Word is that the Blues want Brad and Brett Ratten (who maintains close ties with Melbourne players after his midfield coaching role) has asked him not to sign anything until he and his management have discussed offers.

Apparently Brad is ready to move on and at this stage in his career is favouring his wallet over team loyalty. Other interested parties include Richmond and at least one other Melbourne based club. I know he has his detractors but at this time should Melbourne players in the later part of their careers be looking for better opportunities else where and should the club be trying to retain experienced and talented players like Green?

How much is he worth?

Damn. Can't they take Bruce instead? Please!

As for Green, well it would have to be a trade.

I like Greeny and want him to stay on board, but if he decides to bolt what could we get from Carlton?

Apparently Brad is ready to move on and at this stage in his career is favouring his wallet over team loyalty.

I'd be steering clear of defamatory statements about Green or any other player. You're commenting about his character here that are not backed by any facts.

what could we get from Carlton?

Judd?

Damn. Cant they take Bruce instead? Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee!

As for Green, well it would have to be a trade. I like Greeny and want hin to stay on board, but if he decides to bolt what could we get from Carlton?

Judd? but seriously probably a first round draft pick ah la Travis Johnstone. Greeny & Cam Bruce are pretty tight so if one goes the other might follow?

Can't understand why they would want him unless they thought they could win a flag in the next 3 years which they won't. He turns 28 in March next year. Say they finish 11th or 10th this year there is no way they will give up their number 5 or 6 pick. So it would have to be pick 22 or 23 and we would have to be willing. The only way he would leave is if they offered him a fortune but I can't understand why they would bother. They will have to negotiate a trade as they will not have the no 1 pick in the pre-season draft but what player would Carlton be prepared to offload anyway? I can't imagine Green walking away unless we got something in return.

Can't understand why they would want him unless they thought they could win a flag in the next 3 years which they won't. He turns 28 in March next year. Say they finish 11th or 10th this year there is no way they will give up their number 5 or 6 pick. So it would have to be pick 22 or 23 and we would have to be willing. The only way he would leave is if they offered him a fortune but I can;t understand why they would bother. they will have to negotiate a trade because Carlton will not have the no 1 pick in the pre-season draft but what Carlton player would they be prepared to offload?

Well if they add Brad Green plus another quality youngster with pick 5 or 6, they may be close to a flag as much I hate to say that.

Green would have a field day running loose in the Blues midfield, or they could play him as a second foil to Fevola.

I'd be steering clear of defamatory statements about Green or any other player. You're commenting about his character here that are not backed by any facts.

"Apparently" or should I have said "Allegedly" nothing said about his character but thanks for the legal advice. How would you judge such a move? Surely it would be seen as a financial decision made over loyalty to a struggling team, especially if there is more money on the table.

Well if they add Brad Green plus another quality youngster with pick 5 or 6, they may be close to a flag as much I hate to say that.

Green would have a field day running loose in the Blues midfield, or they could play him as a second foil to Fevola.

No way Y_M, they won't get close. They've beaten no one this year, Us, Collingwood who were woeful and WC who are [censored]. You watch in a couple of weeks. They play Brisbane at Telstra Dome on Saturday night, they'll get smashed.

"Apparently" or should I have said "Allegedly" nothing said about his character but thanks for the legal advice. How would you judge such a move? Surely it would be seen as a financial decision made over loyalty to a struggling team, especially if there is more money on the table.

After signing Judd, and the ongoing emergence of Murphy, Gibbs and Kreuzer, I wouldn't have thought that the Blues would have much room to move in their salary cap.

It's only rd 7. Usually this stuff becomes a lot more apparent in the closing rounds of the season.

The whole thing strikes me as an odd move by the cartel.

Their problems are down back...not midfield / up forward

The whole thing strikes me as an odd move by the cartel.

Their problems are down back...not midfield / up forward

I know he has a fantastic relationship with Ratten, but I think there is too much speculation past that point.

I do think that if a few sides are keen for him, we should put him on the market for sure and see what we can get.

We should deal with this 'crisi-tunity' a little closer to trade week, not in May.

Damn. Can't they take Bruce instead? Please!

As for Green, well it would have to be a trade.

I like Greeny and want him to stay on board, but if he decides to bolt what could we get from Carlton?

I'd want somewhere around pick 15 - 22.

