WiseDeeMan

Another layer to add to this is also the Geelong side of it. You all of a sudden have the head coach of an opposition team with full access to your club still. The way I see it, is it speaks volume of the character of King and the culture of Geelong that he wanted to see it out. In almost all other situations the new coach has left the team playing deep into September to hang out to dry somewhat. Something I've always thought is a massive disadvantage, and frankly unfair. To me it shows his integrity and how strong of a club Geelong is that he wants to stay there with them to finish what he's started.

Lots of hypotheticals here so let's go with it....It's pretty obvious he isn't 100% invested in the club. I think we are actually in a fantastic position with this and have all the bargaining power. We've shown we are willing to hold him to his contract for starters. Secondly, that's now forced him to open up and realise if he is to get a "clean start", unless the club can get something in return, they won't trade him. For me the GC are the club we should be pursuing to do a deal with. Draft picks mean a totally different thing to them as it does to Victorian Clubs. They know they are going to continue to get high talent through their academy. From our perspective, we have to keep in mind we have 2 more year of draft before Tassie come in and its compromised. We need to load up on young talent now in my view. Whilst i think Langford will be a star, Lindsay looks like he could be the same, Windsor is promising, I don't think anything else is certain. I like Kolt, but have not seen anything yet that has shown me he is going to make it. If we somehow can get 3-4 first round picks in the next 2 drafts we are well set up if we nail another 3 of the 4. The GC have pick 6, 13, 16, future firsts and Flanders to play with, while we have Trac, pick 23, and some late picks for their academy bids. I cannot see any other club getting us anything remotely as good as that, unless we are part of a 3 club trade to land a fish of similar value to Trac. If we want WIN / WIN, Suns look like the best option (at this stage!). Exciting times

Guerra said on Radio this morning - we will move forward with our “TWO” assistant coaches. Assuming 1 is definitely leaving… We’ve heard Richmond are into Chaplin Has anything been announced?

Agree @binman …I’ve been fortunate to train with many elite level athletes including many Olympians. I’ve been in squads that have had Olympic athletes, athletes that weren’t quite at that level, and others that were no where near it. Same coach, same message, same program, yet some were multiple Olympic Gold medalists, and others - nobodies. So what was the difference? I mean yes we can talk physical advantages - but I can largely say its application (mindset). Willing to push themselves more than anyone else. Day in day out. Never excuses. With the down days, the drop off is minimal. I vividly remember one morning, one of Australia’s greatest athletes that everyone would know, pushing himself so much he projectile vomited. Took a few deep breaths and then went again for the next rep of the main set. While most others in the squad, were just not willing to go to that level (maybe they were the sensible ones!). There is an interesting paradox however - This particular coach here, would either make or break athletes. He had Olympic Gold Medalists, but would burn out a hundred other athletes to get that 1. The art of being a great coach in any area, is being able to effectively influence each athlete, or in this case, player. It’s the ability to get the most out of each individual, not just a portion. To know what buttons to push. And that is a different skill set than the programming piece. Purely an opinion from the outside here, but based on what ive seen (relying on footage) - this is where Burgess seems elite. It’s the ‘coach’ side of him that gets the buy in from each and every player. This is where the gold lies in my view. We had mental toughness about us at that time. From what I see currently - we now don’t. Whether this is all tied together here, I do not know, but my guess is it is. Time will tell…

When Burgess was departing the club, I happened to be talking to a mate who is working as part of a strength & conditioning team at another AFL club. I asked him - “Burgess is well known to be the number 1 man in the industry, outside of him, who is the next best rated? His answer surprised me. He said, “you’ve already got him - Selwyn Griffith”. I agree, fitness was an issue, but remember they don’t run the whole thing. There was a clear message at the start of preseason. Day 1 - normally we do 2km time trial and straight into heavy fitness. This year - it was more viewed to work on building the love as the priority early on. Maybe the consequence of rebuilding connection was a little less fitness. And a little less might make all the difference. So maybe it might be a time for change, but I wouldn’t point the fitness problem just at him.

Anyone saying bad timing, why now, makes no sense. It’s perfect timing. In business if you decide to move on from someone, the best time to finish is immediately. Out of respect to him, and the best thing for the organisation. We do it any later than now, knowing we aren’t going with him next year, would be lunacy. He’s been a great coach for us and should be always respected for that, and now is the time to start building out next premiership

I think the most disturbing fact is the overwhelming majority of players have either declined, or simply not improved at all.. Bowey and Kozzy have been outstanding. Chandler and Turner have improved, and ironically Melksham has also improved. But outside of this, I’m struggling to find anyone else? For me, all of the following regulars; Trac, Oliver, Viney, Salem, Rivers, May, Lever, JVR, Sparrow, Petty, Fritsch, McVee, Windsor, Tholstrup and Langdon have all individually declined from their best football. That is damning I’d love you guys to go through each of our regular seniors and give a one word answer - improved, same or declined.

I mean I don’t want to lose him but let’s not get hysterical over it. The thing that annoys me in a situation like this if it comes true is West Coast and Freo didn’t draft him and had the chance. We’ve drafted him and developed him and given him the opportunity to be where he is today, and then the first contract post that “I’m home sick”. Let’s hope it’s all BS.

What an album!

https://youtu.be/3uh5SE24RNg This guy knows his stuff - watch this! If this happens I’m doing a nudie run Has us with Jagga at 5 and Langford at 9

Richmond have played this very very well. The silence out of the Tigers has been deafening. No leaks whatsoever and everyone is still guessing what they will do at 1. I've got a feeling they are going Jagga Smith at 1. I don't know why, but I think that will happen. It will be very interesting what happens from here.

