praha

My benchmark isn't winning a flag. We haven't won a final at the MCG in 6 years and it'll be at least 7 years before we get another chance. Not even playing in a Prelim is a huge failure.

The gaslighting in this thread is off the charts. The writing was on the wall after two straight set exits. In hindsight it's crazy we didn't see this coming. I honestly thought (as did almost everyone else) that we would turn the corner as a club after we won the flag. We are still a semi-pro organisation masquerading as a big club. We have heavy hitters at the top end of town but that's it. The denial from club leaders, prominent supporters and even some players was straight up gaslighting the obvious. Tom Morris' report on SEN this morning was an indictment on club leaders. The last three seasons should absolutely burn the club internally and by all accounts it simply hasn't. It has to burn everyone right through the club including supporters. Instead we celebrate when we beat Essendon and pretend like everything is okay. We're still stuck in a 90s mentality as a club. If we want to play with the big boys we absolutely have to be filthy with this. Collingwood couldn't handle missing the finals despite getting within a kick of a flag in 2018 and multiple Prelims. It didn't take much to absolutely gut the place and reboot. We just don't have a hunger as a club to be feared. It took two finals series for us to lose all respect we gained from 2021. I honestly don't blame Petracca. Collingwood and Hawthorn would come out breathing fire next season if they went through this. Richmond did after going through similar with Martin. I just can't see it. And again I'm in a "happy to be proven wrong" mindset.

It's written by someone in the comms team and then approved by Petracca.

*86 years

My love for the club took a massive hit after 4 straight finals losses at the MCG after watching a premiership under house arrest following decades of pain. I haven't given up on the club but what has transpired over the past 12 months has seen me fall out of love with the Melbourne Football Club. You simply can't defend the club anymore. Last year's Semi final broke me and this year has angered me. I will wait to see what happens with Petracca and over trade period before I make a decision. Not sure I could forgive the club for how this has all unravelled. We all deserve much better. As it stands however I am more likely than not looking at suspending my membership for a year.

It took 4 days.

Not really. Anyone with as little as a week experience in media relations or corporate affairs can see that these leaks are coming from the club. He goes out for lunch with 3 teammates... and 3 teammates on condition of anonymity leak details of the lunch to the media lol

Such a peak Melbourne poll. Executives vs Players. You really can't make this [censored] up.

Jimmy was fantastic at getting people to donate but he oversaw some of the worst administrative and hiring decision the club AND league have ever seen. If it weren't for GC and GWS entering the league we quite possibly might have gone winless across two seasons, in his 3rd and 4th seasons as President.

She mentioned the club's coiterie a few times. Definitely sounds like they're trying to enhance his business opportunities. Seems to me he has put on the table what he wants/needs and they're in a "wait and see" mode.

Can anyone imagine Eddie McGuire saying "I haven't spoken with the family"? He'd be at their bloody doorstep. Seriously the club buckled here and gave into Demonland hysteria for Roffey to speak.

This is a train wreck.

Part of me thinks that the club's entire "We're not trading him" spiel has a lot to do with the fact his frustrations about his injury ultimately do sit with the AFL, and that they know that any potential push via the grievance council would likely fall in the club's favour. There is definitely a component of this that falls on the AFL, even from a branding perspective given he is one of the faces of the league and is essentially threatening to unravel an AFL entity in the club. It could well be the league here that is playing a role, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were already involved in a mediator role. There is a very complex trade scenario that would have to play out if he does leave. And given we are already hearing of official trade requests, the fact he is still silent suggests something is bubbling beneath the surface. Whether that's mediation or a genuine attempt to facilitate the trade we probably won't know until trade week.

What an absolute rabble of a club we are. You just know things a cooked when Gary Lyon squirms whenever he's asked something. I'm pretty [censored] at Petracca in all of this but never has a club unravelled quite like this.

That would be incredibly tough to get an outcome out of, though. Melbourne could say it is willing to trade him, but at market value, of course. Which is subjective to a degree but ultimately reflected in his contract and salary, which demand a high return. I can't see the tribunal ruling in his favour unless the club knocks back a deal of reasonable even value next to his contract. You're talking two top 5 picks, or Nick Daicos. He also can't go down that route if he picks a team and isn't happy about not ending up there.

In space, no one can hear you cheer.

I'm not even a fan of Goodwin's coaching and I 100% choose Goodwin

The next step now is for Petracca's camp (and potentially Collingwood or Carlton) to start over-cooking his injuries to bring his trade value down. Continue making his place at the club untenable, force a trade, and get it at value. Bookmark it. I reckon within 7 days we'll see a report about how he'll never be the same player again yada yada yada.

Seeing Collingwood supporters on Twitter suggest a straight swap for DeGoey which would be like swapping a brand new pair of Jordan 1's for a pair of slippers from KMart.

I said it earlier in this thread; this is going to look bad for "brand Petracca". He's not going to win friends in the league by wanting to leave on these terms. Who does this guy think he is? He wins a flag and a Norm Smith and complaina about his personal brand? lol CYA!

GWS.

Imo the bigger immediate loss was a healthy Ben Brown. His experience and positioning straightened us up and made Fritsch a better player.

Would be peak Melbourne to win one when no one is around to watch it.

I'd be less inclined to cancel my membership if the trade involved Curnow or TDK. I reckon Carlton members would riot though.