cue in the rack? Im Excited

[older saint]

I must say , except for the Stevens trade to go through i would be more than comfortable to put the due in the Cue in the rack for this trade period.

If that happens we walk away with:

- 2 2nd round picks in a draft which most have said from 8-30 is very even;
- 2 2017 first round draft picks
- Steele, Steven, Brown ( and Freeman from last years trade)

There has been some rumour of the 2 second rounders packaged for a first rounder and if top 10 then would make sense and also address the issue for the future of using first round picks as 2015 and 2-16 would be ticked off giving us 2 years grace.

2017 : Enter the post season with,:
- 2 first round draft picks ( my guess would be neither below 10 , but not above 15 either), as well as full complement of 2nd, 3rd, 4th round picks;
- 1 2018 first round and 1 second round pick

Then it gets interesting - with the cap space available from both not using 100% in previous years and potentially a couple more veterans moving on - although hopefully Roo and Monty play 2018 free agents or out of contract stars become real options.

If a big time free agent were to select StKilda ( Fyfe, Martin type) it would be possible to obtain them and also still have 2 first round draft picks - dream scenario.
After Dangerfield a trade type scenario is more likely, as would be the case with a Josh Kelly or any other uncontracted player. Even then though i could see we could get the "star " player and still have 1 first round draft pick in 2017 ( trade 1 2017 and 1 2018 first rounder- if the guy was that good).

Depending on how the cards fall but the 2016 trade period could be the start of the most successful trade period since 1999 with Kosi, Roo and trades Hamill, Gehrig etc.

Getting way ahead of myself but possible

[saintsRrising]

Opportunities may still present, whether it be players or a top 8 selection.

[Goose is king]

We don't have next years second round pick. Used for Steele

[Con Gorozidis]

We don't have next years second round pick. Used for Steele

Who needs a 2nd rounder when you have two first rounders

[older saint]

We don't have next years second round pick. Used for Steele

Correct , my bad, but doesn't reduce the attractiveness of the position

[Goose is king]

[quote="older saint"][quote="Goose is king"]We don't have next years second round pick. Used for Steele[/quote]

Correct , my bad, but doesn't reduce the attractiveness of the position[/quote]


Absolutely, great position to go hard to a gun or two or get some gun young players.

[Bluthy]

I'm a bit more subdued about things.

- Brown - Big unit but poor kicking and playing him may stop development of other backs
- Steele - has potential but still a big unknown. Doesn't look like elite skills to me although pretty good hands. Good pick up for sure with lots of upside but not sure he is the elite class we need.
- Hopefully Stevens - big body, tough, ready to go but doesn't have great disposal.
- Need to see how hawks first rounder goes. There is the chance we have traded down our pick 10 this year in what people are saying is an extremely strong draft for what could be a pick 14 or higher. Of course it could go the other way and be better than pick 10. But pick 10 was a chance to get a really class young midfielder and get a full season development into him this year and help our flag tilt in the next couple of years. Now we need to wait until another year before getting that high pick mid in that we are crying out for.

Lack of real class is something that jumps out to me as a worry about our list. Not sure all our trading this year helps that. Certainly helps our depth. And fits Richo's game plan of pressure and tackling. But I think we will be turning the ball over a lot this year. Yes we are good at pressuring but its an exhausting way to play footy over a season if you keep missing targets and giving the ball to the oppo.

[SaintPav]

I'm a bit more subdued about things.

- Brown - Big unit but poor kicking and playing him may stop development of other backs
- Steele - has potential but still a big unknown. Doesn't look like elite skills to me although pretty good hands. Good pick up for sure with lots of upside but not sure he is the elite class we need.
- Hopefully Stevens - big body, tough, ready to go but doesn't have great disposal.
- Need to see how hawks first rounder goes. There is the chance we have traded down our pick 10 this year in what people are saying is an extremely strong draft for what could be a pick 14 or higher. Of course it could go the other way and be better than pick 10. But pick 10 was a chance to get a really class young midfielder and get a full season development into him this year and help our flag tilt in the next couple of years. Now we need to wait until another year before getting that high pick mid in that we are crying out for.

Lack of real class is something that jumps out to me as a worry about our list. Not sure all our trading this year helps that. Certainly helps our depth. And fits Richo's game plan of pressure and tackling. But I think we will be turning the ball over a lot this year. Yes we are good at pressuring but its an exhausting way to play footy over a season if you keep missing targets and giving the ball to the oppo.

We might only need Brown 12-15 times a year anyway depending on match ups.

[older saint]

I'm a bit more subdued about things.

- Brown - Big unit but poor kicking and playing him may stop development of other backs
- Steele - has potential but still a big unknown. Doesn't look like elite skills to me although pretty good hands. Good pick up for sure with lots of upside but not sure he is the elite class we need.
- Hopefully Stevens - big body, tough, ready to go but doesn't have great disposal.
- Need to see how hawks first rounder goes. There is the chance we have traded down our pick 10 this year in what people are saying is an extremely strong draft for what could be a pick 14 or higher. Of course it could go the other way and be better than pick 10. But pick 10 was a chance to get a really class young midfielder and get a full season development into him this year and help our flag tilt in the next couple of years. Now we need to wait until another year before getting that high pick mid in that we are crying out for.

Lack of real class is something that jumps out to me as a worry about our list. Not sure all our trading this year helps that. Certainly helps our depth. And fits Richo's game plan of pressure and tackling. But I think we will be turning the ball over a lot this year. Yes we are good at pressuring but its an exhausting way to play footy over a season if you keep missing targets and giving the ball to the oppo.

