Lucifers Hero

A cry for 'Help' @Fanatique Demon ? Allow me to assist. See Blue comments: So realistically… Eleven teams are starting 2025 in front of us. Some have had a better draft result (eg Brisbane). Langford is a pretty good result. Some have players coming back from injury (eg Carlton, Collingwood). Petracca and Oliver say 'hi' Some recruited stars from other clubs (eg Collingwood). Houston? 👎 Some had great years but just fell short (eg GWS, Hawthorn). Give you GWS, Hawks, yeah but nah Some have young guns who are ahead of ours (eg Geelong) Ouch! Windsor, JvR. McVee, Kozzie etc ?? And of those below us… One has a gift-from-heaven 2025 draw (ie, the GC Suns). Our draw isn't too shabby! One failed to meet expectations in 2024 despite a good list, and can be expected to bounce back (ie, Adelaide). Ditto the Dees Hope that cheers you up a little! We have the players. If coaches bring and teach a more effective and versatile method we will be playing finals and imv go deep in Sept.

The comment from Goodwin should end the rationalising on DL that finishing 14th wasn't too bad because ....... fill in whatever excuse people want. The ladder doesn't lie. But that was last year. I am quite confident of top 4 this year and a smokey chance to take out the GF.

🤣 Thereby eliminating a significant part of the DL community 🙄🤷‍♀️ !!!

iirc Roos wouldn't select him for his carelessness delaying his debut game and (I think) Trac played at Casey. Discipline/standards/tough love? It was a bit of a lesson I suspect.

'Mindfulness' played a big role in 2021 and the premiership. iirc players and coaches did their own thing in this space. Without wanting to sound critical maybe we lost our way a little in that regard. It is often said on here 'its all between the ears'. His appointment most likely results from the FD review. I'm rapt we have a 'mindset' coach who will bring some structure to this critical aspect of elite performance.

It was a surprise to me as, like you I thought there was an unspoken agreement not to especially if you want to trade with them again. Very risky to blind side them if we indicated we wouldn't bid so I assume GCS weren't surprised. No idea what the purpose of us bidding was.

touché

Having traded with GCS for pick 2, I was surprised that we then bid on their player at that pick ... ...so much for the theory of 'deals' when trading!

A mere technicality, dc !!!

I see you 'betrayed' your muse, e e cummings again! 😉

Thanks for the anecdote, GW and I don't doubt a word. This: "... he looked out at the rest of the players who were coming off the ground and said, “I [censored] love these boys. I love them so much.” And I saw he had tears in his eyes and that quivering bottom lip thing that’s involuntary..." didn't surprise and made me tear up a little 🥹 What our team has experienced together, the mighty lows and mighty highs can't help but leave an indelible mark and create a special bond. Sometimes it takes a catastrophe to realise it is relationships and sharing that matters. Sounds like Trac is in that space. It won't be long before team mates embrace him again and hopefully so do dees fans.

Sadly, I can't find the pic of Trac's 'beast mode' moment. I think he had just kicked a goal, deadpan expression, lips pursed, fierce eyes with nostrils literally flaring. His face said: 'over my dead body do we lose this game'. Edit: found the pic It was just after his soccer goal (ably assisted by a Kozzie bump on Dunkley). Trac was excited for a second then went into this 'beast mode'. That goal extended our meagre lead and was promptly followed by Sparrow and Oliver goals, giving us the iconic: Bang, Bang! Bang! cry of that special quarter! The game wasn't won but that last minute broke their spirit!

I'm guessing the last 6 months were not only life threatening but also life changing/life affirming. Maybe he realised the grass on the other side isn't greener and the supposed 'riches' (crowds, exposure etc) are not what matter. And, realised that he has as much chance of premierships at the Dees as elsewhere. He is unlikely to win a Brownlow with an in form Oliver in the team. But reckon Trac will settle for another premiership or two. And throw in a couple more NSM❤️💙😉. As you say he will be driven to give his all which will be an awesome sight reminiscent of his 'beast mode' switch to deliver the 2021 premiership.

Ahhh, this thread is again 'On Track' !!! 😉

They'll be in the best position of Vic clubs to get Reid at the end of 2026: More than most to offer WCE. Tick all the boxes of Big MCG clubs for Harley. Massive TPP space to offer him mega millions. He can grow with their recent top picks as ours from 2013 to 2015 did. Add a few mature key players like we did and they will be contending before the end of this decade.

Lynch's contract expires next year giving Rich $4.0m in additional sal cap over 2025/2026 and beyond. If he plays on he would be on minimal $ having played only four games in each of 2023/204 and will be an injury prone 33 yo. With the escalating TPP their kitty will be even larger. Reckon they'll go hunting for FA's in the next few years. They will come out of their downturn in a few years in great shape. Lots of top end draft picks, sal cap space and FA's, thereby escaping the threat to list management posed by Tassie.

The McKay contract was a massive front loaded sham cooked up with AFL blessing to give North pick 3 in the 2023 draft. Over the whole contract it averages out to about half the $1.4m.

@binman is your man! As a 'betting nuffy' I would say people are drinking the Hawks Kool-aid and will be shocked when the Mighty Dees come home with a wet sail!!

'Redleg' membership packs have arrived 👏 and nicely boxed again. ❤️💙 The club has done a great job these last few years ensuring they arrive before Christmas!

I'm leaning more to DiO's view below as there were enough credible reports of negotiations continuing. And as of Sat at the BnF your chat with her suggests she herself was uncertain. If it was dead early last week I wouldn't be happy if the club kept her in the dark and let her stress out. I don't think we would do that. As it was only a few days ago the club offered Tayla a contract that seems more likely when we decided there was no deal.

Many thanks. I also thought 46 was gone but the AFL has it still with us. aflw-draft-order-every-clubs-picks

A few more questons: Does AFLW still have State based drafting? If they do I assume our picks 20, 46 etc will become higher for Vic/National players, if i/state clubs pick a player from their State?

Not to mention the emotional turmoil they caused Tayla.

Great article if-you-can-see-it-you-can-be-it-melbourne-demons-recruit-ricky-mentha-jnr-from-alice-springs-aims-to-inspire He has entered very familiar environment: stayed with May and Pickett last year now living with Viney, overseen by Whelan and playing with his Gippsland captain: XL. Doesn't get much better than that for a draftee! A real compliment to Whelan: "(He) ... as Indigenous welfare development manager and is widely regarded as one of the best in the business". Has to be good for us in Alice that we have a local lad on our list. Ricky and Kozzie will be very popular when we play there next year.

As an aside, Hawks also renegged on initial trade offers to WCE in the AFLM trade forcing WCE to trade out ND2 to honour a trade for Liam Baker. Regging on discussions is poor for a club's reputation. Clubs like Geelong and Ess drive hard and sometimes unrealistic trades but they seem to honour their intentions/early promises.