Couple of points come to mind about this. 
1. If there is substance to this you’d have to think his ex teammate Lingers is in his ear big time. 
2. Cerra would have to fit into our wage setups like players did at Cats etc. if he wants to come. I’d be very confident the Club wouldn’t mess that up by laying him the rumoured $750k Blues are supposed to be offering. 
3. We will have the salary cap to co we that with AVB probably going and being in a lot of $$, Jonesy maybe Melk and Hibbo. 4. We’d have to possibly also move some players on to Freo as well as picks. I don’t believe that would include Gus. He’s done his time to put the team where it is and deserves to reap the rewards over the next few years. It could be T Mac they’ve probably got more salary cap for him than we do. Could be Weid if Harmsey went it would open it up for Gus to go back into the middle and Cerra to the wing. 
5. The Club have been masters at getting trades done the last few years. It might not be possible but they’ll give it everything and it could be surprising. 
 

I can understand why Cerra would want to come to us ahead of Carlton if we could come to terms.

There's no harm in thinking laterally about this:

Cerra to Melb

Future first (from Melb) to Freo plus Jordan Clark

Player to Geelong

Cerra to Melb

Future first plus Jeremy Sharp

Player / Wied to GCS

Etc

On 8/28/2021 at 2:16 PM, Stiff Arm said:

No one wants to trade Gus. Nevertheless we can put up some suggestions without being shut down, right?

He is very close with Andrew at Freo and has extended family in WA. Doesn't mean he will go to WA because of that, just that it could be an influence. 

I'm yet to read those shutting down this discussion put up valid hypothetical alternatives.

Having said that, we have much bigger fish to fry today 

Go Dees!

On that we can all agree

This is the modern-day version of swap cards. Trade out our soul and buy in Cristiano Ronaldo.

5 minutes ago, bush demon said:

This is the modern-day version of swap cards. Trade out our soul and buy in Cristiano Ronaldo.

That's one lense - trading a player against his will.

OR

Just judging on how the club operates - I'd imagine nothing would happen unless a 'player of his standing' was a willing participant, if not leading the discussion in the first place.

Edited September 1, 20213 yr by Engorged Onion

On 8/28/2021 at 1:33 PM, Lord Travis said:

Gus seems a logical choice for a trade, seeing as his brother and lots of family are in WA. I highly doubt he’ll be traded though. 

He loves the club and loves living in Melbourne. He might not be lighting it up on field, but he’s filling the role the coaches are asking if him, and filling it well. His defensive positioning has been a big part of our defensive zone vastly improving this year. 

He’s also super important to the club culturally. Yes he has media presence with the podcast etc, but he’s also one of the key drivers of hard work and respect amongst the players. Look at the end of the Geelong match last week as an example. When all the players were going berserk celebrating, Gus joined in celebrating for a bit and then tried to encourage his teammates to go shake the oppositions hand and show respect. He was first across to shake the oppositions hands and got the boys to follow him. He’s a leader out there for our players driving the right kind of values amongst the group. Then when they were in the rooms, he sung the song with more gusto than anyone!

Not saying Cerra wouldn’t be a great get for us, he’s a great silky skilled player, but trading Gus would disrupt the playing group, standards, and culture of the club. And at the end of the day, the new standards being driven are the difference between 2021 top of the ladder demons, and the years before where we failed to make finals. Same list, different culture and standards. 

Great points well made in your post LT.

Gus played his best game for the year last weekend - just when needed and he admitted this week he has taken time to build the role on a wing, and that Langers had been a great help (AllAA standard wingman IMO).

I fear this has shades of Woey leaving which caused my heart to sink back then and the team didn't feel the same.

Culture first for us, everything else second and the wins will take care of themselves. I suspect this is the player driven mantra of feeling for the fans who are at last "... proud to show their colours ...", as Trac said after the Cats game.

This isn't the NFL, MLB, NBA.....etc.

There's dozens of players I bet who would now join the Dees in a heartbeat. But not at a price that's not worth it.

Would be an amazing get, but we’d need to stick with a couple of points:

1. Players requesting a trade to a ‘good’ club must accept less money than those going to a battler (Carlton).  Tom Lynch and everyone traded to Geelong are willing to sacrifice money for success- that’s not only the attitude we want, it’s the financial reality of what we need.

