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If you listen to what Karl Langdon says then he said that Hogan's Mum spoke to him and he was happy in Melbourne. I think at some stage he will come back home to play. Whether it is this year or at the end of next year that is the big question.

I was happy with picks 4, 22 and 58 for Neale, with some further ontrading as I stated on this thread a couple of weeks ago.

However there has been a proposed mega trade tonight that will see us with picks 10, 11 and a pick in the 20's. I'd be very happy with that.

Do we get Hogan now or in 12 months time that's the big question. We could potentially pick up three first round draft picks this year to go with Andy Brayshaw, Adam Cerra and Griffen Logue who have been our first round picks in the previous two drafts. Then at the end of 2019 we get Hogan who would be out of contract so some trade would have to be worked out or we take a risk and get him in the preseason. Also we could possibly get Stephen Coniglio who would be a restricted free agent at the end of 2019.

You would think that possibly somewhere between 800k-1.2M, maybe more, will be freed up in our salary cap at the end of 2019 with the likely retirements of Ballantyne, Sandilands and possibly Mundy.

30plusyeardrought wrote: I think the Eagles plans for Lobb would be short term ruck whilst Nic Nat is out and then more role up forward with limited ruck work.
JK is 32 next year and injuries over the past 2 seasons has seen him miss a bit of footy and his crash and bash style at his age could see him miss more games.
In 2 years he will be 34 and imo close to the end of his career.

I can see a bidding war for Coniglio,I reckon the Eagles have there sights set on him.

Isn't that why WC drafted Brander and Allen? I can't see Lobb at the age of around 23/24 being happy to play part roles filling gaps. Eagles have the perfect balance up front now with two big forwards and 3 crumbing forwards. Lobb would throw the balance out. Lobb and Hogan would be ideal together. Eagles should be looking at Lueenberger from Essendon. Ex WA boy. Seems to have worked well the last few years for the Eagles picking up recycled ruckmen.

DD wrote:

30plusyeardrought wrote: I think the Eagles plans for Lobb would be short term ruck whilst Nic Nat is out and then more role up forward with limited ruck work.
JK is 32 next year and injuries over the past 2 seasons has seen him miss a bit of footy and his crash and bash style at his age could see him miss more games.
In 2 years he will be 34 and imo close to the end of his career.

I can see a bidding war for Coniglio,I reckon the Eagles have there sights set on him.

Isn't that why WC drafted Brander and Allen? I can't see Lobb at the age of around 23/24 being happy to play part roles filling gaps. Eagles have the perfect balance up front now with two big forwards and 3 crumbing forwards. Lobb would throw the balance out. Lobb and Hogan would be ideal together. Eagles should be looking at Lueenberger from Essendon. Ex WA boy. Seems to have worked well the last few years for the Eagles picking up recycled ruckmen.

I suppose if the Dockers recruit in both Lobb and Hogan where would that leave Taberner,McCarthey,Cox etc..?

Brander and Allen are still kids.
Brander is certainly in the long term being considered as a power forward at the Eagles.

Allen on the other hand is i believe being groomed for a completely different role/position.

Chris Masten is 30 next year,JK,Le Cras,Jetta and Hurn are all on the wrong side of 30,there will be a role for Allen.Also theres a strong possibility Gaff wont be there next season
Nic Nat is no guarentee to come back anywhere near the player he was and when he does come back he will be 29.
Fingers crossed both his knees hold up.

At Lobbs age size and versitlity in different positions the Eagles would be mad not to talk to him.
I suppose if Lobb himself is not interested what the Eagle have planned for him then he wont sign.

Not only will positions be up for grabs in the not to distant future but there will be a definite free up of cap space.

Lueenberger for mine is not that great plus hes over 30.
If the Eagles were to target another ruckman theres a few out there as better options than him.
Eg.They could pick up and rookie list Zac Clarke for nothing even if it was purely for ruck insurance.

30plusyeardrought wrote:

DD wrote:

30plusyeardrought wrote: I think the Eagles plans for Lobb would be short term ruck whilst Nic Nat is out and then more role up forward with limited ruck work.
JK is 32 next year and injuries over the past 2 seasons has seen him miss a bit of footy and his crash and bash style at his age could see him miss more games.
In 2 years he will be 34 and imo close to the end of his career.

