Like i said mate , your up there , and i'm down here . You get a lot closer look than me . But , in answering your question , i always knew who Gulden was . Trouble is , i didn't realise how good he was . Geez Bondi , what a blooper from me hey . Funny thing Bondi , when i was watching last night i was thinking about you . Shit i thought to myself , i should listen to the experts . Yep , Gulden was fantastic and is everything we need in our small forwards who are sadly a million miles away from that level .

PS.............my blooper on Gulden aint so bad really Bondi . I can go back many many years to the days when watching the last half of the magoo's was compulsory . Get there with your mates early and discuss the merits of the young blokes coming through . Who is gonna make it , and who don't cut it . I still remember all my mates raving about this straggly haired kid named Bruce Doull . They raved about him they did . I still remember my words today like it was yesterday . I said , boys , yeah he's good , but shit , he's not that good . Yep Bondi , i actually said that . That would have to be the ultimate blooper of all time . When i look at the young kids today i always remember what a great judge i am . Giggle giggle .

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All my dangerous friends

Appreciate the compliments, gents. As always - the source is well considered.

I was an advocate last year for retaining TDK over Harry. That ship has since sailed, it appears the club have effectively made up their mind that he was the one that had to be squeezed out, so be it.

Fast forward a few months, and Pitto doesn't look like he's over his injuries, and no evidence to show Mirkov is going to make it as a player. I'm not sure it's a luxury we can afford to let go.

McGovern off the books next year, Martin one year to go of a heavily front-ended deal. Williams the only real option, which to me, the optics are poor in trading out a player off an ACL, but also probably a necessary evil, given the alternative of asking him to restructure his deal in similar circumstances is just as unethical. Also suspect the above two have been already factored into some other long term deals handed out.

Going very very early in suggesting it, but Weitering is another option. Was very ordinary after his shoulder injury last year. Three years to go on decent money, a real sell high proposition, given the Saints want to build a list profile around Mornington Peninsula kids, I could see us actually getting a very good pick back rather than parting with one and the cap space to keep TDK. I'd also rather rely on building a backline around Lewis Young in Weitering's absence, than I would a ruck division around Pitto's PCL.

If TDK goes, I'm not sure there's a lot on the market for ruckmen who would be available for what we have to reasonably offer TDK. Darcy is probably worth more, there's about 3 young rucks at GWS who all seem to have one very good attribute and average at the rest and are about two years behind TDK in their development, Naitanui looks cooked and I'd probably say no to O'Brien on the basis of the Jordan Petersen love alone. Ideally Rowan Marshall gets jack of Ross Lyon and has concerns regarding the TDK acquirement and requests to go the other way.

Christ on a bike, Rod. High praise - rescinded.

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

If Tom wants the mega bucks, he’ll f-ing well have to do SOMETHING to earn it.

He’s not a forward’s arsehole. Even his most fervent cheerleaders have come around on that. So, if he’s not going to be a high hitout or tackle machine, then just get in the way every once in a while & block for a teammate. I’d go to $400k for that.

Every time the opposition’s ruck falls on Crippa or Kennedy as the second man in the tackle is an affront to the position.

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

On what I’ve seen so far, I’m not convinced TDK is all he’s cracked up to be. I do like when experts predict a player to become a top liner ahead of time and I’m certainly not that so I hope I’m wrong.
However, IF Williams was to stay fit, I’d prefer him and a first rounder to keeping TDK.
Of course, it is highly unlikely Williams remains fit and hopefully TDK shows his true worth during this season upon which we will all be able to make a better call for any deal.

All things being equal, however, I’d be very surprised if he leaves: why would he leave a team about to mount its long awaited run?
If he proves himself a match winner during the year, then we’ll find the money required to keep him. If not, it won’t be that big a loss.
I think this is far more media-driven than TDK-driven.
I don’t even think it’s driven by his manager b/c if he doesn’t prove his worth this year, he won’t get the same interest from other clubs either and the manager will look stupid.

PS. Interesting thoughts re Weitering but I think he is pure gold and definitely amongst the top 5 priority players for mine. TBH I’d probably have him ahead of Cripps …and I absolutely LOVE Crippa.


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I used to love getting to the ground early on Saturday to see the second half of the reserves match.

That opportunity to watch our reserves was gold.

Not only was it played before your eyes, this was where good discussion took place about aplayer's and the team's future stocks.

re Bruce Doull story...some players are just wasted in the reserves and their best is on display when playing with and against the best. This was how it was proven Doully was the best in his position. Doully coyld play anywhere TBH.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

As I said. The source is well considered.

I was listening until you said Building a backline around Lewis Young. Currently the 2 weakest links in our team are Lewis and LOB. Once Walsh is back and undertaking a 3 way rotation with Cerra and Acres, I suspect LOB will be out. I have everything crossed that Sam Durdin will get in and be a permanent fixture alongside Weiters.

Weiters is 25 and the next 4 years are the prime of his Career. If CFC really thinks they are in the window over the next 3 to 4 seasons why would they offload one of the top 3 CHB's in the League. His leadership alone is worth buckets. Yeah/Nah never going to happen.

