List changes and trade bait

[Melbourne_Blood]

I like him, but 1 Doubt we can afford Yarran , he'd get 500+ on the open market I would've thought. I think people are underestimating the tightness of our cap presently.

[Matt80]

I like him, but 1 Doubt we can afford Yarran , he'd get 500+ on the open market I would've thought. I think people are underestimating the tightness of our cap presently.

We have an improving Rohan to play the Yarran role. Rohans foot skills are not as good as Yarrans, but he is a tougher defender and is much stronger overhead. They both have electric pace.

[jono2707]

We have an improving Rohan to play the Yarran role. Rohans foot skills are not as good as Yarrans, but he is a tougher defender and is much stronger overhead. They both have electric pace.

Good point - Yarran is definitely someone we don't need. Gazza wins that comparison for mine...

I guess at this time of year managers and journos will bandy the Swans around whenever there is a free agent available or a player possibly up for trade to try to push their price up. I can't see us being able to land any other big fish this year - just perhaps another Laidler-type signing or two.

[Ampersand]

I think we could do with a Ballantyne-style crumbling small forward. Parker and McGlynn performed this role pretty well last year, but they are winning so much ball in the midfield it would be a shame to move them. Remarkably, Goodes is doing a lot of the crumbling up front with a decent amount of success but I do think the ball sometimes comes out of the forward line a little to easily when it hits the deck. Membrey would seem like a good choice but I'm uncertain about his speed and mobility.

[Conor_Dillon]

Generally the Swans prefer to play an extra mid at the expense of a small forward to allow us greater numbers around the contests and a higher number of players rotating through the midfield.

Having said that it would be interesting to see what our culture could do with Jeff Garlett...

[Matt80]

Generally the Swans prefer to play an extra mid at the expense of a small forward to allow us greater numbers around the contests and a higher number of players rotating through the midfield.

Having said that it would be interesting to see what our culture could do with Jeff Garlett...

Garlett will very quickly find himself in Kings Cross and will drag a couple of young blokes with him.

I agree with the policy of having more midfield rotations instead of having a genuine small forward. We have not had a genuine small forward since Trent Dennis-Lane. If Walters and Ballentyne are not effective up forward, Freemantle will be in trouble as they can?t be used in the midfield.

I like the versatility of Cunningham. He can play small forward, midfield, wingman, small defender or run with player. There are options for the coach if one area is not working.

[troyjones2525]

It is the dumbest idea I have ever heard in football. Why would you give up a player who you know will be a gun for the next Jack Watts, Josh Fraser.

You should be ridiculed for being obviously stupid. No intelligent person would do it

As Ludwig said, you have used your argument by picking a couple of dud top end picks but obviously left out the numerous quality top end picks (Roughead, Buddy were top 5!). Time will tell but I am extremely confident that A. There will be an extreme amount of clubs pushing to get Mitchell this Offseason, and 2. I think the offers will probably be as such that they may be too good for him to refuse and most likely asked to be moved.

This thing happens all the time to clubs with great success and strong lists, remember how we got Kennedy, Mcglynn and others from some former/current power clubs?

I love Tom Mitchell and have been excited about him coming to the club since he was a highly rated 16 year old and really want him cemented in our 22. But for all those who are saying that without injuries he is a lock in our 22, well tell me who comes out for him when we are all injury free. I would have once said Lloyd will make way for him but now I'm not so sure....

[troyjones2525]

Generally the Swans prefer to play an extra mid at the expense of a small forward to allow us greater numbers around the contests and a higher number of players rotating through the midfield.

Having said that it would be interesting to see what our culture could do with Jeff Garlett...

I actually like this idea as it is one area that we lack in compared to some of the the other top clubs. We all know Fremantle's gun small forwards and the Hawks also have Bruest and Puopolo down there and the Cats with Christensen and Motlop.

Yes we have Cunningham and Jack sometimes play the role etc but the way the game is going I don't think it would hurt to take a risk on a Garlett as genuine speedy small forwards are proving devastating different options for a lot of the other top sides plus the good ones put extreme pressure on defences.

And finally, I'm pretty sure a talented genuine small forward would love running around under Tippet and Buddy, picking up the crumbs!

[CureTheSane]

I love Tom Mitchell and have been excited about him coming to the club since he was a highly rated 16 year old and really want him cemented in our 22. But for all those who are saying that without injuries he is a lock in our 22, well tell me who comes out for him when we are all injury free. I would have once said Lloyd will make way for him but now I'm not so sure....

Yep. I tend to agree.
I think Mitchell has been great at times, but has never been able to chain together enough games to allow him to become a regular.
I couldn't fit him in the side at the moment, however when you're playing as well as he has in the reserves this year, he really should have pushed someone out at some point. This would allow him to really prove himself.
To me he really still is unproven as a top regular player.
I see some great stuff from him, but have never considered him a 'gun'
He seems fairly susceptible to injuries.
I want to keep him, and I'm sure we will. I doubt he will be able to strike a better offer.
May find that clubs who showed some interest after his 64 possessions might rethink how much they are willing to spend on him when they look at his career so far as a whole...

