On 24/04/2026 at 17:08, john delosa said:

This is a pretty embarrassing take. You’re blaming one player for a whole club’s issues and then wrapping it in personal abuse. Footy discussion is better than this.

only at times on this forum… 🤷‍♂️😎

15 minutes ago, old dee said:

We will see next weekend how flash we are. L

we've already beaten the two time reigning premiers

we're playing good footy

7 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Thanks for replying.

Its hard to know which reports had any truth to them.

We can safely say there was no extension. His contract with us was to 2029. footywire, which is generally accurate shows his GCS contract is also 2029.

I can see Petracca playing on until 2031 or even 2032

Probably permanent forward eventually, a la Dangerfield

And we'll probably have 6 on the bench soon enough as well as larger lists, mainly because of the evolution of the sport

And with greater amount of bench time for the A Grade Veterans, they'll play on until their mid 30's

I do see Pendlebury as an abberation/outlier, but the other vets?

Now that the league is hellbent on opening up the game into free-flowing affairs, the players are going to need more rest in games (as well as individual player bye's)

Fast and relentless running takes its toll especially in terms of soft tissue injuries

3 hours ago, old dee said:

We will see next weekend how flash we are. L

You don’t already think we’re doing ok?

I see St Kilda won by 100 today. Does that mean you now think our win over them is better than you previously thought?

35 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

You don’t already think we’re doing ok?

I see St Kilda won by 100 today. Does that mean you now think our win over them is better than you previously thought?

And Brisbane lead by close on 10 goals! We beat Brisbane of course

Does that mean we'll thrash the Crows? Not necessarily but 5 & 2 is 5 & 2

Prior to the season a lot of us would have taken 3 & 4 or maybe 4 & 3 at a stretch

Edited yesterday at 07:591 day by Macca

2 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

You don’t already think we’re doing ok?

I see St Kilda won by 100 today. Does that mean you now think our win over them is better than you previously thought?

For God sake they were playing the weagles. It's time to give the dog his bone back.

2 hours ago, Macca said:

And Brisbane lead by close on 10 goals! We beat Brisbane of course

Does that mean we'll thrash the Crows? Not necessarily but 5 & 2 is 5 & 2

Prior to the season a lot of us would have taken 3 & 4 or maybe 4 & 3 at a stretch

I think a lot were think 3 and 4 but hoping for 4 and 3. 5 and 2 is a very good start. It's a tough one next weekend.

6 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

He did not get an extra year

To be confirmed, strong mail he received a trigger clause for another year from GC17 on top of his current deal he signed with the Dees.

This won't show up on his current deal unless he hits a trigger on his 4 years.

Edited yesterday at 09:481 day by YesitwasaWin4theAges

1 minute ago, old dee said:

I think a lot were think 3 and 4 but hoping for 4 and 3. 5 and 2 is a very good start. It's a tough one next weekend.

All games are tough, old dee, but the more we are fully tested, the better off we'll be

Unless we shy away and not embrace what's coming our way

We're about to find out how good we are under pressure and under the spotlight

I prefer that to languishing down the bottom of the ladder without much hope

Richmond aside, we've had 4 good wins, 2 of which where we weren't given much hope at all

We need our experienced players to keep stepping up as we can't rely on the youngsters or inexperienced types

On 25/04/2026 at 19:10, Swooper1987 said:

I've refrained from any involvement in discussion on this board about Oliver and Petracca. It's not particularly helpful other than for a bit of spleen venting. However, I reckon some of the commentary about a two time B&F, 4 time AA, Club leading goalkicker, Norm Smith Medallist, Premiership player and 200 game life member is disrespectful in the extreme and reeks of scorned lover syndrome. The man made his decision after giving us, by and large, outstanding service and some of the best memories we'll ever have as Melbourne supporters. Let it go. He's moved on and so has the club. In a few years time, in 2031 most likely when the team gets together for its 10 year reunion, he'll be welcomed back with open arms as the club legend that he is, just as Josh Dunkley was on Friday night at the Bulldogs celebration. For the rest of his playing career I'll have nothing more than a passing interest in an opposition player, but I'll always be extremely grateful for his career with us.

Nah he walked out on us when the going got tough rather than stand up like a leader

He can GAGF

On 25/04/2026 at 15:02, Demonland said:

The Consultant has become the Consulted.

Naww, Trac learned to kick

19 minutes ago, old dee said:

I think a lot were think 3 and 4 but hoping for 4 and 3. 5 and 2 is a very good start. It's a tough one next weekend.

most were thinking between 4-6 wins for the year!

David King was saying on First Crack that he thinks Petracca has upset the Suns' midfield mix... Should just play half-forward instead...

8 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

David King was saying on First Crack that he thinks Petracca has upset the Suns' midfield mix... Should just play half-forward instead...

It’s a good point. Suns have too many stars and not enough role players

13 hours ago, Macca said:

All games are tough, old dee, but the more we are fully tested, the better off we'll be

Unless we shy away and not embrace what's coming our way

We're about to find out how good we are under pressure and under the spotlight

I prefer that to languishing down the bottom of the ladder without much hope

Richmond aside, we've had 4 good wins, 2 of which where we weren't given much hope at all

We need our experienced players to keep stepping up as we can't rely on the youngsters or inexperienced types

Agree Macca, they have exceeded my expectations. We don't need any more long term injuries as the stocks at Casey are now very thin. The Swans in Sydney is a big one as they are currently the form side of this year. As you rightly say every team needs a blend of youth and experience. Richmond shows at present what happens when you get too much youth and very little experience.

