4 hours ago, 48 Year Now said:

I again agree

Kolt Windsor Langford Lindsay. Potential top liners

Ferguson Turner Van Rooyen Potential Key Position players.

Established Max, few years left. Viney a few more years left, Trac still very good or trade value. Oliver, still very good or trade Value. Kossie a Star. May, few more years left. Lever 3-4 years left

Nearly there. McVee , Rivers.Petty

That’s 17 good players if all fit.

Might have missed a few

Ferguson?

Bring in a hungry coach and coaching group. Move Petracca and Pickett on, Oliver too if there are picks on the table. If Petty wants to move again, and has a good year in defence, let him go for a decent pick. Let Lever, Viney, May, Gawn, Langdon earn their money and protect the kids from complete humiliation. Bank high picks and pick up ready kids.

Edited March 30Mar 30 by Pirlo

On 29/03/2025 at 05:24, seventyfour said:

Package Rivers, McVee and JVR for West Coast's first and second round picks.

Package all of our good young players for two picks. Genius way to rebuild.

On 29/03/2025 at 05:59, seventyfour said:

You can trade 2 years of first round picks as of this year. So Collingwood could give us their 2026 and 2027 firsts.

2027 will be a heavily compromised draft. Collingwood's first pick would likely be in the 20s.

No damn rebuild. Make some tough list calls and trade for ready made talent.

Why?

We don't have our first pick. We still have generational talent. Other teams have shown that a rebuild is not required rather a rejig.

We are on shaky ground off the field and the post Daniher era showed perhaps a rebuild is not the way. We can't do that again. We can't be like North was.

We adjust and go full steam head. No losing culture again.

Edited March 30Mar 30 by kurtneverdied

We are glad we got a flag and goodwins contest and defence plan helped a lot . But times have changed and he shoukdnt get a free pass for the past. If we follow that logic then we’ll never improve . Let’s get ruthless

I’m not up for a scorched earth rebuild. Kozzy will go and that will get us back into the first round This year and possibly and extra pick in the first Round next year.

Hate to hear myself say it but banish Melksham and McDonald to VFL, they aren’t the future.

You keep trac and Oliver. They can be our Pendles and Sidebottom. But move them out of the prime spots more often to allow the younger brigade to have more centre bounce.

Give Jefferson and Adams as much opportunity as possible in the 1’s to fast track their development.

7 hours ago, TRIGON said:

Ferguson?

Jefferson,

12 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

Yeah they have reinvented themselves as has JJ and Bedford. This says to me that the environment with MFC is a bit suffocating and doesn’t allow the players to use some of their natural talent.

I get this is somewhat by design as the system supersedes individual talent.

Absolutely

Why are we (seemingly) not into Matty Rowell big time??

20 hours ago, Macca said:

Similar to what Richmond have done

Whoa. Richmond have cut to the absolute bone. The only reason Taranto and Hopper are there is because they signed them to long deals in a moment of madness, believing they were a chance to win a fourth Flag in the era.

Cutting like Richmond is the definition of bottoming out.

Look at the Cats, they never go into total rebuild mode, they just do a 'rolling rebuild' continuously.

I reckon we actually started a 'rolling rebuild' after Tracs injury last year. Look at all the young players we brought in. We also drafted really well. Given that we contested well in R1, I suspect that our malaise with our core (elite) group is all above the shoulders. Get that right and we are competitive.

It's an even competition and if your stars don't fire, you're done.

On 29/03/2025 at 17:34, whatwhat say what said:

i would be amazed if we get more than one first rounder for petracca

and we'll have to pay him to leave

He's worth more to us to just keep, more trouble and we will get shafted by trading and then he will probably be awesome where ever he goes.

The list has been scorched in the media. I do wonder at times whether the commentators etc jump on here to get the general supporter sentiment and use some of that as their own content. The fact that they have suggested to break up the mids (Kingy called them the Beatles) is not necessarily earth shattering but interesting that it aligns with a lot of the perspectives on here.

