Hawks can’t trade for both Humphrey and Merrett, plus any future first round picks they have are likely going to be in the late teens

I still maintain that IF Humphrey wants to come home and doesn’t nominate a specific club, we’re significantly better placed than anyone else to get a deal done

3 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Pretty sure we aren’t going to get anything but draft picks for Petracca. Being 7/13.

Humphries has been speaking to Hawthorn all year, and sat down with them again after Kingy and Jonesey did.

He’s also been speaking to Collingwood.

Let’s be real here, aside from Trac on the table, what else do we have?

I’d sure as hell go with Hawks over us.

Surely we’ve been speaking with him as well. I’m guessing there’s this tiny possibility of prying him out of the GC. I’d say Petracca puts us ahead of anything the other clubs can offer if, and it’s a massive IF, Humphrey actually chooses to come to us. If I’m GC I’m laughing at the possibility of Humphrey leaving for Petracca.

That’s the equivalent of us trading Petracca in 2019/20 for say, Travis Boak.

For mine it only happens if senior GC and/or AFL management want/make it happen and that’s heading into conspiracy territory which I’m not great at.

On top of this we’d surely have to go close to TDK contract terms to go beyond a walk around the tan. Still I’ve got my hopeful hat on.

11 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Hawks and Pies don't have a trade to make that would satisfy the Suns, so that's irrelevant.

Here is the thing tho, if a Victorian kid is chatting to 3 Melbourne clubs with years remaining on his contract, then the reality is that he's a flight risk.

GC must know that one day he will want to move on, and when he's OOC and asks to move, they'll get 5 cents in the dollar for him. Or, they can bite the bullet now and get something very valuable for him.

10 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

We're about to have an enormous release of pressure on the salary cap.

Look, I’m just being honest, their clubs look a load better than ours right now, but you’re both right. We have a great pick there and more free cash, so I am hopeful but I don’t trust that Lamb will be able to get it done.

Fingers crossed, he would be a jet.

3 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Hawks can’t trade for both Humphrey and Merrett, plus any future first round picks they have are likely going to be in the late teens

I still maintain that IF Humphrey wants to come home and doesn’t nominate a specific club, we’re significantly better placed than anyone else to get a deal done

They can cool on Merrett and chase Humphrey instead. And they have ND8 as the base for a trade.

Humphrey is a far superior get than Merrett.

4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

9 minutes ago, Demonland said:

One of them is telling porkies!

3 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

They can cool on Merrett and chase Humphrey instead. And they have ND8 as the base for a trade.

Humphrey is a far superior get than Merrett.

There is no possible way Merrett returns to bombers after his post season performance

2 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

They can cool on Merrett and chase Humphrey instead. And they have ND8 as the base for a trade.

Humphrey is a far superior get than Merrett.

GC don't want or need picks. They want players and we have the best one available.

Having said that, this is a Baileys decision and unfortunately we are probably the least attractive to him at the moment.

1 minute ago, Lucifers Hero said:

One of them is telling porkies!

This must be your first Trade Week. 😜

5 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Humphrey is a far superior get than Merrett.

No he isn’t when they’re in a win now mode.

Merrett also brings leadership.

Adam Cerra wanted to come to us after the 2021 GF but we didn't have the picks to satisfy Fremantle so he ended up at Carlton, who did. On the face of it we appear to be the best placed to help GC get what they want and vice versa.

GC might want to be careful what they wish for. They could miss out on The Brand © and end up unsettling their own key player in process.

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

9 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Look, I’m just being honest, their clubs look a load better than ours right now, but you’re both right. We have a great pick there and more free cash, so I am hopeful but I don’t trust that Lamb will be able to get it done.

Fingers crossed, he would be a jet.

What great pick do we have?

Would be great to land Humphrey if he chooses to come home.

