jnrmac

Thanks for your comprehensive report. Howes got shown up when he was turned inside out by Harley Reid in that horrible loss in Perth. He wasn't the only one BTW My recollection is that he was dropped after that match and when he did make it back in the side looked mostly nervous. Did he look like he was playing with any confidence?

Yeah a proven gun with 2 x 40g yrs (under 21 years of age) and we'd give him away for 2 speculative picks. Laughable.

Sort of IG were going to leave after 2021 but we won the flag - so they stayed for another few years.

I think thats way off. He's kicked 40 g twice before he was 21. Cyril only did it twice in 11 seasons

We were 22 to 1 back then We're now 26 to 1 We have a real chance of being 6-2 or 7-1 given our draw. If that was to pass we'd be in to 12s or 8s Juicy

Maybe. There have been players we've lost for a variety of reasons like Hogan or Bedford, Howe, Grundy, and LJ as you say. It just seems to me that our leading players seem to be targeted more than any other club bar say GWS and Gold Coast. Is it because they think our leaders are gettable? I know some other clubs think Melbourne has a weak culture and therefore players might be vulnerable to leaving. You're right in that we haven't lost too many of our 'guns' but it does seem they are vulnerable every year....

Why are all our top picks subject to raids from other clubs? What is it about our club that allows this? Strong clubs rarely lose top players

Last year we didn't play the way we trained in pre-season. Pre-season was lots of fast ball movements, cutting back to the corridor and playing on at all costs. Come the regular season this disappeared. I called this out numerous times because I was flummoxed by it. This pre season we are doing the same. Curious. We are still way to Max focused IMO. Easy to coach against with no dare, verve or ingenuity. Will be watching with interest our first 8 weeks where we should be 6-2 or 7-1 given the draw.

Making up things a normal part of your repertoire? Nice self-own. Feel free to let me know where that was said by me..... Not your greatest post 58er

Well he has been known to gift people games ie McAdam

Maybe Kozzie doesn't like travel.....

Kozzie loves it here, He's not going anywhere. Close thread.

Having Langdon and Sharp play further towards our defence will help our defensive efforts no - given their excellent endurance running power.

Port has lost Todd Marshall for the year with an achilles. No Marshall, Dixon retiring and Houston leaving looks like they could easily succumb to pressure after the first 6 or 7 games. They're my tip to slide the most this year.

They said "we wont win a flag with Frost and OMac as our two key defenders" hence they went and got May to add to a young Lever

We lost 4 games against top 8 sides by a kick. We aren't that far away. And that is with just about everything going wrong for us in 2024. The question was "Is this fixable in 1 off season or are we delusional thinking we can make the 8 with aging stars ?" The answer is of course it is fixable. Getting our key players back on the park play their best footy is the first key. The second is adjusting the game plan which is never as difficult as people seem to think. Thirdly we have a pretty easy draw that should see us 6-2 or 7-1. That momentum should see us make the 8 easily. We only play one 2024 top side twice and supposedly have the second easiest draw. If you look at which players improved or maintained excellence in 2024 (excl 1st year players) it is a very small list; Viney, Rivers, TMac, Langdon, Gawn and maybe McVee. There is a lot of upside for many of our players. That we are 14th in flag betting at 26 to 1 is ridiculous. we should be very optimistic about our chances in 2025

Of course it is

This encapsulates it really... Statement of fact from Goodwin. They are aware of our shortcomings which is good. Look fwd to seeing how they address them

I suspect they are actual. It has been reported that Clarry's pay will peak at $1.7m Clubs manage total cap spending by front and back loading all the time.

Wasn't sure where to put this but was having a discussion with a fellow Dee man and we were laughing at the odds for the 2025 flag Those of you who are punters might be able to comment on how the Dees are 11th in line for the flag at 26 to 1 and the Hawks are 2nd in line at 8.50 Are you able to back Melbourne at 26.50 and cash out when they get to say 12 to 1 during the season? In the first 8 rounds we play North, GC, Ess, Rich, Weagles. There is a reasonable chance we will be at least 6 and 1 possibly 7 and 1. And seeing as we are flying at summer training (!!)..... Brisbane Lions 7.50 Hawthorn 8.50 GWS GIANTS 9.50 Carlton 10.00 Collingwood 10.0 Geelong Cats 10.0 Sydney Swans 10.00 Fremantle 13.00 Western Bulldogs 13.00 Port Adelaide 18.00 Melbourne 26.00 Adelaide Crows 34.00 Gold Coast SUNS 41.00 St Kilda 51.00 Essendon 67.00 North Melbourne 126.00 West Coast Eagles 126.00 Richmond 151.00

What are you? Kevin Rudd? No one says that

Aside from the concussion issue isn't the point that players now just walk away from these long term deals when they feel like it? If you sign a long term deal then only exceptional circumstances should allow you out of it

Kynan did brilliantly in the time trial And his game saving cameo against the Roos during the year shows that he has the tools. Would like to see him get a run at it

Very good point

For a side with our record in 21-23, bringing in essentially 4 top 10 picks is great work. The list management and drafting team are terrific at identifying picks they want and dealing to get the draft capital they need. Its very hard to do when you have 17 other teams trying to do the same thing