Tolstoys Nudge

No mate, we offered LY and this Year Picks and way it has turned out means it is the largest offer ever made for one player/pick based on the points its ended-up accumulating at.

Great to hear if true, but I have heard progression PR for yonkers -- let's be honest, the horse has now bolted for this group for it will be years before it is our home even once it is signed-off (IF it ever is).. Sorry, not having a crack at you whatsoever FreedFromDesire I'm just sharing my overall thoughts on the matter in general, as it is such an uber clear hamper for our overall clout not only as a destination, but in terms of chemistry, collective-vibe, team comradery and happiness etc we are basically now competing with one limb rendered non-functional! It is no surprise that ever since we started using Casey more, our overall performance has declined... Until it is fixed, I don't think we will ever know how good a side we are, that is how far I have come on this issue after hearing it from players and media time and time again, but most of all from support staff, whom constantly refer to it as being a genuine Mt Olympus for us to climb each year. Look, with all the recent re-signings, it is clear the common notion of things 'never being as bad or as good as they seem' being true, but the Petracca-saga - that is still going mind you - only further highlights how much of a stumbling block this is and how it impacts each player to some degree and most of all our ability to recruit. We might of gotten away with it back when may/Lever joined, as we had an exciting momentum building and it was not as big an issue for Casey was used sparingly and other clubs weren't quite so advanced. But right now, I honestly blv it is perhaps as big as a 5-15% hamper in terms of being at optimal performance across all club KPI's. That is a MASSIVE hurdle... lets hope that this current group can continue to work through it and have a massive pre-season to show that they can and indeed will be back firing on all cylinders -- but the time for rejoicing is when and if a new facility is FUNCTIONAL and for that, an absolute optimistic view would be 2027.. but more like 2028-30. I sincerely hope I am wrong on that, but at same time we ARE good enough to overcome it, but alas above it is indeed a harbinger of our next flag perhaps being more difficult than we could ever have imagined 18m ago!!! Apologies, but this one has been bubbling away for me for a time since before the wind and snow!

Yep — that can be developed where kicking is generally set bar 5-10% lifts in good programs

MUCH better kick not even close in that area but has a similar look and attack on the footy for sure!

I’d kill for Smilie but hope seems lost as of right now — pick 2-4 seems the range for him now after a killer month, right when we landed pick 5 it was on cards but he’s dominated since and [censored] ahead of Langford, Reid.. Armstrong the one for me who now seems to sit right where we are in draft. Then a mid target if we get that other top 15 pick (14 the one we’re chasing atm)

Macrae would be a good get for us and play a role week-in week-out and it surprises me we haven’t been seen as aggressive on this one but who knows, I still holdout a sneaky suspicion we could be a chance here. Not a game changer but a definite needs-based get if we went there — esp now Daniel seems to be staying. There’s still plenty of targets like Peatling to be done but more from finals teams as well, but our #1 strategy atm is definitely another top 15 pick in this bumper draft!

Warner NOT an amazing pick at 38? Sorry that’s a touch silly for me.. that’s an incredible get! Agree their drafting overall is academy based but in isolation that pick was brilliant.

That’s what the offer was mate 💯 fact

Happy and confident on Membrey happening! Could be missing link from def to off we sorely need and won’t cost much. I was preying for Peatling he’s be such a massive boost but it’s a 1-7 chance atm it seems but media cannot get handle on where he wants to go so it’s still a small chance! Sidenote: just heard Cleary say Petracca still a watch.. fml 🤦‍♂️

Armstrong is a guy to keep close eye on, if we can get pick 14 like we are trying to do that could be the midfielder spot if Armstrong does come into calculation — but again it’s a tough one cus we do need a gum mid with pace and a nice kick but if all of Reid, Smilie, Smith are gone pick 14 might nab a guy like Tauru w/Armstrong at 5. It is going to be intriguing — I was hoping for Smilie but seems like he’s gonna be pick 2-3 at present.

