Do we need to rip off the band aid?

[older saint]

Great article this week about how part of Melbourne's development as a club was to release former No1 draft pick Jack Watts. It wasn't Jack's fault he was pick 1 and Melbourne didn't do the right thing by him , but he was and is too soft to be a top player at AFL level. Melbourne kept him for all those years on the basis he was pick 1 and may develop.

Are we doing the same thing with McCartin? McCartin isn't soft however he obviously has medical issues which through no fault of his own doesn't allow him to be the athlete he wants to be. The club jumped at shadows taking him pick 1 after Boyd signed the massive deal at WB, and watching Petracca last night was actually painful. Richo's system also doesn't help him - bombing on his head in the square.

Perhaps for all concerned it may be best to move him on , give him a fresh start no expectations , and also would send a tough message to the list ( however as has been seen this year current admin/ coach doesn't deliver tough messages). Could get a pick around 30 for him i would think?

[saint-stu]

For pick 30?! No way, he's worth more to us than that. Keep him then.

[Cairnsman]

My wife always asks how much I pay for wine and complains when I buy expensive wine and it takes away from her enjoyment of the experience so a few years back I started lying about the cost so she could just enjoy the experience.

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

[SydneySainter]

Great article this week about how part of Melbourne's development as a club was to release former No1 draft pick Jack Watts. It wasn't Jack's fault he was pick 1 and Melbourne didn't do the right thing by him , but he was and is too soft to be a top player at AFL level. Melbourne kept him for all those years on the basis he was pick 1 and may develop.

Are we doing the same thing with McCartin? McCartin isn't soft however he obviously has medical issues which through no fault of his own doesn't allow him to be the athlete he wants to be. The club jumped at shadows taking him pick 1 after Boyd signed the massive deal at WB, and watching Petracca last night was actually painful. Richo's system also doesn't help him - bombing on his head in the square.

Perhaps for all concerned it may be best to move him on , give him a fresh start no expectations , and also would send a tough message to the list ( however as has been seen this year current admin/ coach doesn't deliver tough messages). Could get a pick around 30 for him i would think?

I’m inclined to think so also. Might be best for both parties, especially if he was traded to an interstate club, away from the Melbourne spotlight.

But, he could very well be one concussion away from retirement and everyone knows that, so I don’t even know if we would get pick 30 for him.

[saintadamski]

If We could get pick 30, I'd be super happy.

In fact we'd be lucky to trade a slow type 1 diabetic with no tank, at all... sorry Paddy, I know you're a nice guy, but we messed up.

[Tommyj]

You said it yourself richos game plan is flawed not his fault he waits to get crunched everytime we bomb the bloody ball forward poor bloke doesn't stand a chance we'll see what happens next year when someone with a brain like ratts changes this shocking game plan I still think this kid will be a star with the right coaching

[spert]

You said it yourself richos game plan is flawed not his fault he waits to get crunched everytime we bomb the bloody ball forward poor bloke doesn't stand a chance we'll see what happens next year when someone with a brain like ratts changes this shocking game plan I still think this kid will be a star with the right coaching

Trouble is, when the ball the ball was getting bombed, the opposition backs were having no trouble reading and marking the ball.

[older saint]

You said it yourself richos game plan is flawed not his fault he waits to get crunched everytime we bomb the bloody ball forward poor bloke doesn't stand a chance we'll see what happens next year when someone with a brain like ratts changes this shocking game plan I still think this kid will be a star with the right coaching

Could well be , but unfortunately the AFL has made it clear Richo can't be sacked - financially irresponsible and we are writing your cheques- so even with Ratten and whoever else - not sure we will see the change we all want listening to some of the dissection of games since seasons end

[SydneySainter]

You said it yourself richos game plan is flawed not his fault he waits to get crunched everytime we bomb the bloody ball forward poor bloke doesn't stand a chance we'll see what happens next year when someone with a brain like ratts changes this shocking game plan I still think this kid will be a star with the right coaching

Could well be , but unfortunately the AFL has made it clear Richo can't be sacked - financially irresponsible and we are writing your cheques- so even with Ratten and whoever else - not sure we will see the change we all want listening to some of the dissection of games since seasons end

Agreed. The rott at this club stems pretty deep and it’s naive to think they the injection of a few new assistants will have the affect that it allegedly had at Richmond, or any kind of significant impact for that matter.

