Don't understand everyones rush to trade out proven players for draft picks, especially in a weak draft, yes they aren't what they once were, however they can still help build our future, just look at how Langford looks up to Tracc.

If any of these guys want out we should be going for maximum value or holding them to contract as there's no guarantee what we bring in will be half the player we currently have. Just my take

40 minutes ago, Nightmare continues said:

Don't understand everyones rush to trade out proven players for draft picks, especially in a weak draft, yes they aren't what they once were, however they can still help build our future, just look at how Langford looks up to Tracc.

If any of these guys want out we should be going for maximum value or holding them to contract as there's no guarantee what we bring in will be half the player we currently have. Just my take

I agree Nightmare. My only concern with Clarry is, can he play in a different position? His value as a midfielder has not been on display consistently for 18 months and others can provide a better value.

I would be happy with Trac playing the high half forward role if he can’t reproduced his confidence as a full time midfielder.

4 minutes ago, Nietaphart said:

I agree Nightmare. My only concern with Clarry is, can he play in a different position? His value as a midfielder has not been on display consistently for 18 months and others can provide a better value.

I would be happy with Trac playing the high half forward role if he can’t reproduced his confidence as a full time midfielder.

I think Clarry just needs to be told to handball at all costs, he is still a proven contested beast but his ball use by foot and decision making has been questionable.

Having both him and Viney at the same centre bounce makes no sense, they should be alternating.

I agree there's no other real position for Clarry. I honestly think we will get peanuts for him if he leaves and we will be paying a substantial amount of his salary unless he is willing to renegotiate his contract.

I do believe he has improved on his performance from last year, so could we see more improvement again next year with another full pre-season and some more confidence?

Who knows, but I'd hate to see him getting back to his best at another club.

3 minutes ago, Nightmare continues said:

I think Clarry just needs to be told to handball at all costs, he is still a proven contested beast but his ball use by foot and decision making has been questionable.

Having both him and Viney at the same centre bounce makes no sense, they should be alternating.

I agree there's no other real position for Clarry. I honestly think we will get peanuts for him if he leaves and we will be paying a substantial amount of his salary unless he is willing to renegotiate his contract.

I do believe he has improved on his performance from last year, so could we see more improvement again next year with another full pre-season and some more confidence?

Who knows, but I'd hate to see him getting back to his best at another club.

Maybe the answer to Clarry’s value is complimenting him with other midfielders around him. He is slow, does not provide a lot of defensive value, but he is a contested ball getting beast.

The other factor is his work rate off field.

One way or another eos interviews are going to be crackers!!

Just now, beelzebub said:

One way or another eos interviews are going to be crackers!!

Maybe I am a sceptic Bub, but I am visualising a lot of talk about learnings, talk about love, playing the Melbourne way and being committed to an unknown cause.

9 minutes ago, Nietaphart said:

Maybe I am a sceptic Bub, but I am visualising a lot of talk about learnings, talk about love, playing the Melbourne way and being committed to an unknown cause.

Throw in a PowerPoint pie chart and presentation and i reckon you're probably close.

12 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Throw in a PowerPoint pie chart and presentation and i reckon you're probably close.

Or, possibly sage, incense and dancing around a fire naked howling at the moon.

A cleansing as such.

45 minutes ago, Nietaphart said:

Maybe the answer to Clarry’s value is complimenting him with other midfielders around him. He is slow, does not provide a lot of defensive value, but he is a contested ball getting beast.

The other factor is his work rate off field.

He’s statistically one of the best defensive mids of all time. Even this year he leads us in pressure acts per game despite being down on his peak output.

Calls to trade out Oliver or Petracca for a pick in a weak and compromised draft are ridiculous even disregarding that we’d likely take on some of their contract. Would set us back years.

Petracca and Brayshaw to St Kilda for Wanganeen-Milera.

Edited August 4Aug 4 by Ethan Tremblay

7 hours ago, rpfc said:

Yeah, but where were the crowds?

Well to be fair we did reach 71,000 members in 2023.

Although I agree that the people didn't turn up as much as they should've. Maybe some complacency? People just waiting for finals.

I mean in 2018 90,000 rocked up for two consecutive finals games.

3 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Petracca and Brayshaw to St Kilda for Wanganeen-Milera.

Brayshaw?

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

One way or another eos interviews are going to be crackers!!

Is this season our worst on record?

All things considered, with 15 Premiership players available most weeks? And with the improvement of Chin, Melk along with the introduction of Lindsay, Langford & Culley

We've had far worse actual results (W/L) but in all those poorly performed seasons we were bereft of talent (especially throughout the 70's, most of the 80's and from 2007 until 2016)

What a waste of a year but we can still finish off well and play spoiler (if we're switched on) Get something out of the season

5 hours ago, BDA said:

we get hawks first rounder tied to Carlton and they take on his full salary. Best deal we can reasonably expect

I’d take that in a heartbeat.

32 minutes ago, 0livers Army said:

He’s statistically one of the best defensive mids of all time. Even this year he leads us in pressure acts per game despite being down on his peak output.

Calls to trade out Oliver or Petracca for a pick in a weak and compromised draft are ridiculous even disregarding that we’d likely take on some of their contract. Would set us back years.

