Rumour Bluemour Discussion XL - ‘Silly Season’ in full swing 😱

[Aphrodite]

#BUMP from February


Re: 'Alleged' rumours resurfacing ...

Folks, this is the way things are here.

Posters are responsible for what they post. Moderators can not attest to the accuracy or otherwise of any rumour posted.

Moderators will intervene for a couple of reasons.

1. If a thread is threatening to be derailed because of a post.

2. If invested parties request the removal of material.

None of this draws a conclusion as to the accuracy or otherwise of the original post.

There is no need to further speculate. What will be will be.

Also, you need to remember that this thread like all parts of this forum is bound by the rules of poster conduct. If you want to express skepticism towards a rumour that's fine, but having a crack at posters who are contributors to this forum is simply not on and will be acted upon.

Simply put, don't be a dick.

Thanks all!

 

[Earls Smother]

Just bringing back memories. Was the worst rumour ever. Maybe earls smother was close

What’s this in reference to?

 

[CCurnow3picks]

If we can’t get the deal we need & Charlie does stay, he needs to accept one thing - it takes hard work every day/moment to become great.

It’s easy to drop your head when it’s hard, greatness works through hard times with resilience, belief - natural leadership.

Charlie sticking fat & putting his head down to be a better player & leader could be the making of him as a great.

Running away to find a soft way out will only see him remembered as a talent.

I hope he stays - it could be the re-making of Charlie Curnow

30

Charlie Curnow

Age

28

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

9.7

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.8

4star

.

 

[Garters]

There seems to be a pretty concerted media campaign to get supporters used to the idea that Curnow is leaving and to move everyone past 'it would have to be a kings ransom' territory, and it is beyond just click bait

The obvious is that Curnow wants out, as reported, but if so, the club could shut that down instantly.

There is a very worried part of me that suspects that the club is responsible, that it is trying to clear cap space and essentially bring about a rebuild, and so they are already preparing to take two picks in the 20s from Geelong and be about there business.

Suffice to say, I do not trust the club at all at this point, particularly in list management after they have botched our list so badly over the past 3 years (and botched our draft hand with the disastrous trade last year).

To see the current changes is testament to how dire our situation is.

Out: TDK, Silvagni, Hollands (likely), Docherty, Curnow (possible)

In: Khamis, Chesser, Reidy and a draft picks?

We are staring a likely bottom 4 finish, potentially bottom 2, if that goes ahead. Those ins are scraping the barrel and it doesn't seem like there is a plan A or a plan B to try and compete.

Honestly, the last couple of years feels a lot like 2012-14 all over again - watching the club make appalling decisions in real time, to the extent that it felt like Malthouse and co were part of a deliberate plot to destroy the list.

But the main point is: we cannot allow the club to trade Curnow for anything less than a king's ransom. The only reason to even consider it is for a haul of 5-6 players and picks that allow us to completely reshape the team. Anything less than that and we have no reason to even pick up the phone. And if the club does consider it we honestly need to consider a board challenge to intervene. I genuinely think the mismanagement is that bad right now

Miles off the mark.

 

[Garters]

When I look at Geelongs list..I wouldn’t trade CC for any of them. It’s weird because they are playing in a grand final.

That is very telling isn't it. We don't recognise what a team looks like. Blinded by the individual. Have Been for years.

 

[BlueBlood15]

Because the distance from the bottom to the top is bigger than it has ever been.

We desperately, hopelessly need to raise our floor as a footy club. Since 2002 we have circled the drain and when we are bad, we are awful and everyone wants to leave and the fans turn on each other and...are you seriously happy to go back to the bottom 4?

For what? Another '66 game rebuild' that takes 8 years to get back to finals (that would be 2034 for anyone counting at home)? That is the path our club appears to be taking, though, and it is madness.

The clear difference between us and Essendon is that they don't have any good players outside Merrett (but tonnes of depth). We are the opposite - a good top end, but paper thin. And the one unique thing we can do is send out two Coleman medallists in the forward line, and have a duel Brownlow medallist leading the midfield.

I definitely do not want a complete rebuild ever again. I would much, much rather aim to just consolidate in the middle of the ladder, open up cap space and fill gaps, the way Collingwood and Geelong have done.

Is this really a rebuild though?

TDK received an offer way over market value from a desperate club. No other club would and should go near that offer for a guy who isn’t one of the top 5 rucks in the competition. We get a top 10 pick in return for his departure but perhaps more importantly free up $1m in our bulging salary cap.

