Well done Jack! Top post! Your the best!

thanks mate newtons got no hope, hes a top VFL player and thats were it ends, and for anyone else that thinks otherwise, you know nothing about footy.

Time will tell Jack, time will tell...

If many of the senior players retire or are delisted this year then on average age, years of experience and games played the 2010 list will probably be younger, less experienced and few games played than the 2009 list......but better......hopefully..in the long run.

There will still be some pain in 2010 as the younger players learn the game.

There might be some pain. However, I'm hopeful of much more excitement as the younger bodies mature. Then again, I'm also hopeful of the draft this year. Knowing what Liam Jurrah has shown already excites me re: 2010.

A player who simply cannot do the fundamentals required by a key forward.............reliable mark, and an accurate kick.

newton has a great mark, he just looks dodgy when his near the ball at times.

newton has a great mark, he just looks dodgy when his near the ball at times.

..'at times'?

I have already said that 12 wins next year is a possibility.

Who are going to be in our top 6 players next year ? It will be interesting.

A teams number of wins and ladder postion is nearly always predicated by the quality of their top 6 when compared with the rest of the competition's. I think you're very ambitious with your prediction.

Who are going to be in our top 6 players next year ? It will be interesting.

A teams number of wins and ladder postion is nearly always predicated by the quality of their top 6 when compared with the rest of the competition's. I think you're very ambitious with your prediction.

I think I first penned the prediction after the Bulldogs loss.

Right now it looks extremely ambitious.

If we are to beat Rich, NM, Sydney, WCE, Freo, Ess, Carl, PA (here), BL (here), and, possibly, Adel (here) and WB we are going to need a lot of improvement from particular individuals...and a good draw.

Our top 6 will have to change from Green, Bruce, Davey, Moloney, Sylvia, and McLean.

I'm hoping that the top 6 in 2010 will be Sylvia, Davey, McLean, Morton, Garland, and Grimes.

As I write, I realise the pressure I am putting on Morton and Grimes but I really believe that both can spend most of their time in the midfield and deliver most of the Inside 50s (instead of Jones and McLean) which would make us an infinitely better team.

Saying that, my prediction looks patheticly optimistic but we will see...

I also wouldn't be too optimistic about next year. Again, I expect us to be more competitive and this should be reflected in our percentage, but I think we'd need to be very fortunate to get 10 wins (let alone finals).

I've been thinking quite a bit about this. In many ways, we will be at our weakest point in our rebuild. Come the start of next year we will have offoaded almost every one of the elder players on the list. If 'landers are to be believed, of the 27+ year old players: 3 of JMac, Robbo, Whelan, Wheatley seem likely to be gone. Green and Bruce stay, and for good reasons, great players both of them at this club. But with only those 2 in the 28 and above category, it goes without saying we'll be quite vulnerable, as MANY of the 22 who line up each week will be 22 and under, by virtue of the fact that there's just hardly any players older than that. For this reason I can't see us making finals.

Having said that, I DO expect that by the end of round 22, we will no longer be a tanking club. Perhaps even by the end of round 21? The selections will change a LOT, and with the younger players who have shown a bit I expect the number of players used next year to drop slightly, as Bailey looks for a settled side over individual players showing him something.

At best, at this stage, I'd say 8 games... perhaps even a couple of purple patches where we string 2-3 games together, is about as good as it'll get. Worst case? Less than 5 will be a possibility again.

Who are going to be in our top 6 players next year ? It will be interesting.

A teams number of wins and ladder postion is nearly always predicated by the quality of their top 6 when compared with the rest of the competition's. I think you're very ambitious with your prediction.

2009: Bruce, Davey, Green, Moloney, Sylvia... can't find another... One of Frawley, Grimes, Mclean...

2010: Bruce, Davey, Green, Moloney, Sylvia, Garland or Grimes. That's who I think will be our top 6 next season, unless a Watts or Jurrah comes out of nowhere.

2011: Davey, Moloney, Sylvia, Garland, Grimes, Morton. This is the business end.

In other words, I reckon next year will be more of the same, with improvement coming from a lot of youth the way we've seen this year, but 2010 will see changes in our "top 6" as per your theory, H.

As far as I'm concerned, right on track.

Who are going to be in our top 6 players next year ? It will be interesting.

It will be Hannibal. Exciting even. I'll have a guess for now (more wishful thinking I suppose).... top 6 hopefuls for 2010: Jurrah Sylvia Grimes Davey Morton S_ _ _ _ y Others to impress: Frawley, Blease, Wonaeamirri, Garland, Watts, Spencer.

Edited August 2, 200915 yr by High Tower

It will be Hannibal. Exciting even. I'll have a guess for now (more wishful thinking I suppose)....

top 6 hopefuls for 2010:

Jurrah

Sylvia

Frawley

Davey

Morton

S_ _ _ _ y

Others to impress: Blease, Wonaeamirri, Garland, Watts, Spencer.

I think you have a case of premature expectation when referring to Jurrah and Scully. One will be a 21 year old forward and the other will be a kid in his first year. If they are in our top 6 next year we will be bottom two again.

