Adam The God

Jack seems like a top bloke. I heard he's not a particularly demonstrative leader, but he seems to just ooze class and respectability. And we have other blokes who are more demonstrative if needed. But wowee, what have St Kilda done to their culture? If I was a St Kilda player prior to this year, I'd be thinking WTF.

I wonder if it's toughness. I used to coach him as a junior. He's turned into a big boy, a nice kick with a Cripps-like frame, but he reminds me of Smillie from last year's crop. What do you think, @ChaserJ ?

Xavier played as a legitimate midfielder. Josh plays as a definitive half back.

I agree. I was pushed a video of his highlights from a game yesterday and it was full of turn overs and poor decision making. But his championship video from memory is pretty good. What are your thoughts on Josh Lindsay? He'll be around our picks. Just about every touch is a handball receive, but he can take a contested mark. His kicking is sublime though. On any angle, he can hit it, though only on the left foot it seems. But some good run and carry too. Dovaston is the other guy, again likely available around our pick, has good energy, probably lacks the class of a Watson, but could be a more than handy player at AFL level, pushing into the front of stoppage from half forward. From what I've seen, he's very clean below his feet. JT allegedly really likes him.

Sure, a late first round pick is more favourable than a F3, but to my understanding the salary absorbed by Geelong would be no more or less than what GWS have taken on...

I agree mate. Shall we activate the GF guarantee for 2027? I think so.

Essendon, Swans and St Kilda are not glowing endorsements. We're basically saying we don't have anyone capable of communicating to members list management decisions from the FD. And Caulfield is very clearly in his commercial remit, so I wouldn't expect someone from the FD to discuss Caulfield. I would expect Guerra to run that. In fact, having Guerra discuss list management is like having Tim Lamb announce Caulfield. Totally different remits and areas of expertise.

I can't recall a CEO discussing list management except Cameron Schwab. Usually it's Tim Lamb, Josh Mahoney or Alan Richardson. How many times has it been said now that Guerra has no footy experience? I know Greeny is a poor media performer, but I assume Guerra has taken over his spot for media appearances. I don't really care what Guerra thinks. He's not a football guy and he's doing a hard sell in this video anyway. I do care what Tim Lamb thinks. I'd much rather content from him directed to a Melbourne audience, rather than just trade radio appearances and pressers.

Death knell for Richo, surely. Why don't we have the head of footy discussing list management? The CEO shouldn't be anywhere near this.

So much Eeyore twaddle in this post, but we got there in the end.

Of course he could have posted something. But if you think Trac posted his message, you haven't been watching.

Maybe we want someone like Robey at 2 and Pickett at 28...

I've seen it. Doesn't mean May couldn't have admitted fault and told the club he's going to step up his game and fight for his spot...

What?

Spot on mate. If you don't offer lucrative contracts, good luck keeping players. You've often got the same people on here saying "It'S a bUsiNeSs!" but then saying "iT's A [censored] cOnTrAcT!" You can't have it both ways. If it's a business, you've gotta pay up for your best talent. Sure, it'd be great to have all your best players accept unders, but footy has changed so dramatically, good luck keeping who you need by paying unders. It's precisely why we landed Mihocek.

To be fair, he doesn't have a social media manager doing it for him.

The music in this just makes me tear up. It's like the Insta post with Clarry and Trac set to M83's Outro. These two were forever linked to the greatest footballing moment/game of my life. Very sad stuff. I'm glad we're parting ways with both, but wish it went differently overall. They were both on track to play 300 games.

That'll be interesting to see league-wide really. I assume it brings in the second ruck and then has a flow on effect to an additional runner.

I believe pick trading opens again on draft night. So what you'll have is West Coast take their pick 1 and then run down the clock on pick 2 and see what offers come in. They've already signalled to clubs they're willing to split it for the right deal. There's also nothing stopping clubs talking now. Just deals won't be able to be closed until pick trading opens again.

It's still too early. I think we'll have 1 or 2 players some would have in their 23's post draft.

Good post mate. As much as I hate them and it was clearly out of necessity, Collingwood were very bold and brave with the Treloar and Grundy deals, and given their speedy success afterwards, I think it's encouraged others to be aggressive with these sorts of deals.

I think you'll find that May is committed to Melbourne and we're committed to him (at least for 2026), and he will play a role next year. Not only leadership wise, but on field.

We're very lucky to have your insights and expertise on this site, son. 👏

I'd argue 2019 was a super draft. 2025 is not. Good luck.

We got 3 best 22 players and Max's successor, and freed up significant cap space (pa) as @Ted Lasso said. The media were initially going on about how great St Kilda were doing. That softened when they [censored] up the Aleer deal. Meanwhile, we brought in as many players as them and none for the ridiculous prices they paid. I reckon our guys could have just as much impact next year as their incoming guys. But unlike St Kilda, we managed to get two first round draft picks this year and next. I love how aggressive we are at this time of year. I think our window could reopen as soon as 2027. I don't subscribe to the idea that we're rebuilding, we've got rid of two guys, not an entire team. A rebuild also says to me you're building from the ground up (we're not) and it's a multi-year process. We still have a significant number of premiership players on the list to guide the next generation (the 6 first rounders we've brought in since 2021), and by the end of 2026, we'll have likely have had 10 first round picks in 5 years. All being well on the field, we can then get aggressive in free agency and trading to target specific holes/needs (ala Lever, May and Langdon from 2017-2019).