Does Melbourne need to trade one of their midfielders in order to achieve better on-ball balance and improve other areas of the ground? Jordan Lewis, Anthony Hudson and Gerard Whateley discussed it on AFL Nation.
The former Melbourne defender believes his old side cannot play Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney in the same midfield group and feels if you were going to trade one of them it would be Brayshaw.
The midfielder gathered 29 disposals in the Dees’ win over North Melbourne in Round 11 in the absence of Viney.
Read their discussion on what Melbourne should do and Brayshaw’s trade value below:
Hudson: “Can Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney play in the same midfield?”
Lewis: “Not at the same time because they’re very much the same player and you add in Clayton Oliver, there needs to be a different mix. I think Christian Petracca is that inside-outside player. I think Brayshaw can be that, but I think he needs to become a better player on the wing.”
Whateley: “Would you trade one of them at the end of the year?”
Lewis: “You certainly ask the question if you have got a lot of the same player. I think if it’s on the table, why wouldn’t you look at it? They’ve got currency. I wouldn’t trade Viney, but if they’ve got currency and you could get another player in to compliment what they’ve already got (why wouldn’t you).”
Hudson: “What would they get for Brayshaw?”
Whateley: “A lot. I reckon there would be a big cue for Brayshaw.”
Hudson: “What’s a lot?”
Whateley: “I reckon you would get a pick inside 12 or you would get a starter, you would definitely get a top 14 player for your own team and you might get a combination.”
Lewis: “That’s enticing.”
Whateley: “If they’ve got a surplus, and the best version of Brayshaw will be a different setup, I think that’s where we’re heading is Melbourne don’t need him and Brayshaw needs to be somewhere else to be the best version of himself.”
Lewis: “He is a genuine midfielder and unfourtnately at the moment for him behind Viney, Petracca and Oliver.”