Mumford will get injured so package up Ryder and Hooker and our pick 19 for Patton and Shiel. JD plays 15% switching with Bell in ruck and move Hurley back with Jake. Pick up another ruck in that time.
Easy.
Buddy or Ablett.
Settle for no one else.
David Mundy
I've heard Ryan Griffen speak in interviews before (and he has said he rarely does interviews due to his shy nature) and I'd be VERY surprised if he ever left the Dogs. He speaks of them like it's his home and he will never leave.
And the players to target aren't necessarily the ones that are already a club's marquee player. These players are always targeted anyways and it's public knowledge. You look at the way Hawthorn goes about it, and it's the players the media rarely talk about because their 2nd tier players done behind the scenes while everyone focusses on the Buddys, Abletts and Clokes.
You look at our needs first - small forwards. Are they overrated? I think so. I think the direction football is headed is a need for small mids that play as small fwds. Because a small forward who can't play midfield is a rotation gone begging. So let's rule out targeting a small forward.
The need that we have is a genuine half forward flanker or medium sized forward now that we have lost Crameri. All the best teams have had at least one that plays a pivotal role. O'Keefe, Stevie J, Sidebottom, Chapman. Go after Sidebottom HARD! There's fractions at Collingwood...divide and conquer!
North have a plethora of mids that surely someone can be squeezed out. Bastinac, Ziebell, Cunnington, Atley, Harper, Mullet...
We might have a player like Atley in Kav. We were rumoured to be very keen on Atley in the Heppell draft IIRC, for this reason alone I've paid more than normal attention to his game. From a slow start has become a really good player, not Hep but not far off. Be wrapped if Kav reaches his potential, but in the meantime would not be upset if we went after young Shaun.
Griffen signed this year
Target any decent out of contract player from the Bulldogs, who they plan to retain.
Target any decent out of contract player from the Bulldogs, who they plan to retain.
Only one problem with that plan... The word decent.
the only one's I would be targeting from that list are these guys:
though there is no way some would leave their clubs. Have no idea how old some of these guys are:
Sam Mitchell
David Mundy
Andrew Walker
Shannon Hurn
Travis Boak
Matt Priddis
2014 FREE AGENTS (UNRESTRICTED)Brisbane LionsAsh McGrathCarltonBryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson, Jarrad Waite, Andrew WalkerCollingwoodHarry O'Brien, Ben Reid, Dane SwanEssendonHeath Hocking, Leroy JettaFremantleGarrick Ibbotson, David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich, Aaron SandilandsGeelongSteve Johnson, James Kelly, Trent WestHawthornLuke Hodge, Sam MitchellMelbourneJames FrawleyNorth MelbourneTodd Goldstein, Lachie Hansen, Lindsay ThomasPort AdelaideTravis BoakSt KildaSam Fisher, James Gwilt, Leigh Montagna, Nick RiewoldtSydney SwansAdam Goodes, Ryan O'Keefe, Nick Malceski, Ted RichardsWest CoastShannon Hurn, Daniel Kerr, Matt PriddisWestern BulldogsMatthew Boyd, Shaun Higgins, Will Minson, Robert Murphy, Tom WilliamsOf that list I'd be targeting, in order:Boak, Mundy, O'Keefe, Gibbs (if only to push his salary up).Frawley will be courted by about 6 clubs.. I'd be very surprised if he was a Demon this time next year and it wouldn't surprise me at all if Hawthorn throw the kitchen sink at him and he ends up there. St Kilda will go pretty hard given the family connection, too. Ben Reid will also be a target as will Cotchin and Dangerfield but they are Restricted Free Agents so it's unlikely they'll move.
Nice work. Some good targets on that list, but many unattainable (ie - Hodge, Goldstein, Stevie J)
Swan will be gettable - only needs one more blue with Bucks and he'll look to leave. Might prefer Carlton though.
I like the idea of Mundy, but I would doubt Freo would let him leave. Ibbotson would be the one to pinch from Freo. Got a bit about him I reckon.
Bob Murphy would be a real good half forward option (even though he was playing back) but I doubt he'd leave the Dogs.
I think the rest are either unreasonable targets, or not worth targeting.
Am I the only one noticing that Goldstein will only be 26 at the start of next year?
If be after Hurn, Low key player that can have a huge impact.
Promise him midfield time, seems to work for everybody else. Imagine him and Myers in the same team roaming from outside 50!
Yeah, looked at Hurns age and thought geez he isn't as old as I thought. If you could pick him up you'd be doing alright as he is a very underrated.
Ibbotson is a quality player, He and Hibbo would be pretty deadly off half back with Dempsey.
Hurn also.
Lindsay Thomas may do an Eddie Betts …he s a prick but that’s only because he plays for an opposition team
Ben Reid? Seriously?
Ibbotson is a quality player, He and Hibbo would be pretty deadly off half back with Dempsey.
Hurn also.
Hibbo and Ibbo?..........................................................Really?
Lindsay Thomas may do an Eddie Betts
Nope, he's contracted through 2016.
Not much in that list. The better players wont go anywhere. Gibbs could be enticed, the rest who are decent love their club too much I reckon.
Swan would just retire instead of going to another club, I don’t reckon he could be arsed to start afresh.
Gary Rohan
Lewis Jetta
Tom Mitchell
Contracts all end 2014. Throw a bit of cash and see if any of them decide to come over.
The players I’d love to think Essendon are having a strong word to are Gaff, Shuey, Rockliff and Jonathan O’Rouke (GWS). I think that they are all coming out of contract at the end of the year and depending on how their teams go, could be convinced to come Essendon. Which is the first step.
Dangerfield would be the ultimate get, but I can’t see him leaving the crows.