Just now, KozzyCan said:

Essendon copping a lot of heat. Merret handling himself very poorly but weird to see his teammates make public statements about how disappointed in him they are.

Easily worse situation than Trac last year.

Yeah at least last year our players kept their angst towards Trac behind closed doors.

How does Merrett walk back from this? It's obvious he doesn't want to, and is hoping the scorched earth approach gets him what he wants.

Didn't work for Trac tho.

50 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Essendon copping a lot of heat. Merret handling himself very poorly but weird to see his teammates make public statements about how disappointed in him they are.

Easily worse situation than Trac last year.

TM who broke both stories has said: "... a saga turning into a “really ugly war” between the star midfielder and the Bombers ... Make no mistake, this is the Christian Petracca situation on steroids"

Thankfully, our club handled Petracca very diplomatically and neither party burnt the bridges.

imv there is no way back for Merrett as captain nor as a player.

They'll be out of finals for a few more decades!

Edited September 12, 2025Sep 12 by Lucifers Hero

But did Petracca meet with any other clubs? Obviously his management were doing things in the background. Merrett is not quite on the same coin as Trac is he? Also has less to run on his contract.

1 hour ago, whatwhat say what said:

they are, i thought

I always felt that we cop it much much worse than any other clubs but is that mainly because I am emotionally invested in the MFC and not the other clubs therefore it feels much worse when its aimed at us?

2 minutes ago, deelusions from afar said:

But did Petracca meet with any other clubs? Obviously his management were doing things in the background. Merrett is not quite on the same coin as Trac is he? Also has less to run on his contract.

I dont think it ever got beyond managers speaking. Trac realised very quickly that none of his choice clubs could meet his salary demands.

There were two things i think that limited him movement:

1. Salary demands

2. High Profile club in Melbourne that was in a competitive situation.

He was never going to Carlton, Essendon. Hawks were probably not on the cards either, but i think would have come into play if the event had unfolded this year. So really he would have tried to get to Collingwood and realised it just wasnt possible given point 1.

If he had cast his net wider i.e Hawk, Saints or interstate, there would have been clubs able to afford him. Then and only then would we have seen a trade request. Was never about what picks the destination club had. i have no doubt he would have done exactly what Merrett is doing and completely burnt the club in the process.

How has Chris Scott escaped scrutiny on what he did? He verbally abused a young female afl staff member. I noticed David King raised the same question.

Also what Bailey smith did to.

I just feel since Andrew Dillon has taken over there has been a bit of ill discipline among clubs. Players & even a coach dropping the f word on tv.

Shhhh

Staggered by the silence from the AFL and the Cats on the week’s events both from Smith and from the almighty Chris Scott. Culture?!?! … all we hear about is “respect & responsibility” and again the AFL is silent … I guess they will of course and have to be complicit as they double down on the snoop dogg appointment ! 🤮🤮🤮

29 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Shhhh

Staggered by the silence from the AFL and the Cats on the week’s events both from Smith and from the almighty Chris Scott. Culture?!?! … all we hear about is “respect & responsibility” and again the AFL is silent … I guess they will of course and have to be complicit as they double down on the snoop dogg appointment ! 🤮🤮🤮

But dress up at mad Monday & get 4 weeks

20 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

They are copping heaps and handling themselves very poorly.

This is a bigger mess than us in 2024 by a long shot. At least Max wasn't meeting with Sam Mitchell last year!

Why is Carlton not copping more from the media is what surprises me.

Maybe I'm listening to too much of Cornes because he went on a 20 minute rant yesterday about Merrett being a poor clubman and captain.

20 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

Glad the spotlight is firmly off the Dees for a change. They did try a few digs with Spargs and BIlling retirements not being handled the best, but it didnt obviously take.

Has the AFL said anything publically regarding the B.Smith disrespectful behaviour?

Ticked off by head office like Scott, Stengle, Bruhn, audit and everything else.

20 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Yeah at least last year our players kept their angst towards Trac behind closed doors.

How does Merrett walk back from this? It's obvious he doesn't want to, and is hoping the scorched earth approach gets him what he wants.

Didn't work for Trac tho.

There’s a huge difference between what happened with Trac and what Merrett’s doing now. Last year, whatever angst existed with Trac stayed internal. The club managed it, the player kept his dignity, and nothing spilled out that couldn’t be patched over.

https://nine.social/11eD

Is there a sports reporter more irrelevant than @sam_mcclure ? Seriously !! Such a negative negative arrogant bloke !!!

