chookrat

Fair call ElDiablo. I think most teams have at least a couple of these sort of games each season, which probably speaks to how competitive our teams have been for at least 3 years where have been in virtually every game. Being clearly beaten in probably 4 matches is something we haven't experienced in quite a while. I still think we will bounce back strongly given the personnel we have missed this season and what we will gain in the offseason.

Spot on WJ, I think Collingwood managed to turn their vocal supporter base into a competitive advantage. I think when McCrae took the reigns he encouraged the players to be bold and would rather roll the dice and lose by 10 goals than play safe and lose by 1 - 2 goals. They won a few close ones and rode the wave of momentum and crowd support to an unlikely Premiership. At various times in the past couple of years Tracc, Goody, Pert and Roffey have all mentioned the impact a vocal supporter base has on the team. As negative everything seems right now I don't think we are in that bad a position and can easily bounce back into contention next year. We are too good a team not to and Goody and our leaders have demonstrated time again an ability to challenge - with everything that went wrong this year we were within a kick of Brisbane, GWS and Port when they were in red hot form.

Would there be any rules against trading out Maxy and then voting him in as our President while he plays for another club? Does anyone know whether player contracts restrict players from holding other roles in the AFL. Given Danger is the player rep for the AFLPA could Maxy play for say Collingwood while being our president?

The problem I see is that to pay 95% of the cap we would need to renegotiate contracts that existing players have not earned which would inevitably lead to underperformance. It's a bit like paying an artist a reasonable wage only to find that the material possessions make them less creative than when they had nothing. Therefore a no for me.

I disagree, he doesn't answer to the media and neither does our club. Why answer a question just because the media asks it. I prefer we do things on our own timeline and let our actions speak.

What has Tracc said or done that is wrong. So far all he has said is that he is suffering from Trauma and Max and Goody have said there are frustrations that they are working through. For all we know the rest if this is a media beat up that has escalated because Tracc and the club refuse to be drawn into answering to the media.

Absolute legend and arguably the best player in the comp over the past 5 years. Looking forward to his next 3 - 4 years.

Could this whole thing be a ruse to sell .ore tickets to this event?

Is anyone leaking info or are the reporters simply making it up to try to get a response. My take is that because the club, Tracc and his management are playing a straight bat that the media is making more and more outlandish claims to elicit a response. I wouldn't be surprised if we pursue legal action at the end of the current speculation.

If we find that the media have exaggerated and there is no story beyond what Trac and the club have already talked about re trauma then I'd imagine financial settlements with many in the media which would bolster ours and Traccs coffers. If this happens then we could probably shift our core business from Football to Litigation.

We looked pretty fit vs Gold Coast.

Crickey, it seems like even the MRC executive are jumping ship to avoid being associated with us.

The reporters made it up to see if they get a bite?

The difference is false vs speculation vs fact. The latest headline 'Demons Star set to walk out on club' in reference to Adam Tomlinson is speculative (no announcement made) and false (he is not a star, and he doesn't have a contract for 2025). The only interviews Trac has done are opening up re his trauma, he has said nothing about being unhappy with the club or wanting a trade. We know that the media make stuff up all the time to grab a headline or create a situation that puts players and clubs under pressure to provide a response.

The only fact is that Tracc is dealing with trauma. At no point has he, his manager or the club stated that he is seeking a trade.

T Mac gets another year no matter who we bring in. I reckon this year has been his best season ever.

We absolutely need Melksham on our list for the next 1 to 2 years. Offensively he straightens up our entire forward half and does a great defensive job on intercepting defenders, not to mention the leadership he brings both on field to our young forward line and also team culture.

There has been a ridiculous amount if speculation re Tracc yet all we know is that his injury was traumatic and he has only recently been comfortable enough to talk to his teammates about it. Everything else is speculation by the media stating unnamed sources and we know how often they get it wrong. Personally I wouldn't get too excited until Tracc, his Manager or the club say something.

I cannot believe we used the language that Moore 'dropped to his knees' rather than 'slid into the contest'. The latter would have provided a clear argument that sliding is not a reasonable action and therefore not something Kossie would have reasonably expected. There is no point appealing this now as we cannot make this argument on appeal. Does anyone know whether Anderson was the lawyer we used for JVR's appeal? Finally in the off season we should train to slide into ground ball contests and use our knees in aerial contests against the filth.

Schwartz would be one of the last people I'd want as a Board Member. While he is passionate, outside of his playing career he hasn't worked in a footy club and has no general management, board or technical expertise. As a passionate public figure he will overreact when things aren't going well creating instability without knowing how to solve problems.

Another perspective on this is that if Kossie's leg was seriously injured in the collision then Moore would have been on report. I wonder what happens if both Moore was concussed and Kossie's leg broken in the same incident, would both players be suspended? There is nothing in the Tribunal Guidelines which prioritises one reportable offence over another, and if Moore's action is not considered for Kossie's report then the same argument would apply if both players were injured, e.g. ignore the other players action and purely focus on the bump and slide separately for each reportable offence.

I reckon we can successfully argue that Kossie's action was not careless because 1. He was contesting the ball and it was reasonable to do so in that way - Kossie actually gets to the ball first and pedals it with his foot at the same time the contact is made, he is playing the ball. 2. The circumstances were out of Kossie's control, he could not have anticipated that Moore would slide on his knees, an action which also constitutes rough conduct. Were Moore not concussed and Pickett suffered a serious leg injury then it could actually be Moore facing suspension. Here is what the 2024 Tribunal Guidelines state: 1. Rough Conduct (High Bumps) The AFL Regulations provide that a Player will be guilty of Rough Conduct where in the bumping of an opponent (whether reasonably or unreasonably) the Player causes contact that is at least Low Impact to be made with any part of his body to an opponent’s head or neck. If not Intentional, such conduct will be deemed to be Careless, unless: » The Player was contesting the ball and it was reasonable for the Player to contest the ball in that way; or » The contact to the opponent’s head or neck was caused by circumstances outside the control of the Player which could not be reasonably foreseen. 4. Rough Conduct (Contact Below the Knees) Under the Laws of Australian Football, it is prohibited to make contact with an opponent below the knees. Players who keep their feet are vulnerable to serious injury from opponents who lunge, dive or slide toward them and make contact below the knees. » The degree of momentum and/or force involved in the contact; » Whether the Player causes contact below the knees, without limitation, by sliding with his foot, feet, knee or knees in front of him; » Whether the opposition Player was in a position that was vulnerable to contact below the knees (for example, standing over the ball or approaching from the opposite direction); and » Whether the Player making contact had any realistic alternative ways of approaching the contest or situation

I reckon after suffering such a traumatic injury and then having to spend a significant amount of time away from the club it would be pretty natural to question your desire to play again and have some anxiety about coming back to the club with all of the media attention and, at the present moment, not being 100% invested. It wouldn't suprise me if Tracc has lost his love of the game and desire to play and needs some time to come to terms with the trauma and his rehab. The club look like they have a good handle on the situation and making sure he has the time and support he needs.

Should have been a free to Roo for front on contact against Moore in the marking contest as well.

Tracc doesn't need to say anything re whether he is staying or going. The media speculate that he wants to leave and then follow up with comments along the line of the silence is deafening, Tracc has given it momentum etc. I'd prefer he gives the question the respect it deserves and say nothing.