Katrina Dee Fan

TBH I didn't think we'd have a good season the minute it was announced Gus was retiring, given how late it was in the season. Then when Trac got hurt that pretty much sealed the fate for us. Last summer was a sh*tstorm, which was very disabling for the team. This year I don't see that same climate. Clarry is in a much better headspace than he was last year, Trac has worked hard to get back to where he was before his injury, they've drafted well and the kids are developing nicely, and for me the biggest factor is the court case looming over Goody is gone, and he seems much happier and more focussed. I have optimism for next year.

I have to admit after North won the GF and they were mentioning her winning her third premiership with a third cup, my thoughts immediately went to "Wait til she spits the dummy and wants a trade....again....."

Thank you lovely!!

Are we? Three weeks before the end of the season there was still a chance of making finals. We only finished 14 because it was such a close season. In 2021 GWS had exactly the same win/loss numbers as we did this year, and they finished 7th.

Can you ask about January by any chance? When they'll be back after Christmas and if it's at Casey or Gosche's?

our side is currently on the slide because of the calibre of players we traded last year. Libby Birch was one of the best players on the weekend in North's Grand Final win. Eliza West just won Hawthorn's best and fairest and was one of the key players that got them to the finals. Maddi Gay was named All Australian.

An yet every team that got one of our 4 top players we traded out last year not only made the finals this year, but also soundly beat us during the season. One even won her third premiership.

It wasn't just the media that painted the misconceptions, primarily they came from Carlton. They stated to the media she wanted to leave to chase money, which was not the case, she found out from her manager while she was visiting family in Brisbane that they weren't going to offer her a new contract, which left her devastated. She was actually in tears on the documentary when she was describing how their misrepresentation of her made her feel like her integrity was being wrongly portrayed. I don't think she has a lot of regard for Hartford, to be honest.

I wouldn't be surprised if Paxy does retire. She's 36, and the issues with her foot this year is not a quick fix.

Exactly, why is the big question. As I said, nothing official has come from either Melbourne or Tayla, so as far as I'm concerned it's speculation from the media.

There were a lot of misconceptions about her departure from Carlton, which I had a long conversation with both her and her mother about a couple of years ago. She didn't want to leave Carlton, she was delisted. She also told me the figure being quoted in the media about what she was demanding was not remotely true. She came to Melbourne at the lowest pay rate available, by her own choice, and opted to focus purely on her football. Her first season at Melbourne saw her as the second highest goal kicker in the league and finished second in the club best and fairest behind Daisy Pearce. Her second season saw her playing more a ruck/midfield role, so less goal scoring opportunities, yet, she kicked the winning goal in the grand final. Her mother told me that if it was up to her, she would have stayed with Melbourne after the exhibition games, but in Lisa's words, it was Tayla's choice, and ultimately she was happy she was at Melbourne. I don't think it would be Tayla's choice to leave Melbourne, I'd say it's possibly Melbourne exploring possible trades. Which disappoints me somewhat, if true. But then nothing official has come from either Melbourne or Tayla, and I take the media speculation with a grain of salt.

There is so much in here that rings true and is a big reason why we didn't make the 8 this year. We can't afford to lose key players, and it would be shattering to the team structure to lose either or both Lily and Tayla. If we trade them for draft picks, then don't expect us to be in the finals next year.

Tayla plays a very different role to Loz, Loz is purely a ruck, whereas Tayla is a forward who can play other roles. She was set for a big season before her shoulder injury, and I think she deserves to have next year with us with two good shoulders (first time in her playing career she would have that). Lily by her own words did not have a good season, but you know what? She's human. The role she played off the field was impactful in getting the morale up - I have no doubt that without Lil there, we'd have lost more games. The moral was shattered after the Essendon game. She played a huge role in helping that team get their sense of belief back.

Not unless he's either Aboriginal or African, which he's not. Or we're a northern state club, which we're not.

If either Lily or Tayla leave I'll be devastated. Just putting that out there.

I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to live in that cesspit of a city, let alone play football there.....

@Ghostwriter I won't, I won't, I promise I won't!!

Maybe he works with Sam Manure.....he's about as clueless.

I'll point out where I disagree with your "Mithen has to go" sentiment, is in her morale building. I had a chat with my sponsored player, Gabby, about the season, and she was absolutely emphatic about what the turnaround in the team was to go from four losses in a row to winning five out the of the next six matches - Gabby said a bit part of it was Lily. She set the tone in building back the morale, she played a massive role in changing mindsets, and Gabby was very clear in saying that if Lily wasn't there, the'd have lost a lot more games after that Essendon game. Morale was so low after the Essendon game, and was low after the Hawthorn game. Who turned them around? Lily.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last paragraph of this article does not read like someone who wants to leave Melbourne for the Gold Coast - https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262261/theres-more-to-life-lily-mithen-on-stopping-her-emotional-rollercoaster

Point of correction, Maggie Caris left football for netball, she plays for Melbourne Vixens

That story sounds familiar, actually! My brother and sister in law did the same, their first son was a February baby, so in the October the year before they enrolled him as a member. His pack came in the mail as "Baby Oxley". Later on the club rang and said "We don't have a name for your baby", to which Andrew replied, "He was only born yesterday, but his name is Samuel.". Sam's been a consecutive member since, next year will be his 25th year.

I didn't get one, I just logged in and did it.

As a fellow human born with lily white, almost transluscent skin, I totally get it!