praha

They're desperate at The Age. I've seen it.

This means they are preparing for a punishment. All but assured. Prepare. Game over for Schwab I'd assume.

I personally doubt we'll lose this year's draft picks.

LOL!

The club has no obligation to report on it. Only once decisions and/or sanctions have been made should the club report on it. Dumb threat is dumb.

Oh, the "C" word. Now just as dirty that other "C" word (hint: communism) Yes, blame the free market, commie.

I just hope the club isn't making moves for the sake of making noise, but rather to actually become a great team AND club. Mostly people I've noticed are either saying we have paid overs for a number of OK players, or commending the club for making moves without actually praising the moves individually. The club isn't back. It's still far off. This off-season is, if anything, a sign that the club won't sit back any longer, and that it can attract highly sought after players.

LeBron > Kobe > Gumbleton > Dawes > Martin

They didn't take Thompson away. He asked for a trade to go home IF the club could get one they benefitted from. At the time the deal they got I thought was fair.

For once the club initiates change and people still find something to complain about.

He's a fantastic addition because he's a brilliant club man. Geelong fans on BigFooty very supportive of his move, very praising of his personality and contribution to the club during premiership years. Sometimes little players like Byrnes end up being better pickups than the big-names with huge salaries. If we're going the hardline, defensive approach, then Byrne's effort to keep the ball in the team's forward 50 will be a great attribute. Fantastic pickup for the team.

You'd have to front load any Buddy play. He'd need $2 million in the first year to move on from the Hawks.

If it wasn't like that it wouldn't be free agency..

More people overall watching them though, and higher amplification. Money lost at the gates is made up with broadcasting rights. Nothing to see here.

I do admire the optimism but I am not confident of much improvement. The standards currently being set by the top 3-4 teams is far beyond the current reach of this playing group as it stands. The team itself needs some experienced, hard bodies, and the current coaching regime is working at a rate dictated by the top clubs. This year's poor performance is imo indicative of the team's physical inability to do what's required to be a top team. I am not saying the team can't get to the top, but it's still well out of reach of the current team's capabilities. They will improve, no doubt imo, but anything more than 5-6 wins, 2-3 really good wins, imo would be a big surprise. Improvement would be beating at least 3 teams outside of gold coast and gws. IMO any less is far, far too poor and not good enough. There is something missing from this team, and if it doesn't get it soon, it will take the long road back up the ladder, if that ever happens. We are atm losing more than we're gaining, and that's a big risk to take. It can work out really well but it can also be disastrous. If you're going to move on players like Moloney, Rivers, etc., you might as well at least have some assurance that you'll have someone to replace them. It's not like you're losing nothing players that aren't well known to fans. These are Melbourne sons that should understandably be moved on, but have something coming back in.

Don't think Lynch is coming to Melbourne. Dees citing a few quick mids mainly. But were hoping to land a big fish like Lynch to have another target up forward. Dawes to Melbourne possible.

I'll laugh if we got Butcher now. The club probably should have taken Scully and Butcher. I guess they saw something in Trengove that has helped make him captain? But he'd be great now. I'd be happy if we only got Butcher to be honest.

I personally thought Ratten had the interview lined up, may have already had a job offered and locked away, and was never really interested in the GC. May not be in the league next year but he'll eye a return. Or he went in thinking he is worth more than he is because he was an AFL coach.

It sounds like BT actually wants to get fired.

But I really think our 2002-2005 sides were similar to Sydney of 05-06 and 2012. The club was recruiting a lot of older, experienced outfits to contribute, and we were always around the top of the ladder deep into the season, before the annual drop off down a few spots (and sometimes down the brink of missing the finals). It just couldn't really utilise. Maybe that was Daniher's fault? But it smells awfully like this year's criticism that the club just doesn't do enough in training, which is clearly a cultural problem.

It is. Grant Thomas speaks his mind. Whether you like him or not, he made that show, and he wasn't in the AFL's pockets, or vice versa, although I'm sure league bosses didn't like what he had to say. How do you know it was an error? Was there a defamation case holding Thomas liable? Couldn't you argue that part of the reason behind Davey's season might have had to do with the issue Thomas raised? I don't doubt that Neeld isn't racist and had the best of intentions, but it's not surprising to see an Indigenous player responding with hostility to be treated away from the group. He might have said something jokingly in a spontaneous manner. Serious question: has Thomas stood by his word on that issue recently?

You're a bit "left of Lenin" aren't ya with that subtle rant of prelude you have there.

Garland's Anatomy

Clubs like Melbourne benefit from strong broadcasting deals. Don't be so ignorant.

Well said. Can't be helped that the ball is constantly being bombarded over and over again.