speed demon

Some thoughts about hope and changing of eras. In hindsight, the beginning of the end started the moment Brayshaw lost consciousness in the opening moments of the ’23 preliminary final. We lost our composure and so too finals series. We lost an important clubman and players lost their way. The 23/24 “offseason from hell” continued into 2024 onseason. It was awful but I thought – or preferred to believe - it was more bad luck than bad management. Come Jan ’25, I attended an opening training session with my two excited boys. The smell of barbequed sausages was in the air and so was hope. We bought both. The boys held still for the players to sign their Dees jumpers (including a 2021 Premiership version) and smiled for photos with Goodwin, Claz and Trac. A photo from that day is the screen saver on my phone. A month or so later, I was concerned when key ball users were felled by injury, casting doubts about the feasibility of implementing of a new game plan, characterised by better ball movement. By 0-5, hope was nearly extinguished. Yes, there was a mid-season renaissance, with stirring wins over Freo, Sydney and Brisbane but it was a false dawn. Honourable losses followed but losses cease to be honourable when they become habitual. Then there was that Saints game. Goodwin told the board we were so close they “could smell it”. He was still selling hope. I could sense it in January but not in August. Eventually, the reality of experience needs to triumph over hope. I believed in Goodwin’s ability to evolve the game plan – he had done it before – but not our personnel. Trac, Oliver, Viney, Lever and May were not going to play in another premiership together. Hard decisions needed to be made. I don’t hold it against Goodwin if he was unable to do this; perhaps his close relationship with the players enabled ’21 in the first place. Perhaps without Goodwin, Oliver doesn’t have one of the best early careers in VFL/AFL history. I find myself both sad and happy that Goodwin, Trac and Oliver have left. All three were integral to our best era in 60 years. All three contributed to our decline. All three are human and flawed like the rest of us. The future does not change the past; while I think it’s best they move on all should be remembered as MFC greats. Guerra and King have started well; they communicate clearly and act purposefully. They been making difficult but necessary changes to create a fresh start and establish a new era. Hope springs forth again.

Well said. I'm feeling more confident about the future than if we were heading into 2026 with Goodwin, Oliver and Petracca (as much as all deserve to be remembered as MFC legends). I wasn't expecting us to pay out Goodwin a year early but doing so set in motion the reset we needed. We can now focus on the future rather than cling to the false hope of re-creating 2021 with the same personnel.

Don't know about A- for St Kilda. Big contracts for B graders, back flipping on Alir and squeezing out a respected captain; there's quite a risk for player disharmony. Great that they didn't trade Marshall to the Cats though.

Agree. An "A" for mine. I like the addition of Mihocek on the cheap too.

I get that a F3 for Oliver seems ridiculous at first glance but what would you trade for a 28yo who performed as Oliver did in 2025? Certainly not a 1st rounder. Perhaps a second rounder but then there’s the off field issues to consider. So, a third rounder it is. Finally, who wants to pay someone worthy of a third rounder $1M+/yr. ? GWS’ offer only seems ridiculous to us because of our emotional attachment to Oliver and his past (onfield) exploits. If the offer truly was ridiculous, there would be an auction taking place but there isn’t. If a new coach & admin think it’s time to cut our losses, let’s do so and move on.

If we are to take the comments of random posters with a grain of salt, we should take the comments of MFC officials in trade week with a large chunk. Consider the counterfactual, if King or any MFC offical said "we are determine that Trac will not play for MFC in 2026 under any circumstances" we've destroyed our ability to negotiate a fair trade. Therefore, whether we want Trac at MFC or not, the only public comment prior to a trade being negotiated will be that we do.

Your boss may not think you getting much work done but I for one think you're producing terrific content!

Can confirm. 44min 22sec. In an onesie apparently (though couldn’t find a picture of this). https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-marathon-2025-live-updates-olympians-celebrities-take-to-city-s-streets-for-major-running-event-20251010-p5n1n0.html

We are getting this bloke for a F4?! Just as a 5 man interchange is being introduced? Umm, OK Saints, I guess that’s fair. Do you sell property too? Need something for a guy coming from QLD.

While it’s sad how his career at MFC is ending it’s worth reflecting that, given his personal challenges, it could easily have never happened at all. We got some things wrong at the end but we must have got a few things right at the start.

I get what you're saying but we can't live in fear of "what if..." We need to make our decision on what's most likely to happen. My guess is Oliver's future ceiling is somewhere between his best and his form in 2025. For a club that needs an inside bull, that's good value for $7-800,000/yr. For us, looking to adapt our gameplan and a fresh start, ~1.5million/yr is not good value. Maybe, we can create better value for our money by paying Oliver to pay for GWS and buying draft picks or luring Humphrey on a fat contract. (For what it's worth, if Oliver does go to GWS I genuinely wish him well and with Hogan and Bedford already there Giants would become my second team - if I allowed myself such indulgences)

First time I've enjoyed watching Collingwood highlights. Strong, skilful and crafty. Great value acquisition.

I want to give Trac some credit. Firstly, while his form this year was below his best it was still very good and as good as could be expected given the physical and psychological impact of his King's Birthday injury. Secondly, after last year's failed departure, I expected Trac to seek a trade at the end of 2025. Despite everyone's hypervigilance for signs of discontent, the dominant narrative this year - at least externally - has been that he was committed to the club. In these two regards, I think Trac has conducted himself professionally and somewhat re-stored a reputation that took some damage in 2024. It has also put us in a much better negotiating position than if he had a poor season or seemed desperate to leave for the whole year. With that being said, it's in everyone's best interest that a fair deal is struck. King deserves to start his reign with committed and unified squad. The persisting presence of a want-away high-maintenance star is harmful. I'm all in on a straight swap for Humphrey (+/- change either side).

Finals bound or not, this is smart list management. For little cost or risk, he immediately improves our best 23 and addresses a major need, while reportedly also being a solid citizen. More of this please.