2 hours ago, bing181 said:

Seriously? Lamb doesn't answer to King.

And if you have an issue with players we're recruiting, for the thousandth time, you need to be speaking to Jason Taylor who's head of recruitment and is also on the list management committee.

1 hour ago, BKKBooga said:

Thousandth time???

Biggest exaggerator in the world.

1 hour ago, mo64 said:

So who's role is it to coordinate all the scouts around the country?

Taylor.

Lamb does all the negotiations, list strategy, contracts, hustling, yadda yadda.

Which is why after working a full-on 40 hour week he's not getting up on a Saturday morning to stand in the cold at suburban footy ovals watching fringe AFL players like Campbell and Heath running round in the VFL.

3 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Biggest exaggerator in the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole

On 30/09/2025 at 14:58, DeeSpencer said:

No Derksen mention, him arriving might be contingent on May leaving to free up cap space and open more room in the team.

If the choice was between Mihocek and Derksen I’m not sure who I’d choose.

Definitely Mihocek. We can get the ball inside 50, just don't have a strong body down there.

Hated the interview.

After sacking the coach and changing CEO I had hoped the club would realise it's not an accident we've finished bottom 6 two years in a row.

But no..."we'll bounce next year" says Lamb despite being on track to lose 3 best 22 players and having a new rookie coach at the helm.

Maybe just words you say, selling hope to members? ...ok let's judge them by their actions....oh, a banged up mihocek and again trying to find a successor to Max. This will be the 4th or 5th time we've tried to recruit one despite having glaring holes elsewhere in the list. Their obsession with the backup ruck position is bordering on ridiculous at this stage.

This FD continue to show zero understanding of the types of players we lack or the types of players making a difference in modern footy. Brisbane just won a flag by having 7-8 A-grade, running, skilful goal kicking midfielders. A single young key forward, an intercepter, two running skilful fast half backs, and some flankers.

I don't believe a word he says - his attempts to bolster a flag list with Grundy, Schache, Fullarton, Billings and Sharp are laughable. Couldn't trade worse for a team in the window if you tried.

How he has a job is absolutely, totally beyond me and the sooner he and other members of the FD that surround him exit the club, the better.

8 hours ago, Redleg said:

This is probably nitpicking, but can we please use another word/phrase than “dead” to me.

Especially in these times we can use another description.

An alternative for these times, hmm...

"Biologically cancelled."

Wait.. I had an actual reason to be on this thread!

The removal of the sub rule and introduction of a 23rd player; How will this affect Max Heath and in particular Tom Campbell. Do we expect to see Campbell adding his mighty jawline to our forward mix for long periods to ease our total rotations, covering some rucking in the forward line to minimise the risks of Gawn taking a shot on goal?

And in all seriousness, would the list managers have known this fundamental change in the value of a variety of players was coming?

2 hours ago, bing181 said:

You didn't need the "extensively". Also widely discussed, head coaches participate in the process but are just one voice/vote. Chris Scott and others have spoken about it.

Stop being pedantic

12 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

I don't believe a word he says - his attempts to bolster a flag list with Grundy, Schache, Fullarton, Billings and Sharp are laughable. Couldn't trade worse for a team in the window if you tried.

I agree with most of what you're saying except this. Excluding Grundy from your list, the rest were very clearly attempts at cheap depth. I don't blame Lamb for recruiting these players with sweet FA salary cap and late picks/FA availability. His instructions would have been to fill these holes on the list with minimum wage players. Not sure how else he goes about it. You're not going to get a Curnow with a third/forth-rounder on $200K. You could try and draft for one but they won't be ready to fill said hole as was needed.

What I don't get is the contract lengths. It's totally [censored] us and why we were forced into the need for cheap depth - Viney, Langdon, Clarry, Petracca, Gawn

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

Taylor.

Lamb does all the negotiations, list strategy, contracts, hustling, yadda yadda.

Which is why after working a full-on 40 hour week he's not getting up on a Saturday morning to stand in the cold at suburban footy ovals watching fringe AFL players like Campbell and Heath running round in the VFL.

And Taylor isn't watching Dunstan, Grundy, Hunter, Billings, Schache, Fullarton, McAdam playing for their respective AFL clubs. These players are known AFL commodities, and have been the biggest problem with our recruiting.

Lamb would be more involved with their acquisitions than Taylor.

And I fear that we'll be talking about Mihocek in the same light.

