This deal ain't gonna happen. He's obviously cooled on us, and you can't really blame him for being spooked.

We haven't exactly been the bastion of stability and good footy this last year. And even though we love our club, and like our children think and hope they're gonna turn out just fine despite a rough patch, acting up, talking back, some prima donna moments and poor test results, there's no guarantee to anyone else on the outside that anything is going to change next year. So... the Blues (who are rats, but fortunately don't have any such media noise - and while a disappointing finals exit, are still on the up, generally_ and the Dogs (who will look to improve again next year with a good side) are likely the frontrunners for his valuable services. The Pies had an ordinary year, but they're the Pies. Big crowds etc. The Saints had a rough year, but they finished above us and ended strong - they may throw $$$ to improve next year. 

TL;DR - doesn't matter what pick we have, he's not coming. That ship sailed. Likely numerous times this year. Still sailing.

  On 13/09/2024 at 06:16, Jaded No More said:

We want to take pick 5 to the draft. When we started the conversation with Houston our first pick was somewhere in the high teens. Connect the dots.

So I gather your narrative is pure speculation then 😂 Unless you can link me to an article where it says we opted out of the trade ourselves? Thanks for letting me know I’m better off ‘connecting the dots’ rather than trusting what multiple media outlets are reporting 😂

  On 13/09/2024 at 06:44, Jeremy said:

So I gather your narrative is pure speculation then 😂 Unless you can link me to an article where it says we opted out of the trade ourselves? Thanks for letting me know I’m better off ‘connecting the dots’ rather than trusting what multiple media outlets are reporting 😂

On SEN yesterday arvo, Maher said the Houston deal was off because Melb won't part with pick 5. Jenkins then chimed in he'd heard the general stench around the MFC had put him off. Maher mumbled something unintelligible in response.

  On 13/09/2024 at 07:56, Roger Mellie said:

On SEN yesterday arvo, Maher said the Houston deal was off because Melb won't part with pick 5. Jenkins then chimed in he'd heard the general stench around the MFC had put him off. Maher mumbled something unintelligible in response.

Both nuffies.

  On 13/09/2024 at 08:29, Clintosaurus said:

Both nuffies.

Insufferable that show 

  On 12/09/2024 at 07:15, Nascent said:

If trac is serious about his commitment to us then he should be organising a catch up with Dan and (re)sell us as a destination.

 

  On 13/09/2024 at 05:11, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Hard to fathom that Houston basically nominated us as his preferred club until we imploded and went all MFC on everyone. We could had a 2 time reigning All Australian, a top 5 user of the football and arguably our best recruit in the Goodwin era.

Another reference below in relation to Houston's initial intentions - being the MFC as his club of choice before we stuffed everything up.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1217505/inside-trading-key-factor-for-eagles-targets-swan-gets-offer-clubs-meet-for-trade-talks

 

I really think the deal was done earlier in the season when the team was still entrenched in the 8, and that as soon as it became clear we would get a top 10 pick, the FD started to fracture over what to pay for him, and eventually decided what he would cost was out of our ballpark.

His management then threw us under the bus to save face for DH.

Edited September 13, 2024Sep 13 by Adam The God

  On 13/09/2024 at 08:51, Adam The God said:

 

I really think the deal was done earlier in the season when the team was still entrenched in the 8, and that as soon as it became clear we would get a top 10 pick, the FD started to fracture over what to pay for him, and eventually decided what he would cost was out of our ballpark.

His management then threw us under the bus to save face for DH.

I'm assuming this is all complete guesswork ?

  On 13/09/2024 at 08:59, Gator said:

I'm assuming this is all complete guesswork ?

Who knows, mate. Who knows.

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:01, Adam The God said:

Who knows, mate. Who knows.

You know.

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:08, Gator said:

You know.

I'm connecting some dots.

  On 13/09/2024 at 08:59, Gator said:

I'm assuming this is all complete guesswork ?

