TeamPlayedFine39

Really enjoyed it. - Darren Burgess inspires such confidence in the way he speaks. So engaging and assured. - Good to see Matty Whelan still involved with the club. - Harley Bennell is such a fascinating (and hopefully happy) story. Was interesting to see that he was meeting with the club alone; no manager, etc. Felt very raw and genuine.

Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Pickett debuted round one- he’s showing all the traits that Goodwin likes. Would be a shocked to see Jackson- especially it being an away game, interstate, in heat (most likely) against a battle hardened WCE.

Ban all the women! We must stop them playing sport for their own good!! Someone, please bring them all inside!!

Again, that's irrelevant. Free agents are a different case and, as has already been clarified, Sydney is not allowed to pay out Franklyn's contract early and his entire salary will be included in the cap. This is simple list management - if a players wants to quit or the club wants them out, you pay them out. I imagine if KK succumbs to his concussion injuries this year and decides to retire, do you honestly expect our club to pay out the remaining years of his contract in full or would you want to see a reduced settlement?? Jumping at shadows.

Still don’t see the issue. We paid out Colin Garland when both parties agreed to terms.

But, but... he started it!

Neeld organised an impromptu hit-out with Collingwood... was the springboard to a hugely successful season.

A huge element of the AFL's plunge on the Women's League is promoting the game and actively seeking the participation of girls and women in football. It is is not, as some would put it, a 'lefty indulgence in political correctness'. It is quite a shrewd business decision that has already seen an explosion in participation of girls and women at the grass roots level. The AFL is actively engaging 50% of the population in football so they may tap that market to make more money. The relatively small amount that goes into the league, when you take away advertising money is cash very well spent shoring up the future of the Australian Football code.

Every AFL club he has played for has given him the boot. Great player - average bloke.

Pike, Jolly and Frawley were key players in the premiership teams they moved to. Spaulding was well last his best by 1995. Others were role player. This goes to show that you don’t need a team of superstars to win a flag.

Was there that day, huge win. Strangely enough, I think Garry might have been the second best on ground that day...

McGovern set to miss round one, which is a huge out for WC.

It appears that the click bait has had the desired effect on the perpetually threatened. He was asked. Said he was open to the idea. The end. Wasnt his idea, didn’t say it was being considered by the afl, didn’t say it would happen. It’s a scary world where women are allowed to do stuff... many here are jumping at shadows.

Whose midfield would you prefer: GWS (11th) or Essendon (12th)?

Not sure you understand respect if that’s how you express it...

If you have a look through other forums, groups, comments sections, you'll see that Nathan Jones is the most respected player Melbourne has, and has had for a long time. Other supporters, from the outside looking in, have witnessed him being bashed around by their clubs for a decade and have a lot of respect for him. His best years as a footballer were our worst years as a club, and I believe that he is looked down upon as a player and has unfairly and inaccurately been labelled as purely blue collar. He was good through the Neeld years and excellent with Roos, when Cross, Vince and Tyson came into the team. If he was drafted by the Cats or Hawks, he'd have 3 or 4 flags. He has dropped off in his later years, as all players do, but that shouldn't change the player that he was. Round 1 spot is his to lose at this stage.

Nothing insightful? Nothing at all? I guess you’re much more in the know than me.

Was great! A really interesting insight. Looking forward to the Bennell and Vanders stuff next week.

I'll watch it at some stage. I also know plenty of people will watch it just so they can complain about watching it...

True. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/afl-clears-buddys-10m-move/news-story/0c7a141bcd96ed14358b98de4f4168e7

No doubt that story is half true. Good idea for port to inquire, just in case it doesn’t pan out for Harley.

Hoping all is well with Max. But this does highlight why having a mature, fit, big-bodied ruckman at Casey was a very good list management decision by the club. Many were calling for Preuss to be traded last trade week, but a moment like this highlights how essential (but hopefully not needed) he is.

Exactly what Balboa had in mind. Like comparing Melbourne to Collingwood training...

I’m no doctor and of course I defer to their better judgment... but, keep him on. The ‘football is a business’ line is not entirely true. Yes, it can be a cut-throat industry, but clubs must juggle between the business and human elements of their list management. If the set-back is minor and it’s something that was expected over the course of a long rehab, then take the opportunity to throw your support behind a player who is on his last legs.