Feeling a little less optimistic than usual/I'd like. As much as it looks like we will have the $$$, the guy's a jet, and I can see him taking a haircut on whatever we offer to win games and perhaps a flag. We're back here - the dark old days in terms of enticing people to come across. For a while we could argue the lure of playing alongside Maxy, Trac and Oliver, now it's just Maxy (and Kozzy) - and Maxy won't be around too long. We need guys like Humphrey to buy in on the kids and the future, and that does not look as exciting as playing for the hawks, who were not far off a GF appearance - and on the rise, with lots of good years ahead. Bug crowds. No Casey (sorry), etc. Hard sell.

Getting rid of Trac and Clarry is good for $, but not so much for prestige. They are generational midfield pillars. Without them, we have an ageing (but still the best) ruckman, question marks over the last few years and potentially another stint at the bottom for a while.

Can't believe we are here again.

4 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Look, I’m just being honest, their clubs look a load better than ours right now, but you’re both right. We have a great pick there and more free cash, so I am hopeful but I don’t trust that Lamb will be able to get it done.

I think that's fair - if the prime motivation is a move back home plus success, Melbourne in 2026 is a hard sell.

My hope is that, as with Lever, those at the Demons who loved Humphrey in his draft year, stayed in touch with him. Obviously, that doesn't guarantee anything, but at the very least it demonstrates how keen we were and remain, and means we're not suddenly contacting him out of the blue at a moment of convenience for us. From there, we need to hope the pragmatism of his manager kicks in and he's told - "Melbourne love you, will pay you extremely well, and have the trade capital to make this happen easily right now."

What can these teams offer GC that is far better than us?

• Melbourne - Petracca

• Hawthorn - Picks 8 (To Ess for Merritt), 30, 41, 60, 75

• Collingwood - Picks 38, 57, 69, 76

Ball is in Humphrey's court, either he comes to us or sits at GC until Hawthorn and Collingwood gain better picks for him in 2027 or 2028.

2 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

No he isn’t when they’re in a win now mode.

Merrett also brings leadership.

Lol

1 minute ago, Oxdee said:

There is no possible way Merrett returns to bombers after his post season performance

1 minute ago, Brenno said:

GC don't want or need picks. They want players and we have the best one available.

Having said that, this is a Baileys decision and unfortunately we are probably the least attractive to him at the moment.

Was simply posting how Hawks can do a Humphrey deal.

That aside Hawks can be nasty to deal with. Last year WCE were hesitating over the Barass trade so they withdrew there offer which forced WCE to dilute ND#2 and ended up trading Barass to Hawks for a lesser dealer than originally offered. It is clear Hawks don't play fair in trades or in wooing oppostion players.

Long way to go ... and I'm not convinced that if he leaves GCS that he will come to us.

Will Sam Mitchell and his wife take Bailey and his mum out for dinner? Stay tuned!

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by rpfc

3 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

No he isn’t when they’re in a win now mode.

Merrett also brings leadership.

They bring the same skill set.

Merrett idea of leadership: captain walks out on struggling club, teammates and fans.

And Hawks have plenty of leaders backing up Sicily.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Lucifers Hero

Trac’a $1.3M per season would surely turn Humphrey’ head. Do we have the nuts to offer it?

Let's get Merrett haha

10 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

What great pick do we have?

I meant Trac, at least he’s up for grabs.

6 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Was simply posting how Hawks can do a Humphrey deal.

That aside Hawks can be nasty to deal with. Last year WCE were hesitating over the Barass trade so they withdrew there offer which forced WCE to dilute ND#2 and ended up trading Barass to Hawks for a lesser dealer than originally offered. It is clear Hawks don't play fair in trades or in wooing oppostion players.

Long way to go ... and I'm not convinced that if he leaves GCS that he will come to us.

To be fair,or rather to be succinct, is the object of this Circus to better your situation or win the BestClub at the Circus Ball award ?

Arguably there are better ways and means but like everything else about the game, the ideal is not participation but winning.

We could learn something.

4 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Trac’a $1.3M per season would surely turn Humphrey’ head. Do we have the nuts to offer it?

I doubt he’d turn over in bed if we didn’t offer at least this.

4 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Trac’a $1.3M per season would surely turn Humphrey’ head. Do we have the nuts to offer it?

Bump it up 1.5 x 8 and he gets the number 5 on his back. And the play on the MCG 15 times a season