What are Clarry’s defensive stats outside the contest? Stats, and I’ll keep saying it, are, or can be misleading.

In the contest, he will tackle, pressure and scrummage. On the outside, he is slow. The game is all about skill, fast ball movement and pressure acts. Contested ball is no longer the yard stick to our game

10 minutes ago, Macca said:

Is this season our worst on record?

All things considered, with 15 Premiership players available most weeks? And with the improvement of Chin, Melk along with the introduction of Lindsay, Langford & Culley

We've had far worse actual results (W/L) but in all those poorly performed seasons we were bereft of talent (especially throughout the 70's, most of the 80's and from 2007 until 2016)

What a waste of a year but we can still finish off well and play spoiler (if we're switched on) Get something out of the season

Glass half-full would say we’ve fairly successfully modernised our game plan with large parts of the list not particularly suited to the way the modern game is played. Blooded some potentially elite young players, we now know the holes we need to fill and we are in a position to be bold in the offseason, with CEO and chairman stability on its way.

For clarification, I’m glass half empty like you though.

1 minute ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Glass half-full would say we’ve fairly successfully modernised our game plan with large parts of the list not particularly suited to the way the modern game is played. Blooded some potentially elite young players, we now know the holes we need to fill and we are in a position to be bold in the offseason, with CEO and chairman stability on its way.

For clarification, I’m glass half empty like you though.

As for next season and beyond, you make some good points but we've got a stack of things to get right in the off season

The whole FD needs to be looked at thoroughly and the playing list needs a refresh (at least)

And if we can turn Clarrie & Trac around, all the better

As it stands, if we stand firm, both will either get us good value in trades or they stay and play at their best with us

Edited August 4Aug 4 by Macca

1 hour ago, Macca said:

Is this season our worst on record?

All things considered, with 15 Premiership players available most weeks? And with the improvement of Chin, Melk along with the introduction of Lindsay, Langford & Culley

We've had far worse actual results (W/L) but in all those poorly performed seasons we were bereft of talent (especially throughout the 70's, most of the 80's and from 2007 until 2016)

What a waste of a year but we can still finish off well and play spoiler (if we're switched on) Get something out of the season

Worst ?? I suppose as you relate to available talent...it would have to be up there.

I've been through seemingly worse.

Any which way its a total bust and worse than last year.

Learnings ? Reckon we've learnt enough 😉

The wash up is my only real interest now and how a few players progress.

I think what happens to the likes of Tracc and Ollie will/ might depend on what goes down at eos.

A lot of players will need to renew their buy in... but begs the question...buy into what and whom ?? 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

8 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Worst ?? I suppose as you relate to available talent...it would have to be up there

That's how I framed the appraisal

In terms of available talent, to be in the position we are in, is putrid

Previously, in seasons where we barely won any games, we had very few, if any, top players

This season a number of our players have underperformed, for whatever reason

But Gawn, Bowey, Chin, Rivers, Turner, Pickett, T-Mac & Melk have been decent to very good. Lindsay & Langford nice debut seasons

But May, Lever, Petty, Salem, Langdon, Fritsch, Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Sparrow, JVR & McVee have had forgettable seasons by their own standards

Windsor & Kolt 2nd year blues?

Of course, if we can bounce back next year, 2025 might be forgotten much like 2019 has been largely forgotten because of the flag in 2021

That's my view, at least

Edited August 4Aug 4 by Macca

8 hours ago, BDA said:

Corporal punishment needs to be reintroduced

I did the humane thing and viciously berated here Got real personal about it.

8 hours ago, Golden fist said:

Working from home, probably

Well our supporter base is nearing death so I get it but also - we were not rocking up to games unless we were playing Collingwood like always and people noticed - not just CP5.

Like it was a thread on here…

I am not for getting 30 cents on the dollar with Petracca. We are going to do that with Oliver if he leaves at all, so we can’t afford to do that too often or we will get stuck in the bottom four like NM and WCE waiting for the right teenage talent to fall into our laps.

I have had my say - I would make him skipper and tell him that you get to own the forward line and go into the middle when you want. I would clear out the forward line of any dumb players that would get in CP5s way (Fritsch, anyone we have that is tall I am sorry to say) and get Melksham another year to keep the better defenders somewhat occupied and go small and competitive with Chandler and other role players of that ilk to harass and get the gegenpress going.

People seem to forget that it is only just over a year since Trac nearly DIED from a football injury.

It’s amazing he’s played as well as he has this year under the circumstances, and we can expect him to return to great form in 2026. It would be foolishness of the highest order to let him go.

Meanwhile, I think supporters under-rate Clarrie’s contribution this year. He’s in and under packs and distributing the ball so fast that you have to watch the replay to know it was he who got it out. His stats aren’t as elite as they were before his meltdown, but his pre-season was compromised, and probably won’t be, in 2026.

Please, please , retain these two champions.

Keep 'em both and sack Goodwin.

It’s sad that we view our only living Norm Smith & posters as ready to ditch him! Trac brings all the things you want the young players to look up as a role model, professionalism in every facet of being an afl footballer, sure he’s not at he’s absolute best & the game has changed plus he’s injury will take time to heal mentally, I’d rather him than Oliver and no disrespect to Oliver but Trac never went off the rails, he stays make him Captain give him the the responsibility