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)

 

[1970crow]

When it comes to money deals that will massively surpass the biggest AFL deals ever made, I'm more of a 'Not over to the Fat Lady sings' kinda guy.

Get that money Nasiah. Or more specifically, get OUR money!

I don’t think there’s much to it. I doubt he gives too many craps about the difference between $1.8m and $2m per year. He wants back to Adelaide but his management know Port will struggle to come up with enough to get the deal done comfortably. So does he sign for 2 more with Saints and wait till Port do or does he sign with us, which at least is geographically preferred.

But are we offering 2 or only long term. As a club or supporter base, would we be happy giving him 2 and knowing he’s a loaner and we’ll be trading him to Port. Obviously we’d back ourselves to keep him, but signing 2 with us would be a clear non-commitment. But it potentially contributes to 2 genuine flag tilts.

 

[Trigger13]

I refuse to believe until Trigger13 weighs in.

Haha I’m yet to hear from my power Hienz Sauce. Will keep you posted

 

[Crow till I die]

I don’t think there’s much to it. I doubt he gives too many craps about the difference between $1.8m and $2m per year. He wants back to Adelaide but his management know Port will struggle to come up with enough to get the deal done comfortably. So does he sign for 2 more with Saints and wait till Port do or does he sign with us, which at least is geographically preferred.

But are we offering 2 or only long term. As a club or supporter base, would we be happy giving him 2 and knowing he’s a loaner and we’ll be trading him to Port. Obviously we’d back ourselves to keep him, but signing 2 with us would be a clear non-commitment. But it potentially contributes to 2 genuine flag tilts.

So you saying we have him for 2 years?... where do we sign as if he helps us win a flag or 2, who cares what comes after that as its premierships that count..nothing else

 

[cleanhands]

Given the thread poll I’m wondering when the Paper bags at the Bay come into play

 

[1970crow]

I really hope the AFL/AFLPA come to an arrangement where contracted players seeking to be traded home cannot nominate a club, only a state. It really robs the team losing the player of a ton of leverage.

Imagine the Saints were able to at least run a bidding war to compensate them for the loss of their best player.

What? If the player is contracted, the selling club has all the power, they can just say ‘no’. Just as Carlton did with Gibbs, Cats with Kelly and there was that Sydney bloke too. Clubs with contracted players wanting out hold all the aces.

I can get in board with your idea for uncontracted players. Just not sure how you align the 2 competing interests. Players wanting max salary and selling club wanting max draft pick.

 

[1970crow]

I'm listening...

PM me if you get one.

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

Yeah, joining the hyphen club.

Jason Horne-Francis
Darcy Byrne-Jones
Jase Burgoyne-Hueskes

 

[1970crow]

Won't happen, the AFL would run away at 100 kms an hour from a restiction of trade action..

How could it be a restriction of trade if it results in the player being paid more? What’s the damages being claimed when you’ve benefited financially?

Let’s say the system was a bit like RFA. The player gets a contract offer from their preferred club, it’s lodged with the AFL. Other clubs submit contract bids and all bids that match or exceed the preferred club are successful. The selling club then chooses the trade that they want.

4 key outcomes;

1. Player gets to the state that they want to.
2. Player gets paid at least the amount that they were happy with from the originating club.
3. Selling club gets best market value
4. All but Eliminates ‘costa living’ allowance type concerns because the final decision maker is about draft picks on offer, not outside cap shenanigans.

 

[1970crow]

Is he? The media asked him and he answered.

I think the only people getting emotional about this would be posters in here. Complete non issue.

“Emotional”? Nice try, most are simply providing a rational viewpoint on ROB going public with his concern on list management not including him in decisions they make. A few seem to think it’s poor form that he uttered his absurd expectation publicly, whereas I think it’s great, but there’s no emotion around.

And speaking of emotion, if we do end up with Draper, I wonder how long it’ll be before someone pegs your new account. Because most of us know that you won’t keep posting under one that has directly criticised anyone employed by the club.

But I think there’ll be a clue. The first sub 10 post username that posts arguments against the posters disagreeing with getting Draper will likely be you. If they use language that suggests the disagreer is being emotional, then it’s certainly you.

 

[1970crow]

Or play Dawson there when our midfield doesn't need him.

Tex does his best work between the arcs anyway.

I still reckon Curtin looks like he could play CHF at the same quality and style that Nick Riewoldt did. But there is an opportunity cost with respect to wing and around stoppage, and the other wingmen we’ve played aren’t exactly dominating.

