Rumour Bluemour Discussion XLI

[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!

 

[Carltonfc9]

So we’d be paying a bloke $1.3 mil (possibly more) a year to not be the main man in our midfield at some point? If butters comes in, he would be our best mid

Just saying hes more then a midfielder he would be the best player in our forward half, imaging bailey and walker off the half forward and rotating through the middle

 

[bradfisher14]

I can’t help but think any effort to shift Butters will be linked to Port Adelaide’s bid for access to Dougie Cochrane.

Weren't the AFL meant to give a ruling on that before the trade period?

 

[gbatman]

So contenders like Port & Dogs?

Butters, JHF, Rozee, Bergman, Drew, Wines, Boak, Burgoyne

Bontempelli, Richards, Freijah, Liberatore, Sanders, Kennedy, Treloar

I think Butters will be a trade regardless, but from a matched FA offer. Big offer, big trade.

He’s not sacrificing $500k per year just to be nice to us.

Still much rather put the contract and trade collateral require for butters into 2 or 3 players rather than all eggs in the butters basket.

They are clubs like us, all at the crossroads and they need a few changes to take the next step.

Not sure who gets the choice, it will be Port Adelaide Football Club who decide whether he leaves via trade or via free agency. Obviously getting him to come will be about contract.

 

[Moon]

Somebody on one of the Footy Trade Shows quipped that Butters would end up at the Bulldogs.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Somebody on one of the Footy Trade Shows quipped that Butters would end up at the Bulldogs.

That's mostly based on location I believe. I think he was also a Dogs supporter.

 

[HarryFlashman]

Our midfield is not that crash hot, we badly lack pace and agility. What he would bring could well elevate us to genuine contender.

We have Cerra who is unreliable, Cripps and Hewett at the wrong ends of their careers and Walsh who has a dodgy back.

You bring in Butters who is a top level fast, agile modern day midfielder, you pair that with Cripps and Hewett while they are still going, push Cerra out to a wing where as a young player he was looking to be elite. You allow Smith and Walker the luxury to develop on the flanks instead of having them bashed up playing on the ball.

Butters also takes the attention away from Walsh and prolongs his career and takes the hard attention he gets away which allows him to impact more.

That's what you do, that is what the really top sides do.

We take Butters and win a flag with him, Hewett and Cripps going strong and Cerra, Walker Smith etc playing wings and flanks and rotating through there.

Then Cripps and Hewett retire and you re-adjust things around Walsh, Butters, Walker and Smith. Probably with Lord and Camporeale and win more flags. If Ison works out and we happen to also take someone like Robey then we start to trade out midfielders. It's that easy.

A quick fix works when you are already a good side and we should be a good side in 2027. A quick fix is the difference between making a prelim or QF and winning a flag in this situation.

Who knows, we might get to the end of 2026 and see bigger holes but I feel we won't.

As it stands, if Butters is an option, we should try and trade for him, keep his salary under control. Port may or may not do that.

Our midfield does not play well - with Jagga & lord now we have the pieces, they are just deployed incorrectly & the strategy/game plan is missing.

Crippa, Hew, Walsh, Cerra doesn’t enable an attacking game style.

It’s an unpopular option but I don’t think we can have George & Crippa in the same team, we need to evolve.

George is a better midfielder right now than Lord & Smith but he’s about as dangerous as a kitten, he provides very little offensively & defensively if the ball clears.

Give the kids a go, George’s job should be to protect & teach the kids in the 2s, we have depth now for more rotations & we need to come into 26 with a new style and plan

 

[Sickblue]

GW mentioned a few weeks back that our assistant coaching team was finalized but flagged we would add a couple of development coaches and with Boak seemingly locked away I’d be having a big crack at Tom Mitchell given he was delisted over the weekend and unlikely to get another gig. He’s got an incredible footy brain, has played at multiple clubs, overcame significant injury adversity and got the most out of a very limited physical skillset. Seems exactly the type we should be targeting and there is the obvious relationship with Cripps as well.

 

[Beyond Blue]

Somebody on one of the Footy Trade Shows quipped that Butters would end up at the Bulldogs.

The media have been consistently linking the Dogs to Butters for a while now. Geelong seem to the other team regularly mentioned as well. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone in the media say we are talking to him. I have no expectation that he’ll be a Carlton player.

 

[Beyond Blue]

GW mentioned a few weeks back that our assistant coaching team was finalized but flagged we would add a couple of development coaches and with Boak seemingly locked away I’d be having a big crack at Tom Mitchell given he was delisted over the weekend and unlikely to get another gig. He’s got an incredible footy brain, has played at multiple clubs, overcame significant injury adversity and got the most out of a very limited physical skillset. Seems exactly the type we should be targeting and there is the obvious relationship with Cripps as well.

