#16 Chris Mayne

[Cam]

Well at least we never got Kurt Tippett on a million a year...

[AN_Inkling]

Except they take a spot on our list which would otherwise be taken by a young developing player. Also, there tends to be a bias towards playing them because of their "experience", rather than their form. Unless we recruit a specialist player, like we did in Jolly, to fill a role no-one else could fill, then I think it's a retrograde step. Didn't we learn from Russell, Young and Lynch.

It's difficult to properly develop young players without the right mix of experience around them. With the departures of Swan, Macaffer, Toovey, Cloke, potentially others, I think our experience levels are again falling dangerously low.

Playing kids and only kids will never get you to the finals. Particularly now that the competition is so strong. You need quality experience, but even middling experience of the right type can be important.

Buckley has stated we have to make finals in 2017. I don't think there's much chance of that without adding some experience. The young players will be inconsistent on and off the field, they will suffer more injuries and they need strong leaders around them to reach their potential, something our squad lacks.

We've messed up the transition between squad builds and left the top end of our age range essentially bare by booting out any player who causes any friction. We're starting to build a stronger sense of team, but it's been made more difficult by this mistake or mismanagement. Bringing in experience from other clubs isn't ideal, but it's what we're left with

I'm all in favour bringing in some experience. In fact I think we need a ready made experienced KPP from somewhere. However, what I don't want are hacks or has beens, who do not represent significant upgrades on what we already have. So far, the players mentioned as possible trades, with the exception of Hoskin-Elliott, do not interest me at all. At the end of the day, it's all about quality imo not average age. Remember, we already have a lot of experienced players on our list in Pendles, Goldy, Brown, Sidey, Reid, Blair and Varcoe as well as young guns with a few years already under their belts in Treloar, Adams, Crisp and Grundy.

Mayne's quite a bit better than our best medium (+185cm) forward - Crocker? Looks like we'd keep Howe down back - although Mayne also has the potential to play in defense, so it gives us options.

On 2016 form, Wells is far better than most of our mids and only challenged by Pendles and Sidey for foot skills. He'd be a great get and exactly the type of player we need, provided we're confident of him getting on the park. Maric is a very good backup ruck option, he's mature, strong and known as a quality clubman. He's just what we need as a mostly VFL bound backup to Grundy.

The Mayne signing makes a lot of sense. He's one of the best pressure forwards in the comp and we know Buckley's been lamenting our forward pressure all season. It means we're not forced to play Crocker or Oxley game in and game out. We don't have many mid-sized forwards if Howe is staying down back, so he definitely fills a gap. We need a medium forward more than a small. It also adds some experience and nous to a young and in White's case, dumb, forward line. For me, this line is our greatest weakness and needs strengthening. Mayne is a useful addition and as a strong-bodied medium gives us some flexibility and means that we can sometimes go with one less tall and that players like White will have to earn their spot.

[CarringbushCigar]

We are a joke - Mayne for 4 years

If u had have suggested this 2 weeks ago you'd be laughed out of the state.

[Cam]

In Gubby We Trust

lol

Sorry Hiney

[RudeBoy]

It's difficult to properly develop young players without the right mix of experience around them. With the departures of Swan, Macaffer, Toovey, Cloke, potentially others, I think our experience levels are again falling dangerously low.

Playing kids and only kids will never get you to the finals. Particularly now that the competition is so strong. You need quality experience, but even middling experience of the right type can be important.

Buckley has stated we have to make finals in 2017. I don't think there's much chance of that without adding some experience. The young players will be inconsistent on and off the field, they will suffer more injuries and they need strong leaders around them to reach their potential, something our squad lacks.

We've messed up the transition between squad builds and left the top end of our age range essentially bare by booting out any player who causes any friction. We're starting to build a stronger sense of team, but it's been made more difficult by this mistake or mismanagement. Bringing in experience from other clubs isn't ideal, but it's what we're left with

I'm all in favour bringing in some experience. In fact I think we need a ready made experienced KPP from somewhere. However, what I don't want are hacks or has beens, who do not represent significant upgrades on what we already have. So far, the players mentioned as possible trades, with the exception of Hoskin-Elliott, do not interest me at all. At the end of the day, it's all about quality imo not average age. Remember, we already have a lot of experienced players on our list in Pendles, Goldy, Brown, Sidey, Reid, Blair and Varcoe as well as young guns with a few years already under their belts in Treloar, Adams, Crisp and Grundy.

Mayne's quite a bit better than our best medium (+185cm) forward - Crocker? Looks like we'd keep Howe down back - although Mayne also has the potential to play in defense, so it gives us options.

On 2016 form, Wells is far better than most of our mids and only challenged by Pendles and Sidey for foot skills. He'd be a great get and exactly the type of player we need, provided we're confident of him getting on the park. Maric is a very good backup ruck option, he's mature, strong and known as a quality clubman. He's just what we need as a mostly VFL bound backup to Grundy.

The Mayne signing makes a lot of sense. He's one of the best pressure forwards in the comp and we know Buckley's been lamenting our forward pressure all season. It means we're not forced to play Crocker or Oxley game in and game out. We don't have many mid-sized forwards if Howe is staying down back, so he definitely fills a gap. We need a medium forward more than a small. It also adds some experience and nous to a young and in White's case, dumb, forward line. For me, this line is our greatest weakness and needs strengthening. Mayne is a useful addition and as a strong-bodied medium gives us some flexibility and means that we can sometimes go with one less tall and that players like White will have to earn their spot.

