14 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

It's about the most outrageous claim Tom Morris has ever made, which is saying something and i don't blame him because it's not him on his own pushing this.

Trac could have declared his love for the club at the best and fairest and this conversation wouldn't happen

the MFC not getting on their hands and knees and begging him to stay publicly isn't the same as pushing him out.

Did enjoy the fact the media was telling us to play new players in the midfield to try something new and when we did that they started questioning Trac's long term viability here.

I think we’re too “bull heavy” in the middle with Trac, Clarry and Viney all similar. This has made the transition of lighter fleet of foot players into the middle more difficult. Tracs second string, his forward work has been so-so and his defensive effectiveness to slow opposition rebounds from our forward half questionable.

Clarry has no trade value at the moment and no second string. Viney is club, older and vice captain.

Opening the door for Trac seems logical to solve this issue.

On Trac’s grievances, he’s acted or verbalized these publicly, tried to strong arm the club last year, and this year not acknowledged the work or progress the club may have made in addressing the issues. Unlike pretty much every player on the list. And he does this as one of the clubs highest payed and high profile players.

I acknowledge and am grateful for his contribution in lifting up to a flag in 2021.

Should he leave, I’m on GC for Trac for Flanders and pick 6. Or if Flanders chooses Saints (for pick 7), then it’s Trac for 6 and 7.

And we’ll be a better team for it.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by PaulRB

32 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

It's about the most outrageous claim Tom Morris has ever made, which is saying something and i don't blame him because it's not him on his own pushing this.

Trac could have declared his love for the club at the best and fairest and this conversation wouldn't happen

the MFC not getting on their hands and knees and begging him to stay publicly isn't the same as pushing him out.

Didn’t he skip something last year to go overseas and train?

Was it the best and fairest?

I agree, I don’t think he has much of a right to make that claim. I would find it very strange that they would push out a norm smith medalist, and someone who was instrumental in our success, and someone who has four years left.

It would seem strange to make someone with four long years left hate the club they’re playing for.

8 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

I think we’re too “bull heavy” in the middle with Trac, Clarry and Viney all similar. This has made the transition of lighter fleet of foot players into the middle more difficult. Tracs second string, his forward work has been so-so and his defensive effectiveness to slow opposition rebounds from our forward half questionable.

Clarry has no trade value at the moment and no second string. Viney is club, older and vice captain.

Opening the door for Trac seems logical to solve this issue.

On Trac’s grievances, he’s acted or verbalized these publicly, tried to strong arm the club last year, and this year not acknowledged the work or progress the club may have made in addressing the issues. Unlike pretty much every player on the list. And he does this as one of the clubs highest payed and high profile players.

I acknowledge and am grateful for his contribution in lifting up to a flag in 2021.

Should he leave, I’m on GC for Trac for Flanders and pick 6. Or if Flanders chooses Saints (for pick 7), then it’s Trac for 6 and 7.

And we’ll be a better team for it.

Hahaha… no club is going to pay tracs $1.4m salary and still give us 2 x top 10 picks

Well who didn’t see this story arc coming… Trac the victim again

If you can’t see how damaging he has been to our club for 18 months, then I don’t know what to tell you.

12 minutes ago, Demonland said:

so much for him not liking the term Brand Petracca.

20 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

I think we’re too “bull heavy” in the middle with Trac, Clarry and Viney all similar. This has made the transition of lighter fleet of foot players into the middle more difficult. Tracs second string, his forward work has been so-so and his defensive effectiveness to slow opposition rebounds from our forward half questionable.

Yep we are slowly shifting away from a relatively one dimensional midfield.

Just now, roy11 said:

Yep we are slowly shifting away from a relatively one dimensional midfield.

More like a one dimensional coach

4 hours ago, Cossie_84 said:

A mate just sent me this, up in the melb CBD haha.

It's funny - based on this thread that petition is just as likely to have been created by a Dees fan as a Crows supporter!

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Load of BS, find it hard to believe this, perhaps Morris should listen to Trac interview in Feb 25 declaring his love of the club… this is player driven

12 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Agreed.

