Rumour 2024 Rumours and Speculation (Rumours total 25, last 28th August)

[Rory Walkerfield]

Neal-Bullen requests trade due to family circumstances

Alex Neal-Bullen has made the difficult decision to request a trade to his home state of South Australia.

www.melbournefc.com.au

Holy shitballs. A deal is therefore done by either us or power.

No way this gets announced without a deal already sealed

 

[MRB37]

Is he going to start his decline before we contend though?

If he will, then there's no point. If not... then there is a point.

There is a point for a club looking for a quick spike though.

 

[Jarman3]

The real question is, do we go undefeated in 2025 now that we're getting Luko, ANB, Phillipou, Oliver, Cumming as well as Balme as head of football and jettisonning Ned McHenry?

Even Nicks couldn't bottle that kind of setup.

That sounds like a direct challenge.

 

[pjcrows]

Holy shitballs. A deal is therefore done by either us or power.

No way this gets announced without a deal already sealed

Probably ties in with Houston.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Probably ties in with Houston.

Makes the most logical sense, but the article last night implied Port really aren’t all that keen

Will be interesting to see how this plays out

 

[Coopers]

There is a point for a club looking for a quick spike though.

Better be a quick spike to a premiership next year then.

 

[Pugsley]

Interesting - since yesterday morning reaching out to my MFC contact, I said in jest 'Bit going on with your players and club at the moment I hear..."

My contact just said "Watch this space".... bit cryptic, but funny since then reports emerge that Neal-Bullen likely to request trade and Norf talking to Viney.

My takeaway from the short conversation and the tone in my contacts voice was that where there is smoke there is fire.

Just get the feeling players are turning on Goodwin.

I get the feeling it's been happening since 2022.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The trading of picks 2 years in advance is huge.

We are traditionally a club that makes 1 decent move, if any, per year so it's not likely, but an off-season of this would be doable with some creative thinking.

Pick 4 - Lalor/Langford
Pick (Melbourne 2nd) - ?
Pick - Welsh
Rookie - ?
Future 1st - Phillipou
Future 2nd - Luko
Future Future 2nd - phillipou

Plus we would have the Berry pick likely to use if needed. Not sure how this would impact salary cap

I can see us taking Jack Michalanney with our rookie pick

 

[hippyhippy]

Why would you trade a 2nd for ANB? He's 29.. probably got only 3 years left. I would do it for q 3rd rounder.

 

[OccamsRazorRay]

Probably ties in with Houston.

It's pretty wild that this has been announced in this fashion. Did Nicks have a stopover in Melb on his way to see Luko...?

Melb have indicated they'll 'work with the SA based clubs', but honestly, depending on the situation for his returning home that in itself could be a reason to avoid, as harsh as that sounds...

Melb can literally kiss goodbye to any value, because trade or not it sounds like he's out the door...

 

[BRL121]

Holy shitballs. A deal is therefore done by either us or power.

No way this gets announced without a deal already sealed

Melbourne think they'll be talking to both clubs.

 

[OccamsRazorRay]

Probably ties in with Houston.

I dunno, that whole Houston situation screams Port trying to see what interest they can shake out of the competition than Houston actually wanting to go anywhere..

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Why would you trade a 2nd for ANB? He's 29.. probably got only 3 years left. I would do it for q 3rd rounder.

I'm sure internally we're worried about our lack of experience and are looking at some mature options. Not sure about ANB but I can see us targeting Caleb Daniel. Interesting that he was so busy on Sunday when he came on. Putting himself on show

 

[skam85]

ANB is contracted and a premiership player but he's also 29, so yeah around the McAdam value seems right.

Won't lose any sleep if we get him or don't, same as if we trade a pick in the 20s vs a pick somewhere later.

Will be a pretty low profile, no fuss trade wherever he lands.

