Jump to content


Recommended Posts

Posted
5 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I was a part of that.

Mainly because you posted it without evidence/reasoning, and as @Axis of Bob has said, it's very easy to take a set of limited facts (which is all we get as supporters most of the time) and project your own spin on things.

I get the sense from your recent posting that your view is generally a pessimistic one. That's fine, and understandable given our recent history, but that doesn't mean it's accurate or fair, nor does it mean the converse is untrue.

As to May, I've done a search for the news around that time. I can see the media saying Collingwood was going to get him, which evidently was incorrect. I can also see an article suggesting Collingwood were refusing to pay two first round picks for him. Query if it was correct given the previous article, but at any rate we ended up paying one pick, not two (and we got KK back). So, as far as I can tell, there's not a great deal of evidence to suggest we only got May because we paid more than Collingwood.

As to Tomlinson, I can't find anything which reports that St Kilda pulled out of the race, all I can find is suggestions Tomlinson chose us. Now, that doesn't mean St Kilda didn't pull out of the race, but it's hard to say, and hard to know why, if true.

Lever might be highly paid, but I'm not sure paying players highly is all that big of a disaster. One of the clubs you cited in your previous post as a comparison is Carlton, who forked out insane figures to get Jack Martin in the door (completely unwarranted figures IMO). They're doing it again with Williams and Saad. So we're not the only club who pays high figures to attract the players we want to prise out of other clubs.

Ultimately, over the last three off-seasons we've brought in Lever, May, Tomlinson and Langdon. I am happy to stand behind those four names as being strong acquisitions (accepting that the jury's out on Tomlinson), and all that whilst we've continued to draft (bringing in Jackson, Pickett, Rivers, Sparrow, Fritsch and Petty over the same three years).

Having said all of this, I don't think we're a "destination club". I just don't think it's that big of a deal. 

May was under the impression he was going to be a Pie. His manager suggested he have a chat with Goody before he committed which he did almost begrudgingly.

At the end of the phone call he told his manager he wants to be a Dee. I know it means nought without a source but that is how it played out. 

  • Like 6

Posted
41 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Would you want to go to a club that trained on the same paddock as the one they have to do their poo’s and wee’s on? 

No it's crap but Hawthorn wear theirs on the jumper.

Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Axis of Bob said:

I can certainly see the argument. I think players also look at other things when they think about coming to a club. I think relationships are important, I think their football role is important (with how they see themselves fitting within the team), lifestyle factors (such as location) and also I think the list profile is important. Players go to work every day and want to get fulfillment from that. Different players play for different reasons and I don't think that $$$ explains all of it. 

Agreed.  So many things go into a decision to change clubs and often $$$ isn't the reason.  We could add success, facilities, club strength to the criteria you mention. 

I just feel that we don't rank highly in the intangibles so have to pay a higher price ($ or picks), which may not be the case. 

I guess I'm just jealous of big and successful clubs.

Edited by Lucifer's Hero
  • Like 7
Posted
2 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That seems to be the only way we get really good players:  outbid other interested clubs with $$$ or picks.

I need to get my flak jacket out - the last time I posted something like that there was a huge, negative pile on!

It's more  to it then that, north Melbourne have been  offering huge money to good players and the only ones that had a bite was hacks like Polslack,  Aaron hugehall, both went for big money.

  • Sad 1
Posted
29 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I was a part of that.

Mainly because you posted it without evidence/reasoning, and as @Axis of Bob has said, it's very easy to take a set of limited facts (which is all we get as supporters most of the time) and project your own spin on things.

I get the sense from your recent posting that your view is generally a pessimistic one. That's fine, and understandable given our recent history, but that doesn't mean it's accurate or fair, nor does it mean the converse is untrue.

As to May, I've done a search for the news around that time. I can see the media saying Collingwood was going to get him, which evidently was incorrect. I can also see an article suggesting Collingwood were refusing to pay two first round picks for him. Query if it was correct given the previous article, but at any rate we ended up paying one pick, not two (and we got KK back). So, as far as I can tell, there's not a great deal of evidence to suggest we only got May because we paid more than Collingwood.

As to Tomlinson, I can't find anything which reports that St Kilda pulled out of the race, all I can find is suggestions Tomlinson chose us. Now, that doesn't mean St Kilda didn't pull out of the race, but it's hard to say, and hard to know why, if true.

