Christian Petracca

[bing181 9,217]

54 minutes ago, DubDee said:

It would be hilarious is Trac is not happy we didn't attract any talent in the offseason as he has made it almost impossible to sign anyone of quality

This idea that there is a pool of "talent" out there just waiting to change clubs is a myth. The vast majority of players who change clubs are delisted players or fringe/OOC/free agents. Sometimes those players prove their worth at their new clubs, but it's the exception rather than the rule. Even there, it often boils down to the list and the roles available.

The issue we're going to have is that in spite of all the doom and gloom, we have most positions covered and no-one is going to change clubs just to get in the queue. Perhaps mids, with Petracca moving forward/fitness unknown, also as a replacement for Brayshaw. But ... suspect that our priority will be a) getting the players we do have fit and b) the draft.

[Flowergirl 539]

25 minutes ago, Deez21 said:

Yes Trac was told no trade could eventuate and kept going. I have posted that in here a few times

 

But the media also knew no trade could eventuate and still made him leaving the crux of their story

I just don't get why he would keep going. It damaged both his and the club's reputations. 

[Skuit 10,031]

6 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The most perplexing thing for me in all this is the whole "players couldn't understand why Petracca was in Noosa posting Instagram vids" - if they couldn't figure this out for themselves and had to rely on communication from the club to explain it I really worry about the IQ/EI of our players. I'm also worried about which players it was who were questioning it, is was it from our leadership group/senior players?

 

4 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It's an indictment on the playing group and leadership group if they allowed that kind of commentary to fester. Petracca had every right to take a mental break after what he went through. I'm seriously questioning the MFC players here, all the talk about culture, supporting each other etc and then they snipe one of their own behind his back after suffering a significant trauma.

If Petracca had received approval for an extended mental health break, the details would remain confidential and not be disseminated among our playing group. It could then create envy and accusations of favouritism.

But I agree with you that it indicates low IQ/EI if they couldn't figure it out for themselves, although if he appeared in good spirits in his previous interactions with the players post-injury it may have confused some. 

If they were aware his leave was granted for mental health reasons, then his activities while on break - namely looking cheerful in sun and working on his side hustle - could have also created some antagonism. 

Especially if it was known he had previously complained about culture or professional standards, and then appeared to be off doing his own thing $$$ when he was already our highest-paid player and we were struggling on-field. 

Again, I largely agree with you. I think there has been a relationship breakdown among the group - and apparently not for the first time (although the last time worked out well in the end) - due to high levels of immaturity. 

This has always struck me as a feature of our squad, in part as a factor of their personalities, but also our general list profile, with many of our star players coming through together and being key from a young age.  

[danielE288 779]

The Petracca Fallout: All the key points and what could happen next 

[DubDee 25,797]

13 minutes ago, bing181 said:

This idea that there is a pool of "talent" out there just waiting to change clubs is a myth. The vast majority of players who change clubs are delisted players or fringe/OOC/free agents. Sometimes those players prove their worth at their new clubs, but it's the exception rather than the rule. Even there, it often boils down to the list and the roles available.

The issue we're going to have is that in spite of all the doom and gloom, we have most positions covered and no-one is going to change clubs just to get in the queue. Perhaps mids, with Petracca moving forward/fitness unknown, also as a replacement for Brayshaw. But ... suspect that our priority will be a) getting the players we do have fit and b) the draft.

Interesting take but I reckon we could really use some senior players all over the ground.  There are usually 10+ quality players that move each trade period.  Houston, Barrass etc. But the chances of getting someone of this quality this off-season are almost none, thanks to Trac and the media.  Guys like Langdon and Hibberd have made huge impacts for us.

Having said that I am happy to hit the draft hard this year even if we don't have another choice.

[praha 11,240]

4 hours ago, old55 said:

Keen to hear your opinion on Sydney, Port Adelaide, GWS, Brisbane, Carlton and The Dogs recent history - not a flag amongst them for many a year.  Geelong and Collingwood both missed finals immediately following their flag.  Only one of those 8 clubs can be vindicated this year and it isn't going to be "fire-breathing" Collingwood.

My benchmark isn't winning a flag. We haven't won a final at the MCG in 6 years and it'll be at least 7 years before we get another chance. Not even playing in a Prelim is a huge failure. 

[Skuit 10,031]

8 hours ago, Watson11 said:

It seems to be generally accepted that Tracc or those close to him leaked the initial story to Tom Morris.  Skuit stated “Things are said along these lines to people within his circle, which then filters into the media”

How does anyone know that? It’s taken as fact but totally unsubstantiated.

