Who should go........

[BayesysLeftBoot]

.....At the end of the of the season. I think powell, james and schauble are likely to go and hold no value as trade bait. I thought at the end of last season that fosdike and saddington should have been used as trade bait and this season my opinion hasn't changed. Fixter could be a small chance to go as well but I seriously hope this is not the case.

Who does everyone else think should be traded/delisted?

[TheHood]

Not sure who I want to trade until season's end, simply because we're not fully aware of deficiencies at the moment...maybe that brilliant midfielder, but we'll see after the finals.

As for the names you mentioned, I think we need to be realistic about injuries.

Last year was a horror run for West Coast and Sydney, we needed the depth. Just because we're in an ok position for injuries this week, doesn't mean we will be next week. So trading away experience for the heck of it might not be a great idea.

[timthefish]

Originally posted by TheHood

As for the names you mentioned, I think we need to be realistic about injuries.

absolutely, we've had a good run with injuries: we need to maintain our depth.

[barry]

I think James and Fixter are bound for the chop. Too injury prone, and yet to prove they are up to it anyway.

If Schuabs gets a game this week, he'll stay, otherwise he'll probably hang up the boots.

Saddington and Fosdike will be spruiked around, but will probably stay to add depth. The only reason Saddo cant get a game at the moment is our very short injury list.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Unfortunately each year players go, space must be made for new draftees and other possible recruits.

Nicksy has already retired, Stuey Maxfield is organising a swansong, Heath James is surely gone (he's 25).
Thats 3 on the debit side.

I hope Jason Ball does decide to play one more year.
We're probably stuck with David Spriggs for another year.
We'll know this Thursday night whether Andrew Schauble has a future.

In addition we will probably want to promote Vogels permanantly.

Which gives us only 2 places.

Prior to his latest season ending injury I would have been defending Ben Fixter. Now I dunno, he's 24 and only played 27 senior games (2 in 2000, 5 in 2001, 17 in 2002 (and some of them were REALLY good) and 3 last year).

So perhaps 3 places (choices #19, #35 and #51 in the draft)

Do we wish to cut any deeper? What could we expect from #67?

People suggest that Powell's gone but then he's only the same age as Malceski who debut'd this season.
Jarrad Sundqvist is also mentioned but he's still 22.
Stephen Doyle's turned 24 but we should keep him for 1 more year (especially if Ball retures) at least as insurance.

Is there 1 more farewell amongst them?

Could we trade?

Anyone gunnu offer something good for Fosdike, Saddington or
Mathews to name some popular suggestions?

So really i don't think we're going to see any dramatic delistings or trades after the season, which is a very different from how many of us fealt in May.

[DST]

Can't see us wanting to draft anymore than the three minimum required. With Nicks retiring, Vogels to be promoted and the likelyhood we won't trade this year that leaves 3 spots for the chop.

That will comes from probable retirements in Maxfield & Ball, with James, Fixter, Sunquist and Powell all in the group that will be looked at.

As for Doyle, Saddington, Fosdike, Matthews, Schuable & Spriggs all are capable players at AFL level and add depth and experience to the squad in the times of injuries so I can't see any of them being considered for delisting or trading for draft picks.

DST

[sharpie]

Maxfield is eligible for the veteran's list next year IIRC, which means a spot is freed up, even if he decides to stay.

[liz]

Nicks' retirement does not open up a space on the list because he's on the veteran's list at the moment.

I think Maxfield is the only player eligible to become a veteran next year, if he chooses to play on.

Micky O has been on the list for enough years (10) but has not yet hit 30 so won't be eligible.

[hammo]

No need to aggresively trade with our 'premiership clock' entering prime time.

Apart from Saddo I don't think anyone stuck in the reserves would offer much in a trade, while the likes of Macleski and McVeigh add depth and are part of the future.

You would only consider changes to bring in a player who would help bring a premiership.

Jolly has turned out to be a brilliant trade but I'd prefer us to keep our 1st round this year.

[RogueSwan]

Originally posted by hammo
You would only consider changes to bring in a player who would help bring a premiership.

What about removing a player to help bring a premiership (said looking in the direction of #4)?

