HS List analysis by Gary Buckenara

[AzzKikA 2,369]

Ok, I'm bored, I'll bite.

Why?

Places Kent in the same basket as Jones, Terlich and Spencer, labels Toumpas a good runner, and Stretch a poor user of the footy.

Thanks Gary. Fabulous insight.

That's why.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Absolutely. And I think Kent will make it. But he needs to get a tank and stay in matches for longer. When you're a 5 ft 9 flanker you don't have too many opportunities, so next year, his 4th on the list, is a make or break year for him.

No it's not.

He is the kind of player worth persevering with. By "make or break" you are implying that he faces being delisted if he doesn't perform, if he gets delisted there would be 17 clubs waiting to pick him up as a delisted free agent.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

analysis lacks depth and accuracy

[TGR 1,367]

he Jake Melksham offer is interesting. To me, Melksham is very similar to the types of players Melbourne already has enough of. When you’re considering the balance aspect of the list build, which is very important, Melksham is a strange one.

I like Melksham's intensity, toughness, ability to kick a goal, and age bracket.

But what Buck says about Melksham is spot on. He does nothing to address our line-breaking and speed needs.

[tilly18 276]

I spoke with one of the coaches before the year started. He gave me 3 pieces of information.

• Hogan will become a superstar of the comp
• Salem will become a superstar of the comp
• Kent will be the big improver and big things are expected.

I think until he got injured the prediction on Kent was looking good.

I know most of this information is now yesterdays news but I did pass it on to a couple of other people who post here before the season started.

My point really is to convey that the club has seriously high hopes for Kent .

[pitmaster 3,048]

It doesn't look like he has been watching us very closely. Wrong on Kent - injured most of this year but has shown plenty - and harsh on Stretch.

But really, how closely would the Hawks have been looking at us anyway?

He's spot on about Watts but doesn't offer any solutions.

[rjay 23,846]

People who question Kent remind me of the people who questioned Gawn early last year.

As one of the people questioning Kent, my thoughts on Gawn last year were that he was being played out of position. He is a pure ruckman not a forward or forward/ruck, I think this has been proven.

Kent has had this season taken away from him with injury, next season he needs to step up. He shows promise but that's not enough, it's time for him to deliver some of the promise.

As a player Kent has assets in his pace, his booming left and his aggression. His liabilities are the accuracy of that left foot, tendency to bomb the ball (decision making), and not getting involved enough in the game.

[poita 3,571]

Gee, there are some sensitive petals around here. Kent has been on the list three years and has done next to nothing thus far. He would need to improve markedly in 2016 to be guaranteed a new contract, which puts him very much in the same bracket as Jones and Michie.

Stretch is a decent kick over short distances, but he is certainly not the long kick that he needs to be to be considered a line breaker. As a recruiter clearly Buckenara saw something from Toumpas in his draft year that has not been evident in his AFL career, but some people are more prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt than hours.

Dawes is not a great player, but he plays an important role. Buckenara says as much.

[P-man 13,154]

As one of the people questioning Kent, my thoughts on Gawn last year were that he was being played out of position. He is a pure ruckman not a forward or forward/ruck, I think this has been proven.

Kent has had this season taken away from him with injury, next season he needs to step up. He shows promise but that's not enough, it's time for him to deliver some of the promise.

As a player Kent has assets in his pace, his booming left and his aggression. His liabilities are the accuracy of that left foot, tendency to bomb the ball (decision making), and not getting involved enough in the game.

Some of that critique is valid, but 2016 isn't a make or break season for him, mainly because you get impression he is rated very highly internally. Roos often referred to him as a noteable absence this season, moreso than other players on the injury list.

[rjay 23,846]

Some of that critique is valid, but 2016 isn't a make or break season for him, mainly because you get impression he is rated very highly internally. Roos often referred to him as a noteable absence this season, moreso than other players on the injury list.

I don't think it's make or break so much but he really needs to take a major step up and show us what he's got next season.

He could be a real asset or a borderline depth player.

[jnrmac 18,913]

People who question Kent remind me of the people who questioned Gawn early last year.

Totally ridiculous comparison. Gawn had shown nothing. Kent had shown plenty.

[rpfc 27,383]

Totally ridiculous comparison. Gawn had shown nothing. Kent had shown plenty.

Nothing?

He's a telephone pole - him standing up is showing something as a ruckman.

Edited October 15, 2015 by rpfc

[Bay Riffin 1,413]

he's right about Carlisle. Why aren't we going after him?

Hawks are full of key backs and now making a big play for him. do we think we are all good to go with key backs ? geeeeeeez.

[Guest]

Gary Buckenara.
Fair to say he didn't set the world on fire as coach at Sydney but he, along with a few others, is responsible for building one of the most powerful lists in AFL history. He is saying that our supporter base should be preparing for finals in the next 2 to 3 years and that we definitely have improved.
The treasures on here dismiss him out of hand because he has made some statements concerning players that they disagree with (i.e. Kent, Stretch).
There is an old line about 'not seeing the forest for the trees'.

