You reach the stage where you have overplayed your hand.

Jason Ackermannis style.

the suitors become concerned that your a liability.

A club with good values doesn’t wish to import high maintenance trouble.

The club is always bigger than the player. I think I said that last week as well.

If the rumours are to be believed and a ‘big’ vic club is the preferred destination, it could only mean filth or blues, as surely no one is queueing up for Ess or Tiges?

Blues have a couple of players. Maybe Curnow? Surely not McKay?

Can’t see many players of interest in black-and-white. Most are are too old. Maybe Ed Allan? Could add in Maynard who would mysteriously disappear in a freak training accident?

Went and played padel for a few hours today, no real news in the meantime. I recently got a wild new racquet though, which I now regret naming padraqtacka. 

8 hours ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

The club are handling this perfectly. Just continue to say he’s contracted and we aren’t trading him. Wait and see what happens. No one comes with a monster off he’s back for day 1 of pre season. A contract’s a contract. 

Exactly. The Club needs to credibly signal that they are prepared to hold him to his contract and not trade him if they want leverage with Petracca and an alternative club. One way to do this is for senior leaders to make bold public statements that could make them look foolish after a trade, like being certain that he will play in the red and blue in 2025 (Goodwin, Pert, Lyon, etc).  It’s a credible signal because it’s costly - it’s a statement that comes with some reputation damage if it turns out wrong.

Conversely, Petracca and his management seem to want to make the relationship seem so bad and irreparable  such that the club decides it’s better to accept a weak trade rather than have him around the club.

In this regard, other MFC players stating the relationship is bad is unhelpful for the club.  Better other players don’t say anything or, alternatively, say something along the lines that “look he’s gone through a lot, but we’ll get around him if he stays”. That may be hard to say in the current context but the fact that it’s hard to say makes it credible and would bolster the club’s position. 

For what’s it’s worth, I think the players would get around him if he were to stay. Too many good memories, players would understand he’s been through a lot, and they may also have some sympathy with some of his criticisms and concerns about the club’s performance. I also really question whether this is the right moment in his recovery to make such a big decision. 
 

The challenge I see with Petracca’s strategy is what it signals to any interested club — on the one hand it credibly signals his ambition and drive, but also that this personal ambition is bigger than the team/club. I’m sure that would make other clubs pause.  And thus if he pushes too hard on the “irreconcilable narrative” and continues to leak internal club issues to credibly signal this fallout (issues I’m sure all clubs have and don’t like aired), it will get to the point where other clubs will see risk not only opportunity in a trade. Conversely he could risk future captaincy and other status symbols should he push too far down this path but still end up at the Dees.

Anyway, will be interesting to see where this lands.  Personally, I hope he stays because of the high performance standards he brings.

Can’t believe he’s joined the media pile on about our crowd sizes. He’ll no doubt get a hot reception from our red & blue legion the first time he plays at the G in opposition colours. For his sake he better hope it’s on a cold Thursday school night with replacement rail buses running. 
 

5 hours ago, Seraph said:

Did you completely miss this?

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1536487/letter-from-ceo-gary-pert

How's that going so far?

Absolute fluff is all that is.

7 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

How's that going so far?

Absolute fluff is all that is.

One does find oneself wondering if Gary Pert was previously in charge of delivering interstate high speed rail.

I follow a lot of English/European soccer - star players are untouchable until they're not. Irreconcilable differences are irreconcilable until they're fixed. Which pragmatically they usually are.

I don't want Petracca to leave but if he forces the issue, the club has an incredibly strong hand with a 5 year contract and a competition top 5 player in the mix. I can't see how there is a conversation with anyone other than Carlton based on information currently available but see how the dust settles over the next few weeks 

4 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

One does find oneself wondering if Gary Pert was previously in charge of delivering interstate high speed rail.

Or perhaps a monorail somewhere 

5 hours ago, Young Angus said:

Wow that’s a lot of pages, did anything actually happen Monday night or is all this just DL putting itself into a meltdown?

Just the same ole, same ole doing the same ole. 
 

You know, Pert, Roffey and Goody are the cancer to this club. 
 

Culture,  Yada Yada Yada. 
 

Said journalist is attacking us and has no credit then is to believed. 
 

Oh, Trac wants to leave coz his Insta needs more followers. The steel boots have come out from the same ole doing the same ole. 
 

🥱🥱😜😜

6 hours ago, Adam The God said:

Pert and Roffey need to go. After Trac's last two weeks, I'm fine for him to nick off too.

If Tracc's team are doing all the whiteanting and leaking, in some ways, there's not a lot we can do at this stage but to stay firm for the moment.

Let him look selfish and then pull the best deal we can.

They got him in to talk to the playing group.

They can't really have said much in the last two weeks except "Tracc is staying". They probably know they'll just leak more rubbish reasons why he's unhappy.

Hope he gets sent to the Peptides.

Sook coach with a Sook player.

Just spent close to an hour getting up to speed on this thread this morning.

Not good for my productivity.

14 hours ago, adonski said:

I don't know how much or how little I'm allowed to post, but here's some of it:

Contracted Carlton key forward Harry McKay has emerged as the key to unlocking a potential trade of Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca, who has reminded the club and teammates of his desire to leave the Demons.

