Rumour Speculation, Rumours, Lies Thread 2025

[Scorpus]

Rumour Summary October 1st

• Adelaide expects a decision from Christian Petracca
  3

  Christian Petracca

  Age

  30

  Ht

  187cm

  Wt

  94kg

  Pos.

  M/F

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  19.4

  5star

  K

  9.5

  4star

  HB

  9.8

  5star

  M

  3.5

  4star

  T

  3.0

  5star

  CL

  2.5

  4star

  D

  24.4

  5star

  K

  10.4

  4star

  HB

  14.0

  5star

  M

  3.5

  3star

  T

  3.6

  4star

  CL

  3.4

  4star

  D

  19.0

  5star

  K

  7.8

  3star

  HB

  11.2

  5star

  M

  3.0

  3star

  T

  3.8

  5star

  CL

  2.0

  4star

  by Saturday, according to a poster (link)
• Christian Petracca's decision between Adelaide and Gold Coast is a 50/50, according to Tom Morris (link)
• Taylor Walker will sign a one-year contract extension, according to Josh Money (link)
• Adelaide have been working on the Petracca trade for months, compared to Gold Coast who have joined the race more recently, according to a poster (link)
• Christian Petracca is meeting with Gold Coast in person (link)

Rumour Summary October 2nd

• Melbourne are open to trading Clayton Oliver
  10

  Clayton Oliver

  Age

  28

  Ht

  189cm

  Wt

  88kg

  Pos.

  Mid

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  27.8

  5star

  K

  9.5

  4star

  HB

  18.4

  5star

  M

  3.2

  3star

  T

  6.3

  5star

  CL

  6.3

  5star

  D

  25.1

  5star

  K

  11.1

  4star

  HB

  14.0

  5star

  M

  3.6

  4star

  T

  5.6

  5star

  CL

  5.9

  5star

  D

  19.2

  5star

  K

  4.6

  2star

  HB

  14.6

  5star

  M

  2.0

  3star

  T

  4.4

  5star

  CL

  3.8

  5star

  , according to Sam Edmund (link)
• Clayton Oliver expects to be told to explore his trade options, according to Tom Morris (link)

 

[jackster83]

Not a change in mindset .....playing players B4 they're ready is not good for both player & Club

Did we not develop Curtin this year ?

Did we not give Draper prolonged exposure .....albeit as a sub ....we know he wasn't ready, when we were forced to play him at year's end

Worrell has stated he benefitted from being held back ....and learning how a pro acts

People need to get some patience .....these same people who demand they play, are also the first to stick the boots into them

Panicking and sending Laird into the midfield instead of Curtin in the finals is absolutely a mindset thing. Especially after we trusted Curtin in the middle in previous games.

It's mental gymnastics to argue otherwise.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Rankine and Rachele splitting their time between mid/forward will obviously help our midfield and ball movement as well, their impact on how we score is evident from their stats and our form when both were available. You would expect Draper to be far better with a full pre season under his belt and start demanding more midfield minutes.

Petracca would be great and certainly elevate our midfield significantly, but I don't think it makes our ability to win the flag impossible. Ah Chee could also allow Curtin to start getting more midfield minutes as well.

Our midfield was miles behind the other finalists, even with Rankine it was behind the better midfields.

Curtin and Draper aren’t all of a sudden going to make a big difference in 2026, sure maybe in 27 onwards but not next year.

It’s great to be optimistic but you also need to be realistic, if we don’t bring in an A grade mid, don’t expect to go beyond winning a final if we are lucky, we could also easily miss the 8 altogether if we have a bad run of injuries.

 

[feenix67]

Our midfield was miles behind the other finalists, even with Rankine it was behind the better midfields.

Curtin and Draper aren’t all of a sudden going to make a big difference in 2026, sure maybe in 27 onwards but not next year.

It’s great to be optimistic but you also need to be realistic, if we don’t bring in an A grade mid, don’t expect to go beyond winning a final if we are lucky, we could also easily miss the 8 altogether if we have a bad run of injuries.

Curtin and Draper will only be better in 27 if we play them there in 26... let's hope any new inclusions dont keep them out.

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

Been told an interesting rumour, even if it's at its first initial stages at this point.
A senior crows official has sat down one-on-one this year, more than once, with a high profile victorian coaching figure. Lips are sealed on any further details like names etc.
Made an enquiry with my source about whether a move to adelaide came up. Eyebrow raised, followed by “you’d be silly not to ask the question.”

So it's clearly very speculative at this stage. Could mean nothing. Only time will tell. Thought it was worth sharing regardless. Tis the sort of thing you'd hope the club would be getting up to in the background!

your sources lips are sealed or yours?