That’s a pretty clear line of communication, and impressively-devoid of spin/corporate-speak. Feels all the more honest for it.

While we’re still sussing Guerra out, he’s scored an early point for the handling of this situation so far.

Massive difference to how Pert communicates. Guerra communicates openly and directly, similar to Jackson. There is none of the of the smugness that was apparent when Pert would communicate.

32 minutes ago, Oxdee said:

Hahaha… no club is going to pay tracs $1.4m salary and still give us 2 x top 10 picks

I didn’t mention they would. However, if gaining pick 6 & 7 required we pay 500k of Tracs salary for a couple of years we’d still be ahead financially as we’d be paying the two kids (pick 6 and 7) well less than what remains.

3 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

I didn’t mention they would. However, if gaining pick 6 & 7 required we pay 500k of Tracs salary for a couple of years we’d still be ahead financially as we’d be paying the two kids (pick 6 and 7) well less than what remains.

Keep the salary cap clean and take less in picks. That's $2m of cap space in total.

29 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Well who didn’t see this story arc coming… Trac the victim again

If you can’t see how damaging he has been to our club for 18 months, then I don’t know what to tell you.

Oh it has been as clear as day. The Prima Donna at work again. Oh I love the part how he said the decision is 50/50. It’s not his decision in the end. We take the best offer we get otherwise tail between the legs at preseason.

The guys doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut and out of the lime light for 4 weeks. Cue Shannon Noll

P

1 minute ago, Fat Tony said:

Keep the salary cap clean and take less in picks. That's $2m of cap space in total.

Given our current challenges attracting high-end talent to spend our cap on, getting another Langford and Lindsay while paying out some of Trac's contract seems a path we can deliver on, rather than one we just get to dream about.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by PaulRB

37 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

FWIW, for all the diabolical postings on this thread about Trac's character and behaviour, I have no doubt the breakdown is equally shared between a dysfunctional club and a highly, emotionally irregulated, player.

I’m in the minority but I put most of the breakdown on the club and a smaller amount on Tracc. But the club has reset with a new president, ceo, and coach, but the residual player rift created last year hasn’t gone away.

The club had massive leadership issues from September 2021 onwards that created a toxic environment. By internally calling them out Tracc seemed to get thrown under the bus by the club and even teammates. Maybe Tracc was over sensitive to how he was treated. But the resulting rift with teammates is too big and it’s best for everyone to move on.

Probably the low point last year was the private meeting to sort out issues that was leaked to Sam McLure. That’s probably too big a breach of trust to truly get back to normal. Tracc didn’t leak it. I doubt the culprit from the leadership group owned up but wouldn’t know.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/petracca-airs-grievances-in-private-meeting-of-dees-leaders-20240828-p5k60z.html

I’m sure the players also felt like trust had been broken by Tracc. I mean they were reading in the press that Tracc was telling management he had a problem with them. But that was on management who leaked the private conversations Tracc had with them about issues amoung the playing group.

Our window shut this year. It was an unbelievable rebuild by Roos/Goodwin and Jackson. But we are 4-5 years until Langford et al are 24-25 years old and peaking. Kossie will still be 29 and the window maybe reopens then if the club acknowledges where we are at. It’s best the club trade Tracc and get something in return that helps us peak in 4-5 years, not next year. Everything now should be about being a contender in 4-5 years.

The new club management seems to be handling it professionally. Some supporters not so much. What happened at Hawthorn with Rioli not attending grand final reunions is sad, and must make those reunions feel really hollow for that club. It will be a sad, sad outcome if Tracc doesn’t come back to the club for premiership reunions.

Best we thank him for his unbelievable service, acknowledge the breakdown is irretrievable, and move on. If he doesn’t get traded, just remember Papley wanted out of Sydney but was welcomed back by supporters.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Wow, what a coincidence! Petracca's media mouthpiece responds with face saving BS the day after MFC announce that HE has asked for a trade.

FFS, if it's a "genuine 50/50" decision from Petracca's point of view then it's absolutely not up to him, it's up to MFC and who can provide the better deal.