Zac Williams, McGovern, Martin? Sure, sure and sure.

If TDK goes then so be it. Get what you can and move on. We can't and shouldn't sell the farm for him. Look at the Pies with Grundy. Bit them big time. Geelong is the Blueprint. Pay the team not the individual. We keep at it until we get players that want team success.

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.”

So swap Lewis Young for Durdin then. Much of a muchness for me.

Not particularly concerned re TDK leaving in an isolated context for the reasons you mention. I'm concerned about the bigger picture that a) Pittonet won't get on the park and Mirkov isn't good enough and b) there's bugger all rucks available on the market.

If Pittonet plays a full season of good footy, it's a moot point.

If we need to make changes to the list on the fly to accommodate keeping TDK. The options are very few and far between. Trade Williams off an ACL and our first rounder. McGovern and Martin should go anyway and I suspect they're already off the books. It's not going to help us keep TDK. Weitering on his form in the last six weeks of the year is probably it. Maybe Saad.

What's the beef re LOB and Young anyway? The two weakest links not named Zac Fisher?

You mentioned Grundy also. Do you think Melbourne make a bigger effort to keep Jackson if they knew Grundy was going to Geelong instead?

Only have to look at them spending an awful amount of time ensuring they landed Josh Schache for ruck depth even then.

Jackson was going. It was on Freo to come up with the asking price, and they did.

Just because it was on TV doesn’t mean they spent an awful amount of time on the Schache trade. Their ‘due diligence’ around his much publicised mental state was the last part of a 20 second phone call with his manager. They would’ve spent more time assessing their options before adding Verrall in the rookie draft.

I reckon you’re spot on that so much of our season hinges on Pitto’s fitness. Comparing him and Tom in isolation, Tom might have the edge. But, Pitto’s strengths enhance our elite mids.

O’Keeffe’s acceleration might bring him on in leaps and bounds, but it could be a distorted assessment if we’re watching him go past Mirkov. Regardless, if the rookie has any sort of thirst for the contest, we’ll have the whip hand come negotiation time.

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

The idea that anyone is actively pursuing Josh Schache as a valid ruck option says plenty about the alternatives available.

I'm guessing if TDK has a decent year, the Saints offer him 6 mill over 6 years. Good luck to him. Let's work on getting the best deal for him possible. No matter what deck chairs we move around on the playing list, we can't accomodate it.

The question is who becomes a viable replacement on the market for him.

Reminds me of the Saints under Thomas who'd set up elite talent on every line and then pick up bargain bin ruckman from the VFL or other teams' fourth stringers - Michael Rix, Cain Ackland, etc

Rix & Ackland… that’s cold-blooded Rod. Even I think Tom’s better than that

I don’t think Vossy’s view of the position is quite that dim - even if Lyon’s fine tuning (or, overreaction) was to draft McEvoy and play King, Gardiner & Kosi in the same side. But, there’s no doubt our cap situation has forced us into trawling the bargain bins.

A cap dump trade might be on the table, but it won’t be Williams. We’re stuck with that one. But, if that is the chosen path, and we find ourselves with the ability to buy a ruckman, then Darcy, Witts & English are all pre-agents in the next exchange period.

I’d send all of our current stock packing for one of them.

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

I said it in a previous post that S.Durdin was my smokey to be picked Rd One ahead of Young. In training and the match sims Durdin was calm and was a class above Young.

As for LOB he was poor against Sydney but his pre season has been good. Added some real muscle. I see Hollands as the guy that could take his place and if picked now would probably get the spot

For me Fisher is the biggest concern. Wouldn't be in my side based on form. Pity Cuningham, Cottrell or Durdin are injured

Re: TDK he stays for solid money or let him go. We have options

Who though if not Williams?

McGivern out of contract this year and either stays on minimum wage or goes. Manager already shopping him around in the media.

Martin one year left after this year of a heavily front loaded deal. It's not going to be enough.

As much as I rate the three above, English/Darcy would command more on the market than TDK, English probably with a go home factor, Witts will be 31 and 2 ACL injuries.

How much are we thinking of paying TDK? Do we need to do a salary dump trade involving Zac W?
This is maybe quite simplistic but I wouldn't offer him more than $800k. If aints or cheats come in with $1mil plus good luck to him.
Gov is on around $800k, halve that for next year, that gives us $400k. TDK would be on around 400 to 500k at the moment? Add that to the $400k we save from Gov and we have $800k.
Do we not? Admitedly, the figures above are made up. But, not sure they'd be far off. Worse case, we'd only need to find another 100 to 150k. With natural increase in the cap, with Dow and Fogarty almost certainly delisted. Though not on a lot, they'd be on more than brand new draftee wage so those 2 combined will get us close to the additional $100k. If we're still slightly short, wouldn't surprise me if Zac W would renegotiate/restructure his contract slightly to make up the difference.

You're assuming though that McGovern's contract off the books hasn't already been factored into Charlie and H's deals.

O K , so how much would you go on TDK Rod . Me , i would put a ceiling of 800 K Tops . If that don't cut the deal move on .

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All my dangerous friends