Can't understand why they would want him unless they thought they could win a flag in the next 3 years which they won't. He turns 28 in March next year. Say they finish 11th or 10th this year there is no way they will give up their number 5 or 6 pick. So it would have to be pick 22 or 23 and we would have to be willing. The only way he would leave is if they offered him a fortune but I can't understand why they would bother. They will have to negotiate a trade as they will not have the no 1 pick in the pre-season draft but what player would Carlton be prepared to offload anyway? I can't imagine Green walking away unless we got something in return.

In that case I'd accept their 2nd rnd pick plus their 1st rnd preseason pick.

This is revolting.

There's nothing to this, it's just your standard up and go rumour mongering.

Carlton aren't in need of midfielders, and have stated again and again a policy of recruiting only 24 year olds or under.

Green is, as I've said before, on target for a top three in the best and fairest.

He may be annoyed about not being in the leadership group (by about a 1% margin vote) but he's put in the hard work and would surely be in any such group next year (given Neitz and Yze will both be gone) and is still a moderate shot at captain.

As for money - I'll re-mention Neitz and Yze retiring, and Holland, and some more of our highest payed players in the next year or two (and Johnstone already gone). We'll have salary cap space to burn (which Carlton, incidentally, definately wont) and in the meantime Green becomes eligible for Veteran status, making future payment opportunities even greater.

I'd be suprised and a little horrified if any party thought that trading Green to Carlton was a good idea. Not in the interests of Carlton, Melbourne, or Brad Green.

AND WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP BAGGING GREEN?

FFS.

People on here have very casual attitudes to our players.

And then of course they cry and wail and moan and threaten to cancel their memberships when a player does get traded for a first round draft pick.(Woey, Johnstone)

Could be a real positive for all involved...

We're simply not in the right place for the Greens and Bruces to be attractive players for us.

It's nothing personal. I like him, and honestly am all for him staying as you can't go into a season with EVERYONE on your list under the age of 25...

But just as a hypothetical...

Let's say Bruce and Green were up for being traded, and a club or clubs like Freo/WC/Carltank were up for it?

They have picks between 2-10. They won't trade them of course, but could be persuaded if we were to do something sneaky like...

Green and 17 for pick 4... or something like that.

Let's say we get pick two because Carltank don't win 5 games...

Pick 2 and Bruce for picks 1 and 18...

The idea being that we end up with these picks:

#1 at best (Naitanui) #3 at worst (Rich or Hurley).

Then we could, with a clever bit of dealing get our priority, #17-19 AND our first rounder #18-#22...

PLUS a sneaky one from one of the other teams for a good player like Green or Bruce...

Hawthorn dealt away Rawlings and Hay... a couple of the most one-sided trades in the history of the AFL, and look where it gets them? Them may not keep up their form, but they are now a finals-bound side... probably for a number of years too...

How did they do it? By getting 5 picks within the first 21 ALL IN ONE YEAR.

We may not be able to do that, especially in a strong draft year, but if we end up last with a PP, we will get 3 before we even sit down at the table...

We should push for two more, looking to trade players who won't be around to hurt us in 3-4 years when the youth of the 2008 draft come through...

All this has to happen before the draft restrictions come into place for the years 2009-2012... If we stock up, we'll be coming into our prime JUST as the Gold Coast and West Sydney players are having their first shave... and even more importantly sides that are strong now will be in a heavy decline that will be nearly impossible to arrest as the draft will no longer be the spring from which their success flows...

Clear as mud?

Anyway. No disrespect to Brad. I happen to think he's a very very good AFL footballer. Maybe not a media star, but VERY professional and not soft as so many people seem to think. Not in the least bit soft actually... This is not meant as a slight to him, more as a hypothetical... looking to the future and all that.

No way Y_M, they won't get close. They've beaten no one this year, Us, Collingwood who were woeful and WC who are [censored]. You watch in a couple of weeks. They play Brisbane at Telstra Dome on Saturday night, they'll get smashed.

Another year into Gibbs and Murph not to mention all their young key defenders. Who knows . . .

Don't think they're there yet but that's what people said about Hawthorn the start of last year and they went close (til they self-destructed against Roos)

Could be a real positive for all involved...

We're simply not in the right place for the Greens and Bruces to be attractive players for us.

It's nothing personal. I like him, and honestly am all for him staying as you can't go into a season with EVERYONE on your list under the age of 25...

