17 hours ago, ProDee said:

I also reckon we'd be close to the top of his wish list.  Play at Etihad every second week, or play at the G where you used to go to as a kid to watch your beloved Demons ?

I'm completely over this romantic notion of players going to the club they supported when young. The game is so professional that the lure of your "beloved" club has to be secondary to the commercial factors. If anyone needs convincing then you only need to look at Dion Prestia, who from all accounts, comes from one of the most dedicated, rusted on Demon families you can find but, when the time came to leave the Suns, he chose Richmond.

It works both ways of course. At the time, he was under a cloud with question marks about his knee and we don't know what Melbourne's particular needs and player payment situations were, but if it was all about close allegiances, I would have thought Prestia would have come to us in the end. 

28 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I'm completely over this romantic notion of players going to the club they supported when young. The game is so professional that the lure of your "beloved" club has to be secondary to the commercial factors. If anyone needs convincing then you only need to look at Dion Prestia, who from all accounts, comes from one of the most dedicated, rusted on Demon families you can find but, when the time came to leave the Suns, he chose Richmond.

It works both ways of course. At the time, he was under a cloud with question marks about his knee and we don't know what Melbourne's particular needs and player payment situations were, but if it was all about close allegiances, I would have thought Prestia would have come to us in the end. 

I agree with you on the notion of allegiances carried through from childhood having little to no influence in these days of pro sport.

Using the Prestia case when he was ready to move I don't think we were interested any longer. He wasn't going to fill a need, we already had Viney a similar but better player by this stage.

I think we are into Gaff, we've identified areas of need and are trying to fix them. I see him as being like Lever from last season and am confident we will get our man.

Will the Melbourne factor play a role?

Well Melbourne the city will if as reported he wants to move back home.

From there it will be money & opportunity and I believe we offer both.

I don't think any other club can offer more in the Melbourne, money, opportunity basket so if he want's to leave we are the obvious choice and he gets to play with the team he supported (if that's true).

 

19 hours ago, DubDee said:

Cant think of many if any A graders that have gone to bottom of the table teams.  although they get more money when they leave they always go to a team with at least decent change of a flag in the next few years

Prestia went to Richmond. Turned out well but at the time it seemed a purely financial decision.

Edited May 18, 20186 yr by Dr. Gonzo

2 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I'm completely over this romantic notion of players going to the club they supported when young. The game is so professional that the lure of your "beloved" club has to be secondary to the commercial factors. If anyone needs convincing then you only need to look at Dion Prestia, who from all accounts, comes from one of the most dedicated, rusted on Demon families you can find but, when the time came to leave the Suns, he chose Richmond.

It works both ways of course. At the time, he was under a cloud with question marks about his knee and we don't know what Melbourne's particular needs and player payment situations were, but if it was all about close allegiances, I would have thought Prestia would have come to us in the end. 

Prestia choosing Melbourne also would have required Melbourne to choose Prestia, of course. The vast majority of the time the players are going to choose the club that pursues them the hardest. 

3 hours ago, Forest Demon said:

West Coast reportedly have an offer on the table for 750k x 4 years. Given he is a restricted free agent, we would probably have to go higher than that.

That sort of money is starting to get up to the pointy end of players in the competition,  and I've never been 100% convinced  by Gaff. But there is no doubting he fills a need.

that's presuming you believe the 4 x 750k

in all likelihood pulled out of the reporter's arrrrrz, or planted by gaff's manager

4 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I'm completely over this romantic notion of players going to the club they supported when young. The game is so professional that the lure of your "beloved" club has to be secondary to the commercial factors. If anyone needs convincing then you only need to look at Dion Prestia, who from all accounts, comes from one of the most dedicated, rusted on Demon families you can find but, when the time came to leave the Suns, he chose Richmond.

It works both ways of course. At the time, he was under a cloud with question marks about his knee and we don't know what Melbourne's particular needs and player payment situations were, but if it was all about close allegiances, I would have thought Prestia would have come to us in the end. 