Now I'm starting to get unhappy with him.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

I continue to find the whole “he will choose where he wants to go” the most irritating and absurd aspect of the AFL trade stuff.

We’ve all said it a million times on this forum.

This guy is under contract for 4 more years. He signed a contract. He is making millions of dollars. If he wants to request a trade, fine. But the idea that players under contract get to decide on where they go, which immediately ruins MFC’s ability to create competition amongst clubs in order to get the best possible return, is absolutely insane.

16 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

Keep the salary cap clean and take less in picks. That's $2m of cap space in total.

We would need the picks to leave the hole of not having him, right?

Or would you argue the salary is more important so we can bring in more picks via higher pay?

17 hours ago, rpfc said:

Same here!

But it requires a fan group to be equally demanding and realistic AND understanding if CP5 does stick around. Because the club let him explore his options but his club of choice couldn’t satisfy the demands of the club.

Too many are already making this so emotional that the club will struggle to keep the above stand with the pressure.

I’ll be disappointed if the club is paying any attention to the supporter base on this topic.

The decision needs to be what actions are required to put us back in the premiership window!

Guerra comment seemed to indicate we are taking the right pragmatic approach! Leave emotions to the supporters!

14 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

I didn’t mention they would. However, if gaining pick 6 & 7 required we pay 500k of Tracs salary for a couple of years we’d still be ahead financially as we’d be paying the two kids (pick 6 and 7) well less than what remains.

Can someone tell me the last time any individual player got traded for two top 10 picks in the same year? Genuine question.

I know Danger got traded for 9 and 28 (plus Dean Gore who played 0 games)

Cameron got traded for 13, 15 and 20

I understand it was Geelong involved in those trades (🙄) so spare the commentary there. But both those players were in their prime.

I just can't see us getting the sort of value people that many on here are throwing about for a 30yr old on huge $ who may not ever get back to the level he was at prior to injury.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Young Blood

My read of the genuine 50/50 comment is that Trac will take the path of least resistance. I.e. the team that can actually get a deal done.

IF the Suns bring in Jamarra…

My intuition tells me Ben King will be a straight swap for Petracca.

8 minutes ago, Watson11 said:

I’m in the minority but I put most of the breakdown on the club and a smaller amount on Tracc. But the club has reset with a new president, ceo, and coach, but the residual player rift created last year hasn’t gone away.

The club had massive leadership issues from September 2021 onwards that created a toxic environment. By internally calling them out Tracc seemed to get thrown under the bus by the club and even teammates. Maybe Tracc was over sensitive to how he was treated. But the resulting rift with teammates is too big and it’s best for everyone to move on.

Probably the low point last year was the private meeting to sort out issues that was leaked to Sam McLure. That’s probably too big a breach of trust to truly get back to normal. Tracc didn’t leak it. I doubt the culprit from the leadership group owned up but wouldn’t know.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/petracca-airs-grievances-in-private-meeting-of-dees-leaders-20240828-p5k60z.html

I’m sure the players also felt like trust had been broken by Tracc. I mean they were reading in the press that Tracc was telling management he had a problem with them. But that was on management who leaked the private conversations Tracc had with them about issues amoung the playing group.

Our window shut this year. It was an unbelievable rebuild by Roos/Goodwin and Jackson. But we are 4-5 years until Langford et al are 24-25 years old and peaking. Kossie will still be 29 and the window maybe reopens then if the club acknowledges where we are at. It’s best the club trade Tracc and get something in return that helps us peak in 4-5 years, not next year. Everything now should be about being a contender in 4-5 years.

The new club management seems to be handling it professionally. Some supporters not so much. What happened at Hawthorn with Rioli not attending grand final reunions is sad, and must make those reunions feel really hollow for that club. It will be a sad, sad outcome if Tracc doesn’t come back to the club for premiership reunions.

Best we thank him for his unbelievable service, acknowledge the breakdown is irretrievable, and move on. If he doesn’t get traded, just remember Papley wanted out of Sydney but was welcomed back by supporters.

Really well said.

Don't think either party came out of last year looking good.

This year seems to be getting handled the right way.