spirit of norm smith

HE CAME TO A MEETING HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE ATGuerra says Jack Steele’s capacity to fall in love with the Melbourne football club in 24 hours proves Steven King’s path ahead is the right one. St Kilda had told Steele to consider his options as they revamped their midfield but the 2025 captain wanted to stay despite telling the club he would step down from his leadership position. “Jack’s an amazing story. Captain of St Kilda, All Australian recently. It signifies to us we are on the right track,” Guerra said. “The pitch that we gave Jack was unbelievable in terms of who we thought he was, where we thought he was at with his footy and how we would transform his game, but importantly, how we would value his leadership, and we painted what the next three years for him was going to be like, and the role that he’s going to play, and the impact that he can have across the whole of the football club. “It’s probably my proudest day so far as CEO. Seeing the people in that meeting. Steve King, Alan Richardson, (list boss) Tim Lamb, (assistant coach) Nathan Jones. They were all saying Jack, this is your home. “Jack was wrestling with leaving St Kilda and Max (Gawn) and Jared Rivers spoke to him that afternoon. He came to a medical at 9am Wednesday morning and by midday he spoke to our high performance manager and said do I start following your program or the St Kilda program. By midday he wanted to come to us which was significant. He wants to help us win our next premiership.” Guerra says Steele’s leadership will be invaluable, just as Mihocek will help Matthew Jefferson and Jacob Van Rooyen with their leading patterns and growth. “We have Jack (Steele) and Jack (Viney) running through the midfield and the young crop on the outside. Then either Max Gawn or Max Heath through the middle so at point are we short of leadership in there because with Max, Jack and Jack we have strong experience through the middle.”

@dazzledavey36 Agreed. It’s s very positive and insightful story. Paul Guerra has gone through the key player issues and conversations. Have to say it’s the best story and journalism in a long time about the Melbourne footy club. Importantly it doesn’t snipe or comment on off field issues with Trac, Clarry or Goody. It’s a fresh start. Jack Steele will be a huge addition. His leadership. Culture. Helps out immediately. I’m really pleased and amazed that we landed him. In 36 hours !!!

Keep our available spots for young guns now Definitely a NO from me … too late now Zak Jones had a decent career but he’s AFL days are likely to be at an end So NO to MFC But could be a handy pickup for Casey Demons

Casey Demons need to pickup the phone !!! Be nice to see him finally play at the Demons

AI says Steven King's coaching style for the Melbourne Football Club (MFC) aims to create an aggressive, expressive, and attacking game with more freedom in possession, while building on the team's strong foundation in defense and contest. His philosophy is to empower players to be more daring in attack and to play with a uniquely "Melbourne" brand of football, a balance of fun, freedom, and competitiveness that taps into the club's premiership experience. Player empowerment: King wants to give players more ownership and freedom in possession, moving beyond the team's established strengths in defense and contest structure. Attacking football: He aims to be more aggressive in attack, challenge opponents more, and score more consistently. Aggression and physicality: He intends to tap into the team's past success by emphasizing physicality and aggression. Freedom and expression: King wants to create a fun, stimulating environment that allows players to express themselves on the ball. Unique brand: He aims to develop a distinct style of play that is uniquely "Melbourne" and adaptable to the current players' skill sets

Delisted : Marty Hore, Tom Fullarton, Oliver Sestan, Will Verrall, Kynan Brown, Jack Billings AND TAJ WOEWODIN Departed, Free agent: Charlie Spargo North Melbourne) Going home/ trade departure: Judd McVee (Fremantle) Farewell/ Traded out with sadness: Christian Petracca 💔 (Suns) Clayton Oliver💔(Giants) 11 departures - a huge turnover of 25% of the list Who’s arrived: Max Heath (trade, St Kilda), Brody Mihocek (trade, Collingwood), Changkuoth Jiath (trade, Hawks) , Jack Steele (trade, St Kilda) MFC list key defenders: May, Tmcd, Adams tall defenders: Lever, D.Turner, Howes med/sml/running defenders: Bowey, Salem, Lindsay, AMW, Jiath. inside Mids: Viney, Steele, Langford , Laurie Runners/outside Mids: Rivers, Langdon, Windsor Mid/fwd: Kozzzy, Kolt, Sparrow, Culley key forwards: Mihocek , JVR, Petty, Jefferson , Kentfield, Johnson med-tall forwards: Fritsch, Melksham, Mcadam small forwards: Chandler, Sharp, Henderson, Mentha Rucks: Gawn, Campbell , Heath Likely arrivals - Kalani White (Father son), Toby Sinnema (NGA, rookie) Also likely to bring in 3 new players through the draft/SSP

Steele is an absolute “steal” 🤣🤣🤣had to say it !! Smart buying Perfectly fits our needs in transition from the JV,Trac and Clarry midfield era into the Kozzy/Langford/Lindsay/Windsor midfield.

Toby Sinnema?

Settle! This was my post … Tim. Tim Lamb. Don’t cave in now !!! Don’t talk a big game and then bottle it at the end. You need to screw the Suns if they want Petracca. If they don’t give up Humphrey, then it’s going to cost them heavily in picks. My deal is Trac and pick 27 for “7 &8 and Suns 2026 1st round pick”. He got us the extra future 1st round pick … I commented as well played on the trading thread. It should help us get Humphrey next year.