You've misread me.  I give no weight to who a player supported as a child and have said so countless times on Demonland.

Gaff will cost nothing if he chooses us whilst Prestia was not a free agent and Melbourne had burnt its first picks, therefore there can not be a comparison between the 2.

11 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Why pay out Lewis his form has been good? No need to be greedy. Grabbing Gaff will be enough. Sloane is too old not someone we should be looking for.

Pedo won't be on the list next year no matter what happens.

because we need his skills and his maturity leadership because of the age. His skill sets are both inside and outside, so he gives us just what we lack. He can play starting mid or on the wing with great skill and smarts. He compliments our inside grunt.

In around 2 tears time we will have lost a big chunk of maturity and real leadership.  Both Lewis and Vince will have gone, and Chunk Jones if not gone, will be on last legs.

After that group, we lack some Real leadership until we get to our current 24Yr olds age bracket.

 So IMO we can afford Sloane, as he would be most likely, only a 4 Yr term, on good money.  We can structure it to suit our time-frame.

 

Now Gaff we would likely have for a longer term, and this would compete financially with our other young guns  arising, in time-frame for contract money.

I want both, and i'm sure a bit of contract wizardry could make that happen.

 

IMO, we lack more than one topshelf running mid.

 

Now if we had Gaff, we may not need ANB?

If we had Sloane, we wouldn't need Tyson.

The re are other mid type players on the list, who aren't doing much, playing down at Casey.

5 hours ago, Danelska said:

Glad you're passionate and these comments to me a nonsensical. We've landed Lewis and Lever in the last few pre seasons. So we're not bullied. 

And something to warm the cockles - A contact of a contact of a contact (I've been umming ahhing about putting this forward, as  I know certain personnel hate this), alluded that Gaff was not dissimilar to Lever, in that Goodwin and co have been maintaining relationships with him for years...unless something drastically changes...well...not dissimilar to Lever.  So in my mind, it'll play out quite nicely for us.

How long have you been around. 

Being bullied is a comment about not taking on the big challenges. Giving up in the thought processes when imagining challenging the big boys.

 

It is a mental state where Melbourne Boards and Administrators continually allow themselves to sit back down, and shut the F()@# up.

 

It has hurt us over the decades, more than we even obviously know.

 

As far as your comment that we are not Bullied,,, we gave up on the challenge last year Re Lever, and paid the Crows over the odds, to get it done, in haste.

A 1st Rnd 2017 pick, a 1st Rnd 2018 pick, and a 2018 4th Rnd pick.  We paid too highly.

A  2018 1st & 3rd Rnd picks, should have done the job.

 

We have been bullied for decades, by other clubs, and by the AFL.  So your assertions of future this and that's, should be taken with a truckload of salt.

We need years of Wins off the field,,, to believe in our boards and admins once again. 

Because our bullied bruises show a different picture of this club over the years.

 

The fact we are still basically homeless, shows we lack courage and endeavor to get things done to our needs,,, when the Pies have virtually shifted into our lounge room,,, from up the road.

Maybe we are becoming  a destination club at last.

2 hours ago, DV8 said:

How long have you been around. 

Being bullied is a comment about not taking on the big challenges. Giving up in the thought processes when imagining challenging the big boys.

 

It is a mental state where Melbourne Boards and Administrators continually allow themselves to sit back down, and shut the F()@# up.

 

It has hurt us over the decades, more than we even obviously know.

 

As far as your comment that we are not Bullied,,, we gave up on the challenge last year Re Lever, and paid the Crows over the odds, to get it done, in haste.

A 1st Rnd 2017 pick, a 1st Rnd 2018 pick, and a 2018 4th Rnd pick.  We paid too highly.

A  2018 1st & 3rd Rnd picks, should have done the job.

 

We have been bullied for decades, by other clubs, and by the AFL.  So your assertions of future this and that's, should be taken with a truckload of salt.

