Red But Mostly Blue

Friends, truly, I am exhausted. This is exhausting. 23-24 preseason: Oliver. JS. Goody. Culture 24 season: Culture, Tracc. Goody. President. Legal stuff. post 24 season (and not even 24/25 preseason): culture, Oliver again. Board/President. Kozzie? Viney? I am sure I have missed stuff, this is just a snapshot. For Chrissie, I am asking for a normal club/offseason.

Really interesting, and not surprising based on what I have heard to date. Clarry looks to have gotten himself into a really good space, happy and healthy, which is great. He loves the club. From what WCW has said and what we have observed, I think he's an emotional guy, so this love for the club is important, and so is the love in return. That's where it gets interesting. So my take is that he's been shopped - hence the Cats have, again, felt he is gettable - since they've received intel that he's on the table for the right price. Clarry has caught onto this. He updated his insta to remove references to the Club (#13) 😢 - and met with the Cats. This express action, I think, would be consistent with an emotional (maybe a little immature, sure, we know this already) guy who has felt pushed out. This does not look to be Clarry's doing and as usual, we're getting mixed messages/non-messages from the worst comms team in the southern hemisphere. Maybe all the lands. Feel for Clarry. I reckon he's gonna be a jet next year. He's happy and healthy and will have a good preseason with the 1-4 year players. He's keen. But it appears this issue is not confined just to Clarry, which is really frustrating.

Hey @WalkingCivilWar I have seen you pinged a few times here. I just want to send some goodness your way, hope you're doing ok.

I still don't think the Cats have anything to give us, aside from TWO established players (and that requires said players to actually want to leave - because let's face it, the Cats are playing, at worst, a prelim next year), so I am not sure how this gets done, even if Clarry wants it to get done. For whatever reason. However, I will say this - IF this gets done - which could only be for a packet of chips - I think I might be done with footy for a while. The last couple of years have been exhausting. We went from being on the cusp of a dynasty to rabble in just 3 short years. Partly a media beat-up, sure, but also partly our own doing. The constant culture scrutiny, Goody beat-ups, our poor comms, the Petracca drama (which has not truly gone away) has me tired. I want to love following my club, but this shizen has me sighing every time I open my browser. You'd have to argue there is even greater impetus for a review, and I would expect to see more of an outcome. Who exactly is going to play for us next year? No Clarry, and ??? with Petracca (in general, but also what kind of player he'll actually be with his injuries) does not bode well for us. That's a bottom 4 finish, easy. (Very small) window closed. Max, May and Jack play out contracts for a rebuild. We were not far off a bottom 4 finish this year, and we had Petracca for half a year! And admittedly an underdone (but still good/v good at times Clarry). What a debacle. Why can't we just be a stable team? Why don't the cats deal with this stuff? Anyway, it's all a big IF for now, but as a 20+ year member I am not happy.

I take your point. Sorry, I meant draft picks, but yeah they obviously have a few players we'd gladly take off their hands, if realistic. Are SDK and Max BOTH looking for a trade? To us? Because that's the bare minimum I think/hope we'd consider. It's just my humble opinion, I love Clarry and know he will return to his best next year, but I don't think SDK for him is a win for us at all. That's the Cats winning a trade, again. Which they somehow manage to do often. We hold firm. Clarry is a 3 x All Australian, 4 x B&F. Neither Sam, nor SDK, has even one such title. And realistically, I don't believe the Cats would hand them both over, so I don't believe there is a realistic deal there, which is what I was alluding to in my earlier post.

Doesn't really bother me IF other clubs are into Clarry. They'd be mad not to. Geelong will take Bailey, and simply don't have anything to give us. Sometimes I wander past the Ferrari showroom and stick my face to the window and point. Doesn't mean diddly squat. FWIW Geelong can shove their interest right up the back entrance of their $340m funded stadium. Anyhoo, all the interest in Clarry, generally, simply means other clubs what our club would know - that he has immense value and WILL return to his best next year. Otherwise they wouldn't be asking. We love Clarry and Clarry loves us, and the journos pushing this garbage are gutter rats. Fugazi. Ignore.