2. Unless a Melbourne player requests a trade to Fremantle, then I’d avoid trading for a player, particularly anyone in the best 22.  We’ll be asking our players to show loyalty and accept less money in the coming years and that is a two way street.

3. Upgrading our picks for the trade.  Cera has the potential to be a very, very good players and Freo will need to be satisfied.  It’s hard to see how we can do this without some spectacular draft-pick gymnastics by our football department.  Mahoney in his time showed that that was a particular strength, let’s how those around him learnt a trick or two.

 

So we don't need to trade anyone to Freo directly, we just need to pass on the pick we will get from a Weid trade deal plus a future first rounder plus some fancy footwork to move the first rounder up the order a touch ... all done! A Bedford, Chandler, Baker, or Lockhart (all doing well at VFL level) might also see an opportunity in a younger developing team elsewhere that we can leverage in a small way. He is also uncontracted and so Freo have a touch less leverage.

In the end, if he wants to come to us there are ways. Its more about whether we have the cash to splash.

Edited September 1, 20213 yr by Demons1858

Good players don't come cheap and we will need to give up something to get this done. You need to give to get. 

Brayshaw to me is the one that has some currency and may look to seek opportunities elsewhere. He signed for 4 years on the back of good year in 2018. He is probably being paid as one of our top 5-8 players where in reality for the role he is playing he is more in the 15+ bracket. His next contract if he stays will reflect this. He has a call to make. 

 

11 hours ago, Dante said:

No one loves Gus more than I do, i've always been a fan and I'd hate to see him go but it's just a matter of time by the sound of it.

I'm curious about the reasoning behind this comment, Dante.  I know that several posters on here have thrown Gus's name up as a potential trading chip, but I'm unaware of any other noise about him leaving.

8 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Brayshaw to me is the one that has some currency and may look to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Why would he want to look for "opportunities" elsewhere when he's currently an important part of a young, strong team that appears to be in premiership contention for the next few years?

11 hours ago, MurDoc516 said:

Ill be filthy if Rivers or Jackson go. I honestly can't see it considering how those two are best buds and are also super close to the other boys (Rivers has a partner in Melbourne).

Pretty sure Dogga has something going too based on when he was on the Gus and Gawny podcast the other week.

You don’t trade players that are closely loved within the club, it breaks the cohesion in the playing group. Aside from that Gus has also been doing a very underrated job as a defensive winger. 

If we are to get Cerra, it should not be at Gus’s expense. 

5 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Why would he want to look for "opportunities" elsewhere when he's currently an important part of a young, strong team that appears to be in premiership contention for the next few years?

Do you think he wants to be a defensive wingman the rest of his career? He must be looking at a 300k paycut if he stays. 

You watch Geelong swoop on this bloke.  A massive back loaded 5 year deal and start to build a midfield around him.

17 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Do you think he wants to be a defensive wingman the rest of his career? He must be looking at a 300k paycut if he stays. 

I have no idea what he wants (nor do you) but I would confidently assume that being part of team success/premierships is a most attractive proposition.

I also don't think he warrants a pay cut in the magnitude that you are suggesting.  

36 minutes ago, drdrake said:

You watch Geelong swoop on this bloke.  A massive back loaded 5 year deal and start to build a midfield around him.

He's 10 years too young for Geelong's liking.

In all seriousness he's a Melb metro boy he won't be going to Geelong because he wants to be close to family and friends. If he does nominate us Freo is going to be very underwhelmed by what they get. There is a 0% chance Melbourne would entertain at all Brayshaw, Jackson, Rivers unless they very surprisingly requested a trade. A trade would like our future 1st + pick for Weideman (2nd rounder) which I think is absolutely fair value for Cerra but Freo will think otherwise.

 

1 hour ago, Demonstone said:

I'm curious about the reasoning behind this comment, Dante.  I know that several posters on here have thrown Gus's name up as a potential trading chip, but I'm unaware of any other noise about him leaving.

Have you listened to Gus's media conference? It's just a gut feeling but it seems to me that he would relish the opportunity to go to Freo and play with his brother. He seems to love the lifestyle in Perth and he was effusive about Optus Oval.

I did also read on here, can't remember which thread, but a poster said Gus indicated he would like to go over to Perth to play at some stage.

No way we trade Gus. Richmond have shown the blueprint in that you don't need superstars to win flags. Culture and selflessness win flags and Gus is central to that for the Dees. 