Clearly wing includes its share of running patterns etc, but that’s the minimum and I don’t think we can have 2 pattern runners. Curtin contributing by getting and doing things with the ball, whilst presumably also running his patterns, has improved us significantly. And from there he can be around the stoppage and contribute serious grunt in and around the contest.

But even though I reckon he’d be a generational Riewoldt style CHF, do we really want Thilthorpe doing ruck minutes?. And especially playing a full game in the ruck if ROB pinged a hammy 5 minutes in.

I’m not convinced Draper is the guy, he’s a late convert to footy, so that’s a plus in terms of development. But since 2019 he’s had an ACL, syndesmosis and ruptured Achilles. Is it bad luck or unfortunate genetics.

 

[1970crow]

As a few has said, there is no "Tex Replacement ". He is irreplaceable.


Also wonder if we even go with the 3 forward set up

We have it now because we have Tex/Rt/Fog.

Might revert back to two keys when Tex retires.

Play another SF/Mid ie Zac Bailey (or Nas)

With Dawson playing where needed depending on match situation. As he does now.

What happens after Tex is gone is up for discussion, both here and most likely at LM. But just like an injury to a forward like Rach, the bloke coming in from the SANFL isn’t going to replace him, he’s either going to be a poorer version or there’s a structural/strategic adjustment to try and counteract the loss in absolute quality.

Like you, I don’t mind going smaller and adding more grunt to our running power. But, I think there’s a question about not deploying TT to around the ground rucking improving our overall footballing power. I reckon Curtin would be a huge hard running CHF, but he’s going to be huge doing what he’s doing.

These, and many others, are wonderful discussions on strategy. And there’s never really an absolute right or wrong, because we’ll never get to see all potential outcomes.

But there is an absolute in this discussion, and it’s not about either your or my opinion. It’s simply that the club has been linked with interest for Draper for most of the year whilst also having a 2 year extension on the table for ROB. Based on that, the club had appetite for both to be on the list in 2026 and 2027. This is unarguable. That a portion of people stupidly believed that adding 2028 to ROB deletes plans for 2026 and 2027 is patently absurd.

Whether the club had it right or wrong is up for discussion. That they have wanted both on the list in 2026 and 2027 isn’t. It couldn’t be more clear and has been that way for months.

 

[1970crow]

Yep that makes total sense.

The structure works because of the players in it. Thats one of the reasons we fell down last year, trying to replace Filthy with EH and Burgess just doesnt work.

Wow, welcome to talent over structure/experience/etc/etc. Jesus, how late on this are you. The structure works because of the talent. Talent >>>> structure. That said, both those guy’s roles were to second ruck, that was the structural imperative. I don’t think anyone thought they’d replace the TT key forward role.

 

[Crow till I die]

What happens after Tex is gone is up for discussion, both here and most likely at LM. But just like an injury to a forward like Rach, the bloke coming in from the SANFL isn’t going to replace him, he’s either going to be a poorer version or there’s a structural/strategic adjustment to try and counteract the loss in absolute quality.

Like you, I don’t mind going smaller and adding more grunt to our running power. But, I think there’s a question about not deploying TT to around the ground rucking improving our overall footballing power. I reckon Curtin would be a huge hard running CHF, but he’s going to be huge doing what he’s doing.

These, and many others, are wonderful discussions on strategy. And there’s never really an absolute right or wrong, because we’ll never get to see all potential outcomes.

But there is an absolute in this discussion, and it’s not about either your or my opinion. It’s simply that the club has been linked with interest for Draper for most of the year whilst also having a 2 year extension on the table for ROB. Based on that, the club had appetite for both to be on the list in 2026 and 2027. This is unarguable. That a portion of people stupidly believed that adding 2028 to ROB deletes plans for 2026 and 2027 is patently absurd.

Whether the club had it right or wrong is up for discussion. That they have wanted both on the list in 2026 and 2027 isn’t. It couldn’t be more clear and has been that way for months.