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by RogueSwan
What about removing a player to help bring a premiership (said looking in the direction of #4)?

You're living in the past. Despite his crook groin we needed him in the team if we wanted to have a chance.

[Captain]

Maxfield, Nicks and Schauble to retire.

In addition, I think Fixter, James and Powell will be delisted.

Trade bait would be O'Keefe, Mathews, Saddington, Fosdike and Schneider. Obviously these are handy players that would be nice to keep(esp O'Keefe), however you have to trade a bit to get a bit.

[BayesysLeftBoot]

I honestly cant see Saddington contributing much to our squad even as a backup player. I would much rather see another youngster given a chance to step up rather than persist with a player who might be considered by a carlton, collingwood or hawthorn.

Come next season there will be several youngsters pushing for selection eg Schmidt, Willoughby as well as the youngsters currently being developed (Moore, Dempster, Malceski, Mcveigh). And with the possibility of only a couple of retirements this season it will mean we will have several options even if we are hit by injuries.

I realise the importance of having maximum depth for our squad during our premiership window but we must also account for the fact that after the window closes we may find ourselves short on young talent and big on mediocre 26-30 year olds.

[DST]

Originally posted by BayseysLeftBoot
I honestly cant see Saddington contributing much to our squad even as a backup player. I would much rather see another youngster given a chance to step up rather than persist with a player who might be considered by a carlton, collingwood or hawthorn.

Come next season there will be several youngsters pushing for selection eg Schmidt, Willoughby as well as the youngsters currently being developed (Moore, Dempster, Malceski, Mcveigh). And with the possibility of only a couple of retirements this season it will mean we will have several options even if we are hit by injuries.

I realise the importance of having maximum depth for our squad during our premiership window but we must also account for the fact that after the window closes we may find ourselves short on young talent and big on mediocre 26-30 year olds.

So who on the current list would be ready to take Leo Barry's or LRT's place if one or both went down with season ending injuries early next year?

Schuable maybe one, but the coaching staff at present obiviously think he may have lost his pace off the mark so are reluctant to play him.

Yeah, things look great at present. We have little or no injuries to our spine and our on ball contingent, but the fact remains injuries occur over the entire year and you are only as good as your replacements.

DST

[SimonH]

I might have gone all senile, but my recollection is that Saddo and Fossie have already been hocked around (maybe Fossie only to Adelaide clubs) with no result, so there's no reason to think that this year will be any different. There might be someone out there prepared to give us value for 2nd-tier on-ballers like Mathews, Crouch and Schneider... but geez, I doubt it. Only chance would be if we did a 2-for-1 deal for a top-flighter (but who, and why would they be leaving where they are?).

O'Keefe certainly has value as a trade, but it's not just his good looks that make me say it would need to be a ripper trade for a player of similar type, to be worth our while. The role he plays in our team structure is absolutely crucial (see: Sunday), and there's no-one there at the moment as a ready replacement. Keneally has the potential but hasn't proved himself as a strong overhead mark, and anyway the match committee is obviously committed to using him elsewhere; Ablett isn't quite the same style of player (more of a long bomber than a quick mover of the ball with direct passes); and Saddo has plenty of problems of his own.

I would be shocked if Ball plays on next year, making Doyle untouchable (which he probably was anyway).

Unfortunately, at least one of Fixter or Sundqvist has to go. It's hard to see how we could take our picks otherwise.

It's the number of productive years you get out of a player that counts, not how old he is when he plays them, and I've read that the average AFL career is 5 years. Note also plenty of players who are still 'in development' (at the expense of a spot in the list and money we're paying 'em) at the age of 22 (or older). Therefore, barring terrible injury or form reversal, Jolly has been a genius pick-up. So I would have no objection at all to trading away our #1 draft pick for a ready-to-go 23 year old again. The likes of Vogels (and Bevan in the past) prove that you can pick up and develop decent talent through the rookie draft. With the amount of homework teams do on the draft (especially on midfielders, who are more knowable quantities at a young age than big blokes), we're highly unlikely to unearth the next Chris Judd from pick #15 (or lower) anyway.