46 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

This will be the 4th or 5th time we've tried to recruit one despite having glaring holes elsewhere in the list. Their obsession with the backup ruck position is bordering on ridiculous at this stage.

Why is using cheap trades/list spot for a back up and successor to Max a bad idea? Every club has young developing rucks. There’s no indication we’ve paid the world in contract or in trade currently for Heath, he’s just a swap for Verall. Nor did we pay big time for Preuss, Verrall, Fullarton or anyone else they’ve bought in.

Grundy was a move for something different to replace LJ knowing we couldn’t get a key forward and might’ve worked if Max and Brodie parked their egos. Brisbane just won with 2 rucks.

This is an over the top gripe.

50 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

This FD continue to show zero understanding of the types of players we lack or the types of players making a difference in modern footy. Brisbane just won a flag by having 7-8 A-grade, running, skilful goal kicking midfielders

What like Langford, Lindsay, Windsor and Kolt?

Jason Taylor and his team have clearly adapted their recruiting to fit the modern game and are getting those mids. Unfortunately we don’t have an Ashcroft/Fletcher father son pipeline to get them for cents in the dollar.

Unfortunately when you try to pick up those types on the cheap you get Harry Sharp more often than not. We took on too many has beens and our scouting has been poor.

I’d be happy for changes in our footy department, but no point getting upset with the media spin or suggesting they don’t know what we need. Everyone knows what we need, trying to get it with limited picks and the opposite of a destination club is really tricky!

34 minutes ago, Roger Mellie said:

What I don't get is the contract lengths. It's totally [censored] us and why we were forced into the need for cheap depth - Viney, Langdon, Clarry, Petracca, Gawn

Long term deals were used to keep everyone’s salary down. It actually helped us keep our 21 core together through until the end of 24 or even now.

You got to be proactive in moving guys before they drop off. Luke Jackson made that decision for us. Brayshaw is one I’d have let go, instead we got the worst possible result with a stack of dead cap.

Not being proactive and not having a culture of continued improvement I think we’re big reasons we lost JJ and Bedford. Sam Butler stays at Hawthorn despite playing most of the year in the VFL because he trusts he can get more of a spot, our fringe guys bailed.

Our long term deal issues: 4th year for Ben Brown. Super long term deal for Clarry - although he never had a verified mistake or missed a game until the deal was signed. But then more recently Viney, May etc asking for more cash last year.

Still, it’s Oliver and Tracc regressing that has done the most damage combined with the game shifting away from a contested inside game.

Unfortunately Geelong control the rules and when Chris Scott and Shocking wanted a more outside game they made the rules reflect that!

for comparison on how Lamb spoke, i think he actually was more honest and open and gave more away than Freo did, having said that we probably have more to do than they do this period therefore making the video naturally more open and easier to discuss

1 minute ago, Turner said:

for comparison on how Lamb spoke, i think he actually was more honest and open and gave more away than Freo did, having said that we probably have more to do than they do this period therefore making the video naturally more open and easier to discuss

I thought lamb spoke really well. He’s on a hiding to nothing in a lot of ways because we aren’t the most attractive we’ve ever been so he probably cops it if we don’t sign anyone, and we probably don’t have great options so if he does sign 1-2 of them and they’re busts he probably cops it as well.

This is what it must feel like to be Tim Lamb sometimes

Given one oar, and a leaky boat, and told to get us superstars at every trade period like he’s a magician.

2 hours ago, Clayton van Oliver said:

What date is the Happy clapper Vs Eye-ores match? It's been a while but I'm happy to line up in the forward pocket for the mighty Clappers.

WERRIDEE'S best 23 should be dropping soon.

20 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Why is using cheap trades/list spot for a back up and successor to Max a bad idea? Every club has young developing rucks. There’s no indication we’ve paid the world in contract or in trade currently for Heath, he’s just a swap for Verall. Nor did we pay big time for Preuss, Verrall, Fullarton or anyone else they’ve bought in.

Grundy was a move for something different to replace LJ knowing we couldn’t get a key forward and might’ve worked if Max and Brodie parked their egos. Brisbane just won with 2 rucks.

This is an over the top gripe.

What like Langford, Lindsay, Windsor and Kolt?

Jason Taylor and his team have clearly adapted their recruiting to fit the modern game and are getting those mids. Unfortunately we don’t have an Ashcroft/Fletcher father son pipeline to get them for cents in the dollar.

