Deeko2

I think the Hawks will pry from their clammy grip to be honest. Ignoring the Clarko mess for a second - North are well ahead of the Hawks as they have already bottomed out, have the talent in the squad with high draft picks this year straight into the system. The Hawks are still 12 months from bottoming out to access that talent. They won't start rising up until 2025 imo. They'll be VFL level like in 2023 & 2024 and my god it will be beautiful to watch!!

Some excellent memes here with the Shac/Weed comparisons. Good for a late night chuckle. I feel there is no improvement/decline here however we’ll likely get Shache as a delisted free agent where as Weed nets us a third rounder. That may assist us somewhere in the grand scheme of things

I'm so intrigued how this is going to work structure wise. Say both play 80% game time, obviously one would be in the ruck and the other spending time up forward. Thats fine. I'm just thinking of how teams this year cut us up by going through the centre of the ground instead of down the line where we'd own the skies. Does one of the Grawndy then setup behind the play as an intercept marker down the line with maybe May/Lever to go more in the centre as another interceptor? Grundy I remember is a great clearance player with good skills and grunt. I can't remember many big, contested marks like what Maxy does. So I'm thinking Grundy will be our main ruck with Gawn basically plugging a role down back when things are tight or having the ball bombed on that magnificent scone of his.

Agree 100%. Will stay back in defence but have the little moments where he goes forward when we need to roll the dice. With Grundy now in, it's fairly like that either he or Gawn will be resting/rotating forward for 50-75% of matches. This would clearly see the best defender most likely go deep on one of these two and allow us to play the best two in form out of TMac, BBB and JVR. On the classic team sheet look, I'm thinking we'll start off as follows: HF: Fritsch McDonald Sparrow/Melk/Harmes/Spargo/ANB FF: Kozzi Gawn JVR The depth for the talls is from BBB, Tomlinson and then Petty. There is plenty of depth for the small/medium forwards with Laurie also hopefully coming on. I think Petty the defender is more valuable than Petty the forward. But him drifting forward is a wonderful ace to have up our sleeve.

Jeepers, the Lions are really having a crack this off-season. Other than the final when we were clearly cooked, our midfield has bullied them for quite a while. Adding in Dunkley and Ashcroft will see a massive lift here and Gunston adds some further fire power. They are going to be very good in 2023. I'm a big fan of Big Red's post above around having a crack at Whitfield. Bringing him offsets our 'B Grade' forward line with TMac, BBB and a young JVR as the ball movement and delivery will significantly improve.

A lot of players (and their partners) on rural properties there seem to be gifted a new Toyota Landcruiser every few months as well. Sadly, nothing will ever be done, and they'll remain a very successful club for a long time.

We desperately need Salem back to his best to free up Brayshaw on the ball. Then the improvements needs to come from the bottom 6. With Hunt gone (presumably), we need Bowie back and improved and Laurie to come on and show us the goods as to why we rated him a first rounder. I saw one game of his early this year and was very impressed but needs more consistency. Hoping a big preseason for these two will get them going for a big year. Laurie has far better ball use than ANB, just needs to get the miles in his legs to complete the k’s that nibbler does. Furthermore, JVR in from Rd 1. Jordan and Sparrow hopefully have another level as well.

I'm a big fan of Jayden and believe he's got enough flexibility in his game to have an impact up forward, on a wing, lock down small defender or a rebounding one. Trouble is, he doesn't really play any of these roles that a high enough level to demand a spot in the 22 but still, he'd be in my team every week. We do need to rejuvenate the list a little and bring in some more youth and hopefully unearth a couple gems. Players like Hibbo and Melk will get us nothing and we'd be paying them scraps (no offence to them) where Jayden might snag us a 3rd rounder and save us $300k +/- to assist in the future. It's a ruthless call offering peanuts to players and force there hand to go I can see why we're doing it.

