nutbean

The only thing I take out of this is they are talking - all the rest is media speculation and conjecture. As most have said - I don't believe money will be a sticking point. If his management wants to talk with a view to him staying in Melbourne I think the only real negotiation point will be the length of the contract - we would probably want a 500 year contract with a 300 year option ( and options on kids/grandkids/great grandkids) and he may want a little shorter time

I am not sure about straight into the guts - and I am not a believer in rushing players but if you put your hand up - you put your hand up - whether you are 1st year player or not. Brayshaw certainly earned his place in the team from the get-go. I think the difference is that they wont be played immediately just because they are a high draft pick - also Roos and co manage them well by giving them a break during season as he did with both Hogan and Brayshaw.

If he turn out as good as I think he will I think we also need a husband/wife, uncle/nephew and an any blood relative ( or acquaintance) clause in the contract.

Whispering Jack is better than Clayton Oliver

So what your saying is the trade would never happen. Trading Fyfe out ? Freo would never do it. Interestingly Freo offered a first rounder this year and next year for McCarthy - although the first round pick was pick 22. Hogan is worth way more than McCarthy in my biased opinion - so it begs the question - what would it take ? I honestly don't think that a deal could be done.

Hence my new found fickleness - I love every player knowing they could be gone next season and my love for them with it !

I do agree that we can never be sure what makes individual's tick. I do believe that players will rarely stay on offers for massive unders ( I do stress "massive" as a lot of clubs will offer more to get a player out of their existing club and players may stay stay for somewhat less due to friendships/relationships. Certainly premiership or near premiership teams have kept lists together for less money because of the nearness of the goal). Jones stayed two contracts ago when he played hardball with us against an offer from Essendon. There was some angst on these very boards as he kept negotiations going longer than many on here liked. I think Watts is quite interesting as I think he is highly intelligent and I believe he is acutely aware that hasn't delivered to what he this his potential is at the club and wants to. But yes some have stayed with little fanfare during our down times. I think the landscape has changed remarkably in the last couple of seasons in that players are much more willing to pull up stumps for either money or perceived success and most clubs now negotiate the players release (Cam McCarthy being the obvious exception). When palyers can move so easily, I believe that the lure of success is becoming more important which is why the Hawks have been so successful luring players to them. But you are right - we don't know what motivates each individual.

I also think he will be financially taken care of. I won't necessarily suggest it is about wins but certainly it is about direction. That anyone wanted to come our club after year one of Neeld still amazes me. I think we were somewhat of an unknown entity first year of Roos but I have never been more comfortable with what has been put in place both on and off field. We have had the discussion around development in the past - but I firmly believe that we threw young raw talent into a cesspool of a club with no real development path. That is not the case today. We are set up for success. So the last piece of puzzle is upward trajectory and that is all down to the players. They are being coached and developed well, given time where necessary - so they now they must deliver. I don't think that any Melbourne supporter is tipping us to go backwards - everything is pointing to improvement and the outcome of improvement is more wins. That improvement is what i hope will keep Jesse with us.

Do we know what Cripps has been offered ? Maybe all his expectations including monetary, have been met. I hate the word mercenary but if getting the best deal for a player is mercenary then Hogan will be mercenary. Players usually fall into two categories and that is dictated by demand and supply. The likes of Hogan and Brayshaw will be able to make demands of the club as they will be in demand. The likes of Michie and Spencer pretty much must take what the club is offering. It is then up to both club and player to decide if their stars are aligned. Whilst I am not an advocate of trying squeeze every last cent out of a club I would suspect that very few players do not get their actual worth.

They only sell International Roast therefore Jesse is a monty to stay in Melbourne.

My McLean and Sylvia post to my mind highlights what you say - it was never about too skinny or afl ready bodies.. I remember the conversation around these two at the time - we need "grunt", more "afl ready" footballers - look how that turned out. I am not sure that all the players in the picture would have turned out good players. But seriously, the odds that none of them have reached dizzying heights is not all due to wrong picks. I am absolutely in the development camp and compounding the problem of putting young talent into our cesspool of club ( as it was then).

I can answer that - he played 31 but as he made seven horcrux's , which meant splitting his soul 7 times - he effectively played 217 games. Life membership at the MFC !

Sylvia and McLean

I want to know how those matchstick legs managed to hold up the rest of Mortons body

do you remember loony Mark Jackson whacking Robbie Flower in a practice match...

"half the salary cap each" ...laughing....

I I'm the same. I am fully invested in all our players but with the understanding that it is now "here today, gone tomorrow".

It was the paper quoting GWS. Call it what you like but there is something definitely "fragile" about McCarthy. Compare him to Trengove. Injured for the best part of two years, almost shipped off to Richmond. Does nothing but knuckles down and gives it his best shot at making it back. I do agree that players have more power than they have ever had but not all - if you are a free agent then definitely, Not that I like the game of "Chicken" but with Hogan, if he wanted to leave and go to Freo - either Freo would have to meet our demands or Hogan can agree to our terms or if there is a complete impasse and he wants out and we want play ball he would have to take pot luck in the draft ( although we are disadvantaged by this). It is a rarity that players sit out because they didn't get to their destination of choice. However it is now a rarity that if players truly wants our that the trade is not done. The players that don't have power are the fringe dwellers - Ro Bail - thanks for your efforts - contract expired - see ya !

One of the papers suggested that there were issues mid year and were working with him.

So when GWS reported that they were aware and working with McCarthy's issues during the last year that didn't really cut any sway with you ? As far as you are concerned he has just thrown a fit because he didn't get his own way ?

Went to a great gig yesterday - Billy Miller has released a new album called "Australia" - love the album ( hate the title ). He played the album start to finish yesterday and was ably backed up by Bill McDonald, Johnny Annis, James Black, Rebecca Barnard and his son, Eddie. He wrote a couple of songs with Paul Kelly ( in a rain delay of the cricket !) so Paul Kelly was also on stage with him and sang. The second set was him doing some of his stuff from yesteryear including stuff from "The Spaniards" - he had Mick Peeling singing with him. ( also saw John Butler Trio on Saturday night - the man is a genius)

I have seen John Fogarty a few times of recent and he gives great concert - he still sounds the same as he did in the 70's

Again, revisionism at its very best. It is just another player that went later in the draft that turned out much better than our pick.

Pretty simple the club must show an upward trajectory - important for most players. We have been a basket case for so long - it is little wonder players wanted to move on. In my mind we are now stable and poised to continue to improve. We must win more games. meet financial demands - that is in our own hands and I don't believe that will be a problem hope the go home factor is not a factor - all noises being made is that he is happy here - I take that at face value.

Picket, if you love Wines then set him free, if he comes back and plays for the Dees then he is yours, if he stays at Port then he never was......