I find it interesting so many seem to think trading out Gus for Cerra would destroy our culture.

Players have to be turned over each season.

Cerra for Brayshaw is an upgrade....they are on similar type $$$...Cerra has a much higher ceiling imo.

I would not be unhappy if we traded out Brayshaw/Tmac and got in say Gunston/Cerra.  

Either way there will be changes, we should be getting excited that we are a destination club and in all likelihood we will be stronger for the changes that ARE going to occur.

 

36 minutes ago, Dante said:

Have you listened to Gus's media conference? It's just a gut feeling but it seems to me that he would relish the opportunity to go to Freo and play with his brother. He seems to love the lifestyle in Perth and he was effusive about Optus Oval.

I did also read on here, can't remember which thread, but a poster said Gus indicated he would like to go over to Perth to play at some stage.

Not sure if I've heard all the interviews you're referring to but I took his approach in the press conference as Brayshaws attempt to get some buy in from the Perth / WA public which is smart given we're to play our biggest match(es) in front of them.

I think I've heard Gus on Gus and Gawny talk about how much he loves Perth but also loves Melbourne and has no intention of going back over there.  I think its more his style - he's a positive person and so talks everything up.  He's got fond memories of WA / he loves the ground - doesn't mean he wants to move there.

10 minutes ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

Players have to be turned over each season.

Yes but not necessarily your core players, of which Brayshaw is a part of

9 minutes ago, deelusions from afar said:

Not sure if I've heard all the interviews you're referring to but I took his approach in the press conference as Brayshaws attempt to get some buy in from the Perth / WA public which is smart given we're to play our biggest match(es) in front of them.

I think I've heard Gus on Gus and Gawny talk about how much he loves Perth but also loves Melbourne and has no intention of going back over there.  I think its more his style - he's a positive person and so talks everything up.  He's got fond memories of WA / he loves the ground - doesn't mean he wants to move there.

There is a thread on here, Angus Brayshaw Media Conference

I certainly hope you're right and I hope he plays his days out with the Melbourne Footy Club

 

23 minutes ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I find it interesting so many seem to think trading out Gus for Cerra would destroy our culture.

Players have to be turned over each season.

Cerra for Brayshaw is an upgrade....they are on similar type $$$...Cerra has a much higher ceiling imo.

I would not be unhappy if we traded out Brayshaw/Tmac and got in say Gunston/Cerra.  

Either way there will be changes, we should be getting excited that we are a destination club and in all likelihood we will be stronger for the changes that ARE going to occur.

 

You equate any movement of players as ‘destroying culture’ - that is a straw man argument made so stupid of course you can shut down that view. 

Of course, players come in and out but you need to listen to the respect that McDonald and ANB talk about that was given to them by the club as we pushed them out. But players know when players are pushed and players want to go.

Angus is the best teammate on the field with his selfless nature, the way he embraces his teammates and the way he embraces a role that he is not too personally keen on.

We would have to be careful in trying to ‘upgrade’ anyone and especially when it comes to players that I would consider leaders in the group.

 

11 minutes ago, nacnud said:

Yes but not necessarily your core players, of which Brayshaw is a part of

Brayshaw is a much loved team member.....not sure he is of core importance though, nor a core player, unless you weigh in Gus/Gawny podcast.   His last few seasons have been pretty down.....he has played much better this season but Cerra on a wing would be a clear upgrade.

Brayshaw is definitely not irreplaceable!   

Stay still and we'll stagnate fast, list has to be turned over to some degree.

Personally looking forward to who is interested in getting to us, and who we might be interested in.

Seems pretty obvious by commentary that we are actually pretty into Cerra.

2 minutes ago, rpfc said:

You equate any movement of players as ‘destroying culture’ - that is a straw man argument made so stupid of course you can shut down that view. 

Of course, players come in and out but you need to listen to the respect that McDonald and ANB talk about that was given to them by the club as we pushed them out. But players know when players are pushed and players want to go.

Angus is the best teammate on the field with his selfless nature, the way he embraces his teammates and the way he embraces a role that he is not too personally keen on.

We would have to be careful in trying to ‘upgrade’ anyone and especially when it comes to players that I would consider leaders in the group.

 

No player would want to leave where we are at currently.  Some will have to be persuaded/pushed.

I want to to see the MFC get stronger through trades which we seem to be doing each year.

Brayshaw has not once been in our leadership group from my recollection??