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Just to be clear - I love Ben Brown. I've loved him since day one. I love his hair, and I love his fifty-metre run-up. I love how he kicks goals and I love how he catches balls with his long outstretched arms. I've often compared him to a labrador puppy, infinitely trainable and a no-fuss footballer and evidently stand-up guy. I love how the umpires love him and take pity on him as well and give him free kicks when the backmen do mean stuff to him. It pained me for a long time that we overlooked him in favour of JKH. I can't believe we nearly have him in our team - a dream I never thought possible. The narrative on here that he can't play football outside of being a lead-up forward and other grumbles are ridiculous and I have no idea where that psychology stems from. We may be gifted the most solid goal-kicker in recent times and people say no. Okay. Go TMac yay!

2 years with a trigger for a 3rd on minor money. And there are some complaining about it. Yep, let's keep going with ANB and Vanders on the wing instead.

fwiw i have no problem offering smith 3 if it means he joins us he started late in footy - debuted as a 21 year old? - so doesn't have the wear and tear of a kid who has been playing professionally since he was 18 he's not lost his pace, and his injuries - of the very few he's had - have not been soft tissue but instead collision concerns, like his shoulder this year would be be in our starting 18? 100% he costs us nothing other than salary cap too as he's an unrestricted free agent which means if he signs with us he simply walks out on hawthorn...and it's always nice to see players walking out on hawthorn the fact that they've offered him two years straight up shows that they still really rate him too

You are not resigning in this current climate unless you have a job elsewhere, especially in the Sport as most codes are looking at cost cutting.

Read back earlier in this thread. North and Brown had a falling out over off-field issues. They were not empathetic to his situation when he lost one of his babies. The club is fractured at all levels. They'll have a new coach next year, likely new board, likely 15+ list changes over off-season. They're a complete mess and shot themselves in the foot with Brown. Whoever gets Brown will be getting a bargain.

There's been a lot of talk about how much the Academy and Father-Son selections are going to mess with this draft, so I took a moment assemble a quick list just so the information is handy. (Will add in another post) But what has really struck me about this is how in particular the 5 NGA picks expected to go in the first round, and also the five more expected to go in the second round, will have a very strange warping effect on the draft, disadvantaging at some points but actually offering advantage at others. Example one - You have pick 20. By the time your selection comes around, five separate academy picks have been taken. the clubs with those academy options have burned through all their second round, third round and later picks to get the draft points and effectively jammed that value into the first round. Five additional selections have been made before the draft reaches your pick 20. You are, in effect, taking the 25th selected player in the draft. Example two - You have pick 55. For each one of those first round NGA selections, you get pushed back one because of the insertion, BUT for every pick ahead of 50 which a club 'burns' to get the draft points, you move one ahead in the order. If first-round NGA selections use an average of three other picks (above 55) to 'purchase', then that's fifteen selections gone. As the dust settles after +5 and -15 movement, your pick 55 is now going to be the 45th actual selection in the draft. The effect is of course much less for the NGA/FS players expected to go in the second round as they are more easily 'paid for' by the next available selection with maybe a top-up, but it will still see more picks consumed than selections actually taken. Put another way - A 2020 fourth round draft pick (55-72) is worth almost the same as a 'normal year' third round draft pick (37-54) in terms of how high up the pecking order you actually get to choose a player. A 2020 second round draft pick will be at least 5 draft selections lower in real value than a 'normal year' second round pick. So to get value this year, either get into the top half-dozen selections, ahead of the NGA picks, or bail out and try your hand in the fourth round which is actually the third round!

Haven't heard anything, but interesting timing... Alistair Nicholson resigns as ACA boss

This is where you're going wrong. At the end of 2018 Port finished 10th. At the end of 2019 Port finished 10th again. This year they finished 1st at the end of H&A. I dare say you wouldn't have envisaged them winning the flag this year. AND they may not, but clearly they're right in the thick of it. Or Brisbane who were out of the 8 a couple of years ago and bottom 4 very recently. Things can change very quickly, especially when there are very few great teams. Who'd have thought the ageing Cats when they trudged off the MCG in 2018 after a loss to Melbourne would be in another prelim. I thought they were old and cooked two years ago, but here they are. To suggest a team with AA quality players in Gawn (2nd best ruck in the comp), Oliver (best young inside mid), Petracca (AA), and May (top 3 key defender), plus some quality support cast, can't win a flag in the next two years in a competition with barely a standout team is folly and the view of a myopic thinker. It won't take much to turn this team into a top 4 contender.

