(Borrowing from Fox Sport's terminology) Every team in the finals need at least 2 "A-graders" and a bunch of B-graders in the midfield to get the ball down and score enough goals. Except Geelong, they have Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Selwood... and the list goes on. These player don't just perform week-in week-out, but they get the opposition best player/tagger so that the next guy can have an easier task.

We don't have a single one at this point. Period. McLean is the closer one we have - don't think he is there yet but very close. Who else has the potential to become one? If we don't have enough, the only way is to draft them, trade player(s) to draft them, use all options available to draft them - A-graders just can't be bought on the market.

Look at Carlton, they tanked, they use their brown bags but they are at least creative. They now have Kreuzer, Gibbs and Murphy through the draft and Judd and Stevens and now Warnock (not an A-grader yet by all means) through "alternative arrangement".

Perhaps Morton has the best potential, he needs to bulk up and learn how to kick and kick long to his team mates (too many time this year he is kicking 25m and turn it over ).

Your thoughts on others!

Those 2 you mentioned are the only 2 on the Dees list who I can see becoming "A graders".

Definitely scope for improvement (read: recruitment) in that area

Yes, McLean is probably the closest we have. In the past Johnstone, Yze and even Bruce have flirted with A-list status. Green and McDonald are very good players, but not up there.

At the moment, all we really have is A LOT of potential. It would be extraordinarily bad luck, if some of these kids didn't make it. Morton seems to be leading the charge, Buckley has shown glimpses, and then there are the likes of Grimes and Maric who could be anything in a few years. Despite his inconsistency Sylvia has the A-list potential. I've got a feeling 2009 could be his year.

McLean is a B+ at best. Morton perhaps a C+ at the moment.

McLean is a B+ at best. Morton perhaps a C+ at the moment.

At the moment, yes that's how i'd rank those two. In terms of where they can get to i think both could be A graders, Buckley has shown something this year but i think will be destined to be a top B-grader.

Sylvia, Bate, and Garland could all get to that level, but i just don't know at this point. We got a lot of "maybe's", "could be's", and "potentially's".

McLean is a B+ at best. Morton perhaps a C+ at the moment.

Morton C+ NO

His first year has been awesome 18 year old in a bad team and getting 30+ possies i'd give him a B.

Sylvia could be A. in the last few games he went into the mid and did well.

fingers crossed 09 is his year

Just a thought... if we go for Rich in this years draft, we are picking up the closest thing to a certain a-grader as it gets.

He is a better midfield prospect at the same age as both Gibbs AND Murphy. and wouldn't we love either of those 2 running around for us.

Perhaps this midfield could be a up-n-coming midfield...?

Midfield---- starting 5

Rich- the all round package

Mclean- the workhorse accumulater

Morton- the versatile, tall, fast, hard-running and untaggable

Grimes, Jones- the tough extracters with great leadership

Rotating through-----

Sylvia, Maric, Davey, Buckley, Blease---- all have their own sort of flair and speed

Midfields wins premierships... What we lack in a big way is a standout midfielder. If Rich becomes the a-grader we are looking for, and Morton continues his development, imagine how awesome Mclean and Jones would be as the 3rd and 4th best midfielder.

Where is our serious pace?

I'd say we have maybe McLean who could be a star midfielder in his twenties, but only for s short time as his body will let him down from about the age of 29+...

Jones will skirt the A-grade territory when he reaches his prime.

Then there's a list of guys who could get there if a lot of their development goes well. I'm talking about Maric, Grimes, Morton etc etc... with whom it's too early to tell much.

We have no star forwards or defenders. Our stars will come from this draft and the next.

Morton C+ NO

His first year has been awesome 18 year old in a bad team and getting 30+ possies i'd give him a B.

Geez, you're a hard marker, not much difference between a C+ and a B really! (Just a B-)

Just a thought... if we go for Rich in this years draft, we are picking up the closest thing to a certain a-grader as it gets.

He is a better midfield prospect at the same age as both Gibbs AND Murphy. and wouldn't we love either of those 2 running around for us.

..............................

And if we get Watts, we may be picking up the closest thing to a A+ as it gets....

Davey must step up. He's the talent to single handedly change a game he must become an elite midfielder if we are going to improve.

If we don't trade Sylvia then at the very least he must become a good midfielder for us. If he wastes another year he must be finished as a Melbourne player.