Lucifers Hero

Hope that isn't correct! Especially as earlier this year Lewis was encouraging the young guys to stick together as a team even if it means forfeiting some money along the way. We have quite a few top end players to accommodate: Petracca, Oliver, Gawn, Viney, McD, Hogan who will all be looking for big $$ in the next two years. There will be clubs out there making big offers to those guys even if they don't have elite years. Will be hard to keep the team together if they are all looking for near $1m contracts! And our next tier (Tyson, Brayshaw, Hunt, ANB, Garlett etc) need to be looked after as well.

I didn't mean to say he 'only wants money' more that he may be 'bought' (ie attracted) by the best package - he has said: “It is not just about team success. And it is not just about money. It’s not just about your family. It is a combination of three or four things...“For me, when I make my decision, it is going to be about a whole range of things I need to think about.” So in addition to 'team success', 'money' and 'family' what are the other things. He is touted as a future Crows captain, so lets add 'club captain. He has a guest spot on Adelaide radio so perhaps 'public profile' can be added especially if future career ambitions are media related. And Premiership medal would certainly be on his list. If he wants finals he should stay with Adelaide. If he wants money any number of Vic clubs can give him that. A number of clubs can offer him captaincy (Carlton, Hawks, Pies, StK). Fewer clubs can offer him a public profile. I really hope we get him but I 'm trying not to get my hopes until the deal is done as he wouldn't be the first player in recent years (think Clarke, Tippett, Buddy) to do a list minute about face to a verbal deal, which at best is all mfc have right now.

With Pendlebury earnings potential near the end Collingwood would throw 'Marquis Player' type incentives into the deal. Lever has a spot on an Adelaide radio show - Eddie can offer him that and offer him TV spots as well. They would all be legit 3rd party deals. If young Jake still wants a public profile then that deal would be hard to beat. On a side note, last week I thought we might be outbid by another Vic club. Yesterday @Abe said the Crows were surprised at the $ we offered Lever. If he is coming to us for the big $ then Lever can be 'bought'. North, Coll, StK all have the potential to outbid us with $ to Lever and a trade package to Crows. We are better placed to progress than those clubs so there is every reason for him to chose us. But clearly there are other factors in his decision. I just hope we don't pay significant overs - we aren't a destination club if we have to do that. There is enough noise around to say that Lever is 'playing the trading game' so I'll wait for the announcement with him in a Dees jumper before believing he will be one of us.

Here is an interesting article estimating how much some key players might benefit from the CBA windfall on their contract renewal. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/show-me-the-money-afl-players-seeking-pay-days-in-2018-20170907-gycjyw.html Summary: TOM LYNCH - $1.3 million BEN BROWN - worth more than $700,000 CHRISTIAN PETRACCA - between $550,000 to $600,000 TOBY GREENE - up to $700,000 SAM DOCHERTY - more than $600,000 PATRICK CRIPPS - $600,000 a year is within reach MAX GAWN - over $700,000 MARCUS BONTEMPELLI - around $800,000 OTHERS TO WATCH: Rory Sloane, Marc Murphy, Cam Guthrie, Lachie Whitfield, Jamie Elliott, Phil Davis, Oscar McDonald, Luke McDonald That suggests a player needs to be a potential match winner/champion to earn over $600,00. It makes me wonder if we on DL sometimes overestimate a targeted player's package. Having said that I'm sure clubs would pay a lot more to lure them away. If we get Lever and if reports of $800,000+ are correct I would imagine Maxy would be rather put out! Lever would become our second highest paid player behind Hogan. Won't be easy keeping all our talent if rumours on Lever's package are correct and if we get him.

Good news! Any idea what the trade might be?

Its a worry that our coaches saw fit to change our fundamental game plan midseason! And supporters want to blame the players! Fundamental game plan change is for the preseason and not when we are in contention for the top half of the 8! The coaches have a lot to answer for in our failed season!

WOW...Melbourne has exited the race...? IF, IF true it could only mean the club has found a bigger fish or Lever's price/trade deal got too high. Will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Crows probably will but I think it is bit of a myth to say that they have to. They can play hard ball like GCS did with O'Meara, forcing Hawkes to sell their 2018 1st pick cheaply to the Saints. Crows have shown they won't just play the game in past deals; they fight for what they want and don't fold lightly. And, Jake may be seduced by the $$$ North might offer...It wouldn't be the first time a player has been diverted to another club: Clarke, Tippett and to a lesser extent Buddy. My initial point was a deal isn't done until its done.

Agreed. Can't see why a player would go there. But my concern is North interest/effort will push up the contract price and/or the Crow's trade request.

North have $2m+ to splash around. Watch them come and trump MFC offer. They are desperate to get an 'in-demand' player. They also have better picks to offer the Crows. Crows have shown they will play hard ball with trades in recent years. Lots of water to go under the bridge still.

Does he have mail? It sounds like he is making out he does to cover himself in case it happens: "...There’s people at Melbourne whispering to other people that they believe that Lever may have had a verbal commitment to join Melbourne,” Robinson said...That’s just speculation..." Doesn't sound convincing! Maybe he is listening to the same Melbourne people who thought we were in the finals...

The AFL are pumping up their tyres. (Gil chairs the Rising Star Selection Committee) Ess aslo have 5 current or ex players in the final 22 AA team, 3 of whom were suspended; one of whom (Daniher) is a dubious selection (in front of Ben Brown) and Zac Merrett in before Kennedy? Not saying they are all undeserved but their is a definite selection bias toward Ess from the AFL.