If this guy gets Fritsch out of the effing square then I am all for it. Balancing Brown and Weideman may be an issue, it may mean Weideman further up the ground which I think suits him. For the right price it is worth doing.

In a massively compromised draft we dont need picks we need players. He wants to go and they want him so we get overs.

Age reckons talks between GWS & Dees are amicable & late 2nd - early 3rd pick is the go. Smack bang in line with where I’d expect Corr compensation to land: https://amp.theage.com.au/sport/afl/opportunity-draws-preuss-to-giants-20201012-p564f6.html?__twitter_impression=true

Maybe the guarantee of being able to visit his home town of Hobart in round 23 every year will be enough to get him over the line.

This is very interesting.. as i recently heard on the weekend that JM is almost certain to be moved on.. so could be something in this..Watch this space

I'd love a straight swap with O'Halloran, I think he'd complement our midfield pretty well and they are probably close to the same value on the open market, we'd save a bit of cap space as well.

I let list managers concern themselves with the terms. As a supporter I've never worried about how long someone gets, but obviously others do. I just want a better team. Smith on an opposite wing to Langdon makes us better. That's all I care about. He's got the Kade Simpson type of frame and he played till he was 36. We could win a flag next year (some might think it's impossible but I don't) and a guy like Smith would be of benefit in that quest. And unlike others, I don't rate Baker at all. Yes, he kicked a couple of good goals, but in general his skills are nothing more than ordinary and he's on the soft side. He won't be a regular in any best 22 moving forward.

I had a chat with him at training during pre season. He's a nice guy, but hasn't been able to get his body right. I feel he needs to instil a bit of self belief within him and he'll improve dramatically. If he has a ripper pre season, I reckon he will be one of our most improved younger players. Good luck Oskar!

To the topic at hand, surely the arguments of trying to balance Weideman/Brown or neither of them tackling much are just looking for problems where there are none. Brown falling on our lap would be an absolute KotD (for those that remember). I’m sure we’ll manage to find solutions to whatever “problems” fall out of landing an 60 goal a year forward in his prime.

We're pretty set for key position defenders particularly if Tomlinson plays down back.

I'm far from an expert on off field kinda positions, but do know Alistair is VERY highly rated as a sports administrator.

He kicks goals.... something not a lot of our guys know how to do. For all I care he can wear pink boots, colored nail varnish and have more makeup than Marilyn Manson sing "The real thing" each time he kicks a major and wear his hair any God damn way he likes providing he kicks goals which he seems to be able to do!! Regularly!! Get him in! And when we get him in he will develop a CULT Following! Starting with me!

If I see that effing Jack Nicholson GIF again I am going to earn another warning point...

Interesting to see a few people opine that a failure to make finals next year would be the catalyst for some of our better players to consider leaving. Have any of you thought that a failure THIS year might have had the same effect? Im not in the least surprised that rumours are swirling about the players becoming restless. Success is what all of us want. The difference is that players can go elsewhere to find that success, whereas the fans are stuck waiting for MFC to break through. Club is at a crossroads imo.

If we could work one of Caldwell, O'Halloran or Hill into the deal we will have done well.

Josh Kelly and Jye Caldwell hopefully

I reckon we're a genuine shot at the top 4 next year, particularly with the assistants and players we're looking at bringing in. It's time to step up. Smith, Polec, Brown and one or two others will immediately make us better. I'm happy enough with what I'm hearing behind the scenes.

Probably got sick of looking at Tracey Grimshaw every day.

Not sure if he has a future but his game against GWS in round 17 was pretty damn good. Kicked 2 important goals in the first half to keep our score board ticking over.

