I'm convinced we need dual-threat type hff. Like Sydney who have Heeney and Hayward. The type who can win the ball in the air or at ground level. It would make our forward line far more dangerous.

We really only have Martin, and him only occasionally. And then some midgets.

Breust for me. 2 years.

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Congratulations CK95

I totally agree. Rohan is another that springs to mind.

Our smaller forwards are crafty with ball in hand but can't win in the air and rarely win their own ball.

Not surprising - all Sydney products.

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

IMHO our problems are outside run, wings, small forwards and HFFs. Given we have a good backline, forward line and midfield core maybe those weaknesses can be fixed by a better system, but we shouldn’t be wasting trades on anything except outside run, wings, small forwards and HFFs.

Our picks should be used on best available.

Agree

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There is no footy god

You're getting a bit fragile in your old age. For starters, I quoted your post verbatim so how is that misquoting you? And I didn't specifically quote a sentence or phrase from your post so, once again, I can't have misquoted you. Your just using an old footy forum dodge to cover up your lack of recruiting nous.

The overarching thrust of your post was that you want to recruit Hopper because "His addition would make one hell of a midfield". (<This is a quote). You want to recruit him despite the fact we're very well covered for big-bodied mids (plus Walsh), he doesn't cover our very pressing needs, and like our other big bodies, he lacks a bit of pace and is limited to where we can play him when he's not on the ball. Having any room on the cap is neither here nor there because that applies to everyone we recruit.

And let's not, like Carlton of old, be mesmerized by so called A Graders (I'd say he's B+) and instead focus on team balance.

We don’t pick the team each week on ‘best available’.

‘Best available’ might be another in and under midfielder, or half back flanker, or something else that we’d have to repurpose to make use of them.

We’ve got specific needs. We should be filling them.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

I would love to see saad and kemp on the wings.
I am pretty sure we have our player base we just need to move the pieces around.

Draft Picks are future investment, they won’t fill any holes over the next few years, and we can trade them later for specific needs.

Specific needs players can only filled via trades, because we need them NOW.

This is what I meant.

Strong talk that Rhylee West was left out of the Dogs' last two games as he'd accepted an offer elsewhere.

Geez, I hope its us.

Really? With the baggage that he’d bring?

His old man is possibly the worst club man the league has ever seen. Cork heads like him, Johnson & Darcy are the reason the Dogs could never push all that talent over the top.

Fruit of the poisoned tree.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

So if Hopper's Manager phoned Austin and said we are interested in chatting, your advice to Austin would be to say 'Yeah/Nah we'll pass thanks.'

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I agree with the points you've made. It's just a massive stretch to suggest it's a reason to not recruit a player. Are we doing any due diligence on any of the parents of any players we've recruited or intend to recruit?

Look, everybody knows Hopper's on the move, so you'd think if Austin was interested he'd have already phoned Hopper's people. So my advice and Austin's answer would be 'Yeah/Nah we'll pass thanks.' I'd expect Austin to be looking for players we need. Do you have any ideas in that area or are you enjoying chewing this particular bone too much?

Funny you mentioned it coz was going to say the same , i'll take West so long as his dad come with him . Also agree with Spook that the sins of the father should not be visited on there sons ............the fact that West Jnr finds the big sticks is a bonus .How does he do that Spook ? he has no attributes of a small forward ( electric speed , agility , lightning reflexes etc etc ) but he consistently gets goals . Another good small forward is Ben Ronke from Swans . Hard to get a game in front of Papley and Gulden .

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All my dangerous friends

Positioning at the contest is very good, and he seems to have a good core strength - doesn't seem all that easy to bring down in a tackle. Two attributes our current crop of small forwards seem to lack (although Motlop could prove me wrong in the years to come).

Also think he has something to add to the midfield rotation, which again - outside of Fisher, none of them have really shown yet either.

No idea I just like the lad. You asked where he plays. He would let guys like Cerra and Walsh get on the outside and for Kennedy and Cripps to push forward. His 2022 was cruelled but his 2021 was quality. Voss is a contested ball Coach. Hopper’s game is based on that. I wouldn’t throw the kitchen sink at him but I would be making enquires, but that’s just me. I’m a fan.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I'm intrigued about what Voss wants to do with SOJ and the 'third tall' forward next year. He was terrific as a 2nd ruck, but was pretty awful forward 3 out of the last 4 weeks. Makes our forward line very slow. Not surprising we get hurt so badly on the rebound. Also got dropped late in the year, when everyone in the media thought he was going well.

I suspect his best role would be as another inside midfielder. But we've got a stack of those types already.

With the 2's out of the finals, you'd suggest a few more list changes this week.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Not so sure about that Chook . Reckon our midfielders need to spend more time in the forward half myself and Jack playing more midfield to allow that . I reckon that is the key to the Swans myself in that they every third or fourth week play a key midfielder forward for a whole game . More or less do three or four weeks of heavy lifting and then have a spell on the HFF for a week . Ultimate rotation system really . And thats i wouldn't have a problem grabbing Mitchell or Hopper . Hopper reminds me of Josh Caddy who was a vital cog in the Tiger flags . Those tough hard blokes who can take a mark and kick a goal are gold for mine . Premiership sides are littered with those " not quite a Star but pretty good all the same " types .

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All my dangerous friends