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If we gave Smith a three year contract, he contributed strongly for a flag push for two seasons and had one season of pension padding, that is money extremely well spent in my eyes.

I concur with Nasher. I must be one of the few Demonlanders that think we can salute in 2021. And I genuinely do. I see shades of Geelong 2006 and Richmond 2016 in this Melbourne side. Not many clubs boast our top-end talent and plenty of the support cast are also quality. What we lack is depth/role players. And like Richmond did after 2016 we need to improve our ball movement/game-plan. When I think of Isaac Smith ALL I'm concentrating on is the 2021 season. Not 2022 or 2023, just 2021. Which is why I'm not hung up on the terms of his contract. He has at least two good years left so I couldn't care less if we offer him a third. That's what you do to get a player to move club. It's called an incentive. If we win a flag in 2021 do you think anyone will care that he came on a 3 year deal ? Of course not. So can I draw the conclusion that most reading my post think I'm delusional that we can win in 2021 ? And I stress ''can'', not will or that we're even likely, but can. Or is it the principle you're hanging on to re a three year deal ? I want the team to get better, so if a better option than Smith is available then great, I'm all for it. But if there's not a better option, and there's certainly not a better option presently residing on our list, then bring in Smith. True wingers are better if they're supplied by a good contested ball-winning midfield and that's what we have. Smith has been hampered by relying on one of the worst midfields in the AFL these last couple of years. He'll be far better served seeing out his career in the red and blue than Hawthorn. And we'd be better for it as well.

Great player, and one of those really popular supporter favourites, I remember when he was traded to Collingwood, I was angry and couldn't understand the logic, one of the poorest decisions by the club, along with the early retirement of Junior. I sometimes think this is why we lack the solidarity of other clubs, because at times we have got it wrong with our champions.

Yeah that’s right mate, Mahoney is a dud. Really!!!! In one year we recruit Jackson, Kosi, Rivers, Langdon and Tomlinson. Not wrapped in the latter but I regard it as the best recruiting year for a very long time . The three kids will all play 200 games , hopefully for us

The anecdote refers to when Oliver started which was 5 years ago. It doesn't mean he still is: “...‘Clarry’ was just so headstrong, which for some coaches can be a real turn-off ..." My read is that coaches need to find what makes each player tick to get their best. Macca found the right buttons to press with Oliver and it showed in his performance. We have a coaching panel befitting a bottom 4 team so I'm not sure why some posters (not yourself) let them off the hook. Oliver and all our players deserve the best coaches; coaches that know how to motivate diverse individuals not coaches that want players who do as they are told to make their jobs easier or as Macca says who 'can be a real turnoff!' If coached properly we have a lot to look forward to with Clarry. Macca: "...Oliver hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential..." and rated him with Selwood "...for competitiveness, his drive to win and compete...and ...we haven’t seen anywhere near the best of him yet, there’s a lot more to come." The sooner we get coaches that can work with each player's personalities to get the best from them the sooner we will rise up the ladder.

Jeez the Church of England brigade are out in force on this thread! Good loss, bad loss are very mild terms and pretty low on the offence scale. Also happen to suit our gormless coach perfectly. The club look like they’ll provide new assistants and are trading for players that will improve the team. He’ll be given everything he needs to succeed. No more talk of learnings, being ruthless blah blah. Its time for Goodwin to prove himself (past time in fact). Starts winning and the badloss references go away otherwise harmless nicknames will be the least of his worries.

Here’s a thought, maybe it’s no ones business what sexual orientation someone is. Do players ‘come out’ as straight? Why should they have to come out as gay? It’s 2020, move on.

On 3AW yesterday Leigh Matthews said the CEO is the most important appointment and everything flows from there including the coach. We were clearly blessed having Peter Jackson and hopefully Gary Pert is a capable operator too - time will tell. Matthews seems to have learnt a lot in his time as a Brisbane board member, not least of all that the board shouldn't meddle in Operations.

It's not about being offensive so much as being lame

Don't think so. But with question marks over this year's draft surely taking a chance on a recycled player is better than wasting a spot.

