damienjr

Hey guys, I’ve got to ask you this: Melbourne gets three first-rounders for Petracca because the Suns wouldn’t trade Bailey Humphrey. So what are we saying here — is Bailey Humphrey genuinely worth the equivalent of three first-rounders? Or has Melbourne just pulled off one of the smartest list management plays we’ve seen in years?”

We are bottom 4 side with them so why would you want to keep them?

Clarkson didn’t move on Hodge and Mitchell because they were old — he did it because they’d served their purpose and the club needed to evolve. You could say the same about Trac and Clarrie. They’ve probably already played their best footy, and if they’re not fully aligned with where Melbourne’s culture and standards are heading, then age and contracts mean nothing. It’s about fit, not years left on paper.

Let’s have some perspective here. Hawthorn and Collingwood both went through this exact cycle — and it worked. Alastair Clarkson, one of the most successful coaches of the modern era, moved on Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis, two club legends and premiership heroes. People called it heartless at the time — but it reset the list and set Hawthorn up for the next wave. Collingwood did the same with Treloar, Stephenson, and Grundy — copped the backlash — and were premiers two years later. Trading a star isn’t “rolling over”; it’s ruthless planning. As I mentioned in another thread, the real mistake is hanging onto players out of sentiment and ego while everyone else moves forward. If Melbourne’s finally making the hard calls, that’s not a disaster — that’s what serious clubs do when they’re chasing their next flag, not clinging to the last one.

Calling this a “train wreck” is lazy analysis. What Melbourne is doing isn’t panic — it's changing course (which supporters were yelling for the club to do). Hawthorn and Collingwood copped the same criticism when they moved on big names like Mitchell, O’Meara, Treloar, and Grundy. Yet both clubs came out stronger for it. They weren’t conducting fire sales — they were cutting out complacency. Melbourne’s doing exactly that. Keeping Petracca and Oliver out of fear would be far riskier than trading them. You can’t build a new era while two massive contracts eat the cap and stifle young midfield growth. That’s how you end up stuck in mid-table purgatory — too good to bottom out, too stale to contend. Trading them now isn’t desperation; it’s leadership. The club is resetting before decline sets in, prioritising culture over comfort. This isn’t a wreck — it’s prevention. And the clubs that have the guts to do it early nearly always come out the other side stronger.

Keeping Petracca and Oliver is the real gamble, not trading them. They’ve become the anchors of a midfield that’s predictable, slow, and reliant on reputation rather than output. Three years of the same mix has delivered nothing but regression, so why would another spin of the wheel be different under King or anyone else? Clinging to “200-game stars” is a security blanket—when in reality, those games don’t mean much if they come with baggage, ego, and bodies that no longer play at the level they once did. Trading them isn’t waving the white flag; it’s ripping off the bandaid and banking their value before it evaporates. Clubs move forward by being ruthless, not sentimental—and right now, Melbourne’s bigger risk is staying loyal to names that keep the side stuck in neutral. Landing Humphrey or getting 2 decent first-round picks for Tracc will be a huge win.

Wow. And you reckon you’ve moved on? Not a chance. If you honestly believe Trac hates Melbourne, why would you even want him at the club? The truth is, you’ve been carrying unresolved baggage with this club for decades, and it bleeds through every word you write. It’s not analysis—it’s just your bitterness dressed up as a narrative.

Hoping he will come around is a huge risk. He doesn't want to be at the club. He is not the player he was, and he will be 30 early next year, and I can't see King or any other coach at Melbourne being able to change his attitude and his relationship with his fellow teammates. As good a player as he was and even is, I would trade him for two early first-round picks so that King can establish a new culture that has been quite toxic over the last few years.

We are on the bottom with them. Keeping them will not change the culture or the perceived attitude within the playing group. Changing personnel will. Agree it is a risk, but I believe it is a risk worth taking. Read Jake Niall's article in today's Age. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/what-the-hell-is-going-on-at-the-demons-20251003-p5mzu8.html

Ain't going to happen. I believe we will settle with a straight swap with minor picks being thrown around. A little under for us but bearable.

Which means get frigging fit.

I agree but we did start 2022 10 zip

This is the challenge King has with the playing group especially the senior players. If he can get that premiership group really really motivated again then we won’t be that far off. It’s a big if.

As much as it’s frustrating I’m impressed with the silence coming out of each camp. No leaks only speculation.

These are reasonable scenarios only if Tracc's contract is taken off our books.