Bring-Back-Powell

And we have the best player in the AFL on our list, who becomes a restricted free agent at the end of next year, to focus on.

Agree 100%. There’s also the matter of spots available down back with Hibberd and Salem’s return and the club’s reluctance to move Brayshaw out of defence. Rivers is a good young player who by all reports has responded well to his omission. Perhaps they do a straight swap. Rivers in for Bowey who could do with a refresh at Casey.

In - Weid, Rivers, May Out - Gawn, M Brown, Turner, Chandler Bedford as sub. Rivers is a good young player that shouldn’t be spending more than 2 weeks at Casey. Weid needs to stay in for the entire time Max is out as our back up ruck. I really hope his form makes it impossible for him to be dropped as we have T Mac out long term. I’m sure they’ll acknowledge that they got the M Brown selection wrong. I wonder if Bowey is at any selection risk?? His form and influence has dropped off.

It was a bit of a joke mate. I’m sure momentum will change and we’ll string a bunch of wins at the back end. And we’ll play teams that aren’t at their best, in contrast to Freo, Sydney and Collingwood who probably each played their best games of the year so far against us.

In the words of legendary NFL coach Jim Mora: ”Don’t talk to me about playoffs. I just hope we can win a game”

Pretty sure his brother in law/player agent wrote the statement.

He was directly involved in just one of our seven goals in the third quarter of the GF.

And we throw in our first rounder and Trent Rivers to somewhat balance the ledger that you’ve proposed. Freo will not be giving up any of their high end talent for Jackson. Particularly with Peter Bell at the table. It will more likely be Freo’s 2022 and 2023 first round draft picks for Jackson and Melbourne’s 2022 second round draft pick assuming both clubs still have their future draft picks.

Well done to out recruitment team for selecting a flight risk at pick 3 on the assumption he ends up going. The most obvious strategy of a list manager and head of recruitment is to use a high end draft pick on a player that is based in his/her/they club’s state. It’s not rocket science and there was some mighty fine Victorian based players picked in the top 10 of the 2019 draft. Eg - Hayden Young who looks like he’ll be a generational talent.

Then he goes into the PSD, plays for North for a year before getting to Freo in 2023 and we get nothing. Sounds great…

Me too. If rather the player that’s in career best form, playing with 100% heart, taking courageous and goal saving marks over someone that could be a good player in the future.

Collingwood are the fools in this story more so than De Goey. They let the most immature party animal in the league head over to party animal territory right in the heart of a season which they are now contender in,, and now have to face a week of negative press rather than enjoy a well earned week off after a sensational start. I understand the clubs can’t control 100% of their players lives but this particular player is a complete exception to the rule after the NY incident:

If he stinks up the joint over the next month and is yet to sign by late July, then he’s clearly got a heads of agreement with an WA club. Hopefully he gives his all for the club in the absence of Max and re-signs in the next few weeks.

Collingwood are so much better than last year it isn’t funny. - Easy remaining fixture. Play North, GWS, ESS, Adel, GC. - excellent record against the top 8 thus far - have a healthy list. - just look like a damn good team to be honest. Collingwood are playing finals this year.

I know it’s an obligation for a Melbourne supporter to hate on Essendon but I enjoyed their performance tonight. Credit to them. Saints didn’t come to play when it mattered.

With Collingwood a certainty to play finals, this loss by St Kilda could cost them a spot on in the finals. You can’t be losing to a bottom 3 side this far into the season.

Because we won't have a choice in the matter. If Jackson nominates Freo as his club of choice, he will end up there and we take what we're given. What's the alternative?

I was expecting to open this thread and learn that his back in the clink.

Not a chance we'd be getting more than two first rounders and a Rory Lobb for Jackson. Not a chance. That sort of currency is reserved for established A graders, not for players with high potential but are still establishing themselves in the league. Luke Jackson is still finding his way in the competition as evidenced by his form this year. Jeremy Cameron cost Geelong 3 back end first rounders, but received 2 second rounders back from GWS. Cameron is a match winner and will most likely win this year's Coleman if injury free. I will eat humble pie if Bell happily hands over that bounty for LJ, after the Hogan saga, should the (unfortunate) situation arise where LJ nominates Freo as his club of choice.

I think that's a fantastic deal in favour of us. We get a discounted tall forward in career best form and two first rounders to invest in the future. Nothing short of the mark about that.

On that topic, I wonder how easy it will be to get tickets for the Geelong V Dees game. Tickets go on sale to the public on Tuesday but there's reduced capacity.

I reckon Collingwood are a near certainty to make finals this year given their easy fixture, healthy list, form against the top 8 sides and the fact that they just have that damn good look about them this year. I'd consider it a scalp if we can beat them in round 21. As for dropping out, I don't 100% trust St Kilda, Carlton or Sydney. Even we need to win 3 games which requires a huge turnaround in form. So therefore I'm tipping Collingwood to come in and Carlton to come out only because they're getting slaughtered with injuries.

Jackson has been a microcosm of Melbourne's 2022 season so far. Started the season hot against the Dogs and in parts against the Suns. Just went in wins against Essendon, Port, Richmond etc. Then got COVID along with a number of players and has been flat and uninspiring ever since. Looking for a massive 4 week block from LJ but I'm not sure he has the age and experience to take the AFL by storm as of yet. As for trades, if Freo want to do business with us, I'd do a straight swap for Victorian born Hayden Young. Young is an absolute star in the making and I predict will end up having a better career than Jackson. But alas, Young recently re-signed and has settled in nicely.

If we had a Harry McKay we’d be sitting at 12-1.

Give it all to Goodwin. Since Pert announced that Goodwin re-signed for way unders....well you know the rest.