He and Aussie were at my school today promoting the 150th year. He answered a few questions then every one got to have a kick with the two after.

After all this I spoke to him and he told me he was 80% through his talks with the club and is signing on.

It’s on Channel Ten news tonight or tomorrow.

Great news will be great to have his experience in the backline next year. When fit he is amongst our best players for sure.

Great to see. Experience is necessary down back.

Out of interest, what school (maybe better just to give the area, rather than the specific school you're at)?

Anywhere near Casey Fields?

Will be 29 in November this year but if true it is a great signing. His experience will be invaluable to the Towers Of Destrcution of Martin, Warnock, Garland and Rivers.

I love the wrecker! I hope he can get his body right for the next 3 years and finish on a high.

well.. i'll be different ( how unusual ) I dont see this as particularly clever, unless he's purely inthe mix for insurance.

He's turning 30 next year and hardly fits into the you beaut 23 mix as purported by al illuminaries. He has not come near hiscareer best form and I for one thought he played a bit loose this year in his limited outings all with limited effect.

A good preseason may see better form but there are no gaurantees of his ever regaiining his former fitness and as such his previous form.

Signig Junior for year makes sense both for his form/impact and leadership qualites. personallyI dot see re-signing Wheels as anything clever going forward. This is nothig about whether a bloke is a favourite of anyones..etc.. its purely about what a player adds to the mix going forward. Id personally put the efforts and dollars into a younger player.

Of course i dont expect much agreement..seldom do many put down their rose coloured glasses

You can't have a team full of 23 year olds, keeping the likes of wheels, junior, green etc will be important to give the place some stability and some much needed hardness at the ball and the player, he is a player who leads by example in his attack on the ball and I hope the younger players watch him and follow in his footsteps.

Absolute gun!

Demands respect and the one player on our list that is hard to criticise.

Hopefully with a good run of injuries he can have a great finish to his career.

Great to hear

Good to hear

Of course i dont expect much agreement..seldom do many put down their rose coloured glasses

....... and not thinking of anyone in particular 'bub, ..... but some rarely take off their blinkers.

Given there are a few we'll get rid of before Whelan, I don't know it'd be worth ditching him for a 70th pick, or whatever.

A little off-topic, but I'm pretty sure I had the car that I see in your avatar

Of course i dont expect much agreement..seldom do many put down their rose coloured glasses

This week just gets better and better!!!

Great move, need some muscle with all the kids coming through

Great move, need some muscle with all the kids coming through

Agree. You can't win matches with a team of 20 year olds.

Great! Whelan has been one of my favorites. Plays for the jumper and like a real leader. Has been a warrior for the club.

This is great news for all of the reasons listed above. Top player with a top attitude to the game.

Keep on punchin Wheels.

Out of interest, what school (maybe better just to give the area, rather than the specific school you're at)?

Anywhere near Casey Fields?

I could say the Hawthorn area and you would get about 8 schools and given it was on the news ill just say Scotch College.

Go Grammar!

Will be 29 in November this year but if true it is a great signing. His experience will be invaluable to the Towers Of Destrcution of Martin, Warnock, Garland and Rivers.

Well said..

Never was not going to go on, why wouldnt he???

Hope he gets a good pre-season into him and when fully fit, a real key!

His experience is invaluable, but I hope he only gets a 1 year deal given he is very injury prone.

Great news nevertheless.

I just call it as i tse it.. Whelan hasnt come anywhere near his previous career best of 2-3 years ago. Reality suggests that with his proness to injuries..and the time taken to recover he represents very poor value. If he was playing as he used to..we wouldnt even be discussing this.

Cant do it all with yongens huh.. try telling Essendon that !!

Ah experience..yes.. by the time this team comes into its bloom..in 2-4 years there will be no Whelan.. so whats the point.. makes far more sense to get that EXPERIENCE into whomever wil be there

Bub, what in the world are you talking about?

Essendon are doing it basically with their elder brigade. Guys with experience can help educate those around him the proper ways to play footy, not just on the field but off as well. The only "EXPERIENCE" you gain from playing only 20 year olds is 100 point losses. I'd "love" to see where that experience takes us.

Jaded i do agree, i love him and want him at MFC forever, but anything beyond a 1 year contract would be silly.

He'll help build our young backline into the future, and that's what we need

never heard of the the baby bombers huh.. maybe before your time perhaps