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From my limited experience with AFL players, they don't know or care about their team mates remuneration, only their performance and how they fit in. Have also heard countless interviews with players where they say none of them talk about their contract details. But sure, you can choose to believe that a poster on the internet (who has already complained about Tomlinson's contract details, which they have no actual knowledge of), had a player complain, in a public place; to someone they've never met before, about something they wouldn't know about.

Somehow I don't think it was this mystery "senior player" who had the problem with the contract...

See now I know you're lying because players openly discussing salary and contract length is not only a HR breach but also a privacy breach and likely in breach of their own contract terms.

The poor lad should have a meeting with an orthodontist first. He has a smile like a row of condemned houses.

Thanks for info but I find it very strange that a senior player would talk about a teammate’s contract status to a fan at a social gathering.

Define lucrative. From all reports he is going to be on around $500k, vs an AFL average of ~$350k in 2020. According to this article https://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-22/player-payments-revealed-millionaires-on-the-up there were about 140 players earning more than 500k in 2017. The salary cap has increased by over $500k since then, so expect that to be closer to 200 players in 2020. With 18 clubs, that's 11 players per club at >$500k. So $500k is "top 11 player" money. He will be our 6th most senior player in terms of games played. Although he may not be our most attacking player, given his important structural role and versatility, he'll be one of the first picked every week, and certainly in our top 11. He has a track record of not missing games through injuries. All of these traits justify his salary. He's only 26, so we'll comfortably get 5 years from him. By the time the contract ends, he'll be on below average money given the salary cap increase. I doubt anyone who has any clue is concerned.

Spoke with a senior player at the races yesterday - said it’s a done deal - Harley on his way to dees. Fair to say this player was more excited about Harley than he was Tomlinson - indicated a few of the senior leaders thought the 4 years and $ excessive.

What a waste of time and money. I’ve actually been to the US and they don’t even play AFL there, so this whole trip is completely pointless.

Maybe he just doesn't want to live in Geelong. I know that I'd want an extra 50% on my wage to even think about it.

He could do a Marlion Pickett for all i care, if it means we win a [censored] flag. I don't care about dynasty this and dynasty that. One...............for [censored] sake, i only need to see one

Richardson to Goodwin on the flight. How were you able to pick apart my game plan so easily?

With the drafts coming up later in the month, this looks like an excellent resource for those interested in the list of available players ~ AFL DRAFT CENTRAL: 2019 Draft Pool

Given that no-one our list this year gave a rats [censored] and were too lazy to continually run up and down the field to provide an option (the one thing Tomlinson is renowned for), i welcome Adam with open arms. Hopefully it rubs off on all our players.

Sounds like he can walk the walk.

See, had you left it at the end of the bolded part then I'd be far more inclined to believe you. Adding in that he indicated that senior leaders thought his contract length and the dollars he is on is excessive is not believable in the slightest. No chance a senior player, who knows far better, would say something like that to someone at the races.

Sorry if this has always been posted, but he seems keen, hedwardb being Harley’s account.

Probably off to Vegas to get rid of the lingering Hangover from the 2018 season.

Comes across as a very amiable bloke which must be a refreshing change for the players and staff compared to Misson’s deadpan presentation.

I come in peace Dieter. It's just a little observational humour. My background is no less humble I can assure you.

About time our club had a player that opposition fear, even if it was just their breath.

Let’s make it happen. Although his kicking may be questionable at times, this bloke is a good one on one defender, he has pace to burn and he would give us run out of defensive 50 that we sadly lack. He costs us nothing, is super fit and desperate to prove people wrong.

Thanks mate. I wonder if he was a Victorian whether there'd be a lot more hype around him. It's really a problem this Victorian bubble. It means WA teams can hide their top talent.

Wouldn't that be Goodwin to Richardson?

so we could pick a bloke with one of the best kicking actions.........................or a bloke with one of the worst, hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Honestly history has shown ruckmen are one of the least important pieces of the premiership puzzle.

pure jealousy on their part that he's been part of a regular finals team for the last, what, five seasons? he has more finals experience than our entire leadership team COMBINED

Not really sure AF, I like Kemp very much especially at pick 8 and don't even mind Stephens. We have a lot of talent but really lack that leadership and have done for a while since Neiter. Viney has shown it on field in the first 2 finals of 2018, but he's just got to focus on getting his body right. I look at Selwood and Hodge as culture changers and absolute leaders, Robertson is that type of leader

I had nerve issues in my left calf the last two years that the club physio up here said was a soleus tear. I was sceptical; I didn't feel it 'go'. Took ages 'to heal' in 2018 because it was a misdiagnosis... This year - happened again - trusted my gut and did some nerve therapy and was back after a week. I don't know anything about Bennell but it sounds like a 'good' calf issue...

I must say chaps, this is all very un-Melbourne like, very un-Melbourne like indeed.

I don't see what changes if we put Jackson in the forward line. I can see what could happen to forward line delivery if we drafted Young.

There were a few that ranked Grundy the second best player in the pool. Key difference b/n Grundy and Jackson in their draft year is exposure and runs on the board. Grundy showed plenty as a 17 year old and then backed it up in his top age year, including good performances for Sturt’s senior team and dominating at the Champs. Jackson’s recent conversion to the AFL pathway means there’s not a lot of prior performance and he’s only shown a fraction of what Grundy had at the same time. Also, he got better as the season wore on and some his best performances came off broadway at WAFL reserves level post champs. I think those performances really elevated his standing, but most of us haven’t seen those games. I watch a fair amount of junior footy, but I am confident that I haven’t seen enough of Jackson to make a judgement on whether we should pick him as high as 3.

