Dale Thomas

[PureFooty]

We've all heard the rumors, no truth to them as of yet. Can/Should/Will we chase him? Personally, I think we'd be mad not to, if he is on the table. I know the general consensus is that he's either staying at the Pies or going to join Mick at the Blues, but a last minute change of heart, a la Kurt Tippet, or closer to home Mitch Clark, certainly couldn't be ruled out.

 

[RandB]

No harm in dreaming mate.

Its the bit where we wake up that hurts.

Seriously though can you imagine the Pies supporters if he walked to Carlton lol

 

[CowboyFromHell]

dreaming mate.

Edited your post for accuracy Rand.

We can chase him all we like, no chance he would have any interest in coming to the club.

 

[LBJ6]

Wouldn't want to come to Melbourne. Fact.

 

[raven echo]

He's a must get IMO.

Our midfield is inexperienced and a high draft pick this year isn't going to fix it, due to them being inexperienced at the highest level (look at Toumpas and Viney, will be great in the future but we need impact now), so chasing a midfielder that has 150+ games of experience will be huge for us, as it immediately takes the pressure off Jones and allows more room for the likes of Trengove, Grimes, Toumpas, Viney etc. to grow.

We have room in the cap, so we should go hard for him. Collingwood have cap issues, so we need to exploit that.

 

[Captain Jack]

Of course we should chase him. It won't be anything more than a pipe dream though. He will stay at Collingwood or go join Malthouse at Carlton, thereby joining the circle of hell reserved for players to have represented both the Filth and the Cheats.

What possible reason would he have for coming to the Dees? Carlton's cap might be a bit tight, as may Collingwood's, but that's the only half-advantage we have, which itself is more than nullified by how intrinsically shit we are at everything.

We can dream though. He is exactly what we need. (Well, we need plenty of other things as well.)

 

[CowboyFromHell]

He's a must get IMO.

Our midfield is inexperienced and a high draft pick this year isn't going to fix it, due to them being inexperienced at the highest level (look at Toumpas and Viney, will be great in the future but we need impact now), so chasing a midfielder that has 150+ games of experience will be huge for us, as it immediately takes the pressure off Jones and allows more room for the likes of Trengove, Grimes, Toumpas, Viney etc. to grow.

We have room in the cap, so we should go hard for him. Collingwood have cap issues, so we need to exploit that.

All fair points, but why would he come to us when there are other clubs out there with currently better prospects and just as much money to give him? Short answer is he wouldn't.

 

[RandB]

He will stay at Collingwood or go join Malthouse at Carlton, thereby joining the circle of hell reserved for players to have represented both the Filth and the Cheats.

lol

 

[raven echo]

All fair points, but why would he come to us when there are other clubs out there with currently better prospects and just as much money to give him? Short answer is he wouldn't.

We can only hope, mate. As a Melbourne supporter that is all I have right now to keep me going.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

We can only hope, mate. As a Melbourne supporter that is all I have right now to keep me going.

Well in this case hope away until your hearts content mate.

 

[raven echo]

Well in this case hope away until your hearts content mate.

Haha will do. I need something to keep my spirits up

 

[Bluelegs]

It is a dream and very little chance of him looking twice at an offer from us but if we did want him we'd have to go Chris Judd to Carlton at him. There's no doubt what a difference he would make to our side.

 

[Crimson Azure]

After starting a thread a few years back calling him Daisy Copperfield I think I am not the best person to comment on whether he belongs at the Dees or not.

But that was in the bay And I still think he has the ability to disappear during a game.

 

[PureFooty]

All fair points, but why would he come to us when there are other clubs out there with currently better prospects and just as much money to give him? Short answer is he wouldn't.

I'm sure we can offer him a fair bit more than Collingwood or Carlton. Would be a similar circumstance to Mitch Clark, why'd he go to Melbourne when he could have gone home to Freo and given them a huge chance of winning a flag?

