Very Jaded

To be fair though I don't think Tim Kelly was home sick as much as he needed to go home for family reasons. Those are different things. Feeling lonely, isolated and missing home is very different to having external family pressure to return home because of a partner/child/parent, which is also where Hogan was (and having cancer would not have helped!). I highly doubt Jackson, who is 21 and has no long term partner or kids, would be feeling any pressure from his family to return home, when they can see what a successful career he's forging at Melbourne. He also has great connections at the club, having come across with Rivers who is an old mate. There will always be noise that he's 'going home', because every super talented player born in WA gets that sort of attention. But there has never been a single indication that he was wanting to return to WA. He said on the Gus and Gawny podcast last year that he loves Melbourne, he keeps gushing about the team, the culture and working under Gawny. Why would you go out of your way to say those things if you were missing home? For me the only reason he hasn't signed is because his management team knows how much his worth will continue to increase, and the club is obviously trying to put long term deals in front of him, which is not a wise move for someone of his age and calibre to sign. As much as I wish he would sign a 10 year deal, the reality is he should sign for 2 and then get even more money. I also think that if the club didn't think they were a strong chance to retain him, they would have entertained the Cerra for Jackson trade last year, as we were very much into Cerra.

I agree with some of their comments that this won't be some dead rubber. Their effort against the Lions was much improved. They will probably struggle to kick a winning score, but I don't think they will just roll over. At 0-2 the pressure is mounting on them, and after a hard road trip with a 6 day break, and given we are not known to go hard early on the season, this could well be another close game. Besides, we don't smash sides... unless it's September 🤣 I just want to see an improved performance going inside 50 so we can get some decent output from our forwards.

I believe he got pulled off at 3/4 time because he's likely going to debut this week. Not injured.

Dermie is insufferable. Just does not shut up!

I bet my bottom dollar they’ll give it to Daicos

I agree but how do these teams get 2 top 5 picks? They will probably have one. Freo may not even have that. It’s a problem for us that he’s out of contract. Doesn’t leave us much leverage except that North is the most likely team to win the spoon…if West Coast get a sniff that he’s a chance they might even try to get that spoon off North, but it seems highly unlikely. They’re a better team than North when at full strength and still have an epic home ground advantage

I think it’s fair to say not a single member of Demonland saw that one coming… well done ANB on not just resurrecting a career but cementing a spot in the best 22 of the reigning premiers. A magnificent turnaround.

The only way I see him throwing away a golden chance at multiple flags is if he’s really really home sick. Someone who is really really home sick doesn’t play the way he has been playing though.

I don't want March headlines, I want September headlines. March is a fool's playground. September is when the big boys come out to play.

I totally agree. If there was any sense that Jackson was a risk of not signing there is no way Petracca, who himself has been under contract pressure in the media, would ever bring it up in jest on national TV. Given Jackson and Trac are locker buddies, I am sure they have chatted about it off line and Jackson has said he is staying and letting his management sort it out. He really doesn't strike me as a kid who has any interest in business.

I reckon Freo is the sole reason I lose footy tipping every single year.

I’m not sure why we don’t try Weideman as a back man to be honest, especially when Petty could transition into a forward which is where he started his career. We have him for 2 more seasons. Let’s try to get something out of it.

Well the Perth teams being putrid is certainly a good thing for our chances to keep Jackson long term. Wanna go sit at the bottom half of the ladder for the next 5 years or want to win flags?

Look I saw them as a threat but I’m glad they aren’t. They are super talented. Great midfield. Add Greene and they are very strong up forward too. But something is NQR there. Poor coaching, extremely poor defensive running, no game plan that I can work out. They play as highly paid individuals who couldn’t give a stuff about the team.

Sure. If clubs keep paying you 6 figures and you can get away with doing the bare minimum, why wouldn’t you. Just a shame because he could have been anything, but I had a feeling that when he left Melbourne that was the end of his career. I thought he’d plod along and he has.

Hogan still with shocking body language and poor work ethic. All the talent, none of the want.

They are so lazy.

On what grounds?

Name a bigger disappointment than GWS…

I also can’t see Tmac being out of the side until the backline is back to full strength. Because heaven forbid another defender goes down mid game he is the one who can go back and do a decent job.

So Neal Bullen has played a lot more midfield minutes so far this season and he’s been really really good. But I can’t help thinking that we miss his forward pressure and the downside of him playing midfield is that the ball is leaving our forward 50 with much greater ease now.

They’ll give it to either Daicos or Horne Francis regardless of form. Gotta get the big names rewarded 🙄 Bowey I’m sure is devastated as he polishes his premiership medal

When was the last time Goodwin made 3 unforced changes? Also Spargo getting dropped? Absolute LOLs

I think nobody remembers Oliver in his early days. But it says a lot that he’s never been dropped once in his entire career. He came in and dominated from day one. But Bowey is no different. Composure in such a hard part of the ground is insane. He reminds me a lot of Salem with the way he attacks the footy and uses it.

Jackson would be stupid to leave now. He can sign for 2 years, nab himself one or two more flags and then reassess. It’s not like in 2 seasons he won’t be any good and West Coast and Freo won’t be wetting themselves at the thought of getting him home. But to leave now is to throw away the best chance he has of being a multiple premiership player. Besides he has the opportunity to enjoy his footy and do what he likes while Gawn gets all the attention. If he goes to a club with lesser rucks the ride will be much harder for him.