He should have kept his spot FFS!

The list of retirements and delistings can be found here - http://afl.com.au/News/2008RetirementsandD...lt.aspx#depclub

There are plenty of blokes out there about who it might be said their clubs should have kept. Every club has to move on and that's what we're doing. Get over it.

Zomer is lucky.

Wona on and Valenti to remain a rookie.....as expected.

Agreed. Is Zomer an interstate rookie? If thats the case, doesn't he have to be held onto for 2 years?

Wonna and Valenti no shock.

CJ... The thing that pisses me off is the complete waste of the few years he's been at the club. He could go on to be a high-possession winner, but Will never be an out-and-out star.

I'm just curious. Why did the club not want to offer him 2 years? Do they have big plans next year in the draft? Did they want to make sure they still had options in 12 months, and not be tied down to retaining a player they weren't sure about?

If this is the case, then fair enough.

Still. Would have made more sense to trade him for a late pick... surely we could do better than pick 80-something?

Zomer lives in Ringwood (I think) and although it's a pretty far out place it certainly isn't interstate!

It is disappointing that CJ gets delisted the year he starts showing he is a capable footballer.

I wish him all the best for the rest of his career.

Being offered a 1 - 2 year contract to me indicates

1. The player is borderline on being delisted

2. The next 12 months is up to the player

3. MFC acting responsibly

For CJ to get anywhere he needs to get out of his comfort zone and do the hard work required

Simply changing jumpers proves he isnt willlng to do that

melbournefc.com.au:

Dean Bailey

Our preference was to always keep Chris Johnson as a part of the Melbourne Football Club.

To do this, we offered Chris a new two year contract, but unfortunately he wanted to play for another, rival AFL club, and subsequently asked to be delisted.

It is really important our members are kept well informed on matters such as these, and we are extremely disappointed with Chris’ decision.

I feel much better about this, to know we offered him all he was after and he has decided to move on. Balls to you CJ, your departure signals further solidification of the route this club continues to take. I feel energised to know we have weeded a player out who cares not for the jumper and the club that his own father played for. A good result when all said and done.

Yes, I would have thought that a one year contract would have taken Chris out of his comfort zone.

I still thought Chris had a lot to prove and to offer and I'm sorry he has obviously taken

a better offer elsewhere.

Good rundown Swamp

This is very disappointing. It's as if those 8 decent games he played were only to lift his profile. What's worse is we get nothing for him...

If he can so easily disregard the club his own father played for and the club who invested 4 years into his development, then he's not the sort of person we need.

I just hope this isn't a Scott Thompson repeat. I don't think I could stand hearing commentators prattling on for the next 10 years about how foolish we were to delist him.

Roulette, I hear you concern, but our club cannot be blamed for this in my eyes.

There are other forces at work I feel

hmmm so we offer spuds like newton 2 years yet up and coming players like CJ one!

get ya fuckin head together melbourne!! :angry: :angry:

He was offered 2 Daz

hmmm so we offer spuds like newton 2 years yet up and coming players like CJ one!

get ya fuckin head together melbourne!! :angry: :angry:

what doesn't make sense to you in the following statement by Dean Bailey repeated above:

"...we offered Chris a new two year contract"

Daniher hated CJ, and DB also didn't like him. Neither coach used him properly and let him develop confidence and momentum.

That argument might (might) hold water once, but I have a bit of trouble swallowing the argument that two coaches got it wrong. I'd say that Bailey's reluctance to utilise CJ only vindicates Daniher's attitude towards him.

I'm not fussed about CJ.

I am however disappointed that Valenti wasn't promoted. He showed a hell of a lot in the limited time he got this year.

this is a bloke that barracked for melbourne when he was a kid! looks like money is more important then passion these days

This is what angers me

Nobody should be concerned about there being a repeat of the Thompson saga. CJ is not in the same leage; doesnt have anything remotely resembling the natural talent or the appetite for contested possessions that Thompson had. There's no comparison.

Even the people crowing about how we gave Newton a two-year deal while getting rid of CJ (which hasn't turned out to be the case) have it wrong. Newton has been frustrating, and its questionable whether he has the drive to work hard enough to overcome his obvious short-comings (ability at ground level, etc), but if he reaches his full potential, Newton's upside is a hell of a lot better than CJ's upside.

I would like to have kept him, but I don't see it as any big loss. Even if CJ reaches his absolute full potential, he'll be a handy, borderline best-22 player at best.

this is a bloke that barracked for melbourne when he was a kid! looks like money is more important then passion these days

CJ? I think he barracked for West Coast

Which could be where he's going

Nobody should be concerned about there being a repeat of the Thompson saga. CJ is not in the same leage; doesnt have anything remotely resembling the natural talent or the appetite for contested possessions that Thompson had. There's no comparison.

Even the people crowing about how we gave Newton a two-year deal while getting rid of CJ (which hasn't turned out to be the case) have it wrong. Newton has been frustrating, and its questionable whether he has the drive to work hard enough to overcome his obvious short-comings (ability at ground level, etc), but if he reaches his full potential, Newton's upside is a hell of a lot better than CJ's upside.

I would like to have kept him, but I don't see it as any big loss. Even if CJ reaches his absolute full potential, he'll be a handy, borderline best-22 player at best.

Good post 2 sheds. Food for thought for some.

Was never in my best 22. Made butter look hard.

Tata

Im inclined to agree Hannabal. He (CJ ) has a nice kick..but I dont think the pace ( of thinking) for a really good player. Got shown up too many times for mine..others will no doubt disagree. He makes an OK player in a very average team.. If we want to be above average he's no chop!! Simple as that really ..as Rhino alludes others might consider themselves very lucky at teh moment.

Still..thats one more space freed up

and..............Who really cares if a bloke barracked for Melbourne as a kid. Is this any real criteria?? ffs All that matters is what anyone does in a Melbourne guernsey...anything else is irelevant

and..............Who really cares if a bloke barracked for Melbourne as a kid. Is this any real criteria?? ffs All that matters is what anyone does in a Melbourne guernsey...anything else is irelevant

Not concerned really but I wonder what he does now?

Does he nominate for the National Draft or the PSD? How does he get to Carlton if he wants to go there - especially with Fremantle having so many vacancies and sitting in front of Carlton in the draft picks.

Not concerned really but I wonder what he does now?

He's made his bed..he can lay in it now !! He undoubtedly feels there is a deal somewhere

Maybe he will trundle off home to WA..

Im not losing sleep over this list clogger..not one iota. I wish him no ill...just really couldnt care less

We'll all know come PSD time.. wont we !!