Gator

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.

Jack Watts with a bit more courage. Not a lot, just a bit.

Pickett couldn't foresee that Moore would collapse to the ground when he was expecting his opponent to be still on his feet. It would be an utter disgrace for Pickett to be suspended. But in this woke [censored] world I fully expect he'll go. If so, that's it for me.

I found the interview from February this year. He briefly mentions that a lot of his friends barrack for Melbourne and that they would have ''come down'' to the G to watch him if he wasn't suspended. That assumes coming down from Shepparton. The old zone connection makes sense to me. Very briefly mentioned at around 4.30. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/02/05/how-talented-but-fiery-crow-plans-to-take-his-game-to-the-next-level-in-2024/

I know Rachele has stagnated somewhat, but he's a very talented player and still only 21. He was interviewed on SEN in the preseason and stated that most of his friends barrack for Melbourne. I put this down to being from Shepparton, which was Melbourne's zone back in the old days. I hope we're going hard for him.

In the final year of his contract (2027) he plays the entire year as a 35 year old. I know it's only detail, but detail matters.

Goldstein plays aged 36. Sandilands plays age 36. Mumford plays aged 35 In Gawn's last year (2027) he'll be 35. He's about to earn AA at 32. It's hardly a stretch to extend him now, especially as the club wants to know it's spending capacity on the eve of trades.

I know all of the arguments, I just don't agree that torso bumps that result in an unforeseen concussion should be penalised. I accept I hold a minority view.

I know I'm a dinosaur, but for me it was a fair bump. No head high contact, just a bone shattering bump that caused secondary damage. I know he'll get a minimum of 3-4, but I'd give him nothing.

I don't agree. Either changing one's mind, or publicly lying, is the norm in the AFL. But if you think there'd be egg, so be it. That would be your take. I'm only interested in decisions being made that are in the best interests of the club. Hopefully, we have the personnel to get things right. I'm not convinced we do.

Oliver is being paid a fortune to be what is currently the shell of his former self. There are mitigating circumstances. For this year, at least. He's supposed to be in his absolute prime years. An important point not to overlook. Either get him fit, or believe that he's fully committed and able to do so, or trade him for a very good pick in what's an excellent draft.

I fully agree. Jon Ralph is one that annoys the hell out of me. On more than one occasion he stated that Petty was desperate to get back to Adelaide. This wasn't true, it was merely Ralph's slant, or added editorial comment, as you put it. Petty would have happily gone home, but Ralph's exaggerations were erroneous. There's no doubt there's joy (and exaggerations) in the reporting of Melbourne's current malaise. But I want to reiterate, I'm only interested in facts, as best as I can ascertain them. I'll let others take the emotive route.