Despite our position on the ladder and 3 wins from 18 games this year, I think we have improved; definitely on 2008 (3 wins); and I think we are on the way to a better list as well as a list with depth. I think our rucks still need improvement, and more pace around the midfield.

Below is a side I've picked for 2010. It doesn't include 2009 possible draftees (ie Scully, etc). Others may want to have a go at this. I'm sure there will be numerous permutations and combinations of a starting 22.

What my picked side relates to is the form of the players I have seen this season in form and looking forward. One that gives balance and yet doesn't include those who have been injured (Garland the exception), or yet to play, or those out of form )...(ie. Wonaeamirri, Blease, Strauss, Wheatley, Maric, Miller,...)

or even those we think will retire (McDonald).

At this stage, my starting side for 2010: -

B: Cheney Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Bennell

C: Green Sylvia Davey

HF: Bruce Morton Petterd

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Jamar Moloney Grimes

INT: Martin Jones Dunn McLean

Missed: Wonna, Blease, Strauss, Maric, Newton, Miller, Wheatley, Jetta, Bail, Spencer, Bartram, PJ, Meesen, Bell, Buckley, McNamara, Valenti.

Retirees?:

Robertson

McDonald

Whelan

I think the above side shows that "if" we do obtain a Scully at the draft, there will be competition with McLean, Jones & Moloney as they are similar types of players within the midfield. Is there room for all after 2010?

Once the new draftees come in - hopefully two of the first three picks - it will no doubt add to the depth that we crave, and "hopefully" improve the depth of our 'stars' at Melbournefc.

Have a go..

Edited August 7, 200915 yr by High Tower

Mate, Scully will be one of the first picked. Trengove wouldn't far behind.

I think the above side shows is "if" we do obtain a Scully at the draft, there will be competition with McLean, Jones & Moloney as they are similar types of players within the midfield. Is there room for all?

Once the new draftees come in - hopefully two of the first three picks - it will no doubt add to the depth that we crave, and "hopefully" improve the depth of our 'stars' at Melbournefc.

Have a go..

Im not sure there is.

Mate, Scully will be one of the first picked. Trengove wouldn't far behind.

I know mate: -

Below is a side I've picked for 2010. It doesn't include 2009 posible draftees (ie Scully, etc).

It's based on the current list.

Im not sure there is.

That's what I thought. They're all good servants for the club though, time will tell.

I know mate: -

It's based on the current list.

I'll have to skim better.

At this stage, my starting side for 2010: -

B: Cheney Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Bennell

C: Green Sylvia Davey

HF: Bruce Morton Petterd

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Jamar Moloney Grimes

INT: Martin Jones Dunn McLean

Missed: Wonna, Blease, Strauss, Maric, Newton, Miller, Wheatley, Jetta, Bail, Spencer, Bartram, PJ, Meesen, Bell, Buckley, McNamara.

If you can play Garland I'm going to add a few of the others

B: Bennell Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Green

C: Blease Grimes Davey

HF: Petterd Butcher Morton

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Meesen Scully Sylvia

INT: Wonaeamirri Jones Maric Strauss Martin Jones Dunn Jetta Moloney Mclean Bruce Jamar McNamara (Remember it's Thursday - extended bench)

Give this side half a season and it'll [censored] your side

Edited August 6, 200915 yr by Roost It

must have Aussie in FP, Bruce is fast becoming an ordinary player

AS IT STANDS WITH THE DRAFT SITUATION MY TEAM WOLD BE

B: GARLAND, WARNOCK, BRUCE

HB: DAVEY, FRAWLEY, GRIMES

C: MOLONEY, MCLEAN, MORTON

HF: SYLVIA, BATE, GREEN

F: WATTS, JURRAH, WONAEAMIRRI

FOLL: JAMAR, SCULLY, TRENGROVE

IC: PETTERD, BENNELL, JONES, MARTIN

I recall Stynes making a comment earlier in the season regarding our injury list. The gist of it was that the injuries wouldn't impact us greatly because we were quite even.

