WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BILLY STRETCH

[daisycutter 29,892]

We are crying out for this type of player, here is one who bleeds red and blue

oh no.....another beamer?

[Little Goffy 14,758]

What really fascinates me about Picket Fence's maniacal obsession with meat-bag midfielders is that if there is one area on the ground that the Demons are most deficient, it's the classy, good decision makers with good kicks who either have the vision to bring us cleanly out of half-back tangles, or the awareness to offer relieving leads and to run for hand-ball-receives.

That and he fact that he keeps banging on despite having the evidence placed in front of him earlier, showing that there are five clubs whose top contested ballwinners are what he would call 'skinny, outside types who don't deserve to go before the third round'.

Picket Fence's concept of recruiting and team balance might be seen as appropriate for suburban C-grade teams, and certainly it was the strategy used by Terry Wallace at Richmond, but it is a liability in multiple ways when you get to the top level.

[picket fence 17,986]

What really fascinates me about Picket Fence's maniacal obsession with meat-bag midfielders is that if there is one area on the ground that the Demons are most deficient, it's the classy, good decision makers with good kicks who either have the vision to bring us cleanly out of half-back tangles, or the awareness to offer relieving leads and to run for hand-ball-receives.

That and he fact that he keeps banging on despite having the evidence placed in front of him earlier, showing that there are five clubs whose top contested ballwinners are what he would call 'skinny, outside types who don't deserve to go before the third round'.

Picket Fence's concept of recruiting and team balance might be seen as appropriate for suburban C-grade teams, and certainly it was the strategy used by Terry Wallace at Richmond, but it is a liability in multiple ways when you get to the top level.

And today hasn't changed your mind at all??

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

And today hasn't changed your mind at all??

Nope, but then I rate Tyson, Viney, Riley, Michie, Trengove, Jones, Vince, Cross, Salem, Kent are a reasonable group of ball winners

can you list 5 ball users on our list that would be classified as elite?

Watts, Vince Salem? I reckon Hawthorn, Geelong and Fremantle would have a few more line breakers and quality ball users

[Axis of Bob 11,912]

He went back to Glenelg, played seniors, and was in the bests.

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/round_info.cgi?a=MATCH&fixture=124147241&c=1-3289-0-289294-0&pool=1

[whatwhat say what 23,474]

great stuff.

[picket fence 17,986]

What do your " Spies " think of Durdin picket?

Not a bad player.... but finished for the year with a severe hamstring tear!

Pass! severe hamstring tears have a habit of.... lingering on and on andddddd on nd on!

[Little Goffy 14,758]

And today hasn't changed your mind at all??

Oh, Mr Fence.

Picket Picket Picket, what shall we do about Picket?

Apparently he simply did not read any of the dozen or so posts from all sorts of people pointing out that on contested possessions, clearances, and tackles, Melbourne were barely shaded by Geelong. Apparently he just didn't have the patience to look at anyone's writing but his own. Left blissfully unaware of the dramatic disposal efficiency differences, the contrast of kicks vs handballs of the two clubs, the vast disparity of the inside-50 count.

It doesn't matter what actually happens in reality, in Picket Fence Land the only thing that matters is sustaining as many ways as possible to be bitter about losing Moloney and Magner and missing out on Wines.

I think I've just figured out the particular cart that is sitting in front of Picket Fence's dead horse.

(Mixed metaphor WIN)

[picket fence 17,986]

Oh, Mr Fence.

Picket Picket Picket, what shall we do about Picket?

Apparently he simply did not read any of the dozen or so posts from all sorts of people pointing out that on contested possessions, clearances, and tackles, Melbourne were barely shaded by Geelong. Apparently he just didn't have the patience to look at anyone's writing but his own. Left blissfully unaware of the dramatic disposal efficiency differences, the contrast of kicks vs handballs of the two clubs, the vast disparity of the inside-50 count.

It doesn't matter what actually happens in reality, in Picket Fence Land the only thing that matters is sustaining as many ways as possible to be bitter about losing Moloney and Magner and missing out on Wines.

I think I've just figured out the particular cart that is sitting in front of Picket Fence's dead horse.

(Mixed metaphor WIN)

Oh goffy lest it be said and exclaimed for allllllllll time, WAS once a Moloney fan, but alas too single minded ( read into it) what you will! and NEVER been a Magner Fan!

Anyone that cannot kick more than 35 meters on a set shot for goal( Magner) deserved to be banished FOREVER!!

[s-t-i-n-g-a 439]

He went back to Glenelg, played seniors, and was in the bests.

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/round_info.cgi?a=MATCH&fixture=124147241&c=1-3289-0-289294-0&pool=1

I assume that is our very own R Taggert with 2 goals for Sturt.

[rjay 25,307]

I assume that is our very own R Taggert with 2 goals for Sturt.

Good to see he is back on the ground after injuries early in the year.

[MadAsHell 4,217]

Josh Mahoney said this morning that they rate billy inside the top 50 in the coming draft. Said they know where within that they rate him and will have to see how the bidding system plays out.

