Gator

I had Peatling in my Fantasy team at the back end of the year, so, naturally watched him pretty closely. Good tackler, can do a job, links up ok, good speed and agility, average skills. Would be an OK addition, but I wouldn't be perturbed if he stayed a Giant.

There are list cloggers and thread cloggers. Move on from Smith.

There's no doubt the goal posts have shifted since when we first started courting Houston. But just because our first pick would now have been off the table doesn't definitively mean we wouldn't have been able to get a deal done. We may have (and still may) got involved with Brisbane's pick 14 and potentially offered a future first. Who knows. But for me it's clearly obvious that Houston, as reported, decided against joining a club seen to be a rabble. Part of the post I responded to also said, ''His management then threw us under the bus to save face for DH.''. A complete guess, or ''connecting the dots', as agreed by said poster.

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point.

Quote the part where I make you think ''it sounds like you think the club would'', so I better understand your point.

Definitely not. Why ?

Oh, like journalists.

You know.

I'm assuming this is all complete guesswork ?

So Dustin Martin still might end up at the Suns. If ever a guy has looked cooked it's him.

You have to treat the McAdam and Neale-Bullen deals separately. They're not related, even though I understand the parallels. For me, pick 25 for Neale-Bullen is an excellent outcome. I reckon he's worth a late 30s pick. But, ultimately, he's worth what someone will pay. I accept his leadership qualities are valuable, but I don't overly rate the footballer. A decent role player, but they're a dime a dozen. Too much of a fumbler with many limitations. In a deep draft this is a very good pick.

The point being, I'd rather do nothing than recruits list cloggers.

Straight out of the Greens playbook. "We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this". Brilliant.

I've always thought Petracca performed the civic duty side of our game particularly well. Who will forget him flying over Tasmanian boy Lucas Peters, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, for his first game ? He kept in touch with Lucas for many years. I was more talking about needy middle aged supporters who publicly besmirch your character based on what I suspect is very minor indiscretions. And you don't get a chance to respond due to the nature of the forum in which it's done.

Can you imagine being a professional footballer and having to deal with nuffie supporters craving your attention ? And then being publicly character assassinated without having the opportunity to respond ? Some of them are making this site unreadable.

The most recent videos I saw of Langford and Armstrong were incredibly underwhelming. That said, I remember thinking the same about Luke Shuey and he became a terrific player.

I'm genuinely not qualified to answer, but will keep looking at their videos. None look Gulden good, but they all seem pretty solid. On limited viewing I'd have Smillie and Langford as better kicks than Lalor, but I still prefer Lalor's all round game. And it's not as though it's a major weakness. But others may have a different take.

Right now the club and playing group need stability. I suspect Max would want to steer things through 2025. After that, who knows.

I agree with the mids philosophy for this draft. My days of going to champs etc. to scout potential draftees is long gone, so I'm left with youtube videos. Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing. I just like the way he moves, makes decisions and his speed looks good. A nice size at 187cm also. Langford also looks nice, but his and Smillie's speed is a concern, because we're already not blessed with midfield speed. So I keep coming back to Lalor. Others may prefer Murphy and the elusive skinnier types, who'll bulk up in time. I haven't seen enough of those. We need a star mid with a top 5 pick. I haven't seen enough of Lalor to kinow whether he has that potential.

People seem to think that if Carlton or Collingwood had trade currency Petracca would be gone. That would be entirely dependent on Melbourne. If the club wanted to retain him he was going nowhere. You simply don't let disgruntled champions walk out on a 5 year contract (unless your list is stuffed).

The worst interview from a ''leader'' I've heard. She's completely out of her depth. Hopeless is a word that comes to mind. How she hasn't been around to Petracca's parents house weeks ago is utterly extraordinary. To think the leader of the club hasn't even bothered to speak to one of our best players of the last 50 years when they're disgruntled beggars belief. She also thinks a club review isn't required. I'd remove her straight away if I had the power. I wasn't overly sympathetic to Petracca, but after that interview I have more questions than ever. And indeed more sympathy for Petracca than I had.

I'd hate to be in the trenches with you lot. Weak as [censored].

In all of these situations the club has the whip hand. Let's see what they're made of.

Supporters are now geared to panic over anything. These conversations would take place regularly between clubs and players. How are you feeling, etc. Try and treat each situation in isolation and not as some nefarious collective. Pickett also has a contract and won't be going anywhere. I don't see him finishing his career at Melbourne and never have, but he'll be in red and blue next year imo. And right now that's all I care about.

Misleading headline by the OP. The report stated Pickett expressed some homesickness, but that his management and the club would be able to work through the situation and that Pickett would see out his 3 years remaining.