Much of the dialogue on this thread has 'saviour' written all over it and the salivating is a bit OTT! He plays his role very well but he isn't the major cog in the Crows defence. So I'm not sure he is a Key Position Player. He might be one day but not right now. Will he be the defender we need to play on Brown, Daniher, Moore, Hipwood etc? I am a little cautious in assuming he will be. TBH I am skeptical of the $850K being bandied around. That is the sort of money paid to a match winner and I don't see Lever being a match winner. Don't get me wrong. I am glad we are chasing him. But I hope we don't pay overs in $ to him or trade value to Crows.

That is not surprising since most of the team have had only a few preseasons. I think those guys are giving it their all but do need to conserve energy. Many of them should have been rested at some stage during the year. The best coaches have a game plan that suits the players they have. Then develop it in tandem as the players develop. That is what Roos did at Sydney - he didn't have stars; he had a tough team and had a defensive game plan to suit. It may not have been pretty but it worked. Clarkson did the same and is still doing it. He wanted a precise disposal team and gradually recruited that type and developed his high possession, pin point game plan accordingly. This year he lost a lot of his speed and accurate players, he modified his game plan accorndingly. Goodwin has a game plan that does not match the players he has right now. It doesn't match because most have poor disposal skills and because many have not had enough pre-seasons to sustain a crash, bash and run style. Goodwin's game plan may be the one that wins a premiership but he doesn't have a team to carry it out right now. He needs to recognise his plan is part of the problem. He needs to modify it to match the team he has now. Then develop it in tandem as the players develop. To do otherwise risks the players loosing belief in the game plan.

On the Marngarook footy show last night Jetta and Harmes were asked about how the dees were handling the pressure of getting to finals and if they get there playing in them. Jetta said the leaders were encouraging players to 'embrace the pressure'. That phrase has Jordan Lewis writ large over it. Lewis has gone up a gear over recent weeks but now his best work may well be off field getting our excitable lucifers into the right mind space!

They have the same manager so doing the contracts at the same time makes sense. Also, 2 years is the initial renewal term for a recent draftee. Hunt, Petracca, Brayshaw etc had 2 years on initial renewal. So Oscar got the standard 2 years. The club wanted Tom to sign a long-term contract as he was in hot demand. He declined. He signed for 2 years as it takes him to 8 years with the club ie he has Unrestricted Free Agent status. Tom had seen so many false dawns that even if blind freddy could see the direction we were going there was still serious doubt. I don't see any signs of a brotherly bloc. But I will leave it at that as I have no more facts to offer.

That seems to be the view on the Match Preview thread - we will soon know.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-24/keilty-upgraded-to-senior-list Congratulations to Declan on being upgraded to the Senior list. A sign that he will play this week? Where is @Drunkn167? I bet you and the family are absolutely rapt!

In a recent podcast Jason Taylor didn't sound enamoured with this years draft. He didn't comment on 2018 draft but by all accounts it is a seriously, seriously talented draft. So, that would be a serious upgrade benefiting the Crows. Would prefer to keep 2018 picks intact if we can.

No! What makes you think this? Tom and Oscar are in totally different contract positions. Tom is an UFA next year so he will be looking at all his options, regardless of what happens with little bro. And, Oscar is more than good enough to earn a contract in his own right without being carried on big bro's coat tails. There will be other clubs coming at Oscar next year! It is really important to sign Tom up asap to avoid a UFA media beat up in 2018. Last time he signed for only 2 years because he wanted to see how the club progressed. He has his answer. I think he will stay on a long term contract. He wouldn't want to bail now. ...Hopefully, this doesn't derail the Lever thread to a Mcdonald thread but felt it important to ask for clarification on the 'Macdonald brother bloc' theory before people start giving it credence and I wanted to show why they are in completely different contract positions so are not interdependent.

I can see the attraction of Frost to the Crows. They don't have a fast-running-take-the-game-on defender. We have Hunt and Frost. Both have one speed, more or less in a straight line with poor composure. Both players need to improve those 3 elements of their play. But I think a team can only really afford one with those deficiencies in a side. So we keep Hunt and Crows get Frost and both keep working on their deficiencies. If we get Lever and let Frost go it would suggest the club is confident of re-signing Oscar and Tom.

Lever quits his Adelaide radio show spot. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-21/lever-pulls-out-of-regular-radio-spot Sure sign he is leaving the Crows. Seems down to a two horse race: Dees and Pies. Given the pies don't know who their coach will be and its list is all over the shop, it is hard to see they have the nod. Conclusion: It must be the Dees...!

Good article. Thanks. Sounds like Clarrie can add wisdom to what he has learnt this year: ' "I deleted most of my social media so I don't have to worry about it too much now," Its a smart move - he doesn't need the distraction and the media hysteria thrown at him this year. Let his football do the talking - and right now it is shouting

@Drunkn167's bro, Declan Keilty has been re contracted for another year on the rookie list. Big men sign on for 2018 season By the reports that his bro has given us he has worked very hard. Congratulations to Declan and thanks Drunkn for keeping us up to date with his progress.

Do you have a source on the $1.5m, FT? Lewis was initially offered a two year deal which became a three year deal with the 3rd year (2019) based on certain triggers. So 2019 is not guaranteed. And there are ways of extending a players longevity eg not taking the long haul flights to WA, NT etc. Let the young guys do that. And, not many players play at their peak in every game. They all wax and wane during a season. We don't need him to play every game in a season. TBH, I would rather Lewis be fit and fresh for crunch games and finals.