I think Paul is proving to be great communicator and can’t knock any of then reset strategy - the mistakes made were all on Perts watch. I’ve much more confidence in this administration than the incompetent management of Rofey and Pert

I am feeling buoyed by the actions of the club during this trade period. Never for a moment did I think they would or could have pulled off something that feels so rational, strategic, and hard. The rainbow has faded and the unicorn's been sacrificed. Cheers, but see yez...

Only note of caution re the Trac trade is that the proof of the pudding will be where we all know it will be, but given the sentiment I've expressed above, they blokes in charge have won a measure of trust from me.

Onward and ________________ .

Best thing for the club no issues at all.

No more articles on this BS that has transpired over the past 4 years.

We will find out how deep Maysie is invested this off season.

I love him but he needed to hear what was told to him.

Yep, lots of spin. So much will always be hidden. The club don't want Tracc, Oliver or any past player to hate us. But it could be if we knew all the stats and stories from recent years we'd agree the club would have been crazy to persist with them.

4 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Really liked the direct and frank nature of the article especially the discussion with May.

Loved his response even more:

“He stopped, and he looked at us, and he said, ‘I totally get it’. “He said, ‘The club’s been so good for me. I’ve got a premiership here. I’ll always love the club.’

He said, ‘But just let me be clear, you’re sacking me’,

“(I said) ‘No, we’re not sacking you just being honest with you.’

“He goes, ‘all right. I’ll look for a trade, but if I can’t get a trade, can I come back?’

“So in Kingy’s words you come back but earn your spot like everyone else. “He said, ‘If I don’t get a trade I will come back in and earn my spot and commit to helping develop the kids who will take my spot.’

Go Maysie!!❤️💙

Always been a May fan. His heart has always been in the right place……even when he crossed the line a couple of times.

Sadly, can’t say the same for Petracca.

The difference being May has always been ‘Team Melbourne’ first and foremost. Petracca has always been ‘Team Petracca’ first and foremost.

Both very good players and I would suggest that Petracca was the better player out of the two.

But I have always liked the concept that a champion team will beat a team of champions.

I am glad that Mayzie is hanging around.

1 hour ago, Fritta and Turner said:

TBH I reckon that clearing the decks is very hard. Just go read the Tim Lamb, Tracca and Clarrie threads.

But as you say the clubs purpose is to win at footy, and Guerra doesnt pull the boots on. Tough gig.

I think removing Goody was the hard part.

the rest fell into place after that

1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Here's a presser I prepared for the Paul Guerra earlier.

Draft of this evening’s press release

Trade Week Strategic Alignment Statement

The MFC is pleased to announce a paradigm shift in its list management strategy, as we continue streamlining operations and leveraging our assets to deliver bespoke on-field outcomes going forward.

This strategic recalibration represents a rightsizing initiative designed to align our game style brand with industry best practice, optimise core competencies, and ensure stakeholder satisfaction within the player group through organic growth and sustainable success metrics.

Our newly appointed Thought Leader in this space, Steven, brings an expanded view of industry best practice and a deep understanding of outcomes-based excellence within the men’s football program. Steven’s appointment reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement and each man playing our role within the team-first framework week in, week out.

While there are a lotta moving parts during this transitional phase, the Club remains committed to undertaking its due diligence in the recruiting stakes moving forward. Rest assured, no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of synergistic talent acquisition, optimisation of existing assets and ensuring stakeholder-aligned success outcomes.

Our leadership team will continue to reach out, and if necessary, take discussions offline, as required to ensure full transparency.

Finally, the Melbourne Football Club would like to sincerely thank all players who have been delisted or traded for their outstanding service to the red and blue. Each of these individuals has been a quality person both on and off the field, embodying the Club’s values of connection, commitment, and continual improvement. While change is never easy, we acknowledge their significant contributions to our culture and wish them every success as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their journey. They will always remain valued members of the broader Melbourne family, and we thank them and their families for the professionalism, resilience, and team-first attitude they have displayed throughout their time at the Club.