[111431]

Yep. I tend to agree.
I think Mitchell has been great at times, but has never been able to chain together enough games to allow him to become a regular.
I couldn't fit him in the side at the moment, however when you're playing as well as he has in the reserves this year, he really should have pushed someone out at some point. This would allow him to really prove himself.
To me he really still is unproven as a top regular player.
I see some great stuff from him, but have never considered him a 'gun'
He seems fairly susceptible to injuries.
I want to keep him, and I'm sure we will. I doubt he will be able to strike a better offer.
May find that clubs who showed some interest after his 64 possessions might rethink how much they are willing to spend on him when they look at his career so far as a whole...

Agreed - he is a good player (bit slow / disposal by foot not spot on) but not a great player yet. I'm sure all the other club recruiters see the same issues as us supporters - let him string some games together and then see if the purse is open

[Matt80]

I can't see the need for the Swans to recruit any players from other AFL clubs in the off-season. If some existing plays want to leave, then get higher in the draft and bring in 3-4 young kids.

We have young players like Jones, Biggs, Hewitt, Naismith, Toby N, and Membrey looking to step up. Let's back those guys.

I've been impressed with the kids that the Lions have drafted at the end of 2013. They have all had an impact and have offset the player losses. This is an example of how the NAB draft can work in your favour.

If the Swans can move up the draft and recruit as well as the Lions this year, we will be playing finals for the next decade.

[Flying South]

Being that Melbourne offered up Pick 2 for Dom Tyson in a year when the draft was pretty highly rated at the top end , I reckon we could actually demand a fair bit for someone like Mitchell. I think everyone here is selling his value a bit short. Kennedy and McGlynn werent actually that highly rated when let go by Hawthorn whereas I think he Swans have a very high opinion of Mitchell. He is not currently in the 22 because of injury not through lack of opportunity.

To be honest Pick 6 for Mitchell isnt really a very good deal unless you had to do it to lighten the salary cap load and Mitchell wanted out anyway. To me its a bit like offerring GWS pick 2 for Tom Boyd.

The trade deal is not completely correct. Melbourne didn't trade pick 2 to GWS for Tyson. Melbourne traded pick 2, 20 and 72 for Tyson, 9 and 53. If we did a similar deal, it might involve melbourne's pick 2 and 2nd round (say 22) for mitchell and our 1st round (say 20). In which case we would miss out on Heeney.

[ernie koala]

My view, and Horses' from what he has said only a month or so ago, is that a fit Mitchell is definitely in our best 22.

His first ten odd games last year were fantastic...In his first game alone, he had something like 10 score involvements.

I think a few of you on here are forgetting just how good he was last year.

Lloyd has been really good in his first dozen odd games, but he's had nowhere near the impact Mitchell had last year.

So for mine the only question over Mitchell is injuries...

If our medicos and conditioning staff think his body's going to be fine in the long run, then I would hope, and expect, that we will keep him long term.

[Melbournehammer]

My view, and Horses' from what he has said only a month or so ago, is that a fit Mitchell is definitely in our best 22.

His first ten odd games last year were fantastic...In his first game alone, he had something like 10 score involvements.

I think a few of you on here are forgetting just how good he was last year.

Lloyd has been really good in his first dozen odd games, but he's had nowhere near the impact Mitchell had last year.

So for mine the only question over Mitchell is injuries...

If our medicos and conditioning staff think his body's going to be fine in the long run, then I would hope, and expect, that we will keep him long term.

How exactly are we going to keep them all is the question that you need to ask yourself. Why does every other club have salary cap pressure and we dont ? Are you prepared to trade if a player gets disgruntled ?

We have a unique situation just at the moment because goodes and rok are at the tail end of their careers and buddys salary doesnt go through the roof until seasons 3 and 4 as i understand it, presumably timed such that goodes and rok and shaw were seen as retired by then. But if carlton come and offer silly money to tom and he says he wants to go how do you really envisage working it all out. and what if they do that to 5 players from five melbourne clubs in the next 2 years (i understand 2015 to be a real problem for contracts expiring for us) ?

I'd imagine laidler and Derickx are on peanuts but have had their contracts for peanuts extended - but it isnt them who will be chased in 2015...

We are going to have to rely on cheap draftees and cheap players at the tail end of the list for the next little while. I don't want to lose mitchell either because i think he could be very good. But the circumstances around him are tricky - arguably the best midfielder not getting a regular game and like jpk at hawthorn the incumbent playing in his best position is one of the best five players in teh position in the league and best 22 in the league generally

[troyjones2525]

The trade deal is not completely correct. Melbourne didn't trade pick 2 to GWS for Tyson. Melbourne traded pick 2, 20 and 72 for Tyson, 9 and 53. If we did a similar deal, it might involve melbourne's pick 2 and 2nd round (say 22) for mitchell and our 1st round (say 20). In which case we would miss out on Heeney.

Yes but we have 1 thing in our favour in dealing with the Dees! Roos loves Mitchell and we know how highly he rates him. For the record in dealing for pick 2 I'm hoping we do it to draft not one of the key position players but to get Christian Petracca!

Now before all the comments come about us having a strong midfield with plenty of others to come! From what I'm hearing about him is that he's a different kind of beast to all of our current and future mids.

Say like a Judd/Dangerfield type. With similar explosivness but more consistency at the same age as Danger and even say perhaps Rohan with similar upside.

He is a quick, powerful goal kicking midfielder with elite skills, extremely clean hands and huge upside! He wins his own ball but also is a major threat on the outside. Now we have a great mix of talented midfielders but I don't believe we have any in this particular mould and I'm pretty sure we'd find a way to fit him in if we can get him!