 

[Mutineer]

That's my concern. I don't think his age fits our list profile. We're trying to move out these older guys in decline... Smith is done, Laird is on the way down, Crouch won't be far behind him, Tex can probably get through 1 more season with limited expectations on his output. Even Dawson is starting to look like he'll age out of his peak before we're contending. ANB would be the same.

Our forward line isn't looking too bad... Thilthorpe, Fog, Keays, Tex / Welsh, possibly Pedlar, plus Rankine / Rachele / Curtin rotating between forward / midfield. Priorities for us need to be a midfielder, a ruckman, key forward (Welsh) and possibly another key defender if Keane goes. I'd have a go at Lukosius if we can do a deal that doesn't involve a 1st round pick. If ANB was a FA I'd consider it, but I don't really see him as a need worth giving up any meaningful capital for.

I don't think too many see Welsh as a KPF, if he could turn into a player similar to Jake Stringer I think would be an excellent outcome.

 

[Mutineer]

I can see us taking Jack Michalanney with our rookie pick

Why exactly?
In such a deep draft with plenty of decent options likely still available in the rookie draft. Much sooner look at a young developing ruck personally if we're to be using up a rookie list spot.
You do realise a rookie spot is still a list spot.

 

[Bazz_27]

This is worth a listen. Ned seems like a great guy and team mate, pity he isn't a better player

 

[Betts are off]

ANB is not jumping out at me as a 'must pursue' target. Isn't Ben Keays

2

Ben Keays

Age

27

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.1

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.9

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

13.7

3star

K

8.7

3star

HB

5.0

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.7

4star

G

0.3

3star

D

13.0

4star

K

4.8

2star

HB

8.2

5star

M

1.4

2star

T

4.4

5star

G

0.4

3star

already playing that position at a near AA level for us?

 

[1990crow]

ANB is not jumping out at me as a 'must pursue' target. Isn't Ben Keays already playing that position at a near AA level for us?

We also have Lachlan Murphy playing that role at a near amateur league level.

 

[Crow till I die]

We also have Lachlan Murphy playing that role at a near amateur league level.

Lachlan Murphy of the Adelaide Crows Player Profile and AFL Stats

Lachlan Murphy of the Adelaide Crows profile and AFL statistics.

www.footywire.com

Remember he has been a virtual lock in our side all year - named on field most weeks so not even in the sub conversation. Have a look at some of the season highs.....I think anyone could fill that role and not do worse

 

[Jarman3]

I don't think too many see Welsh as a KPF, if he could turn into a player similar to Jake Stringer I think would be an excellent outcome.

Yeah, but I guess what I'm getting at is that he's a long term option up there, ANB isn't. And I think our younger players have mostly developed to the point where we no don't need to be bringing in older players to provide "leadership". I'm more interested in building a core of guys around the same age or younger than what we've already got, which is why I'd be interested in bring in Lukosious (as long as a 1st round pick isn't involved) a lot more that ANB who will likely be done by the time we're contending (assuming we do actually contend at some point, which is becoming questionable).

 

[El Doederino]

It's pretty wild that this has been announced in this fashion. Did Nicks have a stopover in Melb on his way to see Luko...?

Melb have indicated they'll 'work with the SA based clubs', but honestly, depending on the situation for his returning home that in itself could be a reason to avoid, as harsh as that sounds...

Melb can literally kiss goodbye to any value, because trade or not it sounds like he's out the door...

Word is we met with ANB before the Geelong game

 

[GROTTO]

The real question is, do we go undefeated in 2025 now that we're getting Luko, ANB, Phillipou, Oliver, Cumming as well as Balme as head of football and jettisonning Ned McHenry?

Even Nicks couldn't bottle that kind of setup.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Word is we met with ANB before the Geelong game

Yeah some dude texted into SEN SA and said this

Grain of salt stuff, probably

 

[CromradeCromulent]

Worth remembering during all the Oliver stuff this year journos were saying we weren't an option salary cap wise... At the time everyone laughed at them for being dumb and wrong but it's beginning to seem like they knew a few things we didn't?