Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Yes, the AFL will support several players trying to break there contacts early and demand to be traded to clubs of their choice - I think not. What is becoming a farce is the domino effect of deficient free agency rules causing players to demand trades before the end of their contract. The free agency rules need to be ballanced by making the club receiving the free agent repay the compensation pick from their own draft picks. Would still be a reasonable form of free agency, because the departure club does not need to agree to the deal.

I thought this was a no brainer option from the start. Freo just acting like a bunch of self righteous [censored] thinking that they have the world's strongest hand and can dictate the terms to everyone else rather than swallowing some humble pie conceding that Neale is gone, but being greatfull for locking away one of the premium mature key forwards in the game, but that they will actually have to pay market price for him or maybe a bit over given that he would actually be breaking his contact to go to them. With such a clear way forward, you'd think they'd be jumping over themselves to get this deal done, rather than [censored] EVERYONE in the AFL around - a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. I'm also honestly not seeing why Freo think Neale is worth so much either. My understanding is that he is a fair player and had a bit of a breakout year a season or so ago, but the way Freo are carrying on, it's like he is the equivalent of Dangerfield or Martin or Fife at their peak. Trelor was a significantly more established player for a number of years before he attracted the type of trade leverage for GWS that Freo are expecting. Unless Neale is at that sort of level, then one first round pick and perhaps a later 2 Rd is about all they can expect. I mean Neale played all 22 games and didn't even make the top 30 brownlow (AFL midfielders award) vote getters playing in a team of spuds when Fife was injured and wouldn't take votes off him for half the year. At 25 yo, he's around his peak performance and ain't no Oliver or Brayshaw. I know Freo also want Lobb, then to me there options are 1. concede that you can't always get all your whish list ticked off in one foul swoop, or 2. start trading some of their other players and or future draft picks. But they just don't seem to get the concept that you need to give something to get something in return. As a side note, you have got to wonder what Fife saw in Freo to keep him there? To me, Freo hit the down hill slide when they uprooted Mark Harvey and replaced him with Ross Lyon. Harvey had pulled them out of obscurity, developed and motivated them into a competitive team playing a good brand of footy. Being the expert on coaching that I am, Ross Lyon does nothing for me. He always seems to be highly rated, perhaps by association with some of his former teams and former senior coaching mentors, but look at his record - 3 loosing grand finals playing the most boring brand of football ever. No wonder Neale wants to leave, he doesn't want to be bored to death. After inheriting a good team, the subsequent decline and failed 'rebuild' at Freo under Lyon has been a disaster. @binman, can you please read this and paraphrase it for @Tram 74, I think he can only read simple one line sentences. Perhaps he should stick to Twitter, the social media platform for Twits.

Nice perspective. Yup, he's pretty small that AVB!

And now his fantasy price should be even lower for 2019, having not played a game in 2018.

Sorry a bit of an ignorant question, but can someone tell me did North have other backup ruck options? Strikes me a strange that if we see value in having backup and support for Gawn, that North wouldn't want the same thing for Goldstein. Really does also go to show how much fads the AFL goes through. Go back a few years and all those in the know were saying that their is only room for one genuine ruck in the 22 and now after West Coast use Nic Nat and Lycett, everyone is looking for that second ruck option. Also wounder if North giving up Preuss to us is going to be like us giving up Martin to the Lyons a few years back - we can only hope!

Agree Binman. The main reasons I'm not celebrating this are: 1. The trade period isn't over yet, so it ain't done and dusted that he's not moving this year; 2. Would really be something to celebrate if after this (hopefully failed episode) he signed on for another 2 years on top of 2019. I'm not in the boat of thinking May would be the greatest thing since sliced bread for the MFC either. May had a pretty ordanary year as well and if he were to come to the MFC, I think he'd actually have to lift his training ethic to that of Max Gawn's to get a game here. I fully expect that Oscar will continue to get bigger and end up something near the strength of Tommy, plus a few cm in height. May would be good if we could trade for him at a reasonable price - isn't he actually a FA after 2019? That's when we should strike Richmond style.

Which says to me that Hogan is really worth May plus some decent spare change at the draft table.

