52 minutes ago, brendan said:

Reported on 7 news that we aren't interested in prestia we are chasing defenders hiberd in particular 

I read on Twitter last week that Prestia is asking for 700k and Melb are not willing to pay that. 

6 minutes ago, Grimes Times said:

I read on Twitter last week that Prestia is asking for 700k and Melb are not willing to pay that. 

Fair enough too. Imagine what Hibberd, and in particular Hurley, are going to cost us.

I'm thinking smoke/fire. Hoping like hell that there is something to this. This is a true test of our new found, or should I say, newly declared "destination club" status. Still think we need to get some more wins to make ourselves look like the place to be.

 

Dion would be great for us, but you dont pay that sort of cash, without removing yourself from the market where other players are concerned.

Right move not oging after him, especially if he is asking for 700K.

43 minutes ago, Abe said:

I suspect we will have to trade for Essendon players to get them over the line.

I don't know how many Essendon players are going to be available. Press seem to think Hurley will sign, which only really leaves Hibberd.

Though I don't know, perhaps they'd consider Tom MacDonald plus Round 2 pick for Hurley, Hibberd ... plus Jamar as steak knives, just for old time's sake.

Agree Brad Crouch would be very very handy addition to our midfield.

29 minutes ago, Grimes Times said:

I read on Twitter last week that Prestia is asking for 700k and Melb are not willing to pay that. 

 

Thank christ for that.  I'd give 700k to Hurley though

Well, if we go by this rumour today, it seems we are trying to add some further quality to the back half.  They seem to suggest we won't be chasing midfielders, but looking to someone like Hibberd (along with the 'recruitment' of Melksham for 2017).

What we do probably hangs on what we need to do to land Hibberd IF he decides he wants to play for us.  If we get him for free then we can have a crack at others.  If we need to trade to get him then it might limit what else we can do.

I'd be a little disappointed if we weren't have a crack at Prestia, but the club may be very happy with our young midfield group and be backing Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver, Stretch etc. to continue to improve alongside Jones, Vince, Viney and Tyson.

Im pretty Roos said couple of months ago the club will continue to try an add an A grade midfielder at the end of the year.

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

Im pretty Roos said couple of months ago the club will continue to try an add an A grade midfielder at the end of the year.

I can recall him saying that too - at the start of my post I did say that, if we were to go by the rumour from today, then it seems we are more interested in defenders.  That could change tomorrow when someone comes out and says something different.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Well there you go.. Called it last week too! Wouldn't be surprised if we have our eyes in Crouch or O Meara... Both have higher ceiling then Prestia..

 

 

2 hours ago, brendan said:

Reported on 7 news that we aren't interested in prestia we are chasing defenders hiberd in particular 

Let's wait and see. 

54 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Well, if we go by this rumour today, it seems we are trying to add some further quality to the back half.  They seem to suggest we won't be chasing midfielders, but looking to someone like Hibberd (along with the 'recruitment' of Melksham for 2017).

What we do probably hangs on what we need to do to land Hibberd IF he decides he wants to play for us.  If we get him for free then we can have a crack at others.  If we need to trade to get him then it might limit what else we can do.

I'd be a little disappointed if we weren't have a crack at Prestia, but the club may be very happy with our young midfield group and be backing Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver, Stretch etc. to continue to improve alongside Jones, Vince, Viney and Tyson.

Lol. Of course we're having a crack at Prestia. Channel 7 news was the source of this. It's amusing how readily people will believe news sources, but I was always taught to question everything.

I am going to predict Prestia gets traded to Carlton.   

Just now, AdamPleb said:

Lol. Of course we're having a crack at Prestia. Channel 7 news was the source of this. It's amusing how readily people will believe news sources, but I was always taught to question everything.

So what is your 'source' of news?  Everything at the minute points to us not chasing him, although as always there is more to it than meets the eye.  It seems to change every day going by who you listen to.  I'd assume these people know far more than yourself, though.

I know that you'll cry if we don't land Prestia, but you need to brace yourself for the fact that it may not happen.

I suspect Richmond have offered him ridiculous dollars, hence the inflated asking price

2 minutes ago, Roger Mellie said:

I suspect Richmond have offered him ridiculous dollars, hence the inflated asking price

Wouldn't shock would it. I mean they must be deperare for quality. And they cant bottom out. 

If the club wants Dion Prestia we will get him ( My opinion only) based on estimated cap space and family ties and the upward trend of the club i believe we'd be a pretty attractive destination.

I think it would be pretty unlikely the club would rule out a player of Prestias talent at this point when he is OOC regardless of his asking price, i am sure he'd still be on a list of players that we'd bring to the club if the price was right at the end of this year. 

in terms of the Crouch v Prestia arguement. 

I think Prestia is a B plus if not A grade mid, with great leadership qualities, and fits the type of player the club has been targeting, competitor, loves to tackles, does the defensive stuff, and can use the ball. 

