what each one of them could bring to the team mix and if that would justify the expense.

The only thing we do need is a back up ruck assuming Hudson can't go round again.

[Albert Parker]

[yin-YANG]

No for a medium type running defender...

If you look at our young guys we have some good depth down back and in the ruck...

The glaring weakness is up forward. Cloke and WHite are both 27 this year and Reid is 25 so they have a few years left but we need to see some genuine young talent developed up forward - nothing in the magoos to really take note! That is why Moore is a high priority for next year, but good forwards are rare so I would focus my energy for next year on getting the best big forwards and maybe the year after also!

[John Wren]

^ agree. we need the next cloke.

[yin-YANG]

Quite clearly my recruiting focus is the distant future not the near future... I think we have the quality across the list and the young guys in place or getting better to replace Ball and Maxy for example in the short term.

[John Wren]

in four years' time we're going to need to see a young power forward rise through the ranks, i.e. early 20s. recruitment needs to happen now so there is minimal or no gap to bridge.

i would have most recruitment would need to be strategic rather than tactical but this would also be dependent on where the coaches see the game heading or how they want to influence where the game goes.

[September Zeros]

Yeah I'm done with the rucks. It seems to have been our recruiting focus for the last 4 years. Will we not survive next year with Witts, Grundy, and secondaries in white and maybe q stick for one more year?

I agree its time to start looking up forward. Moore is not a lock in champ so having a couple of his ilk is important to see if we can develop one. Ditto for the midfield. However I think we bat deeper in the midfield than we do up forward.

When I ask myself the question of Which key position player could we not cover the most if he went down with injury right now, My answer would be cloke. There's just no logical replacement sitting in the Magoos. It would instead require a team reshuffle with white most likely to fill his role. So for mine that's where the recruiting efforts point.

[AN_Inkling]

I reckon we do need another ruckman. Even if it's just a backup. It's the only hole in our list right now.

Given that the rest of our list is pretty well stocked, we chase the best available. We should have some cap space and need to be going hard after a quality player, doesn't matter where he plays.

Maybe in the draft we can target tall forwards for the future but not through trade or free agency, we need to use those to make us better now. Jolly or Ball types to take us to a flag. We will likely have Moore in the draft, so there's already one tall forward.

A few weeks ago I was 90% sure we'd be signing Gibbs in the off-season. He's exactly the player Buckley seems to want, seeing as we've brought in a number of his type over the last few years. Very good disposal, more outside than in, and can set you up off half back. I think the only thing stopping this from happening is that he's more likely to go back to SA.

[John Wren]

[killer]

I think we are covered in most areas except we could probably do with a crumbing goal sneak.

Elliot plays more tall and we have lacked polish and class up front since 2011

[HAL]

Do you think I am covered in most areas except we could porbably do with a crumbing goal sneak too?