There is a lot of discussion now that our season is effectively over on the list for 2013.

Along with the coach I believe that this is the MOST vital issue to address.

IMO we have some real talent on our list. We have some match winners and some class.

My issue is the depth and injuries have really shown us up in the area. However, I also believe we aren't far off and as such this years trade period will be absolutely crucial.

This is what I would be looking at:

1. Put the three ruckman on the market and hope to get a really great offer on one. e.g. Hampson to GC for Caddy or Warnock to GWS for Greene?

2. Really cut our list of average players in the system for a while. Bower, Russell, Thornton, White, Kerr, Heyne, Carter etc.

3. Free agency is now in. Can we get a big bodied mid to help us NOW!

4. Trades. We don't have much apart from the ruckman as detailed above or an early pick. Can we get some good young talent to add?

5. Should be a strong draft. 3-4 good kids added to the list. Please do not go with the speculative third rounder again. I like Rowe and Duigan but why did we not use a late or rookie pick? Poor IMO.

6. Mature aged. Now becoming more vital. Is there a Barlow, Magner, Zorko out there? Im sure there is.


This October/November could well determine a top 4 spot in 2013.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

i watch alot of footy and what our team is midfielders that have spark are lively curnow chooka ellard to me are all the same pace.pace gives you the space and time to spot up the forwards.So rodgers get middfielders not the lucas type but the yarran.

Agree. Part of that may be to get Yarran, Garlett running through the midfield. It will also be so important that they are good decision makers. With rolling zones etc its just a basic requirement.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Doesnt point 5 and point 6 contradict each other

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

How??

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I would start the list management by delisting or trading 4 or 5 defenders...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

You say not to go speculative like Duigan and Rowe but I think they are mature age which you suggest we should do

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Don't agree with trading out a ruckman, the fact that Casboult was our #1 ruckman on the weekend tells me we lack depth in that position, so im not keen on trading another one out. Levi and Sam Rowe are both FWD/Ruckman, not the other way around. We seemingly have 3 genuine ruckman on the list / rookie list and i think thats the absolute minimum you want to have.

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@cecil_anderson

with a rookie pick not a 2nd or 3rd rounder

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

@SB

No, please read it again, I said don't waste a third rounder on a speculation pick. You can still use later picks and rookie or mature aged picks. Thats what was used on Barlow etc.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Look at it this way.

We trade Hampson for Caddy.

Then you use a mature rookie pick for a Stephenson type to back up any injuries and target a Jacobs type with a rookie pick.

Then you still have Kruezer, Warnock, Casboult, Rowe plus these guys who can ruck.

Is this better off?

In a perfect world you would keep all three but lists are limited and tough decisions need to be made.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Breaks my heart to think we need this thread and it's still only July. What the hell will we talk about in September??!!

Our upcoming prelim appearance of course.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

New coach
Trade week
Delistings
Draft

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

We need to top up at the trade table we have been at the draft for years and we need to fill holes that have developed

One rule dont bring in players that are struggling for game time at a team that is struggling

More Laidler Scotland types and less Warnock Johnson Maclean types

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Point nos.

1. Wouldn't surprise at all as much as it may seem a bad idea considering this weekends situation.
2. A given. We need to make room to refresh.
3. Moloney? No thanks and I'm concerned we don't put our eggs into the Goddard basket, too readily.
4. We're in an odd situation where other than the ruck-men and possibly someone who wants out, that we haven't really got much too trade.
5. As you say, we'll take on the kids from here on in, with enough players having had time to mature from our existing list.
6. Who knows, but it may come in the rookie draft.

Just listening to Brian Cook on The Couch talking List Management and its importance. Interesting.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Who would you trade.

Jamison, Henderson, Laidler, Tuohy, Duigan, McInnes and Yarran are going nowhere.
If Watson was as upset as some suggest, he may have been looking for an out but having been given games, things may be looking O.K. for him now.

Davies? No one seems to know the tenure of the contract he was given last year and probably no great commodity having missed virtually this whole year through injury.
McCarthy? Too young to be wanting to move a KPD. Coaches love him too much any way.
Bootsma is the future and couldn't be considered regardless.

Joseph and Armfield are contracted, so which back-men could we really trade anyway?

I'd love another mid who can win their own footy and use it well. I think we have enough outside mids to develop (including Gibbs, Yarran, Garlett, Lucas and Buckley). Caddy would be a great pick-up, but we'd probably have to give up too much. If we can pull off a trade involving Warnock or Hammer + a draft pick, I'd be happy.

Another quality tall at both ends of the ground certainly wouldn't go astray, but I'll be pissed off if we sell the farm to get Cloke.

The good thing about our current situation is that we'll probably be able to play almost every player on our list before the season's out. Guys like AJ, Bower, Brock, Collins, Curnow, Davies, Ellard, JR, ROK, T-Bird, White and possibly even Carter, Heyne & Kerr will have opportunities to show why they should be persisted with. And we can also get games into the likes of Bell, Bootsma, Casboult, Dale, Lucas, McInnes, Watson and possibly McCarthy & Mitchell.

I wonder if the AFL will allow us to put Rowe on the Rookie List like Essendon* were able to do with Ramanauskas?

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015