Tough Kent

Commercially, I'd like to see Lever in #4. There are currently a large number of kids running around in #4 jumpers. Having Lever take the number on gives them cause to continue wearing the number proudly.

Bit of talk going around that young Jake is on $650,000. Good coin for a 21 year old, but certainly not going to throw things out of whack too much.

The message is out there for the whole footy world to see now. And really, how much do you think it would damage Watts' trade value?? He was always going to valued in that 20 - 30 range.

I could not disagree with you more here. It sent a message to the playing group and to anyone who wears our colours going forward that nothing but the most professional of training and preparation standards will be accepted by the footy club. Unless you are prepared to give 110% at every contest and in everything you do with your footy, don't bother coming to Melbourne.

List update- Lumumba, Trengove, Hulett, Spencer, Kennedy, Watts* out Joel Smith upgrade, Lever, Balic* in. The Smith upgrade would be one of 3 compulsory draft picks. We have pick 28 and 35, so depending on what we get for JW, we probably won’t use pick 45 anyway. We have one rookie spot left and Corey Maynard becomes a category A rookie which means he can play round one. Did I get that right?

To those people who are sick of the talk from players/ coaches about bitterness/anger about missing finals, what else would you have them say?

I was going to say I read all that on Hoge's Instagram two weeks ago. He outlined his travel plans for the off season there.

A few of the lads from the local footy club are regulars at the gym. They saw our two boys there.

I hear young Jake attended a boxing session with Jack Viney at Richmond Boxing this morning. Adelaide who????

You do deals in good faith. Never want to screw another party because you never know when it might bite you on the ass.

So we're happy Watts reached a satisfactory level of fitness as opposed to being the best he can be? I hope our club now has higher standards than this.

I'm glad you're not a Bulldog fan. If we'd paid Tom Boyd $7 MIL over 7 years two years ago, when he'd done sweet FA in football and a million dollars took up a lot more of the cap, you might've headed straight for the Westgate.

Couldn't have said it any better. People who are nastily pointing their finger at Goody and the club should perhaps be pointing it at Jack, himself.

It's a massive call from Goody. Something tells me this might be a pivotal moment in Goody's tenure. At least he has very good people like McCartney, Viney, Rawlings, Mahoney, etc to guide him with such decisions.

Bit different mate. They were at or very close to the end. Jack is coming into his prime.

Watts has had 9 years to make himself untradeable.

JL is a very accomplished boxer apparently. I reckon the kid will hold his own.

I'm not sure why people are so concerned with what we might potentially pay Jake. Todd Viney and his list management team plan for every conceivable senario years out from it eventuating.This will not be a panicked, spur of the moment decision.

I would like him red and blue too. Have we been linked with him or is this wishful thinking?

He'll be ready for day one of pre-season. If he is going to achieve his goal of rotating through the midfield he is going to need a bit of luck with injury and to work harder than he ever has before.

Goody just indicated on SEN that Bernie is prepared to play footy at Casey next year if his form warrants it. That was part of the conversation that they had before he re-signed. BV just wants to keep playing and he is happy to mentor blokes playing at Cranbourne if that's what the club asks of him.

Atley highly regarded at North and a big part of their plans going forward.

Bernie has been a wonderful servant of our club. 100% the right decision at the time.

From the outside, how can you effectively assess the value of an assistant/line coach?? The senior coach is judged on overall results. Development coaches are rated on how well the youngsters come on. Who of us, would really know how well Jade Rawlings is doing? Any time I hear the players speak about Twig at Best and Fairests, etc they all speak of him extremely highly as a mentor.

He moved to Sydney for work, I seem to remember.