[sunsaint]

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

So that explains my three day growth, my headache and the fact I don't have any money left in the wallet

[To the top]

"has medical issues"

"doesn't allow him to be the athlete he wants to be"

Do you people actually read what you write?

Petracca is a mid field player, so would compete with Armitage, Ross, Dunstan, Acres and Steele for a spot in the St Kilda side as a big bodied mid fielder (noting we also lost Stevens).

McCartin is a key forward who, incidentally, contributed strongly when we beat Melbourne late in the 2018 Season (and was injured in the first quarter of the following match, finishing his season).

Yes, McCartin has had an unfortunate run with injuries (also departing games early) but that can happen to anyone

Look at the West Coast ruckman.

Perhaps some on here could look at where the real problem is with our player list.

Starting with the "Captain"

[BenLong#21]

It is a really difficult question.
Year 5 is make or break. There is a small chance he comes in good in year 5.
BUT
If he doesn't come good in year 5 then his trade value will drop to zero.

I personally would rip off the band aid now but it is on a knife's edge.

[BenLong#21]

My wife always asks how much I pay for wine and complains when I buy expensive wine and it takes away from her enjoyment of the experience so a few years back I started lying about the cost so she could just enjoy the experience.

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

Except she is drinking nice wine....

Watching Paddy play is like drinking a cask of riesling.

[Cairnsman]

Except she is drinking nice wine....

Absolutley no guarantee the more you pay the better the wine, some of the more expensive wines can taste average too however the human mind, my wife's mind, will only enjoy the wine if they think it's a bargain priced wine irrespective of how it tastes.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

As a symbol of everything that's wrong about St Kilda in the 2010s -- slow, fumbling, crippled, anachronistic, in
danger of being washed up at any moment -- it might be best for all parties if we cut our losses and traded him.

Unless the powers that be are absolutely convinced that his best is yet to come. But then those same powers should
be held accountable if it turns out not to be the case.

[SydneySainter]

My wife always asks how much I pay for wine and complains when I buy expensive wine and it takes away from her enjoyment of the experience so a few years back I started lying about the cost so she could just enjoy the experience.

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

Except she is drinking nice wine....

Watching Paddy play is like drinking a cask of riesling.

I assume you mean Blue Nun??

Don't knock Riesling, it's called the noble variety for a reason!

[Ghost Like]

Another year and that wine turns to vinegar.

[BenLong#21]

My wife always asks how much I pay for wine and complains when I buy expensive wine and it takes away from her enjoyment of the experience so a few years back I started lying about the cost so she could just enjoy the experience.

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

Except she is drinking nice wine....

Watching Paddy play is like drinking a cask of riesling.

I assume you mean Blue Nun??

Don't knock Riesling, it's called the noble variety for a reason!

Apologies to Riesling

I was actually thinking of something like this:

[SydneySainter]

My wife always asks how much I pay for wine and complains when I buy expensive wine and it takes away from her enjoyment of the experience so a few years back I started lying about the cost so she could just enjoy the experience.

If it helps think of Paddy as a cheap bottle of wine.

Except she is drinking nice wine....

Watching Paddy play is like drinking a cask of riesling.

I assume you mean Blue Nun??

Don't knock Riesling, it's called the noble variety for a reason!

Apologies to Riesling

I was actually thinking of something like this:

[maverick]

Explain to me the logic of being financially irresponsible in not sacking richo when continuing to keep him in the job will cost the club more in members and probably players willing to come?

That old common sense thing isn’t so common....

