No10

Are we seriously getting rid of the bounce? It’s a unique part of the game and visually epic.

Are we seriously going to start a Grand Final with a ball up?

The people running the game are truly lost.

On 04/10/2025 at 11:56, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

I'm overseas and out of the loop but with Flanders choosing Saints Jack is almost certainly gone.

Is there a knock on him, is his body cooked? Is he past his best?

We are in desperate need of culture change and leadership qualities and i would have thought this guy has it in spades.

We are bottom 6 for a few more years I reckon and need a no DH policy to turn this club around ... on and off the field.

Under appreciated post to open this thread with only a down vote!

7 minutes ago, Jibroni said:

Even thought I am critical of Lamb if the Suns are paying 100% of his salary then Picks 7 and 8 is a good deal. Humphrey was never coming and we should stop moaning about this.

If this is the deal the Suns are landing a steal.

This isn’t a win / win, it’s a massive win / lose.

If we take it, it says Trac must be toxic.

45 minutes ago, GawnOfTheDead said:

Alright, folks.

Last day of trade tomorrow.

What’s happening?

Trac, Oliver, May and any others possibly on the move?

I predict Trac for picks only. Oliver for half salary and a pick in 2027 and north Melbourne take Steve May for a packet of crisps at deadline 7:30.

Agree on May, last minute, North is the right idea but it’ll be Richmond or Dogs.

For Oliver, better to look away. That will be an ugly deal that will be spoken in mumbles that we’ll never decipher.

Trac will be the deal that stuns. Humphrey will get done. And the picks will favour us dramatically too.

Great for GC, they will make a show of their commitment to Trac and the huge get that he is, and now he better earn it. But in reality they’ll be giving away a player that’s leaving and a pick they wouldn’t use anyway.

For us, we get a clean slate and a young gun that we can pin high hopes. With a high draft pick for Taylor with a target.

11 minutes ago, Redleg said:

That will never happen.

I’m confident, for sure it will.

The rest of the article says that “Humphrey is almost certain to leave in the coming years and there won’t be a Petracca on the other side of that deal.”

This imaginary article writes itself…

13 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Would anyone with the choice of Merrett or Trac, actually pick Trac?

Good skills trump bullocking power these days

I would. Honestly. I don’t think Trac has hit his ceiling at all.

And we saw what a player like Trac can do in finals, ie. Dangerfield style. Trac is what every contender needs.

Merrett, only maybe moneyball bc Trac is too expensive unless you’re the Suns.

Tomorrow‘s AFL headlines:

Will the Suns blow their chance of a Norm Smith medalist superstar for a young talent nobody knew a week ago…

Quote from Lamb “we said from the start we’re not trading Trac for picks”

De Goey is a desperate bluff. Humphrey + p7 for Trac. Lock it in

6 minutes ago, Demonland said:

It's very possible that the Suns have told Bailey that while contracted he will not be traded under any circumstances and he his now holding up the Petracca deal. A public commitment to the Suns helps the GC get the deal done with the Dees with picks.

If he’s “holding up the Trac deal” that’s exactly right. It’s a play. A losing side play.

10 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

If we were actually prepared to shut this down then we would be seeing reports like what Essendon have done with Merrett. Until then it looks very much like the club will settle for picks when all is said and done.

Different situation. We’ve allowed Trac to go explore. We’d look stupid if we came out and shut it down.

Just wait until end of today and repeat “not trading Trac for picks. Etc”

Just now, KozzyCan said:

I'm pretty sure they have told us exactly that. This is a pr move.

Absolutely they’ve told us that. So then PR to who? The GC fans?

We all know they’re trying to close the deal on picks. They have Barrett saying it’ll happen today. But today we call Trac and tell him it isn’t likely to happen.

7 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Things like that are never really conveyed in a live interview. The media gets briefed a few hours before hand then the interview gives further context. Suns have asked Humphrey to finally shut down the talk through his manager.

You’d have to ask why? They can tell us Humphrey is off the table directly.

Sounds like a blink first situation

3 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

I get the feeling he might be going on to shut this down for good.

However, his player does want to leave. So I’m not so sure.

