Worrying about what to do about Dixon, Ape, McCarthy, Strdnica, Meek, Jones, Cox and Kersten in a discussion about getting Hogan is like worrying what to do about to do about Banfield, Sheridan and Giro if we signed Coniglio.
Hogan is a gun. If the young guys are good enough, they will find a way into the team. If you really have a logjam, you trade them home (or close to home) for players or picks we can use.
But let's go through the list, shall we:
Dixon - Is a teenager. In 3 years if he's a good AFL tall forward, he can take Tabs spot, and we can trade Tabs to a Victorian team, or take the FA first round pick compensation.
Apeness: Has played 12 games in 5 years. If he's the cause of a logjam of tall forwards it will be a mircale, not a problem. Besides, he's probably best suited as a back-up ruck.
McCarthy: Is a half-forward in any event, and I think he'll thrive with Hogan in the team. I love the idea of him pushing up the field to be a taket 80m from goal, and being isolated in the 50 if he has a good match-up.
Strdnica, Meek, Jones: What are the ods any of these guys get to 50 games? We could cut Meek and Jones tomorrow and I would lose zero sleep.
Cox: The kid just turned 20, is slow as molasses, and will currently kick you about a goal and 3 points a game. His lack of speed means he’s not a plug-and-play footballer - he needs the right set up to be effective. I think that could be as a third tall (think Tom Lynch at Adelaide), or as a marking loose backman. At 20 years, he has time to grow into a very good player, but I’m not sure we should be rejecting an elite goalkicker because we already have Cox. If we have a logjam in the future, I'm sure one of the Adelaide teams will take him off our hands.
Kersten: Actually performed ok as a back-up defender. Destined to have Alex Silagni's career.