Rumour GFC 2026 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 1

[year of the cat]

Good call. Correct call. Sad in a way but had to happen call.

Absolutely. After 2 years of not being able to get on the park the call had to be made.

 

[thegerman]

Got to say, whilst I have a lot of time for Guth and his service to the club, can’t believe the need to delist him, where he should have retired.

Rather selfish to expect another year. Surely he received a tap saying it’s time.

 

[catempire]

... have I just managed to connect the dots and work out who you are on Geelong Nuffy Facebook?

Haha! You have not, because I’m not on Facebook!

 

[foxdog50]

I wonder when will other names and players will know about who and not getting a new contract

 

[catempire]

Going full Caro

P.S. This gif does not imply necessarily that you are the Zidane of this place but if you wish to think that I probably can't stop you. Can I? Yes.. No I probably can't stop you.

I’ve got better hair than Zidane.

 

[The Unforgiven]

I don't think Melbourne covered themselves in glory - shopping him around, then suddenly pulling it back and declaring he's not for sale at any price, was a poor way to treat a player.

But at the end of the day, Clayton really did make his own bed with the Brownlow behaviour, the bags, the lack of fitness, the holes in wall, the wiper bending.

The guy clearly suffers from mental health problems which were probably exacerbated by Melbourne's poor handling of him. I'm glad we passed on him.

 

[iameviljez]

The guy clearly suffers from mental health problems which were probably exacerbated by Melbourne's poor handling of him. I'm glad we passed on him.

I suspect it's a pretty potent mix of three factors (bad mental health, bad management, also a dickhead).

 

[iameviljez]

Got to say, whilst I have a lot of time for Guth and his service to the club, can’t believe the need to delist him, where he should have retired.

Rather selfish to expect another year. Surely he received a tap saying it’s time.

I don't think there's any kind of proof that he expected another year. Wanted another year, absolutely - but it's his right to want another one.

I have never bought the idea that footballers should have any kind of say on whether they get to extend their contract or not - all they can do is ask. Even the greats.

 

[TomsBulgingDisc]

I suspect it's a pretty potent mix of three factors (bad mental health, bad management, also a dickhead).

Precisely. You can have a mental illness and not be a dickhead, plenty of clear examples of it across society. However, if you're predisposed to being a complete dickhead, then having a mental illness is likely going to magnify that. Couple that with shit advice, and it's a hard road.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Good call. Correct call. Sad in a way but had to happen call.

Sad because he was so durable until 2023 then it fell off a cliff. But i agree definitely the right call. Great guy and hopefully will stay involved in the club in the future.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I wonder when will other names and players will know about who and not getting a new contract

By next week would be my guess.

 

[thegerman]

I don't think there's any kind of proof that he expected another year. Wanted another year, absolutely - but it's his right to want another one.

I have never bought the idea that footballers should have any kind of say on whether they get to extend their contract or not - all they can do is ask. Even the greats.

The point here is humility. Get the tap, understand where you sit and retire. Go out on your own terms.

 

[iameviljez]

The point here is humility. Get the tap, understand where you sit and retire. Go out on your own terms.

Well, it sounds like he just got the tap.

But why is he morally obliged to go out on his own terms? If he wants to carry on and take the risk that the club calls time - not him - then that's fine.

Happened to Chappy, for example, who took the two years at Essendon and had to be carried off in a box pretty much. But that's fine - it's his prerogative.

 

[iameviljez]

Sad because he was so durable until 2023 then it fell off a cliff. But i agree definitely the right call. Great guy and hopefully will stay involved in the club in the future.

Thank Christ it wasn't a year earlier. If there was one Geelong player apart from Dangerfield who really deserved to play in a flag, it was him.

 

[jnrburger]

Duncan and Guthrie out - replaced on senior list by Worpel and Mullin.

Have 3 relevant draft picks in hand - 19, 40, 60 - if taking all three to the draft, will need to clear 3 more spots - Bews, Wiltshire, and Stevens the remaining uncontracted ones (outside rookies).

