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The top 7 picks from 2023 have all played 13 games or more this year, kids can play and impact immediately now. Windsor is the most with 19 and he would have still been playing barring injury. 6 has to go to the draft in my opinion and a super agile/quick, skilled midfielder is the target.

Inconsistent? He is elite for goals per game! Compare him to say Charlie Cameron, he’s kicked more goals from two less games, while also playing midfield minutes, in a team that hasn’t performed as well. He is also 7 years younger and played like 200 less games. It was a [censored] take from Cornes.

The cats would also have to triple their player welfare spending - imagine stengle and clarry in the same team! On stengle, it's crazy how him completely passing out cold in night club in season has got so little attention. I mean bloke's got form and he get so hammered he collapses in public and there's crickets. I mean, that's probably a good thing, but it's hard not feel the media pick and choose who they will denigrate.

Trac must be worth 4 first rounders then …

He's about the only bloke who hasn't knocked them back it seems!

Gus is battling to live a normal life and our players shook Maynards hand.. makes me sick tbh

Take as many first and second round picks to the draft as possible We have JT who has one of the better eyes for talent but there's been a reluctance to take more than a couple of picks to draft in recent years, with a focus of spending up lots of draft assets to try and move a few picks up in the order

I'm locking this thread because I'm concerned about the direction it might take. It's important to ask ourselves: What is the intended outcome here? Are we trying to expose someone, put them on trial in the court of public opinion, or potentially ruin their career and reputation? And what if we’re wrong? It's disappointing to hear that there may be a leak within the club. However, we must also consider the possibility that the leak, if it exists, might not have been done with any malicious intent. We need to place our trust in the club's ability to investigate any potential leaks and take the necessary steps to address the situation. Starting a witch-hunt on Demonland is not only unproductive but could also have serious consequences for both the forum and its members. Let's avoid any actions that could lead to unnecessary harm or trouble.

Kynan Brown and Jefferson should be playing. Really wonder how decisions around players playing when not in form impacts the “culture” of the team. The FD have missed a trick here.

Wants out. Something about culture.

Possibly one of the worst [censored] takes I have seen on here. I commend the club for making lemonade from the lemon they were dealt by an early leak. Show a Premiership player, who bleeds red and blue and has been nothing but a loyal servant to the club and is only leaving for extremely personal reasons the extent of which you are not privy to, a tiny bit of respect.

Have you ever been a first-time parent living interstate with no ongoing familial support? Have you dealt with a difficult pregnancy, or associated complications after birth? If you haven't, I hope you never have to experience the complications that pregnancy, post-partum or health issues can cause. Your lack of a nuanced understanding, and associated comments are pretty moronic.

Fair? “Has there ever been a player with as much talent giving so little output as Kossie Pickett?” That’ comment is as far away from ‘fair’ as I can imagine.

All fair points. Personally I put no stock in either reports he's coming our way or suddenly cooled on us. I'm happy to wait and find out who comes rather than getting swept up in the trading palaver. My main point is for any gun player who has decided to leave their club, the decision about which club they want to gi to is done months ago. Doesn't mean it happens, because the clubs have to come to terms. If Houston decided a while ago Dee was his preference, the tracc noise is fugazi, particularly given its noise, whereas as 6 or 7 players resigning in the last month, including two young guns and Petty, is fact - and evidence of a club players want to be at.

i would rather see Dan Houston go to another club than see us trade pick 6 for him.

Oh yes, Chris from Camberwell is definitely someone I suggest you listen to. He is not at all unhinged.

If this draft is as even as they say, it might be a year to do the opposite of what we normally do and split our pick. Try and turn 6 into something like 9 and 15, if possible, and take multiple players. See if we can lure some depth talent with later picks. Kind of hope we are still in the race for Houston though. Would fill the void Brayshaw has left nicely. Cost of getting that done though might be too much.

A draft pick at the pointy end - go to draft.

