Rumour Speculation, Rumours, Lies Thread 2025

[Scorpus]

Rumour Summary October 1st

• Adelaide expects a decision from Christian Petracca
  3

  Christian Petracca

  Age

  29

  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)

 

[croweater 41]

First rumour off the board

 

[spenze]

First rumour off the board

Yeah, he's not ****ing Merlin FFS, not even he could help them.

 

[GameofSloanes]

Port won’t need to satisfy them. He’s uncontracted. Saints will fight hard but end up getting bent over. Port will get him for a steal.

The old 'well sorry that's all we have' scenario. Straight out of Geelong's playbook.

 

[Crow till I die]

Yeah, he's not ****ing Merlin FFS, not even he could help them.

They already had a wizard

 

[Golumless]

Agree. With Curtin locking down a wing and with an eye to going through the middle as time passes, we have the following that are our primary mids we need to be rotating through:
Dawson
Soligo
Peatling
Draper
Rankine
Berry.

Personally if we were to obtain a quality forward like Bailey that allowed Rachele to also have stints in the middle, it makes us even more flexible as we have a real mix of size, power, pace and skill across the group.

But even more important than obtaining a quality small forward to enable more Rachele and Rankine in the middle is a better midfield line coach that can fix our structures so we are not losing clearance at the centre week in week out. Get that right and we are the ones winning ball with our group giving first look to our forwards, look out everyone

Flexibility isn't worth anything if you are always better off having a player in one position.

6 is too many, most units right now have settled on 4-5 players. if I had to read the tea leaves with how our unit will develop it'll probably be:

Close out the year --> R1 2026 --> R1 2027
(>70%) Dawson -- Dawson -- Dawson
(>60%) Soligo -- Soligo -- Soligo
(>60%) Berry/Crouch -- Curtin -- Curtin
(40-60%) Peating -- Peating -- Draper
(25-40%) Rankine -- Rankine -- Rankine.

With Draper being a 3rd wing/bits player in 2026. Depends on the shape he's in and how his back holds up.

I think we've moved past the point of using Rachele as a midfielder in this build. Rankine does the 70 fwd -30 mid role exceptionally well and Peating is quite a solid 3rd/4th mid. That probably does mean the main thing we want from the Rachele magnet is scoreboard impact and he's quietly become a very damaging forward.

I do think we'll see Curtin in the inside roles round 1, especially with commentary from Nicks that this is a guy you trust to win contests and that one more year in the gym is going to make him an unstoppable force.

Eh centre clearances aren't that important. There is only one team who averages >15 points from that method so as long as we're defending them relatively well (which we are), it won What is important is finding a method to beat teams who can shut-down our transition game. Some of that is going to come down to increasing the talent of our inside midfield group and ideally Soligo becomes that player he's threatened too for a while.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Yeah, he's not ****ing Merlin FFS, not even he could help them.

I think he could fix them if given enough time. Maybe he stays because he wants a flag on his resume.

 

[MRB37]

First rumour off the board

I'd hazard a guess that there's zero chance Burgess leaves until Thebby is finished. He's heavily involved in the set-up of that.

 

[Viva la Mattner]

I'd hazard a guess that there's zero chance Burgess leaves until Thebby is finished. He's heavily involved in the set-up of that.

If the situation with his wife (may now be ex?) and kids his the same he isn't going anywhere

 

[spenze]

They already had a wizard

View attachment 2370777

He must have had some good pictures, no idea how he kept his job.

 

[spenze]

I'd hazard a guess that there's zero chance Burgess leaves until Thebby is finished. He's heavily involved in the set-up of that.

He is getting paid a Motza to be near family. Sure he could move overseas and earn more but having more money you can spend, close to family, never missing a birthday...it's a pretty sweet street and hard to move from.

 

[plugger59]

Melbourne know they are stuffed on that, $1M a year average until 2030. Who thought that was a good idea??

No way known any club would cover that contract.

I only know what was reported in the written media somewhere - so its gotta be true - Clarry's contract is heavily and increasingly back-ended right up to 1.7m in the last year.

 

[FR0GGY]

Can only play the one position, no thanks.

Sure about that? Reckon he’d be happy starting at either end of the table.

 

[I Lost My Keays]

Can we have a decided rumours thread without the discussion?

 

[davos44]

I only know what was reported in the written media somewhere - so its gotta be true - Clarry's contract is heavily and increasingly back-ended right up to 1.7m in the last year.

"It's my understanding..."
"We can report that..."
"Its been alleged..."

