Dee-tonator

To give a crack at finals to a team that finishes in the bottom half of the ladder is simply ludicrous.

I didn't think there could be a worse idea than this. And then I thought of Brayden Maynard............

It's bit early to be picking the best 23, but one thing I would say is don't write Steven May off just yet. He will be back with some big points to prove to the coach, and if his body holds up he may just surprise everyone.

It's far too early to write him off. But he needs to show significant improvement next season.

Spot on. I had a brain fade that I can only put down to advancing age and the weekly mental breakdowns that come with being a Melbourne supporter.

We have done a pretty good deal for a player who will turn 30 before next season. Picks 7 and 8 wll assist our rebuild and Gold Coast's 2026 pick could well be in the range of 1 to 4. I'm sad to lose a player of Petracca's quality but must admit my respect for him as a person is no longer what it once was.

When Oliver causes off-field chaos at GWS, we will all breathe a sigh of relief.

A third-round pick for Clayton Oliver AND a huge ongoing financial commitment for Melbourne? That is sheer madness and if the club is willing to get shafted to that extent it would deserve to become a laughing-stock. If Oliver goes, Melbourne should pay zero towards his salary. Whether he chooses to take a pay cut is up to him. I would rather just tell Oliver that he's going nowhere unless another club is prepared to meet his salary demands in full. If we are going to pay most of his salary anyway, he might as well play for Casey.

Great player at his peak and still entitled to elite status even though the best is past. But he has definitely had a destabilising influence on the club over the past two seasons, mostly through his own attitude. Even if he does have some legitimate complaints, these should have been sorted out long ago. With a long-term contract in place, Melbourne are in a strong poisition to force an excellent trade deal. Please, please, Mr Guerra, don't just roll over and accept any B-graders on offer, or picks that will be useless as the Devils take huge chunks of talent at the 2026 draft. Play hard-ball and make sure the club are the winners in any deal.

Let's just make sure his new club pays every cent of his salary, and secondly that we get a decent return for him. I hope his erratic kicking and petulant behaviour continue wherever he ends up. Unlike ANB, he will be leaving a slightly sour taste behind.

I'm a definite fan of Petracca the player (despite his erratic kicking) but I'm beginning to have serious doubts about Petracca the clubman. He's been messing us about for too long now.

First Jackson, now McVee. Signing players from Western Australia often comes with an inbuilt go-home factor attached. I am disappointed to lose McVee, but those criticising him personally have to realise that AFL has morphed from a sport into a business in which player movement is likely to become even more common. When contracts are up, players are free to seek greener pastures elsewhere, and sadly we are hardly a destination club at the moment. In the circumstances, it may be wise to re-think the plan to move Steven May on.

Surely any such suggestion should have been posted on April 1.

I have always been a Petracca fan but am getting slightly cheesed off with him. Nowadays he seems content to let rumours of his dissatisfaction swirl on and on at the end of every season, which is hardly calculated to endear him to the club or his teammates. It is high time he commits himself firmly to Melbourne or asks in a respectful way for a trade. Either way, he needs to remember that the club is bigger than any individual, no matter how talented.

If he were doing anything of the kind, which I very much doubt, he is not the sort of person I would want at my club.

Pointless to speculate on how King's reign will work out. Only time will tell. But am I alone in a slight feeling of relief that we didn't get Buckley? Somehow I find it hard to imagine a man with Magpie DNA being converted into a heart-and-soul Demon.

Not sure if I'd include Tholstrup in this group. I'd say the jury is still out.

It's sad to admit this, but if a combined Cats-Demons team was picked at the moment, we'd be lucky to get more than three or four players in the side. The intensity of Geelong's work rate, along with slick ball movement, completely tamed the Lions. In fact, their so-called "oldies" seem much fitter and faster than some of our youngsters. Perhaps we could spike the drinks of their list management team and, while they are under the influence, persuade them to trade Jeremy Cameron for Jefferson.

I am swimming against the tide on our two troubled stars. Oliver: KEEP. We would probably not get equal value in return for him, for reasons we all know about. And in the closing stages of the season he really lifted his game and showed he still has plenty in the tank. Petracca: KEEP. With one proviso. He really has to spend the entire pre-season working full-time on his erratic kicking skills. There's still a matchwinner lurking in there if he can get it right.

You nailed it, Joeboy. Sadly, that summary would make a depressing read for our incoming coach. We must live in hope.

6 Gawn - our everywhere man. 5 Salem - immaculate disposals. 4 Oliver - gave his all. 3 Petracca - but oh, that kicking! 2 Langford - constantly improving. 1 Bowey - tidy as usual.

Salem's disposals were accurate and well-judged, and far better than those of some of his teammates.

Howes must be shattered at the way a 33-year-old veteran ran rings round him. Great coaching to leave a youngster exposed in that way.

6 ----------- 5 ----------- 4 ----------- 3 ----------- 2 ----------- 1 Gawn 0 The rest (including Chaplin, who apparently thinks Sharp is best 22)

Judged solely on kicking accuracy, would Petracca, Viney and Oliver make the average VFL team?