Trade talk - from October 2024 (Part 7)

I should have broadened the spectrum to include stoppages.
But, watching it I still thought we were destroyed out of the centre when Briggs was in there.

And we’d be a lot worse without him.

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You don’t have to go into detail, but do you expect some ‘established’ players to depart this off season?

The current ladder doesn’t seem to really reflect this.

Collingwood - Cameron is good but I’d say far from dominant. 13th for average hitouts.
Brisbane - 9th for average hitouts
Adelaide - I think I rate OBrien more than the Crows do. 2nd for hitouts
GWS - 16th for average hitouts
Geelong - 11th for average hitouts

Obviously there’s alot more to it than hitouts. But noone is going to call blokes like Stanley and McInerney dominant.

Just need a bloke that can compete.

Yep, and can nullify the ruck contest…. to avoid opposition’s clearance efficiency.

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Honestly not sure, nothing off the table.

But I ask if I have lost faith in the club and its direction, why wouldn’t the players. Sure will be interesting to see.

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Your point is valid.
I just come back to putting Vigo, maybe even Bryan, up against the Gawn’s, Xerri’s, Jackson’s, Marshall’s, etc. The advantage that Draper brings is his mobility and running capacity becomes a threat to them and they have something else to think about of a defensive nature.
This was where I thought him and Bryan had the potential to make quite a formidable team.
Anyway, as I said, might be just my overrating ruckman.

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That’s just who we are going to be for a little while. We have young, developing players coming up against bigger and stronger opponents every week.

Caddy, Kako, Roberts, Clarke, Johnson, Reid when he is fit and others. They are all underdeveloped and tbh pretty often beaten by their opponent but they are developing. And we as supporters accept that because it is needed.

Why can’t rucks do that? Why can’t we conceed a little bit for a little while as our players develop into what we want them to be 3 or 4 years from now?

Now I don’t think rucks are anywhere near as important as others do (same for having more than one KPD and more than one KPF tbh but that’s for another time).

I think we have too many rucks on our list. I think we are a long way from developing. I think rucks are not vital and I think we can get some currency to address other areas by letting one go.

That’s why I’m in favour of it, even before any opinions about Draper as a player but no need to go there.

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Now you’ve come back to one of the main reason for my thinking of having a senior ruckman.
Draper is our only senior player (other than maybe McGrath) that stands up for the kids. It is very poor that when someone get hit or goes down it is Roberts or Clarke or McGrath remonstrating.
We need some bigger bodies to provide the on field leadership and support for these kids.

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Fair enough.

That wouldn’t influence my thinking but I’d say we just have very different opinions about the best way forward.

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Im fine going into next season with Blakiston/2MP/Visentini in the ruck until Bryan gets back

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Nick Madden has put on a ton of size watching him in the vfl today. He has been putting up impressive numbers for two years now as well.

Not that I want him bought in just interesting to see what happens with him and Briggs competing for that ruck spot

Mate, if we have multiple first round picks it’s going to be a weak draft. You don’t need any draft experts opinions to know that.

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If Vigo is injured then we will be relying on 2 ordinairy rucks. We need another.

Vigo is an ordinary ruck. 2MP can do well enough in there to get us through til Bryan is back. We are low on list spots as is, no room to bring in a fill in.

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I am hoping Vigo keeps improving. Could be a fair bit better after another pre season. I am not sure Blakiston and Wright can hold down the ruck for any more than a very short period. I think we have to do something when Goldy goes. We can find plenty of list spots I think.

I doubt Langford and Ridley leave. Both contracted. Parish might go by mutual agreement. Who knows about Draper- I think he stays.

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Langford might be a chance and if a team like Geelong were interested we could get their 1st.
Use that and a second to chase the GC/Port pick.
I’m sure there’ll be some movement this year.

Hayley showing his new club what he can do

He’s going to richmond? Haven’t heard that.

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