SaberFang

Robbo says it was the wrong decision and we desperately need help. Both Gerard and he agree it needs to be scrapped entirely.

Interesting line in their findings: And if we can't/don't??

Patton went down, so any chance of the Giants releasing him would've fallen apart. Not to mention they finished 2 wins clear of our rabble.

The priority pick is reserved for Collingwood whenever Eddie asks for it. Lamumba leaving should be a good excuse to apply for one, maybe he should try that.

Can anyone explain what the great man was angling at when, the other week, he clarified that the club has not asked for a priority pick but rather "special assistance" under rule 19. This rule is that which determines if a club should receive a priority pick. Was this just political speak to make us look less pathetic? Is there more happening behind the scenes we're not privy to? What else could 'special draft assistance' be except for a priority pick?

More likely they'd be filthy if we nabbed a player from their precious Giants, ala Cameron.I just wish we had some kind of kick starter or I struggle to see how we'll ever get off the bottom of the ladder. Especially with 6 teams very comfortable up top, 4 teams after that looking to pinch a spot, and the Giants and Suns gifted with 5 years of the nation's talent and waiting to roost over the competition for years. This year's recruitment cannot miss a single beat or we are doomed in an endless spiral of discovering talent then losing it to the top clubs the moment we get some progress. We need a way out of that death spiral.

Agreed. Eddie must have been the loudest CAMPAIGNER in the room (in fact, I'm certain the commission meeting all up was 15 seconds long and involved a 14 second phone conversation with Ed asking what to do), despite my original theory. It makes the entire Clark situation that much filthier and makes me that much less inclined to come to the table. If Eddie wants him that badly they can cough up.Otherwise, good luck St Kilda. He's your problem. Just be aware he's leaving the first chance he gets.

Obviously the "top secret formula" in use by the AFL is just a bunch of compromised old farts making it up as they go based on the politicking of other clubs. So much for being the almighty impartial commission. Clearly when they say "you still have Mitch Clark to come into your team", then said player not only retires after zero games but walks to another club, that's now magically irrelevant only 12 months later. It should be absolutely plainly clear to us now: priority draft picks will simply never, ever be given to clubs based on poor on field performance. So good luck to all the other lowly clubs who campaigned against our pick. Let's see how you feel in 5 years when the same 6 teams are in the top 6, and GWS and GCS round out the 8 from their draft concessions. Don't come crying to us because we'll rightly tell you to go get [censored]. Right now we're suffering worst from these 5 years of compromised drafts and the introduction of free agency, but it won't be long before it's your turn.

No point when the only teams the AFL bother listening to are the powerful and rich ones.

Clearly that quote by Gill was the circuit breaker we should've heeded. The commission were factoring in "games we lost, and games we could have won." So obviously the 7 or 8 losses where we led in the last quarter were a factor in their decision. If Clark walks and we still get nothing, I'll be livid. Until then, I'm still fairly confident the AFL will at least try to help us out in some vague form, just not under the guise of a PP to prevent other clubs from kicking up a stink. They'll dress it up as compensation or something, and will almost definitely give us pick 3 for Frawley.

Thanks AFL. Wonder what the excuse is this year? Change Clark's name to Hogan?

The most hilarious assertion this biased imbecile makes: "Watson was adamant every other club would fight tooth and nail to clear their names as Essendon has done." Um, what? Your precious club just failed in a doomed legal case predicated entirely on getting themselves off the hook ON A TECHNICALITY. At no stage whatsoever have Essendon tried to clear their name. At every single junction they have destroyed records, put up roadblocks, hidden the truth, denied assertions without any evidence to back themselves up, and sought countless injunctions and lawsuits to delay ASADA from getting on with the process of discovering the truth. As far as I'm concerned, Watson is utterly compromised and should not be providing a voice in the media on this subject. He's nothing more than a mouthpiece.

I don't even know why other clubs would whine about it, if they pulled their heads out of their ass and thought more than a week ahead. Melbourne improving is the best outcome for everyone involved in the league. A stronger team means more wins. More wins means stronger membership numbers, which means more supporters. More supporters means higher attendances. More attendances means MORE MONEY FOR ALL CLUBS. With attendance down across the board, their focus seems to be on "improving the game day experience". Well here's one for y'all, geniuses, nobody wants to come to the footy and watch the same teams win and the same teams lose. For the long-term prosperity of the league, all clubs need to be strong and deserve a fighting chance at winning, no matter the opposition. That's how you improve the game day experience. Nobody wants to go watch St Kilda get flogged by 100 points every week. No one wants to see Melbourne fold as a club. The other clubs will say we got ourselves into this mess and are reaping what we sow. Fair enough. Well don't come whinging when, as a result of endless neglect for our club's plight, we end up folding, relocated to Tasmania as a new team, and offered the same league crippling draft concessions given to GWS and GCS. Bet giving us a single PP won't seem so bad in hindsight then!!!!

They could have asked the club to clarify what we're likely to do about Clark. We may have two strategies that affect the outcome. 1. We trade Clark to Colonwood but we're predictably bent over a barrel and only receive a 4th rounder. Seeing this outcome as unfair to us given we went out of our way to look after Mitch, they might award a second round PP. 2. We refuse to trade him for unders (4th rounder or similar), are forced to delist him, and receive an end of first round PP that way. Given our application occurred before the Clark mess, it's likely the AFL need us to clarify what we're doing with Clark, given the submission likely said we lost our best player (and the main reason we were last year denied the PP) to retirement.

Yes, vastly different situation with the Saints. They're in full rebuild mode and they're clearly going the youth road. Perhaps foolishly if our previous endeavors are any indication. Roos has only two more trade periods left on his watch and he'll be hellbent on making sweeping changes that improve the list sooner rather than later. He knows we can't wallow at the bottom of the ladder for another year. As for the trade earlier, best sweetener would be upgrading their second rounder by 8 picks, if they aren't satisfied. We give them picks 2, 3 & 22. They give us Danger, picks 10 & 30. Trade pick 30 for Lamumba, that should satisfy the Pies. Take 10 to the draft to keep injecting youth. Third rounder on Stretch. Fourth rounder for Frost. Trade out any players that don't cut it for the best draft picks/players available (so Blease, Strauss, Tapscott). Trade the likes of Watts/Toumpas/Trengove for more established players if necessary. Pick up another one or two DFA as required.

Pick 2 and 3 for Dangerfield and Pick 10, would do it in a heartbeat.

...but... Josh Kelly will win 5 Brownlows!?!

Nathan Jones and Dom Tyson the 20th and 31st best and fairest players in the league. Brilliant.

Dom Tyson will be to Dangerfield in Melbourne what Rory Sloane is to him in Adelaide. Silk and class.

Stoked for Tyson. Was it 2 or 3 BOG's? And Roos did this in ONE off-season. Bring on trade week folks!!! So, that unnamed recruited... you wanna stand up now?

HAHAHAHAHA, Sydney's strategy of resting Buddy against the Tigers might have just cost him the Brownlow. Welcome to your new team, Bud!

Oh, how I'll laugh if Patty wins the Brownlow and re-signs. We're cursed.

Shoulder surgery I think?

Tyson gets the 3 votes for the Alice game against Port.

Early days but Selwood isn't even top 5. Personally thought the first half of his season was nothing spectacular by his standards, but the polling by Danger has surprised me.