2017 I walk away knowing our midfield is not top 8 material, I also know the modern game is built around a strong midfield.
EFC has not had a strong midfield for 15 years and in that same time we have been the most mediocre to disappointing club on field in the league.
WE NEED TO FIX OUR MIDFIELD. This should be our no.1 priority - by drafting and bringing in established talent through trading.
I also think that 2018 and 2019 we will finish 10-12th and I hope in that time we have drafted and traded in talent that can bring success with our new generation of Joey, Merret, McGrath etc from 2020 on wards
I would be happy to move on Bellchambers for Josh Kelly, but itâs not going to happen - so you need to look at which players would hold value and with his age and talent - I think he would hold some value.
My fear is we continue to fumble our way to a better midfield, 2018 and 2019 we miss finals - and 2020 we have a Hooker turning 32 and then what? Sure it might be great for player morale - but what about turning this club back into a powerhouse onfield?
I donât care if players get ticked off at our club, I donât support the players - I support EFC. I also donât get welded to players like people here, I donât have an issue seeing Ryder at PFC, because I support EFC.
I just wanât this club to be a powerhouse, that is feared and a threat in finals.
For some reason Blitz isnât sending me notifications for repliesâŚ
Nah, Iâm only saying that if there were a suitable replacement for Hooker in the forward line, I wouldnât go trading him out to get a midfielder, itâd be awesome to be able to send him back to where we know he plays arguably his best footy.
The other poster wanted to ship him out, I was saying that heâs incredibly valuable to the team. Yes, I agree entirely that his forward role is not one that just anyone can step into, and I agree heâs doing a great job there, Iâve never said otherwise.
Iâm saying that moving him back weakens the forward line because finding someone who can do what he does forward is damn near impossible for a marginal improvement to the backline give how crap our midfield is defensively.
Possibly labouring my point about NorthâŚbut Majak Daw still has two more years under contract! Two years! Majak Daw!..am I wrong to regard McKernan as a better player? The stats seem to indicate that Shaun is slightly better:
In my fantasies, North get rid of Goldy, realise that they are one Brown injury away from oblivion, and have an interest in an option like McKernanâŚnot for much, just somethingâŚ
Yes, I remember saying that specifically, particularly the âat all costsâ bit.
Itâs hard for me to live with the fact that Dyson Heppel is in our team. In fact, trading him away at all costs wouldnât be enough. Is there some way we can force him to retire or something?
I wouldnât be against trading anyone older than Heppell. The future of this list is the Heppell and down age groups. Clearly. Everything the club is saying about recruitment backs this up.
Though i would argue that putting the club back together âspirituallyâ would counter any draft benefit of moving Hooksy on in any way, shape or form. We both know how important off field is to club greatness. Different matter if he wanted to leave, of course.
Is the culture actually any good now? Iâve made the argument in other threads that whatever inner strength was there in the Hird/Thompson Watson/Stanton sides of 13/14 evaporated when Hird started to wither in '15.
Thereâs certainly still mental fragilities and inconsistencies in the group, there didnât seem to be any belief we could beat Sydney. We basically rolled over.
Without having any idea at all how the culture in the group actually works, I think if i suggested 40 different names on our list, someone would think every one of them is a vital heart and soul clubman who we couldnât possibly trade ever.
We, as a fanbase, donât seem to like guys being traded. I think we need to get over that.
can someone look up how GWS have gone this year after their heart and soul was ripped out by trading out 6 guys? They finished bottom, right? What about Sydney after they traded out two, they donât have any fight left anymore? Adelaide after trading out Lyons?
âPlayers traded out = club falls apartâ is such a childish line of argument. Theyâre professionals.
North have been developing Pruess as the Goldstein replacement. Heâll be ready to take over next year.
I wouldnât be surprised if North delist Majak.
North were hoping to offload Goldstein in any trade to dump his salary. Given Dusty and Kelly are off the table, I think theyâll hold onto him unless they get a pick upgrade in return.
I can see someone like the Bulldogs (Geelong or GWS as well) trading their first round for Goldstein and Northâs second plus a later pick (or North paying a portion of his salary).
