Who's out there?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Let's have a look who's out there.

Forget about Brown, Riewoldt and Franklin for the moment, just in case we miss out on them.


Adelaide – Tippett and Sellar. Adelaide have as many problems up forward as we do. Can’t imagine them giving up Tippett and Sellar was in Glenelg’s reserves not too long ago.

Brisbane – Clark and Brennan. Clark is big and young, can mark but can’t kick. Brown has just re-signed for 4 years, Bradshaw would have another couple left in him and they have Henderson as well. Clark would be definitely worth a try. Brennan isn’t really a KPP.

Carlton – nothing there. Jake Edwards for sentimental reasons but he’s not really big enough.

Collingwood – Reid. Dawes seems to have passed him and Cloke will be there for years. Anthony has come on as a forward. Their midfield is pedestrian; maybe they would look at a trade (are they after Kerr)? Reid did re-sign during the year. More hopeful than realistic.

Essendon – nothing to see here.

Freo – Campbell. Big and can kick but slow and can’t mark. Consolation prize.

Geelong – Hawkins and Lonergan. Hawkins would be untouchable and could make Lonergan expendable. Do we want someone with one kidney who isn’t really very good?

Hawthorn – Thorp, Dowler and Boyle – Thorp just re-signed a few weeks back. Dowler has been a massive disappointment – Tim Walsh style. Boyle is poo.

Melbourne – pass.

North – see Melbourne.

Port – keep moving along.

Richmond – Shultz and Hughes. Shultz manages a good game a year (most years), so no. Hughes is very one dimensional – lead, catch, kick – nothing else. Jason Dunstall was one dimensional as well but Hughes reminds me more of Jason Cloke than Jason Dunstall.

St. Kilda – Kosi. Would cost a bit but if they’re really into Kerr might be prepared to deal. High risk strategy.

Sydney – nothing of interest younger than George Burns.

West Coast – Hansen. Made of glass but maybe.

So that leaves us chasing Clark, Reid, Kosi or maybe Hansen, with next to no chance of landing any of them. I can see Campbell or Boyle happening and the best result here would be we trade them to the Gold Coast in two years time and get our money back.

And that’s why best available is bollocks.

[ledge]

Left field, bring on Tiller and put Lake at full forward or CHF and find a fullback?

[Happy Days]

Left field, bring on Tiller and put Lake at full forward or CHF and find a fullback?

Only if we can keep tricking the umps into letting other people take the kick

But seriously...there might be even less KPB's out there than KPF's.

[bulldogs1956]

Hi, good thought on Tiller. I met him a couple of years ago when he visited a nursing home and chatted to him for a while. He started his footy career as a forward and seems to be gaining lots of confidence with each game. Not sure I would want to lose Lake from down back, but your suggestion makes lots of sense!

[bulldogtragic]

Smalls include Lovett or Prismall.

For a risk i'd punt on Prismall and Trent Potential at the right price.

Remember the fall-out when we overlooked Sellar....

I don't trading will solve any of our forward KPP issues.... regrertfully...

[Dry Rot]

So that leaves us chasing Clark, Reid, Kosi or maybe Hansen, with next to no chance of landing any of them.

Three possible scenarios from our end:

#1 Take Cordy with first pick, hang on to say an upgraded second round pick from Ray and use in the draft

#2 Take Cordy with first pick, use say an upgraded second round pick on Hall

#3 Don't take Cordy with first pick, hang on to say an upgraded second round pick from Ray and offer both up ie say Picks 14 and 20

If we went down path #3, what (if any) quality young tall could we get from Sockeye's list?

And would it be worth it?

Is that over the odds for Thorpe?

And that’s why best available is bollocks.

Agreed - we've both been saying that for years.

[The Coon Dog]

We have DFA & looking at what's available on Sockey's list it amounts to SFA.

[The Pie Man]

Left field, bring on Tiller and put Lake at full forward or CHF and find a fullback?

