What makes you think we can out tank the teams below us? We’re up against historically elite non competition.
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I’d love for us to pry him away from that turd of a club. But I reckon he will stay unfortunately
Per my Collingwood source, Pies have been into Rowell for years and were lining up this year. The Houston pick up was a last minute decision with discussions about whether they should go for him, as it may rule out them going after Rowell.
I believe Pies have asked AFL if they can trade their future firsts given they have traded so many of them recently.
This announcement that Rowell has a preference for the G comes across as his manager saying - only non G teams have given a good offer (Dons and Cats). Big MCG clubs should reach out
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I never unstood the nickname scoop, he is the biggest bullshitter in footy.
The G, or the GMHBA?
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Unfortunately there isn’t a cue of players lining up to play big games at Docklands.
Oh well. As long as the Members are warm and dry, thats all that matters.
Maybe im one out here but I see us playing enough games at the G to be considered a team that plays at the MCG.
Huge games in:
R1 vs Hawks
Anzac day
Dreamtime
King Birthday
Country Game
Plus double up games vs other big Vic teams.
The above is our biggest advantage in attracting players and it will never not be.
A few more games at marvel vs interstate teams won’t deter players from picking us over another VIC team that plays at the G a few more times.
Gresham wanted to play at the G more, where is he now?
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THRILLTHORPESMULLET.
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Would love to know what their offer is if we can’t even hold onto Draper
Announce something.
Anything…
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“ Just like Sam Draper’s Achilles, Essendon and Sam remain a long way apart in contract negotiations”
Yeah, he’s tracking ok. Not up there in the rising star and had single digits against us. Still not certain to be a star.
Surely if the Gold ■■■■■ win a final this year then Rowell isn’t going anywhere
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Ugle-Hagan apparently wants to go to swans.
so swans will get first rd, plus academy kid late top 10 and trade in Jamarra, not a bad off season.
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JUH shouldn’t be allowed to waltz to a club of his choice without WB being adequately compensated. He’s made an absolute mockery of his contract.
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Normally I’d feel a bit more passionate about that but I’m finding it very difficult to give a fark about the Bulldogs getting great compensation when they have had the fortune of getting Jamarra, Sam Darcy, Libba, West and soon, Darcy’s younger brother, handed to them through good fortune via academy or father sons.
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This is the monster the AFL creates. The last thing we need is more structures around this stuff.
Hope they have metal detectors at the swans training facility players entrance
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And they don’t have a salary cap. What happened to their FF, i can’t remember his name.
Moneyball: All the trade and contract news around the AFL
How many of Collingwood’s veterans will play on next year? Plus news out of Hawthorn, Essendon, Melbourne and more in Moneyball.
Evergreen Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek is confident all of the club’s over-30’s brigade are capable of playing into next season – and beyond – as the Magpies continue to buck the AFL trend for extending players’ careers.
The Magpies currently have 10 players aged 30 or more – eight of which come out of contract later this year – with another two players set to turn 30 within the next month.
Collingwood’s general manager of list and talent Justin Leppitsch will use the club’s round 14 bye to consider what comes next for the club’s veterans, who are playing a key role in the Magpies’ push for a second premiership in three seasons.
But Mihocek says there is no reason on form or fitness that the bulk of them won’t play on into 2026, and potentially even longer.
“I don’t see why any of us can’t keep going for another one or two-plus years,” said Mihocek, who kicked four goals last week, including his 250th major.
Mihocek told this masthead he was keen to strike a new deal as soon, but stressed he understood why the Magpies were playing a bit of a waiting game.
“Yeah, I would love to get it done now, but I also know it is a business,” he said.
“When you get older – even though 32 is not old – you can sort of understand it. I respect the decision not to rush, but all I can do is hold up my end and keep playing good football.”
He said the Magpies had created a system which had allowed older players to flourish – in part with the strength and conditioning team headed by Jarrod Wade but also with the trust of the coaching staff – and it is reaping huge dividends right now.
Mihocek (18) and Jamie Elliott (28) have kicked 46 goals between them, Steele Sidebottom is in All-Australian form, Scott Pendlebury is edging closer to Brent Harvey’s games record and Jeremy Howe is still one of the Magpies’ most valuable defenders.
Of the over 30s, only two of them didn’t play in the statement-making win over the Hawks last Friday – Mason Cox and Tom Mitchell were playing VFL football and still searching for an opening into a talent-laden AFL side.
Mihocek has missed two games this season – and insists he could have played in both but listened to the conditioning team about playing the long game.
“It’s an older list, but we are definitely looking after our blokes,” he said.
“Those games I missed were needed … I would try to play through anything, but that can be detrimental. I’ve got a young kid now (eight-month-old Arthur, with his partner Polly) and I’ve got to look after myself.
“I was close to playing both (of those games). I need the people to say ‘settle down and have a rest’ and it has worked. I feel really good now because of it.”
HAWKS KEEN ON SIGNING SPREE
Hawthorn is looking to fend off rivals for a number of its key players with discussions already underway to extend players including Massimo D’Ambrosio and Josh Ward.
The Hawks are hopeful of keeping James Worpel and are getting closer on a deal with ruckman Lloyd Meek beyond this year.
D’Ambrosio is contracted for the next two seasons but the Hawks could extend that even further with talks underway about a potential longer deal.
Ward has filled part of the void left by Will Day’s injury in the midfield and his deal runs out this year but the club is already talking with his management about a new contract.
THE QUIRK IN CONTRACT FOR DEE
Running machine Harry Sharp will be given a solid runway to make the most of his bright start at his second club, having quietly signed with the Demons until the end of 2027.
Sharp moved south from the Brisbane Lions in the trade period, having played 16 AFL matches and 55 VFL games with the Lions across four seasons.
But he hasn’t played in the reserves once at the Dees, having played in all senior games, even with five of his 12 matches coming as the starting sub, and two in which he was subbed off.
He held a contract for 2025 at the Lions and that was maintained when he was traded for pick 49 and a swap of future third rounders in October, and the Demons then added two more years to his tenure.
Sharp hasn’t had more than 12 disposals in any game, partly because he has been thrown around by the sub vest.
Sharp arrived already as Melbourne’s best runner and has been part of a switch in Simon Goodwin’s game style tweaks, to invest in more leg speed and open up the game.
The Demons will face contract calls on Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham, Jack Billings, Taj Woewodin and Charlie Spargo later this year.