Red But Mostly Blue

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.

I agree with you (as plausible as it is right now that some targets may rightfully see us as a basket case/too hard basket). It should also be noted that while King could have taken the Cats role, unlike Bucks, he doesn't have the Tassie or any other gig as a lock to fall back on. he may have seen us as the only current opportunity to get a main coaching gig. But with that in mind, I still agree Bucks' role is a parachute, mandatory AFL training course.

Can play, but geez knows how to turnover. Given 'poor disposal/turnovers' are things we like to look at, especially near oppo goals, I can see CJ being the scapegoat for big scores (against). X factor yes, athlete yes, but if we are looking to tighten up disposals/skills (YESSS PLEEEAAASE) then I am not sure this is the way forward. But, hey, nobody else seems to be clamouring to get to us, so when you're in the middle of an implosion, maybe you just gotta take some risks 🤷‍♂️

Bucks taking the Cats gig is either him being asked to do a refresher course before he is given the no-expectations Tassie gig, or working under Chris Scott really was/is a more appealing prospect than coaching the Dees right now?

ONLY 25?? I'll take it! I have this going on for another 250!

That sounds great! I could do with one myself. Being a Diehard Dee is NOT AN EASY GIG.

Wow. That’s truly horrendous and cannot be spun into a positive. Generational talents and an important part of our defence, gone for a few very speculative picks. I hope not. And if it happens, I don’t want them to come out and tell us what a great outcome this is.

I agree there are great kids in there. I just think we need another senior player in there.

Trac for 7 and 8 is NOT a good deal at all. They are unknowns in a widely reported weak draft - one we already stated we don't want to be involved in!! A lot still to transpire, but if this happens, and we get the expected bag of chips for Clarry (plus paying a chunk of his $), then we are missing both stars in our midfield next year, with nobody really able to fill those gaps. A dire, uninspiring outcome. Holding out hope we can at least slot in someone we can build with/around. FD must know this is a bad deal - we do NOT have to trade Trac. Deal does not help us win a flag.

No vomit emojis here mate. You said it perfectly. It has been a long time that we had a player so good that it made people care, and made us relevant again. Clarry was that guy. I always thought he’d run out his last game in the red and blue, with a Brownlow and maybe even a norm smith to showcase. Can’t believe so much has happened in 4 short years. How the picture changed. It’s just a sport. Nothing real and not as real as serious things in life, but it’s a release and a way for us to bond and connect and as a human being with flaws I always connected better with Clarry than, say, Trac With you 100%

Shattered. One of my favourite players and one of our best. EVER. Whatever way this is spun, you can’t convince me whoever/whatever we’re going to get from this deal will equal what Clarry was, or what he could have been for us in 2026 I think the same for Trac. Together, losing both Trac and Oliver, generational talents who propelled us to our first premiership in a million years, and dragged us into relevance again after so many years in the doldrums. I held out hope that it was all just noise and the media and Clarry feeling hurt and miscommunication and immaturity but that it would all come together. A really sad day.

They look great!! Yeah definitely not a thing when I was seeing bands weekly. It was nothing (bad I know) or those foam ones (not much better).

Real shame, too, because when we win the flag in 2027 that could be quite a high pick.

It's been 11 minutes Done deal!!

To be fair, I don't begrudge his sentiments re the press haha. And those other statements may well be facts. I am obviously biased, I want us to keep our club champion and see him having a big 2026 - and I LOVE a redemption story. Would love him to win the brownlow next year, in the red and blue.

Agree. He strikes me as very much heart on sleeve kind of guy. Think he'll say whatever comes to mind if he's hurt.

All good mate, and appreciate the follow-up. My hearing ain't the best - years of listening to loud bands, irresponsibly at times, and two young kids at home keeping me dizzy enough (in the best ways possible) that I am not sure what day of the week it is at the best of times, and had filed this under 'not paying enough attention' haha

I think he was hurt, and intended to hurt, but whether he meant they are a better destination (i.e. performing better), or he likes them more than us, who knows? No doubt wanted to have a go of some sort. Agree unnecessary reference.

That's the bit I am not sure on. We have wanted him gone? He could have been shipped off a number of times - and arguably in the worst of it all. I don't think he wants to go at all. His comments historically haven't indicated that. There was a unilateral attempt by Pert to shift him? I think Clarry loves the club. I also think it's been a tough few years. The only thing that would support us now wanting him gone (especially given Trac is also effectively gone), is that his behaviour, behind closed doors this year, has been the same/bad. And I don't know if I believe that. Would we want him gone for past 'behaviour issues' - whatever they were if we subsequently accepted them, had the chats, repaired the relationships and moved on? Makes no sense. Why now? In the (prior to this moment), the calmest of times? He ended the year well, I thought he was getting back to his old self in those last few games?

Agree. To be fair, I never held this comment against him. I just saw him looking hurt, dejected and defensive. But yeah lots have taken this to mean = he's no longer one of us, get him out at any cost. WHICH IS NUTS.

That's interesting. I didn't read it like that - BUT good point. It does make sense, and I would hope that's what he meant. As it's true, and not slagging off the club.

That's exactly what I think. How he reacted after that meeting (and I think it ranges from unhappy to furious). This is in line with lamb saying he was not told to leave. I think we're on the same page. Personally, I am gutted for him. I think this could/should have been played better by all. And as always, the media doing what it does best. Miscommunication and misleading 'journalism' might cost us a legend.

It's ok, with or without SdK, he will lose anyway.

I think this is definitely a fair conclusion. But we don't know everything that's gone on (historically/exit interview etc), and the other intangible here is that it seems Clarry is a really immature and quite emotional/erratic/impulsive kind of guy. I would not be surprised if his response is one of those defence mechanism type responses used by teens to scoff at parents etc. The main issue here is we will never know. If we've done everything we can, and a reasonable offer was put to him for 2026, and he refuses to take it/amend his ways/be a team player etc, that's a really sad way for a club legend to wrap up his time at the Dees, and I presume this kind of behaviour will present itself at his new club anyway. Unfortunately. Because he should be one of the greats of the game in a perfect world where everyone makes good decisions.

100% true - BUT it would be somewhat consistent with his subsequent behaviour. For example, liking the Pies "more than Melbourne, that's for sure". Probably a little more in it than clocking off for the day. The main thing for me is whether we told him to look elsewhere, or he has inferred that/decided it is best for him as he does not want to play a new role (definitely plausible, new coach, shifting midfield landscape, last years not great), and therefore has taken that personally - this being the scenario which could lead him back if the dust settles a bit/deal from GWS, for example, does not suit us. I certainly don't want a complete unknown in this trade/B grader just to fill the spot and save some dollarydoos.