Why would we do that when we already have Cripps and Hewett? We need to be adding variety through our midfield rotations. As many posters have said it’s becoming a problem having both of them in the same midfield so adding another similar type would be disastrous IMO.

 

[loco3]

Our midfield does not play well - with Jagga & lord now for we have the pieces, they are just deployed incorrectly & the strategy/game plan is missing.

Crippa, Hew, Walsh, Cerra doesn’t enable an attacking game style.

It’s an unpopular option but I don’t think we can have George & Crippa in the same team, we need to evolve.

George is a better midfielder right now than Lord & Smith but he’s about as dangerous as a kitten, he provides very little offensively & defensively if the ball clears.

Give the kids a go, George’s job should be to protect & teach the kids in the 2s, we have depth now for more rotations & we need to come into 26 with a new style and plan

If the past few years have proved anything, it’s that a quick midfield with two way running is essential for flag contention.

Agree Jagga is the type of player that will improve our midfield long term. I just fear that he will need a number of years to find his feet and our core group including Weiters/McKay will be at the end of their career at that point.

Butters could play midfield while Jagga learns his craft on a half forward flank. Jagga may well come of age in our core midfield group as Butters approaches 30 and starts to phase out.

 

[Sickblue]

Why would we do that when we already have Cripps and Hewett? We need to be adding variety through our midfield rotations. As many posters have said it’s becoming a problem having both of them in the same midfield so adding another similar type would be disastrous IMO.

I’m talking about as a development coach, not player.

 

[Beyond Blue]

Our midfield does not play well - with Jagga & lord now for we have the pieces, they are just deployed incorrectly & the strategy/game plan is missing.

Crippa, Hew, Walsh, Cerra doesn’t enable an attacking game style.

It’s an unpopular option but I don’t think we can have George & Crippa in the same team, we need to evolve.

George is a better midfielder right now than Lord & Smith but he’s about as dangerous as a kitten, he provides very little offensively & defensively if the ball clears.

Give the kids a go, George’s job should be to protect & teach the kids in the 2s, we have depth now for more rotations & we need to come into 26 with a new style and plan

I agree this is a problem. I wonder if Cripps can be deployed as a centre half forward? With Charlie gone Harry will need to be operating closer to goals. Cripps has very little forward craft/goal sense and can’t really chase and tackle unless it’s in close, but if he is deployed as a leading forward target further up the ground these shortcomings won’t matter as much. He is tall enough and strong enough to provide a focal point around the ground for defenders to look for when transitions the ball from defence. Taking him out of the midfield rotation allows for a more balanced rotation of Hewett, Cerra, Walsh, Smith and Lord with cameos from Williams, Motlop, Moir etc.

I’m talking about as a development coach, not player.

Oops my mistake. I agree he’d be a good option as a development coach.

 

[Red Bull]

Armary is average. 2 or 3 yr contract is ok. No way 5 yr free agency deal.
If Armaty is average wirh quality delivery on the SCG, he could be worse in victoria & he will be 28 so will not get better Type of player who gets a grand father offer from Tassie

Amartey wouldn’t have to be “the man”
Just need him to provide structure in support of McKay.
A reasonable contract and zero trade cost fits the bill nicely for Carlton …

 

[katmanblue]

wonder if Cripps can be deployed as a centre half forward?

Not a good mark or kick for goal. Goes ok when he's got a mismatch against a mid, but would struggle against kpd.

 

[jj1978]

Don’t get why anyone would even be thinking about Butters.

The way we are positioning ourselves the last thing we would want to do is spend a huge amount of resources on a gun mid.
We have mids covered moving forward, we need to be looking at bringing in more A/High B grade talent not Guns.

Improve the list, not look for a gun, incremental improvements not a “quick fix”

Midfielders of decent calibre are easy to acquire. For the money spent on Butters you can get 3 very very decent mids. If we spend big moving forward it’ll be on kpp I’d think.

 

[jj1978]

GW mentioned a few weeks back that our assistant coaching team was finalized but flagged we would add a couple of development coaches and with Boak seemingly locked away I’d be having a big crack at Tom Mitchell given he was delisted over the weekend and unlikely to get another gig. He’s got an incredible footy brain, has played at multiple clubs, overcame significant injury adversity and got the most out of a very limited physical skillset. Seems exactly the type we should be targeting and there is the obvious relationship with Cripps as well.

His dad was a coach with us once upon a time. Would prefer to keep son of Barry at arms distance especially after the whole SOS thing.