"Bro dees delight" I wonder what would happen if Grundy/Dees last minute decided there little courtship/fling wouldn't go any further and we were to go our seperate ways. Would that mean the pies would have to ditch McStay and a couple others they've been linked to? There salary cap would be bulging I'd imagine.

Really horrible. Can't say much more. This is going to impact every club in the competition now. There is no way Clarko can stay on if there is any truth in this. If he goes: Assistant coaches everywhere will be looking in with intrigue. Players previously looking to stay may potentially now have no reason to Players looking to come may now change their minds.

Fascinating what happens now the dockers boys (Tucker and Logue) who chose North as there preferred club to be traded to. If Clarkson goes, would you still want to go there? If not, do they stay? Does this impact the ability to trade for Jackson with less room in the cap and less draft picks potentially.

I'd be happy to see Chandler go on to get better opportunities at another club. I feel like his best spot is on the ball where he showed at VFL level that he can impact around the contest but let's be honest, he's not going to get an opportunity around it in the ones. He reminds of Ben Kennedy in not enough speed, goal kicking sense to be a permanent up forward and just not quote good enough for a mid either. I'd persist with Bedford as backup as at least he has some genuine speed around the contest and we need as much speed as possible. Interesting chats on Charlie. I'm all for him playing one's week to week but we need to make better use of his skills. I'm always happy when the ball is in his hands delivering it but needs to get a lot more of it. I'd be surprised if he gets the ball 10+ times on average a game and would be nowhere near a goal a game. I think he is a victim of a game plan that doesn't suit him (continually bombing it over him looking for forward half stoppages) but he really needs to find away to get more involved.

Are you sure RL? Happy to be proven wrong (used to it, I'm married to a teacher) however I even got out the calculator and checked.... twice

I believe my maths are correct and the great man Mr Piggy notches up game 100 for the MFC in the first final. I've been a massive fan of the hard nut since his first game for the dees as a rebounding half back flanker. I'm more of a fan now playing the more challenging and probably less sexy lock down small defender role. Still a best 22 player with ease and if he has a good run with the chassis, should get to 200 AFL games next year (needs 17 more). Now he's ticked the box for father son/daughters, time to get him out to stud.

Is it just me or is it since that Gus re-signed he's spending all game in the midfield now? Or is it just due to Salem returning to the HBF and JJ filling a wing role adequately? I can't imagine anyone ever putting clauses in their contracts for certain roles or positions but it's interesting that since around the time of re-signing, he's spent a lot more time in the guts hunting the pill. Just a lazy 38 touches and 12 clearances against the blues and averaging well over 30 over the last 4 weeks. Not a bad month coming into September.

I want to start this with advising everyone that I despise Geelong more than anyone…. But, I have to admit, I do really respect them. One of my best mates brothers was playing there during the flag years whom he lived with and another player. Mid week, every week there’d be a bbq at there house where nearly all the players would be there. One or two quiet ones, some good banter then back home. It’s easier done in Geelong being so close to one another compared to players living all over the shop in Melbourne. Hearing stories like this and learning of all there mateships would make it a very attractive team to play for. Furthermore, if the clubs looking to recruit you, you’d have the confidence knowing they’re going all in - every year - giving you a high likelihood to be there at the pointy end. The biggest reason they’re so competitive in my mind is that Hawkins seems not to age and is still demanding double teams giving a lot of space for Cameron to roam. I still think Hawkins is there most important player and once he goes so does a lot of there firepower. They’re doing this year what they should have been doing the last three in moving quick forward to get one on ones and repeat entries. They’re forwards are too good to have many off games and the pick up of Stengle has been amazing. He’s added so much up forward. There midfield doesn’t inspire. That’s what I’m hoping let’s them down come Sept.

My bro is at the game and made a couple points RE: Weid. He thinks he's playing as a decoy forward leading defenders into space away from the 'hot zone.' It looks like his role is to try spread the defence tonight...... or he's just not smart with his leading patterns Also, he's spent a hell of a lot of time on the pine for someone not injured.

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.