He’s not going to do anything wild but I expect something better than shutting it down.

Just now, Demonland said:

Next year every big club will have prepared for Bailey Humphrey. We're in a unique position now with Trac. We won't be able to shoot this shot next year.

Agreed. That’s a dream scenario. But I think it happens this year. Humphrey doesn’t need to agitate, this trade is about Trac.

16 minutes ago, Very Jaded said:

Well not when he's contracted

As we've seen time and time again, if you are a big name contracted player, the ONLY way to get your club to trade you against their will, is to blow things up and make the relationship untenable.

Disagree on this occasion.

Humphrey isn’t the main event of this trade. This is about GC needing Trac badly. People undervaluing Trac need to imagine how incredibly well he’d fit into GC and where they are right now.

I almost prefer to keep Trac, watch him have a proper monster season. Get Humphrey next year.

But I expect GC to cave last minute. And the last minute cave from GC will be good for us, Humphrey + p7 for Trac + junk picks.

37 minutes ago, binman said:

Nah.

Tracc was flying before Moore pole-axed him.

And all things considered he had a pretty good 2025 season.

As I post every off season I don't mind skimming all the trade and draft speculation, and think it's great the thought many put into all the variables.

I particularly like reading Informed views about possible draft options

But personally I don't really care, particularly about the trading palaver. And I don't really have an informed view about value of trades etc

However I'm curious the consensus seems to be picks 7 and 8 is a bad deal.

I get that the context is its Humphrey or picks 7 or 8 and everyone is super keen on Humphrey so perhaps 7 and 8 seems bad in comparison.

But to be honest, assuming the Suns pay all of his salary, picks 7 and 8 for tracc ain't that bad.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe he is still a gun. But the reality is he is 30 next year, his kicking, which has never been elite, got worse last season and if I was brutally honest I'd say post injury he's still, 100% understandably, a little cautious in the heat of the battle.

Added together he's a ways off his AA best.

He may well get back to that level - and I sincerely hope he does whether that's at the dees or another club.

But as a punter I'd give no better than even money he will get back to his AA best.

In that context picks 7 and 8 is ok I reckon.

And if we take those picks to the draft (Ie as opposed to on trading for a player) that's pretty exciting.

Problem I have with 7&8 is twofold:

To GC they’re essentially junk picks, given they just need points in the draft. That doesn’t matter to us, but I find it obnoxious that Team Trac push this offer through Morris as a good deal while he presents himself as such a high value talent.

And for us, getting two talented kids feels like an imbalanced profile. It’s been proven too many times that a young list doesn’t develop without significant senior talent. We’ve said upfront picks don’t work and I can understand precisely why.

IMO we’re steadfast on Humphrey. There hasn’t even been another player floated in the past few days. I know people disbelieve Trac could be back, but I see us holding firm this time.

It’s Trac or Humphrey. I’m quite sure of it.

2 minutes ago, No10 said:

King:

“I’ve got his back around walking back into the club and playing great footy, and I’ll back him in“

… “Christian would be central to that. He’s still runner-up in our best and fairest and we all know the player Christian is. He’d be pivotal to those plans I’ve got.

“I respect his time and space, I’ll give him that, but he’d be a central part of what we’re doing moving forward.”

I don’t see how else this reads @bing181 ? King seems fine to have him back. Maybe even sees it a challenge. What coach wouldn’t want Trac in their side?

42 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Unless I’m mistaken he has never actually said that. I’d love to coach Christian … I’ve got his back if he comes back … etc.

For me, he’s saying what he needs to as head coach and going out of his way not to burn bridges. Also talking the talk in the context of negotiations.

King:

“I’ve got his back around walking back into the club and playing great footy, and I’ll back him in“

… “Christian would be central to that. He’s still runner-up in our best and fairest and we all know the player Christian is. He’d be pivotal to those plans I’ve got.

“I respect his time and space, I’ll give him that, but he’d be a central part of what we’re doing moving forward.”

33 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Looking at it from GC’s POV - they are seriously wanting to get all their academy players PLUS a top 15 player this off season.

We are not obliged to give a flying about meeting ‘their goals’.

