Farewell Alex Neal-Bullen

[whatwhat say what 22,427]

19 minutes ago, binman said:

Yep. 

And a glue player. Every club needs them and losing nibbla compounds the impact of losing Gus.

Hard to replace.

huge blow imo

three heart-and-soul players lost in the space of a year

brutal

[Ugottobekidding 1,117]

Should be looking at a player swap not a draft pick. Got play tough hard ball with these players and opposition clubs.

[gs77 4,020]

3 minutes ago, Ugottobekidding said:

Should be looking at a player swap not a draft pick. Got play tough hard ball with these players and opposition clubs.

But in this case that's effectively playing hard-ball with Nibbler, not Port/Crows.  They haven't head-hunted him, he's asking to go home without demands on which club he ends up at.

[Grapeviney 9,616]

12 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

a pregnancy lasts for about nine months. 

Where are you getting these stats from?

Champion Data?

[tiers 2,816]

Before Nibbles leaves he should be requested to sign an undertaking to come back as a coach when his family has grown up a bit.

I have commented previously on his maturity during the last quarter in 2021 GF where he was calling in the forwards after each goal for a pep talk and a reminder to keep going, just like a real on field coach. I have seen this at other times but the GF is the best example.

He has always shown himself to be a thoughtful and mature player and will eventually be a good resource for our club. He will eventually continue the line of successful coaches whose playing careers were best defined as reliable, "hard at it",  above scrubber standard but below champion level eg. Jeans, Hafey, Parkin, Northey, Pagan, Clarkson, Scott x 2, Choco, etc.

[KLV 1,764]

Thanks nibbler 

Edited August 16 by KLV
Copy

[Little Goffy 14,250]

Should be be having a quiet word with Wines? We could use the additional hard body in the middle and I'm sure it would cheer up Jack Viney, too.

[Guest]

Filmed yesterday…

Gonna miss you like hell, Nibs

[Dee Zephyr 19,252]

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Filmed yesterday…

Gonna miss you like hell, Nibs

Great stuff!!!

[Demon Disciple 11,908]

I’m sorry, but with the video on MFC.com.au where ANB says it was a tough decision to make, it sounds as if it’s all a fait accompli and he’s simply going to a SA club.

Both Port & Crows know that they won’t have to offer adequate compensation, given we seek to have a net trade gain, and will use the ‘family reasons’ as a source to lower his value.

However, given his importance to the club in the defensive role he plays, we should not be parting ways with him unless it’s to our benefit (he does have another couple of years contract with us after all). We are currently at a cross roads with where we’re at as a team and need to be ruthless in our pursuit to get back up the ladder. If that means holding Nibbler to his contract, so be it.

Im tired of us being nice guys and easy to deal with at the trade table.

[bluey 1,050]

Stop playing him, what a joke, ok, see you later pal.

[Colm 1,998]

41 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

I’m sorry, but with the video on MFC.com.au where ANB says it was a tough decision to make, it sounds as if it’s all a fait accompli and he’s simply going to a SA club.

Both Port & Crows know that they won’t have to offer adequate compensation, given we seek to have a net trade gain, and will use the ‘family reasons’ as a source to lower his value.

However, given his importance to the club in the defensive role he plays, we should not be parting ways with him unless it’s to our benefit (he does have another couple of years contract with us after all). We are currently at a cross roads with where we’re at as a team and need to be ruthless in our pursuit to get back up the ladder. If that means holding Nibbler to his contract, so be it.

Im tired of us being nice guys and easy to deal with at the trade table.

This is how is see it too. Tim Kelly was in the same position a few years ago with Geelong and they held onto him for an extra year until they got the deal they want. Cats put supports around the family to try and make life easier. 
 

We just don’t have the draft capital to be letting a player of Nibblers quality go for peanuts. 

[Pirlo 813]

The more I consider it, the more frustrated I am at the short term thinking here.

Teams don't generally release news like this until after the season, when the player requests the trade and the club releases a statement saying they will assent, but they're a valuable player and the compensation has to be adequate.

Petracca leaks a statement that he's unhappy with our culture, Houston's manager rings and says they will be looking elsewhere, so what does the MFC do?

Release the news that a much loved clubman wants to go home, and we're the kind of good hearted institution who will let him go. Richardson, as Richardson does, releases a milquetoast statement that we "will now work with the SA clubs to organise a trade that benefits Melbourne and Alex".

But what's in that for the Crows or Power? We have told the bloke he's going home, we have made a song and dance of how kind we are to our players ("please reconsider, Dan!") and we now have precisely no leverage as Goody then made it clear that his family issue is important and we want him to be at home.

Adelaide held us over a barrel for an inferior, older player with less time left on his contract last summer. We handed over a second round pick, and he has played VFL all season. We now have to sing for our supper to get that pick back from them, for a far better player who they know they will be able to get for a token pick as there is no alternative. 

We have robbed Peter (Jason Taylor and team, the most functional part of our club) to pay (take the heat off) Paul (the guys presiding over a fast-sliding footy program). Just like we did last year when we traded two seconds for a three pick upgrade in the teens as part of an attempt to get Harley Reid.

Edited August 17 by Pirlo

[KLV 1,764]

Had to look up this word, well done! It is now part of my vocab.

agree with your post btw 

[Lexinator 1,651]

Some unnecessary criticism of Nibs here. Without knowing the whole situation and circumstances, how can anyone's opinion stand on legs? 