Lever might be highly paid, but I'm not sure paying players highly is all that big of a disaster. One of the clubs you cited in your previous post as a comparison is Carlton, who forked out insane figures to get Jack Martin in the door (completely unwarranted figures IMO). They're doing it again with Williams and Saad. So we're not the only club who pays high figures to attract the players we want to prise out of other clubs.

Ultimately, over the last three off-seasons we've brought in Lever, May, Tomlinson and Langdon. I am happy to stand behind those four names as being strong acquisitions (accepting that the jury's out on Tomlinson), and all that whilst we've continued to draft (bringing in Jackson, Pickett, Rivers, Sparrow, Fritsch and Petty over the same three years).

Having said all of this, I don't think we're a "destination club". I just don't think it's that big of a deal. 

Thanks for thoughtful response.

Tbh my comment last week was a bit of a throw away line so I was a bit surprised by the pile on.  Thought it would derail the thread if I responded so chose not to.

Yes, I'm pessimistic at the moment and hope this trade/draft period and Pert's review change that.

iirc Coll 1st round 2018 pick was in the high teens having been GF and 2019 pick expected to be similar.  Without looking at 'points' our pick 6 was valued very highly by GCS.  But I prefer to no to rehash the various trades. 

Can I leave it by saying I understand where you are coming from and I'm glad people are optimistic.  I desperately want you all to be right.

 

  • Like 6

Posted
2 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

 

Perhaps we aren't the destination club people think we are...

Tmac staying??  No takers or we have decided to keep him?

iirc the only people who have linked us to Brown are those who see we need a tall fwd, Brown is available so 2+2=5. 

Anyone that thinks the MFC is a destination club has their head in the sand. 

  • Like 3
Posted

Why would St.Kilda make an offer and then jump immediately to the front of the pack? They only had one more win than us but we did beat them I believe. Must have been some sort of offer. Surely this would be nowhere near decided.

  • Like 1
Posted
2 hours ago, Jaded said:

The reality is that if you aren’t playing finals consistently or you aren’t loaded with money, you aren’t a destination club. 
Players look at results. We have made finals once in a decade. That says a lot more to players than looking at our list with a magnifying glass and judging our likelihood of future success. 

But Essendon St Kilda and Carlton are?

What you say doesn't stack up to me.

 

And loaded with money? We all have the same cap. Sure some clubs provide work to spouses etc buts pretty even you'd think.

  • Like 3

Posted
4 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

Don't know mate, only interest I've heard of was the Collingwood talk in the media.

Not sure on Dogs, first thought is if he's too slow for their style? Could the Hawks be an option? They love an injured recruit.

I heard about the Collingwood link, over a month before it reached the media, so there might be something to it. This was from the Collingwood end, not us though.

  • Like 1
Posted

There was a time when players such as Luke Ball refused to even talk to us in connection with a potential trade.

At least we’re no longer in that zone: Vince, Melksham, May, Hibberd, Lever, Lewis, Langdon, Tomlinson. We’re in the conversation these days.

 

  • Like 4
  • Love 1

Posted
3 hours ago, Jaded said:

The reality is that if you aren’t playing finals consistently or you aren’t loaded with money, you aren’t a destination club. 
Players look at results. We have made finals once in a decade. That says a lot more to players than looking at our list with a magnifying glass and judging our likelihood of future success. 

Nailed it Jaded! With the exception of the 2018 false dawn we've been a [censored] up for years! There's about 12 other clubs that would hold more appeal than us. 

FFS how many of we rusted on members have any real confidence in the club?

We've got to become consistent top end performers. 

  • Like 2
Posted
4 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Nailed it Jaded! With the exception of the 2018 false dawn we've been a [censored] up for years! There's about 12 other clubs that would hold more appeal than us. 

FFS how many of we rusted on members have any real confidence in the club?

We've got to become consistent top end performers. 

Pretty much it, need to start making finals consistently, list is good enough so no excuses

Posted
6 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

 

Perhaps we aren't the destination club people think we are...

Tmac staying??  No takers or we have decided to keep him?

iirc the only people who have linked us to Brown are those who see we need a tall fwd, Brown is available so 2+2=5. 

Of course we are not a destination club we are middle of the road top teams are the destination clubs. We were a destination club for one year when May came to us. I 'd like to have Brown but he's not the be all and end all. We can do just fine with Jacko and Weid.

