Wells 11

It does have that feeling doesnt it. But I think we need to wait until we see the deal. Surely the cap space that it opens must also put us in the running for some of the bigger free agents this year?

Could also set us back quite a few if its not handled right!

IF this is true and IF we trade Hogan for ONE first round draft pick this site is going to melt down. Yes he can hold us over a barrell and say he's leaving at the end of next year anyway I suppose....but there is just no way in hell he's not worth way more than a one top 10 pick. Again IF this is all accurate does that put us back in the bracket to land Gaff?

Thanks Tom, Im not sure the club gave you quite the protection you needed after the Mills incident. But he was always a heart and soul player. Crap shot at goal lol...but a heart and souler.

What a load of absolute codswallop! denham simply guessing and people quoting Denhams " information" . Sheesh we live in a strange age. Plus there is no way in hell that, even if Denham was right ( which I highly doubt) that we would agree to trade him for ONE first round draft pick. Stupid frikn story. My head hurts.

Maybe preuss wants to be a part of a one two combo. Maybe he sees this as the most successful pathway and doesn’t want to be a lone hand.

He was right when he said Meeks had “ lost” the team in his first pre season and he was tight about last night. Two of his bigger calls about us. Respect where it’s due... no matter what we feel about it.

I loved what Bob Murphy wrote in his recent article that sometimes, like the 2016 doggies and the 2018 dees, " a team can heal a whole club" I think we're in the middle of that process. 2 games to complete it!

Why would any club keep scully over Kelly? Scully is gone. I hear he has an ongoing, high inflamed wallet injury and would be a liability to any club that picks him though.

Almost had me in tears at the end. frikn top class , outstanding, must listen for all dees.

Exactly my thinking. Surely with Lever back there isnt a need for a another tall? Combined with the problem we may have at the other end next year with Weid, Tmac and Hogan , talls really seem like the least of our problems. Or only a problem because we have too many! However the fact we've met with him signifies thats not what the FD dept thinks and I agree with you that I also trust our FD more than I ever have. So... Im baffled. Im also baffled by why Preuss wants to come to us in terms of the role he might play. The only sense I can make of any of this is if they know something about off season player movements within our club. Eg A Hogan or a Frost or a Weid or all three changing clubs. But I just cant see a mass , or even a mini, exodus from our club atm...why would anyone leave right now? To be honest I enjoy being baffled...reminds me of how little I understand about the way the FD is thinking.

Seems, sadly, like pro dee has the best info here. Have we actually landed a quality free agent ..like ever? Seems like every year its Essendon, Geelong, Hawks. Ok Port tried their hand unsuccessfully. And now North are having a real go. When we were crap and had money we couldnt attract as we were, well, crap. I remember that huge offer to dangerfield that fell through. Ironically enough becuase Roos wanted to hang on to Watts. But I dont think Danger was choosing us anyway. Now we're not crap we cant land any because we cant pay or be flexible enough in our thinking re positions. How do the hawks do it every frikn year? I know some were upset about what we paid for Lever....but I always thought that was a decent trade. Its gotten even better now, given where we are finishing. I think we trade well. But acquiring quality free agents has never been something we've been able to do. We're building a team the more traditional way....lets hope it can pay the ultinate dividend.

Appreciate your work! Tbh I never really tuned in before but have been a regular now since round 22.

Wondering how people feel about the constant barrage we get from the media here. . Constant joking about the clothes we're wearing, the holidays we take, the snow, the cars. Even when we're winning finals and our supporter base is CLEARLY as fired up and passionate as any in the league its STILL coming. Personally it always hurts me a little. The feeling behind the ribbing is that none of us care and Im sick of it. I get we're stuck with it, but the sense that melbourne supporters are spoilt tossers doesnt sit well well with me nor ever has. As as far as I know it we have suffered more than the average supporter.....and the fire burns in us every bit as deeply, if not deeper than the average supporter. fitzroy excluded. Maybe other people don't mind it as much as I do?

