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.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The word this morning is that Lachie is about to sign a 5 year deal worth $800k/year with Freo. The kite flying by Brissy was only going to force Freo to up Lachie's pay sooner rather than at the end of next season. He is easily worth $1m/year to any club.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
You do carry on like a toddler with your dishonesty, philistinism and passive-aggressive petulance. I've never said he's not going anywhere, just that he's been as heavily invested in Freo as anyone and that I find it more unlikely than likely that he would leave. The post above, which in your usual style you were a bit too lily-livered to reply directly to, was about the possibility of it being used as a holiday and the courting club actually being ok with that. Hence the phrase "It's not out of the realms of possibility...", but I understand with you feeling all pent up you were unable or unwilling to process that.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You don't seem to understand things (tee hee). Fagan might be confident...notice he has already added an extra draft pick because he knows no one is interested at first. No one will be interested in this either...that's why he goes public with it. Brissy needs to be seen to be doing something. They will need to do a lot better than that to get Lachie out of a place he loves and to get Freo to part with a player they love. I get that you want to get rid of him and get Crozier back...but that's just the way you roll.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Chris Fagan said he is confident Neale will join them and he said picks 4 and 22 are on the table. Freo should grab them as they will only get one late first rounder next year if they make him finish his contract. No point holding someone that does not want to be there.
Steve J
Roar Guru
Pav admitted to meeting with Mick Malthouse when Malthouse joined Carlton. Difference is no one knew and Pav kept his cards close to his chest at all times. Plus Pav could command whatever he wanted at Freo
Steve J
Roar Guru
I think he'll get a chance on another list just due to his hardness at the contest Gold Coast comes to mind, as does Carlton who may be looking for that tough defensive forward I think the Freo list is starting to look quite solid, albeit young and inexperienced
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Brad Hardie makes Kane Cornes and David King look like Einstein and Stephen Hawkins.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Haselby, McManus and Langdon are not saying that at all. In Fact, Langdon is aggressively squashing just about everything those others are saying. Apart from those 3, not one of them has an ounce of credibility. You have named all the cartoon characters in the media. Pure Jonboy. Just to give you a sample, Hardie says that no one on the board stands up to Steve Rosich. Rosich is not even on the board...he is their employee.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
How is McGovern for Neale good? Neale would be Adelaide's best player. McGovern is lucky to be top 20. McGovern is Duman, Apeness, Dixon level.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I got 4/4. Did you really get 0/4?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Weller produced Brayshaw. Balic is retired and Crozier would not get a game ahead of Ryan and Wilson...surplus to needs. Weller and Crozier both extended their contracts, though. Which of them did you want to keep?
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Steve -I thought Grey was unlucky to get sacked, not best 22 but great backup, tough as nails gives 110% a lot better than a couple of other retained duds. What is your take on him ?
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Yeah of course he did Dingo ha ha ha.
Steve J
Roar Guru
Yeah, forgot about Huge Dixon, he looks like a natural forward, given he marks and kicks straight. His big question this year was work rate and hunger for the contest. But it seems he will prove doubters (me) wrong McCarthy needs to be training now, running, running and a bit more running At the end of the day, don't trade Neale unless we bring in skill and quality in return. No more Kerstens and Matera's (love 'em both but they are B or C graders at best). Although Kersten, being best mates with Hamling, may have helped in us getting one of the best defenders going round to come home.
Steve J
Roar Guru
Ahh yes Duman - he should Free up Blakely to move to a ore permanent on-ball role. Adding Cox would make us particularly tall down back, but if we have Hogan a forward line of Tabs, Hogans, McCarthy, Cox becomes a bit tall, even though Tabs is a great runner and can play the Riewoldt (Nick) role of gut running his opponent into the ground. All of Cox, McCarthy, Tabs and Hogan can run - it would be a hard forward line to defend against if the mids get clean use of the ball.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
0-4 in first week of finals, genius. Well done. Educate me. Who are these players Don refers to? Not even he knows. How about it know all?
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Of course players do it all the time, Unhappy one's like Neale this is the whole point here. But Don and Dalgety are living in a dream world saying Lachie loves Freo and he is not going anywhere, really wake up. Did Matthew Pavlich pull these stunts ? No because he was loyal and let his manager do his job. Lachie would love Freo and the players but with Lyon it is another story, obvious to most of course. Hopefully Neale can mend the issue till Lyon is gone.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Players do it all the time job, it's naive to think otherwise. Dustin Martin to GWS, Bennell at Richmond, pretty sure Cloke even did it to Freo. Maybe you just lack the imagination (or maybe just embittered or desperate) to understand that getting a player on a plane, staying in the city and seeing the sights is seen as a legitimate expense with no obligations. Timeshares often operate on a similar but less extravagant models.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Like Weller, Balic and Crozier just last year alone.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
These two blokes talking about a holiday to "Brisvegas" what a pair of clowns, really !! Are they just being silly or completely naive, or both. They believe every thing Rosich say's and Lachie probably does love Freo but he does not like Lyon. Whether the damage can be repaired or not who knows! This it is not about money or holidays stop dreaming.