Out of the youngsters coming through you missed the one that looks likely to step up considerably next year - Jack Grimes.

It's all about capabilities and responsibilities. These are my justifications for my top 6 players in 2010.

Morton - Wing/HFF, high on Inside 50s, assists, averaging 20 touches, and around 20 goals, with at least 1 contested mark a game

Davey - Wing, most Inside 50s, most assists, averaging 25 touches across the middle delivering into 50

Sylvia - FP/RR, moderate to high number of tackles, clearances, and Inside 50s, and around 30-40 goals

Garland - HBF, most rebound 50s, averaging 20 clean touches off HB into the guts, QB role (Hodge 08)

McLean - C, most clearances and tackles, 25 to 30 touches giving to Davey or Grimes or Sylvia to deliver

Grimes - RR, high on clearances, Inside 50s, assists and tackles

All in important roles with impressive output. I can't see Bruce or Green outdoing any of them for output or to be put into important roles. Moloney is a tough one and it was a close one with McLean in terms of output in the stoppages. Frawley is an interesting one because he could play a Scarlett type role with his ability to beat an opponent and run with the ball. And here is an odd one - If Jamar plays every game like he has this year he will be in their aswell. However, HO to advantage would have to be high.

I left out Grimes in my top 6. I have edited my post - cant believe I missed him.

Anyone who was at todays game knows that is a massive no. I was laughing at how horrendous his kicking skills are.

Anyone who was at todays game knows that is a massive no. I was laughing at how horrendous his kicking skills are.

The best thing Newton will do at AFL level is help us tank.

Yes we played him out of position, but it was glaringly obvious today that he has no idea how to position himself, that he can't kick and half the time he completely gave up on chasing, which is unacceptable when you're playing on the wing.

Horrible stuff, and if I wasn't so keen on losing, I would have lost my [censored] with him today. Instead I just laughed and yelled out "kick it to Newton", but they stupidly kept giving it to Davey and Grimes!

The best thing Newton will do at AFL level is help us tank.

Yes we played him out of position, but it was glaringly obvious today that he has no idea how to position himself, that he can't kick and half the time he completely gave up on chasing, which is unacceptable when you're playing on the wing.

Horrible stuff, and if I wasn't so keen on losing, I would have lost my [censored] with him today. Instead I just laughed and yelled out "kick it to Newton", but they stupidly kept giving it to Davey and Grimes!

Absolutely spot on. Newton was shocking again today. He showed that he doesn't understand how to position himself, he can't kick, he can't or won't chase, he doesn't man up, he has no mobility, and he doesn't understand how to kick the ball over the player in front of him.

Yes we played him out of position, but it was glaringly obvious today that he has no idea how to position himself, that he can't kick and half the time he completely gave up on chasing, which is unacceptable when you're playing on the wing.

Horrible stuff, and if I wasn't so keen on losing, I would have lost my [censored] with him today. Instead I just laughed and yelled out "kick it to Newton", but they stupidly kept giving it to Davey and Grimes!

His kicking is just unreal.... I just don't know how an AFL players can have kicking skills that are so poor. He is obviously low on confidence but kicking it out of bounds on the full after standing around with his thumb up his behind for 30 seconds was laughable to say the least.

His chasing and tackling is the one thing he has been able to hang his hat on this year, really improved but today how easily did Tig's players run through his tackles???

Yea I was asking them to kick it to Micheal "The Special One" Newton. Not to tank but to have another laugh as that was the only reason my mate and I stayed.

Can't argue with that, but I think they'd be insane to recruit Hall. He's not interested anymore and is a good chance to be suspended for at least part of the year.

Aside from the Hall factor, I still think that Newton would fit in well with them. He's a good age for them, has good mobility, and would benefit from the supply they can give him. The only issue is whether they could fix what's wrong between his ears. I don't look at him as in the same league as Hall, but he may be someone they are willing to take a punt on for a low pick.

Newton epitomises a long term Melbourne problem of persisting with players that will never make the grade at AFL level. In a higher performing team he would have been cut some time ago. Like Brad Miller he has talent, but does not have a sustained impact on matches.....more often than not doing something stupid when put under pressure or simply needing to execute basic skills. Move him on and give another youngster a chance - Hughes and Zommer look interesting.

Newton is absolute spud.

Newton is absolute spud.

That's an insult to spuds everywhere

That's an insult to spuds everywhere

Post of the year!

He is the worst football player i have ever seen. I cant believe he is on our list for another year. Would be worth paying him out to at least get another young player who has a future. How did they give him three years?

I thought he might have an upside if he had a couple of game in a row at the top level and got some confidence but I don't see anymore. In fact I think he might have some form of brain injury. Time to get off the footy field and back to the sheltered workshop.

This bloke is a shocker.

And he is contracted for next year?

What a waste of a spot on the list.

Maybe Bailey has a new position in mind for him.

I was positive i saw him standing shoulder to shoulder with Deledio at a a centre bounce today.

Another Bailey coaching masterstroke today !

Possibly the worst and definitely the most infuriating player I have ever seen at Melbourne. He simply must play the next three matches.