Bye Bye Bate?

[e25 5]

With all due respect mate, I always feel like slitting my wrists after reading your posts.

I can definitely sympathize Dappa...

[Felix 92]

didn't a "good source" say that Bartram walked out at the start of the season, Miller already signed with GC, Watts was considering GC etc etc etc. It seems like "they" say a lot and don't follow through!

[Harcourt 146]

That's just plainly not true.

I heard that interview, and the 7 players were: Gablett, Harbrow, Campbell Brown, Armitage, Brennan, Grigg and Nathan Krakour

You're probably right sylvinator. I heard the Finey thing from a bloke at work but put it to the back of my mind until I saw this thread. Grigg and Krakour (and I think Brennan) were the other players he mentioned so perhaps he heard wrong. His son did back him up though, either way nothing we can do but wait. They're probably going to get one of our guns or semi guns; we all just have to wait and see.

[DemonDan... 77]

They sold Petterd's house to buy Bate one!

So... You're telling me Mckenna's extra house WASN'T for Petterd?

Nice.

[Adzman 2,154]

I can't wait until the Gold Coast suns finalize their list and start playing so we don't have to listed to this bull [censored] anymore.

Then again, the GWS rumors begin to fly.

Looking forward to another handful of years of "such and such is going to GWS because his 3rd cousins best friends girlfriend lives near the ground".

*Sigh*

[Dee*ceiving 1,736]

Dunn & Jurrah are ahead of Bate and Petterd will likely be too next year. But it mightn't stay that way. Bate could provide dependable back up in the event of injury or form loss but is probably better than that.

If we were to get through the introduction of GC and GWS and lose only Matthew Bate would probably coulnd't have done any better.

Personally, I hope he stays. I like the big ranga with the raking boot.

[Guest hangon007]

You were probably better off posting something like 'I heard Matthew Bate may have signed with GCFC, what do you guys think?'

Your probably better off posting the facts than some outdated rubbish.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I can't wait until the Gold Coast suns finalize their list and start playing so we don't have to listed to this bull [censored] anymore.

Then again, the GWS rumors begin to fly.

Looking forward to another handful of years of "such and such is going to GWS because his 3rd cousins best friends girlfriend lives near the ground".

*Sigh*

On the plus side, unless I'm mistaken, the last year GWS can exercise this right is 2012, am I right?

It's going to be good when drafting returns to normal.

I for one am all for the priority pick.

[jnrmac 20,311]

He led the club in goal assists last year and was 4th in the B&F I think.

The club rates him but is now in a position to dictate the work ethic required by dropping players to work on their game. We haven't been in such a position for a very long time and we are lucky that our injuries are relatively light and the competition for spots is intense. It's a good thing people and he will be back a better player. And if not , he goes. Simple really. Same for Cale same for Dunny same for Warnock, same for all.

The players have played during enough bad times to want to be here when thee good times are rolling. And they have just started to roll about now....

[Tony Tea 2,816]

Every player has their price, including Bate. If we get offered overs, we take it; if we get offered evens we think about it; if we get offered unders, we pass.

[Disco Demons 92]

when bate is in form he's capable of kicking goals and playing CHF.

he did have an injury mid year...which caused him to miss games...and he hasn't performed since going out.

bate did come onto the scene quickly for melbourne when he started but I feel jack, whilst taking time to develolp will be better for us in the long run as CHF..

i hope melbourne hold onto him...he has experience and we aren't ready to lose players of his experience.

[Guest hangon007]

On the plus side, unless I'm mistaken, the last year GWS can exercise this right is 2012, am I right?

It's going to be good when drafting returns to normal.

I for one am all for the priority pick.

My understanding under the current rules (which might change again knowing the AFL)

GC17 have the right to sign un-contracted players for the end of this season.

However, GWS have the rights for the 2 following seasons.

"Both clubs can sign up to 16 uncontracted players from existing teams - Gold Coast at the end of this season and GWS after the following two seasons"

Which I suppose kinda makes sense from the point of "fairness" - I think! but dont hold me to that.

[Guest hangon007]

Every player has their price, including Bate. If we get offered overs, we take it; if we get offered evens we think about it; if we get offered unders, we pass.

If only it was that easy. We get no say in it if the player is un-contracted & elects to go to the GC or GWS. They and the AFL decide our compensation - not us. Call it the "anti-Collingwood trading clause" for want of a better term.

[Demon Disciple 12,507]

If Bate was the one player GC took from us, i wouldn't be overly upset TBH. The problem with Bate is he is still as inconsistent as the day he first walked into the club. He arrived at the club 1 year after Sylvia did, meaning he's been with us for 6 years come the end of the year. What he produces is not good enough for a 6 year player. I can probably count the amount of good games he's played on my hands. Then there's the fact that he's slow, has a turning circle of a semi-trailer and his peripheral awareness is very poor.

He plays a good game every now and then, but then he strings together several poor performances. After 6 years, it should be the other way around. Put it this way, i'd rather GC take Bate than Petterd.

[Inner Demon 1]

Rather than go back and forth about whether Bate is any good or not, or questioning the validity of the rumour. I am interested in what the flow-on effects of Matthew Bate going to the Gold Coast might be in terms of our list management. The first thing that springs to mind would be a reprieve for Brad Miller. If we were to lose Bate then surely we couldn't also afford to lose Miller, we'd be completely bereft of depth for tall forwards.

