7 minutes ago, binman said:

At the risk of contradicting myself, clarry has clearly worked his backside off in terms of his fitness.

The reality elite fitness is iterative and any elite athlete who missed 6 months of training, as was the case for clarry in 2023 into 2024, will take 18 months minimum t8 get back to their optimal condition- assuming I'd course they do thr work.

All the track reports, amd my own observations at training, highlighted how hard clarry worked in the preseason. But he's still got a ways to go and alot of sort in front of him

If that's the case Binny, how is it that players who have much longer periods off the field through injury,ie Melksham, are able to come back to full fitness as a condition of being able to be selected - yet Clarry cannot?

11 minutes ago, Gator said:

He's probably training as hard as ever, because it's what he knows when he's at the club and with his teammates.

But it may be what he's doing away from the club. What he's eating, when he's eating, how much he's eating, whether he's doing all the one percent things to be in peak physical conditioning. It's impossible to believe he's giving himself the best chance to perform at an elite level. Well, it is for me.

Not an unreasonable perspective.

2 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

If that's the case Binny, how is it that players who have much longer periods off the field through injury,ie Melksham, are able to come back to full fitness as a condition of being able to be selected - yet Clarry cannot?

As @gator said, it’s all the other stuff.

Weighing food, eating healthy full time, no booze, extra recovery sessions, yoga etc.

I’m torn with Clarry - at his best he was clearly dedicated to an extreme/unhealthy level. Seems like this may have been at the expense of his mental health.

So the current version could well be a much better person but a slightly lesser athlete.

In elite sport, small percentages make enormous differences. The photos floating round the past week suggest he’s probably 3-5 kilos over his best playing weight and that hurts you.

For what it’s worth, it feels like this is club wide and the small, extra things seem to have dropped right off.

Edited April 16Apr 16 by BW511

47 minutes ago, BDA said:

I'm not in favour of making someone captain that tried to force a trade. sends the wrong message imv. and I'm not sure he captains material anyways. Would prefer he focuses on being elite and let someone carry the captains mantel.

Lever is my preference

Lever gets injured too often.

I would happily give the Captaincy to Tracc. He trains hard.

People on here don’t like what he did last year. I am glad he did it, because it had to be exposed. The remnants are obviously still there

We need a fresh start. Tracc as Captain would be a good place to start

1 minute ago, BW511 said:

As @gator said, it’s all the other stuff.

Weighing food, eating healthy full time, no booze, extra recovery sessions, yoga etc.

I’m torn with Clarry - at his best he was clearly dedicated to an extreme/unhealthy level. Seems like this may have been at the expense of his mental health.

So the current version could well be a much better person but a slightly lesser athlete.

In elite sport, small percentages make enormous differences. The photos floating round the past week suggest he’s probably 3-5 kilos over his best playing weight and that hurst you.

By "all the other stuff", you mean simply being professional. Which he obviously hasn't been. He was professional once, he knows what's needed and expected - he obviously hasn't yet got that drive to make himself professional again.

1 minute ago, binman said:

At the risk of contradicting myself, clarry has clearly worked his backside off in terms of his fitness.

The reality elite fitness is iterative and any elite athlete who missed 6 months of training, as was the case for clarry in 2023 into 2024, will take 18 months minimum t8 get back to their optimal condition- assuming I'd course they do thr work.

All the track reports, amd my own observations at training, highlighted how hard clarry worked in the preseason. But he's still got a ways to go and alot of sort in front of him

Cornes said last year we still have $10 million left to pay over 6 years of his contract.

Averages out to $1.6 million a year.

Just say for no reason, that Cornes was wrong and it’s $8 million left.

Averages out to $1.3 million a year.

Yikes.

8 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Lever gets injured too often.

I would happily give the Captaincy to Tracc. He trains hard.

People on here don’t like what he did last year. I am glad he did it, because it had to be exposed. The remnants are obviously still there

We need a fresh start. Tracc as Captain would be a good place to start

Levers injury record is a concern for sure.

re trac he tried to force a trade.

his idea of a fresh start was running out for a big Melbourne team.

I'm all for letting bygones be bygones but rewarding him with captaincy doesn't sit well with me. will he spit the dummy again i wonder

i could be wrong but don't the players vote for captain. Will be interesting to see who the players give the vote of confidence to

Both Petracca and Oliver will be playing 200 games for the Demons this season.

I am hopeful they will both play well over 300+ games for the Melbourne Football Club.

However, we shall have to wait and see.

I don't have a problem with Christian Petracca becoming Captain, after Max Gawn, as long as it is well deserved and chosen by his team mates. Making Christian Petracca Captain may even make him a better player.

10 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

By "all the other stuff", you mean simply being professional. Which he obviously hasn't been. He was professional once, he knows what's needed and expected - he obviously hasn't yet got that drive to make himself professional again.

I would guess he’s been very professional for the last 6-7 months, but being professional and being the best are different things.

If his current player rating is 140 odd as suggested, there’s still 600 AFL players who wish they could be at his current level.

We’ve been treated to a version that was absolutely phenomenal, so we judge him differently

Edited April 16Apr 16 by BW511

12 minutes ago, BW511 said:

I would guess he’s been very professional for the last 6-7 months, but being professional and being the best are different things.

