Wreck It Ralph: The targets Melbourne should aim for in the trade and free agency market
The Dees’ forward issues caused them grief in the finals once again, struggling to put a winning score on the board. Jon Ralph looks at 13 options who could solve their biggest flaw.
Finals are won and lost on razor-thin margins.
Had someone stepped up to seize the day — Max Gawn, Bayley Fritsch, Judd McVee spoiling Sam Docherty, Jack Viney hitting a target late with his right foot — Simon Goodwin would be a master tactician.
His move to isolate Kozzie Pickett deep in the second half against Carlton with his forward line so obviously impotent looked a work of genius.
But despite his two goals, four score assists and 11 score involvements, the Demons forward line again failed its biggest test.
Those fine margins?
Harry Petty shared an elevator down to the Demons rooms post-match with Carlton great Greg Williams.
Petty was on crutches thanks to his lisfranc surgery as Williams declared of the win “It’s a miracle...” before making time to extend the Demons swingman his best wishes.
If Petty had played at anywhere near his best the Demons would be into a prelim.
The Demons were hypocritical and dumb.
Hypocritical because they spent a week whining over Angus Brayshaw’s treatment.
Then Pickett cannon-balled into Patrick Cripps to break his nose and jumper-punched Mitch McGovern, and Tom Sparrow dumped Sam Walsh’s head into the MCG fence.
Dumb because of the many 50m penalties and free kicks.
Clayton Oliver refused to come back to the seven-metre mark with Carlton penned on the goal line, when the AFL literally issued a pre-finals memo urging players to remember that rule.
So the time for fine margins is over.
Time to make a splash.
The Demons have two first-round picks (5, 13), Fremantle’s and their own selection, improved by a straight sets defeat.
They will trade Brodie Grundy and if they can get Adam Tomlinson and James Harmes off their books they will clear another $1 million in cap space.
The Josh Schache experiment didn’t work and Ben Brown’s knee is so banged up at 30 they might have a conversation about whether he is fit to play the last year of his deal.
For a top-four finisher, having nearly $2 million in available cap space is a luxury.
So the Demons actually need to recruit three tall forwards with Tom McDonald turning 32 on Monday and having kicked 1.1 from two shots and 13 possessions in two finals.
They need to be so spoiled for choice in that position they don’t know how to fit them all in.
They cannot bank on the natural improvement of Jacob Van Rooyen and hope Petty dodges more injury.
They took their big swing on a dual ruck set-up and it proved a catastrophe.
They have already shown their aggressive mood by offering Adelaide forward Shane McAdam a deal of at least three years.
Who else is on the market that they could use that cap space and multiple first and second-rounders on?
Wreck It Ralph assesses the Hail Marys, the players who might consider a Godfather Offer and the fall-back options for the Demons.
HAIL MARYS (UNLIKELY BUT YOU NEVER KNOW)
1. Oscar Allen (West Coast)
Even if the Demons offered West Coast picks 5, 13 and a future first-rounder, the Eagles would refuse it.
He is 24, at the top of his game, the single player the Eagles should pin their rebound upon.
It won’t happen. It doesn’t mean the Demons shouldn’t ask.
2. Ben King (Gold Coast)
Maybe if Stuart Dew had stayed on. But he’s invested, he loves the club and city and will likely sign a new two-year deal to free agency over summer now that the pay deal is brokered (this week), and Damien Hardwick is on board.
It was already going to be seven figures a season. What now that the pay deal will go up more than 30 per cent?
$2.4 million over two seasons? While the Demons are doing a trade for Brodie Grundy with his manager Robbie D’Orazio, they should ask if a six-season deal at something close to $10 million would move the needle?
By the end of that contract — with the CBA rising twice across the deal — it would be value for money. Still can’t see it happening.
3. Tom Lynch (Richmond)
He is about to turn 31 and is due more than a million a year for the next two seasons.
But Richmond is intent on competing, not rebuilding, even though it seems stuck in the middle reaches of the eight.
Even if the Demons offered the world, it would leave the Richmond forward line bereft of options. But could his great mate Steven May make a pitch to reunite them again?
GODFATHER OFFER (YOU NEED TO SELL THE WORLD)
4. Harry McKay (Carlton)
Clubs will ask and Carlton will say no. Melbourne should make inquiries but the Blues truly believe in McKay and believe he makes Charlie Curnow an infinitely better player.
REALISTIC OPTIONS
5. Mabior Chol (Gold Coast)
He’s available, he’s only on $425,000 a season and he’s the very rare ruck-forward who could compliment Max Gawn – what would the Demons pay for Tom De Koning, one of the few ruck-forwards in the comp in a small list including Jeremy Finlayson, Mason Cox and Hayden McLean? There are far worse options given he kicked 44.27 last year, but Chol hasn’t shown himself to be a relentless competitor. At 26, can he find that mongrel instinct when the game is going against him?
6. Jeremy Finlayson (Port Adelaide)
He is very unlikely to want to move from the Power given his wife’s health battle but, after 38 goals this year, he was the sub in Saturday’s final. He is another ruck-forward who would compliment and has only one more year on his Power deal. The beauty of Finlayson is he doesn’t need a relentless streak of forward entries to contribute on the scoreboard.
7. Jack Darling (West Coast)
The issue is his poor 2023 — 26.19 in an admittedly horrible Eagles side — and a salary of at least $750,000 for the next two seasons on his remaining contract.
But he has kicked 510 goals at a clip of 1.84 per game.
Would the Eagles pay some of his salary if the Demons dangled a quality draft pick?
8. Ollie Lord (Port Adelaide)
He signed a one-year extension with the Power in May but is an honest pack-crashing forward who hits up at the ball carrier at his best.
He’s only a baby in footy terms at 21, and while the Power will want to keep him as a Charlie Dixon succession plan, could he be crowbarred out of the club with a considerable long-term offer?
The Power do need high picks to get their bevy of trades done and might consider it for a pick they would rate as overs for a player with only 13 games under his belt.
9. Jake Waterman (West Coast)
Kicked four goals twice this season but only 11 for the season in as many games and has reportedly been “underwhelmed” by an Eagles two-year deal, but is likely to sign on anyway.
He kicked 18 goals last year including 12 in his last nine games and would get vastly improved service at the Demons.
10. Chris Burgess (Gold Coast)
Another three goals in the VFL preliminary final on the weekend, following four against Brisbane in the qualifying final and eight against Carlton a month back.
He’s contracted, but, at 27, needs to find a club where he has a legitimate chance of playing senior football.
11. Jacob Koschitzke (Hawthorn)
Was Koschitzke a one-hit wonder after 27.19 in 2021 or is his best still yet to come?
He has kicked 54.38 in 48 games, he is only 23, and he showed this year in games including the Pies clash he can play some ruck as well as key forward. He’s not going to change the game for the Demons but he’s a better back-up than Josh Schache.
12. Ash Johnson (Collingwood)
He just signed on at Collingwood and did play 15 games in a year where Dan McStay was often injured, so he clearly believes he has a future at the Pies. Would a big number on a contract turn his head? He’s a player with sticky hands who kicked three goals three times in his six games before spending the last quarter of the season in the VFL, apart from a single AFL game in round 21.
AND THE LEFT FIELD OPTION…
13. Luke Breust (Hawthorn)
A key forward he ain’t, but he has just come off a 47-goal season at the age of 32. Does he have another 40 great games in him?
He knocked back a GWS request and is signed to 2024, but does he want one more crack at another flag while also topping up his superannuation fund?
While also getting the Hawks back into the draft with another quality pick?
The Demons will never know if they don‘t ask the question.
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