Crouch i think is a fair bit more talented, but as has been reported has a few small off field issues that need to be sorted, i think the right coach/culture could see him explode as a player and be in the best handful of mids going around as soon as next year, but i also think he's fairly unlikely to leave the crows considering his brother is there and the've invested heaps in him and they're looking like a premiership chance over hte next few years.

 

 

Richmond have clearly offered him overs. As has been well reported by multiple industry sources, Richmond were "embarrassed" by missing Treloar last year, to the point they are still seething 9 months later. They were made to look like fools and are desperate to change that image, even if it comes across as desperation. Baffingling, they still refuse to admit they need a rebuild and their list is shot (just like Carlton a few years back), so will continue to top-up with more hasbeens from other clubs.

So yes, they will pay ridiculous overs to ensure they get their guy, and sell the farm in the process, then continue to wallow in the bottom half of the ladder. Yeah, even with such A-Grade Elite Stars!™ as Trent Cotchin. I mean, we're reminded approximately 273 times every game by commentators how Cotchin gives the most brilliant 1-2 handpasses of any player in the game, so Prestia must be the missing link to Richmond's premiership glory!

Ultimately for Prestia he needs to choose between success and money. He doesn't strike me as the type who just wants the money, but if he wants success Richmond is not the place to get it. I'd like to think Melbourne is his preferred destination and he's just using Richmond to up his asking price, but it's pretty clear our current footy department doesn't play into those games. If he comes to us, we won't be budging much on the terms.

I think we were after Dion last year, and if he'd come then we may not have gone so hard to the Oliver, not had the pick to. So now we have Oliver and he's come on well, we are no longer so in need of Prestia... 

Conspiracy theory;

We use the remaining games to trial things for next year, rather than win at all costs.  We find ourselves drop down the ladder 3 or 4 positions making Gold Coast's first rounder (that they got from us) a better pick.  In return, they give us Prestia for "cheap".

Everyone knows we have minimal to offer this year for top end talent, so we need to "manufacture" some other way to get a deal for Prestia done.

There will be a number of other clubs around or below us that will be using the back 9 to work on their game.  Junk time wins this year will mean bugger all, especially if it lands us this bloke.  Fact is, we know exactly where we are going, and 2017 is looking very bright especially if we land Prestia. Hibberd and Hurley.

No-one will think about our 2016 ladder position when we are playing finals in 2017.

16 minutes ago, billy2803 said:

Conspiracy theory;

We use the remaining games to trial things for next year, rather than win at all costs.  We find ourselves drop down the ladder 3 or 4 positions making Gold Coast's first rounder (that they got from us) a better pick.  In return, they give us Prestia for "cheap".

Everyone knows we have minimal to offer this year for top end talent, so we need to "manufacture" some other way to get a deal for Prestia done.

There will be a number of other clubs around or below us that will be using the back 9 to work on their game.  Junk time wins this year will mean bugger all, especially if it lands us this bloke.  Fact is, we know exactly where we are going, and 2017 is looking very bright especially if we land Prestia. Hibberd and Hurley.

No-one will think about our 2016 ladder position when we are playing finals in 2017.

Surely a misguided attempt at humour. Winning is critical to our future. We have to build a winning culture. We need to embed our game plan so it is second nature and totally instinctive. All players have to have complete trust in the system. There is no room for trialling anything. 

I felt like liking this post so i could unlike it as a proxy for a dislike button!

He's using Richmond as a bargaining chip. They are hardcore into him and will give up $700k no questions asked. My understanding is that this was "put out there" to see who would bite, and that a few clubs baulked. Understanding is that Dion ideally would like to be at Melbourne, but the club hasn't inquired since last year, and he couldn't possibly turn down Richmond's offer. I think if Melbourne could get within 100k of Richmond's offer, he'd take it. $600k?

Saying we have no interest in chasing Prestia is IMO code for " we want him but we wont be seen as a club that gets knocked back anymore" Bad for the brand and further weight to the, now old,  argument that we're desperate and not worth coming to as a club. Richmond is erring on the other side and now if they dont get Prestia they're screwed. Horrible negotiating position. 

Something that's happened since Roos came in is that we seem to be better able to control the media or at least set in moving in the direction WE choose. 

Prestia 9 votes in this week's coaches award.

An elite midfield covers all manner of shortcomings in other parts of the ground. If we think Prestia has the potential to be an elite midfielder, then we should be prepared to pay him whatever he wants. The defensive side of our backline is okay, we just need to lessen the amount of entries we concede into defensive 50. The best way to do that is to win more clearances, particularly centre clearances. I want elite midfielders before anything else.

If Melbourne want him and he wants to be at Melbourne they should easily be able to work it out. 

Pay him the amount that suits our salary cap spending and guarantee him X amount of post AFL career employment/security as the balance to cover any rival clubs offer.

He's a top bloke by all accounts and someone we'll definitely want around the club once his playing career is finished.