Caligula's cohort

Hunter will also stay on the field all day like Langers, allowing our key burst players to get the rest they need during the game. That in itself is such a bonus when you look at how poor our fitness was this year. 

Hopefully now with pick 13 we can find a gun Key forward and with pick 37 the best Ruck in the draft. 

Love getting one up on the Pies. Makes up for that terrible Kennedy and pick 29 for Howe trade.

It doesn't make sense to trade Weideman out at this point for a 3rd rounder. We have lost M.Brown, Daw and Jackson so our talls department have taken a big hit. Adding Grundy is absolutely critical to our ruck depth but if we let Weideman go it means we need to chase 3 key forwards in a very shallow draft/delisted free agents. I'll back him in to stay!

Great performance today girls and nice percentage booster. Love the work of Goldrick and Zanker, they always have a crack when it's their turn to go. Bannan and Harris forming a formidable forward duo. 

Cornes isn't backing down on the Kozzie rumour (which he made up). He now believes Kozzie will move to an S.A team in 2023 saying what Lamb said yesterday was 'a lie'. 

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-trade-news-kysaiah-pickett-return-to-south-australia-port-adelaide-rumours-whispers-latest-tim-lamb-kane-cornes/news-story/ef90ed2fa81401f89995d95c03fbf764

I think Brayshaw's move to the backline sealed Hunt's fate going into 2023. Gus was in AA form and most likely would of been awarded the AA if he hadn't moved back into the midfield. Our 3 tall key defenders are a lock in May, Lever and Petty and add to that Salem, Hibberd, Brayshaw with the 7th defender being one of Bowey or Rivers, it's hard to see Hunt playing ahead of any of those guys. 

I could be wrong, but this is maybe why Baker might sign on for another year on a low wage of around $200k who has similar abilities. Whereas Hunt would command around $350-$450k if he left Melbourne and this would be Hunt's last big contract for his career so it's a win win for both. Hunt leaves on a bigger and longer contract, while Melbourne free's up cap space of around $200k. 

I'll be sad to see him go. Perhaps this is why there's been no announcement yet on Baker. If Hunty does go, I have a feeling Melbourne would be keen to use Baker in Hunts role and can play Wing/Half back. I watched a few Casey games this year, and a few commentators and game day staff said Melbourne were happy with Baker's development, which I found odd as he has barely played any games for us. I thought he was a certainty to be delisted. 

Geelong were gifted the Premiership this year. From having one of the easiest draws in the comp in the home and away season and then they only scraped through beating Collingwood in the first final, it showed their true measure. Brisbane we all knew should of been knocked out first week of finals, except for a miracle goal that beat Richmond and then they played a banged up Melbourne side. Sydney was so banged up from their do or die Prelim against Collingwood that they failed to fire a shot in the Granny.

Melbourne are the team to beat in 2023, I'm still so [censored] we threw in the towel this year... this was the premiership that got away from us because we failed to rotate our injured players accordingly. While we had players like Dunstan, Tomlinson, Turner, JVR, Bedford, Bowey, Chandler and even Weid ready to step in. 

36 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Yes, but the question is: Is that worth a whole chicken with potato and gravy?

I heard the current club is willing to pay for the stuffing.

Huge if true.

As long as it's moist. Can't stand dry meat. 

1 minute ago, The heart beats true said:

I work with numbers (but I also drive Uber)

Uber drivers are a necessity in this day and age. Are you trying to criticise or belittle hard working Australians? that seems pretty low IMO. 

1 minute ago, adonski said:

I work with numbers too

2x big mac

1x large chips

1x large coke

Good for you young lad. Always aim high. Employee of the month is around the corner. 

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

We are talking about salary cap room and we were right into him. We therefore had room.

Your assertion we don’t have room for an A grade player is another wild guess.

You haven’t got a clue whether we have or not, so stop acting like you really know our salary cap details.

Unless you are Tim Lamb or work with him, you have no better idea than the rest of us.

Now you have changed the subject. The basis of your argument was that we didn't have the capital (draft picks) to appease Fremantle to agree to a trade with Cerra, and that you somehow know that he favoured to come to Melbourne instead of Carlton. Yet he never nominated Melbourne, even though as you say we had the money to offer him. Let's face it, Carlton had to pay overs to get Cerra and our offer was a good $200k less, hence why he nominated Carlton. 

Let's just face it, you have NFI about how the salary cap works. I myself work with numbers and know a thing or two about these things alright. 

57 minutes ago, Redleg said:

How do you know we can’t afford an A grade player? What is the amount of money left in our salary cap next year?

It was widely reported that Cerra nominated us to his manager, but was advised we couldn’t better or equal Carlton’s pick 5 and he went to them instead. I didn’t make it up.

Cerra would be a Demon if we had pick 5 last year, or he had waited a year. We were right into him, so clearly could afford him.

Again factually incorrect. If he didn't nominate us, then he didn't want to come to us... regardless of draft picks. Fremantle don't have to picks yet to offer us something good for Jackson. But he will probably get to his desired destination. So therefore your point is moot. 

1 hour ago, adonski said:

We're not going to bother interviewing Cerra if we can't fit him in the cap

Yes that's right... our cap... which is tight. We offered well short of the $750k Carlton had offered. If he wanted to come to Melbourne he would of nominated us. 

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

I think with respect you are factually wrong in a lot of this post.

We had Cerra, but couldn't do a trade better than Carlton's pick 5. So obviously we could fit him into the our cap at the time.

