Sir Windsor

Are we sure Pert isn’t an ‘inside man’ still paying his allegiances to the Pies?

If he does go, I fear for his wellbeing. The magnitude of this change will test his resolve and resilience.

Something wrong with juh as well. Massively underperforming

The Clarry trade looks legitimate. I think we are going to get next to nothing - and if the shoe was on the other foot after two failed seasons I wouldn’t offer anything more than what the Cats have offered. Just think Bennel. The Cats would like to think their culture will turn him around, but after what we did for him this year , if he still hasn’t come good, then we are really have no other choice.

Pick 16 for Kozzy is unders. Everything else is about market value.

Clarry will be a special player in MFC history but the game is changing and we need to evolve our midfield. The only mistake we made was not making the trade with Adelaide last year. Whether it was a mental health reason who knows but we dropped the ball big time. Trac - as much as I loathe him for his antics - is the better player and has much more impact so should be the one we keep. I have become so used to this media noise I really don’t care for it anymore. It’s liberating.

But does Jesse Hogan be one what he has become today without going through what he had to mature ? And for every Hogan success story I wonder how many disappear into oblivion. Anyone remember Bennell ?

Interesting indeed. Definitely would be a good addition from a culture and leaderships perspective. Interesting remarks from departing Tigers players on Yze today - not hard enough on players.

The space we made for Grundy circa 700k hasn’t really been replaced with anything. Fullarton, McAdam would be on peanuts.

Ok fine. I’ll bite - you move $6M off the books and replace it with what? If we were a shoe in for Reid or N Daicos, fine it would make sense, but we already have Grundy and Brayshaws salary to recoup. That hasn’t really been replaced with anyone.

Lions going to get a massive leg up with another Ashcroft. Seriously flawed system allowing them to build an a-grade midfield while playing finals. They will be contending for the next 10 years. Coleman to return next year, Wilmont, Fletcher another year fitter. [censored]

Yes. But why would he? Their playing list is only going to improve next year. He’d be all in for back-to-back.

I thought we had enough of the media bashing us up.

If Lions kick another couple this will blow out to 100 points

Dominated is a bit of a furphy. They took their chances. Let’s not forget they got thumped by 100+ points just over a month ago.

Said it all year. Swans not good enough. Their forward line is worse than ours.

That’s game over. Sydney midfield getting absolutely pants’d

Lions too good

Average AFL by foot is not necessarily bad, it just highlights that they are not exceptional which is what a Houston or Sicily is. Also if we made the comparison internally then they are in the team because they are probably our best kicks. And therein lies the issue, our best ball users in the club are really only average at AFL level.

I have flopped in my view on Tracs red bull trip. Earlier I was of the view he was doing it to turn up in top top shape for pre season. I still think that is partially true. However Gawny mentioned on on MMM in his usual spot that Trac was upset about the camps timing prior to his injury. I genuinely now wonder whether Trac is using the current situation to bend the will of the club to let him go on this camp. Is this the only camp globally available to athletes? Could he have attended another camp and a BNF? Im starting to think where there is a will there is a way. I get the feeling that we are potentially creating new issues where we are treating our players based on their star factor.

I don't see them being highly effective by foot and they certainly dont have leg speed. Even if there was better midfield defensive efforts, they dont hurt team from back half. The HB line is one of, if not the weakest line in our team. Most defensive setups now have 2 key talls and a whole bunch of mid/smaller sized players that are agile, fast or good by foot. Putting May, TMac and Lever aside, which defensive players tick those boxes out of: Rivers - Fast and agile but avg by foot McVee - Slow but evasive (not to be confused with agile) and ok by foot AMW - Avg pace, agile and avg by foot Bowey - slow not agile avg by foot Salem - slow not agile avg by foot I think we need really to need to get to work on this line as it has been criminally overlooked for years. whether by draft or trade.

I'm on the fence about the trade in general - purely because i dont like the prospect of facing short term pain for long term gain. I think with Houston on our list, it solves our back half transition issues significantly. Salem and Bowey have been woeful this year and it isnt a coincidence that this has translated to ladder position. Question we have to ask ourselves is what confidence do we have this gets better next year? The back half / turnover game is becoming increasingly important in the modern game and we suck big time in this area. We don't have to be top 2, but at least top 6 in order to punish teams that try and take us on with faster ball movement - they get away with this aggressive style because we just cannot hurt them on turnover. Do you think Bowey and Salem are just magically going to return to '21 '22 form? Houston solves the problem IMV - young enough to get us through the mini rebuild too. Also if Trac does decide to leave next year, you can bank on at least 2 first rounders coming back our way.

They need picks in this years draft to accumulate points for their F/S and Academy players. Also would you really bank on finishing higher than Lions next year? And the only way we come out on top is if we win next years GF...which may only match it if Lions win this year.

If we managed to get Lions 1st (17/18) and paired that with next years 1st rounder, surely that would be enough to get Houston to us assuming he wants to be at the Dees next year.

Yep they have a total of ~1250 points in this years draft. THat is not even a top 10 pick, for which Ashcroft will absolutely go for. They have to get busy in the trade period and will undoubtedly auction of their pick 17/18 for the highest bidder. It however goes both ways in that clubs will know the desperation of the Lions and will not look to give too much more. We are in a good position here to offer up ANBs comp (#25) and 37/38 for appox 1200 in points, which gives Lions a +200. As it stands not many other clubs can improve the offer with only Richmond and GC having multiple Round 2 picks, which is not worth their while to move up 5-6 spots in the 2nd round and lose a pick at the same time. Lions will likely need to target another Round 2 pick with a future first as nobody in their right mind will exchange their current 1st rounder. So if we miss out we may be able to position ourselves for a F1. So its hard to see them getting both their men unless they put up F1 and F2 picks for trade.