Clarry finishes 9th in the league and doesn't finish top 3 in the BnF. What a joke.

Well done Christian Polling 6 best on grounds and a 2nd best. A brilliant season and it showed with the umpire's noticing you. Hoping you can take it to the next level again in 2021.

Make it 3.

IMO he has failed miserably with the way the game looks. I watch the Tigers game and last night. The game looks terrible just a squabble between half forward line with low scoring. And these are the best four teams in the comp.

It depends on results. If we don't make finals next year he should be gone. If we finish top 4 and make it to the Prelims or better he should stay. It's not about length of tenure it's about performance.

With pressure on list sizes why would he stay on the list after a payout?

Richmond v Geelong in the GF. How nauseating.

To be fair, Oscar and Frost were the two defensive pillars of our team that finished fourth in 2018. Neither are great players, but they’re both capable of playing their role. I wish Oscar all the best. Copped it from fans for not being a superstar and he always put in and got the best out of himself. He’s achieved more than most players drafted at pick 53.

If you could have wished for Petracca to smash Dangerfield and Dusty in the Brownlow medal count at the beginning of the year every single person on Demonland would have taken it.

Well done Trac. A wonderful season.

Well done Christian. 20 votes in the Brownlow is good reward for your hard work. Hopefully next year it will be yours.

He threw it out punching a wall after finishing 5th in the best and fairest.

i can't fathom that bolded section...friday night was unbelievably tough and competitive wet weather football - a real slog between two class sides i think the issue is there's too many players who are crazy fit but ultimately aren't comparable to the 'poor' players of past eras because there's too many teams, thus too many ordinary players, in modern football we've gone from 20 players taking the field for 12 sides to 22 for 18 the players are so unbelievably fit and modern afl coaches adapted to the international trends of defence-first methodology - push back hard when you've lost possession, kick to the pockets when attacking forward to limit corridor turnover and force repeat stoppages, lock the ball in close and don't allow spread it's a very different game to that of 20 years ago but, hey, that's what happens in 20 years limiting interchange might help, but it won't change the crowding of the contest - the only thing that will stop that might be zones (no thankyou) or reducing it to 16-a-side on-field, which would go against the laws of the game i actually don't mind watching the modern game, and reduced game lengths and only playing each other once has made 2020 a year like no other and - for the most part - a welcome part of what has been the strangest year

Do you have any actual knowledge of Mahoney's role in trading vs drafting? If not, your comment is classic. Your anti-Mahoney bias means he doesn't get your credit when he deserves it but will be the scapegoat for our mistakes, as that suits your argument.

Geelong will definitely go in as the undercats.

I'd say it's all around how his salary is managed for the cap. He might have agreed to a payout from the club of say $100k which is all that will be counted in the cap but if he were let go from the list then his full salary, maybe say $400k would have been counted, so it'd be a cost saving measure - I have no idea about figures so don't quote me! but I'm guessing they'll keep him on the list then once lists are finalised then he'll retire, and we'd be hopeful they might allow a top up like how we got Bennell/Brown or even a mid season draft.

Sounds like I am in the minority here, but I’d love Ablett to finish with a flag. He has been an unbelievable player for so long now, still having an impact in big finals after 350+ games. Grew up around the time him and his group started in the cats VFL side, have always followed them from afar since. Plus, I absolutely do not like Richmond. They are a real smug bunch and their two big forwards would be in my top 5 most disliked players in the comp. Go the Catters

One thing the MFC does pretty well is allows young guys who aren't getting much of a look in when they could elsewhere to move to another club for opportunities with minimal fuss. Dom Tyson, Oscar McDonald, Brayden Preuss, Mitch Hannan. happy to let them go and hopefully thrive elsewhere. i think it's one of those things that does help in the bigger scheme of things

Am I the only one who dislikes Richmond more than Geelong?