It’s a great advantage for us to not play in opening round in my view. 6 weeks extra preparation over Sydney & Brisbane, 5 weeks - Geelong 4 weeks - GWS, Hawthorn & Port And to a lesser extent, 2 weeks more than dogs and Carlton. In terms of base from a conditioning, as well as from a psychological perspective, this is a HUGE advantage over last years 8 best teams.

Let’s keep in mind pick 28 will equal the equivalent of pick 33 after father sons and academy picks. - He just finished 3rd in the B&F - Is an outstanding leader - Is an outstanding trainer and sets the standards - Plays the high half forward as good as any in the game - Has many years of good footy in him. - Has 2 years left on his contract. We have been push overs for years at the draft table. It’s close, but Pick 20-23 (pre f/s and academy) is where it should be at, not an eventual 33/34. Adelaide give us that, or we hold him to his contract. John Noble can’t get a regular game with Collingwood, and is a guy 20-25 on their list. Yet they will get pick 13 for him. Younger yes, not not as valuable in my view.

Couldn't agree more. And this again shows he's treated differently to others. I don't care how good he was/is - he needed to have several months of hard work to get back into that team. Instead he trained for 5 minutes and never missed an AFL game.

Agree Rufus - ps Great band Rufus!

I was told at the beginning of 2021 specifically from a former player (hasn't been at the club for a 2-3 years now) Oliver is big, big trouble. He is treated differently to everyone else simply because he is a good player. If others were to do some of the things he does, they would be treated very differently. He mentioned that one day when Oliver was behaving poorly, he gave it to him straight....yet Oliver wasn't the one reprimanded, it was Goodwin who spoke with this particular player and said "you can't talk to Clayton like that, we have to be careful with him". I would say enough is enough. He clearly is massive trouble and has a huge contract. Let go of getting compensated fairly based on his playing ability alone. It's the whole package you must look at, his character is highly questionable and his contract will haunt us for years to come if he stays. I'm guessing here, and this is just my opinion, but we have heard Petracca isn't upset with Oliver, but more with the way the club has handled him. I would say this is consistent with the above - they have had rules for him, and rules for others. It also was backed up by the infamous Pert / Goodwin interview where they said we've tolerated things and he will now be held accountable for his actions. Overall a good move by the MFC I say.

Wanting Oliver to stay because otherwise he will do well at Geelong, is like staying with your wife only because you don't want her to sleep with someone else! If he's as big of a problem as it seems - move him on. I think this is beyond reasonable doubt. Our midfield is one dimensional currently, and the game has gone past pure in and under grunt players. Hit the draft with a few top 10s this year and next, bring in skill, speed, and high quality characters. We will be better for it and forget what he does after he has left.

Brad Green is also part of the problem - he ain't the saviour!

I think of doing very bad things to them. Its hard because mentally there is no brain there amongst them, so it only leaves physical options.

Msg me privately and I can give you my reason.

Vulnerability Post... I have very dark thoughts when I read Collingwood supporters still commenting that "Brayshaw stepped into Maynard" (it was Brayshaws fault), that Brayshaw was already concussed from a previous knock (not Maynards hit), that Melbourne doctors should have already taken him off (Melb doctors fault), that "he shouldn't have been allowed to play anyway". Please help me. I want to do bad things PS Angus to be our runner - you've heard it here first

One thing is for sure….STOP DRAFTING PLAYERS FROM WA and SA

Am I the only one who does not want to give away draft picks? We know full well what happened when we were down the bottom when GC and GWS came into the competition - it killed us. If we can get 6-8 quality draft picks in the next 2 years we will be very well set age demographic wise when Tassie come into the comp, and set us up for sustained success. Now is the time to draft in my view. Trac likely leaving, plus ANB, should give us the equivalent of 3 top 12 picks, and a few second rounders perhaps (over the next few years). We need talent - speed, skill and toughness. Trac has screwed the chances of attracting other players potentially - if that's the case let Jason Taylor and team do what they do best. I still think we could get a Luke Parker type in addition to this, to cover some depth in the midfield and another great leader and coach to nurture our younger players.

I know him and he's a very nice guy who is very passionate about the club....just like you and I. I do believe this board needs some accountability and we need an independent review across the entire club. Its a normal and legal process he has gone through to collect emails. Each to their own, but I don't recommend blindly trusting this board, nor should you blindly trust Peter. But do know, he has the best interests at heart. Whilst I don't fully understand it all, to my knowledge, many things he brought up were successful through a court of law.

The longer this Petracca saga drags out, the more I’m leaning towards he’s going. He should have addressed it by now, and the fact he hasn’t, suggests he wants out in my view. Melbourne rightfully are playing the “he’s contracted and not going anywhere” card. But for f*+k sake MFC, if he does want to go, make a stance, and stop playing ‘nice guy’. You send him to the club that offers the best return for the our club ANYWHERE in Australia…not, oh “he wants to go to Collingwood” because it’s nice and convenient for him! With all due respect f^*k him! This also sends a firm message to anyone else wanting to break contract - you can request a trade, but where you end up, is up to us. My sneaky suspicion is the managers have too much power in the AFL and clubs are scared to upset them. I’m sick of contracted players calling the shots in AFL “Im home sick”, but I will only play for this specific team. In US sports, if you are contracted, the clubs will trade you where suits the CLUB, not the individual. When you become a free agent, then you can call the shots. That’s what FREE AGENCY is. Also, they rarely ever send them to a team that’s a potential fellow contender (eg. exactly the opposite of what we did with Grundy last year), you send them to the [censored] end of the competition! As a top 5 player in the comp (categorically), he’s worth at least 3 top 10 picks (as per Dangerfield, Tim Kelly, Jeremy Cameron etc) and the only clubs that could come up with that, are the bottom of the ladder teams most likely. See how he likes it there.