It was quite the hectic last few days of the new extended trade period, as Stevens and Stevenson (who apparently played for us) both seeking to join teams who won't ever win anything. Stevens went to the Dogs for pick 44, whilst Stevenson went to an even worse 'team' in the Power for pick 88.
But in more interesting and relevant news, we (finally) managed to secure young forward/midfield Jamie Cripps without giving up Mitch Brown. I think the club made the right decision in keeping Brown. Sure, we may lose him for nothing at the end of the season, but he's critical for our depth for at least the next year. Plus, Brown may be able to force himself into the team, or (god forbid) Glass may call it quits.
As for the Cripps deal, we gave up picks 41 and 44 but received pick 46 back. It seems like a decent deal. Cripps has 'potential' and he is more likely to develop with us than with the Saints.
Finally, the Eagles also traded for Cale Morton, something which seemed to come out of nowhere. We gave pick 88 in return, a low risk investment. He didn't impress with his time as a Demon (drafted 4th overall in 2007) but sometimes a change of scenery (ie leaving an awful team for one of the best) can do wonders. Plus, he's probably a lot better than his brother.
Overall, it was a lively free agency/trade period for the club. I think we gained more than we lost, with Wellingham sure to add some class to the midfield whilst Cripps and Morton provide good depth. Lynch hasn't been important for a couple of years, whilst the three other 'losses' just couldn't cut it (though Swift, MD will soon be cutting something). The retention of Brown was an especially strong move by the club.
Incomings
Sharrod Wellingham (Collingwood)
Jamie Cripps (St Kilda)
Cale Morton (Melbourne)
Outgoings
Lynch (Collingwood)
Stevens (Bulldogs)
Stevenson (Power)
Swift (UWA)
Friday 26 October 2012
Tuesday 9 October 2012
Latest Trade News: Eagles Secure Wellingham, Brown Wants Out
The Eagles have struck a deal with the Magpies for Sharrod Wellingham with pick 17 in the National Draft being sent back East. It seems like a decent enough deal to me, especially considering I'm all but certain we would've squandered that pick on a 'project player', who hangs around for 4 years and plays 16 mediocre games before being traded/delisted/becoming a Doctor.
I thought it was fairly hilarious over the weekend when 'reports' emerged that Port and Melbourne had offered the Pies something for Wellingham. Obviously, he only wanted to play for us and not two of the most horrendous teams in sports (worldwide). It was probably info. sent out by Eddie in the hopes that the Eagles would be scared into offering something above what Welly (or whatever his nickname is because I don't want to type Wellingham every bloody time) is worth.
Still, it's good we got the deal done quickly and he's a really nice addition to our average-ish midfield. He brings good experience with 92 games, 44 goals, 3 grand finals and 1 premiership in his time on the dark side. Welcome aboard!
In other less promising news, Mitch Brown is aparently keen to move back to Victoria, with the Saints his desired destination. He could be used in exchange for Cripps plus something (because Brown has shown he can actually play at this level). Why anybody would want to move to the sinking ship which is StKilda is beyond me, but he would be an unfortunate loss. Although I didn't blink when Lynch left, Stevens decided to leave and Swift revealed he wanted to become a healer (let's hope he's more accurate with the scalpel than with he was with his kicking) Brown's loss would hurt our depth. On the other hand, he has only 1 year left on his deal, so perhaps we should try to get something for him now before his contract expires and we are left with nothing.
Finally, everybody and their dog wants Stevens. I don't know why, but there you have it.
I thought it was fairly hilarious over the weekend when 'reports' emerged that Port and Melbourne had offered the Pies something for Wellingham. Obviously, he only wanted to play for us and not two of the most horrendous teams in sports (worldwide). It was probably info. sent out by Eddie in the hopes that the Eagles would be scared into offering something above what Welly (or whatever his nickname is because I don't want to type Wellingham every bloody time) is worth.
Still, it's good we got the deal done quickly and he's a really nice addition to our average-ish midfield. He brings good experience with 92 games, 44 goals, 3 grand finals and 1 premiership in his time on the dark side. Welcome aboard!
