1 minute ago, Nascent said:

This concerns me if true.  Back when we acquired May in 2018 it was said we still had space to acquire another big fish with Gaff being the target. That was post re-signing McDonald which was done throughout the year. Where has all that gone? And if we are tight on salary cap space now, what chance do we have next year in re-signing Clarrie, Gawn and Salem not to mention Jackson and Weideman with a potential reduction in salary cap allowance?

Obviously I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes but can't help but feel we have mismanaged our list somewhat as we aren't competitive in acquiring services of players that would improve our 22. Both Saad and Williams would have been fantastic for us off the back half but we were barely in the conversation. And now it appears we have to break contracts just to be active in trade week.

Cap issues are speculation only...we were after Elliott as well last year, clearly a bit of room albeit not enough for a Cameron type acquisition you’d think 

Obviously a bit older but someone i'd have a look at is Lewis Jetta from the Eagles, offers some assets we lack for the team off half back, premiership experience and looking a live possibility to be de-listed by the Eagles pending picks ups and so on during the trade period. 

If we get him as a DFA for nothing, i think he'd improve the half back line and give us some run and class that we're missing as well as serve as a great mentor for Salem/Rivers and cost us little to nothing. 

I'm not sure if he'd be interested in moving accross the country for 1-2 years but if he is, i think he'd be worth a look. 

 

7 minutes ago, Nascent said:

This concerns me if true.  Back when we acquired May in 2018 it was said we still had space to acquire another big fish with Gaff being the target. That was post re-signing McDonald which was done throughout the year. Where has all that gone? And if we are tight on salary cap space now, what chance do we have next year in re-signing Clarrie, Gawn and Salem not to mention Jackson and Weideman with a potential reduction in salary cap allowance?

Obviously I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes but can't help but feel we have mismanaged our list somewhat as we aren't competitive in acquiring services of players that would improve our 22. Both Saad and Williams would have been fantastic for us off the back half but we were barely in the conversation. And now it appears we have to break contracts just to be active in trade week.

Langdon and Tomlinson rumoured to be 700k and 500k, that's your big fish.

We shouldn't be pushed up against the cap but we should be planning to try to move salary out to allow us the freedom to make good early offers to our players before their contracts run out.

Otherwise if we bring too many expensive players in we end up under the pump to sign our own guys who then become more expensive.

4 minutes ago, adonski said:

Cap issues are speculation only...we were after Elliott as well last year, clearly a bit of room albeit not enough for a Cameron type acquisition you’d think 

That's probably fair. Pointless to speculate really. 

 

2 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Langdon and Tomlinson rumoured to be 700k and 500k, that's your big fish.

We shouldn't be pushed up against the cap but we should be planning to try to move salary out to allow us the freedom to make good early offers to our players before their contracts run out.

Otherwise if we bring too many expensive players in we end up under the pump to sign our own guys who then become more expensive.

Langdon 700k? No way Freo settle for only a 2nd rounder for someone rumoured to be on 700k. Can’t be right.

2 minutes ago, adonski said:

Langdon 700k? No way Freo settle for only a 2nd rounder for someone rumoured to be on 700k. Can’t be right.

Freo had very little bargaining power and they knew it. He wasn't going back. Apart from maybe a cursory meeting with the bombers Langdon only ever had interest in joining us and it was pretty clear why, we backed the truck up to get him. Still 200k cheaper than Brad Hill.

Langdon is NOT on $700k. That’s fiction. I believe he’s got a five year contract worth around $2.4M. And based on incentives for games played etc etc. 
 

15 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Obviously a bit older but someone i'd have a look at is Lewis Jetta from the Eagles, offers some assets we lack for the team off half back, premiership experience and looking a live possibility to be de-listed by the Eagles pending picks ups and so on during the trade period. 

If we get him as a DFA for nothing, i think he'd improve the half back line and give us some run and class that we're missing as well as serve as a great mentor for Salem/Rivers and cost us little to nothing. 

I'm not sure if he'd be interested in moving accross the country for 1-2 years but if he is, i think he'd be worth a look. 

 

I'd rather have May and Lever mentoring my HB flankers than Jetta. 

i wouldn't have thought langdon was on anything close to $700k a year

yes still way cheaper than hill - and a far better year, too - but that would put him in our to handful of players

in the herald-sun's made-up salary thingo he wasn't listed, i don't seem to remember?

Edited October 12, 20204 yr by whatwhatsaywhat

This article suggests that Jeremy Cameron is available for $900k a year (ignore the Treloar stuff). 

1) can we rustle your $900k by letting some players go and 2) should we be trying to get Jeremy Cameron?! I’d love him in red and blue.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-superstars-family-move-to-queensland-has-rumour-mill-running-hot/news-story/5c0b765161d878d9d4dca65421c41bde

Edited October 12, 20204 yr by Born to Run

12 hours ago, Hannibal Inc. said:

This is where you're going wrong.

At the end of 2018 Port finished 10th.  At the end of 2019 Port finished 10th again.  This year they finished 1st at the end of H&A.  I dare say you wouldn't have envisaged them winning the flag this year.  AND they may not, but clearly they're right in the thick of it.  Or Brisbane who were out of the 8 a couple of years ago and bottom 4 very recently.  Things can change very quickly, especially when there are very few great teams.

Who'd have thought the ageing Cats when they trudged off the MCG in 2018 after a loss to Melbourne would be in another prelim.  I thought they were old and cooked two years ago, but here they are.