As much as i agree with this, i never ever would have thought we would come to see this day. The midfield was one area that i thought would stand the test of time and we would always have an edge...it is just such a typical Melbourne issue to have.

3 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

As much as i agree with this, i never ever would have thought we would come to see this day. The midfield was one area that i thought would stand the test of time and we would always have an edge...it is just such a typical Melbourne issue to have.

Doesn't help we've come up against a bunch of talented young Mids but very disheartening so far seeing teams cut straight through us in the middle with the players in our squad.

4 minutes ago, roy11 said:

Doesn't help we've come up against a bunch of talented young Mids but very disheartening so far seeing teams cut straight through us in the middle with the players in our squad.

There is still a large part of me that thinks its form and function. You dont just go from the heights of our dominance 2 years ago to wondering in the wilderness. The absolute nosedive has to have more to it.

24 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

The only reason Taranto and Hopper

You've edited my post and therefore taken my comments out of context

So what we could end up doing is being caught up in a rebuild of sorts if 2 or 3 particular players are looking elsewhere at seasons end

So by default, without our club initiating proceedings, we can end up in a rebuild of sorts

So I'm not advocating cutting to the bone as Richmond have done at all

That's you misinterpreting what I've actually said

The 2 or 3 players in question are Petracca, Oliver & Kozzie. And there's a chance there might be a couple more lesser lights wanting out ... after all, over the last few seasons we've lost Harmes, Hogan, Baker, Jordon, Bedford etc etc

All players have a certain value so we could end up holding a number of picks in the 2025 draft, not necessarily by our design

So no need to panic as trading players is a part of the sport

Right now, would any of us here not entertain the thought of receiving at a minimum, 2 first round draft picks for either Petracca, Oliver or Kozzie? (actually, 6 first rounders in total if all 3 take off)

That's some bounty

Edited March 30Mar 30 by Macca

There was 5 easy goals left on the table in the first quarter. We bumbled going inside fifty time and again. Then late in the second we were 2 goals down and got opened up in the middle. That’s the game right there. Our experienced players got smashed. That’s on them. I’m still a believer but we need a lot more from our leaders. Play Petracca, Langford, Lindsay and Windsor in the middle, put Viney forward and see what happens. It couldn’t be worse than what we saw the last 2 weeks. Leave Langdon on the wing.

Edited March 30Mar 30 by Roost it far

On 29/03/2025 at 15:47, Return to Glory said:

Demonlanders, this may well be the first topic I've created (possibly second), but I'm curious as to whether people think we should now be focusing primarily on a rebuild? And making selection calls in line with it.

I certainly do and I'm fearful that if we don't make hard decisions now, we'll be stuck in the doldrums for a very long time.

Thoughts?

Rebuild? What do you think is happening? Six debutants in two games is not a rebuild? Geelong doesn't rebuild. The Swans don't rebuild. They add to what strengths they have. They don't sell Petracca, Oliver, Gawn and bring in teenagers. Look at Hawthorn, North Melbourne - they are playing with enthusiasm. Our problem is mental, not physical.

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Why are we (seemingly) not into Matty Rowell big time??

We haven't been into anyone of note since May and Lever...Houston until Tracc killed te trade. We are once again a club that refuses to, or is not attractive enough to, gain the services of recognised AFL talent leaving other AFL sides.

The fact that North added Darling and Parker and we added Sharp, McAdam and Billings, tells you our trade philosophy. Sorry, but we go for the speculative NQR types and VFL heroes, believing we can turn them elite, probably because it worked once with Bailey Fritsch.