In other less promising news, Mitch Brown is aparently keen to move back to Victoria, with the Saints his desired destination. He could be used in exchange for Cripps plus something (because Brown has shown he can actually play at this level). Why anybody would want to move to the sinking ship which is StKilda is beyond me, but he would be an unfortunate loss. Although I didn't blink when Lynch left, Stevens decided to leave and Swift revealed he wanted to become a healer (let's hope he's more accurate with the scalpel than with he was with his kicking) Brown's loss would hurt our depth. On the other hand, he has only 1 year left on his deal, so perhaps we should try to get something for him now before his contract expires and we are left with nothing.
Finally, everybody and their dog wants Stevens. I don't know why, but there you have it.
Saturday 6 October 2012
Latest Trade/Free Agency News: Swift Quits, Wellingham Bargaining Begins
The posturing over the potential, perhaps inevitable, trade of Wellingham to the Eagles has begun. McGuire came out yesterday, speaking at one of his 17 media committments for the day, saying we would have to offer "substantial" compensation to secure the guy with the funny first name. That's all well and good and it's what you would expect an opposing President to say. But, I don't think Collingwood are in any position to start dictating terms. Wellingham put the Pies in a position with little room for maneuverings by choosing us and then flying away to the US. If they don't work out a deal with us, they would get nothing for him as he is out of contract.
There has been some mention of our first draft pick, no. 17, as well as Koby Stevens as part of a deal. Which seem somewhat reasonable. What doesn't sound reasonable is news today that Collingwood may be keen on Mitch Brown and Brown wants to play with his brother. As I mentioned earlier in the week Brown is a vital part of our backline depth and critical to our transition to the post-Glass era. Also, his brother is always injured...so come on man. On the other hand, it's understandable that Brown may want more opportunity. But, as the article suggests, the club don't want to lose him. Also, given Collingwood's poor bargaining position, I wouldn't want to see us give too much away, not that we use our draft picks wisely anyway.
Speaking of which, Tom Swift has quit the club to become a Doctor (true story). He was pick 20 in 2008 and now that his career seems over, we can officially label it a failure. I honestly don't understand why he was picked that high, but it's more evidence that the Eagles have drafting issues. Anyway, good luck to Swift and to his hair.
Finally, Scott Selwood won the club's Best and Fairest, beating out Cox, Hurn, Darling and Gaff. I'm probably one Eagles fan that doesn't really value Selwood all that highly so I won't pretend to like him. Anyway, he won. All-Australians Naitanui and Waters finished outside the top 10.
There has been some mention of our first draft pick, no. 17, as well as Koby Stevens as part of a deal. Which seem somewhat reasonable. What doesn't sound reasonable is news today that Collingwood may be keen on Mitch Brown and Brown wants to play with his brother. As I mentioned earlier in the week Brown is a vital part of our backline depth and critical to our transition to the post-Glass era. Also, his brother is always injured...so come on man. On the other hand, it's understandable that Brown may want more opportunity. But, as the article suggests, the club don't want to lose him. Also, given Collingwood's poor bargaining position, I wouldn't want to see us give too much away, not that we use our draft picks wisely anyway.
Speaking of which, Tom Swift has quit the club to become a Doctor (true story). He was pick 20 in 2008 and now that his career seems over, we can officially label it a failure. I honestly don't understand why he was picked that high, but it's more evidence that the Eagles have drafting issues. Anyway, good luck to Swift and to his hair.
Finally, Scott Selwood won the club's Best and Fairest, beating out Cox, Hurn, Darling and Gaff. I'm probably one Eagles fan that doesn't really value Selwood all that highly so I won't pretend to like him. Anyway, he won. All-Australians Naitanui and Waters finished outside the top 10.
Thursday 4 October 2012
Latest Free Agency/Trade News: Wellingham Likes Eagles, thumbs nose at Pies, Dockers
According to the West, Sharrod Wellingham wants to be an Eagle. He did momentarily consider the possibility of Freo as a destination before realising that they were, well, Freo. Honestly though, I was in no doubt that if he did want to return to Perth he would choose us. The Pies also wanted to keep him, but haha.
Cameras actually caught the moment that he told the Pies hierarchy where to stick it:
That 'haha' being said, we will have to give something in return for him when the trade period begins on Monday. Something with want-away Stevens perhaps?