Back ending makes the situation worse for any possible suitor, huge if true

 

[blighty]

Any link for what Thommo says?

I’m really keen to see both Wanganeen-Milera and Sinclair in the centre square where the collage is, where the great teams have their best players, where the action starts, where the opportunities are created, rather than sitting at half back, not minding opponents as much as is required because their brief is to be spare, create from D50 which is akin to a boxer counter-punching rather than initiating and leading.

And on June 30 on X

Why do Saints allow Wanganeen-Milera & Sinclair to kick out from a behind. It just adds to their stats and prevents them from being where we need them between the arcs hopefully getting it and driving into F50 or making smart choice just outside F50. I don’t buy into this short kick stat then run past and get it again and kick it (usually under pressure) crap.

June 27...
I know it’s like shuffling deck chairs but I want our best players in midfield rather than not playing on an opponent being accountable & racking up possessions behind the ball.

June 24..

If you haven’t seen W-M be unaccountable you’re not watching behind the ball. I know he has a licence to create and therefore responsibility isn’t totally with him but when you’ve won 5 games out of 14 it tells you how many times his direct opponent has been involved.

All from X

 

[blighty]

Just asking, but were you this adamant when dawson chose us over Port considering it was us in the doldrums and port finishing top 4?

Dawson was adamant he always wanted to play the team he followed as a kid !

Dawson had/has leadership scrawled all over him !

I see with NWM no such traits, as much as he's allowed others to speak for him Burgoyne has actively promoted his mate-ship & the desire to play together ! Given the Port list profile & rebuild required they are as far away as any team in the competition..

If he wants to play in a Premiership contender that team that can satisfy immediately is Adelaide !

Clearly playing with mates while racking in big coin is his priority to playing with a Premiership contender !

If it's not a priority I don't want him !

 

[Mostyn]

Dawson was adamant he always wanted to play the team he followed as a kid !

Dawson had/has leadership scrawled all over him !

I see with NWM no such traits, as much as he's allowed others to speak for him Burgoyne has actively promoted his mate-ship & the desire to play together ! Given the Port list profile & rebuild required they are as far away as any team in the competition..

If he wants to play in a Premiership contender that team that can satisfy immediately is Adelaide !

Clearly playing with mates while racking in big coin is his priority to playing with a Premiership contender !

If it's not a priority I don't want him !

Both Port, their players and potentially NWM would think they're in a very good position to bounce back next year and be a serious finals contender, I'm sure of it.

 

[Hodgy]

Both Port, their players and potentially NWM would think they're in a very good position to bounce back next year and be a serious finals contender, I'm sure of it.

A midfield of Rozee, JHF, NWM, Bergman and Butters is absolutely elite.
Granted there’s not much else (Georgiatis and Luko are OK), but that midfield makes them a chance in any game.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Port won’t need to satisfy them. He’s uncontracted. Saints will fight hard but end up getting bent over. Port will get him for a steal.

What do you mean by a steal?

Saints won't give him NWM without quality picks imo.

Just came out the Saints are the hardest to deal with at the trade table as voted by the other clubs.

 

[ams4crows]

Can we have a decided rumours thread without the discussion?

Thread marks, will have real rumours noted but there's yet to be anything substantial or worth noting

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Both Port, their players and potentially NWM would think they're in a very good position to bounce back next year and be a serious finals contender, I'm sure of it.

I don't see it myself as they really lack depth to support their top end talent

But they are better placed than the Saints.

 

[Pea Nut]

They said on Gettable today that Brisbane were sniffing around ROB and Draper

I’ve heard Draper is basically a done deal to Brisbane. Which I thought very surprising. Seemed like they were late comers to showing interest in him.

 

[Peter Doherty]

Would do you mean by a steal?

Saints won't give him NWM without quality picks imo.

Just came out the Saints are the hardest to deal with at the trade table as voted by the other clubs.

I tend to think NWM will get to the Power no matter what.

There is a scenario where Butters may see this as cover for him to leave.

'Fine, you can convince NWM to go home if you like, but I want to go home, do a deal, take the picks for me, use them on NWM'

His management can work this to force the Power to release him. Power can't be seen to forcing Butters to stay (albeit still in contract) while bending Saints over for NWM.

If I was a Victorian team, this is the angle I'd be coming at Butters with.

 

[mtbkym]

Does losing Butters and gaining NWM improve Poort’s list?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Does losing Butters and gaining NWM improve Poort’s list?

No