Just for the record.... Bucky is PRAISING us.
People on here complain about Matt Burgan's puff pieces (by the way, his job is to be a PR man and not an investigative journalist) but it seems that anything that is not a Martin Flanagan or Emma Quayle piece that aims to not offend anyone is heresy and should be dismissed out of hand. Usually because the writer 'hates Melbourne' but that's one of many reasons.

[P-man 13,154]

Gary Buckenara.

Fair to say he didn't set the world on fire as coach at Sydney but he, along with a few others, is responsible for building one of the most powerful lists in AFL history. He is saying that our supporter base should be preparing for finals in the next 2 to 3 years and that we definitely have improved.

The treasures on here dismiss him out of hand because he has made some statements concerning players that they disagree with (i.e. Kent, Stretch).

There is an old line about 'not seeing the forest for the trees'.

Just for the record.... Bucky is PRAISING us.

People on here complain about Matt Burgan's puff pieces (by the way, his job is to be a PR man and not an investigative journalist) but it seems that anything that is not a Martin Flanagan or Emma Quayle piece that aims to not offend anyone is heresy and should be dismissed out of hand. Usually because the writer 'hates Melbourne' but that's one of many reasons.

There is nothing groundbreaking about concluding that Melbourne need more line breakers and outside class, as well as one or two more quality key position players. Therefore the individual player assessments hold more interest. Some of them are pretty dubious.

It's great that he's positive about the future though.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Totally ridiculous comparison. Gawn had shown nothing. Kent had shown plenty.

Some of us could see what Gawn was showing.

[Guest]

There is nothing groundbreaking about concluding that Melbourne need more line breakers and outside class, as well as one or two more quality key position players. Therefore the individual player assessments hold more interest. Some of them are pretty dubious.

It's great that he's positive about the future though.

I'm not sure it's groundbreaking either. I just wouldn't dismiss it out of hand because of a few sloppy observations.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Why do we give Buckenara any air on this site? I'll never forget nor forgive what he did to us in 1987.

Edited October 15, 2015 by billy2803

[jnrmac 18,913]

Some of us could see what Gawn was showing.

Good for you. Gawn was recruited in the 2009 draft. Your foresight is astounding

[leucopogon 1,468]

Kent, Garlett and Hogan:

I have full confidence that next season this trio will do major damage to opposition defences

Predicting Hogan to have a 60+ goal season

Garlett 40-45 (maybe 50+)

Kent 20-30

All WA boys to boot!!

Edited October 15, 2015 by leucopogon

[dee-tox 4,769]

It's an opinion! Many people in football have them. Life is not so black and white.

[CBDees 3,162]

No mention at all of Harmes (or White). Obviously Bucks did not watch our last match (a win at Etihad)!

[timD 994]

Too many precious darlings on this site now.

The Bucky review is a decent job. Kent is an underperformer. he promises a lot but has delivered very little. We'd be getting Kennedy to be the replacement for him btw...what does that say? The love for Kent is all about surface features: he is a squared-jawed blond boy with a decent physique who hits bodies. MFC fans drool. It is kinda pathetic. Shows us where we've been. If I ran a poll about who is the better player out of Melksham and Kent, we all know that the site would vote Kent....despite the mountain of evidence against it...but people here [censored] about spending pick 25 on a better player than Kent is. Sometimes I wonder about people.

Stretch - runs to the right places and delivers nicely. Unselfish. Brilliant to coach...but lacks penetration on the kick and is not particularly fast. Isn't big. I think he'll be good enough for the moment and who knows what a few years of development might bring...but his deficiencies are obvious and I have no idea if he can address them.

Gawn showed stuff all before last year...and the first half of the year was pretty average as well. His endurance is still bleh and his 1v1 and marking is very inconsistent. He's got a long way to go. Any numpty knew he had talent. Big question was always whether he'd get himself together to draw it out and with Max that is going to be a year by year proposition. Good thing he's quit the gaspers.....now.

As for the "some of us can see talent" line - spare me! You are not special. You have no special insights. Your clever comments count for nothing; you have nothing riding on them and no-one will care when you are right or wrong. It is just the sound of one man fapping.

[beelzebub 22,225]

Im not sure a lot of people are watching the same games as others.

Kent's problems are all but pure 99% injury related at present

some might like to watch :

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2015-10-15/2015-review-dean-kent

His first couple of seasons werent the bomb for sure. He has worked dilligently and despite not having completed a full preseason yet started to make inroads and definitely stamp himself on games.

There are actually a lot on our list that do...stamp themselves...take it on and play with bravado and flair.

Certainly some interesting insights from a person with some nouse and a different view. His view to Carlisle I suspect presumes we are after another KEY forward. I think our setup is needing a support person as opposed a competior for that spot.

In reality hes just another commentator with an opinion. Not sure he's really looked in depth at us...so to speak

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Good for you. Gawn was recruited in the 2009 draft. Your foresight is astounding

Correct.