Having said that, also said billy's a very hard trainer and will get the most out of himself as a player. Reading between the lines I'd say if we're forced to use a 2nd round pick on him, I think we will.

[samcantstandya 1,068]

And importantly wants to play for the dees!!

I always like 2 have players like Stretch who want 2 play 4 us because they have a passion & support Melb.

[demoniac 1,337]

Good to see he is back on the ground after injuries early in the year.

Watched R Taggert play for Sturt against West Adelaide on Saturday arvo. Did not have much impact at all as lowly Wests upset the favoured Sturt. Generally found himself where the ball was not. Juice Newton and Jace Bode started well for Norwood against South Adelaide on Friday night under lights at the Parade. Juice fell away but Bode battled on as Norwood almost lost a game they had been dominating.

[monoccular 17,650]

Steve Johnson?? Couldn't think of many worse comparisons. Maybe Damien Monkhurst?

Mid/Fwd... Who spends most of his time on the HBF?

Fairly inaccurate bio.

Here's my try:

Clean hands.

Adequate kick.

Plays tight and forces a contest.

Good runner with a good work rate.

Runs both ways.

Works to provide an option for teammates.

Makes solid decisions.

Comparison: Nick Smith.

426??

[s-t-i-n-g-a 439]

We can only hope Trengove finds love at the Commonwealth games. I hope he attends the women's 100m final after party...

[ijbfossil 77]

Is Billy Stretch big enough - we need taller and more robust midfielders ( no offence to Jonesy who is super, Tyson and the likes) - but we have a few who are simply not big enough nor strong enough clogging the list.

As for taking Jimmy Toumpas instead of Ollie Wines - words fail me - a clssic example of what I am trying to say.

[Moonshadow 17,678]

Is Billy Stretch big enough - we need taller and more robust midfielders ( no offence to Jonesy who is super, Tyson and the likes) - but we have a few who are simply not big enough nor strong enough clogging the list.

As for taking Jimmy Toumpas instead of Ollie Wines - words fail me - a clssic example of what I am trying to say.

Toump will be alright fossil. Get over it.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,105]

We can only hope Trengove finds love at the Commonwealth games. I hope he attends the women's 100m final after party...

Melissa Breen. Australian 100m record holder.

[rpfc 28,925]

Is Billy Stretch big enough - we need taller and more robust midfielders ( no offence to Jonesy who is super, Tyson and the likes) - but we have a few who are simply not big enough nor strong enough clogging the list.

As for taking Jimmy Toumpas instead of Ollie Wines - words fail me - a clssic example of what I am trying to say.

Who says he is to be recruited as a midfielder?

Do you throw out there a team of 'tall, robust midfielders?'

Jimmy Toumpas isn't a classic example of a 'list clogger' - he is a kid trying to find his feet and through no fault of his own - gets compared to another who has been quite special for PA.

I really wish a few could get past the fact that Wines doesn't play for us.

[Radar Detector 1,347]

How would you feel about recruiting a bloke like Keiran Jack (178cm) or Dion Prestia (175cm) or any number of gun midfielders under 6ft tall fossil? I suppose they don't fit our needs for tall, robust midfielders.

FMD even Jack Viney is only 178cm and we don't have any issues with him.

There is no bulletproof recruiting strategy. Not all tall agressive midfielders become guns. Not all midgets are spuds and neither are all slightly built guys. Nathan Fyfe is doing ok, for example.

And not every player comes on at the same rate. But that comment is frought with danger around here

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Billy stretch will be recruited because we lack exactly that type of player,

The thing picket and a few others fail to see is you can't just have 44 inside midfielders on your list

[nutbean 8,838]

what's a " sanctimonious [censored] " ?

I am.

[Lord Travis 10,793]

Billy will be a good pick up for us. Will hopefully and likely land him with our 3rd round pick. We need his type of player. Someone with good endurance who runs both ways and provides options with a lot of run. Look at Hawthorn with Isaac Smith and Brad Hill. Whenever those guys are tagged the Hawks struggle and sometimes lose. Sam Mitchell said in an interview after the game on the weekend that Isaac Smith was Hawthorns most important player due to his outside run. Nearly every team has battering rams who win ball in the contest, the good teams are separated by the uncontested possession. Geelong at their peak were the kings of uncontested possession because their skills were so good. They would wait/force the mistake from the opposition and then once they had the ball you would not touch it.

Stretch would help us as a hard running option in the Smith/Hill mould, hopefully he can develop and become as influential. We need outside run and spread.

[Whispering_Jack 31,180]

On the subject of father/sons (and I know this might be a little premature) but one of my grandsons played in his competition's lightning premiership on Sunday and I've been flicking through the programme and come up with an interesting name for the South Melbourne Under 9 Whites - Tiernan Stynes. There's a lot of water to flow under the bridge and it must be so hard for the little bloke without his dad but what a great story it would make if he ran onto the G one day in red and blue with the number 11 on his back.