To suggest a team with AA quality players in Gawn (2nd best ruck in the comp), Oliver (best young inside mid), Petracca (AA), and May (top 3 key defender), plus some quality support cast, can't win a flag in the next two years in a competition with barely a standout team is folly and the view of a myopic thinker.

It won't take much to turn this team into a top 4 contender.  

 

Not sure what makes you think it's that easy.

MFC are lucky to get 25,000 at the 100k capacity MCG against an interstate side.

We don't have the luxury of creating a colosseum-like atmosphere and environment for every home game so already we're at a disadvantage when comparing fixtures every year to the sides you've mentioned.

It's the major reason Port have done so well during this compromised year and a huge factor in why Geelong do so well year upon year during the home and away season.

And barely a standout team?

Joisus. 

I can only assume you don't watch too much football.

Edited October 12, 20204 yr by JimmyGadson

4 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

 

Not sure what makes you think it's that easy.

MFC are lucky to get 25,000 at the 100k capacity MCG against an interstate side.

We don't have the luxury of creating a colosseum-like atmosphere and environment for every home game so already we're at a disadvantage when comparing fixtures every year to the sides you've mentioned.

It's the major reason Port have done so well during this compromised year and a huge factor in why Geelong do so well year upon year during the home and away season.

And barely a standout team?

Joisus. 

I can only assume you don't watch too much football.

11 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Jack Billings on a wing anyone? 

????

8 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

????

Amazed that you wouldn't rate Billings? he's pretty handy. haha

52 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

 

Not sure what makes you think it's that easy.

MFC are lucky to get 25,000 at the 100k capacity MCG against an interstate side.

We don't have the luxury of creating a colosseum-like atmosphere and environment for every home game so already we're at a disadvantage when comparing fixtures every year to the sides you've mentioned.

It's the major reason Port have done so well during this compromised year and a huge factor in why Geelong do so well year upon year during the home and away season.

And barely a standout team?

Joisus. 

I can only assume you don't watch too much football.

The ''good'' teams today are ordinary when compared to those of the dominant past, but that's to be expected with equalisation measures that have impacted the competition more and more as times gone on.

Melbourne have arguably 4 of the best 20-25 players in the competition.  It's a tremendous building block.  But we need better role players.

The top 12 in our B&F were head and shoulders better than those who placed after.  Too much was left to too few.  And Goodwin needs tactical support.

That said, the core ingredients for a top 4 team are well and truly in place.  And that's where flags are won from.

You're not convinced ?  I'm shattered.

 

31 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Amazed that you wouldn't rate Billings? he's pretty handy. haha

Yep, mustn’t have seen him play this season. Definitely not vomit emoji worthy, he had a good year. 

1 hour ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Amazed that you wouldn't rate Billings? he's pretty handy. haha

I don’t rate him at all, I watched a few Saints games this year and I just don’t think he impacts the game. 

1 hour ago, Hannibal Inc. said:

 

Melbourne have arguably 4 of the best 20-25 players in the competition.  It's a tremendous building block.  But we need better role players.

 

 

4 of the best 20-25 players in the competition ? you sure about that ?

1 minute ago, Bay Riffin said:

4 of the best 20-25 players in the competition ? you sure about that ?

You'd assume he means Trac/Gawn/Oliver May.

Have no qualms saying 4 in the best 50 but seeing May didn't even make 40 man AA squad (STILL AN UNJUST OVERSIGHT THAT MUST BE AVENGED) a bit too hard to argue.

1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Yep, mustn’t have seen him play this season. Definitely not vomit emoji worthy, he had a good year. 

From what I've heard Saints fan were happy with his first half of the year, then he fell off the cliff for the second part half of it.

He's never really struck me as anything special but with our midfield to dish it out for him would rather go down that route than Smith. Would require us giving up a half decent pick tho...or Gus..

21 minutes ago, roy11 said:

You'd assume he means Trac/Gawn/Oliver May.

Have no qualms saying 4 in the best 50 but seeing May didn't even make 40 man AA squad (STILL AN UNJUST OVERSIGHT THAT MUST BE AVENGED) a bit too hard to argue.

i wouldn't be using the AA team as a basis for determining the best players. The best midfielders perhaps.

May is one of the top 3 defenders. Gawn is no.2 ruck. Only dusty tops Trac. Oliver is an AA already (but and can improve with proper coaching). I'll even throw Langdon into the conversation as one of the best wingmen in the comp. I think he's underrated when you compare to someone like Brad Hill at the saints. We're got good youngsters coming through as well.

I think we have a great foundation. Better coaching and a KPF and wingman added and we're in with a great shout of Top 4 next year.

4 hours ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Amazed that you wouldn't rate Billings? he's pretty handy. haha

Late withdrawal?;)

Pies have asked the question of Tmac. really interested to see what we do there. 

It makes sense with the potential signing of Ben Brown, that we'd move Tommy on, would be a good result if we could get someone lIke Phillips in return and really boost our midfield. 

 

 

29 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Pies have asked the question of Tmac

 

If it means getting Tmac’s salary off our books, I’d be happy with an early third rounder.

1 hour ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

Pies have asked the question of Tmac. really interested to see what we do there. 

It makes sense with the potential signing of Ben Brown, that we'd move Tommy on, would be a good result if we could get someone lIke Phillips in return and really boost our midfield. 

 

 

would be an absolute kick in the guts if he slots in at FB replacing the aging roughead next year for them when we've been lacking a capable second tall defender pretty much since he moved forward