Wells 11

Im not sure. cant agree with that re Brayshaw. Then 2022 was messed up by going too hard for too long and not easing into the season rather than complacency. Oliver is another thing … although I thought we do ok this year w him. maybe we left it too long. If trac hadn’t nearly died would this trade even be being talked about? I’m sure some of this is on the club but not all.

If I eat these words I promise you they’ll be the sweetest words I’ve ever eaten and there will be no happier person than me doing so. It does feel like an era has closed…in a terrible way… but if we can genuinely open a new one i’d be stoked.

I remember the off season when schwarz did his knee and soon after we lost charles and jakovich permenantly . lyon hurt his back and Tingay cut his leg so badly on a glass door he was never the same. It felt utterly calamitous and the dream was over. This has got the same sour , bitter, sad feeling re Brayshaw, Oliver and Trac . I’m starting to brace myself.

trouble is when things get to this point that rarely happens.

I think Trac will play very little football in 25 if he plays at all but he also has probably 4-6 years left as an elite player. I think any club with a window bigger than a year would take him in a heart beat.

yeah I think this is the best or most realistic albeit super sad conclusion

My take. He will say he’s been very ill, had a really shocking injury and needed time out of the game. Then he will say he loves the dees and wants to win another flag with us. And I believe all of that to be true.

operation recently?

Am I the only one thinking Turner is our version of Waterman?

I think the dees have renewed their interest in Butters. But..no...there's no headline in that is there. [censored]. .

Garry was great 👍 … also said jack would be re signing in the next few days.

Not as simple as this. He fared terribly last year with an extended break.

Thanks WCW for the iportant context and for keeping some of us sane....I still feel devastated.

I think this has to be the crux of it. He risked his life without knowing it and is no doubt reflecting how and why he did that. Maybe he’s also lost trust in Selwyn Griffith? Whatever it is I hope he gets listened to and the club is smart enough to act on the information it gleans here… and not punish the truth tellers! I still have recurring nightmares about how we, as a club, handled things when we were trying to get the bottom of the issues between schwabb and Dean Bailey. Enter Mark Neeld and a death process I never want to repeat.

Ok, this a tricky question ...and Im a huge Oliver fan....but do we just rest him now with 25 in sight? Let him heal that hand and get stuck into the fitness work ahead of time. Or will that create the wrong kind of headlines and put him under more pressure? Im just struggling to see the true champion that he was (and I believe will be again) perform in this way... I cant believe this is good for him now...he's cooked. I pray for the day that he can run past butters after kicking a brilliant goal and give him back the mouthful he deserves.

Seems like we’re in that horrible place clubs get to when we’re caught pushing for another flag or having a deeper reset. Except the consequences of getting that wrong now are huge given Tassie coming in. Look at the mess the Tigers are in., Against that we have brought in many young players already and Gawn is nowhere near done. I find myself vacillating .

Even with all the injuries when they bring the heat they can beat anyone. The steady rise of JVR Rivers adding more strings to his bow Turner as a fwd Petty re signing But, as others have said, biggest positive by far is watching Windsor adjust to AFL.

Bit tough on melksham…he played half a quarter! plus he was involved in what should have been the winning play via fritsch and tholstrup.

great effort by the boys. Billing’s and Tholstrup terrible misses … you can’t afford that in close games.

I almost don’t want to comment because he’s both a playing great and the best captain in my time as a supporter. Personally I think he has 1 more year. But at a push, we have CP? Viney? and prob the top pick Lever. But… it hurts to even think about it.

Haven't given up on Mcadam. Seems like his Hamstring was more major than minor...could be better next year. Fingers crossed.

He was probably genuine ….and wasn’t just trying to avoid suspension.

Im all in favour of a game before the seasons end but imo thats all he's physically ready for...ie give him a taste to get him invested in having the pre season of his life.

Agreed.