titan_uranus

The logic is sound. He may not be the best ruckman at AFL level but neither is Darcy Fort. The concept makes sense and means we go into 2025 without the same level of fear over a possible Max injury.

So are they on the same page? This suggests they aren’t.

2021, eh? So that’s before we signed him to a 7 year million dollar contract that is now the noose around our necks in trying to do what you both are implying is the right thing to do?

You’re in a “win now” window. You have to be. Your list is primed for a flag. Houston might only give you say 4 years but if you win a flag in that time no one will care, and tbh you should win a flag. A list with Cripps, Curnow, Mackay, Walsh and Weitering shouldn’t be battling just to make finals.

We started this. We called around and asked if clubs would deal. He gets all the way down the path and wants out. We complain there isn’t enough value in a proposed trade. All of which was completely foreseeable. As if we didn’t think clubs would refrain from throwing massive draft pick hauls given his recent history? As if we didn’t think throwing his name out there for the second year in a row would create a major media storm and [censored] Clarry off? All the parts of this that have been within our control have been mismanaged by us.

Kane’s right. We’re absolutely pathetic.

We’ve instigated this. Which means we’ve lost the bargaining power to hold him. It’s, IMO, a monumental mismanagement of one of the 5 best players this club has ever had.

We’ve pushed him out. We’ve ceded bargaining power. We’re a complete mess.

So are Goodwin/the FD on the same page as Pert? This sounds like they’re not. There are issues with this wherever you look.

Yes. There’s every chance things aren’t as bad as they seem…because they’re worse.

We spent all year backing him in. As recently as last week he was all in for a big pre-season with us. It doesn’t matter if he transgressed. We’re morons if we expected him to be a perfect model player after everything else. We had to know it was a risk, otherwise there was no point sacrificing our season playing him through his injury. I find this all disgracefully poor management from the club. Not just Pert. Everyone.

So much of this story is confusing. Do we want to trade him, or not? Does he want out, or not? The fact that it’s so unclear is in itself an issue. We have repeatedly demonstrated a complete inability to control any narrative about our club.

I just listened to it too. I agree with your summary. If you listened just to the podcast and didn’t know anything about this week’s reports, you’d walk away from that podcast feeling pretty good about where he’s at, both individually and in relation to the club. Given that, it makes it even harder to reconcile what’s been reported this week, and IMO only strengthens the concerns people have about the club’s administration.

Ravens, Bills, Colts

The podcast is out. Has anyone listened to it?

In what world does the CEO become a list management messenger boy?

It's now four journos actually. I had thought they were all over the place but I'm not so sure. McClure said Oliver felt unwanted and was exploring his options. Ralph said the club knew nothing about that and quoted Richardson as saying he's a required player and will be here next year. Morris said that Oliver wants to stay but the club has suggested he look around, and what the club says publicly isn't necessarily what it thinks privately. Gleeson said that over the last few weeks we've invited other clubs to pitch for him and are now walking that back. Writing this all out, Ralph's the outlier. There is a commonality between McClure, Morris and Gleeson - Oliver feels like the club doesn't want him (i.e. because the club has shopped him around).

2025 memberships have gone on sale. Would have thought the club might have published something about this. I notice the Digital Membership has gone up to $350 (which is what has been happening at other clubs).

This is a scathing article. It suggests that the club has tried floating Clarry’s name, then regretted it, and now is trying to walk it back. It’s inconsistent with what Jon Ralph has reported, and isn’t even consistent with McClure (McClure said Clarry wanted out, Gleeson says we’ve started this). But if it’s true, it is not good.

There’s plenty of evidence as to his fitness/injuries to explain why he didn’t step up this year. Surely we wait to see if a proper pre-season makes a difference rather than shipping off for unders.

From Jon Ralph’s article today on Clarry: “Melbourne’s determination to keep him is built on their belief they actually need to add to their midfield after Angus Brayshaw’s retirement rather than lose a star player who helped win the 2021 Grand Final. In the club’s reviews after an 11-win season they were relatively happy with their trio of key forwards but knew they badly missed Brayshaw’s leadership and midfield nous. Melbourne has made inquiries of many of the available key forwards in the competition in recent months, including Jake Waterman and Tim Membrey. Richmond’s Tom Lynch is happy to stay at the Tigers as he finishes a long-term deal. The Demons are still confident they will secure GWS swingman Wade Derksen, who kicked 35 goals in the VFL last year then played a mix of defence and forward in 2024. But it seems unlikely the Demons will bring in an established key forward given the difficulty in acquiring a player who will be an upgrade on Jacob Van Rooyen, the re-signed Harry Petty and Daniel Turner. Instead a club which has pick five and a future first-rounder will be open to opportunities to boost its midfield weaponry. The Demons have watched on as Hawthorn’s No. 5 draft pick Nick Watson made a huge impact in his first season including exceptional finals performances. Taking that No. 5 pick to the draft, which has a pool of players with even greater potential, would give the Demons confidence that player could make an immediate impact in 2025. The top 10 of the draft has elite mids of many types, as well as running half backs, key forwards and intercept defenders so pick 5 is a perfect position to choose a player who could end up the best player of the draft. Trent Rivers moved into the midfield and won the fifth-most clearances for the club, while No. 7 Caleb Windsor made a significant impact in his debut season. Judd McVee also got some time in the centre square late in the season.“

So Tom Morris says this: But then Jon Ralph’s article says this: “Despite rival clubs continuing to ask about his availability the Demons will not trade the 27-year-old and had believed Oliver was content to remain at the club. The club and Oliver were in contact again on Monday, and a player contracted for six more years had told them he was happy to stay at Melbourne. While Oliver is a high-maintenance player who will always need care from the club the Demons are not interested in trading him.“ They don’t appear to me to be capable of both being true. Edit: Ralph also says: “Oliver had considered whether to go overseas on a training camp but has spent time with family in Echuca and continued training. He has had to have his hand monitored by medicos to assess its progress after surgery for an injury that impacted his season along with rib and knee injuries. Melbourne’s Lachie Hunter retired last week so the Demons are even more aware of their need to boost their midfield stocks.“

The only thing worse than watching Clarry win more AAs and B&Fs (let alone flags) at another club will be if we’re paying part of his wage to do so.