It's all subjective I guess, but I prefer Crocker to Mayne. Remember, this was his first year and already he has announced himself as a likely type, who knows where to position himself and is a great overhead mark. Just watch him dominate in the VFL and you'll see he has already moved beyond being a VFL player. It would set his development backwards to bring in an average player like Mayne. After all we've already got Goldsack if we want a defensive type forward. As for Maric, if he can't get a game with the Tigers, why would we want him. Cox and White are our back up ruchmen. What we need is another tall forward. I'm hoping we recruit an experienced KPP or else draft someone like Lachy Howe. As for Wells, he's a silky player when he's fit, but he's rarely fit. Way too injury prone for my liking.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

It's difficult to properly develop young players without the right mix of experience around them. With the departures of Swan, Macaffer, Toovey, Cloke, potentially others, I think our experience levels are again falling dangerously low.

Playing kids and only kids will never get you to the finals. Particularly now that the competition is so strong. You need quality experience, but even middling experience of the right type can be important.

Buckley has stated we have to make finals in 2017. I don't think there's much chance of that without adding some experience. The young players will be inconsistent on and off the field, they will suffer more injuries and they need strong leaders around them to reach their potential, something our squad lacks.

We've messed up the transition between squad builds and left the top end of our age range essentially bare by booting out any player who causes any friction. We're starting to build a stronger sense of team, but it's been made more difficult by this mistake or mismanagement. Bringing in experience from other clubs isn't ideal, but it's what we're left with

I'm all in favour bringing in some experience. In fact I think we need a ready made experienced KPP from somewhere. However, what I don't want are hacks or has beens, who do not represent significant upgrades on what we already have. So far, the players mentioned as possible trades, with the exception of Hoskin-Elliott, do not interest me at all. At the end of the day, it's all about quality imo not average age. Remember, we already have a lot of experienced players on our list in Pendles, Goldy, Brown, Sidey, Reid, Blair and Varcoe as well as young guns with a few years already under their belts in Treloar, Adams, Crisp and Grundy.

Mayne's quite a bit better than our best medium (+185cm) forward - Crocker? Looks like we'd keep Howe down back - although Mayne also has the potential to play in defense, so it gives us options.

On 2016 form, Wells is far better than most of our mids and only challenged by Pendles and Sidey for foot skills. He'd be a great get and exactly the type of player we need, provided we're confident of him getting on the park. Maric is a very good backup ruck option, he's mature, strong and known as a quality clubman. He's just what we need as a mostly VFL bound backup to Grundy.

The Mayne signing makes a lot of sense. He's one of the best pressure forwards in the comp and we know Buckley's been lamenting our forward pressure all season. It means we're not forced to play Crocker or Oxley game in and game out. We don't have many mid-sized forwards if Howe is staying down back, so he definitely fills a gap. We need a medium forward more than a small. It also adds some experience and nous to a young and in White's case, dumb, forward line. For me, this line is our greatest weakness and needs strengthening. Mayne is a useful addition and as a strong-bodied medium gives us some flexibility and means that we can sometimes go with one less tall and that players like White will have to earn their spot.

Agree with most of what you said. However I think both Crocker and Oxley can still get a game in the side as both are good kicks and can kick goals. Mayne has the potential to play back and release Howe to the forward line, whatever the circumstances of the match and who the opposition is. The player I can't see getting a game is Langdon who was fortunate getting injured when he did, because if he hadn't, we would now be asking questions about his game style now.

[AN_Inkling]

We played Crocker far too much this year. He was a liability most of the season, then had a couple of good games late. We'd be significantly better if he has to earn his spot. He has some ability but he shouldn't be in our best 22 yet and he doesn't put on the pressure someone like Mayne does.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

What Crocker does do is get to position, which Cloke doesn't do, work both ends of the ground which Cloke doesn't do and kick gettable goals, which Cloke doesn't do. Where he fails is the one on one contests where his opponents, who have 100 games of experience to his 3-4 games of experience, consistently beat him. That will all change when Crocker gets more games of experience. We just have to be patient.

[AN_Inkling]

We played Crocker far too much this year. He was a liability most of the season, then had a couple of good games late. We'd be significantly better if he has to earn his spot. He has some ability but he shouldn't be in our best 22 yet and he doesn't put on the pressure someone like Mayne does.

What Crocker does do is get to position, which Cloke doesn't do, work both ends of the ground which Cloke doesn't do and kick gettable goals, which Cloke doesn't do. Where he fails is the one on one contests where his opponents, who have 100 games of experience to his 3-4 games of experience, consistently beat him. That will all change when Crocker gets more games of experience. We just have to be patient.

This is as a comparison to Mayne, who does all the things you just mentioned and much better than Crocker.

Crocker reminds me a lot of Macaffer. I'm not sure he's a long-term senior player for us, but we'll see. His 2016 season was not good and there were many games where he did almost nothing and really hurt us. I'd be much happier if we had a Mayne as first option medium and Crocker only getting games if he really earned it in the seconds. Didn't show enough in 2016 to suggest he's a senior player yet.

[Presti35]

Happy to take on Mayne. I guess he is the best FA that hasn't signed to stay on at his current club. But 4 years is a lot. It'll take him to 31.

I think we can use Mayne whilst we dont know whats going on with Elliott.

I guess the positive here is that we get a player without having to trade anything.

I wonder whats going to happen with Ballyntine and Fyfe?

[CarringbushCigar]

North were taking him for 3 years - cough cough bullshit!

We have fallen into this deal - is Bucks in Bali already ?

[Donny]

http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/fremantle ... rdam9.html

[DT]

Don't like Mayne. 3 years past his best. Poor set shot now and slow. Pies need quick players who can use the ball well

[Pies4shaw]

Crocker has twice his talent.

[Mugwump]

Crocker has twice his talent.

Looking at the highlights reels of the two players, i cant see why you think that. Crocker might be a good player. Mayne has been a good player for years, now.