deelusions from afar

Just realised GC are looking for points so ignore my post above

I assume that's because we weren't intending to use our future first for that? Could we use our future first for that and something else? eg a third round pick? Could be useful for derksen or to package with the ANB pick to go a bit higher?

You might be right. But I think backing up finals year after year is hard - we had the jump on finals teams in 2021 as we didn't play finals and had those extra few weeks to recover and train. Is that why our fitness struggled? I also think the game style of other teams evolved and ours is very taxing to keep up all season. I don't feel we've had a heap of injuries due to training / management - a lot have been collision injuries which the fitness / medical staff can't control. The issue I have had is bringing top 23 players in while underdone - why aren't they made to earn it via the VFL. Clarry's situation is different but surely he should have had to earn his stripes there this year before coming into the seniors.

I don't know but from the outside it has to be partly B - do you remember there were matches last year where Oliver was not selected but he was wearing the sub top and training / stretching on the boundary line - while the game was being played? It's like giving an 10yo a sense of purpose to be part of the team who can't deal with not playing. Clearly Clarry is a handful - it seems this was managable until last year - as others have said things came crashing down for him after breaking up with his gf and getting his first significant injury. I'm sure the club hasn't been perfect but I don't think there's a manual for what they've had to deal with. Ironically (so Melbourne), that if he does leave, it is because we stuck by him last year and helped him get to a better place mentally that we will now only be able to extract a fraction of his value. We've done the right thing by him as a person - but ultimately it seems to have played a role in fracturing the club and now we're far worse off.

I went on to the Cats Big Footy to get a sense of the trade yesterday and they seemed to ahve a lot of intel on what went on

Agree its hard to know what to believe. But if this is true... then it's not like Pert would be doing this independently of Goody / Tim Lamb / Jason Taylor etc. If it is true, the Dees must think there is more risk of ongoing problems / fractures etc with Clarry staying or that he won't get back to his best. Definitely hope its not true but after the last few years it feels like there does need to be some big changes / difficult calls to move forwrad. Hopefully they make the right ones.

If they wanted to trade him, they wouldn't need to do this - clearly there is plenty of interest (eg Crows last year). Many teams still tagged him even though he was not match fit and had a broken hand. He is clearly highly rated - a multiple coaches award winner. To do what you are suggesting would be stupid as it reduces his trade value.

I feel much the same. As supporters you get attached to following players and for some turn into champions. How can we rewatch / relive the 2021 GF if the stars that made it happen are playing at our most hated rivals. What's the point of investing in the draft when it means giving up some of the best players we've ever had?

No it was deliberate - and it could be unfair. But I don't really rate Port because they have been flat track bullies and capitulated in big games more than most. I'm not saying they / they're coaches wouldn't have anything to offer us (I don't mind watching them as a neutral). But I don't think they have a great system - I think it is more based around some very good stars. Admittedly they beat the hawks but the hawks are younger, played an exciting brand which took them a long way while missing crucial chess pieces (eg defenders that will join in the offseason, Mitch Lewis and maybe another midfield star). If it wasn't about the list of players we have, I'd love us to play more of a run and gun style that is still defensively sound which many of the better teams are doing / starting to do.

Not exactly sure how the soft cap works but assume this means we've got a bit more to work with to attract an assistant coach than we normally would. Hopefully can get a good tactition / communicator with good IP from recently successful clubs / gameplans eg Bris, Swans, Pies, Hawks, Geel. Interestingly, Geelong after their desastrous end to 2021 revamped their whole footy department which seemed to make a big difference. I hope we shake things up in a similar fashion. I remember hearing them talk about rebuilding their gameplan based on the players they had and maximising their strengths. This is from Wikipedia:

Yikes. This seems a bit harsh! I actually think McVee is faster and more agile than Rivers - just doesn't (yet) have the tank to play midfield. If Bowey and Salem are average by foot, then why are they in the team - surely that is their strength?

I thought what made him so appealing is his long accurate kicking which opens the ground up in transition. There's stats gurus that know this better than me but most scores come from turnover. Salem and Bowey can open the game up with precise kicking (if encouraged to take the 45 degree corridor kick) but they don't have the ability to kick the sort of distance that Houston can which makes our transition more predictable. If I'm seeing the future with my red and blue coloured glasses on, we have largely fixed our forward issues this year in terms of personnel. They were actually ok - it was more our midfield fell apart with no Gus, Clarry down / injured and Trac missing the second half. We get them back at their best with a bit more speed in there from Rivers, McVee and Windsor and the missing piece might actually be the long kicking architect coming out of defence... ie Houston.

We're not getting him... so any other defenders we're looking to bring in?

