Lucifers Hero

With a fully fit list at the Lions there must be some good players who just can't get a game. I don't know their list very well but there could be some ex Vic players happy to come back and get regular games. Any ideas?

My thinking is that Petty will get a spot before Frost so Frost becomes depth for us. So he may leave for a permanent senior spot, a longer contract term or more $ than we are prepared to offer. Would be surprised if he couldn't get a starting 22 spot on a 3yr contract on good $ elsewhere. Don't think we can offer him that package.

The ambit claims have started: Adelaide and St Kilda are prepared to trade their top rnd 1 picks for two lower rnd 1 picks or the 'right price'. top-draft-picks-on-the-table This probably reflects the view that the draft falls away quite quickly after #1 and #2. If GCS get pick #2 as a pp we may end up joining the party and try and trade it for two lower rnd 1 picks.

Thanks, I meant Lockhart. Will correct post.

Early season trade period My cynical read of this 'The AFL is mindful of the enormous interest generated when players move clubs – web traffic is enormous in the major media outlets and on the AFL’s website during the trading period – and has clearly been keen to open this up further, as happens in American sports' is that the AFL wants to generate 'click bait' and copy yet another element of US sports. All under the guise of more player movement! My practical view is: not much changes from the usual trade period in October to this proposed presason trade period in February. no games played so no exposed form. there will be no draft picks to trade just players. there is more than enough happening in February to keep fans engaged: Preseason, draftee progress, JLT games etc etc. another daft idea that diverts attention from the AFLW. What's more clubs have until mid March to top up their lists with 'rookie drafts' if they have list spots, with players who were previously on a list or a previous draft. As we did with Sparrow Lockhart. Ridiculous idea!!

Yes. Viney was a 'captains call' by Goodwin. Goodwin told Jones (iirc while on the golf course) that Viney would be a co-capt without even telling Jones there would be a co-capt. Completely blindsided him on both counts. Players had no say in Viney. Not sure about players voting in Jones.

The 'Macca not getting on with coaches' rumours earlier this year was to do with Jennings. That article certainly dispels the recent (umprompted) commentary from Goodwin about how unified they all are! The article makes it clear Jennings was pushed. The talk of him going as he wants to be a senior coach, while perhaps true, is a smoke screen in this case - we have a vacancy at Casey he could have been appointed to if we thought he was up to the task or wanted to keep him around. Clearly, we didn't.

Have no real insight to answer those questions. But my thoughts are: - Goodwin would not be out the door if not already signed up. He has enough runs on the board to buy him time and I truly believe there is no-one better available now or OOC next year. - Reckon everyone absolutely believed in Goodwin and the doubts in the people around Goodwin have been plain to see for a long time - doubts about individuals and the football team as a whole. - Pert et all would still renew Goodwin's this year but perhaps for a shorter term on less coin. Hopefully they included a solid list of KPI's and not bedazzled by the finish to 2018.

You push your opinions very strongly but they are still just opinions. Calling those that have a different opinion to yours the 'henny penny collective' is disrespectful. There is some intelligent posting from insightful posters on here and there is no need to be speak of them pejoratively.

To keep fans and sponsors from walking away from the club next year.

1) Well versed in the dark arts of Machiavellian techniques! 2) As noted in my post above: Mahoney is an excellent administrator but imv a poor manager with poor football nouse. 3) Roos was right but at some point PJ promoted Mahoney from Football Manager (which had a football administration focus eg trading, contracts, sal cap management, personnel matters etc etc) to GM Football ie administration and coaching, fitness, medical, list managment, development, recruiting. My take is that Mahoney stayed focused on the football admin, leaving the rest up to the area chiefs. Delegation is a good thing if the right protocols are in place to have those areas work together, achieve results, manage outcomes and take corrective action as soon as needed. The extent of changes in our Fitness, Coaching so far and those to come in Medical, and Player List says Mahoney has taken a 'hands-off' approach for several years and failed to develop those protcols and form a cohesive Football Department. When the mid year coaches were announced Pert said 'Mahoney will own the outcomes'. He is clearly being held responsible, as he should be, for the all the Football Department (not just admin) and how we perform next year. I reckon Mahoney is also on notice.

Duplicate post.