Jason Taylor. It’s your turn …

Over and out from Tim Lamb. Here’s the representation of Tim’s last week

Tim Well that’s over for another year Bring in BAILEY HUMPHREY next year !!

Ok let’s go … 2026 trade period Bailey Humphrey to the Dees Suns get 2 x 2026 1st rounders (MFC 1st round AND Suns 1st round) 🤣🤣🤣

Agree but also got Bowey (2020) Windsor (2023) , Langford and Lindsay (2024). Happy to keep 7&8 and grab Josh Lindsay Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves Then use 37 on Latrell Sumner-Pickett White and Sinnema I am being too optimistic

So it’s 7&8? Let’s see how that might work out WCE -Willem Duursma Suns match bid …Zeke Uwland (academy) WCE -Cooper Duff-Tytler Rich Dyson Sharp. Lions bid match … Daniel Annable (academy) Rich. Sullivan Robey 🤩 Suns bid match … Dylan Patterson (academy) Ess. Sam Grlj 🤩 Blues bid match. Harry Dean (Carlton f/son) Ess. Xavier Taylor 7&8 contenders Josh Lindsay (Vic)✅✅ Jacob Farrow (WA) Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (Vic)✅ Sam Cumming (SA) Lachlan Dovaston (Vic)✅ Oliver Greeves (Vic) Beau Addinsall (Suns academy)✅

Yes it looks like he will miss out. With Jiath and Steele coming in plus White plus Sinnema plus 2 x first rounders, we are “1 too many”

Delisted : Marty Hore, Tom Fullarton, Oliver Sestan, Will Verrall, Kynan Brown, Jack Billings. Departed, Free agent: Charlie Spargo North Melbourne) Going home/ trade departure: Judd McVee (Fremantle) Farewell/ Traded out with sadness: Christian Petracca 💔 (Suns) Clayton Oliver💔(Giants) 10 departures Who’s arrived: Max Heath (trade, St Kilda), Brody Mihocek (trade, Collingwood), Changkuoth Jiath (trade, Hawks) , Jack Steele (trade, St Kilda) MFC list key defenders: May, Tmcd, Adams tall defenders: Lever, D.Turner, Howes med/sml/running defenders: Bowey, Salem, Lindsay, AMW, Jiath. inside Mids: Viney, Steele, Langford , Laurie Runners/outside Mids: Rivers, Langdon, Windsor, Woey jnr Mid/fwd: Kozzzy, Kolt, Sparrow, Culley key forwards: Mihocek , JVR, Petty, Jefferson , Kentfield, Johnson med-tall forwards: Fritsch, Melksham, Mcadam small forwards: Chandler, Sharp, Henderson, Mentha Rucks: Gawn, Campbell , Heath Likely arrivals - Kalani White (Father son), Toby Sinnema (NGA, rookie) Also likely to bring in 3 new players through the draft/SSP

Hmmmm. Getting closer Suns. That future 1st rounder !!!

Agree. Fair deal. Not a bargain but a fair price and return for both Dees & Hawks. It’s our “Spargo” compensation which likely would have fallen to pick 50 by draft night and unlikely to be used. CJ adds to our team with athleticism , versatility, pace and chase down, and will be a huge inclusion if we can fix or at least minimize his turnovers.

Ok with Mihocek - 2 year deal … a teacher and short term forward fix Ok with Max Heath as a project young ruck … we need life after 👑Max Gawn Ok with CJ as a punt “if” we give up only a packet of chips pick - say GWS’ 2026 future 3rd!!! Unhappy with Mcvee going to Freo but he held out for a long long time and resisted our contract offers. A loss but at least we salvaged a decent pick - “19” which became “24” Not satisfied with 🏆Clarry for the future 3rd … a sad end (only in the future will we ever know what has really happened) 🏆Trac & 24 for 7&8 … If no Humphrey, then needed to reinforce #no Trac? Why give up on “24”? We wanted a player and caved. Why give up this?? Mix other picks, even 28 or 42. It’s another sad end to an outstanding career in red&blue

Clarry for …

[censored] !!!! Tell the Suns to [censored] off 7,8 for Trac & 24 is a big win for the Suns … and they keep Humphrey … and keep face in terms of draft negotiations Dees caved in again in my view … again Trac is elite and an absolute champion

CJ excelled in games v Dees and Tigers this year , named in the Hawks best. But somehow niggling injuries and the dreaded sub rule impacted his year particularly in the last few games. A fresh start might reset his career. His pace and athleticism will be an asset.

Tim. Tim Lamb. Don’t cave in now !!! Don’t talk a big game and then bottle it at the end. You need to screw the Suns if they want Petracca. If they don’t give up Humphrey, then it’s going to cost them heavily in picks. My only deal is Trac and pick 27 for “7 &8 and Suns 2026 1st round pick”. That’s the bare bare minimum. Anything else is just getting [censored] over !!

Here comes CJ A new Dees cult figure