We should be smart and sign pettard up post gold coast entry so we have room to manevour when they want a home grown up and comer (which he will be by that stage) to come home to their new franchise souless club. if we play hardball and they get all the picks thats been promised we may get a top 5 pick.

Im pretty much resigned to losing him either way unless he really really wants to stay, but even so it may be in the clubs long term interests to play to the gold coast desire to have home grown players if we can screw them over deal wise.

If this does happen, the AFL should compensate the team that would've got those bottom picks, it's only fair and that way they would have the potential to be able to trade to get better players. Typical that it happens right when we're the worst i've seen in the whole time of supporting Melbourne.

We should be smart and sign pettard up post gold coast entry so we have room to manevour when they want a home grown up and comer (which he will be by that stage) to come home to their new franchise souless club. if we play hardball and they get all the picks thats been promised we may get a top 5 pick.

Im pretty much resigned to losing him either way unless he really really wants to stay, but even so it may be in the clubs long term interests to play to the gold coast desire to have home grown players if we can screw them over deal wise.

I heard Ricky in an interview with KB before the start of the season and he stated that he loved it Melbourne and was not interested in returning to QLD to play.

I heard Ricky in an interview with KB before the start of the season and he stated that he loved it Melbourne and was not interested in returning to QLD to play.

heard that aswell.

I heard Ricky in an interview with KB before the start of the season and he stated that he loved it Melbourne and was not interested in returning to QLD to play.

Thats great to hear, but i dont have high hopes for next year either - and he would have to be very special to truley be untouchable if the right offer came along.. Gold Coast will have currency in draft picks - if we can get over value for him we should take it.

Im praying they take the Freo model and trade their picks so they dont get trashed each week, Freo have lost somuch value with their recycling players and general drafting/trading policys, hopefully these new clubs do the same.

Also Reiwoldt has said similar things, but the money they will have to throw at specific players will be a big drawing factor, id be surprised if GC did not get Riewoldt.

We're farked. We are at least 5 years away from challenging for the finals, now with this news you can double that. We are dead we may as well take Natanui, Rich or whoever comes in at number 3 play out '09 and then merge with the Kangaroos in '10 cause we won't be able to survive this. Even though it's not set in concrete yet it will be similar cause the AFL will not want the Gold Coast and\or West Sydney being the jokes of the AFL and all because Lyon(who doesn't even know our players names) and the other clowns on the board picking the worst coach possible. FARK YOU GARRY LYON YOU HAVE DESTROYED THE FOOTBALL CLUB.

We're farked. We are at least 5 years away from challenging for the finals, now with this news you can double that. We are dead we may as well take Natanui, Rich or whoever comes in at number 3 play out '09 and then merge with the Kangaroos in '10 cause we won't be able to survive this. Even though it's not set in concrete yet it will be similar cause the AFL will not want the Gold Coast and\or West Sydney being the jokes of the AFL and all because Lyon(who doesn't even know our players names) and the other clowns on the board picking the worst coach possible. FARK YOU GARRY LYON YOU HAVE DESTROYED THE FOOTBALL CLUB.

Wow, you're pretty upbeat about the whole thing hey?

If anything, we are probably lucky that we will be down the bottom for the next 2 years at least. By that stage we will hopefully be showing signs of a turnaround and be on the up again. Teams on the rebuid starting in 2010, will be the real ones feeling the pinch.

It is far too early to make those sort of calls on Bailey yet. If he is supposed to be the teaching coach we all heard about, the proof of this will hopefully be seen in our younger players next season.

Wow, you're pretty upbeat about the whole thing hey?

If anything, we are probably lucky that we will be down the bottom for the next 2 years at least. By that stage we will hopefully be showing signs of a turnaround and be on the up again. Teams on the rebuid starting in 2010, will be the real ones feeling the pinch.

It is far too early to make those sort of calls on Bailey yet. If he is supposed to be the teaching coach we all heard about, the proof of this will hopefully be seen in our younger players next season.

worst hit will be fremantle and sydney i would think, maybe adelaide, though they all have massive cash to develop the players they get another area we lack in - if we make the hard decisions at the end of this year and also pick up the priority in front of GC in 2010 possibly trade for Pettard, could have 3 top 10 picks in 2010, along with whatever we get this year if we offload Bruce and Green which are probably our only players with value.

We could be ok, come 2011-2012 but we need to get lucky and hope we dont get duds in the draft and our new facilities will finally be in place then, thats the earliest i see us looking really threatening, no superstar KPP or matchwinner/gamebreaker really hurts us, we need minimum 3 probably to really contend.

Hopefully Nanatui, Morton, Grimes, all become superstars McLean can be Hodge like, Jones is gold, Sylvia... i still have hope, Bate, Dunn, Frawley, Maric we still have some great young prospects - but we need to get someone reliable (hopefully superstar) at FB FF and Ruck.

Its hurt coming to this realisation, i had convinced myself last year was injurys, and we still had a shot if we could put it together, but we are a long long way off if u line our list up vs Geelongs or Hawthorns

Let's hope it is all out of the way by the time that Garry's three sons are coming through.....and the sons of some of his team mates too; Hutchy didn't mention anything about the Father Son rule. Fingers crossed it won't be tampered with.

I think the key to getting through this period is having a good recruiting network. We are just going to have to look further into the back blocks with more scrutiny than the GC, WS franchises and the AFL talent manager(s).

Look on the positive side.

1. If Valenti and Wonnamirri make it from the rookie list we are already WAY ahead.

2. Who says a starring 15 year old is always going to make it when he reaches 18?

3. Same goes for a 16 year old.

4. Ever heard of 'late bloomers'? (Bruce, Cox)

Go Dees - This year I am barracking for Carlton and Richmond. But may change to Freo and West Coast if required