The Norm Smith medallist reiterated to his teammates on Saturday night, and the club during his exit interview on Monday, that he wants to play for a rival Victorian club in 2025, despite public guarantees from Melbourne’s CEO, coach and football boss that Petracca would not be traded under any circumstances.

Three sources who were at Melbourne’s end-of-season function on Saturday night said there was tension surrounding Petracca’s presence and that it was noticeably uncomfortable between him and several teammates.

Petracca’s issues with Melbourne stem from long before he suffered an agonising and life-threatening injury in a collision with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore in the King’s Birthday game.

He became frustrated during the 2023 season when he believed the club failed to act strongly enough in its dealings with fellow superstar Clayton Oliver, who was enduring several off field issues.

He has also told the club, on more than one occasion, that he wants to play more consistently in front of larger crowds.

At last some light This issue was allover town at the time and Tcacs body language during games showed us how deeply he felt Not sure about H McKay

Edited August 26, 2024Aug 26 by Kent

5 hours ago, Demonland said:

Jesse Hogan - 484 pages

Luke Jackson - 324 pages

Jack Watts - 275 pages

Christian Petracca - 127 pages and counting with at least 7 weeks to go

Yes expect Trac page to hit 500+ if this Demon Disaster event unfolds with Trac traded.  Pert. Goodwin. Roffey. All jobs should be under review.  To even consider losing your Star icon like Trac would stab through the heart of every Demon supporter.  The club is bigger than the individual. But it warrants QUESTIONING OF ALL LEADERS at the club.  
 

ps. Memo to Trac.   I don’t always agree with my workmates or the direction of my business but I do my job to my best ability every day.  

4 minutes ago, Kit Walker said:

I follow a lot of English/European soccer - star players are untouchable until they're not. Irreconcilable differences are irreconcilable until they're fixed. Which pragmatically they usually are.

I don't want Petracca to leave but if he forces the issue, the club has an incredibly strong hand with a 5 year contract and a competition top 5 player in the mix. I can't see how there is a conversation with anyone other than Carlton based on information currently available but see how the dust settles over the next few weeks 

We should loan Trac out to Norf next year. Just the slap in the face he needs, 

 

He will be back in the fold soon after. 

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

He wants multiple flags, wants to be a hall of famer with the record to match. He's said it before, I reckon he sees the writing on the wall at Melbourne we missed our chance at a dynasty, haven't won a final since the flag, missed finals altogether this year, key personnel have left/retired or are another year older, our already meagre crowds have dwindled and he wants to move to a big club that can win more flags in the few years before he retires.

Personally I think that's the main issue, the other stuff is all just rationalising his decision to the club.

Looking at the average AFL career he’s lucky he is to have won ONE premiership. 
 

Nathan Jones is one example, he gave everything to the club and played the 2018 finals series but missed the premiership that he helped build.
 

It’s very disappointing that the reported reasons for Trac wanting to leave are mostly selfish.  I had thought better of him. It’s not good to see that all the talk about loving the club only lasted as long as everything was going his way. 

7 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

The Club needs new personnel upstairs and the Football Department 

But we cannot trade Tracc on a 7 year deal for McKay. 
That is capitulation 

It has to dig in and remain strong. Fix the problems….

It's also nonsense. The midfield is what we need to rebuild. We have two young, emerging forwards but we need players who can deliver it to them.

This McKay swap yarn is rubbish. I saw it on Nine last night and was left wondering why some genius like Matthew Lloyd could not work out its list management implications. 

Sam McLure, Carlton fanboy, has a fever dream is my summation.

We should trade him to Freo...for Jackson.

Is Petracca the right guy???????

He is damaging his own “brand” 

7 hours ago, Adam The God said:

That's a big statement...

Starting point - Trac is worth at least 3 first round picks comprising a minimu. 2 top 10 (1 being in the first 5). 

Any players involved bust would only replace 1 of these picks.

 

 

The club have said no trade (and a fair trade is highly unlikely anyways). It’s the only stance that makes sense.

Trac’s leaking is torching us and the club. I don’t think it’s very smart to leave himself without a pathway back to the fold. He is being very badly advised. The long-term contract means the club holds the upper hand. I’m sure I would agree with him about a lot of the issues at the club but the way he’s gone about it demonstrates clearly a very selfish streak. He wants out and doesn’t care about damaging the club to achieve this.

He has a lot of back pedalling to do. It’s going to be interesting to see how he goes about that. I’m not even sure its tenable given how he has trashed the club.

Very interesting times.

I think it might be best if he retires.

Edited August 26, 2024Aug 26 by layzie

Talk of McKay is rubbish, it's all one sided to Carlton as he's expendable they have Curnow, TDK and other talls.

With Petracca leaving our midfield stocks drop to being our biggest weakness (by some margin).

Bringing McKay feels similar to when we brought Chris Dawes in. 

8 hours ago, ChaserJ said:

I'm starting to think maybe we shouldn't be so open to trading our future first...

I seriosly doubt Oliver can regain his form. Is Petracca the only one [censored] off at the club? What are the coaching staff doing ? It is a PR disaster. The Nothing to see here crowd are very quiet this morning