Red But Mostly Blue

Thought he was worth another year, go well son of Woe. I feel like we've kind of burnt the Woes twice now... :-(

Welcome, CJ! While many have noted some areas for development (decision-making/disposals) (and I agree), he is not alone there! I think the whole team should be working very hard on their skills and decision-making in the offseason. That said, what CJ does have is speed, dare, x-factor and will make a lot of fans quickly. The rest can be improved in time. We can build with guys like CJ.

More to it = BH??? 🤔

I am not one of those people. But I understand 🤣

I think I might not have been entirely clear, but I agree :-) The point I was trying to make, was that after all the years we waited, as amazing as the win was (the whole year, and finals included - and it will live in my mind forever), it's hilarious that it was played and won away from our home - plus all those other things I mentioned. I am not sure of any other team in history who have lost their 2 pillars not too long after a GF win. Think Bont and Libba being traded by 2020. Anyway, I thought it was funny (dark sense of humour).

A perfect storm that pretty much could only happen to us. A drought-breaking premiership we couldn't see (in person) because of a....once in a lifetime pandemic. Two generational talents pi**ed away because of a perfect storm of player behaviour/a self-preservation coach/broken and spineless board/gutter rat media who don't give the same scrutiny to other clubs, life-threatening injury and perhaps in the background some family issues. Loss of guys like Mac due to the AFL hilariously changing the rules, then changing them back. Norm Smith's curse lives on, flag or not!!

I love a plot twist, here's hoping there are some (good ones) (for us) today!!

Yep. Most other years it would have been ok, and probably even exciting. Just our luck it's this year.

What a joke, offloading a club legend for next to nothing (negative outcome really because whatever we’re saving, we’re still paying for Clarry to play elsewhere). All because of events from a couple of years ago. Unless there are present issues, and we have no visibility on that, but you know full well if Clarry was causing issues, it would have been reported on, because the media have latched on to him and we leak. So I’m going to take that as no new issues. Just past ones that we accepted as part of a commitment to make good and get better. Which he did. Awful stuff and I think it will come back to haunt us.

This. Everyone pointing to purported behaviour or whatever is missing the point. The time to trade him would have been then, not some years down the track, after we accepted his behaviour and subsequent attempts to rectify his behaviour. Because if we’re letting go of the Clarry who is working hard and has regained his focus and health, for a FUTURE 3rd round for a team doing well… AND paying a chunk of his salary… WHAT ARE WE DOING??? Yeah we’re getting rid of some salary but we get nothing back in terms of someone who can help to propel this club. Gah. What a flipping mess.

Agree. I have my reservations, as I think we need a greater focus on disposal skills/decision, I will (as I always do) place my faith the club in identifying this and improving it as much as possible. I'll save my warm welcome for the official announcement. Notwithstanding my reservations, I think he will add a lot of flair, fun and connection to the younger fan base in particular. Seems like a really nice, relatable young lad who will make a few fans pretty quickly.

Athlete/x factor, but disposals/decision-making skills not great. We've seen this before in the backline. Right? Or am I losing my mind here? Anyway, maybe we'll have a crack at improving his disposal/decision-making, which we are clearly experts at, and I am presuming the Hawks overlooked...

I think yes OK, we can wrap this up early now so we can collect the bag of chips GWS will give us for Clarry. (Not chicken flavour pls)

I don't not believe it, no reason you can't take that to the bank.

I was just thinking, all this disgruntlement at Cameron not 'playing ball' with BH, in part it's because BH has not come out and forced his hand a little more (yet), but really the other issue is GC, and Cameron for that matter, are doing exactly what you would expect with a contracted player - saying unequivocally that he is off the table. It's something you would hope and expect from our group. I mean, Trac saying he wanted to look elsewhere - we didn't need to entertain that. He signed a long-term contract. The contract he signed protects him AND us. Gives us the power in negotiations. As GC does with BH. We can just say no, and Trac continues to cook here in Melbourne. Tough, it's a lesson in thinking long and hard before you sign a contract. So, I don't know why we are perceived (by media nuff nuffs, yeah ok) as having to accept some deal that is not going to help us. Like we have the weaker hand when we are both dealing in a long-term contracted player. My take is there should not be a deal for Trac unless it involves BH. Because we can actually build around BH - there is some future there, perhaps an immediate one, and GC need the marque player because they are in a premiership window. Without BH we are trading for speculative talent which will take years to come to fruition = years in the doldrums. Again. With the above in mind, and with some blind faith here, if it transpires that we trade Trac for 7 + 8 (less some other pick, which is nuts), then I presume the club has a plan, not wanting to thrust us in a situation where our midfield will get smoked every single week.