Nathan Carroll might be looking for a new home - I'm not a massive fan (too undisciplined) but would fit this idea nicely

[Sedat]

Good thread Sockeye. We either:

1. Go cheap and get list cloggers (A Campbell, Boyle) - with Pelchan involved it won't even come cheap. Only winner out of this is Williamstown
2. Go short term and get Hall while we wait for Grant and Boumann to come on
3. Pay over the odds for Reid, Kosi or Clark
4. Do nothing and hope that Grant and Boumann come on - means we are marking time in 2009 and possibly 2010 as well

Our window is well and truly open. Right now. Let's get Bustling. Why? We chose Grant over Henderson - he must have some genuine talent. Ditto Boumann, who has knocked up scoring for the 3rds (poor standard I know but guys like wells, M West and Walsh weren't kicking bags of 7 there). These guys will get a first-hand lesson on how to play the key forward posts from one of the best in the business who is still close to the top of his game. Why else? We need another genuine mongrel in our side, someone who will make opposition defenders look twice. They aren't looking twice at Welsh. Why else? The work put into Minson will be doubly effective if his short stints up forward are against 2nd string defenders. And the likes of Johnno, Gia, Aker, Higgins and Welsh will be playing on spuds most weeks. And most importantly why? Because Hall is a proven goal kicker at the highest level, averaging 3-4 goals a game.

What's the downside? We lose a 2nd round pick and possibly a fringe midfielder as well. We get criticised in the media for trying to top up. Don't care - it is a bold call but one worth making. Our best players are all 28 and under, with several still under 23 (including the current Brownlow Medallist). We are on the up. We've lost over 1,500 games of experience since 2006 and we have improved markedly since then - that tells us we have a strong list in most areas. Except key forwards. I must predicate this on the assumption that the MC thinks that Grant and/or Bioumann are significantly talented enough to make it at this level, and they will be cherry ripe to take over from Hall in 2 years. Big if.

I could live with option 3 but even that is not a guaranteed success despite the bigger outlay. None of Kosi, Clark or Reid are noted consistent goal kickers of Hall's calibre. Clark has the potential to do so, but then so do Grant and Boumann and they are already on our list.

We are not in a grand final this week because of our shortcomings in the key forward post, no other reason. Let's be bold and definitively fix this problem area in time for the start of our next premiership tilt, which is 2009.

[The Pie Man]

Very nicely put Sedat, I pretty much concur with your entire post

Bring on BBBBB (Big Bad Bustling Bulldog Barry)

[GVGjr]

Very nicely put Sedat, I pretty much concur with your entire post

Bring on BBBBB (Big Bad Bustling Bulldog Barry)

Hasn't Hall re-signed with the Swans for next season?

[Mantis]

Hasn't Hall re-signed with the Swans for next season?

He has one year left on an existing contract. I think he asked for a 1yr extension just recently which was denied.

[aker39]

Hasn't Hall re-signed with the Swans for next season?

It was Leo BARRY, not BARRY Hall

[dog town]

Good read Sedat and SS.

Good thread Sockeye. We either:

1. Go cheap and get list cloggers (A Campbell, Boyle) - with Pelchan involved it won't even come cheap. Only winner out of this is Williamstown
2. Go short term and get Hall while we wait for Grant and Boumann to come on
3. Pay over the odds for Reid, Kosi or Clark
4. Do nothing and hope that Grant and Boumann come on - means we are marking time in 2009 and possibly 2010 as well

Our window is well and truly open. Right now. Let's get Bustling. Why? We chose Grant over Henderson - he must have some genuine talent. Ditto Boumann, who has knocked up scoring for the 3rds (poor standard I know but guys like wells, M West and Walsh weren't kicking bags of 7 there). These guys will get a first-hand lesson on how to play the key forward posts from one of the best in the business who is still close to the top of his game. Why else? We need another genuine mongrel in our side, someone who will make opposition defenders look twice. They aren't looking twice at Welsh. Why else? The work put into Minson will be doubly effective if his short stints up forward are against 2nd string defenders. And the likes of Johnno, Gia, Aker, Higgins and Welsh will be playing on spuds most weeks. And most importantly why? Because Hall is a proven goal kicker at the highest level, averaging 3-4 goals a game.