We need years of Wins off the field,,, to believe in our boards and admins once again. 

Because our bullied bruises show a different picture of this club over the years.

 

The fact we are still basically homeless, shows we lack courage and endeavor to get things done to our needs,,, when the Pies have virtually shifted into our lounge room,,, from up the road.

Just a reminder that we are playing for our 4th win in a row this week.

 

Chin up old mate.

6 minutes ago, faultydet said:

Just a reminder that we are playing for our 4th win in a row this week.

 

Chin up old mate.

I am totally optimistic in our team Faulty, but want us all to remain vigilant Re the clubs direction.

 

The Achilles Heal of this club is when we all become cosy.  Too comfortable, and we raise our eyes to look further up the road.  We start to wander across the bitumen we are traveling on and come unstuck.

We are our own nightmare.  Too easily satisfied..

Understand the need to have him. We lack silk on the outside. However, I prefer a younger target that can give you eight or nine years service. Maybe Witherden from Brissy, or Fiorini from the Suns? Then again these guys are not free agents.

 

6 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Maybe we are becoming  a destination club at last.

What about desti-nation DShiel ?

The Giants are looking more like Shrek.

 

I just wonder if Dylan has had any 2nd thoughts about going forward, in that big spoilt Land, up there?

He's worth more than a basic question I reckon, if we are shopping around.

7 hours ago, DV8 said:

How long have you been around. 

Being bullied is a comment about not taking on the big challenges. Giving up in the thought processes when imagining challenging the big boys.

 

It is a mental state where Melbourne Boards and Administrators continually allow themselves to sit back down, and shut the F()@# up.

 

It has hurt us over the decades, more than we even obviously know.

 

As far as your comment that we are not Bullied,,, we gave up on the challenge last year Re Lever, and paid the Crows over the odds, to get it done, in haste.

A 1st Rnd 2017 pick, a 1st Rnd 2018 pick, and a 2018 4th Rnd pick.  We paid too highly.

A  2018 1st & 3rd Rnd picks, should have done the job.

 

We have been bullied for decades, by other clubs, and by the AFL.  So your assertions of future this and that's, should be taken with a truckload of salt.

We need years of Wins off the field,,, to believe in our boards and admins once again. 

Because our bullied bruises show a different picture of this club over the years.

 

The fact we are still basically homeless, shows we lack courage and endeavor to get things done to our needs,,, when the Pies have virtually shifted into our lounge room,,, from up the road.

Jeezus! Deeluded you really need to have a good lie down more often. At least you have given up on the coloured font habit

3 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Jeezus! Deeluded you really need to have a good lie down more often. At least you have given up on the coloured font habit

Still no comment on the issue moonman.

 

 

33 minutes ago, dee-tox said:

Understand the need to have him. We lack silk on the outside. However, I prefer a younger target that can give you eight or nine years service. Maybe Witherden from Brissy, or Fiorini from the Suns? Then again these guys are not free agents.

 

he is only 26 isn't he ?  he should have 5-7 years and maybe longer 

and won't cost a draft pick , just salary cap space which we have 

9 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Still no comment on the issue moonman.

 

 

Don't worry 'Luded, your secret is safe with me 

?

12 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Don't worry 'Luded, your secret is safe with me 

?

ssshh.

Anyone know Jack Martin’s contract situation?

both shiel and martin are in contract and we don't have the assets to trade for either of them

shiel will be a free agent at the conclusion of his next contract, as may be martin

better to wait til then

Tom Browne from On The Couch reported on the show tonight that Melbourne are the front runners for Gaff should he head East. 

22 minutes ago, The team we love said:

Tom Browne from On The Couch reported on the show tonight that Melbourne are the front runners for Gaff should he head East. 

Get him!!

16 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Get him!!

Can Tom Browne play?

Just now, rumpole said:

Can Tom Browne play?

Serious question - Does Tom Browne have dwarfism?