Oh FFS. Enough. Let's 'start a few enquiries' at other clubs. Dees are considering trade approaches for Hogan, Gulden, Curnow, N Daicos, Sheezel, Serong, Young, Xerri, Warner, Waterman. That should do it for now.

Can't be said he wasn't handy/v good at points last year, so there's that to be thankful for. For whatever reason, fitness included I guess, there was little value this year and lots of mystery. I'm guessing the mods will be all over this one today haha, but yeah see ya! Not sure he truly ever lived up to his potential, but he's not alone in this respect. Thankful for the spot this frees up, and the (hopefully) renewed, laser focus on success/new starts next year. I think this is another step in the right direction, in this case out the door.

100% No notes 🤜🤛

How hasn't this thread been binned and incinerated, with the ashes placed in a barrel and dumped in the sea? 🤮

100% - unfortunately Trac's starting point is behind everyone else, so he has a lot of ground to make up for next year. As you say, each minute counts, this looks like a solid investment.

Do we want a fit, focused Trac in 2025, or not? Yes. In fact, we need him (yes we 'can' do without him - but it cannot be argued we are better simply because he doesn't play - we did that for half a year and I thought we were rubbish for the most part). If this helps him get to where he needs to be, physically and mentally, then it's a good thing IMO. Goes without saying that he is an intense professional athlete, and after his injuries, I would say just wants to get back to having the body/abilities he is used to. For his confidence and mental health. My opinion counts for zero, and I don't think he handled himself well these last 1-2 months, and has contributed greatly to setting us back for next year (or at least making things harder), but I still don't have an issue with this. It isn't a great look, but I suspect that's a case of bad luck from a scheduling perspective, complicated by the fact that he is a Red Bull ambassador. Get yourself ready, Trac.

It looks like it's still not 'certain' (business case stage...), but at least it's some good news. And we could certainly do with some more of that! Good news > bad news.

Ooof know that feeling well. Are we the giants? Absolutely fluffed both finals and winning positions. That is gonna burn, should have won both. Guess I want the swans to win? Can’t operate the cats winning again. Port won’t win. Lions could I guess. Would not be the worst. Damn you Giants, would have been a GF winner we could get behind!

EXCELLENT outcome. A classy, experienced, intelligent player - something we need a lot of right now, especially up forward. Was happy with his return this year, I imagine he will be vital next year. Onya, Melk!

Expectations: Consistent, reliable footy with a plan that makes sense. Good footy for FOUR quarters. I appreciate you can't maintain manic intensity for the whole game, so what I am saying is we don't play those famous 1-quarter games. Or turn up midway through the third for 10 minutes then never again. Or brain fade for 10 minutes at first bounce in the 4th, and have 6 goals kicked against us. Redefine, commit to and rebuild our brand. Who are we? Show us. Every week. Win or lose. Selfless footy again. The results will look after themselves. The competition is close and I expect it will remain so next year. We were only a 2 small losses away from finals, but arguably so were other teams (such as the Pies, Freo). I'd love to say top 4, but in truth based on this year, I can't say that hand on heart because we were truly ordinary in parts this year. No-shows, and flogged by Freo - TWICE. The Eagles. Etc. I believe we are capable of turning it around, but a lot has to happen - Clarry has a great offseason (he will), Viney regains his best, Petracca is in the right mindset and regains his strength. Some luck with injuries throughout the year, like Maxxy, May and Lever (all hurt us with absence). Kozzy out for 3 weeks is big (that went very quiet, still sad we didn't push that). Can't afford more absences like that. And we need some of the guys to continue improvement - Sparrow, Riv, Salem (needs something), McVee, JVR etc. They need big years. So yeah, it would be easy to say top 4, but it's more complicated than that. BUT - if the Board can settle things (and yes it is their job to do so, this is the right time - well a while back was, but the next best time is now - the culture trickles down). Not to say the culture is an issue. But whatever it is, they need to look at what's happening, and decide what needs to be done to correct it. We have a small window with Maxxy and May to launch at a flag. If we address those things above, I believe the results will reflect that and we will play finals, with a real shot at success.

