The Gold Coast 'brand' is gonna take a big hit if they can't pull off a trade for the best player they've had since Gary Ablett Jnr agreeing to join them

It'll go down like sour milk for Trac and any other big name they potentially chase in the future

6 minutes ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

Also heard that Humphrey and others were spoken to at length by us during 2022 draft so he knows a bit about us already.

Pretty sure thats been public knowledge for a long time considering we did try to trade up for him at draft time.

2 minutes ago, Very Jaded said:

This is precisely why he needs to force their hand, AND use the compassionate grounds to make it happen

Gold Coast can absolutely flip the narrative and come out as the good guys here, if they say "we have been recently made aware of challenges that Bailey and his family are facing, and despite our best efforts to help the situation, it became clear that a move home was the best outcome for Bailey and his family".

It's really easy for GC to back down on compassionate grounds. Really easy.

true, but if its a personal reason like: A friends, friend who has a sister who was dating a guy who has had a dog lose a paw nail. We know what GC will say to this. 

15 hours ago, Mouseymoo said:

No you're thinking of Humpty. He was the one with the wall.

If you lived in Sydney, you’d know ‘the Wall’ has very different connotations.

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by hardtack

Just now, Demon Forever said:

true, but if its a personal reason like: A friends, friend who has a sister who was dating a guy who has had a dog lose a paw nail. We know what GC will say to this. 

I think it's a lot more compelling than "my dog's a nal glands need expressing and his favourite vet is in Moe"

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by Very Jaded

Just now, Very Jaded said:

The Gold Coast 'brand' is gonna take a big hit if they can't pull off a trade for the best player they've had since Gary Ablett Jnr agreeing to join them

It'll go down like sour milk for Trac and any other big name they potentially chase in the future

MFC is the media's punching bag at the moment, so if no deal gets done it doesn't really hurt our reputation much. But it will impact their's a great deal. In a game of brinkmanship, GC stand to lose a lot more than us, not just next year, but in future years when stars may consider moving there.

2 hours ago, mandeelorian said:

I hope we're not bringing a checkers board to a 3D Chess fight with the Suns.

All good, we are playing 4D chess

4 minutes ago, Demon Forever said:

I cant be 100% positive in the response to this. My gut feel is its in person. Too much relies on this for it to be over via video

No worries. I was told this from a Carlton person who knows some managers - the vibe being that any potential meeting would have to be much more cloke and dagger. Manager was annoyed they were so obvious.

2 minutes ago, Very Jaded said:

I think it's a lot more compelling than "my dog's a nal glands need expressing and his favourite vet is in Moe"

I'm going to be laughing about this for a long while.

4 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Pretty sure thats been public knowledge for a long time considering we did try to trade up for him at draft time.

I meant more in a Jake Lever kind of way - awareness of continued interest.

Just now, Norm Smith's Curse said:

No worries. I was told this from a Carlton person who knows some managers - the vibe being that any potential meeting would have to be much more cloke and dagger. Manager was annoyed they were so obvious.

I'd have to agree with this. What were they thinking with the Tan meeting? Zero upside and just really poor. I got the feeling from Lambs interview he wasn't impressed by the decision either

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by whelan45

41 minutes ago, Demon Forever said:

I am also led to believe that GC are across this meeting

I’m hearing Dimma has locked Bailey in a cupboard at his mum’s house.

happy 69 pages of hope everyone!

If you look at the parties that were after Bailey, they have gone other ways.

Pies - Going after Simpkin

Hawks - Merrett

Essendon - Fiorini

I think player managers are aware they aren't in the chase. Now you can take that 2 ways (No one has a chance) or clubs believe (MFC are the only ones with a chance).

Let Demonland decide

2 minutes ago, Very Jaded said:

The Gold Coast 'brand' is gonna take a big hit if they can't pull off a trade for the best player they've had since Gary Ablett Jnr agreeing to join them

It'll go down like sour milk for Trac and any other big name they potentially chase in the future

It is now ...imho.. a classic... lesser of two evils or the garnering of the greater opportunity.

Do you forego the chance to recruit a certified gun, an epitome of a franchise-player to retain a good ( who could be great ) player ?

Which is worse ? Losing Humphrey or losing Petracca ??

Now I chose the word lose specifically. The greatest motivator for the human.... is FEAR, not GAIN. We mortals do not like to lose out.

GC will have a lot more explaining to do if they let Tracc slip than should they allow Humphrey to go-home for "reasons"

The framework for the "sell", for the trade , is right there.

All Bailey has to do is...

Press....

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by beelzebub

1 minute ago, Demon Forever said:

If you look at the parties that were after Bailey, they have gone other ways.

Pies - Going after Simpkin

Hawks - Merrett

Essendon - Fiorini

I think player managers are aware they aren't in the chase. Now you can take that 2 ways (No one has a chance) or clubs believe (MFC are the only ones with a chance).

Let Demonland decide

2026:

B. Humphrey, Melbourne, 40 Brownlow votes.

5 minutes ago, whelan45 said:

I'd have to agree with this. What were they thinking with the Tan meeting? Zero upside and just really poor. I got the feeling from Lambs interview he wasn't impressed by the decision either

The Tan meeting was deliberate to make the "Noise" with the media kick up a notch.

3 minutes ago, Demon Forever said:

If you look at the parties that were after Bailey, they have gone other ways.

Pies - Going after Simpkin

Hawks - Merrett

Essendon - Fiorini

I think player managers are aware they aren't in the chase. Now you can take that 2 ways (No one has a chance) or clubs believe (MFC are the only ones with a chance).

Let Demonland decide

Maybe they took Gold Coast at their word that he is not on the trade table. 😜

6 minutes ago, whelan45 said:

I'd have to agree with this. What were they thinking with the Tan meeting? Zero upside and just really poor. I got the feeling from Lambs interview he wasn't impressed by the decision either

What were they thinking... ??

Let's just ease the boat off the slip 😉

Ohhh... bugger.... someone saw us

oops/not-oops

😉

(GC certainly weren't going to )

Just now, Demonland said:

Maybe they took Gold Coast at their word that he is not on the trade table. 😜

possibility but the player managers have a lot more info then that. They are very powerful people in the Industry. Especially the top 3 Player Management businesses.

There are some shockers also however - Aleek Aleer?

3 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

I’m hearing Dimma has locked Bailey in a cupboard at his mum’s house.

At Hardwick's mum's house? I heard the same.

It's in the same basement where Hardwick has a massive corkboard covered in pins linked by red wool, connecting pictures of ABC journalists, George Soros, grey aliens and autism-is-caused-by-flouride cover ups.

1 hour ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Bit hard to see from Campbellfield!

can you get a ladder and climb up on the roof?

27 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Get the 'ell out and you're left with Moe. Make of that what you will.

I make of it that you do cryptic crosswords

5 minutes ago, Demon Forever said:

The Tan meeting was deliberate to make the "Noise" with the media kick up a notch.

Apparently the manager thought it hampered any efforts to get him to Victoria because GC were unaware of it which could have blown back. And thought it seemed like a stunt to appease restless supporters.