Shaun Higgins to wait until post-season before deciding future

[1eyedog]

And an excellent one at that, well done.

Thanks heaps for your comment - much appreciated.

[chef]

The bigger the rival offer, the better the FA compensation.

Hopefully theres a bidding war then if he leaves then.

[Webby]

The bigger the rival offer, the better the FA compensation.

It's been my thought for some time that the general thinking around AFL circles is that we were given 'unders' as compensation for Ward. Particularly in relation to what Melbourne were granted for Scully. Therefore I have a bit of a feeling that we might just get a slight 'evener upperer' with any Higgins deal.

If Higgins gets reasonable money from Carlton or whoever, the AFL might err on the side of an end of rd 1 compo pick rather than a rd 2 one. Obviously just a gut feel, but one that I have nonetheless. Particularly on the back of what Collingwood got in return for a beaten up Daisy Thomas.

It's for this reason that I'm not too concerned about Higgins leaving. Sure he's an outside player who will be around for some of our next window, however I'd readily swap that for a quality kid who could be around for the whole of that window - alongside Hunter, Libba, Dahl, Bont, Stringer etc etc.

Another scenario is that, even if it were only a rd 2 compo pick, that would be enough to nab Cordy under F/S, along with potential to trade for Jaksch or O'Rourke with our primary rd 2 pick. When I begin to think in those terms, I'm even less concerned with Higgins leaving..

[Happy Days]

Redpath played as a deep tall forward. Austin towelled up Goddard.

What do either of them have to do with Higgins not playing?

They're three separate things all stemming from the same place.

[ReLoad]

The only thing I'm concerned about (and it's valid when he is in the vfl) is that we are really struggling for the 100 to 150 gamers.

Sure the pups are coming along, but just like in the bombers game, the kids couldn't do it alone.

We saw Melbourne fall apart without that decent core, I'd like to think we could avoid the same issue.

In saying that I'm not averse to him going, but if our goal next year is to play finals (which it is) then we will certainly need players in that bracket.

[Remi Moses]

Wouldn't think we'd have the same issues as The Dees.
Our senior core were better, and we'll have a batch now over 70 games.
Great for us that Shaun is creating such interest, and if the clubs got wind that he wants out we should play Darley all season.

[Webby]

I don't know if our goal is to make finals next year per se. I think our goal is to win a premiership in our next window - which will run from 3-8 years from now. Next year Dahlhaus, Wallis, Libba, Bonts, Stringer, Smith, Macrae, JJ, Hunter, Jones and Roughie will all be more mature and able to pull a core of 2014 and 2015 draftees along as senior players.

I don't think Higgins' contribution to that will be (or, in fact, is) all that significant. He's a light bodied outside midfielder-cum-half back. In fact, there's a school of thought that the half back flank is the easiest position on the ground in modern day footy. Not a bad spot to introduce younger players through. From that angle, Higgins' presence there is almost counter-productive.

The other point I'd make is that, unlike the Melbourne side of the past 5 years, we have a good culture - along with a very tough core of young midfielders who attack the footy pretty hard. That's certainly not where Melbourne were at in recent years. I get the concerns from some of us of our club "becoming a Melbourne" but I think they're misplaced. Our lot shit on those Melbourne sides.

We're in a great position now to just stay the course and keep loading up our team with more and more quality kids. Four years from now we'll be genuine premiership contenders. That fatal trap, IMO, would be for us to start aiming short term at a "finals will do" target and begin signing older role players to try to pinch 7th or 8th place. I'd prefer to stay focused on slowly building towards the big dance somewhere between September 2017 and Sep 2022.

[wimberga]

I don't know if our goal is to make finals next year per se. I think our goal is to win a premiership in our next window - which will run from 3-8 years from now. Next year Dahlhaus, Wallis, Libba, Bonts, Stringer, Smith, Macrae, JJ, Hunter, Jones and Roughie will all be more mature and able to pull a core of 2014 and 2015 draftees along as senior players.

I don't think Higgins' contribution to that will be (or, in fact, is) all that significant. He's a light bodied outside midfielder-cum-half back. In fact, there's a school of thought that the half back flank is the easiest position on the ground in modern day footy. Not a bad spot to introduce younger players through. From that angle, Higgins' presence there is almost counter-productive.

The other point I'd make is that, unlike the Melbourne side of the past 5 years, we have a good culture - along with a very tough core of young midfielders who attack the footy pretty hard. That's certainly not where Melbourne were at in recent years. I get the concerns from some of us of our club "becoming a Melbourne" but I think they're misplaced. Our lot shit on those Melbourne sides.

We're in a great position now to just stay the course and keep loading up our team with more and more quality kids. Four years from now we'll be genuine premiership contenders. That fatal trap, IMO, would be for us to start aiming short term at a "finals will do" target and begin signing older role players to try to pinch 7th or 8th place. I'd prefer to stay focused on slowly building towards the big dance somewhere between September 2017 and Sep 2022.

Well said here Webby - its not something I've ever really considered but its a great point you make and I totally agree with you. A premiership is the ultimate goal.

[Mofra]

I don't know if our goal is to make finals next year per se. I think our goal is to win a premiership in our next window - which will run from 3-8 years from now. Next year Dahlhaus, Wallis, Libba, Bonts, Stringer, Smith, Macrae, JJ, Hunter, Jones and Roughie will all be more mature and able to pull a core of 2014 and 2015 draftees along as senior players.

I don't think Higgins' contribution to that will be (or, in fact, is) all that significant. He's a light bodied outside midfielder-cum-half back. In fact, there's a school of thought that the half back flank is the easiest position on the ground in modern day footy. Not a bad spot to introduce younger players through. From that angle, Higgins' presence there is almost counter-productive.

I'm not sure it's just the spot - it's the leadership considerations we contend with.
If we see Roughy as a long term backman, with Murph & Morris going on at least another year we will be fine for leadership in the back half.

If Roughy transitions forward it may be a different matter.

I do think we need a genuine pacy HBFer, and that consideration is how we replace Murphy - not Higgins.

[strebla]

Zaine Cordy Is the man for me here !!

[Mofra]

Zaine Cordy Is the man for me here !!

He's more a lockdown defender though who can kick - perhaps a Shaggy-type who gets less of the ball.

It would be great to have him follow Morris around for a pre-season.

[Remi Moses]

Well said here Webby - its not something I've ever really considered but its a great point you make and I totally agree with you. A premiership is the ultimate goal.

Ditto for me . Use the draft and build a side for a long sustained period.

[whythelongface]

Well said here Webby - its not something I've ever really considered but its a great point you make and I totally agree with you. A premiership is the ultimate goal.

Agree well said Webby. Whilst I enjoy watching Higgins play when he is on song, I agree that if we can draft a couple more quality kids over the next two drafts then we really have an excellent shot at a premiership within the next 3 to 8 years at which point Higgins will be 29 to 34 years of age.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Another article on Higgins and other clubs interest:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-2...circle-higgins

The interest from numerous clubs is good. I don't mind him as a player, but if a club offers him 500K+ then I'd let him walk. Compensation would be interesting if he's getting up and above 500K.

[Hotdog60]

The free agency ties our hands a bit if it was GWS that Higgins wanted to go to we couldn't do a deal for one of their forwards. Am I right in that we can only match their offer or he walks and we just get AFL compensation?