JSOS has played 29 games in the past 3 years and sooked it up for reasons likely related to his old man’s (biggest flog going around) gripe with the club. He was also offered an extra $1m over the life of his deal from the desperate club when compared to us and two sensible clubs (pies and dogs). We’ll get an end of first round compensation pick which is above the odds for what he’s produced.

Then there’s Charlie. We hold all the cards. Despite the used car salesman D’Orazio’s best efforts to convince people otherwise, we don’t need to trade him and we only should if the deal is very much in our favour. If we get said deal, it will put the club in a better place moving forward. If we do not, Charlie will have to put his big boy pants back on for the first time since Ed left and get on with it.

This is hardly a scorched earth rebuild. At best it’s a tactical retooling over two drafts prior to Tasmania’s entry into the competition.

Also forget players and picks, this is about GW also trying to reset the entitled player culture which has eroded the fabric of our club over 20 years.

 

[Rosscoe 17]

That is very telling isn't it. We don't recognise what a team looks like. Blinded by the individual. Have Been for years.

Are we still doing it though? Going for high end draft talent when we should be focussed on no frills solid players who hold their own.

 

[Stamos]

That won't be the case Stamos, we are in a good position. As far as things currently sit he won't be going anywhere. Deal will need to be big for GW to pull the trigger. Until we see what is on the table it's all just dic* heads in the press waxing lyrical re their preferred biased little agendas.

That’s what the post that I was originally replying to stated though, that we’d just take what we can get.

I agree with you.

 

[Stamos]

Only another 5 weeks of this shit……..

3 weeks, but it will feel like 3 months

 

[JoeyPBLUES]

As a Perth native, I'd take any of the sons who played in this Wildcats lineup.

Man I miss these days of the NBL

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Draper compensation will be somewhat important, but the rest is set in stone, save for whatever support package West Coast are getting.

After academy picks, it'll get pushed back to about 15.

Gold Coast will happily talk shop with us if we want to part with what is likely to be 10 and 11 under the above scenario, as will West Coast. I'd happily chase a top 5 pick in this draft and pick up some future selections. The SOS compo and our existing picks should pay for Dean and Ison, and that can be the end of our draft if we're already grabbing role players and depth elsewhere.


This draft isn't super balanced at the top end, but it doesn't suck, the mug draft punters posing as media and content creators have been kept in the dark. In a scenario where we were certain Dean wouldn't get bid on before 15, I would happily take two picks above that.

I don't base my opinion on media/content creators... it's just not a great draft. The only 2 players I'd look at with a top 5 pick are Duursma or Lindsay.

I've already put forward a scenario where we could end up with 4 first round picks in next year's draft... I'd much rather that.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Would that make you feel better?

lol, seriously.

Yes, in fact it would...

most top sporting clubs in the world know that they play for the supporters primarily...

when they let their fans down, they apologise to them...

this club will do the opposite and blame fans for being 'toxic' what a load of shit...

so yeah, an apology would tell me that this club is heading in the right direction - putting the supporters first

 

[Blue__Balls]

There seems to be a pretty concerted media campaign to get supporters used to the idea that Curnow is leaving and to move everyone past 'it would have to be a kings ransom' territory, and it is beyond just click bait

The obvious is that Curnow wants out, as reported, but if so, the club could shut that down instantly.

The club have said their piece - the club cannot "shut down" the AFL media industry, especially when Charlie's manager is feeding them info as well. What is it you want them to do, sue Channel 7, Foxtel, NewsCorp and the AFL itself for spreading rumours and talking about possible trades in the leadup to trade week? Come on.

The club's position was and is that Charlie is contracted and they expect him to be playing in Navy Blue next year and beyond. That position stands unless a club comes to us with an offer we can't responsibly knock back.

There is a very worried part of me that suspects that the club is responsible, that it is trying to clear cap space and essentially bring about a rebuild, and so they are already preparing to take two picks in the 20s from Geelong and be about there business.

Some real conspiracy-theory stuff going on here. Balance of probability - who stands to benefit from talking down Charlie's trade value, Carlton, or the player himself who is seeing the chances of a deal dwindle day by day as his preferred clubs rule out trading their own players? Just think about it.

Carlton are gonna cave and take two second rounders? Are you listening to yourself?

To see the current changes is testament to how dire our situation is.

Out: TDK, Silvagni, Hollands (likely), Docherty, Curnow (possible)

In: Khamis, Chesser, Reidy and a draft picks?