This deal ain't gonna happen. He's obviously cooled on us, and you can't really blame him for being spooked. We haven't exactly been the bastion of stability and good footy this last year. And even though we love our club, and like our children think and hope they're gonna turn out just fine despite a rough patch, acting up, talking back, some prima donna moments and poor test results, there's no guarantee to anyone else on the outside that anything is going to change next year. So... the Blues (who are rats, but fortunately don't have any such media noise - and while a disappointing finals exit, are still on the up, generally_ and the Dogs (who will look to improve again next year with a good side) are likely the frontrunners for his valuable services. The Pies had an ordinary year, but they're the Pies. Big crowds etc. The Saints had a rough year, but they finished above us and ended strong - they may throw $$$ to improve next year. TL;DR - doesn't matter what pick we have, he's not coming. That ship sailed. Likely numerous times this year. Still sailing.

Nah. But I see 'long fingers' Marchbank was also delisted. Weird that the Blues showed such little loyalty to him just ONE YEAR after he 'SINGLEHANDEDLY' robbed us of a win against those rats last year. I'd almost be happy to take him, then drive him somewhere and leave him there. He'll be fine! I don't wish him harm. He'll thrive. He can use those super long fingers to pluck fish from rivers, and maybe even a few birds as they fly overhead. When he's done he can tap some aircraft to collect him, or latch on. Whatever.

Well deserved, congrats to TMac. Always gives it everything, which is exactly what everyone needs to see. On ground leadership by example.

We do NOT need another diva around the club, thanks. Go away, Joe.

No chance to get him (will go Cats 100% - why would he come to us? He's guaranteed a prelim next year with the cats, probably, and media pressure/scrutiny and drama/who knows what kind of performance with us), but it's fine, don't want him anyway, he's not the kind of guy we need to lift us next year - we need leaders who play a reliable brand of footy and can inspire others to do the same.

Hmmmm... that Petracca Parma (hard cringe) smells a lot like someone's brand is getting a little bit of a boost?? Wonder if that's part of the negotiations behind the scenes to keep him happy? (sorry, part time sceptic/at the very least full-time critical thinker).

That's telling. Only slightly above and equally boring Saints account. GWS is a new club, and will overtake us. The Roos and Suns reflect current performance and general interest in those clubs. We can and should be higher, but nobody at HQ seems to care. It's not just about 'image' - as we have to perform on the field, of course, but image really is part of the overall package. It's circular. Build the image, players buy into it, fans buy into it and turn up to more games, get more involved and feel more engaged with the club (I am a 20+ year member and honestly I never feel like the club gives a rats about me, and barely knows I am alive). There's a greater unity and energy that can help drive everyone. Build a future generation. Get kids wanting to play for us one day. I hope this offseason, as part of all the other things we need to do, the club thinks about this and recognises that there is a missed opportunity to engage with members and fans - and drive more to games. Build that future.

Thank you Kate, for your contribution to our club, and for your part in returning us to relevance and success. It’s a tough gig. When you’re winning, many will attribute it to the guys on the ground, but when you’re losing, the blame tends to rise to the top. It was probably time for many reasons, but it can’t be said Kate didn’t have a role to play in our success. Thank you, and all the best.

That's so sad. I know people like that and can relate on some days. I don't know anyone else in the club I'd rather give a big hug to, than our boy Clarry. He seems like a sweetheart who, like many, just wants to be loved, and probably doesn't quite know how much he is loved. He has given so much to us, we should return the love he has clearly shown for the club and continue to support him back to his best self, on and off the ground. I'm so excited to see him back out the next year. I reckon it's going to be a great year ❤️