http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/103466/default.aspx

LIST manager Tim Harrington says Melbourne will be very specific in terms of the type of player it brings into the club, if it acquires someone via next week’s trade week.

This year’s exchange period will start next Tuesday and conclude the following Monday. Harrington said the club would be deliberate in its approach to the trade period

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/103466/default.aspx

LIST manager Tim Harrington says Melbourne will be very specific in terms of the type of player it brings into the club, if it acquires someone via next week’s trade week.

This year’s exchange period will start next Tuesday and conclude the following Monday. Harrington said the club would be deliberate in its approach to the trade period

Giving a lot away, isn't he?

A KPF if it's there, but most likely a HBF.

He's able to make the claims of going for needs because all of the players likely to be around at pick 12 will fit those descriptions, barring an absolute miracle.

If we can get one of Atley or Lynch, BP will be grinning from ear to ear.

a player in the mould of Cameron Cloke, Brent Grgic, Isaac Weetra, Darren Kowal?

I have usually supported your posts- however I think this is a little over the top- it is always hard in recruiting- you never know how any player will go until tested against the ultimate best.And look at the above players you have outlined- all showed ability - maybe Weetra being the exception- however didn't make an elite player. There is and will always be these types on all lists- we cannot all be elite players.Lastly,I thought Kowal was a pretty good footballer -played over 100 games and was a midget at 173 cms tall. Darren Kowal

Last played for Melbourne Demons in 1999

Games: 105 Born: June 18, 1972

Playing Height: 173cm Playing Weight: 74kg

I have usually supported your posts- however I think this is a little over the top- it is always hard in recruiting- you never know how any player will go until tested against the ultimate best.And look at the above players you have outlined- all showed ability - maybe Weetra being the exception- however didn't make an elite player. There is and will always be these types on all lists- we cannot all be elite players.Lastly,I thought Kowal was a pretty good footballer -played over 100 games and was a midget at 173 cms tall. Darren Kowal

Last played for Melbourne Demons in 1999

Games: 105 Born: June 18, 1972

Playing Height: 173cm Playing Weight: 74kg

i got disracted from what the post was talking about and saw e25's fav players....made me laugh...e25 enjoys people taking a swipe at him/her

i have removed my post to avoid confusion that i was having a laugh.

i did like darren kowal though...he was very quick player.

Darren Kowal was lightening fast and had no idea what to do with the ball.

He'd get the footy then run himself into trouble at a million miles an hour.

I remember being at a match during the height of the bovine virus outbreak in the UK, and when Kowal got the ball

and inevitably ran in circles until he lost it, some bright spark yelled out "he's got Mad Kowal's Disease!"

Hilarity ensued.

(**I was young at the time & there's a fair chance I didn't appreciate all the good aspects of

Kowal's game. That's just how I remember him.)

A KPF if it's there, but most likely a HBF.

A HBF? Really? With MacDonald, Grimes, Bail, even Bartram playing off a flank down there, you think that's really a priority?

I'm sure you'd get no odds offered that our priority is a kpf. Anything else that comes our way will be serendipity. We have a carpark of mids, a garage full of 2nd 3rd up utiity defenders, we have emerging forwards but lack that biggish stay at home forward. That's what the FD will be shopping for despite anything Harrington and co throw up as smoke

Giving a lot away, isn't he?

Gave us doughnuts.

Darren Kowal was lightening fast and had no idea what to do with the ball.

He'd get the footy then run himself into trouble at a million miles an hour.

I remember being at a match during the height of the bovine virus outbreak in the UK, and when Kowal got the ball

and inevitably ran in circles until he lost it, some bright spark yelled out "he's got Mad Kowal's Disease!"

Hilarity ensued.

(**I was young at the time & there's a fair chance I didn't appreciate all the good aspects of

Kowal's game. That's just how I remember him.)

AHaHa Ha, thats f*#king brilliant. LOl..

A HBF? Really? With MacDonald, Grimes, Bail, even Bartram playing off a flank down there, you think that's really a priority?