Tony Sheahan @TonySheahan @melbournefc ruckman Braydon Preuss is set find a new home agreeing to terms with the @GWSGIANTS The 25 year old has managed 18 games across three seasons and now wants greater opportunities elsewhere, hence the move to Sydney 2:57 PM · Oct 12, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

Port - Dixon, Marshall, Ladhams (ruck) Bris - Hipwood, McStay (Danihar) McInerney (ruck) WCE - Kennedy, Darling, Allen (ruck) Rich - Lynch, Reiwoldt, and played 2 genuine ruckman most year Stk. King, Battle/membery, Ryder/marshall(ruck) I dont know Id reckon 2 talls and a third part ruck could work

Need irony emoji

Correct. The club is not selling a product. It’s selling a shared purposed. We are investing to see success like people invest to see profits. When there is no return on investment people stop financially backing an Organisation. When you think about who the club is accountable to, it is to its members. Nobody at AFL house cares if we win or lose, so long as we aren’t a financial burden on the competition. The only people who are looking at the performance of the club every year before deciding to keep it afloat with memberships and attendance, is, the supporters.

Hassa is my uncle. Hard to believe he is 80. The guy is as fit as they come. He’d probably run rings around me 30 years his junior. Whatever his reasons for going to WA, he is Melbourne through and through. He loves the club as much as any football tragic. Happy birthday uncle Hass

A fellow long time Demon supporter told me Hassa turned 80 on Wednesday. What a great player he was! Premiership player, club captain, state representative, member of The Galahs and MFC team of the century. Then, later in his career, after success as a playing coach in the West he returned to the club in administration. As an aside, why did our players go to WA? Big Bob Johnson and dashing half back also left us with plenty of games left in them, as did Hassa. Were we so arrogant in those days we'd say "we don't need you, we'll win without you?" Does anyone remember Hassa's goal from the boundary at Glenferrie Oval to put Hawthorn out of the 4? A Hawthorn mate still claims it was a point! Many happy returns Hassa!

Yeah... god forbid that our players display any form of individuality!! I'm also with you in petitioning the club, insisting that Gawn shave off that embarrassing beard.

Would he make a good Football Manager?

Jesus!!! If that is the case then he is going from one [censored] fight to the other

Heard Kevin Sheedy being interviewed by 3AW on Saturday about his appointment to the Essendon board. If I'd been an Essendon supporter I would have been sorely disappointed. Sheedy could not justify his appointment beyond saying it gave the board someone with coaching experience. He couldn't articulate why that was going to be helpful. Probably because it isn't going to help. Sheedy has been good for Essendon over many years, but making him a director now is another step backwards showing that the club has not yet understood that reliving past glories is not the way forward. There's a moral there for us, too. For exactly the same reasons, we need to be sure that whoever we appoint to the Board, or to any role at the club, will take us forward and not return us to some idea of a glorious past. If Brad Green can add something to take us forward, then I'm all for his addition to the board.

That’s the deal. Two years plus an option of a third year if ... Example - Must play at least 15 games each year over the 2021 and 2022 years to get 2023. Smith has to back himself

North are in free fall, i don't think they know what they are doing.

Has to be a 2 year deal with a trigger clause for a third in my mind.

If the FD felt satisfied with the list than we wouldn’t be looking to trade anyone in. They are clearly going after certain positions: FF and opposing wing to Langdon. I would hope that the other area they know we are very average in is speed and skill in the middle, a true outside player who can burst from the pack and hit up a target (and yes I know they don’t grow on trees). I think we’ve got some quality in most areas of the ground, but we need to go further. Ideally I’d like us to go after higher end talent but if we can get Brown back to form than we have a Coleman medal-competing FF.

A year on, what are our thoughts now, imo pretty spot on jackson, pickett and rivers 10 out of 10 so far imo

Brown, McDonald, wied All capable but not a pinch of mongrel between them, maybe get rod grinter down there to ruffle up some aggression or the best in the business Tony go on get in my space Lockett

Rumour is he’s available, but I heard he’s not the messiah he’s just a very naughty boy.

Is Brian available?

Where do I say “this is what he is thinking”? It is my opinion, that’s all.

The difference here is that Brown did it in 2017, 2018 and 2019 not just 1 year.

An archival rarity:

Mercenaries jumping ship.