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Melbourne’s 29-point victory in the elimination final Friday night unveiled a tall forward sensation in Sam Weideman.
The breakout game from the 21-year-old showed Melbourne supporters why the club took him with pick nine in the 2015 national draft. Weideman finished with 24 disposals, seven marks and three goals straight.
The tall forward found himself in the Melbourne side in Round 22 following Jesse Hogan’s season-ending foot injury.
Many believed Melbourne wouldn’t be a threat in finals without Hogan, but Weideman is proving the doubters wrong with his last three games after being in and out of the Melbourne side earlier in the season.
Sam has averaged 18 disposals, six marks and just under two goals a game since his return into the side in Round 22, highlighting the impact he’s having in Melbourne’s forward line missing star player Jesse Hogan.
It raises the question: do Melbourne really need Hogan?
Hogan, who grew up in Perth, is contracted until the end of the 2019 season, and during every trade period there’s always talk about him heading back home.
With Fremantle always keeping a keen eye on the young forward, this could be the perfect time for Melbourne to trade him.
If Melbourne were to be proactive and trade Hogan to Fremantle this coming trade period, knowing he may want to head back home to Perth one day anyway, the Demons could be getting two first-round draft picks, depending on whether Lachie Neale ends up at Brisbane.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
With Melbourne already having such a well-functioning forward line with Weideman and Tom McDonald as their two tall forwards, this could be the perfect time for Melbourne to receive the best possible compensation for Hogan.
If Neale is traded to Brisbane, Fremantle would most likely receive pick four from Brisbane, leaving them with picks four and five in the 2018 draft. If Fremantle were to secure the services of Hogan, Melbourne would certainly ask for Fremantle’s two first-round draft picks – picks four and five.
Hogan is exactly what Fremantle would need in their forward line – he would make a huge difference for Fremantle in their current rebuild.
This year’s draft features some top end talent, in particular the 200-centimetre-tall twin towers Ben and Max King. The two young brothers both play as tall forwards and are highly rated by clubs around the nation.
Both Kings are expected to be picked up in the first round, and if Melbourne were to lose Hogan, they could potentially pick up one of the brother to add further depth to their forward line.
It raises an interesting proposition for Melbourne, but of course it all depends on Hogan’s commitment to the Demons in the long term. This is the draft in which Melbourne would receive the best possible deal for Hogan, depending on Lachie Neale’s movement.
Not only could it potentially benefit Melbourne, but Fremantle would get the star forward they need to help rebuild the club.
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