BLWNBA

The fish rots at the head.

Overall I agree with you, but contextually we may need to consider that St Kilda have an extremely busy period so they may have wanted to get this done with minimal fuss and / or the 'overpayment' is indicative of the weakened draft talent this year (though this is kinda at odds with GC not necessarily needing picks / first rounders).

Personally think it's gone past that point, mate. I think the most beneficial time for that to occur would've likely been over either the 2023 or 2024 trade period.

I wouldn't be surprised if we look to use Petracca + 23 in a deal with GC.

We haven't (in a 'public' sense) and there's nothing to link us to him, but it was reported that we are in the market for midfield depth. Apologies, I can't recall where this was reported, it may have been in the Lamb trade update or via media reporting.

Yep, we would only trade him for a first round pick from the Doggies, but they were only prepared to offer a second rounder IIRC.

This could also likely signal our intention to move Petty back into defence, even with May departing (here's hoping).

Exactly. It’s mind-blowing that many on here don’t see this. Cultural problems can take many forms, it’s not just Goodwin, Oliver, May and Hunter who were to blame. You can also throw in the enablers in the former administration too.

This.

Exactly, and featured in two games in 2025 after playing 25 last year.

I can’t handle this. I’m not used to seeing a contemporary player in a Melbourne jumper take an overhead mark and hold it with a single grab.

Off the top of my head no other player immediately springs to mind, though of course that’s not to say there hasn’t been. It’s definitely an outlier in the AFL player movement landscape though. I’d go as far to say that even if there are other examples, he might even be the most recent.

I haven’t heard anything further on that front, though it may have been the club doing due diligence on available players. My opinion is that with the departure of Petracca and Oliver, plus the incoming draft hand, we may look to further invest via the draft and look towards starting 23 talent as opposed to likely depth. I think there could also be more to play out in the Flanders and Humphries chase too. I still wouldn’t put a line through Flanders entirely (though I would be extremely measured and realistic about it being far more unlikely than likely).

Personally, even if Petracca and Oliver were with us next year, I expect we would’ve been looking at a bottom four finish. With our downward trajectory inside, we may as well shift in bulk and bring in talent while we can. We got burnt with the introduction of both Gold Coast and GWS. I’m glad we’ve learnt our lesson prior to Tassie. I still think this should’ve happened over the past two seasons, but I’m glad King has the clarity to move now before it’s absolutely too late. Well either bring in a combination of players + picks this offseason, or take an additional hand into the this years draft and/or next years. We’ll be okay either way, I just suspect some may need to temper their expectations.

Great acquisition. He’s a handy footballer and a great person, exactly the type of individual you want around the club. This is bigger than just what you’re going to get onfield for where out lost is at and what King is attempting to achieve.

Petracca and Oliver are both being cleared for cultural reasons, albeit slightly different ones. Both moves are wholeheartedly supported from the top down to the playing group. This is absolutely King clearing the deck and resetting the club.

Moving on Petracca, Oliver and potentially May isn’t just about ‘rebuilding’, it signals a massive shift in culture and a commitment to actually pivot the club. This should’ve occurred two years ago. I don’t really agree with your comment either about being very close to being a good side in the later stages of the year. We had moments, but the list as it was fundamentally lacked any semblance of being able to compete with the direction the game has gone in, in a meaningful and ongoing manner. Regarding rebuilds, there are a multitude of factors which form a nexus and a causal connection to either why they do work, or why they don’t at each particular club. I think it’s very context specific. It’s far too early to make a call either way with us, but I’m extremely enthused by what is occurring so far and King and Guerra. The proof will be in the eating, but this is an extremely exciting and positive time, IMO.

We still have Viney and Sparrow on our list, and we’ve moved on two ‘bulls’ in Petracca and Oliver (likely). Although Steele might be a good corporate citizen, he’s another that the game has moved past. We need to be building for the future, not treading water. If Viney was also to depart, I wouldn’t be opposed to what you’re suggesting, but bringing in Steele will harm a rotation of Rivers, Koz, Langford, Lindsay and Windsor.

👀

Channel 7 News footage Cleary.

So was I, TBH.

Melbourne meets with Oliver

The AFL media doesn’t operate in an isolated sphere, devoid of all media conventions, practices and methodologies. In fact, I wouldn’t even say it’s overly unique in terms of the media cycle. My point still stands and I’ve said it numerous times. If people want to be fantasists and drive the notion that all reporting relating to the MFC is filled with falsehoods, mistruths and fictional narratives, that’s on them. It isn’t reality and the end of the day, the media do not just ‘make up stories’. That’s not to say that everything happens as expected via reports, but that is the end game when you’re dealing with real-time information. I also think a massive issue is that a significant number of people who consume media in general, are not able to deduce the difference between an opinion and a fact. Media literacy in Australia is appalling, but you see it multiple times on here when a journalist/AFL media personality delivers an opinion and people treat this a statement of fact. They are not the same thing at all.