If we bundle 19+40 to try to get a few spots higher (15 ish?), or trade one into next year and only take two live picks into the draft, that will save one of them. (The Mullin upgrade would cover the minimum 3 pick requirement for the draft).

Could see a chance of Stevens either being the one saved (or potentially delisted but re-rookied).

Hopefully Mellor can be taken with our late pick.

Clohesy will get squeezed out unless they reduce live picks for this year, and effectively swap him and Stevens between the senior and rookie lists.

Pike should stay on the Rookie list to cover the emergency department.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The point here is humility. Get the tap, understand where you sit and retire. Go out on your own terms.

You're a long time retired. Can totally understand players not wanting to make the call and try to go on as long as they can.
Athlete careers are short before needing to get into the 9-to-5 workspace.

 

[Frappe]

My mail is Guthrie and Bews are staying for 1 more (at least).

Bad mail.

 

[cats_09]

I wonder when will other names and players will know about who and not getting a new contract

 

[jim boy]

I think they are just giving Cam the dedicated announcement he deserves. Would think they do the same tomorrow with Bews ( if going) and everyone else the next day. Does no one any benefits delaying unnecessarily.

 

[Two Planks]

Afl.com saying cats will only have 2 selections in the national draft. Pick 19 and Mellor I assume and then add Rongdit onto the rookie list.

 

[iameviljez]

You're a long time retired. Can totally understand players not wanting to make the call and try to go on as long as they can.
Athlete careers are short before needing to get into the 9-to-5 workspace.

Yeah, if I were considering another year of low cost AFL ($300k, say) vs ordinary wage slavery, I know which I would pick

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I will be annoyed if Bews gets let go.
We don't have AFL standard depth in his position.

Would delist every other OOC player left before him.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I will be annoyed if Bews gets let go.
We don't have AFL standard depth in his position.

Would delist every other OOC player left before him.

If he couldn't get a game in finals when we were missing defenders like Kolo and Stewart then he's not really acting as depth. You've gotta wonder what the point of keeping him is

 

[And_ROOS]

I'll be ready in the I was wrong thread but he looked like a guy who was done to me

Its a weird one to be honest that I could see go either way.
Goes to GWS, is in a system that uses his strengths effectively in a team thats well balanced, has talent and a club thats settled. No way does he get on the field if the coach isn't happy with him like they did with Stringer.
So returns to strong form, probably not 2021 form but at 28 it will still be pretty good, and helps bolster a midfield that is going to be missing Kelly for a while.

Or he gets to GWS, plays out of his skin for 5-10 weeks (including likely a game against Melbourne where he dominates to make headlines for a week) before returning to last years form and drops off.

I lean in the camp of he is still a good player, if GWS get him fit (because he looked underdone last season) then they have got a bargain. For what they gave up and paid for him he only needs to be "good" for it to be a good deal but I think he will have a really good season next year because I sit in the camp that Melbourne was a toxic place to be the last few years and players form nosedived due to the terrible gameplan, lack of quality players in the middle bracket of their list profile, and poor coaches/sports culture.

But I won't be shocked if he is done, its just that in an underwhelming Melbourne team he still had a lot of very very high quality matches last season. I am in the "I wish we took a punt on him" camp.

We really missed him these last three years. Meant we were asking probably 20% too much of some of our other mids at times. Even more when we had injuries.

If he stayed healthy and his form doesn't drop off a cliff with CGuthrie we don't miss finals in 2023 and we beat Brisbane in 2024 because he would still be averaging 20-25 top quality disposals a week and that would have helped with rotations for Danger etc etc.

Its a real shame to see his career wind up this way, however he was crucial in a Premiership year and i'll never forget his involvement in this moment from the 2022 QF.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

If he couldn't get a game in finals when we were missing defenders like Kolo and Stewart then he's not really acting as depth. You've gotta wonder what the point of keeping him is

1. Kolo wasn't fit.
2. Stewart and Kolo are not his competition.
3. He is the only small defender not in the team on the list that IS AFL standard.

Bailey should have kicked on Clark playing in defence in the GF. You reckon he has that much influence on Bews? I know he wouldn't have.

Should be retained.