Wellingham had some things to say, to someone, somewhere, including:
Cameras actually caught the moment that he told the Pies hierarchy where to stick it:
That 'haha' being said, we will have to give something in return for him when the trade period begins on Monday. Something with want-away Stevens perhaps?
Wellingham had some things to say, to someone, somewhere, including:
The dealings I have had with West Coast have been really impressive...It will be exciting to get back to Perth and to play in front of my family every week. That was a very strong influence on my decision to leave and I look forward to playing with the Eagles. Playing against them, we had enormous respect for West Coast, and I believe they have a young list capable of winning a premiership in the next few years.Let's hope something fair gets worked out (to us, not them) and then we can all go and like his facebook fan page.
Tuesday 2 October 2012
Latest Free Agency/Trade News: Lynch Joins Pies to give them 3 Underperforming Big Forwards
Quinten Lynch has officially joined Collingwood. He kicked 281 goals in 209 games for the club, but his future was bleak because we had far more younger, effective and consistent options up forward. That is, going forward I don't see how he was in our best 22. Besides that, he also apparently wanted a 2 year contract, more than the 1 year the club were willing to give him.
I thought it would be interesting to read Collingwood's official version of the signing. I've got to say, I'm not sure who they're referring to with this passage:
Lynch goes on to say how playing for the scariest club in the country "was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse." He says some other guff about the MCG (the ground not the player) and how he looks forward to the challenge of playing a flexible role. It's fairly ironic that he's talking about challenges when he clearly left the Eagles because he wasn't prepared for the 'challenge' of fighting for his spot.
In the end that's what it was about; job security and the 2 year deal. Any other stuff he says is just a big pile of McGuire.
Anyway, congrats to the Pies. You now have 3 big forwards who have about as much consistency as Swan has commitment to staying off the grog before game day.
I thought it would be interesting to read Collingwood's official version of the signing. I've got to say, I'm not sure who they're referring to with this passage:
Lynch brings a fine record as a marking forward and relief ruckman with him to the Black and Whites. He has proven himself to be a consistent goal kicker, a strong presence in and around the forward 50 metre arc and an especially durable footballer who can assist the Collingwood attack and ruck division.He was never a consistent goal kicker nor marker of the ball. He all too often missed easy goals which ultimately cost us in games. As a relief ruckman all I remember him doing is standing at contests and staring at the opposition.
Lynch goes on to say how playing for the scariest club in the country "was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse." He says some other guff about the MCG (the ground not the player) and how he looks forward to the challenge of playing a flexible role. It's fairly ironic that he's talking about challenges when he clearly left the Eagles because he wasn't prepared for the 'challenge' of fighting for his spot.
In the end that's what it was about; job security and the 2 year deal. Any other stuff he says is just a big pile of McGuire.
Anyway, congrats to the Pies. You now have 3 big forwards who have about as much consistency as Swan has commitment to staying off the grog before game day.
Monday 1 October 2012
Latest Trade/Free Agency News; All is Well...ingham.
Incomings (?)
- The big news of the day is that Sharrod Wellingham has reportedly met with the club. Although the Pies still appear keen to keep the West Australian, the fact that they had to give 'Human Being of the Year' Travis Cloke a 37 year contract worth in excess of Swanny's beer budget has left the vault rather bare. The Dockers are also interested, with both WA teams prepared to offer $450 000 a season. In terms of his impact if we did sign him, well he is a quality player who could add some depth and big game experience to our engine room. The fact that he's probably only Collingwood's 6th best midfielder says more about their stocks than his ability. On the other hand he does have the propensity for Swift-esque hair styles, which surely means his free agency options are limited.
 |
| Part of that $450 000 should be used for a haircut |
Outgoings (?)
- We already know that Lynch is leaving the club, possibly to Collingwood
- Koby Stevens also wants out.
- The Herald Sun raises the possibility of StKilda seeking the services of Mitch Brown. It doesn't really seem like anything concrete and I would be surprised if the club was willing to part with him. I know it always seems as if he's on the fringe of the backline, but he's at the least a pivotal guy to have as a backup. Plus, with Glass only likely to play a season (hopefully 2) more, he would be in a good position to solidify a position in the coming years.
....On the other hand, none of the above may happen.
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