[degruch]

I still feel sorry for Paddy, I want to see him get a good run before deciding if he's a total bust. Is he contracted for 2020?

[BenLong#21]

Explain to me the logic of being financially irresponsible in not sacking richo when continuing to keep him in the job will cost the club more in members and probably players willing to come?

That old common sense thing isn’t so common....

We are keeping Richo for one reason only.
For Finnis to save face.
Sacking the Cho before his 2 year extension even starts would be humiliating and hurt Finnis's reputation and public standing.

[Scollop]

I'm sick of supporting a team that has a disadvantage against most of the incumbent sides in the AFL and a team that has always been one of the weakest VFL teams here in Melbourne in terms of cash/sponsorship/member numbers/etc. It's one of the main reasons that we almost always 'nearly' win a flag even when we have had strong seasons in the last 50 years.

I'm going totally off topic here, and this is more about ripping the band aid off the WHOLE footy club. The AFL will have to have a team down in Tasmania at some stage won't they? Why not fast track it and get some of the same advantages that the Northern State AFL teams get with acadamy players and the like. Do we think we can honestly compete with the power clubs of the AFL? Do we want our kids and grandkids to go through what we have for the next 50 years?

We'll need the AFL to appoint Peter Jackson or someone of his calibre plus the Pres to have a reputation as good as Brian Cook. The Tassie Saints will retain our current colours and will retain all our best players going into season 2020 PLUS the AFL gives us the same concessions they gave GWS with extra first round draft picks for 2-3 years. At least we'll retain some of our history down at Moorabbin and still play a half dozen home games in Melbourne.

[older saint]

Explain to me the logic of being financially irresponsible in not sacking richo when continuing to keep him in the job will cost the club more in members and probably players willing to come?

That old common sense thing isn’t so common....

Dont necessarily disagree, however this is the only logical reason for Richo not being moved on. $1m pay out plus say another $500K for a new coach so in theory would be paying $1.5 for a coach for 2019, or should i say AFL paying $1.5. They would argue that it is the clubs responsibility for membership/ sponsorship retention and basically you put yourself in the position you live with it. As much as it hurst to be a fan of this conceptually i dont have an issue with this line of thought. Contradiction to all this of course is Gold Coast money pit which will never work ( like every other sporting team on GC before them) but would involve the afl admitting we were Wrong , and from their perspective if they got an extra $10m per year on TV rights because of GC they argue paying for itself.

[older saint]

I'm sick of supporting a team that has a disadvantage against most of the incumbent sides in the AFL and a team that has always been one of the weakest VFL teams here in Melbourne in terms of cash/sponsorship/member numbers/etc. It's one of the main reasons that we almost always 'nearly' win a flag even when we have had strong seasons in the last 50 years.

I'm going totally off topic here, and this is more about ripping the band aid off the WHOLE footy club. The AFL will have to have a team down in Tasmania at some stage won't they? Why not fast track it and get some of the same advantages that the Northern State AFL teams get with acadamy players and the like. Do we think we can honestly compete with the power clubs of the AFL? Do we want our kids and grandkids to go through what we have for the next 50 years?

We'll need the AFL to appoint Peter Jackson or someone of his calibre plus the Pres to have a reputation as good as Brian Cook. The Tassie Saints will retain our current colours and will retain all our best players going into season 2020 PLUS the AFL gives us the same concessions they gave GWS with extra first round draft picks for 2-3 years. At least we'll retain some of our history down at Moorabbin and still play a half dozen home games in Melbourne.

remember it was only 20 years ago Hawthorn was a few votes away from being the Melbourne Hawks. All about the administration and the decisions made since then - we were in a GF that year. Since then in no particular order:

- Tim watson
- Malcolm Blight
- Walking away from Tas
- Seaford
- New Zealand
- Ross Lyon contract
- Luke Ball
- Numerous recruiting decisions - Lovett, Lee, the list goes on
- Seaford
- Scott Waters
- did i mention Seaford?