Melbourne Football Club Communications Department
Delivering key metrics, not just premierships, since 1964.

Thanks QD but glad that you didn’t write the original. lol.!!!

Seems a good moment to reiterate the thought that losing Brayshaw and Nibbler had more impact on us than losing Oliver and Trac will have.

We also lost Gus and Nibbler for close to nothing back.

In contrast at least in the short term Steele and Mihocek really help to supply that cultural strength that was lost. Longer term Picks 6 and 7 aren't to be sneezed at, either.

And 2026 free agency is our very own salary cap riot.

6 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Really liked the direct and frank nature of the article especially the discussion with May.

Loved his response even more:

“He stopped, and he looked at us, and he said, ‘I totally get it’. “He said, ‘The club’s been so good for me. I’ve got a premiership here. I’ll always love the club.’

He said, ‘But just let me be clear, you’re sacking me’,

“(I said) ‘No, we’re not sacking you just being honest with you.’

“He goes, ‘all right. I’ll look for a trade, but if I can’t get a trade, can I come back?’

“So in Kingy’s words you come back but earn your spot like everyone else. “He said, ‘If I don’t get a trade I will come back in and earn my spot and commit to helping develop the kids who will take my spot.’

Go Maysie!!❤️💙

Love this bit…so glad he stays I reckon he’s a legend and after that he’ll be better for it.

3 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Anyone know when we start pre season?

I think Ghosty posted somewhere that it was the 11th November

7 hours ago, adonski said:

https://archive.md/9k8AX#selection-753.0-935.8

Thanks for posting @adonski

What a great and very detailed article. It’s good to know how things unfolded and very interesting reading about Steele too and how that eventuated. Hopefully May gets back into form and also helps the younger defenders develop quickly.

Seems pretty positive for 2026.

Go Dees.

I thought that was a very good article which was a little more honest (transparent?) than anything I’ve read coming out of the club in recent years; however, my inner ‘Nosey Parker’ would love to have read the reason for Clarrie’s supposed storming out of his meeting with King and what was actually said at that point of the meeting (particularly Clarrie’s parting words).

There’s a lot of talk about the new recruits such as Mihocek and Steele and the influence they will have on the playing group, not to mention May’s commitment to teaching the young up and coming players that will replace him in the not too distant future. However, the big unknown is whether King is capable of successfully implementing the plans he sold to the interview panel… I live in hope!

I’m looking forward to season ‘26 with a reasonable level of excitement!

3 hours ago, BDA said:

He's made a good start. Much better communicator than his predecessors

But clearing the decks is the easy part

Ultimately the club and his tenure will be based upon success on the field

The old saying is that talk is cheap.

One of his predecessors PJ, didn't talk a lot...just did.

You're correct...on field success is where his time will be measured.

4 hours ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Disappointed not to read that "this is the best culture I've seen in my three months of footy".

Give it time. Guerra is new to footy

7 hours ago, Bonkers said:

A fair amount of spin as others have mentioned. How in the world Gawn thinks he is closer to a premiership now than before is mind boggling. He will most likely be a spent force in one or 2 years. Those draft picks that they are spruiking are going to take a lot longer to turn into A grade players than that. I get the club is trying to paint a pretty picture for us all and I’d be happy to be proven wrong. The reality is we are looking at being at the bottom of the ladder or thereabouts for the foreseeable future and we are hoping players like Langford, Windsor and Lindsay can take up the positions of players like Petracca and Oliver, which is a massive ask. Long term it may turn out fine, but we are in rebuild mode and that is not the messaging they gave prior to the trade period. It is what it is I guess, what other option did they have.

I think you're missing the point. We've finished 14th 2 years running with key players wanting to leave and/ or creating locker room tension

Do nothing and we may well have finished lower or the same in 26.

