mmm, … 
Lang, Lav, Hepp, .Para,…& Zaka thriving with more inside time, (as I said he would, and was why he was lost early this year after digging it last year, and was scoffed at a while ago *cough *), and getting even better at it.
You do make a case.
(Actually thought you were one asking "Why not Bird? a lot actually, . must have had that arsse about?)
No, I don’t think he will.
Of course he won’t.
I have missed a few posts but if we cut 8+ players as has been suggested then that could be an issue because we need at least 3 list changes a year.
We need to keep some decent depth players for 1 more year. If we delist the 9-10 players then who are the next 3 at end of 2018?
Dea, Goddard retires, one of the ruckmen (probably Leuenberger?). Wouldn’t surprise me if Brown goes, can’t really see us keeping him and Hartley unless we have some major injury issues with our key backs. Reasonable chance one of the second year players who doesn’t come on. Baguley if he’s not in your list this year. Plus you’d assume if we’re going so well that we seriously can’t find three guys to cut, at least one player who’s not getting games will ask for a trade. If absolutely all else fails, cut and re-rookie someone.
There are 15 players out of contract next year, clearing three list spots won’t be difficult.
The thing with Bags is his knee is cooked. Bone on bone. This clearly showed at the start of the season before he found his way through the issue. It will be interesting if he can go again next year with this problem. One advantage is his coming into the elite level at a later age which should mean he has something left to give.
The cycle happens every year. You always end up reasonably confident with your list at the end of trade / draft. Then in 9 months time it becomes reasonably obvious who is in the firing line for the next set of list management decisions.
Main list
Watson
Kelly
Stanton
Hocking
Howlett
Jerrett
Morgan
If the draft is as shallow as some say then give Morgan a 1 year deal and pull the trigger earlier than usual on mature aged players (Boyse) and Benefi specials
Those wanting Dea delisted are crazy.
I always thought hocking signed on for two years at the end of suspension 2016.
I swear read that multiple times.
Hey Redbull, this is news to me - was it reported, or just inside gen?
I’m of the belief that experienced depth players are really only useful if you’re in flag contention. (In which case, they are pretty bloody useful.)
But if you’re developing a team, they can kind of just get in the way. After 2012, we moved on Lonergan, Dyson, Slattery, Hille, NLM, McVeigh and Prismall. All guys, bar maybe McVeigh and Hille, who could have provided useful depth the following year.
We went deep in that draft, and didn’t exactly nail it, but we pulled Gleeson out of it, upgraded Bags, and Kommer was pretty damn good in season 2013. (Oh, and Ashby said fark off to an umpire once…)
If they’re out of contract and they’re not considered best 22, then move them on.
If the draft pool is weak, then only pick 3 kids, look at some mature state players and maybe even delisted free agents to fill specific roles. They cost fark all and if they don’t work out, well you move them on and keep looking.
So you’re saying moneyball?
I wasn’t, but on second read…
After what happened with Jenkins, and if this is a weak draft as stated, I’d be all for giving Draper a senior contract.
Heard it from a coach at the start of the year. Don’t think it was necessarily reported but it was the result of the injury that kept him out for the last half of 2016.
We seem to be looking at DFAs, real cheap trades and mature agers every year and have done alright out of them - Hartley Ambrose Stewart Green Bags et al
The question is whether it’s 3 national draft picks and 4 cheap older guys, 5 + 2 or what have you.
Hahahaha gold.
Blitz throws up some bizarre things at times but the collective belief from a group of posters that Ashby was a toughnut and was definitely gonna make it because he told an umpire to fark off once was right up there!!
“Official” list changes?
It was meant to be a resource. Hence no speculation or opinion by me in the OP. Didn’t quite work out that way.