Not sure which people saying it is a really strong draft? The word is top 7-8 very good but the next 20 fairly even. 2017 draft class is being talked about as better across first 15 players at this stage.
Reality is barring a WB scenario we are not winning a flag in 2017, but should be aiming finals. By stockpiling 2017 draft are now in a position to attack either free agency or uncontracted players for 2018 season where the premiership window should start opening.
That said if GWS get Lids I think everyone playing for second for a few years to come .

[spert]

I think we still need that classy hard running mid with top skills, and I'm not sure if we are there yet. We seem to have a lot of tough insiders, but I'm still waiting for the polish on the outside.

[Bluthy]

Not sure which people saying it is a really strong draft? The word is top 7-8 very good but the next 20 fairly even. 2017 draft class is being talked about as better across first 15 players at this stage.
Reality is barring a WB scenario we are not winning a flag in 2017, but should be aiming finals. By stockpiling 2017 draft are now in a position to attack either free agency or uncontracted players for 2018 season where the premiership window should start opening.
That said if GWS get Lids I think everyone playing for second for a few years to come .

Didn't Jaxon say that thing about good top 8 then even to 40 or something? So thats been passed around here as a meme until now its an official "word"? You don't think its a little self serving to state that after we traded out our pick 10 and got 2 second rounders? It reflects saints trading strategy more than anything. Its not something I had heard before. Everything I've heard is that this year is a very strong draft and teams have been trying hard to get back in the draft and/or improve their position. Next years is shaping up pretty well but its too early to talk about how strong it will be is what I've heard

I think we are going for flag in 2017 - I think Richo honestly believes we could be a sneaky dogs style. Roo, Joey, Demps, Carlisle, Geary, Roberton, Newnes, Ross, Bruce, Gilbo, Armo, Savage, Weller, Webster, WRight, Minch, Hickey, Steven, Stevens, Brown,...jesus even Fish could still be with us. That is not a young experimental first 22. That is a team chock full of the 5 year plus players with AFL level tanks you need to win a flag. That is a team that is going for it. Buckle up because we pressed the launch button last season and are trying to break through the finals gravity this year and attempt the difficult project of landing safely on the premiership Moon (apologies for clunky metaphor)

[saintspremiers]

I hope Ricoh is as pissed off as most of us that Footscray won the flag.

Hopefully the players are also and a miracle happens in 2017 but I doubt we can make that massive leap in one season

[saints66]

I hope Ricoh is as pissed off as most of us that Footscray won the flag.

Hopefully the players are also and a miracle happens in 2017 but I doubt we can make that massive leap in one season

Most people were happy that we won in 66, maybe people in those days were more gracious than you or <most of us> are today

[mr six o'clock]

I'm a bit more subdued about things.

- Brown - Big unit but poor kicking and playing him may stop development of other backs
- Steele - has potential but still a big unknown. Doesn't look like elite skills to me although pretty good hands. Good pick up for sure with lots of upside but not sure he is the elite class we need.
- Hopefully Stevens - big body, tough, ready to go but doesn't have great disposal.
- Need to see how hawks first rounder goes. There is the chance we have traded down our pick 10 this year in what people are saying is an extremely strong draft for what could be a pick 14 or higher. Of course it could go the other way and be better than pick 10. But pick 10 was a chance to get a really class young midfielder and get a full season development into him this year and help our flag tilt in the next couple of years. Now we need to wait until another year before getting that high pick mid in that we are crying out for.

Lack of real class is something that jumps out to me as a worry about our list. Not sure all our trading this year helps that. Certainly helps our depth. And fits Richo's game plan of pressure and tackling. But I think we will be turning the ball over a lot this year. Yes we are good at pressuring but its an exhausting way to play footy over a season if you keep missing targets and giving the ball to the oppo.

Agree
In three years we can look back and say , 2016 was a good draft period for the club !
We haven't had many successful one's in the last ten years .
We have assembled a good B grade list .
Lets hope these B graders have the desire and class to become A graders , enabling them to take the club to multiple premierships . ( i'd be happy with one ! )

[fugazi]

Interesting to see Hawthorn going all out to include established players; it is a different philosophy, they seemed to almost hold draft picks in a very disposable way.
Only interested in elite recruits, for which they will pay overs.

[Bluthy]

I hope Ricoh is as pissed off as most of us that Footscray won the flag.

Hopefully the players are also and a miracle happens in 2017 but I doubt we can make that massive leap in one season

I think that bye week of before finals is a huge sea change. It used to be an absolute marathon with the finals basically being another 4 rounds - that suited the teams with deeper, more finals experienced lists. Now with that week off before, the finals is genuinely like a mini-season with all top eight teams able to reset, refresh and then go for it. The advantage the top four teams has is diminished greatly. They get a double chance but winning an extra week off is actually a disadvantage as it means you have only played one game in a month and will go into a prelim underdone. Likewise you if you lose that prelim you have probably been physically smashed by a top 2 team and need to bounce back against a fresher lower team with nothing to lose.

Carlisle, Brown, Stevens - all our rucks staying on the list - all evidence is pointing to us topping up to have a genuine shot at the flag next year. I reckon that is genuinely what Richo thinks is possible. Take advantage of the new finals system and maybe before GWS and GC lists have fully matured and while we still have veterans with a lot of finals experience - Rooey, Joey, Demps, Gilbo, Brown, maybe Fish.