But just as a hypothetical...

Let's say Bruce and Green were up for being traded, and a club or clubs like Freo/WC/Carltank were up for it?

They have picks between 2-10. They won't trade them of course, but could be persuaded if we were to do something sneaky like...

Green and 17 for pick 4... or something like that.

Let's say we get pick two because Carltank don't win 5 games...

Pick 2 and Bruce for picks 1 and 18...

The idea being that we end up with these picks:

#1 at best (Naitanui) #3 at worst (Rich or Hurley).

Then we could, with a clever bit of dealing get our priority, #17-19 AND our first rounder #18-#22...

PLUS a sneaky one from one of the other teams for a good player like Green or Bruce...

Hawthorn dealt away Rawlings and Hay... a couple of the most one-sided trades in the history of the AFL, and look where it gets them? Them may not keep up their form, but they are now a finals-bound side... probably for a number of years too...

How did they do it? By getting 5 picks within the first 21 ALL IN ONE YEAR.

We may not be able to do that, especially in a strong draft year, but if we end up last with a PP, we will get 3 before we even sit down at the table...

We should push for two more, looking to trade players who won't be around to hurt us in 3-4 years when the youth of the 2008 draft come through...

All this has to happen before the draft restrictions come into place for the years 2009-2012... If we stock up, we'll be coming into our prime JUST as the Gold Coast and West Sydney players are having their first shave... and even more importantly sides that are strong now will be in a heavy decline that will be nearly impossible to arrest as the draft will no longer be the spring from which their success flows...

Clear as mud?

Anyway. No disrespect to Brad. I happen to think he's a very very good AFL footballer. Maybe not a media star, but VERY professional and not soft as so many people seem to think. Not in the least bit soft actually... This is not meant as a slight to him, more as a hypothetical... looking to the future and all that.

This is exactly my reasoning 'Dappa Dan', If we want to be a power side in 2 years time we must add substantially to our list this year & next. don't be fooled by Mark Harveys soft second half as he reaslises that he must reinvigorate Freo desparately quickly.

Sense in that Dapper...I believe the Cartel were interested in Yze back around the 2005 period, at the time we believed we were on the up so I can understand the mind-set to not have traded him then.

Green is at a similar stage of his career as to what Yze was then, but our clubs playing list isn't so a trade could suit all parties concerned.

The reality is we are a couple of years away from dmaging the top of the ladder any.

I dont disliek Green as a player...but thats what he is..a player.. he has X value. Hes not getting younger. he will be near on 30 when we get real form. His book value wil be negligible by then

Clever teams realise assetts when the time is ripe. If Brad wants to go on to Greener pastures then lets get some value for him as we wish him luck.

I have no problem what so ever with this.

Dappa: Forget to mention Hawthorn got Luke Hodge and someone from another draft pick for Luke McPharlin.

Pull of the century!

... If Brad wants to go on to Greener pastures ...

Boom boom.

Yeah, look. That's my point. Trav is, on the surface, a happier man now that he's served his dues with MFC and is in with a chance of winning a flag. Green has been a wonderful servant of the club, and deserves to be consulted about his future.

The greatest ever demon said something that has stayed with me... "Loyalty is portable."

In this case it could be worthwhile for Green to play with, say, the Dogs as a forward, the Toigs as a wing or flanker, or the Blues as... well... anything. Those teams are looking at making a tilt within the next 3-5 years when Brad will play his best footy.

Like I said, he should be consulted. If he feels that he wants to be a one-club player then that has to come into consideration. He's always struck me as, first and foremost, a PROFESSIONAL player. In the mould of White... or perhaps Caracella is a better example. If he went to another club he wouldn't rely on team-mates or coaches to keep him in line a la Fevola/Hall... Surely he must be attractive to established teams, with suitable game-plans that call for a player with his skill set... And with a kick like that, what team WOULDN'T want him? (other than us, obviously)

In the end, if the best thing for MFC is that we get a draft pick in the first round, then that's what should be done. If the best thing is keeping him there to educate the younger guys and lead on the field, then we should keep him.

I have a damn strong feeling that DB and CC have some big plans in their minds as to the list they want over the next 2 years....

We will see some positive trades (maybe even shocking at first) comes the end of this season....

A lot of people will be unhappy with some of them....

But the future is what the new look Melbourne is all about....

Gone are the days of living in the past!