What's the downside? We lose a 2nd round pick and possibly a fringe midfielder as well. We get criticised in the media for trying to top up. Don't care - it is a bold call but one worth making. Our best players are all 28 and under, with several still under 23 (including the current Brownlow Medallist). We are on the up. We've lost over 1,500 games of experience since 2006 and we have improved markedly since then - that tells us we have a strong list in most areas. Except key forwards. I must predicate this on the assumption that the MC thinks that Grant and/or Bioumann are significantly talented enough to make it at this level, and they will be cherry ripe to take over from Hall in 2 years. Big if.

I could live with option 3 but even that is not a guaranteed success despite the bigger outlay. None of Kosi, Clark or Reid are noted consistent goal kickers of Hall's calibre. Clark has the potential to do so, but then so do Grant and Boumann and they are already on our list.

We are not in a grand final this week because of our shortcomings in the key forward post, no other reason. Let's be bold and definitively fix this problem area in time for the start of our next premiership tilt, which is 2009.

I suppose cost is the big thing with all of them. I dont really agree with the term 'list clogger' because other clubs have shown the value of making shrewd selections like this We have just been no good at it. Most of the guys mentioned have a couple of strengths that could be used by some clubs.

Its amazing what a year does. This time last season I think 95% of posters wanted Ash Hansen and the year before it was the same. I didn't agree at the time but he is almost in the frame now because his cost has gone down. The problem with him is that he plays the same role as Bobby but averages less contested marks per game. This does not say much for his ability to use his 198cm frame. I have seen him play deeper before with mixed success. At best he would take some pressure off Murphy and allow us to have a bit more flexibility in our set up.

Campbell is a better bet than Boyle. I saw him twice late in the year and if he brought that form with him then he would make a difference. Not sure if he is capable of playing at that level consistently though. Better contested mark, kick and lead than Minson in the games I saw him in.

Boyle is a hard working tall but I think we need a deeper forward. He works up the ground and we have that already. Again, if we go for a tall lead up player then I would prefer Hansen. Not sure we need either.

I probably agree with your opinion on Hall. Not sure if he is gettable or not. Roos seems to think he will stay. The big plus with him is that he can play deep and also come up the ground. Mobility and power is a rare double act.

Clark would be really tough to get. I said in another thread he would be good if we could pull it off.

Reid will end up another lead up type and I wouldn't pay over the odds for someone who hasn't shown much. If we are going to get a lead up tall then why pay over the odds for an unestablished one. We would be better off paying less for guys who have actually shown they can play the role. Like I said though, I think we need a deeper type forward anyway.

Kosi frightens me. Likely to break down and has poor awareness.

We are not in a grand final this week because of our shortcomings in the key forward post, no other reason. Let's be bold and definitively fix this problem area in time for the start of our next premiership tilt, which is 2009.

A quality key forward would have helped. I think our decision making and skill errors played just as big a part. We had our chances but we didn't take them. A key forward would have given us more chances.

[Desipura]

Sockeye, you forgot to mention Ryan Gamble. The cats cannot fit them all in the one forward line.
Out of your list one of Thorp (probably unattainable) Dowler (age on his side) Can play CHB, could release Williams to play CHF.
Kosi is the other player that would have to seriously have to be considered. A 26yo man mountain who has been living in Riewoldts shadow is worth considering. A change of clubs could see him finally deliver. Would cost a 2nd round and some..........
Otherwise there is not much that could potentially make a siginificant difference other than Kosi IMHO
Hall could however only for 1-2 yrs and would not be willing to sacrifice our future by giving away 2nd round pick.