Goodwin hand picked Macca and Jennings - worked with both at Essendon. That both are going suggests Goodwin has been told. I suspect by Pert and Bartlett. The coaching changes mid year and now says he failed to put together a coaching team that can bring success. imv, now more than ever, we critically need a senior football person to mentor and hold Goodwin accountable. Not fussed on the title but someone with authority that Goodwin reports to rather than the person report to Goodwin as Macca did. Someone who isn't his mate. That person is not Mahoney - he has endorsed Goodwin's coaching appointments, game plans etc. imv he is part of the problem: an excellent administrator but a poor manager with poor football nouse. I eagerly await the new coaching appointments. Hopefully, some successful line coaches instead of Plapp and Chaplin. Most of all we need a forward coach. Most of our assistant and development coaches were primarily backmen. So is it any wonder our our midfield to fwd connection is poor and our fwds are like Brown's cows. Big cleanout required.

I wasn't thinking this week. Salem for Hunt was in the context of 'Unleash Salem'. I'm suggesting a permanent role change for Salem.

AFL report says Petty and Baker went off with leg injuries. The played only 68% and 58% game time respectively so may not be available this week.

After Salem's very good early season form, opp coaches saw him as the 'danger' guy and developed strategies to neutralise his impact. iirc correctly he was physically worked over in a few games and missed at least one game with concussion from the rnd 9 WCE game. Salem hasn't been the same since. Salem has had to shoulder much of the backline responsibility as many defenders (except Frost) have been out injured. Its a big credit to him that he has soldiered on so well. Re the question. Hore may release Salem upfield. But tbh I would rather Salem and Hunt switch roles. Salem would offer much more in front of goals and Hunt returns to the backline.

We have 10 senior list players and 8 rookie list players OOC: Goodwin is quoted as saying there will be big list changes. But it is hard to see much trade value in many of OOC players. Frost is best prospect. Baker another but wouldn't want to trade him. Will we keep more than 6-8 of those 18 players? If the 'big changes' are from these lists I can't see how we will have the 'currency' to make big improvements with a quick impact. So I'm bracing for one or more of our 'big name' or better players being traded out.

He might be an upgrade on all 3 but still average at best.

I could handle it if we traded Frosty (an extra defender) out and got in a much needed wingmen or forward as part of the trade. If he was traded out and we recruited another defender in an older 'one-year-wonder' player, in Alex Keith', I would be furious.

Frosty is likely to bring in a good draft pick. So the club may be holding out to trade him or perhaps made him a low ball offer and he is considering his options. Frosty will be competing with Lever, May, Petty and maybe Oscar for the third tall. He may get better offers in terms of # senior games, contract length or $. He deserves to play in a senior side and not just be on the list as depth. I doubt he will stay on our list and wouldn't blame him if he left. I just hope we don't do what we did with Kent: Offer a 1 year deal and another club offers 3years and we give him up for pick 60 something.

Interested in what you see/not see in Frost to move him on.

The irony is Crows recruited him with the first pick we traded for Lever. Crows will fight to keep him to replace Jenkins. So to get Forgarty now would cost us big time in draft picks and I doubt we have the sal cap space.

WOW. Would you mind posting more info or a link?

The AFL Premiership captains of the last decade highlights the theme of the book: Hurn, Cotchin, Wood, Hodge, Goodes/McVeigh, Ling, Harley, Maxwell. Only Hodge and Goodes would be considered the best player in the team and Cotchin in top 3/4. The others were down the list on talent but excelled at on-field leadership/captaincy/footy smarts/team first. And they have nurtured the next captain. Our captains fall short on most of those attributes. Not much can be done about lack of footy smarts/IQ. A reason they fall short is we have for many years not had a captain who has been a good role model. Neitz was probably the last with the traits of above premiership captains. So our captains/leaders have had no-one to learn from nor able to nurture the next. It shows.

Yes. We seem to have an excess of tall defenders and he is likely to have good trade value. If the club is looking for a good draft pick/player trade to get us a fwd or speed I can see why it may be waiting. Or, Sam had offers when he was last OOC so he may have better options than what mfc can offer on: # of senior games, contract term, $. I don't blame him if he goes elsewhere for more/better opportunities.