To be crystal clear, I wrote that as a suggested plausible scenario in a highly speculative post. I certainly don't know that, and don't take it as fact. I do have little doubt though that we're leaking, even discounting media distortions. It might just be loose lips rather than being malicious, but we need to stamp it out and in the very least our players should be given additional training on media handling.  

[old55 23,530]

9 minutes ago, praha said:

My benchmark isn't winning a flag. We haven't won a final at the MCG in 6 years and it'll be at least 7 years before we get another chance. Not even playing in a Prelim is a huge failure. 

Happier to be a Brisbane, Port, GWS or Carlton supporter then with all those Prelims they've played in? Not me, no way!

[KozzyCan 764]

2 minutes ago, Skuit said:

To be crystal clear, I wrote that as a suggested plausible scenario in a highly speculative post. I certainly don't know that, and don't take it as fact. I do have little doubt though that we're leaking, even discounting media distortions. It might just be loose lips rather than being malicious, but we need to stamp it out and in the very least our players should be given additional training on media handling.  

Imo any leaks from the playing group speak to a lack of trust in the club leadership to message properly themselves.

[Skuit 10,031]

1 minute ago, KozzyCan said:

Imo any leaks from the playing group speak to a lack of trust in the club leadership to message properly themselves.

Or immaturity and the desire to gossip? 

[Melbournepotter 381]

4 hours ago, Pinball Wizard said:

More gaslighting as far as I'm concerned.

We were never going to beat Brisbane in 2022 as we were so banged up with so many players injured and/or out. We were centimetres away and a split second Maynard decision from a preliminary final in 2023 and it would be irrational to blame the board, the football department, the leadership group or the players for being semi professional in all of that.  This year, I say that absent the Darcy Moore crash into Petracca's back, we win three more games, make the finals and CP5 isn't cooking pasta on the beach at Noosa in July/August.

In hindsight, we're all mugs for not seeing that crash coming. How did you not pick that or Maysie and Clarries broken bones at the end of the year?

Exactly. The shallow, sensationalist, click bait hungry afl media looks at ladder positions and the 2022 and 2023 losses in finals and declare we are in crisis.  Had they decided to take a more positive slant or even look into why we may have lost those finals and missed this year, they may have found quite valid reasons why we missed out ('Club in crisis' headlines get more clicks than 'Club unlucky with injury' headlines I guess).  I'm not saying everything is rosy in the Melbourne fc garden, but we were very close to have some finals success last year and finally succumbed to injuries to most of our prime movers this year. The impact of those missing personnel was exacerbated after we had traded out a lot of midfield talent last year, coupled with the loss of Gus. On to Trade week !

[KozzyCan 764]

1 minute ago, Skuit said:

Or immaturity and the desire to gossip? 

Would be pretty concerning if players are calling up journalists just to gossip about their teammates like high-schoolers.

[Skuit 10,031]

Just now, KozzyCan said:

Would be pretty concerning if players are calling up journalists just to gossip about their teammates like high-schoolers.

I think you'll find it's the journalists making the calls. 

[KozzyCan 764]

Just now, Skuit said:

I think you'll find it's the journalists making the calls. 

Even so.

[Skuit 10,031]

1 minute ago, KozzyCan said:

Even so.

Morris on the line to Kozzie: How are you doing mate? Have you been getting up to much lately? Yeah, It's a bit cold here in Melbourne, lol. Congratulations by the way. How's the bub? I know, my sister had a boy when she was living in the UK, and was pretty overwhelmed until returning back here to be closer to mum. I guess you'd be feeling a bit homesick right now? You should let them know, they could probably put in some extra support structures. Oh great, you told them during your exit interview. Good for you. Anyways, I gotta run . . .  

[KozzyCan 764]

10 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Morris on the line to Kozzie: How are you doing mate? Have you been getting up to much lately? Yeah, It's a bit cold here in Melbourne, lol. Congratulations by the way. How's the bub? I know, my sister had a boy when she was living in the UK, and was pretty overwhelmed until returning back here to be closer to mum. I guess you'd be feeling a bit homesick right now? You should let them know, they could probably put in some extra support structures. Oh great, you told them during your exit interview. Good for you. Anyways, I gotta run . . .  

Reckon players are savvy enough to know anything they say to a journo is getting a run in the papers. They're grown adults. If they talk they know what they're getting involved in.

[The Jackson FIX 3,099]

9 hours ago, binman said:

I'm a punter. I look for value.

What's a redlegs membership go for?

Let's say $250.

And for the sake of argument, let's say the GF ticket is also $250.

So, I'm risking $250 to win $250 - an even money bet. 

When a market goes up post GF for next year's GF I could probably get  500-1, perhaps more, for a dees' flag into tracc winning the Norm Smith Multi.

If i staked $250 and the dees tracc double got up, at 500-1 my return would be $125k.

