Norm Smith's Curse

Ah Melbourne. Even a premiership can't change it.

The window is shut and the rebuild begins. That is the direction some folk aren't happy with.

No apparently Covid being in the air stopped the curse for working for a year or two before switching back on.

The only scoops I ever got were from an old guy at the golf club who I now suspect was slipping into dementia. His strike rate beyond Kennedy for Howe was very low.

Yeah the word i heard was the family were panicking thinking his life was in danger with emergency blood transfusions and the club were busy posting that he would be back playing in 6-8 weeks. The priorities were way off.

Best post of the night!

Yeah I've heard a bit of this as well. Nothing overly positive.

I've heard a rumour they are bringing Mark Neeld out of retirement for a wholesale clean out. A hand of pics and every superstar spurned for a might-be if we are lucky.

I'd think this is mainly to do with the the injury and the years of kicking into a dysfunctional attack. But the club posting that he will be back in 6-8 while he is in hospital having an emergency blood transfusion said a lot. The weird 'dont complain about injuries, sickness or use them as an excuse' mentality at the Dees just doesn't understand the modern reality. But if I was Trac and his family panicking that he was going to die while the club was posting that kind of thing would have annoyed me also.

yeah I still wonder about what they were thinking in those days. Heart and soul player. Mind you I personally felt the same about Harmesy. He was no superstar but he was heart and soul, and never gave up.

If Houston is going to happen then i doubt we will make a play for another major player. Too risky. So I think if we get Houston we will settle for a Peter Wright even Membrey type to fill a need and still keep a reasonable draft hand. Either that or we go crazy and trade all sorts in the 2024 MEGA TRADE

Membrey used to smash us but getting on

Dont think we will ever find a genuine Jackson replacement Could possibly use Houston or Parish as some sort of Brayshaw replacement type roll. Peter Wright could be some sort of floating forward / second ruck option. Can an attack of Fritsch, JVR and Waterman really work? Id like a pacey mid as well - asking too much?

Where are those blokes with all the inside Goss on trade targets? I want a left fielder

There is no value in sacking a coach right now but suddenly our list looks thin, unfit and bog ordinary.

Surely this is trolling

Goodwin's comments in the post game pressor seemed to indicate that they would love another Brayshaw or Petracca in the contest. Doubt there is one available.

Sorry yes you are correct. My mistake.

double post

Yeah Ive heard this but different versions ranging from Max telling Goodwin to let Jackson stay out there as he was already going well, Gawn talking Goodwin into allowing Jackson to start and your version.

Trades post flag: 2022: - Bedford out for pick 44 - Jackson out for pick swap and pick 13 - Weids out for pick 37 - Grundy in for pick 27 - Hunter and Schache in for 3rd and 4th rounders. = lost a small forward, a forward and a tall ruck/forward, gained an aged winger and some decent picks 2023: - Jordan out as free agent - Harmes out for third rounder - Brayshaw out retired - Grundy out for pick 46 - Fullarton in for pick 47 - McAdam in for a second rounder - Billings in for a third rounder = lost three midfielders and Brayshaw's linking up role from the back half. Gained a ruck who does not seem likely to make it, a forward who hasnt shown much at all so far and a depth player that is a downgrade on Jordan or Harmes.

So you are saying that Goodwin did not want Jackwon to replace Gawn in the third quarter? Has that been confirmed and verified?

I still dont agree Im afraid. Our forward 50 in 2020 and 2021 wasnt mediocre as it had Ben Brown who was still playing reasonable well and TMAC was also playing quite well in those years. Both Brown and Tmac kicked less than half the goals they kicked in 2021 in 2022 and beyond. Jackson was also a factor when he moved up forward. I feel that Jackson was actually a massive loss that we never really replaced. Because he was a utility he could move to many positions/roles and Grundy was never that. Id argue that the weakness such as the forward 50 became more apparent in 2022 because BB and Tmac were getting on and we didnt have any replacements. And now we lose Brayshaw after trading out Harmes and Jordan.

I'd like to see the same list management savviness that got us to 2021 and if we head into 2025 relying on the same players it's over. But heck, ask a saints supporter if they would take one premiership in their lifetime? Two would have just shown it wasn't a flash in the pan

My take is we did everything right to build a list capable of winning flags - great trades, great drafting. But the after the flag because the flag bought a release of pressure we made some list management mistakes and had some bad luck and suddenly we have May and Gawn the wrong side of thirty and Viney, Clarie and Trac getting on as well. We lost the talent of Jackson, Brayshaw, lost depth in Harmes and Jordan and we brought in players that were never going to be more than depth in recent times. The window is over unless there are dramatic changes in trade period. We are relying on veterans.