What do we need in the draft/trade period?

[stui magpie]

Take a good look at our list and it's actually in pretty damn good shape. Lots of competition for spots if we get a half decent run with injury.

So, if we do get a decent run with injury, assume that the whole list (except the Berg and the Caff) are up and about fit and ready to go come round 1. What is missing to be a top 4 team, personnel wise?

Allowing Beams and Harry are leaving and we've lost a lot of experience with Ball, Maxy etc. we still have multiple options on every line.

I have my thoughts but I'll keep them to myself for the moment, I'd rather see what others think.

NB, If you want to have a sulk about the coaches or fitness staff p155 off to another thread. The premise is simple, look at our list, what is missing, not just by naming a player but a description of the skill set.

[Bob Sugar]

A new coach would be a start.

[September Zeros]

Ideally I'd like to see Reid back.

So for mine a quality tall forward to play along side cloke with the third wheel being white. Or a tall defender.

Witts and Grundy resting forward may be the option,and Moore will likely come in, so perhaps I'm being a little short sighted, but I still feel there's a hole there.

I could thus see the merit in the interest in Clarke.

[AN_Inkling]

We definitely need more mids. Of course to replace Beams and Lumumba but possibly even more after that. Particularly we need mids that can run all day and some that have a bit of creativity. We've lost a bit of both in the last few years with Thomas, Lumumba and Wellingham all leaving and you really don't have a good midfield, or a good team, without it. Beams leaving will be a blessing in disguise here, not so Lumumba.

In the short term another tall to help out Trav and allow Reid to move back to defense. But this is not critical as the short term is not something we should be looking at.

We could maybe do with a backup ruck but not something to worry too much or spend anything on.

So for me the one critical thing is to replenish our midfield stocks. Bring in a few quality mids and we're not looking too bad.

[3.14159]

We need players that can kick straight.

[Darkstranger]

I reckon if we get pick 4 from the AFL manufactured club, we should try and get Ben's brother Sam over, would be a bigger pick up than the other knob that selected Geelong over us....you know....

[kymbo5@yahoo.com.au]

I agree re we improved kicking skills from those we currently have and whomever we get.

There isn't a whole lot of current players left to pick up that will significantly improve our list in my opinion. Clarke would have been handy.

We need a real hard at it type, one who makes his team mate stand taller around them and who makes opposition think twice about winning cxontestyed footy around them. Not a thug, a warrior. I think, in time, not next year, that Taylor Adams will be in that mould, i.e. Joel Selwood.

[King Malta]

With the revelation that Clark is probably not coming I wouldn't mind another KPP, but I wouldn't cry if we didn't get one.

We need to pick up someone who can break the lines, carry the ball and hit a target. Preferably someone who can rotate through the midfield but would accept an out and out halfback if it came to it.

A sneaky small forward ala Gartlett would be something I'd be chasing too.

[Breadcrawl]

******** Warning: epic 35forever-length essay follows **********


Agree that we need mids.

Our stocks look good to me in the inside and outside areas with Thomas, Adams, Broomhead and Kennedy all potentially breaking out in the next year or two, and hopefully Freeman a year or two after that.

The guys we need are the balanced players who can win their own footy and then piss off with it and create a scoring opportunity. We have Pendles, Swan will be stuffed soon, Beams gone. Scharenberg maybe one day.

Dangerfield would be great, Petracca by the sounds of it if that could be made possible, Rockliff but it won't happen, Aish but it probably won't happen. No one over 25 please.

Tallswise if Clark can be had for not much then throw him into the mix but apart from Moore, who I hope we take at 8 if we have to, I don't think we should be getting any. Witts and Grundy both need to be developed and there are a couple of other options if they get injured. We have four KPDs with Moore a potential fifth, Cloke, White, Moore and possibly Clark as tall forwards, unless you are going to upgrade White I see no point in another tall, and what it would cost to achieve that, we should be spending on a mid prospect.

Small and medium defenders we are in great shape, though we lost Maxwell he was readily replaced by Langdon, Fasolo and Sidebottom have both shown the ability to play half back, and Armstrong came on a bit. Marley, Toovey, Goldsack, Sinclair, Seedsman, possibly Scharenberg late in the season, I think we are sorted now and into the future.

Small and medium forwards there's not much after Elliott, but you know Swan's going to be used there a bit, as will Broomhead and Kennedy, Karnezis hopefully plays AFL games next year, and then there is Blair. Freeman also likely to play this type of role early days. If there was a crumbing forward like a Jeff Garlett out there and he could be had for less than what I would call a good draft pick, say lower than 30, then I would probably go for it.

So apart from maybe one cheap tall forward and one cheap crumbing forward, we need to target mids. Tallish, strongish, fast, basically flawless mids.

I would love to know what Hine thinks about the upcoming draft cohort

[Bucks2014]

What's your thoughts on this young bloke? Haven't seen a lot of him, but what I have seen is he's quick and a very nice kick.

Someone thinks he's okay but is it us?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPvDqtL1XRw

The dogs appear to be in more turmoil than us.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jason-tutt-latest-to-quit-western-bulldogs-in-search-of-new-contract-at-rival-afl-club/story-fni5fazt-1227075622351

[stui magpie]

[stui magpie]

[woftam]

Agree we need to add to our mids. But in most drafts they are easier to pick up than quality talls. I think Williams can move into the midfield & Elliott will probably spend some time there. I can see Langdon going through there at some stage as well. If McCartin or Wright were still available at our first pick it would be hard to pass them by. This is presuming Petracca & Brayshaw are gone.

[AN_Inkling]

What would be the point of signing Sewell for a year? Looks to be Suns bound anyway. Maybe we need leadership, but I think it better to grow some than transplant it.

[Breadcrawl]

Not too mature age.

If we were going to get Sewell I don't think we'd have elbowed Bally.

He's a bit too inside without enough outside anyway IMO. Great player but I'd rather have JT and Adams on the field than have one of them off coz Sewell is on.

I don't really see anything on the free agency list that can help us.

Really we need to keep Beams