2023 List Management

[MattW]

Ladhams has a contract and even with Grundy you still need backup. Not sure you are right about Stephens, apparently there are a couple of clubs sniffing around him. Pick 32ish may not be far off the mark

32!

[i'm-uninformed2]

Re Grundy, I’ve warmed to the recruitment, for a couple of reasons.

One - his best helps fix a hole we have in contested ball. He was never elite as a tap ruck; his one wood was his contested and ground ball work, and ability to spread from the contest. If he can get back to anywhere near his best, it’ll help us a lot. Two - the $600k salary is more than you’d usually like to spend on a ruck, but it will be a bargain under the new CBA, which is forecast to see average salaries rise from $400K to $600k over the next few years. So his share of our cap space will diminish, if that makes sense. Three - a ruckman like Grundy loves churning out ground time, so the requirement for McLean or Amartey (or see below) to spend large chunks in the ruck is reduced and I think they both work best forward.

As for Ladhams, I’d definitely keep him. I actually think he was playing very good footy before his injury this year, so if he can get his head right, he is still super valuable. McAndrew shows a lot of promise as a tap ruckman and keeps improving, but you’d want him to develop more of an all round game before you had high confidence in him. Our ruck stocks would be very exposed if Ladhams wasn’t on the list.

Ladhams also showed at Port he can play the second ruck role. It’ll be up to him to get the spot currently held by either McLean or Amartey. But he can do it.

[KSAS]

With trade report articles over the last 24 hours suggesting we're now in the box seat for Grundy (which I'm weary of after hearing similar with Barass), the same can't be said for Ben McKay which appears ever fluctuating between us, Essendon & Hawthorn.

The latest being a HS paywall headline this morning, suggesting Essendon are now the front runners for Ben's services as they're now offering him a multi million deal. Bidding war it seems, to Ben's benefit. Don't know anymore without able to access the article, but I don't think he's worth anywhere near this coin if true. If so, hope we pull out of the bidding. Take it or leave it Ben.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Most of it is mindless blather.

The challenge re his salary is getting it to a level that’d get Norf to let him go without us having to trade and is acceptable to him in a bidding war. Personally, I’m uncomfortable with an $800K salary as it’d pervert the incentives among our playing group, and he’s very good, but he’s not worth a salary that’s probably in the range of Steven May and Harris Andrews.

But without going there, I’m not sure we’d get him. Maybe and this is only a maybe, $800K in the context of the new cBA is not perverse, as long as it isn’t indexed to rise with the new cap.

[lwjoyner]

defiinately not $800k for mckay (too slow)

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Personally, I’m uncomfortable with an $800K salary as it’d pervert the incentives among our playing group.

Couldn't the same be said of such a salary for any incomer?

[Auntie.Gerald]

If McKay ends up out of reach due to $ or not keen to fly north what are our other options regarding a marking, interception strong FB role?

U would expect we are priming as much as possible for a 2024 and 2025 assault if we pick up Grundy……..that missing piece KPD

Well……as long our young Under 50 games 3 tall forward line goes well

[Jimitron5000]

Grundy would be a great get, potentially transforming our midfield. As to how we get him, Ladhams is the type of ruck/forward Melbourne want (really they want Kurt Tippett, but he is a bit old now) so he could be used as part of the trade. I reckon he has plenty of upside and if he ironed out some of his stupidity he would be a solid player. While on Melbourne, I don't understand the alleged interest in Harmes or Jordan. We have better players than those two.

I don't watch North Melbourne games so I have no idea if McKay is any good. The price is steep from a salary cap perspective but if we consider that Rampe only has a season or two left, the McCartin family history, Melican's ongoing injury issues and frequent mediocrity, and how we were forced to play Mills on Hawkins, then I think getting him in would be a great addition to the team.

On Stephens, I hope he stays. There's a very good player in there.

[KSAS]

i was thinking the same AG & IF we do get Grundy, hope it might also persuade McKay. Other than McKay, there's talk of 27 yo Dougal Howard at Saints being gettable. Has another year on his contract at alleged $600k. Would need to trade for him. There was talk earlier in the season of clubs eyeing Denver Grainger-Barras at Hawthorn, who also has another year on his contract (he was llnked to us in the 2020 draft before we swooped on Logan McDonald when North overlooked him for Philips). Other than them, not sure who else. Trade up in draft to hopefully snare a KPD fancy?

[crackedactor 01]

i was thinking the same AG & IF we do get Grundy, hope it might also persuade McKay. Other than McKay, there's talk of 27 yo Dougal Howard at Saints being gettable. Has another year on his contract at alleged $600k. Would need to trade for him. There was talk earlier in the season of clubs eyeing Denver Grainger-Barras at Hawthorn, who also has another year on his contract (he was llnked to us in the 2020 draft before we swooped on Logan McDonald when North overlooked him for Philips). Other than them, not sure who else. Trade up in draft to hopefully snare a KPD fancy?

Its just been reported that Port Adelaide has dropped out of the race for Grundy and it looks certain he will go to the Swans.

[Mountain Man]

If Grundy comes;
If the 3 key forwards continue to develop;
Then, we are only short of a KPB who can deal with the 2 metre plus KPF over the next few years.

If McCartin stays healthy then the worries who are too tall for our current defence would be:
Daniher - tall, quick and plays up the ground
King twins - tall, injury prone and both playing with teams yet to really prove themselves.

Other talls such as Allen, van Rooyen, the Richmond guy are pretty mobile, but yet to kick match winning handfuls.

McKay is tall, but would he be good against the Daniher and King types?

[BRS328]

I thought Grainger-Barras showed something toward the end of the season, playing mainly as a forward. Would be worth a look

[Dow]

I thought Grainger-Barras showed something toward the end of the season, playing mainly as a forward. Would be worth a look

What do you think the hawks would want for him ?

[barry]

It's going to be hard getting players out of hawthorn. They are a team on the up.

[barry]

We do not want Grundy to play for the demons this weekend (or any final). Right now his currency is rock bottom, and if he plays a final:
- bad game. Same value.
- good game. Price goes up.. Melbourne might keep him.