Pates

I can't see how the AFL can handle Ess v Pies being standalone then unless I've misread it and they will have two night games afterwards. One thursday One Friday Three Saturday (one twilight, two night) Four Sunday

Thanks for clarifying that, I didn't feel like it was going to be a PSD route. Obviously clubs will be tight lipped about these things but it would be very interesting to know how his fitness tests are going.

I think we'll get one more, but it won't be our home game. Maybe against the pies, bombers, or blues.

Yeah I'm sorry but that's a completely load of BS it's a standalone game. I would cop it being a standalone fixture (ie no competing games at the same time) but why deny there being a night ANZAC day game in say Adelaide, Perth or Sydney? With ANZAC day falling on a Saturday does that mean there will be a public holiday on Monday? Could have a couple of games then. One Thursday One Friday One Saturday Four Sunday Two Monday Would that be in the ballpark? I'll be fuming if they have us competing on the eve given us and the Tigers have really made it something special.

Personally I'm happy if we pick him up. Many have pointed out that we have a bunch on list cloggers already who it seems their only attribute is durability. Bennell is a risk, both in his off-field history and injuries. But I feel like most recent premiers took a risk on somebody to help them get to the top. He has attributes we sorely lack, and the risk is ultimately that we're giving up a slot on the list. If we bring him on board them I back the club in and I'll back Harley in.

Looks a good fit in Dees colours.

How pointless is North Melbourne vs Bulldogs at docklands? Surely playing that at Arden street or Whitten Oval makes more sense.

Able to give the gist of the article? It’s behind a pay wall.

Realistically he shouldn’t be looking to play footy for a long time, focus on getting his concussion issues right first. Very sad, you wonder how he would’ve gone in the 80s and 90s, if he’d push through it and what the long term ramifications would be. There’s still so little they know about it all.

It’s interesting hearing the conversations about Murray and Bennell citing the idea of no bad influences at the club. Fact is that these guys are in this situation for a reason, otherwise they’d already be on a list. At some stage a club needs to take on the responsibility of giving them another chance and I would imagine both Murray and Bennell will be hungry for the opportunity. I would be up for our club giving one of them that shot.

Something about Geelong getting him that doesn’t feel good, if they can get his body right with him behaving that’ll be a massive weapon and I hate the idea of Geelong having a weapon added to their list. I still think that we should be having a very serious look at him but bring him on board with conditions. Weekly sessions with a club psychologist, chaperone, and perhaps a few other things to keep him in line. He’s made mistakes in the past, he has every reason and incentive to want to move on from them.

I think they basically used him as an example to say we’re not going to play ball all the time now. They already had the draft picks to not be worried about missing out on compensation.

So things are seemingly getting juicy with him then, you almost wonder whether there's ulterior motives with certain "reporters" leaking certain stories. Yesterday my opinion was if he doesn't want to be at Melbourne then don't pick him, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to sway him towards us. The price on his head is an issue though but there could be a simple school of thought where if we pick him this year then maybe we can use him as bait for next season, and if he ends up finding that Melbourne can be his home then all the better. It sounds like we are putting lots of consideration into this decision, it would be worth us having a spot available going into the PSD just to mess with the Blues even if we don't pick him!

I have to say after I was super keen on him I am starting to think for the coin his asking it’s too much for us. While I think he would be a good fit for us he probably hasn’t shown enough yet to justify that kind of coin. I’d rather us invest in someone that wants to be at the club or give someone who would show a dedication to better himself for the team. The fact he has essentially turned us away without giving us the chance to speak to him, given his situation, smacks of arrogance. Undeserved arrogance and the Blues seem to go hand in hand. If we are given an opportunity to speak to him then maybe things can change.

I’d absolutely love it if we leaked that to put Carlton at ease and flip on the day! ? I feel like we have been in the position to get screwed so many times in the past, hell he got screwed by missing out on pick 2 this year, I want us to play a little bit of dirty pool. If it gets us to the top I couldn’t give two ?!

I think I read somewhere that whatever he nominates has to be included in the salary cap. Can someone confirm that? Also that seems like a crazy and totally unethical system that basically is draft tampering. If you nominate a price on your head it shouldn’t be allowed to change club to club. We should be careful not to tip Our hand too early, particularly when it comes to cap space. We’ve confirmed our interest, hopefully May and KK have good relationships with him from GC and they can make contact on our behalf and get the wheels in motion. I would’ve thought the AFL would feel really uneasy about a precedent being set with a player ditching a club before FA and basically manipulating the situation to get to a club, particularly as this guy has left GC.

He has some very strange opinions on many different things, and opinions are like assholes....

Alright time for the club to get creative with its accounting, seriously so many other clubs have been able to do it in the past. With Martin being a genuine opportunity for us surely it can be done. There might be question marks over his worth at the price but we have overpaid others due it being a need. Well he has attributes we need so make it worth Dees.

This is the key here, while if available and we're still able to meet his terms I wouldn't be against us "drafting" him I ultimately want him to come to the club in a manner in which he feels excited and hopeful about being a Demon.

Do they get an extra pick in the PSD as well? I thought it was only the national draft they got the assistance package, wouldn't surprise me if they initially do have that and then will suddenly say "oh yeah and they get another go at the PSD".

So from the sounds of things it wouldn't be as easy as swooping in and taking him, so back to getting May and KK to have words with him get him considering us as an option. Gently remind him that we've been able to get our trades done, but Carlton failed with his.

I wouldn't be upset if we offer him another year but really I can't see what the point is. He's never been able to nail down a position with confidence within the club and really just looks average and unsure of himself when he breaks into the team. I'd delist both him and JKH without much hesitation.

I find it curious that there has been absolutely no mention of the fact that with Martin unsigned, there seemingly being an impass regarding his future at GC, and that we have PDS picks before the Blues that we would position ourselves to pinch him. Is there just an assumption now that Carlton will find a way to manipulate things to get him there?

Not necessarily, allowing your contract run out is slightly different. If he is delisted before his contract runs out (as is quite normal) it allows a player to make his way to a club without any fuss, if his contact runs out then I believe (I could be wrong) that date is past the point of allowing a player free movement to the club of his choice. Meaning that player must nominate for either draft.

Yep that's the guy, bit of a bolt from the blue by Freo to draft him. Could've given him a heads up to say if you're available when we rate you we'll take you.