To Judd or not to Judd.

[Its Miller time 6]

Watching how abysmal we were last night and the last 2 weeks highlighted our lack of leadership. It got me thinking should we put our number 2 pick on the table and say it is available but only for someone special or even 2 honest hard working never say die players ? Im not sure any club gives up these sort of players however. We have a lot of young talent coming through but there is no one capable of leading by example and showing the young guys what you have to do to make it at this level. Perhaps we even say number 2 is avialable then when we get offers only be willing to give them our third pick. Which would be about 18 or 19.

I know we need patience but we finished bottom last year, bottom this year and i cant see us finishing anywhere else next year. Morton already seems to be losing confidence Watts will struggle to play good footy when our delivery is so terrible and he is already being followed by there #1 defender and could suffer long term. Strauss and Blease wont or shouldn't get a game this year so next year will virtually be like first year players. We are further away than most realise and im sure Bailey is even realisng this and possibly doubting himself.

Although against this argument watching Carlton on friday night all there young players looked to Judd to get them back into the game and when he couldn't they looked just as lost as our players.

I guess im wondering would some quality experience add to our youngsters and make them better in the long term ? or Do we trust we have the people off field and have young players with the right mental capacity to work through the hard times and still believe in themselves?

Would experince just make them look better without improving them or would it help them reach there full potential?

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,837]

I've been advocating putting pick 2 (if we get it) on the table and chasing an established young gun under 25 who's ready to make a PROFOUND impact next year.

Or even Carlton's pick 10 (as an example) and an established player for our pick 2

Ofcourse chances are we won't be offered anything worthy enough to trade it.

[rodent killer 0]

Watching how abysmal we were last night and the last 2 weeks highlighted our lack of leadership. It got me thinking should we put our number 2 pick on the table and say it is available but only for someone special or even 2 honest hard working never say die players ? Im not sure any club gives up these sort of players however. We have a lot of young talent coming through but there is no one capable of leading by example and showing the young guys what you have to do to make it at this level. Perhaps we even say number 2 is avialable then when we get offers only be willing to give them our third pick. Which would be about 18 or 19.

I know we need patience but we finished bottom last year, bottom this year and i cant see us finishing anywhere else next year. Morton already seems to be losing confidence Watts will struggle to play good footy when our delivery is so terrible and he is already being followed by there #1 defender and could suffer long term. Strauss and Blease wont or shouldn't get a game this year so next year will virtually be like first year players. We are further away than most realise and im sure Bailey is even realisng this and possibly doubting himself.

Although against this argument watching Carlton on friday night all there young players looked to Judd to get them back into the game and when he couldn't they looked just as lost as our players.

I guess im wondering would some quality experience add to our youngsters and make them better in the long term ? or Do we trust we have the people off field and have young players with the right mental capacity to work through the hard times and still believe in themselves?

Would experince just make them look better without improving them or would it help them reach there full potential?

Strauss will get a game soon, maybe even next week, but l agree that if a top 5 player under 25 came along l would be into giving pick no. 2. Even Judd, who to me doesn't look happy at Carlton, played with no heart on friday night. The trouble is no club gives away top 10 players under 25, its only if the said player wants to go.

[Deano74 156]

No we need both 1 and 2

Would be nice to have watts and Nick Nat. So if you want to give up a player like that go ahead but not for me.

With Gold Coast coming will be our last chance to get some potential stars

[JJJ 1,286]

Forget trading pick 2 if we happen to 'earn' it. We should be over the top in our aggression to attract a young Victorian like a Patrick Dnagerfield in the PSD. I am hoping we are in his managers ears at all times. If we have to trade for him, play hardball and trade a pick at the end of the 1st round at the most. He would look good wearing number 9.

[Jarka 767]

Forget trading pick 2 if we happen to 'earn' it. We should be over the top in our aggression to attract a young Victorian like a Patrick Dnagerfield in the PSD. I am hoping we are in his managers ears at all times. If we have to trade for him, play hardball and trade a pick at the end of the 1st round at the most. He would look good wearing number 9.

I agree JJJ, although I don't like our chances. Last year we were incredibly lucky to have Jurrah fall into our lap via the psd, hopefully something similiar will happen this year.

My preference this year is to keep our first two picks and get the best two kids available, we still need to focus on the future.

[JACKATTACK 17]

Hold your nerve. Iknow it's tough when you see performances like last night but we can't go chasing older players just because we're scared of how we'll go next year.

Hopefully this year there will be a good player wanting to come back to Melbourne, the important thing is that we show a bit if form so any potential player will want to play for us.

[Its Miller time 6]

We are so far behind at the moment we are starting a team from scratch. We need to look how Fremantle did it a model of what not to do. They traded away high draft picks and got little value in return so you would have to be weary of that. You need players that could lift our youngsters to the level we need them at and that they can get to.

However look how many players have left Fremantle and improved out of sight. Peter Bell hopeless at Freo went to North and came good before going back to Freo. Heath Black was better ar Stkilda. Croad went to Freo from Hawthorn seemed to lose his talents went back to Hawthorn and came good again. McPhee, Sinclair, Clement, Brodie Holland all benefited from playing with older better players . Then look at someone like Des Headland who went backwards when he went to Freo. We need some experience in the team to improve our younger players and help them reach there potential.