If i took your offer, and won, my profit would be $500 - a fair bit less than $125k.

Not a great value bet then. Well and truly unders.

So, thanks for the offer, but I'll pass on the bet (though I might take the 500s with a bookie).

But im looking forward to the redemption part of the narrative arc regardless.

Let me know if you find somewhere that will take the bet.

Early Norm markets typically pop up mid-season and I think they mightn’t let you multi Norm-into-premier in a future as they are related bets.

Like the bet though so let me know if I’m wrong!

[Hellfire Dub 160]

4 hours ago, binman said:

The flag and a norm smith to tracc double is a massive long shot.

Our odds on winning a flag will probably be something like 20-1. 

Tracc winning the norm smith propaganda 25-1 or more (hence the 500-1).

It's tough to win a flag, a lot has to go right - just ask the pies who failed to make finals the year after winning one.

500-1 is not a million miles from what you'd get for a pies flag nick daicos norm smith double.

But what I actually meant was it is even money the following would happen (not that you could bet on it):

Dees have a cracking preseason.

The Max, Jack, tracc and clarry band gets back together.

The young Turks (JVR, mcvee, Windsor, Kolt, disco and pick 5) make their own music.

I see no reason why the above won't happen.

But to be honest you are reading way too much into what was a light-hearted post not a serious prediction.

A serious prediction - we will make finals next year. 

Thanks, I just wanted your cold numerical analysis. 

Like most people here I'm trying to figure out what all this means for us in football outcomes.  Your optimism is appreciated today after a lot of negative news and is keeping the MFCSS at bay. 

I think we could and should play finals next year.  That should be our minimum goal. 

I doubt CP5 will be anything like his best next year and I don't expect he'll play till the latter half at least.  

The long break might be helpful and it's largely dependant on injuries and trading in some good replacements.  Some of the new kids are going well, but there are quite a few gaps opening up on the list. 

I hope we have the good trading and drafting period that we need.  

[Skuit 10,031]

9 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Reckon players are savvy enough to know anything they say to a journo is getting a run in the papers. They're grown adults. If they talk they know what they're getting involved in.

Sounds like at least one of our players was conned in the past: Jesse Hogan on Tom Morris: “Honest leech. Had a job at Melbourne football club that was private and used it and leaked private conversations to get a leg up. Not even involving me but genuine leech of a personality. Have never seen a faker figure in media.”

[daisycutter 29,612]

10 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Reckon players are savvy enough to know anything they say to a journo is getting a run in the papers. They're grown adults. If they talk they know what they're getting involved in.

hmmm ... not sure about the "grown adults" bit, reflecting on recent history

[KozzyCan 764]

1 minute ago, Skuit said:

Sounds like at least one of our players was conned in the past: Jesse Hogan on Tom Morris: “Honest leech. Had a job at Melbourne football club that was private and used it and leaked private conversations to get a leg up. Not even involving me but genuine leech of a personality. Have never seen a faker figure in media.”

Morris was starting out at that stage not many would have really heard of him. He also worked for the club. So a bit different. Would be like if Ben Gibson or Matt Burgan had revealed club secrets. Not surprised someone let their guard down in that scenario.

Very different when the club is under fire from all directions and every journo in the state is looking for a quote. Was a time where the club needed to circle the wagons and sort things out behind closed doors. Instead we saw new information getting leaked every day from different sections of the club.

Was a very disappointing episode for the club imo.

[KozzyCan 764]

6 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

hmmm ... not sure about the "grown adults" bit, reflecting on recent history

That's kind of the point I'm getting at.

[The Jackson FIX 3,099]

1 hour ago, danielE288 said:

The Petracca Fallout: All the key points and what could happen next 

An interesting read.
 

Genuinely can’t figure out what they’re all ‘not on the same page’ about though… you hear ‘communication’ thrown around a lot but I’m pretty sure this whole saga hasn’t been caused by a few crossed wires here and there… feels like Trac is looking for something significantly more tangible to occur (like a key figure gone, or a player behavioural committment that is uncomfortable for many of the playing group

[At the break of Gawn 4,460]

4 hours ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

Main takeaway from the new Tom Morris comments was that he said that Tracc wanted to go to Collingwood, not to a big club. Thought that was interesting. 

 

Considering his brother ran through a Collingwood banner for his own wedding (source Instagram) then the comment by Trac’s Dad at the B&F that “We’re a Collingwood family” really does hold true.

[daisycutter 29,612]

1 minute ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Considering his brother ran through a Collingwood banner for his own wedding (source Instagram) then the comment by Trac’s Dad at the B&F that “We’re a Collingwood family” really does hold true.

and that would explain tracc's handshake and backslap of maynard next game after brayshaw incident. big hug coming up for darcy i'd guess