The MFC and ANB have addressed it because it got out to the media. We would have known anyway, just in several weeks' time.

He played at least 4 games already with this been known to club, do you think we are really going to leave him out of the team because of circumstances out of the club's hands and still in finals contention? I think not.

At least ANB advised Goody weeks earlier instead of waiting for after the season. If anything, it may assist us and allow more time for negotiations and enquiries to be made. In the same token, I understand it could hinder as we only have 2 clubs to deal with. 

If you think holding ANB to his contract is a good idea, have you considered he could walk to the pre-season draft or just not play altogether? I think this could be a real scenario as the club has already given its blessing. This would be a far worse scenario for our club and could damage reputations and burn bridges to deal with the clubs in the future and have far-reaching consequences years ahead.

Family comes first. ANB does not have to appease its fans, MFC is also his employer. Anyone who has or had children knows this and priorities are not just for yourself - it's your family collectively.

Sometimes life is unfair and you just got to do the best you can in the given circumstances. 

Stewing over the inevitable is going to get you bitter and twisted instead of celebrating a premiership player who had given his all to the club and playing possibly his last 2 games for the club.

[gs77 4,020]

1 hour ago, Pirlo said:

The more I consider it, the more frustrated I am at the short term thinking here.

Teams don't generally release news like this until after the season, when the player requests the trade and the club releases a statement saying they will assent, but they're a valuable player and the compensation has to be adequate.

Petracca leaks a statement that he's unhappy with our culture, Houston's manager rings and says they will be looking elsewhere, so what does the MFC do?

Release the news that a much loved clubman wants to go home, and we're the kind of good hearted institution who will let him go. Richardson, as Richardson does, releases a milquetoast statement that we "will now work with the SA clubs to organise a trade that benefits Melbourne and Alex".

But what's in that for the Crows or Power? We have told the bloke he's going home, we have made a song and dance of how kind we are to our players ("please reconsider, Dan!") and we now have precisely no leverage as Goody then made it clear that his family issue is important and we want him to be at home.

Adelaide held us over a barrel for an inferior, older player with less time left on his contract last summer. We handed over a second round pick, and he has played VFL all season. We now have to sing for our supper to get that pick back from them, for a far better player who they know they will be able to get for a token pick as there is no alternative. 

We have robbed Peter (Jason Taylor and team, the most functional part of our club) to pay (take the heat off) Paul (the guys presiding over a fast-sliding footy program). Just like we did last year when we traded two seconds for a three pick upgrade in the teens as part of an attempt to get Harley Reid.

The Nibbler news was leaked before the club announced it. Where is the evidence it was a club-orchestrated leak?

The McAdam trade is on the club, not Nibbler. Though if he can get a preseason under him, maybe his 2025 will be brighter.

[Demonland 70,902]

Nibbler got his wish to sing the song one last time.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Melbourne Football Club (@melbournefc)

 

[Lucifers Hero 39,082]

8 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

Nibbler got his wish to sing the song one last time.

 

 

 

To paraphrase a famous line from the movie Casablanca:  'Sing it again, Alex', next week!

 

Edited August 17 by Lucifers Hero

[raDeelaide 248]

We’re going to miss him. Gives it his all every single week. 

[spirit of norm smith 15,748]

Absolutely gives 100%. He was very good v Suns yesterday.  Very good. Sung the Dees song with real feeling. He’s had a very good year.  He’s a very good player.  Sad to see him go.  And he’s a very good club man and individual off field.  177 games with the Dees. 10 years.  Life membership.  👏👏👏👏👏👏

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,664]

On 13/08/2024 at 19:55, DemonOX said:

Geez the hits keep coming. 

Another punch in the balls. 

I'm no doctor, but that might explain the leak.

[Lord Neville X Flash 267]

Nibbla's trade value was discussed on latest gettable podcast (about 6:30min in)

Twomey and Beveridge had no idea (which is rare, they are normally on the money) - said that Melbourne would reject pick 27 for Nibbla 

Despite them absolutely butchering this part of the podcast, it sounds like they think Nibbla is worth Adelaides future 2nd, which is good IMO

[adonski 11,261]

3 minutes ago, Lord Neville X Flash said:

Nibbla's trade value was discussed on latest gettable podcast (about 6:30min in)

Twomey and Beveridge had no idea (which is rare, they are normally on the money) - said that Melbourne would reject pick 27 for Nibbla 

Despite them absolutely butchering this part of the podcast, it sounds like they think Nibbla is worth Adelaides future 2nd, which is good IMO

So our options are pick 27...or...pick 27 a year later

Edited August 22 by adonski

[Bates Mate 4,452]

3 minutes ago, Lord Neville X Flash said:

Nibbla's trade value was discussed on latest gettable podcast (about 6:30min in)

Twomey and Beveridge had no idea (which is rare, they are normally on the money) - said that Melbourne would reject pick 27 for Nibbla 

Despite them absolutely butchering this part of the podcast, it sounds like they think Nibbla is worth Adelaides future 2nd, which is good IMO

Adelaide have the ability to rise up the ladder next year so their future second may be not worth much more or even worse

[Lord Neville X Flash 267]

1 minute ago, adonski said:

So our options are pick 27...or...pick 27 a year later

Have a listen and try to interpret it lol

 

I think they meant to say Adelaide will reject out ask of 27 and offer a future second, assuming they will climb the ladder. Also this draft is meant to be very deep, so this years 2nd round maybe seen as more valuable than next years