Whilst it seems a few journos agree with you, there is NO WAY we’re splitting pick 5 and entering the Smith race — if could kick, MAYBE but losing a Smilie or even a Harry Armstrong is just not gonna happen! Pick 5 this year is like pick 1 many other years there’s that much talent split across the top 20 it’s insane!!!

Lovely thought but glad we didn’t get him on that kind of crazy offer — wreaks of issues and if it was MFC it’d be widely muted as irresponsible— but we were likely the club that made GC put that offer to him already by sounds of it.. still really angry at this whole academy balls-up by AFL and can’t blv we haven’t sought compensation!!!

Absolutely fair and with several outgoing players it looks like depositing are done which is one very small but good side effect of Nibbler, Gus horrors! Then Brown retiring & Tommo moving on with KFW & JS delisted were prob basically done with Hore waiting til end of trade period to hear his fate. Smith obviously still on list which seems a mute point to me now but if allowed to play next year I guess it makes sense but that while mess id rather just see forget the whole thing tbh. Hunter id expected to hear about by now but think surely that’s on cards. Continuity of list is a VERY good thing..

Interesting take on JVR.. I don’t see that in his future personally but now that you’re mentioned it I’m starting to warm to that idea! these X accounts are literally garbage — I’ve spent weeks battling even ‘real’ journos like Tom Morris only to have them look silly when their mail ended up being wrong — but that we CAN safely say is that there are copious amounts of leaks coming from somewhere inside the club either one deliberate sabotage-ee or a few irresponsible people whom don’t feel heard perhaps as ppl like Morris hear this poo from somewhere that much is true.

Laughable Robbo even publishes this — the pile-on continues — shock horror!

Of course they are going nowhere — really disappointed any of it got out but I think Trad will learn and grow from this it’s clearly been traumatic for him but club will hold him to contract knowing no trade is even possible given bounty req and the $1.2m PY contract & so it’s about getting around him, hearing him out and nurturing him through to R1 25’ whereby he’ll likely be firing and raring to go and completely of seen these feelings of restlessness abated. As for Morris, well he defends himself as merely reporting the story and saying he was u likely to go anywhere etc etc and whilst i vehemently disagree re this being a story clearly I’m wrong cus look at the traction it got — dominating the landscape. [censored] McClure actually said it best this weekend when he said “When a team underperforms with a great list and fails, we (media) look for the cracks & apply pressure that’s what we do”…

It was SO great to see him in full pro-club mode for first time in a long time and he spoke perfectly I wanted to hug the TV!!!

Cumming for free would be an absolutely fantastic get, I’d forgotten that element of it this week — Callaghan is the one player I’d kill to have on our side in terms of what we need!!!

Well said!

2021 GF is case in point! Also is best way to mitigate his lack of pressure.

2nd now 😂 .. but couldn’t agree more tbh

Spot on!!!

So looking at the squad.. I’ve got vibes on it being Fullarton in for Woey (managed I can only guess means load mgmt & needing full VFL game time?!) Why? That part I’m still grappling with.. jsut feeling that they didn’t like look of Petty in Ruck or want to see if Fullarton can play up fwd whilst giving JVR a rest OR wanting to have JVR up forward MORE and thus JVR Becomes 2nd ruck and Fullarton gets the bulk load.. although his 5 hit-out VFL effort doesn’t scream PLAY ME but around ground he was solid.. Personally I’d bring in Jeffo and keep JVR ruck, but it’s risky & this plays a role.. just think playing TF feels like the change based on ext interchange named!

I think Draper and Darcy are quite close, Darcy useless outside stoppage — Jackson slightly better around ground but tbh I think it’s all about combatting them as separate entities! Like Binman said, Petty for Darcy & JVR for Jackson.. but.. big MAX will be there.. I can feel it 😛

Trading for DH we’d be offering picks with Petty for sure — but can’t see it happening, although him as a Def would be PERFECT for them.. we’d have to add a 2nd for sure.. But player for player trades seem almost dead and buried!