We also traded away so much talent for little return and people wonder why we are in this position. I'll throw some names up:

Harmes

Baker

Jordon

Bedford

Neale - Bullen

All given away for a bag of chips....in McAdam, Billings, Sharp

9 minutes ago, Macca said:

You've edited my post and therefore taken my comments out of context

So what we could end up doing is being caught up in a rebuild of sorts if 2 or 3 particular players are looking elsewhere at seasons end

So by default, without our club initiating proceedings, we can end up in a rebuild of sorts

So I'm not advocating cutting to the bone as Richmond have done at all

That's you misinterpreting what I've actually said

The 2 or 3 players in question are Petracca, Oliver & Kozzie. And there's a chance there might be a couple more lesser lights wanting out ... after all, over the last few seasons we've lost Harmes, Hogan, Baker, Jordon, Bedford etc etc

All players have a certain value so we could end up holding a number of picks in the 2025 draft, not necessarily by our design

So no need to panic as trading players is a part of the sport

Right now, would any of us here not entertain the thought of receiving at a minimum, 2 first round draft picks for either Petracca, Oliver or Kozzie? (actually, 6 first rounders in total if all 3 take off)

That's some bounty

6 would be some bounty, but unlikely. As the narrative is starting to shape in the media, it is more probable that we would need to part with picks to get some of these players off our list given the salary demands. So the reality is that we may have to make way with a pick instead of getting something back. Neither Trac or Oliver is playing at a level where they are worth 2 first round pics.

44 minutes ago, D Rev said:

Look at the Cats, they never go into total rebuild mode, they just do a 'rolling rebuild' continuously.

I reckon we actually started a 'rolling rebuild' after Tracs injury last year. Look at all the young players we brought in. We also drafted really well. Given that we contested well in R1, I suspect that our malaise with our core (elite) group is all above the shoulders. Get that right and we are competitive.

It's an even competition and if your stars don't fire, you're done.

We won't get the same special treatment like those guys.

9 minutes ago, Trident22 said:

Harmes - Depth only, mutual decision to part ways.

Baker - Delisted, not up to it and just a fringe player at Footscray

Jordon - Free agent, left despite us offering him a contract

Bedford - Left despite us offering him a contract

Neale - Bullen - Left for family reasons

15 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

Neither Trac or Oliver is playing at a level where they are worth 2 first round pics.

That could easily change

Last season, myself and a few others here were advocating snagging 2 picks in the top 10 ... and it happened

The old group isn't going to win our next flag where as a new group of players can win our next flag

So we need to let go of the past and start afresh (that could be with a new coach as well)

If players absolutely want out, let them go but trade aggressively

13 minutes ago, Macca said:

You've edited my post and therefore taken my comments out of context

So what we could end up doing is being caught up in a rebuild of sorts if 2 or 3 particular players are looking elsewhere at seasons end

So by default, without our club initiating proceedings, we can end up in a rebuild of sorts

So I'm not advocating cutting to the bone as Richmond have done at all

That's you misinterpreting what I've actually said

The 2 or 3 players in question are Petracca, Oliver & Kozzie. And there's a chance there might be a couple more lesser lights wanting out ... after all, over the last few seasons we've lost Harmes, Hogan, Baker, Jordon, Bedford etc etc

All players have a certain value so we could end up holding a number of picks in the 2025 draft, not necessarily by our design

So no need to panic as trading players is a part of the sport

Right now, would any of us here not entertain the thought of receiving at a minimum, 2 first round draft picks for either Petracca, Oliver or Kozzie? (actually, 6 first rounders in total if all 3 take off)

That's some bounty

My apologies. I thought you meant accepting we're completely buggered and basically starting again.

You're talking about not standing in the way of very good players wanting to leave as Richmond did with Bolton, Baker, Rioli and Graham, so long as the price is right. Although, I would argue they did that because they realised they were completely buggered and needed to start again.

I generally agree that if a player depserately doesn't want to be at your club, forcing them to stay becomes more and more unproductive as the years progress (and the resentment builds).

I do think, however, that if all the cards fell a certain way, and as you've suggested we ended up trading out Petracca, Oliver, Pickett, Rivers, JVR and Fritsch, we'd then be relying on mostly kids (Langford, Windsor, Lindsay, McVee, Turner, Jefferson and some high picks from the coming draft) and players very close to the end of their careers to keep us competitive.

This may be unavoidable and even preferable to dabbling with mediocrity for five or ten years, but the 2008 to 2014 period taught me that throwing kids into the deep end doesn't always work.