 

[CowboyFromHell]

I'm sure we can offer him a fair bit more than Collingwood or Carlton. Would be a similar circumstance to Mitch Clark, why'd he go to Melbourne when he could have gone home to Freo and given them a huge chance of winning a flag?

More circumstances at play than that, and I don't like the fact we just assume we're a show because Clark came here instead of Freo. With the situation we are in currently I'm sure he would be happy to take a little less money for more success. That's my take anyway. We can dream, but we're putting our head in the sand a little by thinking we're a chance of landing him.

 

[Bluelegs]

Wouldn't it make for an interesting Queens Birthday match though.

 

[Bluelegs]

More circumstances at play than that, and I don't like the fact we just assume we're a show because Clark came here instead of Freo. With the situation we are in currently I'm sure he would be happy to take a little less money for more success. That's my take anyway. We can dream, but we're putting our head in the sand a little by thinking we're a chance of landing him.

I think as players get closer to the twilight of their careers they begin to think about their future after football. There is a huge drop off in income for footballers and if they can't score a job in the media most of them go on to do fairly humble jobs. Having a massive paycheck to ensure their own security after their careers are done would be a huge factor in the modern footballers head, especially if they have a family they need to support. With free agency I think its become a lot easier for many footballers to take those factors into consideration and end their careers on their own terms.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

I think as players get closer to the twilight of their careers they begin to think about their future after football. There is a huge drop off in income for footballers and if they can't score a job in the media most of them go on to do fairly humble jobs. Having a massive paycheck to ensure their own security after their careers are done would be a huge factor in the modern footballers head, especially if they have a family they need to support. With free agency I think its become a lot easier for many footballers to take those factors into consideration and end their careers on their own terms.

Dale Thomas is not in the twilight of his career and, while there may be a massive drop off in income when they finish, they still make more money over a few years than most of us will see in a lifetime. We make too much of that aspect.

But, hey, I seem to be in a minority here. Sounds like, somehow, we are a large chance to land Thomas because... well... we have money. Or something.

 

[raven echo]

Sounds like, somehow, we are a large chance to land Thomas because... well... we have money. Or something.

That's the spirit

 

[LeverPuller]

Better chance at a few others. Think the Armfield calls may not be too far off...and there's a kid named Liam Sumner up at GWS too.

 

[PureFooty]

Better chance at a few others. Think the Armfield calls may not be too far off...and there's a kid named Liam Sumner up at GWS too.

Liam Sumner signed a 3 yr deal last week

 

[LeverPuller]

Liam Sumner signed a 3 yr deal last week

...missed that.

 

[PureFooty]

...missed that.

Also, he's a co**head haha

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

After starting a thread a few years back calling him Daisy Copperfield I think I am not the best person to comment on whether he belongs at the Dees or not.

Yes, I remember contributing rather heavily to that Bay thread too mate

Would dearly love to have him as a Demon. He'd make an absolutely mammoth difference to our midfield, that's very obvious. Maybe it is a hard ask to think we could secure him, but we'll never know for sure until we give it a crack.

 

[Bluelegs]

Dale Thomas is not in the twilight of his career and, while there may be a massive drop off in income when they finish, they still make more money over a few years than most of us will see in a lifetime. We make too much of that aspect.

But, hey, I seem to be in a minority here. Sounds like, somehow, we are a large chance to land Thomas because... well... we have money. Or something.

No not the twilight but he's in the prime and many at his stage of his career would be looking long term.

I don't like the attitude that the supporters and the club has towards getting big names. Its pathetic. "Oh they'll never come, keep dreaming" Maybe they won't but if you don't have any ambition we're never going to make any progress. How do you think Carlton got Judd? They were uncompromising in their attitude to getting him and they moved heaven and earth (as well as the aid of a questionable deal). Every year when the big names be it players or coaches the most Melbourne ever do to go after them is a phone call from Garry Lyon. Terrible. Maybe we wouldn't get him but if we were as aggressive as other teams are when these players are available we'd pick up a few more good players than bottom feeding for Shannon Byrnes and David Rodan.