[Neita3000 37]

It's an interesting situation you put up. Clearly our list as it currently stands is lacking significant leadership. Whatever confidence we did have leading into the season has been totally oblierated since the Queens Birthday game. Our players look tired, slow and somewhat scared. Having a certified superstar out there would certainly lift the morale and confidence of our players.

It would be fantastic to recruit a gun player but at the end of the day I can't see to many star players wanting to play for Melbourne. Either way even if we do come close to recruiting one the brown paper bags at Carlton are still floating around.

Nether the less how's this for a hypothetical.

Daniel Kerr becomes disgruntled at West Coast requesting a trade to Carlton. The deal falls through and Kerr is placed in the PSD falling right into the MFC's lap at selection #1.

[Little Goffy 14,553]

Do you want to be Hawthorn or the Kangaroos?

With pick 1 and 2 this draft, we can complete our midfield puzzle for the next ten years. And captains of their respective state sides, for what it's worth.

And as for 'buying in' leadership, how did Carlton look in the leadership stakes on friday night?

But what do you expect from a guy who, last place he was captain, bailed out as soon as things got tough?

[rusty_kingswood 0]

Daniel Kerr becomes disgruntled at West Coast requesting a trade to Carlton. The deal falls through and Kerr is placed in the PSD falling right into the MFC's lap at selection #1.

Id take that thanks!

Can someone who has a better memeory than a goldfish like myself, please remind me why we didnt get Prismal?

Seeing him run around for the Dons is hurting at the moment. He would be making a profound impact at the Dees this season.

I guess at the end of the day, MFC just doesnt look like a good enough prospective for uncontarcted players. Until that cahnges, we are just going to have to rebuild through the draft, and hopefully a Grimes or Morton or McLean or Green can put their hand up.

[Hannabal 4]

Can someone who has a better memeory than a goldfish like myself, please remind me why we didnt get Prismal?

He declared his preference of club.

It wasn't Melbourne.

[rusty_kingswood 0]

He declared his preference of club.

It wasn't Melbourne.

Yeah thats what I thought. Which just reinforces my point.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I've been advocating putting pick 2 (if we get it) on the table and chasing an established young gun under 25 who's ready to make a PROFOUND impact next year.

Or even Carlton's pick 10 (as an example) and an established player for our pick 2

Ofcourse chances are we won't be offered anything worthy enough to trade it.

Which young gun under 25 are you talking about or you bragging about shooting the breeze?

Outside Judd, Kruezer, Murphy, Gibbs which established player would you take.

The chances are we wont be trading it.

[rpfc 28,433]

If anything we should be trying to get another pick in the top 15 this year, not trading out of the top 2.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

If anything we should be trying to get another pick in the top 15 this year, not trading out of the top 2.

How?

What would you give up that is surplus to our needs that would get us that top 15 pick from another Club?

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

The only way I'd let pick 2 go is if we got a good midfielder who was around 21-23 years old AND another pick before 10...

Say, Deledio and pick 6-9 for pick 2... Something like that. Wouldn't happen of course, I just couldn't be bothered coming up with a better one.

I'm leaning towards simply taking a midfielder with pick 2, Butcher has lost me.

[Adam The God 30,260]

Watching how abysmal we were last night and the last 2 weeks highlighted our lack of leadership. It got me thinking should we put our number 2 pick on the table and say it is available but only for someone special or even 2 honest hard working never say die players ? Im not sure any club gives up these sort of players however. We have a lot of young talent coming through but there is no one capable of leading by example and showing the young guys what you have to do to make it at this level. Perhaps we even say number 2 is avialable then when we get offers only be willing to give them our third pick. Which would be about 18 or 19.

I know we need patience but we finished bottom last year, bottom this year and i cant see us finishing anywhere else next year. Morton already seems to be losing confidence Watts will struggle to play good footy when our delivery is so terrible and he is already being followed by there #1 defender and could suffer long term. Strauss and Blease wont or shouldn't get a game this year so next year will virtually be like first year players. We are further away than most realise and im sure Bailey is even realisng this and possibly doubting himself.

Although against this argument watching Carlton on friday night all there young players looked to Judd to get them back into the game and when he couldn't they looked just as lost as our players.

I guess im wondering would some quality experience add to our youngsters and make them better in the long term ? or Do we trust we have the people off field and have young players with the right mental capacity to work through the hard times and still believe in themselves?

Would experince just make them look better without improving them or would it help them reach there full potential?

I see what you're saying. Personally, I'd go for young kids with genuine leadership. Trengove and Scully already sound like born leaders and possibilities to play Round 1 next year. If they could develop as quickly as a Luke Hodge, then that's exactly what we need. Of course, Judd or Pavlich would be good, but I still like the youth policy.

It's been mentioned on Demonland before, that a lot of the champion Brisbane Lions players that played in the three Grand Finals, all played in a wooden spoon together. It's not all doom and gloom if they fail to begin with. It's all part of the learning curve and to achieve success you sometimes have to suffer before you succeed. We are not in the position of a Hawthorn, when they were rebuilding, to have a top notch leader/champion to look up to like a Crawford, so it'll just take a bit longer. But I think persistence is the key.

[dreamin' man 0]

The way things are going on the field, who on earth would want to come to our club? All very well that we're rebuilding & that we want draft picks but our recent performances have just created an image of a losing environment.

Sorry, I've lost all the optimism I felt until a couple of weeks ago.