Give us Bailey or [censored] off

It seems giving 7&8 won’t affect their draft, if we give later picks. Essentially they get Trac for no real terms cost.

What does that say about Trac’s value to them? With all of GC’s bounty… he might want to remind them he’s “the brand”TM.

46 minutes ago, Demonland said:

… made their position clear “publicly”.

He’s right, GC are presenting a position, he’s in no place to undermine that

48 minutes ago, doomsday dee said:

He played a role that no one in the dees could play is more the point,freo see a Jordan Clarke role,anyway we'll have to see.if he plays wafl ill be glad to be proven wrong

Only problem promising a “Jordan Clarke role” is they have a similar player named “Jordan Clarke”… plus they have Young and a stacked midfield of lighter players not dissimilar to his attributes.

You’re obviously close with Judd and I’m sure you can see that 100 pages shows he was a well loved and highly rated talent. I hope he does great back home… but if he does happen to become a lockdown defender as @Axis of Bob has well put reasoning, then I hope when we play, Kossi kicks 10!

44 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Is it not bizarre that Hird keeps saying GC needs a “De Goey type player” if they were to lose Humphrey - but doesn’t once mention Trac??

Hird talks as though Trac is already at GC

14 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

IF he wants to come back to Vic the option is go with he club who can make it happen now and has money on the table

Or wait 12 months and hope your preferred club (if it's not MFC) can put together a trade to satisfy GC

It is a long term decision, he can sacrifice 12 months now and get to the place he wants to be for the next 12 years which is a no brainer. The only risk is injury in the meantime which could see the offers withdrawn/reduced.

We are not an attractive proposition on any metric, if you were choosing us compared with Hawks, Pies, Cats even Blues, Dogs etc what is it that puts us above the rest? The only thing in our favour is we can make the trade happen now, have dollars to offer and have King as coach (due to his previous relationship). On any other measure we are undesirable and yeah, for those who have argued so vehemently against it, Casey is a massive issue.

Edit - didn't read to the end of your post. What makes us a good club? We've been a basket case for years, stars wanting out, off field issues etc

I fail to understand anyone who doesn’t see that our facilities are a total disaster. Agree absolutely.

The idea he can spend another year under Hardwick at the elite facilities in GC and then potentially move to playing under Mitchell for a huge club that’s playing finals… that’s a massive sell.

For the rest of this post I wrote a sell for the MFC and saw how sad it was… this is a depressing reality

17 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Love it but I think you forgot to take your Demon Hat off.

They will be next year and the year after one would think.

Demon hat ON: I think Trac is underrated now. But was overrated before. He’s the type of player that has his best years from 30-33.

I like the idea that he stays, rejected by his chosen club who lowball offer.

He plays next year like a man with something to prove and wins the Brownlow, or close.

Firmly Demon hat on, but not an entirely unrealistic proposition either.

1 minute ago, Roost it far said:

Taking your support out of the equation which club are you picking right now if indeed you want to break your contract, go through the media 💩storm and relocate?

If I were Humphrey’s manager I’d tell him Hawthorn are a powerhouse and we can wait. But the hand in the bush is Melbourne and they’ve recently developed superstars in Trac, Oliver, Kossi, Gawn… you wouldn’t lack for opportunity. They have future stars in Langford, Lindsay and Windsor.

If you like Melbourne take the deal, it’s big money and a good club.

10 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

Sure, we're looking to offload two stars of the game (formerly super stars), but given the Suns' midfield and our emerging midfield, I think we'd be an enticing prospect to Humphrey.

Playing next to Kozzy, Langford, Lindsay, Windsor and Bowey, but being the main man in there is a pretty good sell I reckon.

We want to play fast, we want to be aggressive, we've still got the best ruckman in the league, along with some hardener premiership players in Viney, Salem, Langdon, Lever and Fritta.

We also play our home games at the MCG and have recently won a flag. I don't think the sell is as difficult as some make out.

And the biggest point is the $1.5-2mill pa he'll be unlikely to get anywhere else and certainly not at the Suns.

Exactly. And he’s apparently been speaking to Hawthorn for a while. He’s going to leave, this year or next.