He seems obsessed with putting The Demons Down.

If Nathan Buckley could not commit to @melbournefc and wanted to check out other offers… then MFC decided to choose a coach who would commit!!

McClure is a temu Kane Cornes. He is trying to wind you up.

43 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

https://nine.social/11eD

Is there a sports reporter more irrelevant than @sam_mcclure ? Seriously !! Such a negative negative arrogant bloke !!!

He seems obsessed with putting The Demons Down.

Not every employee is good at their job.

I think this year alone I have heard him get about 10 things wrong.

Then the pearler, he said Mason Cox was in the best 3 ruckmen in the AFL.

That is about the most stupid comment of any media person I have heard this year.

3 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

https://nine.social/11eD

Is there a sports reporter more irrelevant than @sam_mcclure ? Seriously !! Such a negative negative arrogant bloke !!!

He seems obsessed with putting The Demons Down.

If Nathan Buckley could not commit to @melbournefc and wanted to check out other offers… then MFC decided to choose a coach who would commit!!

Agree with your assessment of SM, but disagree on your last point about Buckley. In The CEO’s interview on 3AW Paul was very clear that King won - “we got our man” - the contest over Buckley, not because Bucks couldn’t commit but because King was the better candidate.

@Neil Crompton agree … King was chosen as the best candidate. That’s the message we are hearing.

On 11/09/2025 at 09:09, Lucifers Hero said:

Given suspensions for other types of anti-social behaviour and offensive comments he should be suspended.

A repeat offender both on 'the bird' and verbal abuse of this particular photographer.

But he plays for Geelong and is in Brownlow contention. It will be another double standard of the AFL rules applying to some and not others.

For once I hope the media defies its complicity with the AFL and turns up the heat for a suspension.

Nothing happens. When Dilon and Co. traipsed down the highway to have that pathetic meeting with him it spoke volumes on the leadership of the AFL and Geelong.

Smith has them all bluffed, just because he can kick a footy, it seems to make him behaviour proof.

Says more about the media/AFL/Geelong hierarchy than Smith himself

Kudos to Bevo and the dogs , who are treating Ugle-Hagan in the same manner and deservedly so.

On 10/09/2025 at 16:13, Jaded No More said:

Imagine if any of our players behaved half as badly as Smith does on a regular basis…

And people think Clarry is a problem😂

I wonder how many times the AFL CEO met with Clarry to tell him how important he is to the game. Baily Smith is the poster boy of the AFL because of his looks and talent. The AFL is racist against red heads.

3 minutes ago, chookrat said:

I wonder how many times the AFL CEO met with Clarry to tell him how important he is to the game. Baily Smith is the poster boy of the AFL because of his looks and talent. The AFL is racist against red heads.

doesn't smith have more social media followers than most afl clubs?

1 hour ago, whatwhat say what said:

doesn't smith have more social media followers than most afl clubs?

This probably explains it a bit more accurately than my racist against red heads rant. It is also consistent with the AFL promoting gambling to under 16 year olds and relying on gambling commissions for more than 10% of its total revenue despite the link between gambling, mental health challenges and family voilence.

Not all there, I'm afraid.

On 13/09/2025 at 17:41, spirit of norm smith said:

@Neil Crompton agree … King was chosen as the best candidate. That’s the message we are hearing.

It was always going to be this message. No-one is ever going to say, "We chose the second-best candidate and we're happy to make do." Realistically, every time a new coach is appointed, by definition, that person is the best choice at the time.

8 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

It was always going to be this message. No-one is ever going to say, "We chose the second-best candidate and we're happy to make do." Realistically, every time a new coach is appointed, by definition, that person is the best choice at the time.

True but a) tom Morris didnt announce it first and b) the media narrative is not about how we were rejected by Buckley- we've successfully cut through that nonsense.

I had to risk sacrificing an opportunity to coach Melbourne, to keep an opportunity to coach Tasmania"

Nathan Buckley discusses missing out on the Melbourne coaching role.

📺Watch #OnTheCouch on Ch. 504 or stream via @kayosports bit.ly/41YM4ui

Sam McClure 💩💩💩💩💩

Damien Barrett ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️

“There's something that doesn't quite wash on how the Melbourne coaching process played out." 🤔

The intrigue over the Demons' coaching gig.

#9FootyClassified | Watch on Nine & 9Now 🖥️

Edited September 15, 2025Sep 15 by spirit of norm smith
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