There's no guarantee whatsoever that we will lose anyone, but if we're going to have a speculation thread it might as well include a discussion about the impact of the hypothetical at hand.

[e25 5]

Yep, first thing that occurs to me is that if Bate goes and Watts goes down we'd be very thin for tall forwards.

Would destroy our structure.

Miller won't get a reprieve, in my view.

[Inner Demon 1]

Yep, first thing that occurs to me is that if Bate goes and Watts goes down we'd be very thin for tall forwards.

Would destroy our structure.

Miller won't get a reprieve, in my view.

Those two thoughts don't really marry up. So you think that if Bate went to GC we would still delist Miller despite recognising that our structure would be destroyed with a single injury/suspension??

[Yokozuna 1,004]

4-6 weeks ago Dunn was gone, and did not have much of an upside, according to many on this forum, however he is now great, and has leapfrogged Bate.

ATM he is playing better than Bate, but I would argue who has had a better career at Melbourne, and who has the most potential for the future.

In regards to him being a 6th year player and not starring now, Sylvia took 5 years to play well, and now look at the love he gets.

I personally dont want to lose Bate. I think we need him, and he should be in our best team next year. That being said though, I think he needs to lose 5 kg and play at a lighter weight and be more mobile.

I would like to have Bate, Watts, Jurrah and Petterd as our talls in the forward line, and Dunn on the bench to replace people in any position required.

[paddo 0]

Put it this way, i'd rather GC take Bate than Petterd.

Totally agree.

[Tricky 341]

Totally agree.

Totally totally agree. Hard to take you seriously with that photo though - eh eh eeehhhhh

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I can probably count the amount of good games he's played on my hands.

What is it with demonlanders? Are we watching a different blood-nut here or something? He may be inconsistent, yes, but his good/bad patches seem to run for 6 weeks at a time. ie, once he returns from injury, he frustrates for a few weeks, dominates for about a month, then drops off again.

Saying you can count on your hands how many good games he's played. How many hands do you have? The guy has played dozens of good games in the red and blue. Saying he's had only a few... It's not an opinion, it's just plain wrong. On ANY level. he's a very highly rated player in the AFL. Has been for a while now.

Unless your definition of "good" games requires 30+ touches and 5+ goals. If that's the case, then fair enough. But then there are NO players on the list that can boast more than 10 games like that, so what are you complaining about?

I just don't get some people sometimes.

Put it this way, i'd rather GC take Bate than Petterd.

That much is true. But then Petterd has shown he's one of only a few who can reliably take marks and kick goals inside 50. Bate doesn't play this role, so it's not really fair to compare the two.

[Eth 4]

Yep, first thing that occurs to me is that if Bate goes and Watts goes down we'd be very thin for tall forwards.

Would destroy our structure.

Miller won't get a reprieve, in my view.

Disagree. Bate does not play tall - it's hard for me to believe he's over 190cm. Besides, we'd still have Dunn at 192, Jurrah at 190+ (is he still growing) and Petterd takes a good grab.

Totally totally agree. Hard to take you seriously with that photo though - eh eh eeehhhhh

Little Britain I love that scene where she actually talks normally on her phone then starts being retarded again

[Guest hangon007]

Yep, first thing that occurs to me is that if Bate goes and Watts goes down we'd be very thin for tall forwards.

Would destroy our structure.

Miller won't get a reprieve, in my view.

Have you ever considered ... "if Bate goes, Miller wont get a reprieve."

Then GWS have a massive go at Watts ... How would our "structure" look then? Now I'm not saying it would happen.

Remember we can never "out-bid" the GC & GWS it all comes down to loyalty, just like Geelong cant "out-bid" the GC on Ablett.

[Trisul 674]

What is it with demonlanders? Are we watching a different blood-nut here or something? He may be inconsistent, yes, but his good/bad patches seem to run for 6 weeks at a time. ie, once he returns from injury, he frustrates for a few weeks, dominates for about a month, then drops off again.

Saying you can count on your hands how many good games he's played. How many hands do you have? The guy has played dozens of good games in the red and blue. Saying he's had only a few... It's not an opinion, it's just plain wrong. On ANY level. he's a very highly rated player in the AFL. Has been for a while now.

Unless your definition of "good" games requires 30+ touches and 5+ goals. If that's the case, then fair enough. But then there are NO players on the list that can boast more than 10 games like that, so what are you complaining about?

Running with the 'dozens' assertion, Bate has played 24-36 good games out of 82 @ 16 disposals and 1 goal. He has 61 games with 1 goal or less, 74 with 2 goals or less. Looking at your own take on Bate, a <66% percent chance on 'good' game isn't a great endorsement. Saying all that, I hope he keeps working hard and gives himself every opportunity to succeed.

[e25 5]

Those two thoughts don't really marry up. So you think that if Bate went to GC we would still delist Miller despite recognising that our structure would be destroyed with a single injury/suspension??

Yeah, I know. Cloudy thinking.

I don't think Miller will get a reprieve, but the only way I can see it happening is if a player like Bate does leave, giving us little depth for tall forwards.

Bate is 192cm. Important for our structure whether you think he plays tall or not.

Last I checked Petterd is around 185cm, for instance.

Jurrah is only just 190cm.