Unfortunately when you try to pick up those types on the cheap you get Harry Sharp more often than not. We took on too many has beens and our scouting has been poor.

I’d be happy for changes in our footy department, but no point getting upset with the media spin or suggesting they don’t know what we need. Everyone knows what we need, trying to get it with limited picks and the opposite of a destination club is really tricky!

Finding a back up ruck is not a bad idea. It's fine. It just shouldn't be a main focus...5 years running.

As for the other half of your post - they were draft picks. I have no issue with Jason Taylor or our scouting department that watch the juniors. They've kept us somewhat, sort-of competitive.

The comparison all demons supporters should be making is how we built the flag list under Mahoney and Viney. We systematically and purposefully identified players from other clubs suited to our style of game (tough, contested, wins 1v1s - e.g Hibberd) and the game at the time (fwd half territory, intercepter with Lever) and stalked them for years before eventually luring them across. Same dodgy facilities, same horrendous reputation, same lack of success. Didn't stop them.

We played the long game. We didn't fill the list out with [censored] recycled guys - we went to the draft and found good players in the 40s and 50s and allowed them to develop by bringing in actual best-22 players from other clubs with good experience.

Every trade period we've had under Lamb has taken us backwards. He had the reputation of a flag to lean on and couldn't attract anyone. Worse, as I said they've actually shown no interest in adapting to the demands of the sport, which change year after year with rule changes. His acquisitions have been short termist, stop gap, band aid solutions.

Now managing a list in the window is perhaps more difficult than building one on the way up with salary cap space. But other clubs seem to know how to do it - and we mismanaged ours. Rewarded the flag heroes with some frankly absurd deals because they were desperately trying to hold on what once made us successful, without ever actually looking at whether it would make us successful again.

If you have any shred of logic or reason, you cannot defend the list management since the flag. It's literally impossible.

36 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Long term deals were used to keep everyone’s salary down. It actually helped us keep our 21 core together through until the end of 24 or even now.

You got to be proactive in moving guys before they drop off. Luke Jackson made that decision for us. Brayshaw is one I’d have let go, instead we got the worst possible result with a stack of dead cap.

Not being proactive and not having a culture of continued improvement I think we’re big reasons we lost JJ and Bedford. Sam Butler stays at Hawthorn despite playing most of the year in the VFL because he trusts he can get more of a spot, our fringe guys bailed.

Our long term deal issues: 4th year for Ben Brown. Super long term deal for Clarry - although he never had a verified mistake or missed a game until the deal was signed. But then more recently Viney, May etc asking for more cash last year.

Still, it’s Oliver and Tracc regressing that has done the most damage combined with the game shifting away from a contested inside game.

Unfortunately Geelong control the rules and when Chris Scott and Shocking wanted a more outside game they made the rules reflect that!

I just want to pick up on the Ben Brown deal. It was courageous. At the time I was horrified that we offerred him four years anchored on a knee that was one more traumatic event away from career-ending and, if no trauma, would still need to be "managed". At the end of it we got 13 (2021), 19 (2022), 7 (2023) and 6 (2024) games from Ben (25, 30, 11 and 7 goals). But it probably took the 4 year offer to land him and he was clearly a critical part of our flag success. Years 3 and 4 was the price we paid. Even if Mihocek drops off late in a three-year deal, if we can get one or two good years out of him, I'll be rapt. He has been amazingly consistent and resilient for the Pies. 159 games in 8 years and 267 goals.....

Seriously Lamb isnt going to come out and say he has no confidence in our young forwards is he? I mean there are certain angles that we just have to go with.

As I reported earlier in the year Kelly O was seen checking out a number of suburban talent in a few leagues around Melbourne so a few rookie surprises might be in store.

2 minutes ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

Seriously Lamb isnt going to come out and say he has no confidence in our young forwards is he? I mean there are certain angles that we just have to go with.

As I reported earlier in the year Kelly O was seen checking out a number of suburban talent in a few leagues around Melbourne so a few rookie surprises might be in store.

They might well be looking at a few surprises especially with a weak draft pool, but I suspect they look far and wide every year anyways so it’s hard to know how much it means.

I’m keen to see what our forwards can do with a new game plan and faster ball movement.

2 minutes ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

Seriously Lamb isnt going to come out and say he has no confidence in our young forwards is he? I mean there are certain angles that we just have to go with.

