AFL 2025
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@barbarian said in AFL 2025:
I think Essendon should have traded Merrett. He's aging, they clearly aren't ready to contend yet, so sell him while you can. Holding on to an unhappy star rarely works out well.
while i partly agree, we can't have a comp where the top teams get stronger every year while the shit teams stay where they are. Hawthorn needed to pony up more to get him, but they didn't have the draft capital, AND they couldn't convince contracted players to move.
I think partly a lot of the chat around this is because people massively over value first round draft picks. The draft is hope, you hope that 18 year old you are picking is going to be as good as the established player you just traded out. That doesn't happen that often.
I also think fans especially are still of the opinion you can rebuild through the draft. They look at the Lions and see the Ashcrofts, Fletcher, Rayner, McLuggage etc but overlook we never win these flags without Neale, Dunkley, Cameron, and Daniher.
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Yeah I totally agree the system has to change. Surely trading without consent needs to be brought in for players above a certain contract length/value. You can't sign a seven year deal (with associated financial rewards) and then decide in year three that you want out, and you then get to choose where you want to go!
But as long as we have this system, you've got to make the best of it. And I think while there's a temptation to stare down disgruntled players it rarely works out. Then you end up with a Clayton Oliver situation, selling him for a song after his value tanks.
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@barbarian said in AFL 2025:
Think that's a deal that works for both sides. Carlton couldn’t win the flag the way they were constructed - too top heavy, too slow, not enough good users. This allows them to retool over the next season or two without bottoming out. Add in Harry Dean, Cody Walker, make a play for Zak Butters. All before Tassie blow the drafts. Meanwhile Sydney go all in for now. I don’t think either team would be unhappy. Except Carlton fans who love Charlie.
yeah, hope hes the missing piece, we've obviously been so close over the last few years, even this year which was largely a blow out we came right at the end, think we won 6 of the last 8 or something
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@barbarian said in AFL 2025:
You can't sign a seven year deal (with associated financial rewards) and then decide in year three that you want out, and you then get to choose where you want to go!
i think this is the bit that gets me. You can't sign a long contract at a shit team, and then want out if it doesn't get better, and pick your destination. Either don't sign the long deal, or allow the club to trade you at their benefit.
Right now clubs are "punished" for the players not doing their own due diligence or valuing security over everything.
Not everyone gets to win a flag in their career boys. Ask Lions battler legends like Daniel Rich.
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I don't even think winning a flag is a driving influence for Curnow. Just another player who wants to get 'out of the bubble'. On the one hand I don't blame them, on the other hand I certainly do - sign a long deal, reap the benefits of a big club, become a fan favourite then decide 'nah I want the quiet life'... just shouldn't be allowed.
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the interesting pick up was Gold Coast getting Jamarra Ugle-Hagan for a cheap contract loaded with incentives. Very talented player if he can get his head right. These types of deals don't often work out, but given the price it was worth the risk i reckon.
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@mariner4life said in AFL 2025:
@barbarian said in AFL 2025:
You can't sign a seven year deal (with associated financial rewards) and then decide in year three that you want out, and you then get to choose where you want to go!
i think this is the bit that gets me. You can't sign a long contract at a shit team, and then want out if it doesn't get better, and pick your destination. Either don't sign the long deal, or allow the club to trade you at their benefit.
Right now clubs are "punished" for the players not doing their own due diligence or valuing security over everything.
Not everyone gets to win a flag in their career boys. Ask Lions battler legends like Daniel Rich.
it does work the other way too, florent signed a 5 years deal last year and we told him to look at other options, im reading we're not letting him go begrudgingly
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yeah, and the Dees are eating a heap of Oliver's salary so he can play for GWS. Risk on all sides.
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The AFL have gone and done it. "Wildcard" weekend in the pointless pre-finals bye round.
7th v 10th
8th v 9thCan't hate this enough. AFL house doing everything in their power to get Essendon a finals win.
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@mariner4life or Carlton….
Cha-Ching
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Fuck yeah.
Should be a trophy as well.
The Wild Card Cup.More of a concern to me is Collingwood having a sook, and saying the want their first game of the season to be at home.
ALL THEIR FUCKING GAMES ARE AT HOME!
DOG fluffybunnies . . . I fuckin hate them. -
And well done to the AFL for dropping this stuff in the week of the AFLW finals. Just when it starts getting interesting for the AFLW, noooo the AFL have to drop the opening round games for next season on the Friday - the eve of the finals starting, and then on the day after they drop the wildcard stuff.
Now I’m all for league competitions standing on their two feet, but surely the AFL could’ve held off and pumped up the finals a bit more or let the talk be about that for a day or two.
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It's called lip service support mate.
I flew to Melbourne with the Lions last weekend. My favourite Lion of either team went further up in my estimation...
I was astounded how small they all are.
