Deeko2

I didn't feel we were rock bottom to be honest - I felt like they were going to close the doors and the MFC would cease to exist with the club in turmoil. We're so incredibly lucky the AFL stepped up to the plate. That would have been rock bottom.

Jeepers, what a great bit of click bait. I had to read it to understand what the hell old mate was going to put a spin on that time. If Neeld was key to bring Jason Taylor across then ok, I'll pay some credit there as JT has done a fine job. Not even sure if there is proof that he was a/the reason JT came across but well done on one thing positive out of his disastrous tenor.

This is so fascinating if true and I would love to know what goes on behind closed doors. Maybe the Dockers have outperformed in there own expectations for the year and may need to fork out some cashola for the existing group. I don't understand why there so easily giving up Lobb who was great up the ground this year and even better this year playing as a deeper target. Being a genuine contender that they are, I struggle to know the appeal of letting go a current playing performing at a high level and attracting a player who has shown exciting 'glimpses' but is still someone based on potential.

Don't quote me as I'm not 100% sure but I'm thinking Pav and Cripps still would have been the highest paid players at the clubs plus they were club captains which might add another layer of buy in/loyalty from the player. Dusty got the record deal from the Tiges so he won out in the end. Watts - well, I don't really worry about him anymore. I know nothing about our contracts so again, I'm guessing but I'd be thinking the offers to AB & LJ would definitely be less then Trac and Oliver and most likely less than May, Lever and Gawn as well. They could go somewhere else and be the number# 1 man. It'd be ridiculous not to take the call

I really don't blame him for taking his time and ensuring the best possible deal. This will be the norm for all players across all teams going forward so sadly, we're all going to have to get used to it. Especially now that we have great players and coaching staff. Personally, I left my employer 3 years ago where we had an amazing culture and some of my best friends worked. I was made a wonderful offer from a competitor at about $60k more than I was on (chump change difference compared to AB/LJ I'm sure) I left on good terms and started the new gig where I hated the culture and struggled to form relationships with my new team consistently missing my old colleagues. At times, I seriously regretted my decision. I then left the new role a couple months back and was re-employed by my old employer and back to getting more enjoyment working with better people again on a lower base pay. I'm quite happy to own the 'mercenary tag' around the office banter. The decision to change, although hard, has set my family up for life. So although it was hard and challenging, I would do it again as I'd always put my family first. AB & LJ are never going to get these offers again. I'd be very sad if either left (especially AB) but would understand completely why.

Agree 100% with this. We have had a taste of the sweet sweet nectar of smashing teams and winning it all and want more and more. As a few have mentioned in this thread also, we were absolutely blessed last year with the continuity around having our best 22 on the park - especially at the pointy end. If Lever played, I have no doubt we would have won Saturday night. Just as I feel we would have beaten the Pies if May was available. Just like all teams, you can't replace your out and out stars and it's always going to hurt when they're unavailable.

I had a thought last night wondering if Clayton is worried about missing out on individual awards due to missing games. It wouldn't surprise me and I think lots of players would have similar thoughts - especially with incentives built into there contracts. Hopefully he doesn't push it however and doesn't rush back early and potentially damage it further. As much as our midfield battled admirably on the weekend, we're nowhere near the same level without this bloke in.

I mightn't have worded it that clearly. We'll most likely trade for experience players and known quality. Unless they're very high end (1-5) where a player can immediately make an impact then they will then be traded.

How good does that surface look! Absolute carpet the lucky buggers! I was one who posted a few pages back being highly doubtful that they'd use the facility this season whilst the grass settles. I cant believe how good its looking. Well done to the curator.

You're right Demon3 we do need to keep adding kids and we'll do that - with second and third round draft picks. We wont get the luxury of high first rounders sadly and don't need late first rounders at the moment to pick up potential players who maybe decent in 2 to 3 years. I'd much rather us getting known quality players whilst we still have Gawn, May, TMc and BBB whilst they're (rightly or wrongly for the last 2) still best 22. If we can get improvements on the last two and any other players on the list happy days. Gawn and May are going to be nearly impossible to replace - both wonderful players. We need to strike with known players right now so we can be premiership threats while these two are still amongst it.

