2017 trading, drafting, list management

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Why wait? This preferred club rubbish is a joke. It's supposed to be a trade period, not a "free agency by another name" period.

Well called????

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[KTigers]

Dew to Gold Coast.

Sent from my SM-T805Y using Tapatalk

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. He should have a go, and good luck to him. It's a big ask though, getting that club back on
track. I still can't believe they fired McKenna, didn't he get them to 10 wins in their fourth year. I'm blaming the little bald guy.

[liz]

Why wait? This preferred club rubbish is a joke. It's supposed to be a trade period, not a "free agency by another name" period.

This isn't a young player out of contract trying to enforce FA before he's entitled to it. Watts has a contract with Melbourne (signed only a year ago) and clearly he's a little taken aback by what has unfolded - so publicly - in the last few days. Under AFL rules / culture, contracted players aren't the property of a club to be dealt with as they please. So if Melbourne, for whatever reason, have decided they want Watts out of there, Watts himself has every right to have significant say in where he goes.

In terms of the Swans' interest, I'm ambivalent. I imagine he'd be on a reasonable wage, so wonder whether the club really has room to accommodate him. He does have some good attributes and if he takes Melbourne's comments as the impetus to achieve something with his career, rather than just drift along, he could be a valuable acquisition at a fairly cheap price, in terms of trade cost. But his own public comments, thus far, don't give much indication of that. Indeed, he seems somewhat surprised by what Melbourne has said. It's hard to imagine they would be so open in public with comments that they've not already said to him in private. So either it's completely bizarre behaviour by Melbourne or Watts is a little slow on the uptake. Possibly both.

[stevoswan]

I fear Watts isn't a risk taker, preferring the safe and 'comfortable' option of staying where he is. I'm not sure he will be a willing prospect to take up the 'challenge' of improving himself at another club. I think if he prefers life at a club that doesn't really want him because it's comfortable, he is too much of a risk for us. We want brave footballers..........of course, regarding his 'attitude', I might be wrong.

[Ludwig]

Agree with comments of both Meg and Liz. I think Melbourne chose a very unprofessional method of embarrassing Watts into leaving, since he seemed unlikely to leave on his own volition. It doesn't really look good for him to stay now. And just imagine the kind of sledging he's going to receive, especially if he stays at the Demons.

I would imagine that Watts is on 500-600k pa, but there are rumours that it's even higher. It would be a tight fit for us without trading out at least one of our ruckmen, particularly Tippett. Melbourne could be a destination club for a ruckman, since the injury prone Gawn is the only one left on their list and they surely see themselves in the premiership window for the next few years.

I would have all our ruckmen on the trade table, except for Cameron. I would be happy to offload 2 and add one to our rookie list in the draft, but even trading out one will be difficult since they are all contracted. I would tell each of our ruckmen that we plan to play only one ruckman next year and there will be more playing opportunities elsewhere.

• The Giants could be a destination for Tippett if Mummy is unable to continue. They really need to go for a premiership now. I would be happy for a straight swap for Jeremy Finlayson if we don't get Watts, or an upgrade of our pick 31 to either of the Giants' 2nd round picks (23 and 25).
• Brisbane could be a trade destination for Naismith. I don't think they would be interested in an older ruckman.
• Richmond only have Nankervis, so should be looking for a second ruckman. All of our ruckmen should be of interest to them.

I am a little more positive about the draft now than I was a week ago as there are a few interesting players that should be available at pick 14. To push up our 2nd pick would be a big help. I feel less positive as the draft heads deeper into the second round.

Aiden Bonar, who missed a lot of football due to 2 surgeries for 1 ACL reco, looks a bull of a player who could be a long-term replacement for JPK. He's probably seen as a risk because of the ACL, but might be worth a shot with our 1st pick. No guarantee he will still be there.

I've seen some more video of Ed Richards, who plays mostly in defence, but looks a versatile player at around 185 cm. He looks hard and very competitive, quick and evasive, a good left footer who can also kick on his right. His one on one defensive work also looks good. I would put him even higher than Lochie O'Brien, who many rate as the best kick in the draft. He could be a bolter in the draft, along with Bonar.

