rpfc

I think we should simply move this a year down the track now - we have an opportunity to set up our long term future in this draft and we have made it known to Dangerfield that if he wishes to comes to Melbourne there is a $5m contract waiting for him. If Adelaide want to play this game of blind chicken they can, and if Dangerfield wishes to put up with the ferals next year he can - we will get our plan together. Perhaps he will already agree with a club now, to leave to in 12 months time. Perhaps he will leave it as late as, seemingly, Frawley did. But he knows right now that the MFC have the capacity and desire for him and he knows who his coach would be for his career should he decide to come.

With one list spot available right now and Lumumba and Frost to come in - I would say that we will only have three live picks in the draft (ND2, ND3, and ND23) and that 4 players would have to be moved/delisted; Clark, Strauss, Blease and Tapscott.

Yes, but some clubs will be done after a few rounds and some will be taking rookies in the 90s.

What a statement from the President of the Bulldogs, he said that Griffin told the club of his concerns and they sat him down with the coach and McCartney admitted to his faults, and they asked Ryan whether he could continue under him - with McCartney in the room! What was he going to say - Game of Throne him right there and then? Ask those questions in private. Such idiocy.

I think the majority on here would agree with you. The reasonable few who have history on the site mitigated that noise. Ash was around when we were good (well, better) - he isn't a troll. And internet murdering hasn't been invented yet...

You think we paid overs for Garlett?

I found it relevant. But I can only speak for myself.

If the Bombers kept their receipts, and logs of who got what, maybe they wouldn't be in this trouble, or maybe they still would be... The fact is the club doesn't seem to know, which means that ASADA cannot let them off - if all you have to do is lose the logbook and the receipts to escape punishment - it would be a ridiculous system. Taking your medicine is done when the other avenue is worse - your club has been driving down the other avenue for a couple of years now. There may be no manual for this, but there is common sense, and it has been in short supply down at the Airport of late - plenty of arrogance, hubris, and delay but little care for their players, their fans and the game itself. Melbourne rolled over like a puppy dog during its recent episode of 'tanking' shenanigans. There was a time when I was envious of how Essendon fought back against the tide of AFL fisthammery but I knew why we did roll - for our own good. Sometimes you have got to suck it up, admit what you didn't do and move on.

Ease up. It was a team trading their best player and it set them up for a dynasty. It's relevance is subjective.

The other dent being Tapscott has no worth whatsoever.

BigFooty?

Ash35 - the reason why you can't get value for Ryder is the uncertainty at your club - players don't want to go to play under a coach that is to be fired soon, or not to be fired soon, depending on which Essendon Board Member decides on the day what to do. Port, apparently, can't get players to agree to go to Essendon. This is why you are not looking at value here. Pick 17 is not a good deal for Essendon, but that is mooted by the fact he might be missing for a year, and that the AFL allow players to nix trades between clubs - something unheard of in the NBA, NFL, and MLB (outside of it being written into a contract). This isn't going to make you feel any better but the uncertainty at the club that has continued due to those in charge at the club is what is keeping you from getting value in this deal. Get the notices, fire Hird, hire a decent coach, hope Ryder only has a 6 month ban, and trade him for more value. I understand some of these things cannot be done in a week but coming from a fan that loves a good bloodletting - rip the effing band aid off and move on. It will help every aspect of your club's dealings.

Yes, and as I said in another thread, the Hawks won the flag after losing Franklin! Just a Free Agency wasn't meant to equalise, Compensation wasn't meant to be fair.

A former ND3 from two years ago to the Premiers for ND19? I hope this is a Morton-level bust situation, no offence to the kid, but no well regulated league would have a similar scenario where after 2 years a top 5 draft pick goes to the best team for such little value.

We are happy to own our failures, Ash35. Frankly, Little, Hird, and your club has been running from your failures ever since the day after your Self-Report Extravaganza. Contracts being voided is not new, what is new is a club doing it to better its draft position, and then doing a secondary Veale deal to get top dollar for him. If you want to agree to void a contract you should be able to and Ryder becomes a DFA and can sign wherever he wants and Essendon will get nothing. But that isn't what you want is it? Do a trade they will do - stop asking for things outside of what you should reasonably expect and do a deal that you can swallow. Stop looking for the easy way out of the two year long disaster you are in - as a Melbourne supporter I can tell you there isn't an easy way out - it is a mirage. I feel for you, I do, but I am giving you more than other clubs, fans, and the AFL has given us these last few years - some good advice.

If we had lost Franklin, we would have got pick 3. Does that make the system seem fairer? The fact that lower clubs get better compensation makes it fairer, not less fair, this is utterly ridiculous to say that a player of Frawley's calibre means less to us than Frawley did to Hawthorn; both teams feel/felt they could cope without him and Hawthorn has 'coped' as well as any team can 'cope.' Their flag in 2014 vindicates the compensation structure.

Yes, how anyone can equate the rules of compensation for Frawley being followed to Ess/Port altering the foundation of trading contracts is beyond me, 55. We may be bleating, but it is with good reason, and that isn't diminished by our oh-so-great FA experiences of late...

Honestly, give me the keys to the place for two weeks... What is going on? #giverpfcthekeys

He will, I am sure. But we didn't lose because of our backline, otherwise we would have put Frawley back there. We have a third rate midfield and you know it - it is the singular reason why we lose games. Our backline will be fine without Frawley, our team will not be fine until we have a midfield.

No, Cooney's got a couple years left max.

I said we won't know if it is a good deal. Just like we don't know if the Tyson trade is a good deal. We all knew the McLean deal was a good deal, until it wasn't... And we didn't need Frawley, he proved himself surplus to requirements in 2014. The backline functioned quite well with McDonald, Dunn, Howe, and an out of sorts Garland. Frawley played some very solid games up forward but that forward line is about to be headlined by someone else, and in a few years all he will need is good delivery, some help, and for his teammates to get out of his way. ND3 can be far more useful right now for this club than James Frawley. Let's hope we use it to its full potential.

I'm writing all these down. You guys are quite something. So many varieties... Who knew there were so many different types of loser out there?

I don't get it...

Ok, now you're reaching.

I don't think HL is OOC.