9 hours ago, Colm said:

He’s not player at a level that’s reflects his $900k a year contract. We are already not getting value for money from Clarry and still on the hook for some of Brayshaw’s contract. I don’t think we can afford him unless Freo are willing to pay a chunk which won’t happen.

I don't think these blokes are a burden on the Club the way you mentioned, at all. Clarry is a( wanted at every other club) revelation. Bradshaw...it's not a matter of being "on the hook".

What we owe both of them is intangible.

Other Clubs would have held a commemorative game to celebrate that flag by now.

Whoever has to replace Max is on a hiding to nothing, may as well be somebody we've got happy memories of.

55 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

I don't think these blokes are a burden on the Club the way you mentioned, at all. Clarry is a( wanted at every other club) revelation. Bradshaw...it's not a matter of being "on the hook".

What we owe both of them is intangible.

Other Clubs would have held a commemorative game to celebrate that flag by now.

I wasn’t having a crack at either of those two players. Such a shame Gus is no longer playing and I hope Clarry sticks around and returns to his former high standards.

My point is about cap space, as I understand it as the AFL’s contribution towards Brayshaw’s contract decreases each year and Clarry’s contract increases up to $1.7m. That’s a fair whack of cap space gone for the next few seasons and if Clarry can’t return to his former high standards then we aren’t going to be getting a great return for investment.

Having said all that, I had a look at the money clubs are paying other rucks and $900k for Luke isn’t stupid money these days

9 hours ago, roy11 said:

How willing would Freo be to get rid of LJ when the other main ruck is injury prone and not that mobile, and on 1 mil a season.

Yeah regardless of how real him wanting to come back is he's basically trapped there. Darcy is fully cooked now. No way they trade him for anything. Don't even think they'd be that desperate for Kozzy anymore.

4 hours ago, Anti-Saint said:

G QBD ... Garry looks a bit like the robot out of Get Smart in this clip!

Wow. That brings back a lot of memories

Price is Right was a regular show during dinner at our house!!!

I’d have him back but I don’t reckon he’ll come back

Pity we didn’t jag 22 with him playing half heartedly

On 06/05/2025 at 23:35, John Demonic said:

7 hours ago, Anti-Saint said:

G QBD ... Garry looks a bit like the robot out of Get Smart in this clip!

Doesn't he!

Anyways, 'Luke Jackson, come on down!'

“WA is an unbelievable to place to be when you’re 18, 19, like it’s a great party and these Perth boys go back at 22 and all their mates have sort of grown up a bit,” he said on Triple M.

“There’s so many people that got a trade back to WA and then came back, not mentioning one that potentially could be coming back soon ... let’s hope.”

Host Mick Molloy’s ears pricked up at the comment, to which Gawn quickly said he was only “going off what The Agenda Setters say” and pointed to Channel 7’s Nick Riewoldt.

Jackson has maintained a close relationship with his premiership coach Simon Goodwin after joining the Dockers ahead of the 2023 season.

Fremantle is also heavily pursuing a trade for contracted Melbourne small forward Kozzy Pickett and any move for Jackson could form part of a transaction.

The West Australian

Max Gawn drops subtle hint on potential Luke Jackson trade

The superstar captain was speaking about Jesse Hogan when he made the link to the Fremantle big man.

What I’ve been hearing for sometime now is that Luke has had a major falling out with a very close family member and they haven’t spoken for a while.

Luke is a very popular teammate, but he’s a very simple bloke and probably didn’t understand the real motives for his family wanting him back in Perth on a big contract.

His girlfriend is in Melbourne, and he certainly realises that it’s also better for his long term financial wellbeing to be out of Perth.

At the same time I’m hearing that certain people at the Dees are getting weary of “walking on eggshells” around Kozzie

The Club loves Kozzie and Kozzie loves the Club, but recently there has been a growing recognition from many in the Club that Kozzie needs to be in WA.

There’s a lot to play out, but this swap seems to resolve the need for two players to move to where they want to live.

The most fascinating thing will be what each Club will want as a sweetener.

Just now, goodwindees said:

The most fascinating thing will be what each Club will want as a sweetener.

straight swap, player for player

first time since mitch clark - heritier lumumba - travis varcoe?

Interesting (?) article by Jon Ralph on Code Sports. (paywall):

Nine weeks in and Melbourne has steadied its ship tactically, shored up its coach’s position, and yet still isn’t anywhere near the AFL’s best sides.

At 3-6, it isn’t time for despair though.

It isn’t even time to give the season away – the Demons face Brisbane (away), Collingwood, Gold Coast and Adelaide in the next 11 weeks but also West Coast, North Melbourne, St Kilda (twice), Port Adelaide and Sydney.

But the sample size we have seen so far is enough to show the course ahead.

Like Essendon has in recent years, the Demons can lift their eyes to the horizon and set that course for 2027-2029 through smart list management moves that require bravery and an element of risk.

...

Melbourne hasn’t given up on Luke Jackson returning but every time Sean Darcy’s knee fails him the Dockers’ resolve to retain their unicorn of a ruckman should harden.

Jackson is contracted to 2029, has games-based clauses for even longer, will soon be paid over $1 million a year and the Dockers would be plain stupid to let him leave for any sum or trade package.

So the task ahead is simple.

Keep playing the kids, slowly begin to integrate the Brad Scott-style message about considering the medium-term future, keep working on those relationships.

Then if a knock-your-socks off offer comes for Lever or Petracca or Pickett, the discussions can be had in a calm, sensible manner instead of the Demons losing in the kind of fire sale they would have had to accept last year.

A premiership within the last five seasons gives the club and its coach some breathing space, as does a president (Brad Green) and a new CEO (Paul Guerra) who would like Goodwin to be part of the future.

