I think so too but I also think Hawthorn does as well. Not offering Worpel a contract sounds like they’re freeing up salary cap and amassing extra picks to get Harley.
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I think you’re misunderstanding.
To move from future to current draft there is normally a cost. This cost was exacerbated for Melbourne because:
- the 2024 draft was considered (at the time) much stronger than 2025
- Melbourne were getting a top 10 pick but thought they were giving up a teens pick
- we also included a future third
We got #28, #40, #46, #54, #65 in exchange. So, #28 was a good pick, but the others were all not particularly great. I also don’t think Melbourne had the list spots to use all of those picks; they only took 3 picks in the draft.
If Melbourne this year were in the eight, I don’t think they’d regret the trade at all.
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In 2018 while contracted? No, none of them would.
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Maybe, but I think Harley has a connection with Essendon due to his past, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they have some agreement going on behind the scenes??
One thing we should focus on is starting to accrue 2027 second round picks out of any trades. Especially from clubs who do well this season. They should be ‘cheap’ because:
- It is 2 drafts away
- Tassie will be decimating the quality of the draft
Get the picks now to pay for Bewick, Rodan, etc.
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Yeah Hawks are like the anti-Essendon.
Could you imagine us willingly letting go a B&F winner in the prime of their career?
We try to keep everyone aka Parish, McGrath etc
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As long as Flog Mitchell doesn’t get his grubby hooks into him in the meantime.
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Agreed with you totally. He’d have to play 0 footy and look average/disinterested in the VFL, throw in some attitude issues to even get them to pick up the phone for a 2nd rounder.
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Yeh
I can imagine us willingly letting Peter Wright go.
We also let Daniher go eventually.
And willingly let Mark Johnson go, McPhee too.
Peter Wright is fkg cooked now. That’s the point. Worpel has finished 4th in their B&F in the last two seasons and is just 26.
Daniher we never willingly initiated trading him so I’m not sure how that is relevant.
And Mark Johnson and McPhee well you are going a long way back there, hence my point haha.
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We let D’Ambrosio go.
Nah, we stiffed him and he took a better offer
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I’m talking about guys who are “name” players who have established themselves and who you can get some value out of. Comparable players would have been Parish, McGrath, Langford etc
Worpels only a scrapper though, it would be akin to us offloading parish or Hobbs now.
4th in the best and fairest, in a team full of kids, probably isn’t that exciting remember when Snelling and Guelfi came third in our B&F.
Exactly, and we didn’t do that, we re-signed Parish. We don’t take those sort of risks.
Worpel seems surplus to thier needs hence why they seem happy to let him go
Easy to say in hindsight
Exactly. They are backing in McKenzie, Day, Ward, Newcombe, and maybe some incoming players (potentially Reid) to take care of that area of the ground and extracting some solid value while they can.
I know, I was just reminding everyone that he left.
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Maybe its also the supporter base.
I remember suggesting we trade out Hurley during saga when he was AA and it was like killing Bambi. Just seemed overkill with Fletcher, Carlisle, Hooker & Hurley. while we we didnt have quality in other positions.
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