Anyone considered a possible repeat of 64? Dees and pies? So proud of the boys last night. No voice left today.

no team walks into a semi final overconfident. Not if the coaching is half decent. It’s all so new to this team I reckon they’re going to b so pumped. 2 weeks running of 90 plus crowds , a game style they trust, a coach they love, some outright guns and a work ethic only rivalled by the Tigers. Dees about to send a massive message to the hawks and whole competition. We are THE team to b feared.

Scully back? I have three responses. 1. please god no. 2. Lolol....No. 3. F@ck no! Mind you...It would almost be worth recruiting him to just so we could never pick him and make sure he finished his career as a good Casey player.

His positioning and decision making are excellent. But if u can, Ask him about his kicking. Is there any kind of training focus fr him re set shots and increasing penetration.

Well expressed. Everyone keeps saying we cant " break up the brotherhood" but one or two of Frost and Weed would be looking elsewhere if they cant see getting a regular game. the brotherhood involves those guys too right? Its up to us to choose which ones we keep and which ones we let go. As much as we'd like to keep them all its not going to happen. As a hypothetical to put out there. If Weed left over the summer ( just as he's emerging) and started starring elsewhere and then Jesse left when his contract ended at the end of next year to a mammoth once in a lifetime offer, how [censored] would we all be? . Personally as a club Id rather be in front of this story than behind it. Or...we try to hold both and play Jesse back as some are now suggesting. But will Jesse want that? What will that do to his contract worth? And we will then we have one of the highest paid players at the club ( who may be looking for an even bigger pay cheque next contract) at CHB..with Oscar, Lever, Frost?? Somethings gotta give folks. Just saying.

I now have 2 spare tkts in the ponsford stand ground level , available at cost. If anyone is interested PM me.

So happy to fully admit I was wrong with weid.Perhaps I was just too influenced by past players that never stepped up. Stoked fr him.. stoked fr the club. We do def have a strange set of problems fr next year though. Not only tmac, weid, hogan and possibly preuss. But also frost, Oscar and lever down the other end. Because surely now frosts value is widely seen. X factor. Surely we can’t plsy ALL these guys all at once. Fascinating to see how this pans out.

This ISNT the big game. The big game is in about 4 weeks

I’d forgotten how good johnstone could be. All class on his day.

Personally I’m hating this shite. Way too much hype... let’s let the footy do the talking. I want to enjoy winning the game (s) not reading the news. I sincerely hope we’re not getting distracted by this garbage., we finished 5th and almost missed the 8. That’s the truth of where we’re at... for now.

I feel like differentiating Neeld the man v Neeld the coach. As a man his disappointment must have been immense, coaching was his lifes ambition. He killed his own dreams as much as killed ours with his coaching style. He faced the truth of our recuiting policy that had gone before him...which was never going to make him popular. The club recovers but his aspirations never will. So, as many above have said , like him or not, he gave it his all and bled for our club along with us. It must have been a savage ride and I thank him...as I thank all ex dees for his contibutions and the time and strain he gave for us. That being said. Neeld the coach was a frikn abomination. He was weak when he needed to be strong ( apparantly following a directive to sack the leadership group on arrival....sooo wrong) and strong when he needed to be flexible ( the manner he appoached the players and the relationships he grew/ poisoned) his speeches to the players were atrocious, his game plan was dated anyway and built without reference to the players he actually had. On top of that he managed to alienate both the coaches AND the players with his autocratic ways from early on in his time here. His tenure remains the darkest years of my entire 46 year supporting history...and theres been some really crap years to run that against lol. The only good thing Neeld gave us imo was that he brought us absolutely and fully undone. He was great at that. From THAT place PJ and PR arrived and today we are a destination club, finals coming, a possible new home base and seen by many as having the best young list in the comp. I hated the death and that whole humiliating time he was at the helm...but Im def enjoying the rebirth! Perhaps today could never be reached without that kind of black yesterday.