Which would completely contradict the stuff the Eagles have been banging on about all week with respects to 'it's no the go home factor with Kelly...some people have genuine circumstances and Kelly is one of those...' If Kelly reslly does needs to get back home that urgently that he can't see out his contact with Geelong, the he should/will entertain a genuine offer from Freo. That said, I think associating 'genuine offer' and Freo together in one sentence these days is an oxymoron, so scratch that theory.

Freo's headquarters is Cockburn Central, so probably infers multiple burnt apendages after the MFC told them they can all go F$#@! themselves, because they are not getting Jessie for the rubbish they were carrying on with.

Yeahhhh, righto.

And Weid has played about 3 or 4 cracking games, not 3 or 4 seasons worth.

Agree, I think it's more likely to put him off Freo for being neither professional enough or valuing him highly enough just to get on with things and get the job done. They seem to want something for nothing. Pick 5 isn't enough for Neale, but Jessie, you're only worth pick 11 and below to us. I recon that Jessie should be thinking do I want to play for a club that values me (think we traded two first rounders to get access to him in the first place didn't we?) and treats me proffesionally and with respect or a bunch of bloody muppets that couldn't make pis in a brewery?

Thanks for your contribution to the MFC Dom, provided us with some good service for a few years. I really value the contribution of these players that joined us when we were a very ordanary side, battled their hearts out, helped us to improve and have victories along the way, without which, I don't think the side would be what it now is. Was very glad the Dom got the opertunity to be part of our late season sucess and share in some of the joy after the lack of sucess during his first few years. All the best for the future Dom.

Yet if I recall correctly, the opportunity for him to be captain was something that was part of the appeal for him. In retrospect, I think they would have been better off telling Gazza where to go on the captain thing and making Harbrow captain. GWS certainly did alot better making Ward skipper - huge respect for him.

Maybe if we could rookie him, but I think he's more like a 1% chance than 10% and we are better off drafting a kid with good athletic ability, but a bit raw than a Bennell with lifestyle problems as well as recurring injuries. I mean nothing against the guy personally and would love to see him sort his stuff out, I just don't think he is a viable option. If you listen to Mahoney and co, they are also backing Jayden Hunt to have a better preseason and become that outside runner we need. Bailey Freitch would be another, or as something from left field, Frosty could be a pretty difficult match up on a wing, if we have Lever, Oscar and May to hold fort down back.

Actually @drdrake just thinking about things, Liam Jurrah was a bigger waste of talent than Bennell. Wow could that guy play. Imagine him in our side now and the high octane outside run he could provide.

I like the sentiment, but I recon that's what Freo would have thought. I think he's run out of any credits at AFL clubs these days. For Bennell to redeem himself, I recon he would need to put together an injury free season at state level and pull his own act together. Surely there are enough good indigenous leaders out of the game who would be willing to help ...if he pulls his head in and acts himself.

Lol. Was Gaza really a mentor to any of the players at Gold Coast? Star player at the start of his time there, but a pretty average choice of captain and off feild leader I think I'd say in retrospect.

Yeah, Col was somewhat of a waste (waste of high draft pick, spot on a list, waste of free agency by Freo), but I Bennell had way more tallent to start with. Bernie Vince was the best thing to come from the Col Silvia saga.

One of the biggest wastes of talent in the last decade. Probably part of the great legacy that Karmichael Hunt left at the Suns.

GWS also lost Treloar to the Pies which [censored] me (forget what they got in return). Treloar is a better player than Shiel in my veiw. If I was GWS I definitely would have wanted to keep Treloar.

Interesting stat on the MFC site player reviews "Lewis was also amongst the best at the club for ball use by foot, ranked third, with an average of 8.3 effective kicks per game." Not particularly surprising, but evidence for what many have observed.

Not quite sure what the inferance is there. We are now up to 8 delisted/retired and possibly still a few to be traded. Obviously we need someone to step up and step into a replacement for the role Lewis plays, but I don't think that would be at his expense. That said, I do find the reference to Cross above intersting. From what I recall, Crossy was keen to play another year, but the club not so inclined. I guess part of the difference could be that Jordan was already contacted for next year, whereas Cross may not have been.

All this bartering, cloke and dagger double speak does make you think that having a good poker face would be a pretty highly rated skill for those in list management.

I recon that Freo want Hogan more than we want May, so if them trading Neale for unders gets them closer to a Hogan trade, then I think they would cave.