The years end is coming

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Fellow WOOFERS,

I was thinking over the last few days that this year really has been a mixed bag so far. With our performances being good for periods of the game then only to loss the game in a short burst after 1/2 time.

The coaching staff have a few things to think about now that we are 1/2 way into the season. The supporters really need a few wins, the players need a win like a shot in the arm and the coaches need to start thinking of next year. With all this thrown into the mix for the next 6 to 8 weeks what do we do?

We are playing Collingwood, Port, Geelong, Suns, Essendon & Hawthorn over the next couple of months which looks like a tough draw. That leaves the last 4 weeks for fair wells.

With this in mind who do you think will be leaving at the years end and why?

You can count on Gia finishing up at years end.

Will Boyd & Murphy want to go around again or do the MC want to move one on to make space (Crossy)

Will the Dogs offer Higgins up for a trade while he has a little bit of value left in him?

Has the boat left for Howard, Goodes, Fuller & Darley?

History shows that you cant turn over too many spots but realistically will we move on 4 to 5 or go harder and look to trade for a GWS forward?

[Webby]

Goodes, Gia, Howard, Fuller and Boyd need to come off the list if we're serious. Then the rookie list needs a decent overhaul..

Boyd because, we have such a huge sum of young midfielders coming up on 22-23 years of age. They need a clear run at it. Boyd also kills us with his poor disposal. I'd prefer a bigger share of the ball in the hands of better users. The rest are pretty obvious.

If someone offers us the world for Higgins, as always, if the price is right, I'd look at it. But as he's a good user of the ball, I'd prefer to keep him. It's not like we're flush with good users! He also might just make the first year of our next window - unlike Griffen, who I, unfortunately, think will be lucky to play more than a couple of finals in the rest of his career if he stays with us... Probably more likely one in the twilight of his career.

I think Murphy might even have 2 years left in him. He looks after his body and also uses it very well.

We've had so few cattle in the 25-29 age group in recent times that we've really struggled. Next year we'll have a glut if quality young guys coming into the 22-24 age group. They're ready to lead some 18-20 year olds now. If we draft well, we'll have a list in four years time which is full of good quality 22-29 year olds. That's premiership window stuff.

We're still paying the piper for poor drafting and list management from 4-8 years ago. I'm hoping we make some hard decisions and put in the hard yards for 4-5 years from now..... & we need a 21 year old tall forward!!

[F'scary]

Goodes, Gia, Howard, Fuller and Boyd need to come off the list if we're serious. Then the rookie list needs a decent overhaul..

Boyd because, we have such a huge sum of young midfielders coming up on 22-23 years of age. They need a clear run at it. Boyd also kills us with his poor disposal. I'd prefer a bigger share of the ball in the hands of better users. The rest are pretty obvious.

If someone offers us the world for Higgins, as always, if the price is right, I'd look at it. But as he's a good user of the ball, I'd prefer to keep him. It's not like we're flush with good users! He also might just make the first year of our next window - unlike Griffen, who I, unfortunately, think will be lucky to play more than a couple of finals in the rest of his career if he stays with us... Probably more likely one in the twilight of his career.

I think Murphy might even have 2 years left in him. He looks after his body and also uses it very well.

We've had so few cattle in the 25-29 age group in recent times that we've really struggled. Next year we'll have a glut if quality young guys coming into the 22-24 age group. They're ready to lead some 18-20 year olds now. If we draft well, we'll have a list in four years time which is full of good quality 22-29 year olds. That's premiership window stuff.

We're still paying the piper for poor drafting and list management from 4-8 years ago. I'm hoping we make some hard decisions and put in the hard yards for 4-5 years from now..... & we need a 21 year old tall forward!!

Cordy. Cordy should be on that list.

[Webby]

Yeah, perhaps. I know Cordy had those shoulder issues, but does anyone know if they're permanently damaged/weakened or whatever??

I watch him play for Footscray and he just seems to be weak in the upper body for a bloke his size. He seems to grapple with his opponent in a marking contest and then struggle to get his arms up above the 'noise'.

Something tells me that he either has to monster the weights and make a career of AFL or just concentrate on getting his uni degree and do something else...