If his current player rating is 140 odd as suggested, there’s still 600 AFL players who wish they could be at his current level.

We’ve been treated to a version that was absolutely phenomenal, so we judge him differently

Yep, excellent points.

A problem for us though is there's not 140 playerspaid paid more than clarry.

49 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

At this point our dear @Ghostwriter is tearing her hair out, has the voodoo dolls out for you and trying not to 🤮

Oh Luci, I’ve deliberately avoided reading certain threads - this being one of them - but I’d never ignore a notification from you, so here I am.

Aaaaaaand here I go. Soiya 👋

PS: voodoo dolls don’t work, and I know this because I’ve made quite a few, yet certain Demonland posters seem fine.

15 minutes ago, binman said:

Yep, excellent points.

A problem for us though is there's not 140 playerspaid paid more than clarry.

Agree, wholeheartedly.

That contract is not Clayton’s fault though, that’s firmly on the club.

There is an image of Trac from 2021 GF after he kicked his amazing goal where I saw a determination that I've never seen before in anyone. The camera focuses on him for an instance, there's sweat coming off him and instead of wild celebrations (as us fans were doing) we get to see him as he prepares for the next centre bounce. Truly f ..ng focused and committed. It was passionate, determined and powerful.

It's hard to describe how I felt then when I first saw his face then and now compared to when I look back on it.

Trac is elite. He would make a great captain.

42 minutes ago, BDA said:

Levers injury record is a concern for sure.

re trac he tried to force a trade.

his idea of a fresh start was running out for a big Melbourne team.

I'm all for letting bygones be bygones but rewarding him with captaincy doesn't sit well with me. will he spit the dummy again i wonder

i could be wrong but don't the players vote for captain. Will be interesting to see who the players give the vote of confidence to

Tracc gave the Club an ultimatum, get your act together.

What happened with Clarry and others on the list was not good

As far as i am concerned he had every right to make a stand, and it’s still playing out

Tracc is a hard trainer, i think he will become a better player if he is given the Captaincy

44 minutes ago, BW511 said:

Agree, wholeheartedly.

That contract is not Clayton’s fault though, that’s firmly on the club.

True 'nuff.

2 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

If that's the case Binny, how is it that players who have much longer periods off the field through injury,ie Melksham, are able to come back to full fitness as a condition of being able to be selected - yet Clarry cannot?

I rarely post (or maybe never have here) but am on the site daily. I have a feeling that he may be on some medication to manage his mental health. Lots of those have unintended side effects like weight gain, slowing you down mentally, etc. Obviously lots of other factors could potentially be at play here.

I’ll just leave this here for future reference.

Tommy, if your trolling… eat 💩

On 16/04/2025 at 20:05, Ghostwriter said:

Oh Luci, I’ve deliberately avoided reading certain threads - this being one of them - but I’d never ignore a notification from you, so here I am.

Aaaaaaand here I go. Soiya 👋

PS: voodoo dolls don’t work, and I know this because I’ve made quite a few, yet certain Demonland posters seem fine.

My marathon training curtailed by plantar in one foot which I’ve never had before, at 45, ran 1200km last year plus bikE

Please reverse it - I want to run the Gold Coast marathon before I’m 50 before concentrating on a scratch golf handicap

Kthxbye

On 16/04/2025 at 18:48, Lucifers Hero said:

tbh I'm disappointed the likes of Rivers, Chandler, Langdon haven't been developed enough that at least one of them joined the leadership group.

Not 100% sure but I think Chandler is in the leadership group.

5 minutes ago, Roger Mellie said:

Not 100% sure but I think Chandler is in the leadership group.

Mx and Jack. That's it for us.

9 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Mx and Jack. That's it for us.

No there's a leadership group. They just don't advertise who's on it. I'd go so far as to say it's almost a trade secret.

Few months ago I’d say probably both leave at season end but if only one did, it would be Trac.

Now, I think Trac stays and Oliver goes. I think we would be okay with letting Oliver leave

10 hours ago, Superunknown said:

My marathon training curtailed by plantar in one foot which I’ve never had before, at 45, ran 1200km last year plus bikE

Please reverse it - I want to run the Gold Coast marathon before I’m 50 before concentrating on a scratch golf handicap

Kthxbye

No voodoo doll for you, Super 💕

Besides, you’d know if there was because I don’t do plantar, that’s child’s play. I’m more of a vital organ type gal. 😁

11 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

I’ll just leave this here for future reference.

Tommy, if your trolling… eat 💩

For once Tommy’s not trolling. I just spoke with a guy who was in the rooms and he told me that Tracc’s (impromptu) speech was heartfelt and incredibly moving. Tracc said he’s 100% committed to the club. He said he loves the MFC and he doesn’t wanna be anywhere else. He told the boys he f@%#*#g loves them and his speech was very well received. There were even tears shed.

4 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

For once Tommy’s not trolling. I just spoke with a guy who was in the rooms and he told me that Tracc’s (impromptu) speech was heartfelt and incredibly moving. Tracc said he’s 100% committed to the club. He said he loves the MFC and he doesn’t wanna be anywhere else. He told the boys he f@%#*#g loves them and his speech was very well received. There were even tears shed.

Thank you.

That gave me goose bumps! And a slight 🥹.

My belief in him has never wavered.