We had a young couple from Sth. Aust. next door to us who had a baby and ended up having to move back about 18 months ago because there was no family around to help when things went wrong or if urgent help was required, we had to assist when possible. They really liked living on the Bellarine but eventually they had to make the decision to return to South Aust.

This is absolute BS. Only very recently they showed his standing over his first 80 or so games and he is up there with some of the best small forwards.

Apparently Houston spent time reading Demonland and that changed his mind.

Parker is far superior player to Billings and Hunter and would help in the trenches with our lack of midfield depth. Our midfield need more support. Add a pick 6 midfield talent, hopefully James Peatling and a Luke Parker and all of a sudden our midfield has some potency in there. With Rivers going to a new level next year in the midfield, this finally gives us new added depth.

What purpose is served by not playing them? Jefferson playing would give him a taste for it, he’d get a feel for the pace of the game or in our case lack off.

Bring it on baby, let's see how much we can break this place.

Make this happen Footy Gods... pwetty pwease !!!

Tracc only wants out cause he is sick of Jeffo being overlooked

Tell Port supports to 🤬off.

In business, which is what AFL football has become, a contract involves guaranteed rewards and obligations both ways. Players expect full payment for the term of the contract even if they lose form or get injured. In return, the club has the right to insist that a player gives of his best until the contract term ends. There is no doubt Nibbler has kept his end of the bargain by giving 100 percent effort and proving himself an outstanding clubman as well. But his request has put Melbourne in a very difficult bargaining position. If Port or (more likely) the Crows play hardball and offer minimal trade value (eg a third round pick), do we simply cave in and accept the loss of an important contracted player? Or do we also play hardball and tell ANB, despite his great service to the club, that he has to fulfil his contract unless and until we get an adequate return for his departure? Surely a second-round pick is the minimum return acceptable for Melbourne. If that can't be achieved, I don't see anything wrong in the club requiring Nibbler to meet his contract obligations. We will just have to hope a deal satisfactory to both sides will be arranged. Even in that case Melbourne will be the losers, because ANB is the kind of player and person that no club likes to lose.

Fantastic clubman and I'll be in Oz for the BNF this year and can't wait to give him a well deserved standing ovation when he places in the Top 5 of the Bluey. Love ya Nibbler.

Important to remember the impact of the Jackson, Pickett, Rivers draft had in season 2021 Granted we had 2 x 1st rounders in the 2019 draft

Houston would have been a handy addition to the club but not at the expense of a low first round pick. Take pick 6 to the draft.

We ran them to 2 points with half a side and sick players playing. He saw that up close.

Is it just me or does Kane Cornes really dislike Melbourne? He’ll take a swipe at any opportunity. He’s been hammering Oliver since last year. There’s a point where the media need to be held to account. Yes he’s a highly paid sportsman but he’s also a troubled young kid. The balance of reporting is not there and never has been in relation to Oliver, throw in the ever present gambling ads and the AFL and it’s media pack are still along way off decent citizens.

Not too disappointed if true. I genuinely believe our premiership window is closed as others are and have gone past us. Having said that I don’t think we will fall off the cliff either. I think we have a mini reset take our hand to the draft and get some high quality mids to come through with the current crop of youngsters that we have. Obviously need to find a successor to Max. Too big a price to pay for Houston and will ultimately hurt us long term.

You're right...the bigger picture should prevail. In this instance, the bigger picture is that Neal-Bullen is putting his family first.

I'm with you on this Chook. I've never looked at the game the same way since either. That day and outcome changed the way i see the entire AFL. I now just see it as a conpletely fabricated / massaged competition where the outcomes and general direction are being pushed by the authorities to produce preferred outcomes wherever possible.

Draft and develop, plus recruit role players with high character and leadership via free agency, build up salary cap space and make big moves while winning to maximise how attractive we are in the marketplace.

I heard he misses Brodie Grundy!

I reckon going to the draft is the go. I have every confidence in JT. I don’t have near as much faith in Tim lamb.

