I presume we are 'letting Kennedy go' because he has had the termacity to be available to play each week? And that level of physical durability is contradictory to what we are on about as a club?

Don't get why we are willing to let him go - still would be third in line for me in the middle after Cripps and Walsh (unless Cerra can get back to his peak...). And the only one who can take a regular contested mark. (Although Walsh is capable of a brilliant one-off!)

Is it because Dow is coming back and there is a salary squeeze?

Agree we shouldn’t be getting rid of Kennedy given our lack of midfield depth and his versatility. However, the numbers suggest that Georgie Hewett is our ‘number 3’ mid.

As I understand it Kennedy and Voss had an honest chat at his exit interview where Kennedy said he sees himself as an inside mid.
There's no guarantee that he'll get much opportunity to play inside mid at Carlton given Cripps and Hewett are preferred in that role and also given that he's similarly paced so he was told that he's free to seek opportunities to play that role at other clubs.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Good points.
I agree.
He’s a solid citizen.
He’s a country bloke from Collingullie NSW.
I once saw him on the back of a Ute at a Riverina FL gf with his mates.. maybe 5 years ago?
Can’t remember, but as Brisbane proved recruit tough country players and you can’t go wrong.
Makes the commitment. Won’t let you down when the pressure builds eg game vs Hawthorn which I had the misfortune of attending.

Double post

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The latter, according to Marchesani's Law

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If the swans pay a good percentage of his salary I’m ok with it.

Correct.
And it looks like Lord is going to be the next inline.
I like Kennedy, but if he can get a regular role in another side he should go for it.
Plus we can still get a good pick for him at the moment.

I think we definitely want to keep him, he just has to decide what’s more important to him, playing inside mid all the time or staying at Carlton and continuing to be be Mr Fixit.

Are we close to being a Top 4 team?
If so, are we a chance to win a Flag in 2025, or 2026?

Top 4 this year were Swans, Port, Geelong, GWS and the Premiers were 5th.
We actually beat all of them except Sydney at the SCG, so we can't be too far off.

What do we need to do to close the gap?
I am of the opinion we started this rebuild in 2016, and its time now to close the gap and give this opportunity to win the flag a real crack.

No doubt injuries disrupted our season in a big way.
We have let go our injury prone players to make way for more dependable depth or fill areas of need: KPD, Mid and quick small forward.
Pick 11 may fill a small forward role.
Haynes is cover for Marchbank. May be good for 2 years, and form permitting, a better intercept than Gov and Kemp.
I look at Haynes as an improvement on Marchbank, so he takes one spot. Therefore we need to improve 2 other positions.

We will have the pick 11 and possibly 12 and the Campo twins coming, so we need to make 3 more spots for them, assuming small forward is Berry.

I think Kennedy was brilliant as Mr Fix it, but is he the answer for:
Fwd-Ruck? IMO no. SOS, or better takes that role in 2025.
HF? IMO, no, we need to develop Moir for that role and feel the Hollands boys will take that role if Walsh is moved to the wing.
Mid? IMO he's brilliant back up for Cripps and Hewett and doesn't displace Walsh or Cerra and Lord is developing.
Kennedy is depth or the perfect sub, but I don't think Kennedy wants to be that.

We have 2 more drafts before the compromised drafts. No reason why we can't recruit to improve and draft to develop, but we need to push players out to make spots available.

Papley has a contract with Swans till 2028. Swans know what they are doing. If we can get him till then for $700K, he can play small forward and speedy mid and that will take us to the end of Cripps' career.

So I understand the lure of Papley, and Haynes and Membrey are cheap and wont hinder our high end draft picks, but where's the KPD we need?

I'm loving the idea of pick 11 and 12 and campo twins from the draft because we can find our future KPD in there (fingers crossed) and add to the kids we have on the list, but if we give up one high pick for a star player to fill a need I think we have the best of both worlds.

Next year, we will have plenty of players contracts ending (14) creating salary space and spots to fill, but no First rounder. I think Austin may have a FA target or two lined up for next year.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

we really want houston for pick 12 and owies, is the mail. straight from the big dog, voss himself.

I would have thought the Swans might be interested in Kennedy as Parker is leaving and Adams is nearing the end of his career.
Maybe he could be involved in some sort of deal involving Papley?

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There is no footy god

from me!

Double post

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Wilson was drafted as a quick midfielder and will be pressing for game time too in the next year or two.

Cerra will back, and will remind us all of his ability, just like the cripple, Charlie Curnow came back, and the broken Crippa in 2018 did.....Cerra is in good hands in Dubai and will be in good hands next year with new fitness boss.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I believe that's what Voss wants, and we may be able to do that, but does Austin want that?

I'm OK with Houston coming on board, but if Papley was available for pick 12, I'd go with Papley.
That doesn't make me right or wrong. Both will add value and fill needs: Papley for that small forward/ speedy mid and Houston is the start of the hand over from Saad, Williams or Newman, who are all in their 30's.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

BnF this Sunday.
The feelers will be out for info, and there will be more twists and turns to be had over the next 4 days.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I like this idea.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Kennedy wants to be an inside mid, he ain't getting anywhere near Sydney's midfield... unless they're visiting the MCG

I'd like to see us active in the trade period to either

- Trade out surplus players to move up the draft order
- Trade out surplus players to fill areas where we need to

Whatever of the two that the club thinks is most important, I trust them now, despite the overall bumpy ride it's been for years. I trust Cook to oversee the right strategy is followed. Maybe that's blind faith on my part but he does have the runs on the board.

What I don't want is

- Junk players out for junk players in
- Draft picks out for junk players in

Of the players mentioned so far, Papley & SDK are my choices, although realistically I don't think either are likely to happen. Still not sold on Houston because I think the price is too high.

Kennedy I'd be happy for us to test the market. I agree he's a good player but you'll only get value back by trading out value, not subpar players. And he absolutely falls into the category of surplus, given the thing our midfield needs is more agility & toe.

If SDK does get traction, reckon we should see if they'd bite at pittonet as part of the deal. They want a ruck, & he is surplus to us once silvagni comes back. Plus I've liked what I've seen of Okeefe.

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