Farewell James Harmes

[FritschyBusiness 1,463]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

Would much rather keep Harmes than JJ. Laurie is not AFL material, not sure on Woey yet. 

Please watch more VFL.
Laurie has shown plenty at that level and Woey is developing nicely. 

[DubDee 24,328]

Fair chance that we draft a high quality midfielder (or two) at the pointy end of the draft this year so that would potentially put Harmes further down the pecking order

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

44 minutes ago, FritschyBusiness said:

Must be a slow news day for the media. 

Let's look at a few things. 

He is contracted until the end of next year
He is a premiership player
He grew up a Melbourne Supporter
He has many close friends at the club
He got snubbed by Brad Scott at the end of last year.

Nothing to see here, move along people. 

What's all this got to do with him wanting to further more senior opportunities which clearly he'll assess again at the end of the year.

So many good players have left their respected club where they were much loved to seek better opportunities. 

Dont pretend this is a once off.

He's not going to hang around just to be stuck as a 24th/Casey player. He'll have every Melbourne supporters blessing if he decides to seek a trade purely to play more senior footy. No one will begrudge him.

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,705]

4 hours ago, Orion said:

Would be in Essendon's best twenty-two

Really? I recon he'd be close to their best player quite frankly. It's a bloody ordinary list they've got down there at Windy Hill.

If I was Armzie, I'd go to Norf. 850K per year and be the captain.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Queanbeyan Demon

[Ted Lasso 18,774]

1 minute ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Really? I recon he'd be close to their best player quite frankly. It's a bloody ordinary list they've got down there at Windy Hill.

That's where he and James Jordan will be playing in 24 i suspect. maybe Tommo as well. 

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,705]

3 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Really? I recon he'd be close to their best player quite frankly. It's a bloody ordinary list they've got down there at Windy Hill.

If I was Armzie, I'd go to Norf. 850K per year and be the captain.

 

2 minutes ago, Dwight Schrute said:

That's where he and James Jordan will be playing in 24 i suspect. maybe Tommo as well. 

So a completely new leadership group down there at Essendung then?

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

9 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Really? I recon he'd be close to their best player quite frankly. It's a bloody ordinary list they've got down there at Windy Hill.

If I was Armzie, I'd go to Norf. 850K per year and be the captain.

Let's try not to overrate Harmes here..

He's a good honest foot solider and that's it.

He'll get a game at Essendon purely because they purely lack any inside midfielder that do the dirty work.

They have an up and comer in Ben Hobbs who's already looking good for the future and Will Settlefield who's a battler filling in for now.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,379]

1 hour ago, Salems Lot said:

Probably because they are Personal issues

 

I'm not saying I want to know what they are, I'm suggesting that before we refer to him as a fringe player who we can trade away at year's end, we should consider there may be bigger reasons why he's not at his best this year.

Harmes when happy, healthy and in form is a walk up to our best 22.
 

 

[roy11 3,661]

22 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

 

I'm not saying I want to know what they are, I'm suggesting that before we refer to him as a fringe player who we can trade away at year's end, we should consider there may be bigger reasons why he's not at his best this year.

Harmes when happy, healthy and in form is a walk up to our best 22.
 

 

In-form Harmes is v useful but not not sure he's a walk up in 2023. The addition of Hunter has created a bit of a midfield stockpile. A good selection headache to have. 

[radar 1,865]

I fear if he left, Scott extending his career another 5 years at Geelong 🤮 

[Maldonboy38 6,379]

I like a tagger in the 22, and Harmes plays this role better than any on our list. I understand the battle for position between Harmes, Sparrow and Jordon, and would prefer not to lose any one of them, but Harmes' tagging ability is a discipline few players ever develop. He is also a better kick than Jordon. Unfortunately, he probably sits below both Sparrow and Jordon in the pecking order. 

[FritschyBusiness 1,463]

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

What's all this got to do with him wanting to further more senior opportunities which clearly he'll assess again at the end of the year.

So many good players have left their respected club where they were much loved to seek better opportunities. 

Dont pretend this is a once off.

He's not going to hang around just to be stuck as a 24th/Casey player. He'll have every Melbourne supporters blessing if he decides to seek a trade purely to play more senior footy. No one will begrudge him.

So many good players have left other clubs after Premiership success but they haven't really left ours.
We've lost Jackson and Bedford... neither we are missing. Nothing like the exodus of Richmond where players chased money and opportunity. We have a different culture at our club, it's elite. 

In my opinion being the 24th player at Melbourne is better than being the 5th/6th midfielder anywhere else except maybe Geelong or Collingwood. 

[Demonsterative 3,016]

I rate Harmes! In years gone by we would have loved him in the midfield. He has been a great soldier in a team of a generation 

[Little Goffy 13,981]

12 minutes ago, FritschyBusiness said:

So many good players have left other clubs after Premiership success but they haven't really left ours.
We've lost Jackson and Bedford...

Don't forget Barassi! (Sorry sorry sorry. Ducking for cover... now)

[Caligula's cohort 1,014]

I think Hawthorn would be keen to get Harmes in their side. They lost a huge amount of talent and experience in Mitchell and O'meara last year and have to rely on kids in Ward, Newcombe and an inconsistent Worpel. Harmes would probably be their best and most experienced mid. I can see Dunstan going there as well for a bit of experience while they wait on their young mids to get better. 