IF NWM chooses us AND we can do a deal for him, then to my eye, Dawson becomes the Tex replacement as he can do most of what tex does (contested marking, long goals and is a clever player) bit he has far greater mobility. If we landed NWM we could afford to play Dawson much more in the forward half than on ball going forward and that maintains the structure

 

[1970crow]

Butters is staying for 2026 and then leaving. Best for him personally as a FA. From horses mouth

Not sure there’s any logic to that. He’s a superstar, so his contract value doesn’t change. The only variable is what the acquiring club has to pay. And given he’s a restricted free agent and Port can match, the acquiring club is off to the trade table anyway. No way Port doesn’t match if band 1 gets them pick 12. Just won’t happen. If that’s from Zac, he’s clueless when it comes to free agency machinations.

Which isn’t surprising, our GM of Footy publicly made it clear he didn’t understand the process during the Brad Crouch scenario.

 

[Tex Danger]

I feel for him. Fancy getting the 3 years you’re demanding and thinking all you had to do was stay ahead of McAndrew and then you find out that your signing hasn’t deleted to the publicly known interest the club had in Draper. The poor genius must have been absolutely shocked.

List management were comcerentd if we got Draper as FA we’d get nothing for ROB and cancel the benefit if acquiring a FA

Now we not only have a guaranteed 1st ruck (risk of being without either), if they land Draper then ROB will ask for a trade. We can extract full value, not only instead of losing him free but with the power of holding a contracted trade asset

 

[1970crow]

Especially given Draper's salary.

He’s unrestricted, he’s not been a big earner. Played 1 year prior to being rookie drafted and has had 3 major injuries in his few years. Nothing suggesting he’s a big cap spend, especially off a ruptured Achilles. And only us and Lions interested. He’s kind of looking like a reverse Doedee.

 

[1970crow]

For all the shit we give him, Rozee would be elite in our team off halfback and without the weight of captaincy.

Seems like a fair idea, just let me provide Laird and Milera with their right of veto.

 

[119others]

He’s unrestricted, he’s not been a big earner. Played 1 year prior to being rookie drafted and has had 3 major injuries in his few years. Nothing suggesting he’s a big cap spend, especially off a ruptured Achilles. And only us and Lions interested. He’s kind of looking like a reverse Doedee.

Doesn’t FA compo only look at the last year of contract? Pretty sure I read Drapers salary was front loaded meaning a material drop in salary this year and hence not qualifying as a RFA

 

[119others]

Other way, newborn not a fan of his flopping

Couldn’t have flopped too much

 

[shep90]

Definitely either a rumour, lie, or speculation. Either way it's certainly juicy

 

[1970crow]

Whilst I get the joke.

RoB will be paid more post AFL career in the field he will go into.

Footy money may not motivate him.

His after footy life earnings aren’t relevant, his words suggests that his footy motivation is strong. And I doubt he’s heading towards $800k+ in the real world. What’s become clear is that he’s insanely book smart, but unbelievably stupid. Sad that the best interests of the list doesn’t resonate with him and it’s all about himself.

Anyway, that’s exact what we’d expect from the failed senior culture at our club.

 

[1970crow]

My read on this rumour is his issues aren't with the Power, it suggests it's not football related.

So it's more that he wants out of this state than he wants out of the Power.

(Not that I believe the rumour)

Kind of like Tony McGuiness. The second or third or 4th time.

 

[1970crow]

? Cromulant has a podcast

no, Cromulant looks down on anyone that listens to mainstream footy media. He insulates himself with only what agrees with him. It’s weird that he’d provide a view on overall discussion topics when he’s proud as punch that he has a narrow listening view.

 

[1970crow]

So you saying we have him for 2 years?... where do we sign as if he helps us win a flag or 2, who cares what comes after that as its premierships that count..nothing else

If he’d sign for 2 years only, I’d still consider it strongly. But it’s not exactly a commitment to the overall cause. As I respond, I’m thinking it’s off the table. Having a ‘loaner’ for a year or 2 won’t happen. Even if it satisfied Saints, us, Nas and then Port, the industry isn’t mature enough.

 

[spenze]

“Emotional”? Nice try, most are simply providing a rational viewpoint on ROB going public with his concern on list management not including him in decisions they make. A few seem to think it’s poor form that he uttered his absurd expectation publicly, whereas I think it’s great, but there’s no emotion around.

And speaking of emotion, if we do end up with Draper, I wonder how long it’ll be before someone pegs your new account. Because most of us know that you won’t keep posting under one that has directly criticised anyone employed by the club.

But I think there’ll be a clue. The first sub 10 post username that posts arguments against the posters disagreeing with getting Draper will likely be you. If they use language that suggests the disagreer is being emotional, then it’s certainly you.

#BeefDrapers