Martin on 2009 form would be selected ahead of 4 or 5 of those players. On Potential probably 3-4.

True. Many are pretty quick to judge here - he's only just started his career and was thrown down back in a team that finished stone motherless ! I for one see plenty of upside in him :angry:

I think you've got this one wrong Kegs. As others have pointed out Stef is quick and very agile for his size. Players with height and mobility are sought after in the modern game. Add to that his flexibility in being able to fill holes, ie forward, back or ruck then he has all the markings of a player that all clubs love to have on their list.

Yes he needs to improve his disposal and improve his reading of the game but these are fixable.

Contrary to what has already been said though in the future I can see him as a solid second ruck option that will occassionally play down forward. Another of his attributes is that he takes a decent contested mark as well and has a good leap.

Ok il take a stab here and say you spell his name with an E not an A, As for the utility comment you could be right and I would like to see him used this way I just dont think he will be

Petterd may spend some time in the backline, but definitely will not settle there.

well it sem thats im fighting a loosing battle here so I take my hat of in surrender and say up ya bums lol cos I still think im right

kegs - Now this is just my opinion so dont get shitty but is it just me or is Martin a crab.

well it sem thats im fighting a loosing battle here so I take my hat of in surrender and say up ya bums lol cos I still think im right

No you're not. Stef is quick, look.....

As a forward - has some potential but will only ever be a back up plan

As a defender - maybe not quite up to it. Pace is great on long leads but can be caught out not reading the play. Still a great back up to others

As a ruckmen - I'm excited. He has a good leap and I think he'll really learn how and where to palm the ball.

I'd like to see some more aggression from him. He certainly isn't soft, but he's a big guy who doesn't lumber along, he can really cover the ground, so I want to see him use that in whatever position he plays.

Now this is just my opinion so dont get shitty but is it just me or is Martin a crab. Now dont get me wrong I am a demons man and im not a hater but I dont think the kid can play at all. People keep putting him in as a future star but he can kick at all let alone kick goals as a key foward, he seems very slow across the ground which means his defensive pressure isnt very good and he continually gets shoved out of the way in marking contest. Now I know the strengh issues can be fixed with a few more preseasons but I fail to see how we can fix the other issues before he simply becomes a liability. Again I hope im wrong but any opinions

What kind of a muppet are you? 19 posts and you're a Demon man? Pig's arrrzzzzzzzz.

I would have to agree with master as the only place I can see him having any impact is the ruck but with the inclusion of Gawn and Fitzpatrick is there any room there for him, I agree that he has potential but with a team starting to burst with potential does he have enough to push someone out of the team.

oh im sorry mac I didnt realise you support and loyalty is judged on how many posts you have. I have supported the demons all my life and I dont see how an idiot like you say otherwise.

Now this is just my opinion so dont get shitty but is it just me or is Martin a crab. Now dont get me wrong I am a demons man and im not a hater but I dont think the kid can play at all. People keep putting him in as a future star but he can kick at all let alone kick goals as a key foward, he seems very slow across the ground which means his defensive pressure isnt very good and he continually gets shoved out of the way in marking contest. Now I know the strengh issues can be fixed with a few more preseasons but I fail to see how we can fix the other issues before he simply becomes a liability. Again I hope im wrong but any opinions

Going

I disagree the only person I would put a question mark next to is Frawley and I think he has shown more then enough to be given more chances, But as always that team is my opinion and every person on this site can pick holes in it as we all have different ideas on the future

Going

in my opinion yes they are.

Pettard started in the back line and only went foward last year as a result of no other options. Due to our building foward line I tthink he will end up settleing in defense.

Garland didnt play due to injury and im hoping in 3 years as the post stated he will be fit and healthy.

Cheney played off and on due to his young age and small body which wont be a problem in a few years and I belive he has shown more then any other defender that he has the skill and more importantly the guts to play thereAnd macdonald was delisted after being good enough to play all home and away games for the year, he has shown time and time again for the lions that he has the skill and leadership to play at the highest leval and I think was only delisted as a result of the coach making a big statment that no one is safe no matter who you are, such as Bradshaw being put up for trade.