You might say this indicates we have good depth, in that we could have a few players out and not particularly miss them as the replacements were around the mark, but when you're bottom of the ladder is that anything to cheer about?

I know that in the ND days people would cite our good depth when blokes like Ferguson, Ward, Brown or Holland were out of the side. Was the fact that the fringe players were as good as some that got games an indication we were a good side?

Sure, it's nice to have people come into the side without your side becoming significantly weaker, but IMO the concept of 'depth' is one that's IMO over-rated.

You might say this indicates we have good depth, in that we could have a few players out and not particularly miss them as the replacements were around the mark, but when you're bottom of the ladder is that anything to cheer about?

Sure, it's nice to have people come into the side without your side becoming significantly weaker, but IMO the concept of 'depth' is one that's IMO over-rated.

I was having this exact discussion earlier in the week. It just shows that there's not a huge difference between the crapness of many of our players. Nothing to boast about really.

It once again shows how important it is to get some stars into the club.

I was having this exact discussion earlier in the week. It just shows that there's not a huge difference between the crapness of many of our players. Nothing to boast about really.

It once again shows how important it is to get some stars into the club.

Absolutely agree regarding stars - we need them badly.

But with the modern game and fast ball movement thru many hands it's also important not to have weak links. You need around 30 capable players. I see even Carlton isn't playing CJ (injured but just not good enough), Bentley or Wiggins.

From next year as Maric, Blease, Strauss and early picks from this year force their way into the team we're going to have players like Jones, Petterd, Wonna, Jetta, McKenzie and Spencer on the fringe of the best 22.

we need a higher order of depth...with stars on top !!

AS IT STANDS WITH THE DRAFT SITUATION MY TEAM WOLD BE

B: GARLAND, WARNOCK, BRUCE

HB: DAVEY, FRAWLEY, GRIMES

C: MOLONEY, MCLEAN, MORTON

HF: SYLVIA, BATE, GREEN

F: WATTS, JURRAH, WONAEAMIRRI

FOLL: JAMAR, SCULLY, TRENGROVE

IC: PETTERD, BENNELL, JONES, MARTIN

What the?

You can't just have two new players like Scully and Trengove in the midfield. They will be worked into it slowly. You would have a Scully or trengove on the wing to ease them in and keep Moloney's hard body in the center.

The other element of this besides new players like Scully is that we have so many young players with so much potential "upside". Thoiugh it's ridiculous to expect that they'll all fulfill this potential, it's very likely that a few of them will. And it's impossible to tell who will make the big leap. I didn't expect Petterd to be able to do so well as he has in the past few weeks, he's definitely added something to the team performance and gone from a fringe player to a mid-level player and may well do even better. Blease & Strauss are two with immense upside that we haven't really seen yet (hard to tell how much Strauss's shoulder affected his play in VFL earlier this year, only time will tell). If someone like Bennell or McKenzie (or Martin or Jetta or ...) puts a lot of work in over the summer & plays up to their potential in the preseason, we'll be writing them into our best teams for round 1. Should be very interesting times ahead.

We have a lot of players that are at the same stage of development, the really good thing about that is that there'll be a lot of competition for spots next year. If Meesen is able to capture his form before his injury in the pre-season he and Jamar will be our ruckmen of choice. The big thing is next year Strauss and Blease will be pushing for selection, and Wonna will be back from his injury riddled second year.

If you can play Garland I'm going to add a few of the others

B: Bennell Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Green

C: Blease Grimes Davey

HF: Petterd Butcher Morton

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Meesen Scully Sylvia

INT: Wonaeamirri Jones Maric Strauss Martin Jones Dunn Jetta Moloney Mclean Bruce Jamar McNamara (Remember it's Thursday - extended bench)

Give this side half a season and it'll [censored] your side

My opening post you will note that the side was picked without Scully, Butcher, etc (WITHOUT DRAFTEES); because it's not certain as yet.

A good side nevertheless. Do you rate Meesen over Jamar?

