Trade talk - from October 2024 (Part 7)

Which is fine, and its fun to follow it and hope. I’m just saying that its folly to get hurt over us being “scooped” by Sam Mitchell when we really have next to no idea what the reality of the situation is.

If he goes to Hawthorn then he’s been scooped! And it’ll hurt.

I hope we don’t get him. We aren’t set up for him as a list and as a club. We are not a Messiah away from being a genuinely contending team. It would be yet another sugar hit to a team with weak foundations.

For what you’d have to give up, while he’s contracted no less, would be borderline irresponsible IMO. Especially when he’s still not a known commodity in terms of his hunger to be the best and his commitment to actually be professional enough to make proper use of his talent.

With our pick swapping that we did, we have a great opportunity here to get another influx of talent before the compromised drafts begin. We should have three picks inside ≈24, two of which could be top 10. Stay the course you muppets.

19 Likes

I think we are that far down the track if he decides to leave it will be for essendon imo

Hawks will try to scoop but came too late

■■■■ off hawthorn

Hawthorn have the salary cap, are the darlings of the AFL and will have the picks to make it happen.

Tell me it’s a classic Essendon scenario without telling me it’s a classic Essendon scenario

Are any of our guys getting married? They could invite Harley and sit him next to Brad. Surely he is a nicer bloke than Mitchell. I mean it’s a very, very low bar.

4 Likes

All of this is why we are getting him.

2 Likes

It would be about right, yeah

That’s very Boring.

If Harley Reid says he’s coming.
Rosa makes it work.

Its starting to come together.

the interesting thing will be can he offload a Hobbs or a Parish so we still bring in some talent at the draft and make room in the salary cap.

2 Likes

I don’t care about boring. Just do what’s right.

Guys like Parish and Hobbs carry far less currency than people on here seem to expect. There would be mild interest at best.

We all know how these trades usually play out. The player has made a verbal agreement to clubs often a year or years in advance, but there’s always speculation about other parties based on random events like “He sat next to him at a wedding”.

Either way, if the club he has already agreed to go to is Hawthorn (which I don’t think is the case), then I think we win either way. Either we get Harley Reid, one of the best talents in recent years, or we take a whole stake of strong picks to the draft and build some more young depth.

Would be a shame if we didn’t get Harley, but I feel we’re in a good position either way.

2 Likes

I just hate Hawthorn and the idea of that team with Harley in it.

Agree, if there’s an early agreement it’s probably with us from all that’s going around. When Hird was saying last week that he thought Reid would be in Melbourne next year it sounded like he almost said Essendon and then pulled it back.

4 Likes

I think Hawthorn are getting a little ahead of themselves. I don’t think their depth is particularly strong.

I feel them putting all their eggs in a single basket, like Reid, isn’t setting them up for sustained success.

They are very close to having the right mix and pieces in place for success. I would be protecting what they have some more depth rather than spending big on one individual. Eventually players in successful teams raise in value and demand more and if you don’t have the flexibility in your cap then we all know how it can bite you in the butt.

Just have to look at Essendon post 2000

Next year when he’s out of contract, put an 8 year contract in front of Darcy Jones @ 800-900k a season and see if you can turn his head.

He does everything you want from a modern day small forward. He works just as hard defensively as he does running towards goal and he’d form an amazing partnership with Kako. It’s a clear and obvious list need.

10 Likes

I thought the same with Hird. Someone (Eddie?) said “You’ve got intel” and Hird didn’t deny it.

2 Likes

If we are going to sell a farm, Harley Reid does seem the type of player you sell it for.

But there is always going to be a homesick gun looking for a trade. I don’t think if we decide not to pursue him, or lose out on efforts, it’s the end of the world.

1 Like

If the money was similar and Reid had to choose between Hawthorne and Essendon, he’d be silly to pick us.

He’ll buy properties with us, he’ll buy properties that have trophy rooms with them.

Except no picks. Which players would they give up and west coast take to land Harley?