Matsuo Basho

Well that's the rub with Petracca isn't it? A lot of people I'm sure would agree with you and the writer of that article. I personally think his trade value is as good as it's ever going to be now and you run a greater risk of it decreasing in coming seasons. I see some problematic flaws in his game and remain unconvinced he has the mindset to overcome them. I feel he's overrated by many in the media who are still sucked in by his draft number and infrequent acts of brilliance. I believe we could get a pick somewhere in the vicinity of 10 - 15 for him now from a club in or just outside the eight willing to take the risk in order to fill in a missing piece of their premiership puzzle. I believe the most likely clubs to do this would be either Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Essendon, GWS and Richmond. We should then take that first round draft pick and use it to either draft or recruit a player who can improve our list. A key forward, a classy, quick and skillful runner or even a small forward who can make our 22 more balanced and better overall. We should pull the trigger on a Petracca trade now before he goes any further down the path of becoming the next Colin Sylvia. Because that's what I see unfolding. Brayshaw is a keeper for mine. To come back from those concussions and play in the manner has since show a toughness and a mettle you cannot measure purely in statistics from a single season. He's a jet when up and going. Get some classy runners around Oliver, Viney and Gus and they will shine.

Like the serious thinking cap stuff of the OP but I believe a better case can be made to trade Petracca. In fact I started a thread about just that a couple of months ago but it was shut down by critics and eventually locked and buried by a mod. Hopefully more scope is given to discuss trade possibilities now that the picture of our list concerns has become clearer.

Tip of a very deep iceberg. An organisation which rams gambling down peoples’ throats will reap what it sows.

Not at all. More like you interpolated yourself into naivety.

While on the subject of racism I'd be interested to know what others' thoughts are on this article on the AFL website. https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-06-17/call-it-kiya-stackbetts-hug-explained-why-whitefellas-miss-the-point "Whitefellas miss the point"? Which "whitefellas" are Des Headland referring to? Garry Lyon and a some dills he's seen on Twitter? In the wake of this minor occurrence I heard nothing but praise from commentators and ex players or at the very least most people just regarded it as a non-issue. Then Headland goes on to talk about the indigenous brotherhood and the warm and caring nature of First Nation's people and how people should "learn lessons" from it, while also throwing in some twisted logic about how this is what Adam Goodes was really trying to do with his war dance and spear throw - teach the Carlton cheer squad a valuable lesson. Yeah, sure he was Des. I love what indigenous people bring to the game and what indigenous cultures bring to the Australian psyche in general, but this kind of article and thought process is not helpful in the quest to bring people of different backgrounds together. Calling people "whitefellas" or "white folk" and then assigning that amorphous group of people a character judgement based on, well on their skin colour … how is that not racist? Would it be acceptable for a Caucasian person or a Muslim person or an Asian person to cast a blanket aspersion about "blackfellas"? Of course not. Racism is racism, whether you're Des Headland, Jeff Kennett or some [censored] jockey online taunting people anonymously on Twitter. "How are we going to stop the scourge of racism? For heaven's sake stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man, and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.' - Morgan Freeman

? That is actually pretty funny. Who is training these security men? Gomer Pile?

Just announced on SEN. Anyway let's just see if our own Dunkley is any good!

Whether inadvertent or not they were disparaging comments by Kennett the obvious subtext being that these “new arrivals” aren’t fitting in to society, who’s general ignorance about Australian customs is disruptive and offensive. Nuffies short of Y chromosomes, you know the sort that actually do boo an Adam Goodes for the colour of his skin, listen to these types of comments and it’s like kicking a hornets’ nest. Racist people will be buoyed and emboldened by any kind of talk from leaders which plays into any kind of stereotype which divides “us” and “them”. See Donald Trump and his grand aspersion casting at ‘rape thirsty’ Mexican ‘illegals’. Thats why it was wrong by Kennett. He publicly fed the trolls. It doesn’t help the situation. It only inflames.