I'd be very sorry to see Chaplin go, our defence has been generally great for many years under enormous pressure. He's a gun IMO.

I'd expect this trade is still on. Alternatively, however, if an in principle deal was struck where we said at, say, the half way mark of the season, we'd give up our first rounder or even our future first rounder for him, and now the season has panned out how it has, you could see why our FD could have got cold feet. And with cold feet, told Dan sorry mate, we're going to take our two first rounders to the draft this year. If this happened, what would Houston's management do if he wanted out of SA? They'd spin it that he'd got cold feet at Melbourne's on/off field situation and apparent internal disharmony. This gives him an out to save face and we cop it, because we essentially reneged on a deal. Nick Gieschen at Connors Sports reps Houston, which adds a bit of spice to all this. I'd say more coincidence than them being [censored] off with reneging on the Houston deal and a [censored] off Trac though.

Oh well. We were never going to give Port pick 6 for him so good luck Dan at whichever club you end up at.

Hit the draft ideally. Got to look at the bigger picture sometimes.

Robbo on 360 said high 1st rounder or low 2nd rounder

And Houston, who has been playing for like 10 seasons, has never in his life encountered internal conflict and is not well aware that these thing are common place in football clubs? He plays for Port for goodness sake, Hinkley has been getting the sack there every year for 5 years now. I reckon other clubs smelled blood and are pouncing like vultures. If a trade has been sorted with Port already, then not only will other clubs have to satisfy Houston, they would also have to trump our deal.

Some balance wouldn't go astray either. Anyone who has faced the sort of challenges clarry has faced, or knows someone who has, knows its a very hard road to get back on track. Clarry deserves a lot of credit for doing the hard yards, on and off field. On field, despite what even some dees fans claim, he has been one of our better players this season - and our best, most consistent mid. I'll bet dollars to donuts he is top 10 in the bluey. He deserves credit for that alone. He deserves further credit for backing up week after week and putting up with slings and arrows, some fired by dees 'supporters', being relentlesly physically and verbally targeted by opponents and seemingly not able to win a single free kick from the umpires. And most impressive of all is the mental fortitude to back up week after week and try his guts out knowing it's impossible to play to a level anywhere near his brilliant best. I mean this a player with a record that perhaps a small handful of dees players could come close to matching in the 166 year history of the club. And despite not being able to play his best footy he has not once dropped his head. It would be great if the media could at least note that. As for dees 'supporters' who don't get that, well....

I read an article yesterday that suggested Port Adelaide was saying it wanted ANB and our first pick in the draft for Houston. It was probably based on conjecture but, at anything near that cost, I would be disappointed if we were interested in dealing with him anyway. Moreover, if he’s on board with the way the media is reporting the situation (and I’m not suggesting he is), then he’s not the person we want either.

The point is that a lot can play out between now and October. Things change quickly such such personal circumstances. If Oliver came to the club and requested a fresh start for the benefit of his mental health then there's no doubt the club would certainly assess the options. The Jesse Hogan point was he was also contracted for a few years and was dealing with a lot of personal issues with his family and mental health. Goodwin was asked around September 2018 and categorically denied he would be traded. Well didn't that all change.. You can absolutely believe what you want to believe from Goodwins presser because of course he's going to play a straight bat. Had he come out and said that there are no guarantees that Oliver remains with the club then imagine the media going to town and the significance of the story. Look at the way Ken Hickley has handled the Houston talk the past few weeks. All Hinkley has been saying about Houston is "he's contracted player and we expects to stay" stock standard coaching 101 in how to play a straight bat to the media and not fuel the fire. Yet all the talk is that he's absolutely set on coming back to Victoria. I'm not saying he will be traded at all purely because I don't think a club will take on his huge contract and salary, but if an opposition club came and dangled an offer that would be too good to refuse for the footy club, then absolutely, you'd be pretty stupid to think that the footy club wouldn't look at it. I definitely think Petracca absolutely stays, and the club will be he'll bent in him staying but I think there is still a bit to play out regarding Oliver.