Lil_red_fire_engine

Curious what you think his deficiencies are as a mid? Hard to compare him on players who have spent most of their career so far in there but curious on your thoughts.

He rarely fumbles or goes to ground and has a nice handball but he seems to lack that step of acceleration that high quality small forwards have. Does remind me a touch of young Papley. I would not think we would take at 7/8.

We had to give it up to get them their points. Three firsts coming back the other way and a bunch of salary cap saving. You can't have everything. Pick 37 which should come into about 31 feels like about the right mark for him.

A harder draw and first year of dealing with expectation. I suspect the death ride will be worth the price of admission.

I dont know it. Its just opinion based on what it would realistically from a points view. Our interest in Robey has been mentioned as has West Coast openness to trade for the right deal.

It would need to be 7/8/F1 for 2 and 13 to make them consider it.

Unless we find a way up the board to Robey, based on who might be available and my limited viewing give me a Lindsay/Grlj double.

This has James McDonald move written all over it.

1 I can't see anything changing but good that we will run it to the line just to make team Petracca sweat as many bullets as possible 2 Alir is off their books. He is out of contract. They don't need to recontract them.

GC can't have everything they want. I want us to hold 24 (first pick of round 2) and give 28. If we end with 7 & 8 I hope we are looking to work our way up higher to get Robey. It would be the MFC approach to back ourselves in and throw an F1 in the mix.

I know I called it CJ-Ball (like Frost-Ball) earlier but I still like this assuming it's a pick post 28 (which i suspect). Has good size and serious dash and adds to the age bracket we lack in. Hibbo was not a good kick bit attacked every contest like his life dependant on it, tucked the ball and drove it forward with distance not precision in mind. With Rivers likely spending more mid time and the guy that wore 4 departing there is a spot there for the taking.

What are the 4 of them saying?

Is this to pay us back for trading them Frost? A lot of similarities between CJ-Ball and Frost-Ball.

I don't mind the changes we have made but feel we definitely need one more with good experience in stoppage and ball movement strategy

I agree we don't need to and not saying I would but my point was you are not just trading for 7+8 its the $$$ that it frees and the future preparations that allows. I am unsure his value will be any higher than now if he stays with us. He would have just scraped into top 20 this year will he slide further with another year under his belt? My guess is that it will be a lot easier to galvanise the group and get on with things if the self serving prima donna distraction he appears painted to be is not there. Bring forward payments on others and know you have a war chest for 2026 trade period that you can plan for rather than another offseason of will he wont he want to leave. You don't have to do it but I wont begrudge us if this is the path we take. My only concern is it will go against all external messaging from Guerra, King and Lamb.

My preference is play to the death for BH unless he states he does not want to come. But if not you need to look at it as pick 7 and 8 and $1million+ of annual salary cap space for 4 years. Whilst not preferred, we would only do it if JT is confident of what he would get and/or Lamb was confident of what further he could spin it into as an on trade. It also might step us back 2026 but would better reset and galvanise the group and leave a war chest for 2026 trade period that we could plan for.

I was thinking Tippett .

Another consideration here is if Suns see themselves contending in 2026 do they want to strengthen us, Hawthorn or Pies with Humphrey.

Just like when the young star loaded Giants broke through for their first flag.........,

So West Coast have 16. Brisbane 19 and West Coast 22 & 23.

The questions for GC is do they love Humphrey more than they want Petracca. We need to stand firm in my view which also reflect our messaging to this point. Pick 6 and 7 (which likely become 10 and 11) in an allegedly middling draft is not worth it even with the $$ saved for future war chest. Below is the last 10 years of pick 10 and 11 and whilst in JT we trust shows how hit and miss it can be. Year Pick 10 Club Pick 11 Club 2024 Alix Tauru St Kilda Xavier Lindsay Melbourne. 2023 Nate Caddy Essendon Connor O’Sullivan Geelong. 2022 Mattaes Phillipou St Kilda Oliver Hollands Carlton. 2021 Neil Erasmus Fremantle Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera St Kilda. footywire.com 2020 Zach Reid Essendon Luke Pedlar Adelaide. footywire.com 2019 Tom Green GWS Sam Flanders Gold Coast. footywire.com 2018 Nick Blakey Sydney Jye Caldwell GWS. footywire.com 2017 Lochie O’Brien Carlton Aiden Bonar GWS. footywire.com 2016 Jack Bowes Gold Coast Oliver Florent Sydney. footywire.com 2015 Harry McKay Carlton Wayne Milera Adelaide. footywire.com

If I am Humphrey a young but maturing dynamic forward/mid who wants to grow his time in the middle AND impact forward. I would be wondering how does Petracca coming to my club impact my want for increased midfield time and impact forward.

Reminder that Paul Guerra stated the below 30 September. That is not pick 7 in a weak draft. Christian is contracted for a further four years and is a once in a generation player. With this in mind, any decision regarding Christian’s future will be made in the best interest of the Melbourne Football Club. In terms of our overarching strategy for this period, our focus is simple; we will explore every opportunity to strengthen our list. Our job is to ensure our list is the best it can be and that ultimately Melbourne Football Club is competing in September.

Surely he must know he has a path to get there. Will be interesting to see what it looks like. Flanders+Humphrey would be the dream. Flanders + 6 or Humphrey+7(assuming Flanders goes to Saints) would be my hope. Happy to throw back 23 if required. Need to consider the $$$$ also saved as part of this (assuming GC take all his salary).