As I reported earlier in the year Kelly O was seen checking out a number of suburban talent in a few leagues around Melbourne so a few rookie surprises might be in store.

Kelly O was also up here in Albury watching an Ovens and Murray game in the middle of the year.

2 hours ago, fr_ap said:

The comparison all demons supporters should be making is how we built the flag list under Mahoney and Viney. We systematically and purposefully identified players from other clubs suited to our style of game (tough, contested, wins 1v1s - e.g Hibberd) and the game at the time (fwd half territory, intercepter with Lever) and stalked them for years before eventually luring them across. Same dodgy facilities, same horrendous reputation, same lack of success. Didn't stop them.

That’s a charitable recollection that skips over the Viv Michie’s, the Lumumba, the Ben Newton’s, the Ben Kennedy’s, the Chris Dawes, the Tom Bugg’s, the Aiden Riley’s.

Goodwin brought Hibbo and Melk. We were especially lucky with circumstances to get a star in Hibbo.

Then combined with all our picks and cap space we were in the most desirable situation Melbourne has been in for 50 years to actually get stars.

So we target Lever, then May, then Langdon (but also Tomlinson).

We’ve been undesirable for a few years due to much bigger factors that go from the board, the CEO, the head of footy, the coach. That’s why you can’t launch a big play for a big name. And the only way to combat that would be a St Kilda style massive overpay with cap space we don’t have.

I’m happy to blame the list management team for poor choices in filling out the back end of the list because that’s what they can control.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Kelly O was also up here in Albury watching an Ovens and Murray game in the middle of the year.

Kelly no Kayo!

2 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

I just want to pick up on the Ben Brown deal. It was courageous. At the time I was horrified that we offerred him four years anchored on a knee that was one more traumatic event away from career-ending and, if no trauma, would still need to be "managed". At the end of it we got 13 (2021), 19 (2022), 7 (2023) and 6 (2024) games from Ben (25, 30, 11 and 7 goals). But it probably took the 4 year offer to land him and he was clearly a critical part of our flag success. Years 3 and 4 was the price we paid. Even if Mihocek drops off late in a three-year deal, if we can get one or two good years out of him, I'll be rapt. He has been amazingly consistent and resilient for the Pies. 159 games in 8 years and 267 goals.....

I’m not sure Brown was offered more than 3 anywhere else and I’d have just paid more cash than more years. Maybe it got to a point where the 4th year to spread the money out was the smartest option. Especially coming out of Covid.

Either way, he’s the one I’ll wear a bunch of dead years on him for how crucial he was in September. Much like Tom Boyd at the dogs.

6 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

That’s a charitable recollection that skips over the Viv Michie’s, the Lumumba, the Ben Newton’s, the Ben Kennedy’s, the Chris Dawes, the Tom Bugg’s, the Aiden Riley’s.

Goodwin brought Hibbo and Melk. We were especially lucky with circumstances to get a star in Hibbo.

Then combined with all our picks and cap space we were in the most desirable situation Melbourne has been in for 50 years to actually get stars.

So we target Lever, then May, then Langdon (but also Tomlinson).

We’ve been undesirable for a few years due to much bigger factors that go from the board, the CEO, the head of footy, the coach. That’s why you can’t launch a big play for a big name. And the only way to combat that would be a St Kilda style massive overpay with cap space we don’t have.

I’m happy to blame the list management team for poor choices in filling out the back end of the list because that’s what they can control.

All of those guys were better than who Lamb has recruited. Lumumba and Dawes senior premiership players. Bugg 60+ games. Kennedy a talent in an area of need. Perhaps Michie on par with Billings and Riley not far off Sharp (though at least he could win a contest). In any case most of these guys were added from 14-16 when we had been one of the worst teams of all time. Most played a small part in the list build and helped take us from last up to 10th by 2016....crucially they were playing in years 1-2-3 of our key draftees Trac, Gus, Oliver,Salem, allowing them to develop at their own pace and surrounding them with senior bodies. It's an insult to them to be compared to the likes of Fullarton and Shache who have not been able to hold down 1st team spots to help the likes of JVR.

And if we were attractive because of picks and cap space...ok - who's job is it to engineer those assets? The list manager. We've been able to get picks most years. As for cap space, we're not the first premiership side that has wanted to reward a flag group. Other premiership sides have had the space to add big names. We very naively used all the space on rewarding a core group which weren't going to reach the summit again.