Should we consider this guy?

[johnno]

James Frawley....of Melbourne!!!

After AJ and LRT going down, Rampe is trying his best, Richards is 30 and Grundy not the biggest of defenders(although he does alright). Should we consider trading for this guy as our backline is quite weak.

He's only 24, a big body and a very good defender. Apparently wants out of the Dees and other clubs are circling.

Your thoughts people....?

[aardvark]

Very very good pickup if we could get him.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Would take him in a flash.

We'd have to give up a bit though

[Nico]

Nope. I reckon he is severely overrated. Looks a lazy footballer to me. Makes a lot of turnover errors. I would take watts ahead of him. Watts knows how to make position across half back. The problem with both of these guys is they are slow thinkers. You look at our defensive players and they don't stuff around when they get the footy. They are quick off the mark and always look to get into a position to run straight ahead. The Melbourne boys always look to be kicking around corners. Rampe is already a better footballer than Frawley. Maybe we could make him into a better footballer but I suspect Frawleys credits come from his name, and Danny had bags kicked against him and was a full back in a poor side also.

[Nico]

On what basis would we have to give up a lot for a bloke who is the full back for the 2nd worst side in the comp. He is worth nothing but a one for one swap and I wouldn't under any circumstances give up a draft pick for him. Nathan Jones is the only player with any currency at Melbourne.

[Chookbilly]

On what basis would we have to give up a lot for a bloke who is the full back for the 2nd worst side in the comp. He is worth nothing but a one for one swap and I wouldn't under any circumstances give up a draft pick for him. Nathan Jones is the only player with any currency at Melbourne.

Frawley is a gun, and I'd happily have him in our team.
The argument about him being from the second worst side is rediculous! You could put Goodesy in that current Melbourne side and they'd still be second bottom. Does that make Adam a bad player?

My only concern would be what we'd have to give up.
The swans have created such a fantastic list with great depth, I'm not sure that we require any ready made players at this stage.

[R-1]

Watts and Frawley are both talented players very likely to thrive at a professional club which isn't playing terrified and traumatised 90% of the time. They'd both be very handy pickups.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Watts does need to leave Melb in my opinion

he is the whipping boy there unfairly in a team that is bottom of the ladder

he would be a massive pick up at a top8 team

[Panttz]

"Nathan Jones is the only player with any currency at Melbourne."


Jeremy Howe would compliment any side very well. I'd take him any day of the week!

[Cardinal]

I would take any of Watts, Frawley, Jones or Howe. I also believe Tapscott, Grimes and Trengrove would go well at most other clubs.

Watching Melbourne v Hawthorn now. Watts has major potential but I think his workrate and headspace needs improving. He seems to lumber round always a little off the pace. He's still showing a bit though and the commentators reckon he has a little more freedom in Melb's game plan today than normal.

[The Big Cat]

Wasn't Frawley AA a couple of years back?

[alt_mattr]

The draft is supposed to keep things even but with sides like Melbourne, Gold Coast and GWS struggling so badly it seems very likely that good players in those teams might take a pay cut to get in a good side. Not only does the player get a crack at a premiership, but playing good footy in a champion side would allow them to command more money in 5 years than playing in a losing side all those 5 years. This would make things even more difficult for the bottom teams as their best talent will be poached just as they start to hit their straps. I don't think this is a problem with the draft, but a problem with "bottoming out" as a rebuilding strategy (and correspondingly, the strategy of taking early draft picks to build a new team). I think it will be better for all involved if a few established players with a couple of years left in them are traded for talented youngsters at struggling clubs. If I am right, the swans are in a perfect position to take advantage of this. The AFL was so worried about making sure established teams didn't lose their talent to the expansion sides that those established teams are now in an advantaged position. I love that the swans don't cycle players though, allows you to feel like you are following a team of players, not a team of managers.

[PerthSwannie]

Rumor has it in Perth at the moment that Freo is real keen to get Watts........