25 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I mean if you read the full quote Houston never actually lied. They're all carefully crafted statements.

Even from Jacksons manager today it all alludes to him staying, but reading the words he actually stops short of saying that explicitly.

Edited May 14May 14 by mmwd6

1 hour ago, jaydenh10 said:

tmac 3 or 2

Good lord man! I certainly hope not.

If we haven't put games into young key backs and are relying on Tmac in 3 years time we are in deep trouble

Like May, the guy can barely bend below his knees!

Next year is it for Tmac. Been a wonderful player, premiership player, will be fondly remembered

Edited May 14May 14 by Stiff Arm

50 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

8 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Yeh cause that worked so well for Freo and Essendon

Taking my comment far too literally there mate, it was meant in tongue in cheek - obviously Bell and Dodoro are scrubs.

Ultimately I’m just hoping for a positive net outcome should the trade eventuate

Edited May 14May 14 by In Gawn we Trust

Must keep Kozz…

Puts a bit of interest back into a Dud Season

I can only laugh about how Dennis pagan must be viewing AFL youngsters these days. "Don't p##s down my back and tell me it's raining"!

45 minutes ago, Stiff Arm said:

Good lord man! I certainly hope not.

If we haven't put games into young key backs and are relying on Tmac in 3 years time we are in deep trouble

Like May, the guy can barely bend below his knees!

Next year is it for Tmac. Been a wonderful player, premiership player, will be fondly remembered

crazy, tmac carrying us this year we would still be winless without him, i mentioned before not sure on what thread we should put lever and may on ice for the rest of the year since they are cooked, get them ready for next year and put them in the coaches box and learn a thing or two for when they retire, then we can look at adam’s and maybe kento although i don’t think he has the fitness after -3 weeks of preseason

3 hours ago, jaydenh10 said:

max 2 or 3

viney 3 or 4

may 1

lever 2

tmac 3 or 2

melk 1

I think you’re being a little over optimistic where Max is concerned, Lever 2 years?? That’s crazy talk!! He’s 29… and probably has a good 4 years left in him (injuries permitting), and I’ll be very surprised if TMac goes beyond next year.

But that’s just my opinion… it’d be pretty boring if we all agreed about everything.

3 hours ago, Dingo said:

Todd Goldstein is playing for Essendon.Not bad for an old fella.

Yes, I think he’s the exception to the rule, besides which, he’s now the second string ruck who’s only been brought into the team to fill the vacancy left by Draper.

I’d much prefer to see Max go out on top, rather than being relegated to being someone who sits at Casey waiting for an opportunity to get a run in the AFL.

I’m not a religious fella, but I’m praying that he’ll somehow manage to get another All Australian guernsey, so he can leave no doubt in anyone’s minds (not that there should be) as to who was the GOAT!!

Edited May 14May 14 by hardtack

On 10/03/2025 at 22:34, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Slight diversion: Which other players have left us and subsequently returned after playing with another AFL (or VFL) club? Carl Ditterich is one I can think of. I recall Gary Hardeman left and then returned, but I don't think he was at another VFL team in between. Anyone else?

More recently; Gary Ablett Jnr

10 minutes ago, TheWiz said:

More recently; Gary Ablett Jnr

If we're talking about other clubs, Jack Gunston. Only lasted one miserable season with Brisbane.

8 hours ago, jaydenh10 said:

max 2 or 3

viney 3 or 4

may 1

lever 2

tmac 3 or 2

melk 1

If we end up carrying this list of players for as long as you suggest, we are in a bad way.

20 hours ago, Redleg said:

I agree, but if he was traded to the Eagles, like Hunt, I think he would be just about a regular best 22 atm.

He therefore is worth something at least, which can be part of a trade involving several moving parts.

What did we get for Hunt? Taj is clearly not in our plans and has not really shown much when opportunity has arisen. I did not mind how he looked as a small back but he lacks the quality of disposal now required coming out of D50. He will surely be delisted at end of year and I doubt would be picked up by other clubs unless he showed significant impact at VFL level this year or at a state level post delisting and then was re-recruited.

On 12/05/2025 at 19:00, bing181 said:

From the Codesports article re Pickett:

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.

Basing any life decision on Quinton Narkle remaining at a club for longer than a couple of seasons seems fraught with danger.

19 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

What did we get for Hunt? Taj is clearly not in our plans and has not really shown much when opportunity has arisen. I did not mind how he looked as a small back but he lacks the quality of disposal now required coming out of D50. He will surely be delisted at end of year and I doubt would be picked up by other clubs unless he showed significant impact at VFL level this year or at a state level post delisting and then was re-recruited.

Ok, Hunt went for 52 a third rounder and I thought about same for Woey, but agree we may get nothing.

7 hours ago, hardtack said:

I think you’re being a little over optimistic where Max is concerned, Lever 2 years?? That’s crazy talk!! He’s 29… and probably has a good 4 years left in him (injuries permitting), and I’ll be very surprised if TMac goes beyond next year.

But that’s just my opinion… it’d be pretty boring if we all agreed about everything.

I think if we brought in Jackson we could hope to get 2/3 years out of Max if he doesn’t sustain a major injury. He’s still running other rucks into the ground and covers and amazing amount of ground. He’s work rate is off the charts.

LJ would allow us to greatly reduce Max’s work load and I could see him being around for a while yet.

