Nick Dal Santo and Jack Heverin have been discussing the recruits they are most excited and intrigued by heading into the 2021 season.
Plenty of big-name players moved clubs in the trade period but these ones in particular have piqued the interest of the guys on SEN Breakfast.
Dal Santo is eager to see what Adam Saad can do at Carlton while admitting his intrigue in Adam Treloar at his new home at the Western Bulldogs.
Adam Saad (Excites)
“The one I’m excited to see is Adam Saad,” Dal Santo said.
“He’s a very, very good player and I thought at times he was the barometer for Essendon off the half-back flank.
“They had a tough year, the ball was in their back half more than their front half, but just his ability to change the dynamics of the game. To run and carry and to take it on.
“You put that into a Blues team which is young, exciting, enthusiastic and fast. I think he could be something exceptional and really just fit well into that half-back line.”
Adam Treloar (Intrigues)
“I think the whole story is intriguing and I think this story has more to play out from a Collingwood perspective.
“I wouldn’t be shocked, say in 12 months’ time, that it all makes a little bit more sense about why they’ve moved people on and cleared out a lot of cap space.
“But I’m intrigued about how he fits into this Dogs midfield and what he can do for the likes of (Marcus) Bontempelli, (Lachie) Hunter, (Jack) Macrae, (Josh) Dunkley. The flow-on effect and the weight of numbers that midfield group has.
“Adam Treloar has a bit of a point to prove as well. I’m not a massive believer in proving people wrong, getting revenge and all those sort of cliche things that we hear in football. This is just more about him being a fantastic footballer and jut do what he does week in, week out.
“He’s so consistent, so I’m intrigued about the Adam Treloar story at the Western Bulldogs.”
Heverin likes the move of Stefan Martin to the Bulldogs and is extremely intrigued by Jesse Hogan’s shift to GWS.
Stefan Martin (Excites)
“If I was a Dogs supporter, I know Adam Treloar coming in is enormous, and what he can bring to the group,” he said.
“But Stefan Martin for a packet of potato chips on the way out. It’s only going to be a year or two that he plays, but it gives Tim English the chance to split his time between midfield and forward.
“I think Tim English showed last year that he needed help. He’ll get that help in Stefan Martin who is big, he’s seasoned, he had a back injury last year, but he’s spoken himself and said he’s feeling really good at the moment.
“I just think it gives the Bulldogs more flexibility, it gives English the chance to still develop, but have someone working alongside him, and gives him a chance to spend more time in the strong room (gym).
“It gives a really good tap ruckman to one of the best midfields in the competition.
“He’s not the biggest name recruit of the competition but I think he could be one of the best.”
Jesse Hogan (Intrigues)
“The Jesse Hogan recruitment intrigues me in a big, big way.
“If the Giants get the Jesse Hogan from Melbourne of 2018, a dominant force. We were talking about how they all fit into the same forward line, well who cares, you pick Jesse first and the rest just slot in around him.
“If it means someone like a (Jeremy) Finlayson misses out, then bad luck. That’s if Jesse is playing the way he’s capable of.
“I think for a variety of reasons it didn’t work at the Fremantle Dockers. They’ve said that, he’s said that, his manager’s said that as well.
“Fresh start, in many ways probably the last chance. It sounds strange considering he’s 25 but you’re not going to bounce to a fourth club.
“It could be a stroke of genius from the Giants, but it intrigues me, because it could also not work.
“You’ve got to dare to dream sometimes.”