bing181

All those close losses smack of a lack of on-field leadership. You only have to go back to the St Kilda debacle (sorry) ... Max was standing in the middle next to Nas, yet failed to pick up on what was about to happen. Max is a great leader-by-example, but he's not a great onfield coach or tactician. Once again, we're paying on-field for the loss of the likes of Guss and ANB, plus the absence this year of Lever.

I'd rather be boring and win a flag than be entertaining and watch teams cut us up every other week. Could be just me.

Clazz and Trac weren't traded because of what's happening on-field.

Which is one of the main reasons Goodwin was moved on. Not just in terms of his longer term future - could we realistically have renewed his contract next year if we were sitting mid-table or lower? - but in terms of membership and profile. A new coach buys you a couple of years optimism and grace. You only have to look at Demonland - posters will accept finishing 14th again under King ("development year" ...), but hard to imagine that many would have accepted it under Goodwin.

Gawn spoke to this in a recent interview. I'm paraphrasing (probably badly ...) but said that October now is what December used to be, and that this is the period when you do all the hard running. Club training, when it starts up again, has become more footy focused.

There's not any evidence that King even spoke to May, yet alone the rest of the playing group. In fact, King himself said: “I haven’t had a chance to sit down with Steven yet, that was more a list management decision,”

I'd be surprised if he's had any conversations with King. It's off-season. Fitness staff during his exit meeting at the end of the season would be something else.

Not about not having the answers, it’s about not having the players. Ones who could kick for starters. It wasn’t the coaching that killed us, it was the turnovers.

This was also the Tim Lamb comment re the draft and what having higher picks gets you. Not so much better players, there are plenty of lower draft picks that go on to have great careers, but more that these higher picks are closer to AFL standard already in terms of athleticism and fitness.

And vice versa. King took the time to meet McVee. Trac ... a quick phone call. We never in a million years wanted to keep him.

Both the Hawks and Cats play their experienced forwards alongside emerging forwards (Deer and Neale for starters). In any case, I said "built around", not "including". Experience up forward is invaluable, but you can't have your young KPF's running round in the VFL because you've got 3 old blokes keeping them out.

For me, it was the easy part. For many, even most people, removing Goodwin in itself would have been enough. New coach, new game plan, new dawn, positive spin etc. etc. The hard part was taking Goodwin's departure as just the start of the necessary changes, and then carrying through on what really needed to change.

No-one from the club said that.

I don't think the CEO is or has been on the List Management Committee. I suspect he was there because of the names we had on the trade table, not every day you trade out your golden boys. Also perhaps to get a feel for it as he's new. But who knows ...

Interesting in that it confirms that Jason Taylor is very much part of List Management and Trade. Which we knew already, but still ... Presumably also confirms the List Management committee as Lamb, Taylor, Richardson, with perhaps someone from admin, David Chippindall who's COO? melbournefc.com.auInside the Trade Room | AccessExclusive access to Melbourne's trade rooms as the deals took place.

Which is one of the reasons he was let go.

Not really. Draft day yes, but that's more for the optics and photo opps. I don't believe I've ever seen Tim Lamb in the coaches' box. From images and vids I've seen around the place, I don't think any of the coaches were present. Not their remit.

I don't believe King ever worked with him at St Kilda, King was there before Steele arrived.

Perhaps also Jared Rivers.

Interesting to see Paul Guerra there.

Essendon, Swans and St Kilda CEO's have been discussing list management/the trade period in the last 24 hours.

You might be writing Max off prematurely, especially as he has a contract for the next 2 seasons.

He'll be 34 next season. A bit late for the leopard to change his spots, especially when there are no real consequences. He plays out his last year at Casey, pockets his $900K, and sails into the sunset. But heh, good luck to him.

Either: Taylor definitely has something in mind, or we wouldn't have accepted it. Or ... We're not really interested in 7 & 8 and we'll be doing pick swaps to get a higher pick or something more in 2026

Head of football isn't a forward-facing job. CEO is the face of the club, and given the scope of the changes it's understandable that he should front up. Remembering also that the mail-out was only to members. This is aimed at the GP and wider supporter base - at a time when memberships are due to be renewed.