Posted
14 hours ago, AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey said:

Once this trade period is done, it'll be pretty evident as to how our club and list is really perceived in AFL circles. Could be seriously back to the drawing board for us if we fail to land the key pieces touted. 

According to some on here we are only a couple of players away from success!

I very much doubt it myself and I think our list is not good enough particularly the bottom half

A few players isn't in my opinion going to do it and we will waste another year before going back to the old drawing board.

  • Like 3
Posted
12 hours ago, jnrmac said:

But Essendon St Kilda and Carlton are?

What you say doesn't stack up to me.

 

And loaded with money? We all have the same cap. Sure some clubs provide work to spouses etc buts pretty even you'd think.

Who was the last 'big' name that went to those 3 clubs? Martin... he's getting paid $1.7 million front ended.

Case closed. 

Posted (edited)
16 hours ago, Roost it far said:

H

How does losing TMac make us better?

Because he is not very good. Has about as much flexibility as a Meccano man and the turning circle of the QE 2. His Brother is worse again. If the best we can do is this then we are deep in it. We NEVER were a destination club and NEVER will be. Not in my lifetime anyway!

Edited by picket fence

Posted
2 hours ago, Jaded said:

Who was the last 'big' name that went to those 3 clubs? Martin... he's getting paid $1.7 million front ended.

Case closed. 

At the time, these were big names:

Dylan Shiel and arguably Devon Smith.

Brad Hill and Jake Carlisle 

And as you said, Jack Martin

But it would be correct to say big names are more likely to move to successful clubs. Not always. Most players play for 1) Success, 2) Money and 3) Mateship

Posted
1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Because he is not very good. Has about as much flexibility as a Meccano man and the turning circle of the QE 2. His Brother is worse again. If the best we can do is this then we are deep in it. We NEVER were a destination club and NEVER will be. Not in my lifetime anyway!

May, Lever, Langdon all say hi 

a fit and in form TMac killed it 2 short years ago. If, and I know it’s a big of, he can get that form back we’re a top 4 side

  • Like 2

Posted
14 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Nailed it Jaded! With the exception of the 2018 false dawn we've been a [censored] up for years! There's about 12 other clubs that would hold more appeal than us. 

FFS how many of we rusted on members have any real confidence in the club?

We've got to become consistent top end performers. 

Correct Bbo, If you have confidence in the MFC you must be in the top 5% of the confidence mentality group.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Posted
18 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

iirc the only people who have linked us to Brown are those who see we need a tall fwd, Brown is available so 2+2=5. 

We've been described as the front-runner LH - I think that's more than 2+2. And it would make sense if North's list management team are keeping a low profile at present, and thus not feeding the media. On the flip-side, I feel that our link to Phillips may be more of a case of 2+2. Can't recall where that one originated and the language involved. ?

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Posted
15 hours ago, jnrmac said:

But Essendon St Kilda and Carlton are?

What you say doesn't stack up to me.

 

And loaded with money? We all have the same cap. Sure some clubs provide work to spouses etc buts pretty even you'd think.

Both those clubs are more or less in the same position as we were 2-3 years ago when we attracted bigger names like Lever and May when we had $$ and were looking on the up. The difference now is we have little salary cap to work with having signed those players and others to what are now looking like poor deals - Tmac, Harmes etc. As has been stated before, we arent an attractive club for players unless we can compete on money, as well as shortcomings in recent onfield success and offield factors such as dedicated training facilities and purely being a smaller club.

Posted
2 hours ago, Roost it far said:

May, Lever, Langdon all say hi 

a fit and in form TMac killed it 2 short years ago. If, and I know it’s a big of, he can get that form back we’re a top 4 side

Ok let me put it this way of those guys mentioned how many are A Grade?? May possibly close but not the other 2 We paid Huge overs for Lever as intercept defender and whilst Langdon had a good year I would want to see him double up. Let me pose another question to you how many of these quoted players would get a game at Richmond or Geelong?? Answer NONE! and I'll stand by my statement Tom Mcdonald had 1 thats right 1 good year and that was 2 years ago. He isnt going to get any quicker or more maneuverable. Oscar even less so. Just my opinion of course!

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Skuit said:

We've been described as the front-runner LH - I think that's more than 2+2. And it would make sense if North's list management team are keeping a low profile at present, and thus not feeding the media. On the flip-side, I feel that our link to Phillips may be more of a case of 2+2. Can't recall where that one originated and the language involved. ?