We were offering Jacko a pretty good contract as reported, but  he wants to go home. He is not leaving just for money. If he was, we would have probably retired Melk and Hibbo which would have left an extra amount in the pot. A poster on here said he had personal reasons as well and I accept that is probably true. We know he loved the players and the club.

All clubs have name players on varying amounts of money and we are not alone in that regard.

Why are we bringing in Grundy, maybe Gunston and are chasing another key forward,  as well as keeping Hibbo and Melk, if we have no salary cap room then?

We are bringing in Grundy because we currently have only 1 ruckman on our list. As for Gunston, the only reason he would come to Melbourne would be to chase a premiership in the last year or two of his playing career and wouldn't demand a large salary. Second to that, we don't know if Melbourne are chasing him, it's only been mentioned by a particular poster here who let's face it doesn't have the best record going around on DL... and lastly Hibbo and Melk may possibly yet retire or play on one more year for peanuts to chase a flag next year. So really signing Hibbo, Melk and possibly Gunston/ Grundy wouldn't hurt our cap at all. But if you add yet another A grader as speculated then we simply can't afford that player. 

P.S how did you know we had Cerra? did he nominate us? I think you will find it is you who is factually wrong... with respect. 

22 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

Jackson wasn’t ever about money. He stopped negotiating with us, which tells you he wasn’t trying to drive up his price.

Jackson's salary will go to Grundy now. So you think we have another $750k+ lying around? highly doubtful. 

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Seriously, people declaring what our cap space is, is ridiculous , when they haven’t  got a clue as to the actual figures.

It's just common sense really... We tried to get Cerra last year but couldn't offer him the money Carlton did and we couldn't keep Jackson here compared to the money the Western Australian teams are offering and with Grundy coming in on a supposedly $700k deal. Where exactly do you think we are going to find the money for an A grade forward? when we already have Oliver and Petracca on $900k+ and all of Gawn, Lever, May, Brayshaw, Salem and Viney on $600k+ not to mention Langdon, Tomlinson, Fritsch and Harmes commanding $500k+ and add into that Kozzie will want a hefty sum next contract due to being one of the best small forwards in the game. It's really not that hard to work out that our cap will be tight. 

With Grundy coming in I don't see how we can land a big fish key forward. We simply don't have the cap space to chase the big ones like the Kings, Naughtons or McKay's. We have to also factor in that Kozzie and May are out of contract next year and we will probably need to offer them $600k + each to keep them. 

As GNF alluded that we are in discussion with a "contracted A grade key forward" I just don't see how we get it done unless they are happy to take unders to come to us. 

22 hours ago, Grand New Flag said:

Hi All,

We are currently courting a contracted and uncontracted player both "A Grade" Key Forwards. 

The uncontracted player is Jack Gunston. We are well and truly in the race despite some contrary media reports suggesting a move to Brisbane or retained by Hawthorn. I have been told we are odds on!  (that's better than 50% chance snowflakes not a certainty).

The contracted player has also been responsive with quiet discussions since July. I have no idea of the chance of success. If I say who it is this has the real chance of wrecking the good work our recruiters are doing and would undermine the chances of success. 

Snowflakes, please refrain from abusing me...........I quite enjoy your D-Grade dibble, it's just super boring reading for the rest of DL.  If you don't want to hear what I have to say BLOCK ME.

Does this key forward play for a Victorian team or interstate? seeing as there is 100 odd key forwards running around in the AFL it's not much to go on. 

What do people make of Hunt and Tucker of Freo straight swap? Contract on the table for a while now with Hunt, but as of yet little interest to sign. Something in the woodworks... watch this space. A few clubs taking a nibble around Hunt. Whats he worth people?

2 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

Tigers will have a VERY different side in 2023 at this rate 

They'll be after Harry Mckay next year when Reiwoldt retires... maybe a second dynasty for the Tiges if they land Taranto, Hopper and Logue this year and Mckay next year. Well played IMO. 

54 minutes ago, Turner said:

makes it kinda baffling that they are so into dunkley as well. even with robinson and zorko at the end of their careers they still have alot of midfielders including many 3/4yrs who've barely had any exposure

they're well into grif logue for this reason and he's better than tommo. ur not getting a second rounder for tommo unless its something like our second rounder for theirs and its a slide up rather than a flat pick. even lewis melican or alex keath or recently delisted hartigan probably has more trade likeliness than tommo. 

I'm not saying I want Tomo to go. I thought he was playing great football prior to doing his ACL. Freo are apparently not willing to let Logue go if Lobb leaves. Keath is the Bulldogs best beckman so he wouldn't leave either and now there is word that Walker of North is looking at other options so that leaves the door open to North needing 2 quality key backman.

3 hours ago, grazman said:

We might have different opinions as to what a required player is.   He spent most of the year at Casey - he's got one more year to run on a contract on reasonable $ for a guy that's likely again to spend the best part of 2023 kicking the dew off  unless there are some significant injuries to key backs - and as @old55 has said the first in line appears to be Dan Turner anyway.

I can absolutely see a situation where Tomo requests a trade in his own best interests and I can absolutely see the club agreeing to it if it helps them free up some TPP room.  

Norf definitely need some key backs. Harry McKay can't do it all on his own and Aiden Corr hasn't quite lived up to his role as the 2nd key defender. Tomo would be a great fit for them. A late second round or early third should be suitable value for a decent defender such as him. 

5 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

What has he heard? Ney, not the thud of a terd.. more of a whisper, certainly crisper.. #WatchThisSpace #HowDoesHeDoIt? #ETtheTradeWhisperer

Heard and terd rhyme with James Hird... and he just nominated to coach Essenden again! great call ET! #howdoeshedoit?