North have have Cunnington, Greenwood and Shiels who are no spring chickens... so he could definitely solidify his spot their in that side with LDU and Simpkin for the next 4 years while they wait on Wardlaw and Sheezel to get better. 

I'd love to keep JJ, he's getting better year on year, we just need to sign him up for 3 years so he has that security while he fights to lockdown a place as an inside/outside mid in our starting 23. 

[Sydney_Demon 1,175]

I heard about this on today's Tradies Podcast:

https://australian-podcasts.com/podcast/tradies

I posted this a few days back in the Welcome to Demonland James Jordan Topic:

I think you have to use a minimum 3 draft picks each year. We definitely won't be using the 4 top picks we have in 2023 and might package some lower picks to get Kynan Brown (trade down for points?) but I guess potentially picking a high draft mid isn't going to help JJ's prospects. But of course by the time of the draft JJ will have already signed on (or not) and it depends on likely interest from other clubs (which I think will be quite strong). As I've posted elsewhere, I'd like to see JJ picked ahead of James Harmes, and if JJ signs on we could trade Harmes out a year ahead of free agency.

There's 14 rounds to go so a lot of water to pass under the bridge but given Harmes is an unrestricted free agent next year we should trade him out this year, or if he is a required player extend his contract at season end (particularly if JJ leaves). He has value as a trade now but in another 12 months he'll be 29 (October 2024) and we'll have no negotiating power given his UFA status.

[demon3165 2,569]

38 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

I like a tagger in the 22, and Harmes plays this role better than any on our list. I understand the battle for position between Harmes, Sparrow and Jordon, and would prefer not to lose any one of them, but Harmes' tagging ability is a discipline few players ever develop. He is also a better kick than Jordon. Unfortunately, he probably sits below both Sparrow and Jordon in the pecking order. 

Yeah let's put him on one of the Daicos boys i'm sure they would rack up 100 possessions and 10 goals for the afternoon, he is one paced and not very skilled bit in saying that he does try his hardest for the club but game styles have passed him by.

[picket fence 16,649]

5 hours ago, Palace Dees said:

No matter what happens,  he will always be my bookmark for 2021 GF replays. ❤️💙🏆

THAT ENTRAPMENT CATCH AND SUBSEQUENT DISPOSAL CHANGED OUR FORTUNES FOOOOOOREEEEEVRRRRRR

HARMSY FOREVER IN MY ANNALS OF GREAT MINISCULE MOMENTS IN FOOTY THAT CHANGE THE GAME SOOOO....FOLKLORE AND HONOUR ARE YOURS!

WELL DONE AND IF U DO GO ..... LURVE YA SONNY!!

😁

Edited May 17, 2023 by picket fence

[Orion 332]

2 hours ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Really? I recon he'd be close to their best player quite frankly

Wouldn't that mean he's in their best twenty-two?

[Kent 2,859]

3 hours ago, DubDee said:

Fair chance that we draft a high quality midfielder (or two) at the pointy end of the draft this year so that would potentially put Harmes further down the pecking order

A KPF  would be nice so tired of recycling BB and T MAc

[Demonsterative 3,016]

2 minutes ago, Kent said:

A KPF  would be nice so tired of recycling BB and T MAc

Jefferson and JVR. First round picks in the last 2 years. 

[whatwhat say what 22,093]

didn't the peptides kick the harmes' tyres last year, and then brad scott failed to meet him for a chat?

with kynan brown likely to come in, plus a high-end pick (or two?), i'd be sad to see harmes go but to me he's there or thereabouts along with jordon for a spot in our best 23 so it would make sense if he was looking for security as his contract with the mfc comes to an end

also, the end of this season is is 'pre-agent' year, so it would make sense from that perspective too

Edited May 17, 2023 by whatwhat say what

[Demon Dynasty 17,091]

6 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

The personal issue that’s affected him of late doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not he’s getting a game. Would be the same no matter the club. 

 

Have intel WCW or just your view?

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

2 hours ago, FritschyBusiness said:

So many good players have left other clubs after Premiership success but they haven't really left ours.
We've lost Jackson and Bedford... neither we are missing. Nothing like the exodus of Richmond where players chased money and opportunity. We have a different culture at our club, it's elite. 

In my opinion being the 24th player at Melbourne is better than being the 5th/6th midfielder anywhere else except maybe Geelong or Collingwood. 

You don't get it do you?

You actually just named a good player in Jackson leaving our club for bigger coin and family. That's a good player right there leaving after success.

Harmes literally said yes to meeting to meeting up with Essendon last year.

That's pretty much him saying he was up for a change of scenery purely because he wanted more senior opportunities playing as a full time midfielder and he could foresee that his opportunities playing midfield at Melbourne was drying up.. which it has now.

The only reason his not in Essendon colours this year is because Scott didn't bother to turn up to the meeting that Josh Mahoney organised with Harmes.

Believe it or not some players actually don't want to be the 24th player at the club when they know they'd be best 22 at another club. Funny that huh?

Edited May 17, 2023 by dazzledavey36

[WalkingCivilWar 39,256]

29 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Have intel WCW or just your view?

It’s not just my view.

But… last week I was taken to task on the subject of what one of our players had said on a particular subject. It wasn’t pleasant, therefore I’m loath to go into anything in any sort of detail, suffice to say Harmesy’s personal issues have nothing to do with him getting or not getting a game.