Well going off this quote by McCartney at the start of the year I think there is a merit to @Roost it far comment. https://www.google.com/amp/s/coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/afl/afl-2020-afl-melbourne-demons-brendan-mccartney-clayton-oliver/news-story/f1ea160c82ebe5c4f501d4201fbc4e4d “So ‘Clarry’ was just so headstrong, which for some coaches can be a real turn-off you know they can think this kid’s not gonna listen so he’s not gonna make it,” he said. “Why was he headstrong? There’s a way to connect with Clarry, people like Clarry and there’s a way not to, but I was pretty strong with him, pretty direct; sent him off to get feedback from a raft of people and not only was it resounding in some areas it was consistent. “I said ‘so this isn’t made up mate’”.

Free agency will continue to benefit the successful clubs ..cats & tigers have basically got replacement forwards in Lynch & Cameron if the cats get him .. undermines the draft system

How many votes does Oliver have to poll for him to stay at Melbourne?

Perfectly stated.

"Jettisoning players left and right"? WTF? We're not Collingwood or GWS. Ridiculous way to describe our current list management strategy. To get Caddy, Prestia and Nankervis in the door, they traded out Deledio, had Vickery walk out in FA, Chaplin retired, and they had Yarran leave too (plus four others went out the door). Not sure of Yarran's impact on their salary cap but it's not like they lost no one to bring on those three players you mentioned. They had 8 players leave at the end of 2016. Was that "jettisoning players left and right"? And sure, Phillips might be a better option arguably than Smith, but no matter how optimistic or pessimistic you are, our list is primed to be challenging for a flag right now, not in 5 years. If we take Smith, the strategy is sound.

I remember that night. I was working in a restaurant at the time and as I walked in everybody was talking about who would win. When asked, I said that Woewoden had played well all year and was a chance. I was laughed at by the whole group, but I used to watch a hell of a lot of footy back in those days and really did think he was a chance. He never played very well after that year so many people still think it was a fluke.

[censored] or not, I’d rather a genuine champion of the game (Brownlow medalist, MVP, players association leader etc) cap off his resume with a premiership than some plodder like Jason Castagna win a third one.

Bugger Ablett, he has two flags. And if he gets another one, that means Dangeflog is getting one. No one wants that.

If a club is undertaking aggressive list management there will be errors. NO club is error free. Richmond - Chris Yarran, Geelong - Mitch Clark.

Neither do I Rif. If there is a perfect recruiting department I have yet to see it. I think some are getting little tough on our ability in this area over the last few years.

Gee, Brisbane are crumblers. We've won more finals than them in the last 3 years. ?

Questionable posts in a thread about the mental health of a coach.

Agree if I’m Mahoney, my key targets are both Isaac Smith (as a free agent) and Tom Phillips (squeezed out by Pies). I’m happy with a two-year deal for Smith and at least a three-year deal for Phillips. They add tremendous run and our need for the left wing. I’m less convinced about Polec $$ who seemingly have issues which is why North are potentially looking to unload.

I agree. But i haven't seen too many afl players take their boyfriends to the brownlow. so call it what you like, but gay afl players are proactively choosing not to come out which is a reflection of society still.

Agreed...I’m pretty sure that Brisbane played outside Qld twice & had a very healthy list & ditto Port who spent most of their time in Adelaide with 2 home finals & a full list to pick from. Both teams will never have this advantage again & yet neither are playing in a GF. We on the other hand travelled all over Aust & played at the most stadiums. Hopefully this will hold us in good stead next season. Go Cats (not sure I mean that but anything better than Richmond)

I'd be keen to see you take that up with Brendan McCartney.

I assume he is the one who made comments about some of our players being uncoachable that were attributed to one of our coaches earlier this season. If so I'm glad he's being moved on because it is up to the coach to get the best out of his players. He has had a Rolls Royce midfield to work with and yet we were getting regularly beaten in clearances throughout the year. Time for fresh blood.

Very risky, imagine Jesse and Buddy both driving to training... Potential carnage

Can confirm that MFC did indeed speak to him as per his father

I don't rate Baker. We need either Smith or Phillips.

in my opinion it is not worth clearing him for nothing He may be un happy to stay but we don't need to panic and accept unders Preuss should have thought before signing contract he may have to wait it out. But if GWS really want him they will have to pay overs