We are staring a likely bottom 4 finish, potentially bottom 2, if that goes ahead. Those ins are scraping the barrel and it doesn't seem like there is a plan A or a plan B to try and compete.

The GF hasn't even been played yet, just simmer. Who have Collingwood recruited this offseason? GWS? Adelaide? Fremantle? I could continue...

We're linked with some bit part players because they're the ones whose deals are very likely agreed upon in principle already. We're not chasing any big free agents because it would dilute our own FA compensation. So yeah, as it stands we know we're losing two free agents, still don't know what the compensation is gonna be for one of them, and we've lined up a few suitable role player trades.

Honestly, the last couple of years feels a lot like 2012-14 all over again - watching the club make appalling decisions in real time, to the extent that it felt like Malthouse and co were part of a deliberate plot to destroy the list.

What decisions are you referring to? Not matching a $1.6-$1.8m offer for a ruckman who is, at 26yo, still talked about as "potential"? Not matching a $800-$900k offer for a KPP who averages 12 games a year? Retaining Voss (contracted), after a 12 month analysis by a very sharp operator in Wright? Culling the assistant coaching group around Voss, after many have been saying for years that he needs better support? Sacking Lloyd who has been one of the least inspiring Heads of Football we've seen? Calling time on Docherty when it was clear to all and sundry that age and all the shit his body has had to fight through had caught up with him?

I'm seeing lots of good decisions, some of them just a year or two too late. The biggest one - seemingly drawing a line in the sand on player buy-in and effort.

But the main point is: we cannot allow the club to trade Curnow for anything less than a king's ransom. The only reason to even consider it is for a haul of 5-6 players and picks that allow us to completely reshape the team. Anything less than that and we have no reason to even pick up the phone. And if the club does consider it we honestly need to consider a board challenge to intervene. I genuinely think the mismanagement is that bad right now

You and I don't get to "allow" anything, so park that nonsense to start with. Furthermore, we're not getting 5-6 players/picks for Curnow, unless they're more of the players that you've already criticised the club for chasing. If Curnow goes, it'll be because an offer includes a player who makes us better and addresses an area of need, in addition to some draft picks that can assist with closing other deals or securing players we've committed to in the draft. If that offer doesn't come, no amount of bleating from his manager is going to convince us to take "two picks in the 20s"

 

[Shambolic]

The club have said their piece - the club cannot "shut down" the AFL media industry, especially when Charlie's manager is feeding them info as well. What is it you want them to do, sue Channel 7, Foxtel, NewsCorp and the AFL itself for spreading rumours and talking about possible trades in the leadup to trade week? Come on.

The club's position was and is that Charlie is contracted and they expect him to be playing in Navy Blue next year and beyond. That position stands unless a club comes to us with an offer we can't responsibly knock back.



Some real conspiracy-theory stuff going on here. Balance of probability - who stands to benefit from talking down Charlie's trade value, Carlton, or the player himself who is seeing the chances of a deal dwindle day by day as his preferred clubs rule out trading their own players? Just think about it.

Carlton are gonna cave and take two second rounders? Are you listening to yourself?



The GF hasn't even been played yet, just simmer. Who have Collingwood recruited this offseason? GWS? Adelaide? Fremantle? I could continue...

We're linked with some bit part players because they're the ones whose deals are very likely agreed upon in principle already. We're not chasing any big free agents because it would dilute our own FA compensation. So yeah, as it stands we know we're losing two free agents, still don't know what the compensation is gonna be for one of them, and we've lined up a few suitable role player trades.



What decisions are you referring to? Not matching a $1.6-$1.8m offer for a ruckman who is, at 26yo, still talked about as "potential"? Not matching a $800-$900k offer for a KPP who averages 12 games a year? Retaining Voss (contracted), after a 12 month analysis by a very sharp operator in Wright? Culling the assistant coaching group around Voss, after many have been saying for years that he needs better support? Sacking Lloyd who has been one of the least inspiring Heads of Football we've seen? Calling time on Docherty when it was clear to all and sundry that age and all the shit his body has had to fight through had caught up with him?

I'm seeing lots of good decisions, some of them just a year or two too late. The biggest one - seemingly drawing a line in the sand on player buy-in and effort.