Noah Balta and Oscar Allen are a couple of tall options that are currently rated in the 12-20 range in the draft. I like both of them, if we are interested in another tall option.

[stevoswan]

Interesting video here, on Allir Allir and his 'journey' from Kenya to now (with Paps!): We need a better plan for refugees. Agree? ....just scroll down the page to the video.....and I must say Allir, I am proud that you're an African-Australian too..... See you in the seniors next year!

[liz]

Ed Richards is an enticing prospect. I miss the last Ed Richards we had, so it would be nice to reinstate one. And you can never have too many redheads on a team, either. (I've heard/read he's quite a good footballer too.)

I wonder if, as a taller option, Hayden McLean is on the Swans radar, not in the first but maybe the second. I only watched the final quarter and a bit of the U18 exhibition game on grand final morning, but McLean kicked three goals in that quarter and looked reasonable, though it's hard to tell very much in an exhibition game. What caught my attention was one of the commentators noting that McLean did his off-season "work-placement" with the Swans last pre-season, and that they were very impressed by his professionalism. Of course, that's of little value if they don't rate his talent, but if they do, knowing a bit about him as a person might sway them towards him.

[bloodspirit]

Exactly 707, it's up to Nick. He has four choices- Norf F/S, Lions F/S, Sydney as an academy player or enter the draft like Murphy. It should be noted that if he elects to stay in the Sydney academy next year he forfeits all options except Sydney as from my understanding if he stays in the academy next year he has no choice but be picked up by Sydney. Unless they change the rules which they do regularly.

Any news or developments regarding Nick Blakey in 2018?

[Meg]

2017 trading, drafting, list management

I would have all our ruckmen on the trade table, except for Cameron. I would be happy to offload 2 and add one to our rookie list in the draft, but even trading out one will be difficult since they are all contracted. I would tell each of our ruckmen that we plan to play only one ruckman next year and there will be more playing opportunities elsewhere.

From Instagram photos it seems that all the players who have had turns in the ruck this year - Tippett, Naismith, Sinclair, Reid, Towers + ?blasts from the past? Pyke and Derickx - had drinks with Stephen Taubert yesterday.

Perhaps Taubo was breaking the news to them that the Swans have decided to implement Ludwig?s ruck strategy in 2018 - and he was inviting them to put up their hands for voluntary redundancy?

[stevoswan]

This from Twitter via the trade page on afl.com.au: ".@barrettdamian: Kurt Tippett will be discussed in coming weeks. Hearing that Dew @ Suns has potential for him to start a conversation there." Barrett may have a point.....or he's just speculating to get attention.....again.

[waswan]

Always liked Tippo but he is just too big to play footy
Body cant handle it and with a pressure game he is not in the mould
I liked watts but wouldnt pay him a fortune and he has no pressure or mongrel about him
Either way it has to be one or the other cant be both

[Ludwig]

From Instagram photos it seems that all the players who have had turns in the ruck this year - Tippett, Naismith, Sinclair, Reid, Towers + ?blasts from the past? Pyke and Derickx - had drinks with Stephen Taubert yesterday.

Perhaps Taubo was breaking the news to them that the Swans have decided to implement Ludwig?s ruck strategy in 2018 - and he was inviting them to put up their hands for voluntary redundancy?

Or it could just be a lot of tall guys getting plastered.

[Meg]

Or it could just be a lot of tall guys getting plastered.

They certainly had a few glasses of beer on the table [emoji3][emoji481], drowning their sorrows?

[stevoswan]

Hodge to Brisbane is official....as a player....will be interesting to see how that goes. It sort of makes sense to me. Hawk fans will feeling betrayed by all their modern legends. LOL!!

[Cosmic Wizard]

Aiden Bonar is the real deal; so much potential and after a couple of decent preseasons into him will be a champ!

Height: 190cm. Weight: 89kg; from the Dandenong Stingrays who produce good players.

Seriously, at pick 14, who really will be there???

For once lets take a education gamble and back a young player!