Those who think rucks don’t matter have you not been watching Max Gawn play for us? Seriously we’d be lucky to have won a game this year without him. As far as Luke Jackson goes he’s like Max, in that he’s more than a ruck. Max is a one man down the line marking machine. Jackson is a ruck rover. He actively helps the mids clear the ball, he can also play reasonably well as a tall forward. Whilst I’d hate to lose Koz it feels inevitable. To get Jackson would make it palatable to me. I think Jackson has a fair amount of upside and if you seriously think that as a ruckman he doesn’t make us better when Max retires, you don’t understand football.

there's no reason to think that gawn won't play for as long as goldstein

they're both aerobic beasts, which is part of the reason that they're so, so good in their dotage

28 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

there's no reason to think that gawn won't play for as long as goldstein

they're both aerobic beasts, which is part of the reason that they're so, so good in their dotage

Gawn loves keeping fit cycling, running etc. if the Jacko trade works out for us there is no reason he can't play till he's 38.

Edited May 14May 14 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

4 hours ago, bing181 said:

If we're talking about other clubs, Jack Gunston. Only lasted one miserable season with Brisbane.

There have been a few at other clubs, including Gunston and Ablett Jr. Trent Croad and Paul Salmon come quickly to mind.

The only players I'm aware of that left Melbourne and subsequently returned after a stint at another VFL/AFL club are Carl Ditterich and Crackers Keenan. I'm keen to know if there were any others, though.

48 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

there's no reason to think that gawn won't play for as long as goldstein

they're both aerobic beasts, which is part of the reason that they're so, so good in their dotage

Goldstein being resurrected just proves the point about how critical rucks are in modern footy - and makes a complete nonsense of greenwaves assertion that 'Rucks are becoming less important in the modern game. Many coaches don't care too much about the ruck, they're happy to break even.'

I mean, the bombers lose their number one AND back up ruck and instead of doing what say the tigers did back in 2017 when they didn't have a number one ruck and use a medium tall to 'break even' they instead called up a bloke who is 36 and had likely resigned himself to not playing another game of AFL football.

22 minutes ago, binman said:

Goldstein being resurrected just proves the point about how critical rucks are in modern footy - and makes a complete nonsense of greenwaves assertion that 'Rucks are becoming less important in the modern game. Many coaches don't care too much about the ruck, they're happy to break even.'

I mean, the bombers lose their number one AND back up ruck and instead of doing what say the tigers did back in 2017 when they didn't have a number one ruck and use a medium tall to 'break even' they instead called up a bloke who is 36 and had likely resigned himself to not playing another game of AFL football.

And they are supposedly re-signing their retired ruckman, Andrew Phillips, in the midseason draft to help Goldy.

13 hours ago, ANG13 said:

Overall I think rucks are overrated and the last three premiers have all had below average rucks in the grand final. Not saying the clubs didn’t worry about rucks though

But I think rucks like LJ and TDK are incredibly important in the modern game. They are probably two of the most important players at their clubs and I would love either of them at Melbourne.

Whether rucks are overrated is another discussion, but the last three premiers having below average rucks in the grand final actually show how important they are.

Regardless of their level all three teams selected rucks rather than being prepared to 'break even'

Take the Lions.

The Lions have one of the best rucks in the AFL, crucial to their success and making 2 grand finals in a row. When the big O was injured, the lions had the option of using Daniher (a pretty handy back up in the last few seasons) in the ruck with Hipwood as back up.

What did they do?

Bring in Darcey Fort, the classic journeyman old school ruck who had played a grand total of 38 AFL games since his debut in 2019.

25 minutes ago, binman said:

Whether rucks are overrated is another discussion, but the last three premiers having below average rucks in the grand final actually show how important they are.

Regardless of their level all three teams selected rucks rather than being prepared to 'break even'

Take the Lions.

The Lions have one of the best rucks in the AFL, crucial to their success and making 2 grand finals in a row. When the big O was injured, the lions had the option of using Daniher (a pretty handy back up in the last few seasons) in the ruck with Hipwood as back up.

What did they do?

Bring in Darcey Fort, the classic journeyman old school ruck who had played a grand total of 38 AFL games since his debut in 2019.

The issue is not whether rucks are valuable or invaluable but are you (WE) willing to devote more percentage of your cap to a ruck. The output gap between 2nd best ruckman and 16tth best is actually really small. The wage gap is huge. Apart from flynn/williams who is the worst ruckman in the league. Couldnt tell you myself.

Without Max the gap will be even smaller. Taking Jackson would mean in a few years we will be paying our ruckman more as a percentage of cap than we do to Gawn. (He's criminally underpaid). Sure Jackson also doubles as a forward but id say the clubs that have enjoyed the most success over the past decade have underpaid their rucks for the output they get not overpaid (including us). Thats the way to do it.

He is a fine player, but Jackson is too expensive for what he procduces week in week out imo. However, it wouldnt be a list killing move like tdk at 1.6 would be.

10 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

The issue is not whether rucks are valuable or invaluable but are you (WE) willing to devote more percentage of your cap to a ruck. The output gap between 2nd best ruckman and 16tth best is actually really small. The wage gap is huge. Apart from flynn/williams who is the worst ruckman in the league. Couldnt tell you myself.

Without Max the gap will be even smaller. Taking Jackson would mean in a few years we will be paying our ruckman more as a percentage of cap than we do to Gawn. (He's criminally underpaid). Sure Jackson also doubles as a forward but id say the clubs that have enjoyed the most success over the past decade have underpaid their rucks for the output they get not overpaid (including us). Thats the way to do it.

He is a fine player, but Jackson is too expensive for what he procduces week in week out imo. However, it wouldnt be a list killing move like tdk at 1.6 would be.

Your ruck is only overpaid if his only contribution is winning the tap. Jackson plays like a ruck rover, often featuring heavily in post clearance work. He’s also a decent tall forward. I’d suggest he’s also an above average mark. In short he’s a weapon. Again I don’t want to lose Kozz but if Jackson is the payment and hopefully some steak knives I’ll live with that.