I'd agree with this mate.

Brown and the MFC have spoken. I certainly haven't heard that we've met with Phillips or have spoken to him at all.

That is not to say it hasn't happened, but I think the chat around Phillips came about on here due to him being squeezed out and being a good fit for us. Particularly, with TMac being mentioned in the Collingwood conversation, I think the 2+2 was flipping those two.

I hope we're looking at him nevertheless, particularly if Polec is no longer an option.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    TRAINING: Friday 22nd November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force on a scorching morning out at Gosch's Paddock for the final session before the whole squad reunites for the Preseason Training Camp. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS It’s going to be a scorcher today but I’m in the shade at Gosch’s Paddock ready to bring you some observations from the final session before the Preseason Training Camp next week.  Salem, Fritsch & Campbell are already on the track. Still no number on Campbell’s

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    UP IN LIGHTS by Whispering Jack

    Those who watched the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships closely this year would not be particularly surprised that Melbourne selected Victoria Country pair Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay on the first night of the AFL National Draft. The two left-footed midfielders are as different as chalk and cheese but they had similar impacts in their Coates Talent League teams and in the National Championships in 2024. Their interstate side was edged out at the very end of the tournament for tea

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    TRAINING: Wednesday 20th November 2024

    It’s a beautiful cool morning down at Gosch’s Paddock and I’ve arrived early to bring you my observations from today’s session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Reigning Keith Bluey Truscott champion Jack Viney is the first one out on the track.  Jack’s wearing the red version of the new training guernsey which is the only version available for sale at the Demon Shop. TRAINING: Viney, Clarry, Lever, TMac, Rivers, Petty, McVee, Bowey, JVR, Hore, Tom Campbell (in tr

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 18th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's Paddock for the final week of training for the 1st to 4th Years until they are joined by the rest of the senior squad for Preseason Training Camp in Mansfield next week. WAYNE RUSSELL'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS No Ollie, Chin, Riv today, but Rick & Spargs turned up and McDonald was there in casual attire. Seston, and Howes did a lot of boundary running, and Tom Campbell continued his work with individual trainer in non-MFC

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #11 Max Gawn

    Champion ruckman and brilliant leader, Max Gawn earned his seventh All-Australian team blazer and constantly held the team up on his shoulders in what was truly a difficult season for the Demons. Date of Birth: 30 December 1991 Height: 209cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 224 Goals MFC 2024: 11 Career Total: 109 Brownlow Medal Votes: 13 Melbourne Football Club: 2nd Best & Fairest: 405 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 12

    2024 Player Reviews: #36 Kysaiah Pickett

    The Demons’ aggressive small forward who kicks goals and defends the Demons’ ball in the forward arc. When he’s on song, he’s unstoppable but he did blot his copybook with a three week suspension in the final round. Date of Birth: 2 June 2001 Height: 171cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 106 Goals MFC 2024: 36 Career Total: 161 Brownlow Medal Votes: 3 Melbourne Football Club: 4th Best & Fairest: 369 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Friday 15th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers took advantage of the beautiful sunshine to head down to Gosch's Paddock and witness the return of Clayton Oliver to club for his first session in the lead up to the 2025 season. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Clarry in the house!! Training: JVR, McVee, Windsor, Tholstrup, Woey, Brown, Petty, Adams, Chandler, Turner, Bowey, Seston, Kentfield, Laurie, Sparrow, Viney, Rivers, Jefferson, Hore, Howes, Verrall, AMW, Clarry Tom Campbell is here

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #7 Jack Viney

    The tough on baller won his second Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy in a narrow battle with skipper Max Gawn and Alex Neal-Bullen and battled on manfully in the face of a number of injury niggles. Date of Birth: 13 April 1994 Height: 178cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 219 Goals MFC 2024: 10 Career Total: 66 Brownlow Medal Votes: 8

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 3

    TRAINING: Wednesday 13th November 2024

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers braved the rain and headed down to Gosch's paddock to bring you their observations from the second day of Preseason training for the 1st to 4th Year players. DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I attended some of the training today. Richo spoke to me and said not to believe what is in the media, as we will good this year. Jefferson and Kentfield looked big and strong.  Petty was doing all the training. Adams looked like he was in rehab.  KE

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...