There must be issues at Bombers as they appointed Daniher, Fantasia and Myers to leadership group, dropping Hurley and Hooker. Apparently players on list were upset. Daniher and Fantasia wanted to leave at end of season and Myers asked to play second half of season in the VFL and then retired. Hope unrest is continuing.

It beats whatever donkeys are going around at Mornington that’s for sure!

Or it could be a big load of BS and never happened.

Well you are the 'Caulfield Correspondent' so that would be expected Wadda! And there are only 2 Australian bred horses in the Cup field (Vow And Declare & Youngstar) but Vow And Declare has got a real shot at Cup glory if we're using the Caulfield Cup as a guide. Here's Stephen Brassel's runner-by-runner guide to the Melbourne Cup

Hes a very ordinary player who we gave a 4 year deal too, of course some players will be unhappy.

In Adelaide and went to the gym next to Adelaide Oval. Will Gould was training and doing weights. He’s tall, but if he put some weight on post season he has obviously put his head down recently and now looks in ripping nick. If our squad were training as hard as he is in the off season I’d be pretty comfortable about next season.

Yeah, I dunno about that. In 1996 when I was a working at a school in the south east Paul Hopgood came out to do a clinic with our kids. I didn't know him personally, and he certainly didn't know me from a bar of soap. He quickly ascertained I was a Melbourne fan. The Dees were struggling and talk got around to new recruit David Grant from St Kilda - who apparently was on ok money but doing nothing on field. Hoppy had no problem expressing his displeasure at both the recruitment and performance of Grant and the fact that better credentialled and performed players were on less coin. Now that was more than 20 years ago, but in my experience is fairly representative of the views of most players where self interest still rates pretty highly. Re Tomlinson - the couple of players I know seem pleased to have him on board. He is a decent guy apparently. Neither had an issue with what he is apparently earning.

2 x wins and 2 x 2nds out of the 5. Got a nice collect on Iridessa but the 12k multi didn't salute! In front though and the racing was terrific. Next stop overseas in the next couple of months is up in Japan (1 × big G1 every Sunday until late Dec) & Hong Kong (Sun Nov 17th & Sun Dec 8th with 3 or 4 group races on each day) But some of us here have a dabble at the WA summer carnival at Ascot through late Nov and all of Dec (although the first port of call is nearly always Willie Pike with those big races over there)

Yes 20 Davidson No

Jeff got most of those goals as the last man in a chain. Cyril invented his goals out of nothing, plus he gave away plenty. Jeff's a seagull, Cyril is a jet.

Yep, a good track might have seen a few of the more fancied runners get into the finish or even win. I was keen on Flit, Zoutori & Shadow Hero but all 3 just couldn't make up the ground from the back. Bivouac is another who struggles a bit when the going is a Soft7 or worse. Where as Exceedence likes it wet. They still ran good times in the sprint races though so the better horses won on the day. No real excuses as we knew the conditions early on. Warning & Kolding are the 2 standouts for me. Melody Belle as well as Exceedence were both excellent and the connections of Pierata picked up an extra $750k along with the $580k first prize for winning the Redzel Stakes. That $750k was up for any Everest runner that ran in the Redzel Stakes and won. Nice work if you can get it!

I'm not sold. Potential is such an ugly word. At 24 he should be established, and when he puts a big price on his head and noms a club, I say let him go there. Daisy MKII.

Just a gut feel or something you’ve been informed? Players normally end up where they want to go, at $1.5mil for two years, he’s going to end up at Carlton. Anyone who hopes differently is going to be disappointed.

I’ve got a good track record and knew a lot about what was going on with Hogan and the reasons why Watts was traded. Posted it weeks before and also exposed some of what Hogan was getting up to, but the mods accused me of running the risk of defamation, even though everything I said was completely true and later proven to be. I don’t really care who believes what I post or not. I work in a job where I meet a lot of people connected to the AFL. The source is reliable and I have no reason to doubt his info. I am also reliably informed that Frost was traded due to his poor work ethic at training and constant negativity. Apparently he’d be mentally cooked at 3/4 time on game day and hated the feedback he’d get. He would inevitably have poor last quarters. Apparently a really negative bloke, who was beginning to rub off on the younger players.

Given his IQ I totally understand why he is having trouble understanding some of our recent decisions.

I'm not sure what part of "national competition" it is that people don't get. There are 17 other teams in the competition, 8 interstate, 8 Melbourne + Geelong. We play 11 away games, so it reasonable to assume that 5 or 6 will be interstate each year. Our 7th interstate game is our own doing, so can hardly complain about that. If the Geelong game is tiring out the players then there really is no hope for them. Conversely we play 10 home games in Melbourne, so assume that roughly 5 will be against interstate teams each year. We've had home games against both Richmond and Collingwood in consecutive years so can hardly complain about not getting Essendon and Hawthorn as well. It seems as though some people don't want to play the interstate teams away due to the travel factor AND don't want to play them home due to the poor crowds. Short of going back to an amateur, Victorian-only competition, I'd love to hear how this can be avoided.

Some say our draw is not great commercially but I never really get caught up in that. Sure maybe our draw could be better but that is our lot at the moment and winning is the answer to everything. Win and they will come. How many more people will come to our first home game in R2 if we happen to upset the Eagles R1? How many more if we are in the top 4 when the Anzac Day eve and Queens Birthday games roll around? Just win and everything works out