Swans to trade up for midfielder

[penga]

do i hear a slight hint at maybe one lenny hayes in that article???

[liz]

Originally posted by Reggi
Not sure Lizz. When it comes to younger midfield running types Geelong have Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Clarke, Joel Corey, Enright, Johnson, Kelly, Ling, Milburn, Spriggs.

More than they need - they are short on any kind of marking players.

I think they can well afford to let him go.

Maybe. But rumours are that Bartel wants out, looking for a club that believes he can play, Clarke is a dud, Corey is a West Australian and there's a chance he might want to go home at some stage, Spriggs has been named as trade bait and hasn't really recovered from his knee reco, Milburn plays more on a HBF nowadays, and I thought Johnson was more of a forward than a midfielder. Kelly could become a very good player but he's quite light. Of that group, Chapman is the only real "tough nut" and I think they'll be keen to keep hold of him for that reason alone - and the fact he can actually play a bit!

Also, they have quite a few marking players on their list but they're all not quite tall enough or not quite strong enough. Some are young and might develop, but they really need a ready made, tall strong marking player. Who do we have that might fit that description? No-one I'd want to give up for a solid but non-elite midfielder. Stevens might have some attraction for Geelong, but he's probably not quite big enough to really fill their needs.

If O'Keefe really wants to leave, then maybe it would be an OK swap but I'm desperately hoping Pebbles will stay.

[sharpie]

Instead of looking at Geelong and those teams that are still trying to rebuild their own lists, we should be looking at what we can get from teams like Port, Collingwood, Brisbane, Essendon, Hawthorn and Richmond. These teams are much more likely going to want to offload some decent players to ease their salary cap pressures. Which means a cheaper deal for the recipient, i.e. us.

I would think that there may be a number of others who follow Nick Stevens' lead and get out of Port before they all get sent to a mental hospital.

Brisbane surely can't keep their list together much longer, and with Aker squeezing all he can get out of them (it made me laugh that he admits using us to get a better deal), there will have to be others who may become free.

Collingwood have depth, most of which is young. I don't know who, but there must surely be a few young guys there who want more game time, so they'll look elsewhere.

Essendon have the same troubles as last year, and now Hawthorn want their pretty boys to take pay cuts so they can stay on a losing team. This all points to trade potential, and we have the salary cap leverage to bargain.

[Rob-bloods]

It all comes down to the same thing, most teams lack talls, everyone wants mobile talls, who has them really in numbers?

Hawthorn and Essendon I suppose.

Everyone is after them, and probably whilst being weaker across 22, some teams like Geelong even Doggies have a good collection of young smalls to swap! Essendon need pace.

I just don't see what we can do quickly.

What about Beau Macdonald? Is he up for grabs now? Is he third choice or injured?

Doyle'y seems to cop it a bit on this site, but he is worth at least one more season and I think he will still prove the doubters wrong!

We need a tall 'tough' defender that is our must buy!

[chammond]

Spriggs has been named as trade bait and hasn't really recovered from his knee reco

Spriggs available for trade - wow, I hadn't heard that!

He is a kid that can seriously play football. I know he's taking a while to recover from injury, but watching him before that I thought he was a certainty to be a top-notch 200 gamer.

I'd better ring Roosy again . . . forget Chapman . . . go for Spriggs!

[stellation]

Originally posted by lizz
Stevens might have some attraction for Geelong, but he's probably not quite big enough to really fill their needs.

I hadn't thought of that before... Stevens would be attractive to Geelong.

[neored]

Originally posted by sharpie
Instead of looking at Geelong and those teams that are still trying to rebuild their own lists, we should be looking at what we can get from teams like Port, Collingwood, Brisbane, Essendon, Hawthorn and Richmond. These teams are much more likely going to want to offload some decent players to ease their salary cap pressures. Which means a cheaper deal for the recipient, i.e. us.

Collingwood doesn't have salary cap problems, quite to the contrary they have quite a bit of space. I'm fairly confident that Solomon and Rioli will resign, there's a belief that Essendon have deliberately leaked stories of their salary cap pressures to decrease the contract demands of some of the players.

In any case even if players do come out of contract, your club will be ranked very low in the preseason draft, meaning that other sides will get the first bite of the cherry. So your bargaining power is handicapped.

I would think that there may be a number of others who follow Nick Stevens' lead and get out of Port before they all get sent to a mental hospital.

Nick Stevens has left because of homesickness, I dont think that there will be many more.

Brisbane surely can't keep their list together much longer, and with Aker squeezing all he can get out of them (it made me laugh that he admits using us to get a better deal), there will have to be others who may become free.

They'll lose one to two players, but dont forget they do have extra space.

Collingwood have depth, most of which is young. I don't know who, but there must surely be a few young guys there who want more game time, so they'll look elsewhere.

Heath Scotland wants to go, but most young players always dream of playing for big clubs like Essendon and Collingwood. They're willing to wait their turn. Not meaning to sound condescendin but your club doesn't have the same prestige.

