Jack Gunston

Tim Watson suggesting Hawks should trade Gunston. Is the best 3rd tall in the game alongside Crows Tom Lynch. That position is not really a priority for us given our need for midfielders and attacking HB flankers but is only 25 and has family links.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/trade-jack-gunston-tim-watson-and-garry-lyon-suggest-hawthorn-gets-ruthless-to-start-rebuild/news-story/329b80e15b5c5e72311ae382e4a98255

TRADING Jack Gunston would allow Hawthorn to land early draft picks and start to rebuild in earnest, says Essendon great Tim Watson.

Triple premiership player Gunston is one of a number of Hawthorn players struggling for form in 2017.

On Thursday night against Port Adelaide, he accumulated a miserly seven disposals and failed to impact the scoreboard. The fault wasnā€™t purely Gunstonā€™s, however, with Port racking up 37 more inside 50s than Hawthorn.

Despite this, the half forwardā€™s performance was symptomatic of his season thus far, where all of his numbers ā€” particularly in front of goal ā€” have been down.

ā€œIf you look at Hawthorn and where theyā€™re at, they need to get into the draft. They need to get in the early part of the draft,ā€ Watson told SEN.

ā€œJack Gunston is an interesting conversation because heā€™s one player that I think Hawthorn would be looking at saying, ā€˜okay, of the players on our list who has got some real currency? If weā€™re going to shake up our list, which players on our list have currency?ā€™

ā€œJack Gunston would be one of those players.ā€

At only 25, the 193cm forward would be a tantalising prospect for almost every club, particularly given his pedigree as a student of Alastair Clarksonā€™s.

And with Hawthorn trading away its first draft pick to St Kilda in order to secure Jaeger Oā€™Meara, he could hold the key to helping the Hawks hustle up the draft order.

The only complicating factor is that Gunston is contracted until the end of 2019, at which time heā€™ll become a restricted free agent.

While Hawthorn has had great success in landing trades to help top up its list, the most recent instalment has faltered.

While the recruitment of Tom Mitchell has proved a masterstroke, Oā€™Mearaā€™s knee remains problematic and fellow top up player Tyrone Vickery hasnā€™t yet worked out.

Unless the Hawks take a ruthless approach at the trade table, Melbourne legend Garry Lyon suggested the club would struggle to play finals any time soon ā€” rebuking Clarksonā€™s comments that Hawthorn were in a similar position to 2009.

ā€œI donā€™t think theyā€™ve got the pillars in place that they did back then,ā€ Lyon said.

ā€œThe pillars of success that drive you are the young hungry fit midfield, big key position forwards that are going to get the job done and a solid defence. I donā€™t think theyā€™re there.

ā€œAnd the challenge is that theyā€™ve given away their first round draft pick and their second one wonā€™t come until the mid 30s.ā€

Lyon echoed Watsonā€™s sentiments regarding Gunston, singling him out as one of Hawthornā€™s struggling stars.

ā€œIā€™m staggered at where Jack Gunston is at,ā€ Lyon said.

ā€œHeā€™s not even treading water. Heā€™s a forward playing in a team that got belted in the first half and didnā€™t score a goal so I get all that. But Iā€™m not even basing it on last night.ā€

Both Lyon and Watson agreed Clarkson was up for the challenge of rebuilding his list, even if the club was circumspect to use the dreaded ā€˜rā€™ word.

ā€œI get the sense heā€™s up for the challenge of being part of all of this,ā€ Watson said.

ā€œHe understands where theyā€™re at, he understands what it takes to get back where they want to be. Thereā€™s nothing in his demeanour, nothing in the way heā€™s going about his job, that suggests heā€™s not up to the fight.ā€

Unless heā€™s a FA heā€™d cost more than heā€™s worth to us.

edit heā€™s not - would look at him in 2 years time depending on where our list is at.

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Nah. Let Hawthorn enter the draft at pick 40 and lose Gunston for nothing in 2 years.

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Nein.

I really feel like we need a Jack Gunston type, but I donā€™t think Jack Gunston is quite Jack Gunstoney enough to be a Jack Gunston type

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Maybe bring him in to play the Langford role, considering Langford wasnā€™t quite nailing the Gunston role.

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We have bigger priorities Than a third tall option, at a premium cost of a first round draft pick.

If all areas of our game was looking good, then you would consider it.
But priorities in order is: Big Bodied one-on-one marking Full forward, midfielders -all of them, fast hbf with elite foot skills, Ruckmanā€¦ then 3rd tall option.

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In a heartbeat*

*dependent on cost though (would do for a high 2R pick)

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Is he even that good anymore without Buddy and Roughy to cover for him?

Heā€™s good when he gets 2nd and 3rd defenders and decent supply. Heā€™s not big enough to have much impact when the ballā€™s getting in sparsely and slowly with guys like Shiel and T Mitchell kicking it to him.

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I like Gunstun, but surley between Lav, THE!, Frang, Stewart, Begley and Brown weā€™ve got some options for the 3rd tall.

Would much rather a gun mid.

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Is not a half back. Do not want.

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I thought we only drafted half backs. Why hasnā€™t Dodoro thought of this? Has winner written all over it.

#sackdodoro

For a late 2nd rounder i would. The guy is still quality.

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Had to check how old he is,ā€¦ only 25.

I wanted him here twice & we didnā€™t grab him. Good EFC man, and was just what we needed.

We have less need now, but I would. ā€¦(for a later pick as some have already said

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Absolutely not

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Lol, ā€¦ youā€™re kidding right? Surely it depends on price?

Not what we need, would be good when we had a firing midfield, but i donā€™t want to sacrifice that for another forward.

Yeah, but seeing how Lang 'n Lav are both going to become midfield jets ā€¦

(If they both actually do/did, ā€¦ he fits in nicely)

Many people would completely argue with this, but if we are desperate for a 3rd tall option.

The choice was between Gunston who will cost a first round pick, or Crameri who will cost a 3rd round pick.

Iā€™d choose Crameri. Not as good a player but would do the job well, if not injured.

And leaves us a first round pick to get a key forward or midfielder.

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