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/melbourne/wreck-it-ralph-melbourne-have-steadied-the-ship-now-they-should-look-to-the-future/news-story/70c1e8adad488405b1a75d7f2e0f706d?amp&fbclid=IwY2xjawKOlhpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFEalV4eEhjeVBwZXFEbTVkAR5S1pL-Vad8J-UQiWS6iS4lTheh-3mZJTtNJQ6EpF0Fhz4AqrUz4j3kCalbfA_aem_h6wxlHzIvKAGKRyL2DOt1A

2 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

straight swap, player for player

Feel like we'd lose on that, Pickett changes the team in a way that Jackson never will/can. Not knocking Jackson either, would be fabulous to have him back.

From the Codesports article re Pickett:

KOZZIE PICKETT

Melbourne’s No.1 priority with Pickett should be to extend his contract, not allow him to leave.

He is a generational talent who transforms Melbourne from drab to dangerous.

His new manager Anthony Van Der Wielen will spend the next few months finding out what Pickett really wants.

Safe to say the Dockers are relatively confident given the links to their club – Shai Bolton, Isaiah Dudley, Quinton Narkle, whose partner Taylah Cubillo is the sister of Pickett’s partner Ardu Cubillo.

Van Der Wielen didn’t take him on to move him west like fellow clients Tim Kelly and Bolton, he did it because Kelly and Bolton were keen to have him on board.

He wants to set up Pickett’s financial future past 2027, so is open to a contract extension wherever it comes.

So Melbourne’s priority shouldn’t be to retain him to 2027, it should be offering him a long-term deal on well over $1 million past that date.

If it costs $4 million to extend him from 2027 to 2030, then so be it.

They are very open to that possibility but for now are thrilled he is playing dynamic football and is enjoying his time at the club.

Securing two mid-ranked first-rounders for Pickett (and some steak-knives picks) will never get them fair compensation so the only play is to keep him or extend him.

2 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Then if a knock-your-socks off offer comes for Lever or Petracca or Pickett, the discussions can be had in a calm, sensible manner instead of the Demons losing in the kind of fire sale they would have had to accept last year.

If anyone's silly enough to ask the question of Lever's availability we should take what we can get and run

It will cost us a lot and I don't think he's that good.

31 minutes ago, goodwindees said:

What I’ve been hearing for sometime now is that Luke has had a major falling out with a very close family member and they haven’t spoken for a while.

Luke is a very popular teammate, but he’s a very simple bloke and probably didn’t understand the real motives for his family wanting him back in Perth on a big contract.

His girlfriend is in Melbourne, and he certainly realises that it’s also better for his long term financial wellbeing to be out of Perth.

At the same time I’m hearing that certain people at the Dees are getting weary of “walking on eggshells” around Kozzie

The Club loves Kozzie and Kozzie loves the Club, but recently there has been a growing recognition from many in the Club that Kozzie needs to be in WA.

There’s a lot to play out, but this swap seems to resolve the need for two players to move to where they want to live.

The most fascinating thing will be what each Club will want as a sweetener.

Thanks as always. The family bit is interesting, I reckon I could guess what that is. The tidbit about eggshells is equally interesting.

25 minutes ago, adonski said:

If anyone's silly enough to ask the question of Lever's availability we should take what we can get and run

Where did Lever’s name come from? There’s speculation someone wants him?!

5 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Where did Lever’s name come from? There’s speculation someone wants him?!

The Jon Ralph article posted above. It reads more like Ralphy thinking out loud rather than anything meaningful:

Then if a knock-your-socks off offer comes for Lever or Petracca or Pickett, the discussions can be had in a calm, sensible manner instead of the Demons losing in the kind of fire sale they would have had to accept last year.

2 minutes ago, adonski said:

The Jon Ralph article posted above. It reads more like Ralphy thinking out loud rather than anything meaningful:

Then if a knock-your-socks off offer comes for Lever or Petracca or Pickett, the discussions can be had in a calm, sensible manner instead of the Demons losing in the kind of fire sale they would have had to accept last year.

im sure adelaide would love him back

39 minutes ago, goodwindees said:

What I’ve been hearing for sometime now is that Luke has had a major falling out with a very close family member and they haven’t spoken for a while.

Luke is a very popular teammate, but he’s a very simple bloke and probably didn’t understand the real motives for his family wanting him back in Perth on a big contract.

His girlfriend is in Melbourne, and he certainly realises that it’s also better for his long term financial wellbeing to be out of Perth.

At the same time I’m hearing that certain people at the Dees are getting weary of “walking on eggshells” around Kozzie

The Club loves Kozzie and Kozzie loves the Club, but recently there has been a growing recognition from many in the Club that Kozzie needs to be in WA.

There’s a lot to play out, but this swap seems to resolve the need for two players to move to where they want to live.

The most fascinating thing will be what each Club will want as a sweetener.

I literally saw this play out on that Flagmantle facebook page.. it was getting that nasty between family members that the dumb [censored] that run that page didn't even delete the comments and left it all on there for everyone to see.

Definitely wasn't pretty..

I don’t want to lose Kozzy and would much rather keep him than bring in Jackson (if the two are mutually exclusive)

BUT if the club is resigned to losing him at the end of his contract I’d much rather bring in a known quantity in an elite player like Jackson than be forced to take a couple of middling first round picks

If both story lines continue to develop it could be very interesting come trade time

Edited May 12May 12 by demoncat

Operation get Jackson underway.

Buckley up folks.

Nope not doing a straight swap. Kozzy is on peanuts compared to LJ. If we are to take on his salary until 2029 then it has to come with this years first round pick. Kozzy is really starting to show what he is capable of. He has another 2-3 years before he hits prime Kozzy. LJ hasnt really improved to the levels we all expected.