 

[jo172]

Been told an interesting rumour, even if it's at its first initial stages at this point.
A senior crows official has sat down one-on-one this year, more than once, with a high profile victorian coaching figure. Lips are sealed on any further details like names etc.
Made an enquiry with my source about whether a move to adelaide came up. Eyebrow raised, followed by “you’d be silly not to ask the question.”

So it's clearly very speculative at this stage. Could mean nothing. Only time will tell. Thought it was worth sharing regardless. Tis the sort of thing you'd hope the club would be getting up to in the background!

Hasn't there been a weirdly persistent Chris Scott wants to move to Adelaide (the city) rumour that's been hanging around over the course of the year.

Written it off as fantastical, but as a rumour it's had some staying power

 

[Crow till I die]

Our midfield was miles behind the other finalists, even with Rankine it was behind the better midfields.

Curtin and Draper aren’t all of a sudden going to make a big difference in 2026, sure maybe in 27 onwards but not next year.

It’s great to be optimistic but you also need to be realistic, if we don’t bring in an A grade mid, don’t expect to go beyond winning a final if we are lucky, we could also easily miss the 8 altogether if we have a bad run of injuries.

I am not so sure on the bolded bit as we are looking at the least to further improve the floor of the side even if we miss on a top end mid. That combined with how we traded last year and have drafted I think put us in the position where we have depth and should now have enough quality to put the close wins on the board rather than them being close losses lie we had in years past. So we 'should' be a finals side regardless next season but winning it all is a completely different animal. If we regress somewhat next year and finish bottom half of the top 8 but in doing so have given Dan Curtin, Draper and Edwards a lot of midfield time and established them in there, I can live with that...but we need to win a final at least next year as a minimum.

 

[Syd Crow]

Our midfield was miles behind the other finalists, even with Rankine it was behind the better midfields.

Curtin and Draper aren’t all of a sudden going to make a big difference in 2026, sure maybe in 27 onwards but not next year.

It’s great to be optimistic but you also need to be realistic, if we don’t bring in an A grade mid, don’t expect to go beyond winning a final if we are lucky, we could also easily miss the 8 altogether if we have a bad run of injuries.

Got to make the finals first of course. Nothing is guaranteed in 2026. But you would hope we would.

 

[Syd Crow]

I am not so sure on the bolded bit as we are looking at the least to further improve the floor of the side even if we miss on a top end mid. That combined with how we traded last year and have drafted I think put us in the position where we have depth and should now have enough quality to put the close wins on the board rather than them being close losses lie we had in years past. So we 'should' be a finals side regardless next season but winning it all is a completely different animal. If we regress somewhat next year and finish bottom half of the top 8 but in doing so have given Dan Curtin, Draper and Edwards a lot of midfield time and established them in there, I can live with that...but we need to win a final at least next year as a minimum.

Trouble is every side tries to improve and the good ones usually do. So my fingers are crossed we make the 8.

 

[screech]

Stevens got 1 Brownlow vote for his debut game this year, for people not too familiar with his career so far. Had a record number of score involvements for a debut too with 14 (to go with 8 clearances, 21 touches at 85% and a goal). The classic type of player Geelong bring through their ranks slowly and without any fuss until one of their old blokes retire or is poached (like we are doing).

He is 100% an upgrade on Berry, just like we upgraded our fringe types with ANB, Peatling and Cumming last year.

Is Stevens the most common surname we have had?

Mark, Scott, Linden, potentially now George and a Father-Son Mitchell

 

[Syd Crow]

Is Stevens the most common surname we have had?

Mark, Scott, Linden, potentially now George and a Father-Son Mitchell

The AFC version of the Philosophy Department of the University of Woolloomooloo same name requirement.

 

[GreyCrow]

Is Stevens the most common surname we have had?

Mark, Scott, Linden, potentially now George and a Father-Son Mitchell

How many Smiths

 

[SLOWNE]

If Taylor is going to make it in any position, it has to be in the midfield. He has exceptional hands and great IQ. Time to find out, or delist.

 

[mickfaxis]

Is Stevens the most common surname we have had?

Mark, Scott, Linden, potentially now George and a Father-Son Mitchell

Cook ... Brayden, Tim, Sudjai

 

[Golumless]

I remember an interview with Lachie Neal about a hard conversation he had with his then coach, Ross Lyon in his early years.

I don't remember the details but on the topic of his fitness, effort and future, I can still remember clearly what Ross issued as a warning to him.

'If you're not careful son, you'll never be anything more than a fat little back pocket at... Glenelg '.

Taylor maybe needs to double down on his physical gains this year and grow his body to properly release his talent.

That said, there is no guarantee being fitter does anything for Taylor. As much as I say it's the only path, this is a guy who struggles to accumulate, and accumulation/disposal counts are an audit on how frequently someone wins ground balls and gets to the right spots and creates space for themselves.

After all, as much as Lachie Neale may have had the riot act read to him, he did show an affinity to ball winning/accumulating early.