We need more players who can provide that drive off a HBF which is essential.

In the style of Hodge, Drummond, Gibbs, Fisher, et al.

I thought you'd have realized that.

If Grimes moves into the midfield we have barely anyone to do it.

Bail is not quite that style of player; Bartram with the ball in his hands gives me nightmares; and I still see Joel MacDonal as a temporary stopgap.

That is why we're looking at kids like Dyson Heppel, Billie Smedts, Shaun Atley and Brodie Smith.

Edit: beyond a KPF, what do you think our priorities are instead..?

We need more players who can provide that drive off a HBF which is essential.

In the style of Hodge, Drummond, Gibbs, Fisher, et al.

I thought you'd have realized that.

If Grimes moves into the midfield we have barely anyone to do it.

Bail is not quite that style of player; Bartram with the ball in his hands gives me nightmares; and I still see Joel MacDonal as a temporary stopgap.

That is why we're looking at kids like Dyson Heppel, Billie Smedts, Shaun Atley and Brodie Smith.

Edit: beyond a KPF, what do you think our priorities are instead..?

we have strauss and blease still to come into the side...we have played strauss off the hbf. has good kicking.

grimes hasn't got the game consistency to play in the midfield yet...breaks down to easy but could go into the midfield when ready.

We need more players who can provide that drive off a HBF which is essential.

In the style of Hodge, Drummond, Gibbs, Fisher, et al.

I thought you'd have realized that.

If Grimes moves into the midfield we have barely anyone to do it.

Bail is not quite that style of player; Bartram with the ball in his hands gives me nightmares; and I still see Joel MacDonal as a temporary stopgap.

That is why we're looking at kids like Dyson Heppel, Billie Smedts, Shaun Atley and Brodie Smith.

Edit: beyond a KPF, what do you think our priorities are instead..?

I would have thought that Bail is exactly that kind of player. Gives us massive drive of a half back flank. And if you don't think that's what he gave us this year then at least you'll agree that there's no reason why he couldn't play that role.

Strauss' career is at a standstill, and he's not going to crack back into the side as a back pocket, especially if we keep Cheney around, so I would be thinking Strauss will be played in this role in 2011. MacDonald is more than capable of playing this role, I suspect a luxury of the development of players such as Scully, McKenzie and Trengove will allow us to keep Grimes on the HBF.

Obviously a KPF is the highest priority, but I'd be looking at a defensive midfielder, someone who can play a tagging/negating role, before I'd be looking at a HBF. With Junior gone, and Bartram playing as a back pocket now, we don't really have anyone on the list who can play a negating role through the middle. I guess that's not exactly the type of player you go and look for in a draft, but if I had to identify a position that we don't have covered the HBF would not be it.

we have strauss and blease still to come into the side...we have played strauss off the hbf. has good kicking.

grimes hasn't got the game consistency to play in the midfield yet...breaks down to easy but could go into the midfield when ready.

Strauss and Blease haven't shown that they can do what Grimes does.

Grimes is consistent, unless you are saying his body is inconsistent...

I would have thought that Bail is exactly that kind of player. Gives us massive drive of a half back flank. And if you don't think that's what he gave us this year then at least you'll agree that there's no reason why he couldn't play that role.

Strauss' career is at a standstill, and he's not going to crack back into the side as a back pocket, especially if we keep Cheney around, so I would be thinking Strauss will be played in this role in 2011. MacDonald is more than capable of playing this role, I suspect a luxury of the development of players such as Scully, McKenzie and Trengove will allow us to keep Grimes on the HBF.

Obviously a KPF is the highest priority, but I'd be looking at a defensive midfielder, someone who can play a tagging/negating role, before I'd be looking at a HBF. With Junior gone, and Bartram playing as a back pocket now, we don't really have anyone on the list who can play a negating role through the middle. I guess that's not exactly the type of player you go and look for in a draft, but if I had to identify a position that we don't have covered the HBF would not be it.

Isnt that exactly what Jordie Mckenzie will do? take over the mantle from Junior?