If the club know that his shoulders are stuffed and the above is not possible, then he should be delisted ASAP... However if a monster summer on the weights is possible, he should be given one more year. I'd love to see him with Minson's physique. Also, Minson was 26 before he really hit his straps.. I lean towards one more year - if only to be sure... Just because I have a terrible feeling some smartarse club would pick him up and he'll come good..

[bulldogtragic]

Not sure how elevation goes, but Goodes may have 2 years as a draftee? Not sure?
Fuller would have 2 years as a draftee.
We need an insurance policy ruckman, Ayce might be under insuring ourselves, but we didn't get anyone last year....
Gia is going, it's confirmed.
Not sure about Howard, I thought he was a dead cert to be delisted last year. But here he is still....

Boyd... We should, but we won't.

Of the fringe, I keep Prudden, probably let Pearce go.

Redpath, Austin, Greenwood & Jong should all go unless something major happens with us, or their form.

Bob & Dale another go.


Synopsis:
we need to make at least 3 main list spots free (Gia, ?Howard?, Pearce, and...)
All rookie spots open.
Cooney & Higgins offered to see any value
Try like hell to get a GWS 1st liner, like Patton
Hope like hell Zaine, Fossie, Kennedy & Josh Wallis all demand to be picked with a great end to the season, but of course with low picks!

[Webby]

Yeah I'd keep Prudden. Keeping Boyd is pointless.

[Bulldog Joe]

There seem to be a few suggestions that we trade Higgins, but he is out of contract at season's end.

Therefore we need to re-contract him (which means no trade), or let him walk as a free agent.

[bulldogtragic]

There seem to be a few suggestions that we trade Higgins, but he is out of contract at season's end.

Therefore we need to re-contract him (which means no trade), or let him walk as a free agent.

Restricted FA from memory.

[Scorlibo]

Matty Boyd has been in close to career best form. No way known do we retire him at the end of the year.

Greenwood, Jong and Austin should go of the rookies. If Redpath makes a go of it in the last half of the season then upgrade him, otherwise he's in the same basket.

Gia is going to retire.
Daniel Pearce will probably have to make way.
Brett Goodes is a no-brainer.
Christian Howard is playing for his career right now.

Fuller and Darley get another year to prove what they can do.

[Remi Moses]

Matty Boyd has been in close to career best form. No way known do we retire him at the end of the year.

Greenwood, Jong and Austin should go of the rookies. If Redpath makes a go of it in the last half of the season then upgrade him, otherwise he's in the same basket.

Gia is going to retire.
Daniel Pearce will probably have to make way.
Brett Goodes is a no-brainer.
Christian Howard is playing for his career right now.

Fuller and Darley get another year to prove what they can do.

Agree on Fuller and Darley, but Cross was playing good footy and got moved on.
Boyd would still get a gig at another club, and we have games to get into Hrovat, Prudden ( when fit) Bonts.

[jeemak]

I thought Fuller and Darley are contracted for two years from draft date anyway. Understand the pay out on these guys wouldn't be a lot, but it will still count towards our cap if we do offload them, and we still need to keep some space open for a potential big signing.

I'd also put pressure on our cap by selecting some key youngsters to renegotiate better terms as soon as possible and eliminate the risk of them going elsewhere at the end of next season just when we should be starting to build for entry into lower level finals football the following year.

My outs this year are:

Rookies - Greenwood, Austin, Redpath

Listed - Pearce, Howard, Goodes, Giansiracusa and Boyd

I think we need to let Boyd go to open up the chances for Wallis and Smith, as well as a couple of others to stake their claim on an inside midfielder spot. Scorlibo is right, Boyd is in good form but for mine that shouldn't get in the way of us looking to the future. It's just how footy has to be at this level.

[G-Mo77]

I think we should be heavy with the delistings or trades. We only took 4 picks last draft and look to have missed 2 from 4. (Counting Goodes)

Outs would be:

All rookies, I don't think we can keep any on the list another year anyway and I don't see any that should hold a Senior List position.

