Early Trade Rumours for 2022

[Axe Man]

Will Brodie played 25 games for Gold Coast in 5 years, just played 24 for Freo this season and was a big part of their improvement.

[mjp]

Will Brodie played 25 games for Gold Coast in 5 years, just played 24 for Freo this season and was a big part of their improvement.

To be fair (and to use stats to support my point), Brodie to me fits in the category of 'never getting a go'. Yes, he played 25 in 5 years but in 2020 and 2021 he played a total of 6...he just wasn't in the rotation.

Narks has been given a shot. He played 16x games in 2021 and couldn't go on with it. He got 8x this year...a few as the sub when he didn't take the field, but he started in round 8 and 9 and couldn't take his chance...

O'Halloran? He played 14 last year and 17 this year...

I'm happy to debate Young and Lipinski for the 10000th time. My thoughts remain pretty unchanged:

- Young - PROBABLY hard done by. Offered a contract but didn't want to stay because he knew his game didn't fit what the coaches wanted to do...I suspect had he been with us this year (with Wood having retired) he would have played most weeks but I guess we will never know. The problem is that 'everyone' seemed to think he was competing for a spot with Cordy and Gardner but they play different roles in different ways...I don't know. I like Young but he's played the year alongside Weitering who takes the best and where did Carlton finish again? Young played in 10 losses vs 9-wins and I don't think he can be blamed for that but Carlton were 3-1 with him OUT of the side vs 9-10 with him in the side...he's a solid performer but it's not like he was ever the new Brian Lake.

p.s. If you are going to quote Brian Lake's win-loss % to undo all my research I think that's just being mean.

- Lipinski - I was sad to see him leave but didn't blame him. That said, he NOTICEABLY tailed off in the back half of the year and I honestly wonder if he will find things as 'easy' next year as he did this year...my thoughts (as if I can share someone elses) is that next season he will find himself in/out of the team all over again just as he was with us.

[mjp]

It seems you’re talking players who’ve played 20+ games for another afl club without establishing themselves. I’m talking about the players who come from even further back without getting a go.

I think that's what I was saying BAD - Players who haven't been given a chance I'm pretty keen to look at...those who have had a go at their current club but been unable to make a fist of it...I'm probs going to pass.

The recruiting of guys like Morris, Dickson and Picken was genius. Which is why I don't understand the hatred for McComb who has come through the same pathway as Picken + Morris did...did he tag Andrew Macleod out of the game first up in the way that Morris did that night all those years ago at T-Dome? Well, no. But he was deserving of a go. If we found some 100-goal per year goal-kicker out in the bush I would be all for giving him a go as well...

[josie]

I think the anger at McComb stems as a result of watching him turnover the ball a lot and miss easy goals. Most woofers love the rookie success stories and hope we have many more.

I noted my fave vfl player Joel garner came 4th in Footscray vfl b&f. His disposal is so much better than McComb even at vfl level. Hoping McComb can be a valuable player for us but have my doubts. I much prefer Roarke Smith who has been good in finals and a tough attitude/ability to tackle well which Bevo seems to like in our rookies.

[mjp]

Most woofers love the rookie success stories and hope we have many more.

Based on the way Gardner and McComb are 'treated' on here I'm going to strongly disagree with this...

We are way too hard on these players yet if ever one of the 'first choice' players is criticised everyone comes flying to their defense...

[hujsh]

Based on the way Gardner and McComb are 'treated' on here I'm going to strongly disagree with this...

We are way too hard on these players yet if ever one of the 'first choice' players is criticised everyone comes flying to their defense...

I think Egg is a great guy.

More seriously I think he has come along great and while the occasional poster might get frustrated with him or talk him down I think he does his part well for the team. Maybe he should be the second defender if that's a role he'd better excel in but he's doing better than anyone else we have as the main guy right now. Overall I think most of the board supports this view generally.

He's certainly more well liked than McComb at least

[Grantysghost]

Based on the way Gardner and McComb are 'treated' on here I'm going to strongly disagree with this...

We are way too hard on these players yet if ever one of the 'first choice' players is criticised everyone comes flying to their defense...

You just can't leave our Jackson Macare alone can you !

[bornadog]

You just can't leave our Jackson Macare alone can you !

Hey

[bornadog]

Ollie Henry wants a trade to Geelong

[The bulldog tragician]

I think that's what I was saying BAD - Players who haven't been given a chance I'm pretty keen to look at...those who have had a go at their current club but been unable to make a fist of it...I'm probs going to pass.

The recruiting of guys like Morris, Dickson and Picken was genius. Which is why I don't understand the hatred for McComb who has come through the same pathway as Picken + Morris did...did he tag Andrew Macleod out of the game first up in the way that Morris did that night all those years ago at T-Dome? Well, no. But he was deserving of a go. If we found some 100-goal per year goal-kicker out in the bush I would be all for giving him a go as well...

Woah there! Being mistaken for BAD !? Not sure how to feel about this

[mjp]

Woah there! Being mistaken for BAD !? Not sure how to feel about this

LOL. Whoops!

[Rocket Science]

Based on the way Gardner and McComb are 'treated' on here I'm going to strongly disagree with this...

We are way too hard on these players yet if ever one of the 'first choice' players is criticised everyone comes flying to their defense...

With Gardner, at least he plugs into a position of glaring need, and a thankless one at that, with scant better options.

With McComb however, it's hard to gauge what the club thinks they'll find there ...

A smallish, mature-aged, one-paced, low-ceiling mid with skill limitations and no obvious one-wood? In a position where we bat deep? Really? Is there a makeshift small forward or small defender somewhere in there?

You can fathom why observers might scratch their heads.

[jeemak]

I think Egg is a great guy.

More seriously I think he has come along great and while the occasional poster might get frustrated with him or talk him down I think he does his part well for the team. Maybe he should be the second defender if that's a role he'd better excel in but he's doing better than anyone else we have as the main guy right now. Overall I think most of the board supports this view generally.

He's certainly more well liked than McComb at least

He is now, though it was pretty rank how he was commented upon in the early days.

[bornadog]

With Gardner, at least he plugs into a position of glaring need, and a thankless one at that, with scant better options.

With McComb however, it's hard to gauge what the club thinks they'll find there ...

A smallish, mature-aged, one-paced, low-ceiling mid with skill limitations and no obvious one-wood? In a position where we bat deep? Really? Is there a makeshift small forward or small defender somewhere in there?

You can fathom why observers might scratch their heads.

He is a rookie, gets his hands on the ball, but needs to sharpen his skills

[mjp]

You just can't leave our Jackson Macare alone can you !

Well...here's the thing.

I LOVE Jack Macrae (now renamed Macare forever). He is - as I have repeatedly said - the single best ball winner of the modern era. He gets 30-possessions in a game at a never-before-seen rate...he is incredible.

But if you say one bad word about Jacko, or suggest Bont is/was off the boil, or...well, you guys get what I mean, the defenders of the faith come from everywhere.

Yes - Gardner gets some support NOW. But when he was first in the team he was absolutely being attacked week in and week out when he was doing no less than his BEST. I just don't understand this...as I have said, once upon a time we would laugh to one another before a game against Hawthorn after Dunstall had kicked 9 the week before and say "Don't worry, Crofty will get him this week"...he was an honest trier but he was OUR honest trier.

There is just ZERO point in criticising a player who is trying their hardest. Sure - say what you will about selection but there is no need for the whole 'anyone but McComb' narrative that seemed to grow as the season went along. At least he DID SOMETHING. Did he turn it over? Sure. It's his first season. You couldn't have suggested at any time that he wasn't busting his butt and on some level that builds trust with coaches...