I can see a bidding war for Coniglio,I reckon the Eagles have there sights set on him.

Isn't that why WC drafted Brander and Allen? I can't see Lobb at the age of around 23/24 being happy to play part roles filling gaps. Eagles have the perfect balance up front now with two big forwards and 3 crumbing forwards. Lobb would throw the balance out. Lobb and Hogan would be ideal together. Eagles should be looking at Lueenberger from Essendon. Ex WA boy. Seems to have worked well the last few years for the Eagles picking up recycled ruckmen.

I suppose if the Dockers recruit in both Lobb and Hogan where would that leave Taberner,McCarthey,Cox etc..?

Taberner can fit in, Cox is versatile can play down back and in the ruck, McCarthy I don't think will make it no matter what the make up of the Fremantle forward line is. He needs a huge pre season, if he comes back next year with his body in similar shape to this year then i reckon it will be his last year in the AFL.

Mitch McGovern is being forgotten here, would have thought both Fremantle and WC are keen. Seems plenty of talk (from Melbourne media) he wants to play in Melbourne and Carlton are the front runners. Not sure why. Would have thought he would like to join his brother at WC. Big Mac bookends lol.

Do we really need Rory Lobb, especially if we get Hogan?

Rumours are coming out that we have offered uncontracted Magpie Tom Langdon a 3-year contract at $600k a year. He had a good first half in the GF on Saturday and if we were able to land him (through the preseason draft) and Conca who is a free agent then that would help offset the loss of Neale.

Add Hogan and then hopefully take one of the King boys with our first round pick and then the pick in the 20's take either Jordan Clark or one of the other WA boys then I'd be reasonably happy with that outcome.

Mr AFL wrote: Do we really need Rory Lobb, especially if we get Hogan?

Rumours are coming out that we have offered uncontracted Magpie Tom Langdon a 3-year contract at $600k a year. He had a good first half in the GF on Saturday and if we were able to land him (through the preseason draft) and Conca who is a free agent then that would help offset the loss of Neale.

Add Hogan and then hopefully take one of the King boys with our first round pick and then the pick in the 20's take either Jordan Clark or one of the other WA boys then I'd be reasonably happy with that outcome.

No way Tom Langdon is worth 600k, that's about what Ed is worth and he is way ahead of his older brother. Only way we get Hogan is trading our first pick or the compensation we get for Neale if he decides to go. If he does then we are in the box seat to pick up both Hogan and Lobb.

Do we need Lobb though? It has been said that he see's himself more as a forward than a ruckman. If we get Hogan then there is one key forward position taken care of. We then have Taberner, Cox and McCarthy. Although I have been critical of McCarthy, getting someone like Hogan in should see the previous three players all take the second, third or fourth defender and so on, as Hogan would take the number one defender.

I don't want to get Lobb in at the expense of Taberner, Cox and to a lesser extent McCarthy not getting the game time to develop. And if we hold on to pick 5 which I think we will use on one of the King brothers then there is another tall to consider in the forward mix.

McCarthy for me is not what you would call a classic key position player. He is tallish yes, but for me he is a half forward who pushes up the ground, kind of similar to the role Tom Lynch plays at the Crows. Needs to improve his fitness though to play this role more consistently. Has shown glimpses but doesn't look fit enough.

I heard on the weekend from a pretty good source that Neale is definitely going. I'd be very surprised if the info was wrong as it includes some actions by his fiancé in selling her hair dressing business that she only opened a year or so ago....I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Why would Freo go for one of the King boys if Hogan comes in?....Cox, Taberner, Hogan and McCarthy up front.....with Hamling , Pearce, Logue, Ryan up back.....not sure where King fits in.....more so if Lobb comes in.....can't see Freo going that tall....especially with Jones, Meek and Strnadica on the books as well......if Freo lose Neale, surely another mid will be drafted IF Freo has a top ten pick to keep......Rozee from SA comes with big wraps......Conca if injury free provides some invaluable depth......can't see Kelly getting squeezed in as well can see WCE getting him esp if Gaff goes to NM

Yep...agree Freez...if they do manage to get Hogan then you'd think Hogan, Taberner and Cox would be your first choice talls up forward. Freo need to beef up their mids if Neale does go so whatever draft picks they have left should be used in getting the best young mid still available when it comes around to them.