I like Spargo because he doesn't waste it when he has the ball. But I do remember him on the wing in a few games last year. As a concept it makes sense and probably works with the right matchup - but I remember him getting beaten in the air, for pace and strength where he was a liability. I think the role doesn't fit his strenghts. Def agree re Windsor in at centre bounces - he looked very calm and composed in congestion this year which surprised me

If Rivers and McVee are intended to be used more up forward next season, I'm surprised we're not linked to players needed to play their role in defence - or have I missed something?

I reckon this is pretty on the money. How can any of us really know how well / poor Tim Lamb has done? I've definitely been disappointed with the output but it's hard to know where the blame lies. As you say many of the busts were low cost. I feel like some of the other things that have gone wrong are beyond Lamb's control: * trading out Harmes after Jordon left and then on the eve of the Season we lose Brayshaw. * getting Grundy and then the match committee not getting creative with the use of two rucks (one behind play and following the ball etc) as neither are reliable forward targets. Now which ruckman would want to come play with Max (who is the best in the game and can't play any other position)? * how much of the decisions are based on direction from others eg last few years (we need the best wing / half forward we can get for a bag of chips who is a good kick = Billings / Hunter) * what key forward has been available when we have had the salary cap and trading capital? If you were a key forward, would playing for melbourne be a great career move with our widely known issue of forward connection.

He looked great in his first year. He's young - we could get him at a (relative) bargain price... from memory we offered much of the Jackson comp for him?

I think Houston to the Saints makes less sense than in does to us. We remain a chance while the likes of May, Viney and Gawn are in the team (1-2 years) and having someone of Houston's quality will make a big difference particularly in ball movement. But it would be a short term play with what we would have to give up. The saints have some good young quality coming through. But I think by the time they really hit their straps Houston won't be at the same level and they will have given up 1-2 high draft picks in the process. They are better placed taking their two picks and adding to what they've been accumulating the last 3 or so years

I agree - I think outsiders would think there's a chance we might completely implode (which we might)

I hope that's the case and you may be right - it just struck me as a carefully worded statement where it gives him an out to go a different direction when / if he wants / can. That might be unfair... he's definitely been through a hell of an ordeal with the injury and since... but the whole point of a statement is to get the words exactly right as in a live interview a quote can easily be misconstrued (as our president found this week). The points I made in my last post about the statement clearly were not accidental and as a supporter of the dees (and our no.5), that makes me sad. So while I hope your take is correct, until there's more evidence to demonstrate that, I'll keep my take.

Do we know who the saints would be after? I wonder if we could convince them that's who were thinking of picking at 5 and then suggest an alternative of their 6 and 7 for our 5, F1 + ??

I'm relieved that Petracca has released a statement - if nothing else than it gets the club out of the bad media spotlight for a bit. However, I did find the statement both interesting and disappointing by what it didn't say. It has been very carefully crafted. For example: He says he loves his footy... but nowhere does he express his love for the club - where he has won a premierships and north smith with many of his closest mates. Usually this type of statement would have something like "I love my footy, I love this club - the players, the staff, the fans..." On his future he "remains committed to the red and blue" but it doesn't say for life or for his contract etc He also says "I voiced my concerns as a leader, wanting better for our club, playing group, and fans." Maybe this is accurate - maybe he was doing the hard thing and trying to generate the change needed. But from the snippets in the media, this seems more revisionist history being written and (until there's reason to think otherwise) the reference to wanting better for the fans seems disingenuous. i guess we'll have to wait to hear what he actually says when he's interviewed about it all.

An adelaide supporter made of mine was prety upset McAdam left the crows. Talking to him he said give him a full pre-season - he's clearly been down on fitness, form and confidence this season. At his best he is a difficult matchup like Fritsch, Melksham and maybe Turner in terms of his mobility and ability to win it in the air and on the ground. He deserves another season - but if it's similar this year it is going to look like a very ordinary decision to trade him in.

Yes given our current reputation, I can't see us attracting much. The drafting will be critical.

I'm not a Roffey fan, but I'm not sure what people are realistically expecting her to say. She's not going to fire people on the radio. She's not going to say how hurt / disappointed / angry they are with Trac. It seems a bit odd that she hasn't spoken with him. But given his apparent grievances, it makes sense that this is handled by the football department. Do people think everyone calling Trac now is going to help - it's probably more likely to push him away. She's not going to go on about any internal problems that are still either simmering away or being dealt with - as the media will spawn more articles on whatever she says. So she has to try to straight bat everything. She's certainly not going to advocate for a full externall review. It is really a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Having said that, while all this stuff with the ex-Pres continues, it seems like its very hard for the likes of her and Pert to get on with the job and for the club to get any clear air. Gawn is trying to generate this - with the contract extension and talk of helping Clarry get back to AA form. As per the other thread re selflessness, this has to start at the top. What is the true selfless action for our leaders such as Roffey and Pert. I don't know the situation well enough but it could be stepping aside until all the legal challenges are done... equally it could be continuing on in fixing the club despite all the criticism. I think most of us really don't have an idea what is going on - judging people's effectiveness just from their media answers is probably unfair.