13 hours ago, DubDee said:

most were thinking between 4-6 wins for the year!

I cannot say I was in that camp DD. I thought we were capable of 10 to 11.

14 hours ago, old dee said:

For God sake they were playing the weagles. It's time to give the dog his bone back.

I'm confused OD.

We beat the suns, but that's not as impressive now given the Suns subsequent form.

Have I got that right?

The lions were unbelievably impressive in their win yesterday over the crows.

Based on your system, what does that mean for your assessment of our victory over the reigning premiers last week?

On 24/04/2026 at 07:47, Trident22 said:

Sorry, but Tracc sh@t on his own supporters a number of times. I remmeber his interview in one of our finals, and he said "that's for anyone who has been embarrassed to be a Melbourne supporter" - that was tone deaf. Never once been embarrassed. It showed the attitude he held.

Please don’t try and rewrite history and take what was said out of context. We can have our views on Trac towards the end of his time but what you have said above is way off target

He uttered those words in an interview on ground at the Cattery straight after Max kicked the goal in the comeback win of the last home and away game to claim top spot in 21. He was emotional and had tears it was an epic win and pretty much uttered the words of numerous Demonlanders who for years spoke of no kids wearing Dee’s jumpers to school or junior clinics, spoke of their own kids jumping off and spoke of being sorry for making their kids support Melbourne.

His statement that night was very much about being proud to support the club

The Consultant thing is interesting. I remember there being a fairly well-publicised reconciliation of sorts where the group gathered near the start of the season, Petracca and others got teary, and bridges seemed to be at least partly mended. Did that just fade away as it became clear we were going to once again have a shocker of a season? Was it all a bit overdone? Was it a PR exercise - a show?

I totally understand supporters wanting to be done with it - to just forget about him. But he was extroardinarily good for a very long time. I think you can wonder what went so wrong without becoming stuck in the past.

If it was simply that he felt the club treated his injury atrociously, so be it. I can't help but feel there was more to it than that.

3 hours ago, old dee said:

Agree Macca, they have exceeded my expectations. We don't need any more long term injuries as the stocks at Casey are now very thin. The Swans in Sydney is a big one as they are currently the form side of this year. As you rightly say every team needs a blend of youth and experience. Richmond shows at present what happens when you get too much youth and very little experience.

Sydney is a big game in terms of bringing our best. But we've got quite a few inexperienced types who's form is going to fluctuate. Senior players need to step up

Up there they are going to be hard to beat as on paper at least, they are a 5 or 6 goal better team, all things considered

But you never know. A close loss might be acceptable and a win would be a big bonus, in my view

23 hours ago, Demonsone said:

Interesting to see if this was the catalyst of his request with the Demons, just pure speculation but there was talk he wanted his contract to change to accommodate his 3rd party etc….

Pretty clear he left because the relationships between him and the club completely broke down.

5 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Pretty clear he left because the relationships between him and the club completely broke down.

But most of the people whose relationship broke down were gone by the end of last year. "The Club" must also mean most of the other players too, including people like Max, Jack Viney, and others in the playing group.

Just now, Chook said:

But most of the people whose relationship broke down were gone by the end of last year. "The Club" must also mean most of the other players too, including people like Max, Jack Viney, and others in the playing group.

I think the damage was done by the end of 2024 and Petracca had all but checked-out last year.

Ultimately, this would have damaged his relationships with his teammates.

Playing group seems much happier this year without the drama and distractions brought by Trac, Oliver and May.

2 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

The Consultant thing is interesting. I remember there being a fairly well-publicised reconciliation of sorts where the group gathered near the start of the season, Petracca and others got teary, and bridges seemed to be at least partly mended. Did that just fade away as it became clear we were going to once again have a shocker of a season? Was it all a bit overdone? Was it a PR exercise - a show?

I totally understand supporters wanting to be done with it - to just forget about him. But he was extroardinarily good for a very long time. I think you can wonder what went so wrong without becoming stuck in the past.

If it was simply that he felt the club treated his injury atrociously, so be it. I can't help but feel there was more to it than that.

I believe (in hindsight mind you) that it was a show and pony dance. Trac did chuck a hissy fit - one that even outdone Merrett's. Realised it wasn't going to get done and then had to find someway to put together a 2025 season that would allow him to play decent footy and find a new home. That meant trying to mend bridges that were beyond reconciliation. I dont think anything he did was genuine at all.

I truely wished he played us this earlier this year only so i could see the post match vibe with his former team mates and who he would stay and talk with.

He very much had a score to settle with MFC and its not clear still to this day who that is with. Remember the texts to Oliver post round 1. "Over to you" or something of that nature. You can wish your mate good luck, but those messages were sent with a level of nastiness.

Im trying to move on from this whole thing and this thread aint doing me any favours for closure. @Mods can we please shut this down and focus our efforts on the death ride

19 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

I believe (in hindsight mind you) that it was a show and pony dance. Trac did chuck a hissy fit - one that even outdone Merrett's. Realised it wasn't going to get done and then had to find someway to put together a 2025 season that would allow him to play decent footy and find a new home. That meant trying to mend bridges that were beyond reconciliation. I dont think anything he did was genuine at all.

I truely wished he played us this earlier this year only so i could see the post match vibe with his former team mates and who he would stay and talk with.

He very much had a score to settle with MFC and its not clear still to this day who that is with. Remember the texts to Oliver post round 1. "Over to you" or something of that nature. You can wish your mate good luck, but those messages were sent with a level of nastiness.

Im trying to move on from this whole thing and this thread aint doing me any favours for closure. @Mods can we please shut this down and focus our efforts on the death ride