Would you trade pick 5 for Houston? 
 

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:01, Adam The God said:

I'm connecting some dots.

Oh, like journalists.

Edited September 13, 2024Sep 13 by Gator

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:20, Jaded No More said:

Would you trade pick 5 for Houston? 
 

Definitely not.

Why ?

We obviously now have a no DH policy!

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:40, Gator said:

Definitely not.

Why ?

Because it sounds like you think the club would. 
I reckon they share your view that he’s not worth that much, and they can’t see another avenue to get him across. 

Edited September 13, 2024Sep 13 by Jaded No More

  On 13/09/2024 at 05:50, Young Angus said:

We should still go after him somehow…but not for pick 5 no way no how

Pick 25 From crows for Nibbler and F.F should equal around a late teens pick, pretty fair for a 30 yo who wants out.

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:44, Jaded No More said:

Because it sounds like you think the club would. 

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point. 

  On 13/09/2024 at 10:14, Gator said:

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point. 

Well you seem to think it’s complete guesswork that Houston isn’t coming to Melbourne because Melbourne won’t part ways with their first pick for him anymore, given what that pick is now (compared to what it was mid season when we started talking to Houston and Port).

All I’m saying is that I think that’s a large reason for the change in plans, rather than Houston being put off by anything else going on at Melbourne. 
The clubs he’s in discussion with now all have a good first round pick which they are obviously willing to part ways with for him. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. St Kilda is no more a lucrative destination than Melbourne. 

  On 13/09/2024 at 10:37, Jaded No More said:

Well you seem to think it’s complete guesswork that Houston isn’t coming to Melbourne because Melbourne won’t part ways with their first pick for him anymore, given what that pick is now (compared to what it was mid season when we started talking to Houston and Port).

All I’m saying is that I think that’s a large reason for the change in plans, rather than Houston being put off by anything else going on at Melbourne. 
The clubs he’s in discussion with now all have a good first round pick which they are obviously willing to part ways with for him. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. St Kilda is no more a lucrative destination than Melbourne. 

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point. 

  On 13/09/2024 at 10:39, Gator said:

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point. 

This was what you said in response to @Adam The God post which pretty much said the same thing I said about the reason Houston is not coming to Melbourne 
Maybe I misunderstood your point, my apologies if I did. 

  On 13/09/2024 at 08:59, Gator said:

I'm assuming this is all complete guesswork ?

 

  On 13/09/2024 at 10:43, Jaded No More said:

This was what you said in response to @Adam The God post which pretty much said the same thing I said about the reason Houston is not coming to Melbourne 
Maybe I misunderstood your point, my apologies if I did. 

 

There's no doubt the goal posts have shifted since when we first started courting Houston.  But just because our first pick would now have been off the table doesn't definitively mean we wouldn't have been able to get a deal done.  We may have (and still may) got involved with Brisbane's pick 14 and potentially offered a future first.  Who knows.

But for me it's clearly obvious that Houston, as reported, decided against joining a club seen to be a rabble.

Part of the post I responded to also said, ''His management then threw us under the bus to save face for DH.''.

A complete guess, or ''connecting the dots', as agreed by said poster. 

  On 13/09/2024 at 10:00, Rednblueriseing said:

Pick 25 From crows for Nibbler and F.F should equal around a late teens pick, pretty fair for a 30 yo who wants out.

It'll be pick 30 odd after father son, NGA, free agency compo, etc

  On 13/09/2024 at 06:05, mo64 said:

You do realise that Houston has a say in the matter? We are out of the race. End of story.

As if...clubs have all the power...right?

  On 13/09/2024 at 09:41, Loose Men Everywhere said:

We obviously now have a no DH policy!

Seemingly well behind on our KPIs though 

I’d say it’s more Houston not wanting to come to us than us not willing to give up a premium pick for him. One of the poorest skilled and sloppiest teams in the league shouldn’t be knocking back highly skilled players of the ilk of Houston.