Doing nothing was not an option and by clearing out fragile players or troublemakers and replenishing the list with top 12 picks places us in a stronger position

Time will tell but it's a strong message to the group

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by jnrmac

1 hour ago, hardtack said:

I thought that was a very good article which was a little more honest (transparent?) than anything I’ve read coming out of the club in recent years; however, my inner ‘Nosey Parker’ would love to have read the reason for Clarrie’s supposed storming out of his meeting with King and what was actually said at that point of the meeting (particularly Clarrie’s parting words).

There’s a lot of talk about the new recruits such as Mihocek and Steele and the influence they will have on the playing group, not to mention May’s commitment to teaching the young up and coming players that will replace him in the not too distant future. However, the big unknown is whether King is capable of successfully implementing the plans he sold to the interview panel… I live in hope!

I’m looking forward to season ‘26 with a reasonable level of excitement!

He's probably delivered 50 percent of the plan in the last month.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by Queanbeyan Demon

5 hours ago, rjay said:

We're certainly getting a lot of words.

I don't know if that translates to transparency.

I will wait and see the actions...and the results of those actions.

Didn’t take long to get the classic “talk is cheap” trope.

What do you want the club to do in [censored] October?

Yes, judge the club on how we play. But we can’t play until March. It’s brainless to suggest the club should say nothing until March, so just accept that in October (and November-February), the only thing the club can give us is words.

I won’t miss Petracca and Oliver’s kicking at least it only leave Viney who play a role other than kicking efficiency. Lions show if you don’t have elite disposal you can’t win flags.

54 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

I think you're missing the point. We've finished 14th 2 years running with key players wanting to leave and/ or creating locker room tension

Do nothing and we may well have finished lower or the same in 26.

Doing nothing was not an option and by clearing out fragile players or troublemakers and replenishing the list with top 12 picks places us in a stronger position

Time will tell but it's a strong message to the group

100% this. We've had significant change to the list the coaching group and the powers that be.

It should have happened a lot sooner but I'm bouyant after coming close to falling out of love with the club such has our demise been since the flag.

I still think we are bottom 6 next year and that's ok. We could turn quickly after that.

1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

Didn’t take long to get the classic “talk is cheap” trope.

What do you want the club to do in [censored] October?

Yes, judge the club on how we play. But we can’t play until March. It’s brainless to suggest the club should say nothing until March, so just accept that in October (and November-February), the only thing the club can give us is words.

Lets wait and see...

I hope he is good but I have reservations.

After all the talk from last preseason I would rather us be a little (lot) more low key.

Yes, we have had a big trade period and some things needed to be addressed & spoken about.

My personal opinion is that we are overplaying it.

...talk is cheap.

36 minutes ago, rjay said:

Lets wait and see...

I hope he is good but I have reservations.

After all the talk from last preseason I would rather us be a little (lot) more low key.

Yes, we have had a big trade period and some things needed to be addressed & spoken about.

My personal opinion is that we are overplaying it.

...talk is cheap.

We have a new regime and we just turfed two MFC hall of famers, with members having deserted us all year

It would be incredulous if the new leaders didn’t get out there and talk about what we’re doing.

8 hours ago, deelusions from afar said:

"we won't be accepting picks for Trac, we want at least one player"

No-one from the club said that.

4 hours ago, BDA said:

I think removing Goody was the hard part.

For me, it was the easy part. For many, even most people, removing Goodwin in itself would have been enough. New coach, new game plan, new dawn, positive spin etc. etc.

The hard part was taking Goodwin's departure as just the start of the necessary changes, and then carrying through on what really needed to change.

8 hours ago, sue said:

He actually went on to say: “I think if you do the points it actually comes out to a number one pick." Not as cringworthy as you suggested.

Yes, that was in the part I quoted? And yes, still very cringeworthy.

8 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Yep, 7+8 = just over 3000 points. Pick 1 is worth 3000 points.

Meaningless.