If Taylor is going to make it in any position, it has to be in the midfield. He has exceptional hands and great IQ. Time to find out, or delist.

If that's the case, don't bother wasting any time on Taylor and delist him.

If you can't make it as a half forward flanker, you're not making it as an inside midfielder. After all, football is not a game where positions are specialised for smaller players. Due to the skillset every midfielder has, they should have the game to survive/thrive as a half forward flanker, winger and if they come with an excellent field kick, a half back flanker. It is the end point of every other positions developmental curve.

Reality is a lot more muddy. Should Taylor end up as a midfielder, he's first going to have to find a way to excel at half forward flank (as a means of showing his game is in good enough of a place to handle the increase in responsibility). It's possible, but is going to require him to get fitter and hoping it fixes his ball accumulation issues. If it doesn't fix his accumulation issues, Taylors ceiling is a half forward flanker (say a Callum Ah Chee level footballer). Like every other footballer who wasn't blessed with an elite talent level and a body ready to dominate on the inside (your Ashcrofts/Wadlaw types), there are boxes that tend to need ticking beforehand.

 

[jo172]

Cook ... Brayden, Tim, Sudjai

Won't stand for this Myke erasure

 

[Linekers Ears]

Hasn't there been a weirdly persistent Chris Scott wants to move to Adelaide (the city) rumour that's been hanging around over the course of the year.

Written it off as fantastical, but as a rumour it's had some staying power

Mate reported that the sh1t twin is being informally reviewed at Essendon. No Scott's on Melbourne next year?

 

[Crow till I die]

Cook ... Brayden, Tim, Sudjai

myke cook

 

[screech]

How many Smiths

Brodie, Darren, ?

 

[screech]

myke cook
View attachment 2437314

We might have a winner with Cook

 

[George CantStandYa]

I am not so sure on the bolded bit as we are looking at the least to further improve the floor of the side even if we miss on a top end mid. That combined with how we traded last year and have drafted I think put us in the position where we have depth and should now have enough quality to put the close wins on the board rather than them being close losses lie we had in years past. So we 'should' be a finals side regardless next season but winning it all is a completely different animal. If we regress somewhat next year and finish bottom half of the top 8 but in doing so have given Dan Curtin, Draper and Edwards a lot of midfield time and established them in there, I can live with that...but we need to win a final at least next year as a minimum.

We saw how tight the top 9 was and we expect Sydney to bounce back, plus how many times have we seen grand finalists in recent years miss the finals altogether? It’s not because they are crap but it’s because of injuries etc can impact.

What we know is we will have a tougher draw, Tex if he plays, his impact will diminish, surely we have some injuries and the unknown is what our finals capitulation has had on our psyche.

Plus other sides aren’t going to stand still, Bulldogs find themselves a defender and they will be in the 8.

 

[Crow till I die]

We saw how tight the top 9 was and we expect Sydney to bounce back, plus how many times have we seen grand finalists in recent years miss the finals altogether? It’s not because they are crap but it’s because of injuries etc can impact.

What we know is we will have a tougher draw, Tex if he plays, his impact will diminish, surely we have some injuries and the unknown is what our finals capitulation has had on our psyche.

Plus other sides aren’t going to stand still, Bulldogs find themselves a defender and they will be in the 8.

Yeah all that is true but improving our floor and depth helps cover for injury or form drop in players and that alone has to make us better. The dogs fans are starting to worry themselves as they may be losing a few and may not have much coming in if butts and wilkie stay put.

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

Yeah all that is true but improving our floor and depth helps cover for injury or form drop in players and that alone has to make us better. The dogs fans are starting to worry themselves as they may be losing a few and may not have much coming in if butts and wilkie stay put.

They’re probably going to need to take a punt on May, but that still doesn’t really address the problem for more than a year or two at best.

 

[maxlilly]

We saw how tight the top 9 was and we expect Sydney to bounce back, plus how many times have we seen grand finalists in recent years miss the finals altogether? It’s not because they are crap but it’s because of injuries etc can impact.

What we know is we will have a tougher draw, Tex if he plays, his impact will diminish, surely we have some injuries and the unknown is what our finals capitulation has had on our psyche.

Plus other sides aren’t going to stand still, Bulldogs find themselves a defender and they will be in the 8.

Tex seems to have had plenty of time to make a decision on his retirement.
If nothing has been said by now, do we assume he will play again next year now ?

Seems strange that there is no news on a new contract, no whispers about retirement

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Tex seems to have had plenty of time to make a decision on his retirement.
If nothing has been said by now, do we assume he will play again next year now ?

Seems strange that there is no news on a new contract, no whispers about retirement

Hope he does play on.

 

[WetCrow1991]

Hopefully Walker does the right thing and retires and we go with someone more mobile in his place.