At this stage, my starting side for 2010: -

B: Cheney Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Bennell

C: Green Sylvia Davey

HF: Bruce Morton Petterd

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Jamar Moloney Grimes

INT: Martin Jones Dunn McLean

Missed: Wonna, Blease, Strauss, Maric, Newton, Miller, Wheatley, Jetta, Bail, Spencer, Bartram, PJ, Meesen, Bell, Buckley, McNamara, Valenti.

Retirees?:

Robertson

McDonald

Whelan

Have a go..

Maybe add Wheatley to the retirees.

FB: Bartram Warnock Frawley

HB: Bennell Garland Rivers

C: Morton Jones Green

HF: Petter Bate Watts

FF: Jurrah Martin Wona

FOLL: Jamar Grimes Moloney

INT: (from) Bruce, Maric, McLean, Buckley, Cheney, Dunn, Jetta

If you can play Garland I'm going to add a few of the others

B: Bennell Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Green

C: Blease Grimes Davey

HF: Petterd Butcher Morton

F: Bate Watts Jurrah

FOLL: Meesen Scully Sylvia

INT: Wonaeamirri Jones Maric Strauss Martin Jones Dunn Jetta Moloney Mclean Bruce Jamar McNamara (Remember it's Thursday - extended bench)

Give this side half a season and it'll [censored] your side

Goooooood side!!!! But how likely is Butcher, if we drafted him, to come straight into the team? He'd take time i would have thought

Can never have too many going through the mid field. Geelong and Stk have abt 10 players each who spend time there.

Maybe add Wheatley to the retirees.

FB: Bartram Warnock Frawley

HB: Bennell Garland Rivers

C: Morton Jones Green

HF: Petter Bate Watts

FF: Jurrah Martin Wona

FOLL: Jamar Grimes Moloney

INT: (from) Bruce, Maric, McLean, Buckley, Cheney, Dunn, Jetta

Goooooood side!!!! But how likely is Butcher, if we drafted him, to come straight into the team? He'd take time i would have thought

Nah, he'll play straight away and dominate just like Jack Wa... oh.

What the?

You can't just have two new players like Scully and Trengove in the midfield. They will be worked into it slowly. You would have a Scully or trengove on the wing to ease them in and keep Moloney's hard body in the center.

Scully is a gun so I don't see why he can't start in the middle and Trengrove is already well built. You know what you get with Moloney I would rather see what our gun recruits will do in the middle(if we get them). With rotations the way they are I don't see why it is a What the? How could you do that? situation.

I was having this exact discussion earlier in the week. It just shows that there's not a huge difference between the crapness of many of our players. Nothing to boast about really.

It once again shows how important it is to get some stars into the club.

Agree. This club will go nowhere, regardless of how good the 22nd best player is, until some stars are born. That is why this draft is so important.

Mate, Scully will be one of the first picked. Trengove wouldn't far behind.

I'm not so sure about that. I'm as certain as you are that Scully will be a star, but in his first year? He is very small. I dunno, maybe you're right.

with the modern game and fast ball movement thru many hands it's also important not to have weak links. You need around 30 capable players. I see even Carlton isn't playing CJ (injured but just not good enough), Bentley or Wiggins.

From next year as Maric, Blease, Strauss and early picks from this year force their way into the team we're going to have players like Jones, Petterd, Wonna, Jetta, McKenzie and Spencer on the fringe of the best 22.

Yes, the skill of kicking has never been more important.

Absolutely agree regarding stars - we need them badly.

But with the modern game and fast ball movement thru many hands it's also important not to have weak links. You need around 30 capable players. I see even Carlton isn't playing CJ (injured but just not good enough), Bentley or Wiggins.

From next year as Maric, Blease, Strauss and early picks from this year force their way into the team we're going to have players like Jones, Petterd, Wonna, Jetta, McKenzie and Spencer on the fringe of the best 22.

Petterd and Wonaeamirri are firmly in the club's sights as starting 18 players