Essendon have the same troubles as last year, and now Hawthorn want their pretty boys to take pay cuts so they can stay on a losing team. This all points to trade potential, and we have the salary cap leverage to bargain.

Nick Holland will get his wish.
Essendon: see above.

[stellation]

Originally posted by neored
Nick Stevens has left because of homesickness, I dont think that there will be many more.

If he ends up getting in bed with Eddie...

[sharpie]

I would expect that Port too must be close to having salary cap pressures, and my comment about the mental hospital was based on the fact that these guys just can't win the big ones. I reckon some others may be fed up and go looking elsewhere to get away from Mark Williams and his Thrifty shirt.

[DST]

Originally posted by neored

Heath Scotland wants to go, but most young players always dream of playing for big clubs like Essendon and Collingwood. They're willing to wait their turn. Not meaning to sound condescendin but your club doesn't have the same prestige.

I don't agree with you on that point Neored.

I would have agreed with you about Essendon, Collingwood, Carlton & Richmond 10 years ago but the tide has turned with the interstate clubs now building their tradition, facilities and infrastructure the players are now realising their chances of playing consistent finals football can be realised interstate.

Sydney has not lost a go home player that they wanted to keep since Shannon Grant in 1997 - 1998.

If you look on the other side how many players have recently taken the opportunity to go to a club like Sydney over more fancied and better paying clubs in Melbourne.

Telstra Stadium has provided the potential for 4 or 5 games a year with crowds in excess of 55,000 for the Swans on a yearly basis and this potential to play blockbusters against the Essedndons and Collingwoods is helping to attract and retain good players.

I don't know where you live Neored, but I would suggest your veiw is slightly victorian centric and a little behind the views of current AFL players.

DST

[Reggi]

Actually Neored you must be a complete dickhead to make that statement.

Collingwood in particular and S&Don have done their best to recruit players from other clubs. Neither club has had much success with big name recruits whereas Sydney have been able to gain the Barry Halls, Paul Williams, Wayne Schwass' etc.

That is just a daft statement

Who cares if Dean Rioli has re-signed - no one else would want him. He wouldn't get a game in Sydney

[neored]

Originally posted by DST
I don't agree with you on that point Neored.

I would have agreed with you about Essendon, Collingwood, Carlton & Richmond 10 years ago but the tide has turned with the interstate clubs now building their tradition, facilities and infrastructure the players are now realising their chances of playing consistent finals football can be realised interstate.

Sydney has not lost a go home player that they wanted to keep since Shannon Grant in 1997 - 1998.

I've got no doubt that the tide has turned, and interstate clubs present an increasingly attractive option for players. Facilities wise, apart from Adelaide whose facilies are fantastic there isn't much difference between Essendon's facilities and Collingwoods new facilities and those of the interstate clubs. The poorer clubs in Melbourne though are lagging behind.

I guess the other side of it is that apart from Shannon Grant and Rocca, Victorian clubs haven't heavily pursued talent at your club.

I guess what I was trying to say, is that since alot of the draft talent comes from Victoria, these kids grow up passionately supporting Victorian teams. And this certain love for a club you grew up supporting still sticks with a player.

Take Nick Stevens for example, he'll be at Collingwood next year; guaranteed. Collingwood were the club he supported as a kid, a club his family has links to. There are quite a few other examples , Cupido being a recent one.

If the AFL succeeds in Sydney then you'll stand to benefit in a very similar way.

If you look on the other side how many players have recently taken the opportunity to go to a club like Sydney over more fancied and better paying clubs in Melbourne.

Telstra Stadium has provided the potential for 4 or 5 games a year with crowds in excess of 55,000 for the Swans on a yearly basis and this potential to play blockbusters against the Essedndons and Collingwoods is helping to attract and retain good players.

True, lets hope that support continues to grow though. I've been around long enough to remember the early 80's and the days of the good old DR, and then the terrible days of the early 90's. My concern is that the AFL isn't entwined into the culture of Sydney like it is here, and the moment you begin to have a few lacklustre years that support will dissapate.

I don't know where you live Neored, but I would suggest your veiw is slightly victorian centric and a little behind the views of current AFL players.
DST
[/B]

You're wrong.... my views are EXTREMELY Victorian centric. But I'm fairly broad minded, though perhaps my view is a little clouded by zealous support of my club.

[Reggi]

You speak utter crap NEORED - it is only 3 years since Sheedy admitted to having a go at Jason Saddington and Jude Bolton.

How do you explain why players like Schauble and Williams want to leave Collingwood - they opted for it - to play for Sydney.

[SWANSBEST]

Reggi


I would not get too concerned with NEORED as he is an Essendon troll who tries to cause as much trouble as he can on this site . I think it is best to ignore such drivel.

[Reggi]

Yeah I only just noticed it.

Obviously a bit challenged