Daniel Pearce, cruel cut. Would love to rookie him if he would take it.
Christian Howard, obvious one. Shouldn't be here now.
Tom Young, Depth player at best. Out of contract as well I believe.
Sam Darley, Saw him a few times at Footscray. Not convinced. I'd cut
Mat Fuller, another year contracted as discussed but I'd eat that to clear a spot.
Brett Goodes, unsure on his contract status. Another one I'd consider just wearing to free a spot if that was the case.
Gia obviously gone.

Tough decision on Tom Williams. Probably safe, another injury would possibly end his career though. If that happens one name above I'd keep. Probably Darley or Young.

Boyd, Murphy, Morris all stay on a year to year contract.

That's 7, possibly 8 spots. After Free Agency/Trade Period it would leave us with 5 - 6 picks come draft day which I'd be happy with.

I'd also shop Stevens and would discuss moving Higgins, would rather keep him though but other teams will be coming for him.

[azabob]

Don't mature age players such as Fuller only get the one year? How did we go from having Skinner or Thorne on the main list then the next year down to rookie status?

[bornadog]

I think we should be heavy with the delistings or trades. We only took 4 picks last draft and look to have missed 2 from 4. (Counting Goodes)

Outs would be:

All rookies, I don't think we can keep any on the list another year anyway and I don't see any that should hold a Senior List position.

Daniel Pearce, cruel cut. Would love to rookie him if he would take it.
Christian Howard, obvious one. Shouldn't be here now.
Tom Young, Depth player at best. Out of contract as well I believe.
Sam Darley, Saw him a few times at Footscray. Not convinced. I'd cut
Mat Fuller, another year contracted as discussed but I'd eat that to clear a spot.
Brett Goodes, unsure on his contract status. Another one I'd consider just wearing to free a spot if that was the case.
Gia obviously gone.

Tough decision on Tom Williams. Probably safe, another injury would possibly end his career though. If that happens one name above I'd keep. Probably Darley or Young.

Boyd, Murphy, Morris all stay on a year to year contract.

That's 7, possibly 8 spots. After Free Agency/Trade Period it would leave us with 5 - 6 picks come draft day which I'd be happy with.

I'd also shop Stevens and would discuss moving Higgins, would rather keep him though but other teams will be coming for him.

I pretty much agree with your list. Darley will probably get another year. I predict we will keep Tom Williams.

[ledge]

No good delisting players for players of less ability , you need to
Look at what's in the draft at lower draft picks.

[always right]

Gut feeling Williams will retire.

[azabob]

Gut feeling Williams will retire.

It is a fair feeling, considering he has already expressed that desire.

Especially if he gets another injury of some sort.

[KT31]

Gut feeling Williams will retire.

It's a shame but also would be a sensible decision, you have long life out of football.
Who knows what could have been if he had been able to string a couple of seasons together.

[bornadog]

Gut feeling Williams will retire.

One more serious injury and I wouldn't be surprised.

[Mantis]

No good delisting players for players of less ability , you need to
Look at what's in the draft at lower draft picks.

What's the better, the known or the unknown?

[LostDoggy]

I don't see any reason we would delist Fuller or Darley. Fuller has come in as a mature aged recruit from the SANFL, and will take at least a year to become accustomed to the VFL, let alone AFL. His injuries haven't helped thus far. Darley also needs another year to settle into the club and the level of VFL. He's gone from TFL, to NEAFL and a few games getting smashed for GWS, now to VFL in about three seasons. Agree with both Ledge and Mantis' comments:

We basically know about Howard. Highly unlikely he'll make it if that's not proven already. Pearce is simply another small who's at a level fighting with a dozen other players we have on the list of similar age and ilk, but hasn't shown any factors to make it thus far. Even with his LTI this season I believed there were many who were already past him. Tom Williams is Tom Williams. An injury-prone, inconsistent key, position player. The rest of this season will decide his fate but as someone said previously, I think he'll pull the plug anyway. Clear the rookie list. there's nobody there that's worth pursuing with, including Jong who has limited skills and awareness. The one exception is Redpath. This is his time. Give him the chance, then make the call. The Goodes elevation to the primary list was, and continues to be, nothing short of perplexing.

Retire: Gia and Williams

Delist: Pearce, Howard, Goodes & at least three of Austin, Greenwood, Redpath and Jong

There's at least four off the primary and a clear deck for the rookies, depending if Redpath proves himself.