Goodwin sounds like a man who has read the "Media 101 for AFL Coaches Manual" 25 times but who hasn't yet learned to cast it aside and let his realness and natural insightfulness shine. Does he have realness and natural insightfulness? That's the question, hence his low ranking on my index. We have not seen it yet. Too much rehearsed cliché and robotronic industry speak. He's going to have to drop a lot of that mask and find his own true voice if he's any chance to be a successful AFL coach.

Hogan kicked 47 goals in 20 matches for the MFC last season. Weideman AND McDonald have kicked a COMBINED 16 goals in 20 matches for the MFC this season. 31 goals less from your TWO key forwards. This is despite Melbourne having had the SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER of forward entries of all clubs so far in 2019. Not dodgy stats at all ManDee. Just reality.

That’s really a terrible thing to say by a seasoned politician. Clearly racist. Kennett’s correct about Marvel Stadium not acting on their own, though As if Gillon didn’t push them under the bus yesterday with that Marvel exec going on radio to apologise for the situation. Gillon is such a wuss. Wishy washy. Aloof. Removed from the grass roots. Got to go.

That stooge from Marvel Stadium was clearly tapped on the shoulder by Dill last night after he heard about the backlash. “Might be my responsibility but you’re taking the heat for this one champ.” Queen takes knight.

The Melbourne thing to do would be win the next 9 on the trot then lose R23 to North to fall short on %age.

Abuse? "Green Maggot"? Come off it. They're even warning people not to barrack too loudly! Please. Where does the sanitization of society end? And who determines the standards? Gillon McLachlan and a few dopes at AFL HQ? Neo-Marxist Feminazis at The Age? People need to tread very carefully when dictating on high to others about "appropriate behavior". There are lines you don't cross and Gillon is currently crossing them in grand and arrogant fashion.

A possibility for sure but not in that bracket yet.

No of course not. Our fan tolerance is something to be cherished. But it doesn't mean we have to be meek and cop this kind of PC rubbish lying down. Joffa Corfe is to be commended for his stance and hopefully there is a groundswell of more non-aggressive resistance to this bulltish. As I said in an earlier post supporters from all clubs should band together and begin chanting "bald headed [censored]", "green maggot" and "Gillon's a wa...ker" in protest. What's the AFL going to do then? This is the beginning of the end of Gillon in my view. Completely lost the plot.

I’d like to see that “Behavioural Awareness Officer” try and do that to hardcore members of the Kop at Anfield. Wouldn’t make it past the third isle without a ‘Liverpool kiss’ and cauliflower ears. We too meekly accept this rubbish in Australia.

Why not Petracca? Billings has reached higher peaks so far. When has Petracca had a 33 touch, 8 mark, 11 tackle, 2 goal match winning game of the kind Billings displayed yesterday? I’ve yet to see him come close. I bet if you asked St Kilda fans about a Billings -Petracca trade they would be just as or even more vehemently against it than ours.

Can we please just have one Dangerfield, Judd, Ablett, Rob Harvey, Goodes, Dusty, Buddy in my lifetime? Please? Just one out and out superstar?

Like the confidence but I also heard: We won’t be trading Watts. We won’t be trading Hogan. If there’s a trade scenario which improves the 22, you look at it.

Crowds need to start chanting “Green Maggott”, “Gilllon’s a w...nker “ and “Bald headed [censored]” in unison before and during games. What are they going to do then? Solidarity. You can’t beat it.

It’s true Billings has had accuracy issues kicking for goal, but so as we know has Petracca. I know who’s kicking action is better though. What a nightmare it’s going to be trying to correct the latter’s technique now.

Billings has improved but if you look at his pure numbers over the season he and Brayshaw are pretty evenly matched. The only point of difference is that Billings probably had more upside and a bit more class and vision. Its not Brayshaw I would trade him to the Saints for, though. It’s Petracca.

Good call Dame Gaga. I have been guilty of using ‘dog’ incorrectly, too. The most wonderful, loving and as you say loyal of creatures. To borrow a Bill Murray quote: “I won’t trust a person who doesn’t like dogs. But I’ll always trust a dog when it doesn’t like a person.”