You and I don't get to "allow" anything, so park that nonsense to start with. Furthermore, we're not getting 5-6 players/picks for Curnow, unless they're more of the players that you've already criticised the club for chasing. If Curnow goes, it'll be because an offer includes a player who makes us better and addresses an area of need, in addition to some draft picks that can assist with closing other deals or securing players we've committed to in the draft. If that offer doesn't come, no amount of bleating from his manager is going to convince us to take "two picks in the 20s"

Good work

 

[blueblooded]

If we can’t get the deal we need & Charlie does stay, he needs to accept one thing - it takes hard work every day/moment to become great.

It’s easy to drop your head when it’s hard, greatness works through hard times with resilience, belief - natural leadership.

Charlie sticking fat & putting his head down to be a better player & leader could be the making of him as a great.

Running away to find a soft way out will only see him remembered as a talent.

I hope he stays - it could be the re-making of Charlie Curnow.

View attachment 2436917

Not sure Charlie cares too much about greatness .. he’s not made in the MJ, Kobe or LeBron mode. He’s a naturally gifted athlete, relaxed guy, I’m sure he has pride in his performance but he’s not manic like the real greats and he never really will be. He’s still a great player but at 29 with the injuries he’s had and the natural tendencies he has I’m not banking on him having a personality and mindset adjustment if he stays. He can still kick 60 goals next season with a full pre season under his belt but if you’re building around Charlie Curnow you’re doing it wrong. Hence no club at this point being serious about giving up a building block in return!

 

[btdg]

Is this really a rebuild though?

TDK received an offer way over market value from a desperate club. No other club would and should go near that offer for a guy who isn’t one of the top 5 rucks in the competition. We get a top 10 pick in return for his departure but perhaps more importantly free up $1m in our bulging salary cap.

JSOS has played 29 games in the past 3 years and sooked it up for reasons likely related to his old man’s (biggest flog going around) gripe with the club. He was also offered an extra $1m over the life of his deal from the desperate club when compared to us and two sensible clubs (pies and dogs). We’ll get an end of first round compensation pick which is above the odds for what he’s produced.

Then there’s Charlie. We hold all the cards. Despite the used car salesman D’Orazio’s best efforts to convince people otherwise, we don’t need to trade him and we only should if the deal is very much in our favour. If we get said deal, it will put the club in a better place moving forward. If we do not, Charlie will have to put his big boy pants back on for the first time since Ed left and get on with it.

This is hardly a scorched earth rebuild. At best it’s a tactical retooling over two drafts prior to Tasmania’s entry into the competition.

Also forget players and picks, this is about GW also trying to reset the entitled player culture which has eroded the fabric of our club over 20 years.

But it is a scorched earth rebuild? If we let Charlie go, then in two off-seasons we have removed: TDK, SOS, Docherty, Kennedy, Owies, Cincotta, Fantasia, Martin, Marchbank, Cuningham, Carroll, S Durdin, and likely Hollands (and possibly Curnow).

That's 14 players who were in their prime (aged 23-30). We HAD taken a decade to put together a list of 29 players in their prime, who played a preliminary final 2 years ago, and were on top of the ladder last year before injuries hit. We have cut half of that in 12 months.

What have we added in return? Nick Haynes (already 33), whatever you make of Frankie Evans, and a handful of late draft picks and rookie listers. Smith and O'Farrell - sorry, but you don't put any expectation on 19 year-olds who have done their ACL. That just isn't fair. If they play 100 games, good for them, but it is no guarantee.

If that isn't a 'scorched earth' rebuild, when it includes a dual Coleman medallist, first ruck and a former club captain, I don't know what it is? Richmond moved on 12 players aged 23+ in the 2023-2024 drafts, and that was considered 'scorched earth', but they at least had 5+ first-round picks across those two years.

We have no draft capital this year because we blew it all next year. We have father/son picks this year and next that will eat up our free agency compo and our natural draft picks.

The madness is that I don't think anyone realises how deep and long this rebuild will need to be. In 2015, we at least had Cripps/Docherty and nailed the first draft with Weitering/McKay/Curnow, and it still took 8 years to play finals. This time the cupboard is as bare as can be. Ollie Hollands? He's fine.

This scorched earth policy likely ends in more players leaving, as well. Walsh is a free agent next year, and there's no way he sticks around. Two years time, Haynes will be 35, Newman 34, Cripps, Williams, McGovern, Saad will be 33, and Hewett and Acres 32. Retirement or a pension year at another team start looking pretty good when you are a bottom 4 team.