Steven has at times been a naughty boy getting a bit agro but he was still seen in enough light to be promoted to a captaincy role of a club. He then filled a need in which we were desperate for. Dusty wasnt' a cultural cancer like you say. He's actually been an incredibly hard trainer all his life. Ice was never in the conversation but he definitely was enjoying the party & social life of an AFL footballer to the fact he had a club imposed curfew at the start of his second season. But Jordan is on a whole other level! From a two minute google, I have no idea why anyone would pay him the cash!! tells the club he breaks his hand playing with a dog (allows Bucks to go into bat for him against the media) turns out he lied and broke it in a punch on in St Kilda gets done drink driving gets done driving without a licence charged with rape convicted of harassment charged for forcibly touching a woman in the USA charged for assault against a man in the USA follows this up with attempts to expose a womans breast in Bali

I agree with you OD but it's amazing how things change so quickly as the season unfolds. At the start of this year, I thought if anything our list was too big with surplus key position and ruck depth. 18 weeks later we've all put a line through Weid, JVR is still too young, Majak gone, TMac out for the year, Jackson looks to be gone as well. A very sad state of affairs in the big man department (other than JVR). Melk look like he went back to his 2018 role in tagging the intercept defender. I remember him doing some really solid jobs on Sicily, Stewart and McGovern stopping them grabbing every ordinary entry in site. I thought this week would be a dream for Aliir Aliir and he would have been licking his lips. Melk kept him accountable well sneaking out to different areas. Without knowing for sure - I'm guessing it's these selfless roles that don't impact that stat sheet that keep him getting looks in the ones.

Great work on this LH, really appreciate it. Be interesting how we look at the remaining crop (other than Braysahw/Jackson) for 2022. We'll need some extra cash freed up I'm guessing. I'd imagine Baker, Bedford & Rosman would be on minimal and wouldn't save us anything replacing them with draft picks. There could be some savings in Hibberd who could re-sign on a lower base. Melksham might be gone. Smith and Hunt would nearly have to look for other opportunities now wouldn't they? With Brayshaw playing wonderfully (and a clear priority) and Salem back, Tomlinson looking good in the twos as depth and Turner looking up to standard in his debut, we all of a sudden look fairly solid down back. If the cashflow is tight, wouldn't be surprised to see both Smith and Hunt be released.

Holding off right now isn't a bad thing for him as with Gawn out, it's the first time we really get to see what he can do as the number 1 man. If he turns it on, he might jag another 10% on his Demons offer - enough for a deposit on another house or two over the next couple seasons and set himself up life. It might also add a year or bigger increase in $$ to the external offer as everyone finally gets to see him in action full time in the midfield other than the glimpses we catch when Gawn is on the pine/resting up forward. If he struggled then it would be fine anyways as it would be highly unlikely we/others would reduce the offers made. Sadly, he holds all the cards right now as if he wants to go, we'd be supportive as that's what good clubs do these days.

Brilliant news and definitely our number 1 priority IMO - even though he's not out of contract until next year. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in our list managers meetings. I wonder if Clarry was always priority 1 in there eyes before focusing on AB and LJ or if maybe one of these two has confirmed some not so friendly news which has freed up more cash to get Claytons signature and lock him away. Champion midfields are what wins flags. Having two of the very best in Trac & Oliver locked away for years to come is going to see us at the pointy end of the ladder for a long time. Wonderful work!

Nicely said. I've just wandered into this thread for a peak on lunch and can't believe the excuses getting thrown around. Blaming the umpires is ridiculous. I'm sure the critique of the umpiring would be similar on the Swans board as it's a bloody confusing game right now that's getting supporters a bit agitated. The truth is Sydney were just a hell of a lot better in which LH points out wonderfully below. Also, watching the game just shows how much luck you need with injuries to win a flag really. We were absolutely blessed last year in this regard because: If one of Trac/Oliver goes down and the other plays a poor game - we are stuffed. If one plays a poor game then we're still going to be troubled as Viney, Harmes, Sparrow and Jordan are wonderful foot soldiers but they're not going to win you a game. Without May, our defence is a shambles When our defence is a shambles, Lever gets lost trying to do to much and basically becomes useless Without Gawn, we would have lost that game by 8 goals.

He did show a bit when up forward years back in some poor team performances. He does have nice hands. Still, I dont think he'll add anything more than what we have at the moment. The delivery isn't the forwards fault. The forwards movement and leading patterns could be there own issues but it feels like we've gone back into a bit of a "bomb it in" style. This mightn't be bad if the lads can get it to ground but it's not working and every intercept defender in the comp will be licking there licks against up. Howe will take a dozen intercept grabs against us this Monday if we don't address it.