Gone,

And just quietly I think you should too

Gee you get shot down for having an opinion around here

Gee you get shot down for having an opinion around here

Only when it's wrong

P.S. It's just my opinion. Don't let me or anyone else around here upset you, just sling some back and move on, Have a great Xmas

Gone,

I think you mean

GAWN!!!

What im never wrong im going to kill you. ok im ok now moving on.

Any way I could be wrong and like I said I hope I am cos we have had enough duds over the last couple of years and if he can help us get back to the top then more power to him, I just dont think he had it in him.

Im not upset lol but I am a bit surprised nobody agrees with me I just cant see him doing much, but maybe im being unrealistic and comparing him to myself a 4 times FNFL premiership player in the Tom Price league lol

future team in 3 years time

Backs Pettard Warnock Frawley

CHB Macdonald Garland Cheney

Centre Davey Silvia Grimes

CHF Bate Tappscott Morton

Fowards Aussie Watts Jurrah

Rucks Gawn Scully Trengove

Bench Jones Moloney Blease Gysbert

Emergency Bennel Jetta Dunn Fitzpatrick Maric Mcnamarra Plus many many more.

But as you can see there is no room for Martin in that team and it will even be hard to crack into th team as our bench and emergeny players are pretrt damn good to.

PS damn that was hard to pick

Have a merry Xmas Kegs - but you lost me when you had Tappscott at CHF

you lost me when you had Tapscott at CHF

It took 44 posts for someone to note that.

I agree its diff but who said the CHF has to be a tall just look at williams formally of the hawks who held down FF for several years and kicked plenty of goals. I just think that with his huge boot and accuracy in front of goals this would be perfect for him and being there also gives him a chance to push into the midfield when required. As iv said it is simply my opinion and I have been know to make one or 2 mistakes lol

Gee you get shot down for having an opinion around here

Just a hint - 15 posts is a helluva lot when all you're doing is trying to bag a particular player. Your OP indicated that you expected some opposing views, and there's nothing wrong with defending your opinion. But if what you're trying to do is bring all the opposing views around to your way of thinking, you're always going to be shovelling it uphill.

Long may you post!

If im bagging him then I appolagise that is not my intent, i am just putting my opinion foward and defending it when people disagree, I am not trying to turn people opinion around at all cos that is the beauty of personal opinion is it is very hard to change and people wont change mine as I dont expect them to change theirs.

I think that makes sense

I can see where you are coming from kegs as I have not seen Martin dominate a game.

However he has done some good stuff down back, he has done some ok stuff in the ruck and shown glimpses in the forward line.

He is young, he is tall and he came to the game late. These are all reasons why I can see him improving.

Even if he does not improve, most teams would have him in their team with out a second thought. A big tall with ok agility and potential upside is worth preserving with. Remember there are some ordinary talls who have played a lot of games. (Think Cloke).

Basically I see your point and if he was three or four year older or (one to two years older and been playing footy since he was eight) I would completely agree with you, however he is not that old and he has not been playing footy since he was eight. So I reckon he will be a good player.

History will tell and in five years you might be able to drag this thread up and say "My footy knowledge is great" through we all hope otherwise including yourself because if he is good then Melbourne has a great player.

For now I am backing Martin.

Look Ive had a few drinks but this is a rubbish thread! Martin shows a lot of promise for a guy who's taken up football late. Seriously mate have you even watched him play?

I was very keen on this bloke when he started. Tall, strong, very quick off the mark, great agility and good skills by hand.

I thought here is a full back that would create a fabtastic mis-match in our favour. Given first go in defence, he was good at Casey doing his job, but seemed to get found out by some smart forwards at AFL level (Anthony and Roughhead come to mind) . He did tend to get turned inside out or lost in traffic too often for coaches to perservere with him, so he quickly found a second and third home at ruck and full forward.

It's a shame as I do have doubts in his kicking as a full forward, but his ruck work has been clever at times, whilst giving away a little in height against the top ruckman.

Right now I can see he will have to improve once more to maintain his position, especially if Jamar, Johnson stay unijured and one of Spencer/Gawn/Meeson start showing something.

I think he has the ability to have a career at AFL but he needs to improve at least at the same rate so far.

Personally I think he should still be groomed as a stopping backman, who can take a fast tall or small. Even if it takes another year at Casey learning the trade.