I honestly cannot understand what we are doing. It feels like the Malthouse years all over again, watching Betts and Garlett and Waite and Robinson and co get pushed out the door, watching the disastrous 'trade back and then draft Blaine Boekhurst and DVR' train wreck in real time...

edit: which is to get back to the original point. The ONLY reason we should consider trading Charlie (as rumoured) is if we get back an all-time haul of players - we need a 5 player trade (perhaps including 1-2 draft picks) that off-sets the list train wreck we have put in place. Right now, our list has ONE thing going for it - we are the only team that can build around TWO Coleman medallists for the next 5 years.

Despite the house being on fire, that's a foundation of sorts - give Voss some mature adults to put around them (not the rookie-list and VFL crew he had this year), and we should be able to rebound to at least being competitive next year, and then keep our veterans going while filling gaps with free agents and father/son and academy players across the next 5 years, then making the smart play for younger guys later (ie: the Collingwood and Geelong strategy).

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

The words "Charlie is desperate to leave" is pure media fluff.

All along his angle has been, if something can be done great, otherwise he was happy to stay.

 

[Coops93]

Florent, Chesser, Khamis aren't taking Carlton up the ladder.

It's about raising the floor of the list, lack of depth was a clear issue last season and cutting too deep last off-season has been acknowledged by the club. Florent would be a starting 22 player, Khamis probably is an 18-22 player and Chesser is an unknown. They have attributes we lack and raise the level of the depth.

Florent has good run and has very good skill. His issue is staying in the game as he can drift out, but ball in hand he'd be a very good addition. Khamis has great athletecism, similarly can go missing, but has the athletic profile we lack. Chesser, at least on paper, has exactly the skillset we want - pace and skill in midfield. It remains to be seen if he can stay fit and meet his potential, but it's a low risk-high reward move for a guy that has attributes we need.

The old saying "a rising tide lifts all ships" is the approach. No one should expect them to come in and be the new top 3 in our BnF. They're targeted additions that have skills and attributes we currently lack that will lift the bottom of the list, which is smart recruiting imo. Add CJ to that potentially, not perfect but his profile is one that we don't have a lot of.

 

[El Topo]

Two years time, Haynes will be 35, Newman 34, Cripps, Williams, McGovern, Saad will be 33, and Hewett and Acres 32. Retirement or a pension year at another team start looking pretty good when you are a bottom 4 team.

I honestly cannot understand what we are doing

keep going, you're almost there...

 

[Zlatan]

The words "Charlie is desperate to leave" is pure media fluff.

All along his angle has been, if something can be done great, otherwise he was happy to stay.

If that’s the case then he and his management have also let their narrative spiral out of control.

 

[ESKIE]

The words "Charlie is desperate to leave" is pure media fluff.

All along his angle has been, if something can be done great, otherwise he was happy to stay.

Thanks for the update Schmurf!

 

[swuzzlebubble]

If that’s the case then he and his management have also let their narrative spiral out of control.

They'd obviously like to shift the line at which "something can be done".

 

[teagueyubeauty]

The words "Charlie is desperate to leave" is pure media fluff.

All along his angle has been, if something can be done great, otherwise he was happy to stay.

Coming to the realisation that no club will stump up the required trade I think

 

[CCurnow3picks]

Not sure Charlie cares too much about greatness .. he’s not made in the MJ, Kobe or LeBron mode. He’s a naturally gifted athlete, relaxed guy, I’m sure he has pride in his performance but he’s not manic like the real greats and he never really will be. He’s still a great player but at 29 with the injuries he’s had and the natural tendencies he has I’m not banking on him having a personality and mindset adjustment if he stays. He can still kick 60 goals next season with a full pre season under his belt but if you’re building around Charlie Curnow you’re doing it wrong. Hence no club at this point being serious about giving up a building block in return!

I suppose you’re right.

I can’t see how we trade him without clubs willing to trade something of worth back.

This may well be a wake up call for Charles.

What’s a player who’s happy to “coast”along at age 29 worth?

Maybe he should try a different approach.

What is greatness if not working every day, unflinchingly towards a premiership.

If he can’t be that, he’s not worth as much as he thinks.

 

[Lukeblueboy]

Coming to the realisation that no club will stump up the required trade I think

It’ll all come down to how desperate the other clubs are to really want him. If there desperate enough, then they will give up the required imo

 

[Zlatan]

They'd obviously like to shift the line at which "something can be done".

Yep - the narrative I’m hearing at the moment is “we’re desperate to get out of Carlton” rather than “would be nice to explore other options.”

And if it’s been embellished by the media (which I don’t believe it has), this is what happens when you leak exit interview information like his management did when you quite simply could have kept everything amicable and worked in the background to explore options instead of going public.