Bring-Back-Powell

Don’t know what’s more shocking: The speed of which this trade came to fruition or Kane saying something positive about the MFC.

Collingwood were all over us in the opening minutes of the game before the Maynard hit. I don’t agree that we would’ve won that game if the hit did not occur. And besides, we had an excuse free loss the next week against Carlton. We weren’t made of the right stuff in 2022 and 2023. Agree with the notion that they’ve made our life a living hell though.

With the wild card to (potentially) come in next year they could finish 8th, host the wild card game against 9th and lose the game with Trac kicking 0.5 in that game. And better yet, 10th beats 7th in the other wild card game meaning GC finish 10th and we end up with pick 8 next year. Happy days.

It was either Chaplin who regretted it or Bowey himself saying that he didn't like playing in the forward line late in the year. I'd say Bowey is a lock in our defence.

I wonder how our long term injured players in the form of AMW and McAdam are shaping up for pre season and whether they're a chance for the praccy matches? Can see AMW in the round 1 side taking the oppo's premier small forward if he's available for the late February/early March games. McAdam probably more a round 5/6 onwards prospect should his VFL form warrant it.

They'll probably draw us to either one of them on opening round rather than round 1. The power clubs like Collingwood are sooking it up and don't want to travel up there for OR. With respect to the death ride, who would've thought Freo would have nose dived from 5th in 2022 to 14th in 2023 which got us Windsor. Hoping history gloriously repeats next year!

Will miss Trac considerably more than Clarry and he’d have to easily in my top 5 favourite MFC players. With that being said, in 2025 we won just 7 games with Trac playing all games, with 4 of them being against the worst 3 sides in the comp. In 2024 when he was injured, We had some good wins and some very honourable loses against the likes of Brisbane at the Gabba as well as top 4 teams in GwS and Port. The point being that Trac isn’t the defining factor between us being a good and bad side, and this year showed exactly that. He was not the difference and did not get us over the line in all those close losses like you would expect a champion would.

Mind you Freo in 2023 finished 14th after making a long awaited finals series. And it was a great year to death ride Freo. Similar situation to Gold Coast 2025 into 2026. Maiden finals campaign. Can they continue their trajectory next year?

I can’t see GC finishing bottom 4 next year.

I could be assessing that incorrectly but that’s a great deal for Carlton. I highly rate Hayward.

Hawks looking like they’ll miss out out Merrett if the footage of the Hawthorn room is an indication. They should’ve offered up a player of note.

Interesting. I just heard David King and Jon Ralph slamming us for paying the entirety of Steele’s wages on Fox’s Trading day. King said it’s a poor pick up without actually uttering the words. He’s allegedly on a $1 million a year.

Wouldn’t be shocked if this happens. I hope it doesn’t for King’s first game.

Happy to get a couple of solid citizens in Steele and Checkers.

Yep count me in for wanting GC to have a horse manure 2026. At least three clubs will fall out of the 8 next year. GC could be one of them if they fail to take the next step which isn’t new for a club who has finally broken their finals drought (can think of one club in 2018 into 2019) Alternatively they could finish 7th and lose their wild card game and end up finishing 9th (assuming the wild card weekend comes in)

On a scale of Harry Sharp to peak Steve May, you’d probably have this at a 6 in terms of opposition recruits. Solid pick up if he can remain injury free and can bring some speed to the team.

I’m not buying into the “let’s circle back next year” narrative. I expect us to win less games next year, even with Goodwin gone, while Hawthorn probably make a prelim at worst. I’d have a hard time believing a potential champion in the making choosing a bottom 4 side over a team on the verge of a flag. If BH was indeed interested in coming to the MFC, this trade week was now or never and we couldn’t get it done/GC wouldn’t allow it to get done.

Statistically he plummeted this year. He went from his career high point in 2021 with 29 touches per game and 26 Brownlow votes to just 20 touches and 2 votes this year. I still wouldn’t mind him. Veterans can have a career renaissance at a new club. For example Luke Parker was more than serviceable for North this year.

Really wish we as the club had taken this stance both publicly and in the negotiations. We had the best leverage tool in holding Trac unless GC caved in with BH. (Maybe GC aren’t even that desperate for Trac given they’re so resolute in keeping BH) We’ve obviously told Trac to clear out his locker and he’s not coming back under any circumstances.

Carlton mooted to get two first rounders and Hayward and Florent. What else are we getting on top of our first rounders for Trac?

I’d be happy if we got 2015 Lumumba productivity from CJ. (2016 not so much…)

Not a bad pick up. Bits and pieces of his career has been exciting. Received 4 coaches votes against us in round 9 so I’ll have to watch the replay to see what he did that day to warrant votes.

Played a blinder against us in our earlier loss to them this year. Got 4 or 5 coaches votes that day.

Pretty much agree with this. With Trac and Clarry with us next year we probably win 8 or 9 games instead of 5, 6 or 7 without them. Hardly needle moving. It will hurt seeing them in different colours in the first 4 rounds of next year, and potentially finals, but we’ll move on like we have with Luke Jackson.

The very uncharitable side of me kind of hopes the Petracca trade is emailed to the AFL at 7:30:03 and therefore deemed null and void.