Forgive me for being lazy (and I can't listen to Lloyd) but are you staying that Tom Stewart wasn't listed in the top 20? Horrible by Lloyd if so. He's been the most important player of a team finishing top the last 3 years. The moment he went down last year there whole defence turned into an absolute basket case. We need to take the blinkers off here Picket haha! As much as Oliver is by far my most favourite player and I think will be the demons most decorated player ever, even I struggle to have him in front of Cripps this year. Cripps has been sensational whether killing it in the centre or going forward kicking goals. He's having an amazing year. The going forward and kicking goals is the only reason I'd have him above Clayton this year.

I think Salem's poise makes him look like he is moving slower than he actually is. I was at Gosch's watching a preseason running session two years back and was surprised seeing him burn past some players who we would all consider fast Last years speed ranking had him listed 5th quickest at the club. Speed star | Hunt fastest Demon for 2021 (melbournefc.com.au) He's a bit deceptive our young Salem.

You might be one of very few who believes he needs a run CF as I'm with the majority. His one weapon is his pace that looks the goods in twos. When he plays with the big boys however, sadly they're all just as quick and I don't think he adds a great deal else. I'm not sure of his contract status but I'd imagine he's a decent way down in the pecking order at the moment.

I agree with everything you're saying BBP. The blues are the only team that frighten me this year. Most other teams I believe we would have the capacity to strangle somehow and fight out a good solid win where as they have some genuine stars that you're not going to keep quiet all game. Curnow and McKay are the best key forward combo in the comp. Cripps / Walsh are the second best midfield duo behind Trac/Oliver. Weitering, Docherty and Saad defend and rebound as good as anyone Even though we have better key defender depth, I've watched Silvagni play a defensive forward role well and have no doubt he'll tag Lever. Still, we have a champion ruckman and play better as a team but they have serious match winners above who, when the crowd gets behind them (and sadly they will) are going to give us a serious shake if they get there tails up. It makes me sick thinking about it - plus I could be clouded by my significant hatred of them - but of all the teams up and around us, these guys genuinely worry me.

It's not just the fact he doesn't present well. It's also the fact he doesn't do the sexiest part of our game well which is kicking snags. He has one for the year which is why lots of external people don’t rate him on the same level as Bont, Cripps and Dusty. These other three have: Cripps has 14 Bont has 13 Dusty would have 15 if he kept his average up, playing each game. The important thing is he is rated by the people who matter..... us ;) You can’t teach toughness and you can’t teach the aggression he has at winning the ball. Even when it’s in someone else arms he just has the ability to rip it away from them and feed it out magnificently to the lads around him making them look better.

Ah, got ya. Clearly I did as that's exactly what I was thinking! Still, as much as I love seeing new youngsters in the team, I'm happy we're not going down the path we were 10-15 years back when just a glimpse of something in the twos would see a player get a crack in the ones. I'll be thrilled when JVR and Laurie get a crack as I have no doubt they'll be good long term players for us but I'm even more thrilled we have the talent (and lack of injuries) in our best 22 keeping them out.

It wasn't his best game but you need to give him a bit of slack. He does takes the oppositions best defender every week and Tom Barrass is a very good defender. Then, he had to deal with a mutliple time All-Australian CHB and one of the best interceptors in the game getting in his way. There's a bit of difference losing some one on one contests there over JVR playing against Marty Hore in the twos.

Hmm, not sure how you think King is unrealistic but JHF isn't in 2024. Both sadly would be out of our reach financially. If everything goes to plan and we are incredibly fortunate enough to go back to back, I don't see the point in going for any veterans really. If our kids are good enough to win two in a row, what would the lads you mentioned above do to assist? They'd be playing twos on decent money preventing our next gen from developing. I've had a taste of the good life now, in terms of ladder position and finals. I don't want us to fall of a cliff like the Eagles so we do need to keep bringing in high quality youth and young talent each year to prevent that from happening. Toby Greene is not going to happen. Superstar yes but he's just as likely to cost you a final (suspension) than win you one and do you really want the drama of having De Goey on your list? Everyone raves about our culture. Players like this absolutely destroy it. Sadly, the only players I want (Touk, McKay, Cripps, McCluggage, Whitefield, Haynes, Taranto, Grimes, King and a King) would be far out of our reach $$ and picks wise. But, one can dare to dream