 

[TwiggleyFanClub]

I wouldn't mind waiting a year or 2 before going for a big name FA.
You're only as good as your bottom 6, and ours have sucked for ages. Let GW and co even out the list a bit, draft well and shore up a modern game plan. With fewer obvious holes and people the opposition always play through each week, the whole team is going to start looking better.
Then when we've had a chance to see what we've got: then we bring in a top player to elevate a position or add that cream.

 

[Azzurro]

Same here. Personally blame a lot of this on the Soccer/EPL influence amongst our fan base. A lot of the prominent content creators for the Blues are mad Soccer nuffies and want the coach sacked every 10 minutes as soon as theres a bit of hardship. Genuinely despise listening to some of them, peak of toxicity amongst fans.

Think it's a by-product of the 24x7 news cycle that swirls around EPL, NFL et al, and now (unfortunately) our game too.

Content creators and media have to constantly be saying something in order to be noticed, and have to be saying something at least mildly controversial to be in focus.

And so here we find ourselves.

I've said it recently, but people need to take a breath, get some real perspective on the fact this is sport, and try to enjoy the ride not the outcome.

The Veruca Salt-esque complaining this year was next level, supposedly justified "because our list is ready and I want it now." News flash, 17 other clubs want it too; many have been better positioned for much longer to actually win it; and all words from GW et al, and their actions during trade period, proves that our list was, in fact, not at all ready. Wishing to be ready, and actually being ready, are oceans apart.

Only a team having fun playing and getting results together has a real chance at winning the big dance. That means our club and supporters need way more Geelong-style calm confidence than "passionate" reactivity. The club has held up their end - now it's our turn to minimise the noise and distraction and just let the players enjoy playing for our great club and this glorious monogram.

AND most importantly, fans have to act that way NOW, before the results turn, so that the boys have an actual chance to succeed.

The last few games of the season it felt much better to be at the ground, once we shifted to acceptance and understanding - more of that please everyone.

Be part of the solution. Influence others to be better and cut the crap behaviour. It's the best way we can help our boys to win 17 and beyond.

 

[sweethoney]

Amartey wouldn’t have to be “the man”
Just need him to provide structure in support of McKay.
A reasonable contract and zero trade cost fits the bill nicely for Carlton …

I thought Sydney were looking to lock Amatyey away on another contract as he came out very early and said he doesn’t want to leave Sydney and had no interest being part of any curnow trade

 

[BlackGoanna]

Our midfield does not play well - with Jagga & lord now we have the pieces, they are just deployed incorrectly & the strategy/game plan is missing.

Crippa, Hew, Walsh, Cerra doesn’t enable an attacking game style.

It’s an unpopular option but I don’t think we can have George & Crippa in the same team, we need to evolve.

George is a better midfielder right now than Lord & Smith but he’s about as dangerous as a kitten, he provides very little offensively & defensively if the ball clears.

Give the kids a go, George’s job should be to protect & teach the kids in the 2s, we have depth now for more rotations & we need to come into 26 with a new style and plan

Ok so your putting our best and fairest winner in the two’s?

We can have a 6 mid rotation with the 5th player on the bench and a fwd/ mid

Cripps, Hewett, Cerra, Walsh, Jagga, Ainsworth

Lord next man up

 

[Carltonfc9]

What's everyone's thoughts on McGovern? Should we just rip the bandaid off and back in some youth, might be worth opening up another list spot might get a slider with a later pick

 

[dragonsblues]

Fairly clear that we’re missing:
1 more explosive small forward
1 more dynamic midfielder
1 more key defender
Another key forward.

With 4 key pieces needed, I’d say we are out of the running for Butters and we may be looking like another offseason like this one.

Perhaps a throw at the stumps at Bailey Humphrey and then collecting a few b-graders.

 

[sweethoney]

Fairly clear that we’re missing:
1 more explosive small forward
1 more dynamic midfielder
1 more key defender
Another key forward.

With 4 key pieces needed, I’d say we are out of the running for Butters and we may be looking like another offseason like this one.

Perhaps a throw at the stumps at Bailey Humphrey and then collecting a few b-graders.

Easy fixed go big at these f/a
Ben king
Butters
Bailey

 

[CJMB]

Easy fixed go big at these f/a
Ben king
Butters
Bailey

What’s that, $4.5M per year and still need to trade 3 1sts or so for butters?

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Yes
Just had a bit of a search.

B.King - RFA 2026
J.Amartey - RFA 2026
M.Lewis - UFA 2026
P.Voss - UFA 2026

King would cost plenty but we’d have plenty available in our cap.
Could GC afford to match ?

Amartey would be gettable as backup for Harry.

Lewis and Voss would only need to agree to terms with us to cross as UFA’s.

All 4 players could be snared for zero trade cost using our available salary cap next year …

Voss for me 195cm 22yrs with plenty of upside, athletic & powerful KPF…