I loved that massive tackle he laid minutes into his debut.

On 07/09/2025 at 18:12, dazzledavey36 said:

Looking likely that our ruck options for next year will be Gawn, Campbell, Heath and Kalani White?

Id be hoping Kalani is a long term replacement for Steven May in the style of Harris Andrew. Sam Darcy, Jed Walters are a new breed of tall athletic forwards who are going to dominate for the next decade. We need a tall KPD that can provide options.

With all the rule changes, i think having strong ruck options is a thing of the past. The game is moving away from contest / stoppage to ball movement and scoring from back half. Obviously, we still need to have some balance but i think it shifts the importance away from a team we had from a few years ago to one that is more athletic and ball movement capable.

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Campbell signed up for 2026!!!

Surely that’s made it less likely than we would grab Heath

Heath would most likely stay at St Kilda if Marshall goes

I dont think it would stop us moving for him, if the 23rd bench spot is going to be used as the media suggests then he could still sometimes play that way, also 12 months developing his fwd craft possibly even playing as a fwd for us and then campbell would be done and he'd be number 1 (unless dogga returns) better to be second behind gawn than second behind tdk for the next 5 years. and as redleg mentioned dodson has huge wraps and has likely already gone past him. likewise we could see caminiti playing fwd next year given SOS Aleer pairing next to Wilkie and Howard in reserve

I don't mind Campbell as a backup for Gawn, but there is no way that any young, sane ruck prospect receiving good advice would come to Melbourne to sit behind two 34 year olds next year. Playing second ruck at VFL level is not a great way to develop.

We are really making it very difficult to get Gawn's replacement to the club before his body gives up on him.

Campbell has been signed to another one year contract purely as a break glass emergency option. He wouldn't get game time ahead of Health. He'd get a game if Gawn and other options went down injured. He's 34 next year, at his fourth AFL club, and has played a total of 33 AFL matches in the last decade.

If we traded in Heath, then it's because we see him as the potential long term replacement for Gawn.

Those speaking of Kalani White as long term ruck - he projects more as a key position player. He's excelled mostly as a key defender and shown glimpses as a key forward. With all the 200cm key talls around, he fits the modern moulding that.

1 hour ago, poita said:

I don't mind Campbell as a backup for Gawn, but there is no way that any young, sane ruck prospect receiving good advice would come to Melbourne to sit behind two 34 year olds next year. Playing second ruck at VFL level is not a great way to develop.

We are really making it very difficult to get Gawn's replacement to the club before his body gives up on him.

That’s rubbish, it’s perfect timing to come in to learn from the master. Campbell will be 3rd in line not 2nd and Heath has shown he can play forward. The fact there will be no sub next year, will also the enable teams to play 2 rucks

1 hour ago, poita said:

I don't mind Campbell as a backup for Gawn, but there is no way that any young, sane ruck prospect receiving good advice would come to Melbourne to sit behind two 34 year olds next year. Playing second ruck at VFL level is not a great way to develop.

We are really making it very difficult to get Gawn's replacement to the club before his body gives up on him.

Heath’s 22, very few rucks are ready for full time action until 24, by which time Campbell will be gone and Max might be on his last legs, it’s the perfect time to get someone over who’s not quite ready to be a number 1.

They’ll have to manage the VFL minutes better than they have with Verrall. But Verrall wasn’t good enough to demand them.

6 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

Obviously, we still need to have some balance but i think it shifts the importance away from a team we had from a few years ago to one that is more athletic and ball movement capable.

I recall from the podcast (?binman) that we were in fact quite highly ranked for ball movement this year.

There is still a need for someone who can mark in contests around the ground and we have Max who will never be repeated, though another Max ... ??

Why so quiet Max Heath thread? Where we at?

I like Heath as a Fullarton upgrade.

Had excellent size and competitiveness, could be a nice handy pick up!

Done deal to the Dees according to Riley Beveridge.

Good mates with Blake Howes. They'll be happy. Pity it doesn't sound like we'll get their other mate Windhager over the line.

It will be a great win to sign him

Big strong ruck

Can emerge as Max Gawns successor in a few years

5 hours ago, Adam The God said:

Good mates with Blake Howes. They'll be happy. Pity it doesn't sound like we'll get their other mate Windhager over the line.

Or his best mate, Finn Callahan

At least we can keep yelling GO BIG MAXY for another 10 years

6 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Done deal to the Dees according to Riley Beveridge.

He will be a good pick up, does definitely have some forward craft and with no sub next year I reckon he will play most games

Rohan Marshall has requested a trade to Geelong. Will that mean the Saints will want to hold on to Max Heath as a backup?

3 minutes ago, TRIGON said:

Rohan Marshall has requested a trade to Geelong. Will that mean the Saints will want to hold on to Max Heath as a backup?

Heath is out of contract, Marshall has a contract. They will play hardball with Marshall, we will get Heath pretty easily.

7 minutes ago, TRIGON said:

Rohan Marshall has requested a trade to Geelong. Will that mean the Saints will want to hold on to Max Heath as a backup?

They have another project ruck in Dodson who they will retain

https://www.saints.com.au/players/10708/alex-dodson

Heath chosen the Saints yet?

If Marshall goes to the Cats, is this less likely to happen?

Max 2.0 might be one of two players we get this year.. feelsbadman

Clearly St Kilda's salary cap squeeze is having an effect, with Marshall wanting out to Geelong, a club which does not have that problem.

Not sure it makes too much difference to Heath's preferences, though. He'd just be behind De Konig instead of Marshall. Plus... it is St Kilda.

At Melbourne Heath would be behind only The Gawn and competing only with Tom Campbell for opportunities, and would have a clean run at the succession given Campbell's age. I'd argue we would also love to reduce the amount of time Gawn has to spend jogging around the ground, so the role of a genuine full time forward-ruck is very much there.

IF the trade actually happens and IF Heath develops into a solid ruck, then it is an optimal scenario for everyone involved.

Don’t know what Cats can offer for Marshall and he is contracted, so Saints could just say no.

2 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Don’t know what Cats can offer for Marshall and he is contracted, so Saints could just say no.

Can't see TDK and Marshall in the same team. A future pick could be on the cards.