With regards to bail, I don't think his really going to be the HBF general type ala Hodge. Bail is more of a run and carry type wingman who loves the open spaces, rather then going back with the flight of the ball and setting up play with pin point passes. I agree a highly skilled & tough HBF such as Smedts is what we should be going after

Much prefer Grimes assuming the Generals role off half back . He's a very astute user and director of play . He can bring this into the midfield as a course of play but I'd much Peter him as a rebounding defender . Many want him as a midfielder but that's crowded territory. Just my view

Isnt that exactly what Jordie Mckenzie will do? take over the mantle from Junior?

With regards to bail, I don't think his really going to be the HBF general type ala Hodge. Bail is more of a run and carry type wingman who loves the open spaces, rather then going back with the flight of the ball and setting up play with pin point passes. I agree a highly skilled & tough HBF such as Smedts is what we should be going after

Well I thought McKenzie was going to be that kind of player but it seemed to me that he was being played more as an inside, clearance-getting midfielder. Later in the season we had Jones playing the defensive roles. Which IMO was a failure.

I can definitely see Bail as a wingman, and a good one at that, but I don't see that as a reason not to play him across the half back flank. But your point is valid.

Yep, exactly what I was about to post about Bail.

He's more a running link & support man, much more at home sweeping across the wing.

At the same time, I see him as capable of playing the BP position too.

Bu his strength is covering ground.

With HBF you want penetration, a hurt factor.

He doesn't provide that.

Well I thought McKenzie was going to be that kind of player but it seemed to me that he was being played more as an inside, clearance-getting midfielder. Later in the season we had Jones playing the defensive roles. Which IMO was a failure.

I can definitely see Bail as a wingman, and a good one at that, but I don't see that as a reason not to play him across the half back flank. But your point is valid.

Agree with your point in regards to Jones! But with Mckenzie, yes he is a clearance player but in todays game the most dangerous taggers are the one's who win stoppages and their own ball. There is no such thing as a hard tag anymore.

i got disracted from what the post was talking about and saw e25's fav players....made me laugh...e25 enjoys people taking a swipe at him/her

i have removed my post to avoid confusion that i was having a laugh.

i did like darren kowal though...he was very quick player.

Good on ya mate-knew you would not go to his level-

Good on ya mate-knew you would not go to his level-

You mean he would come down to my level, then quickly try to hide that he had done so.

And by "his" level, you mean "our" level, don't you johnny?

Strauss and Blease haven't shown that they can do what Grimes does.

Grimes is consistent, unless you are saying his body is inconsistent...

Grimes's kicking isn't consistent.He made many mistakes kicking out and in field play this year.Strauss- if good enough is a better kick-Gilbee type.

Strauss and Blease haven't shown that they can do what Grimes does.

Grimes is consistent, unless you are saying his body is inconsistent...

yes i meant grimes body...grimes gave didak a bath against the pies in the first game....there is no hurry to play grimes in the mid

stauss and blease are developing still...no need to go draft more players who will take longer to develop...i'm more in favor of letting these boys develop then before chasing others who can play hbf. the football dept may have other ideas though.

Much prefer Grimes assuming the Generals role off half back . He's a very astute user and director of play . He can bring this into the midfield as a course of play but I'd much Peter him as a rebounding defender . Many want him as a midfielder but that's crowded territory. Just my view

Quite agree, and there is still room in the future for another line-breaking, elite-kicking defender

stauss and blease are developing still...no need to go draft more players who will take longer to develop...i'm more in favor of letting these boys develop then before chasing others who can play hbf. the football dept may have other ideas though.

Blease was recruited as a dashing wingman, I don't think he has played on the half back flank?

The only players on our list who who can play half back flank & have elite kicking skills is Grimes & Strauss... Strauss has played 2 games. Whilst we have depth in tall to medium size defenders who can hold their own in a marking contest, we don't have any real depth in regards to backmen with pace & elite disposal. We still rely on Davey to distribute the ball far too much out of our backline.