Stephen hill, Danyle Pierce, Issac Smith, Stephen Motlop, Brad Hill, Mathew Suckling are just a few examples of outside players of serious quality,

the problem with having all big bodied inside mids is the teams with half a brain or a balance of inside or outside will absolutely destroy you on the outside with pace and skill, we need a balance or we won't get near a flag,

we have Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney, Daniel Cross and Bernie Vince who are capable of winning the inside ball, but they aren't quick with the exception of maybe Bernie

I can see where you are coming from BUT all these outside mids have strong core bodies and quickness to match. At 180 cm and skinny is Stretch of this ilk?

Not saying that he may not be worth a pick at some point but by Jasus H we would want to be very sure that he will develop. I couldn't stand another Toumpas or Morton scenario for an early pick which backfires. Still reckon we need another strong in an under with speed!

Stephen Hill was one of the skinniest players I can remember being drafted. As it turns out, an argument could be made that he should have been drafted at number 1.

The point is, teams need a combination of outside class and inside grunt. We currently don't have that as we lack both class and grunt.

Everyone complains about the turnovers, but then want to overlook classy ball users and draft nothing but grunt. It's strange.

Stretch can win his own ball and is good in traffic, I see him becoming a very complete player when he puts on some size

Chad Wingard ( currently 182 cm, 77kg ) says hello.

Your lack of footy knowledge does not surprise me Dazzler

Ok No, I wasn't referring to Jimmy Toumpas ! I was referring to one Cale Morton! and I was referring to player type!

That's one wrong

Secondly you refer to Hawthorns outside mids as proof PROOF that outside mids are just as important as inside mids.

Well now let me see Hawthorns inside mids consist of Hodge, Mitchell, Sewell et al takes a turn and that my friend is the grunt tough inside mid which gets it out to the outside receivers of which the Hawthorn types are nearly as good as the insiders.

That type of midfield wins premierships,

ah we don't have too many of those!

That's two wrong!

Steele Sidebottom great player a modern day utility who combines grunt and nous when to go in and when to stay out! Gee I wish we had him at Melbourne!

So while we gild the lilly and dalliance around the recruitment of a Scrawny outside mid who has got ability, clubs in the know snare tough insiders because anyone with footy knowledge knows, it all starts from the coalface!

No wonder other clubs have scoffed at our recruiting in the past!

That makes it 3 zip to the Fence by my calculating!

Go hang ya windsock out in the breeze, better hope the rain gets to it lest it might blow away, like a scrawny outside mid!

Your turn!?

Ok first of all you were referring to Toumpas. You have made it know to the whole of demonland your hatred towards him and the footy club for picking him. Dont act like a little 4 year old and pretend your weren't referring to him because you were captain obvious.

Second. Of course those guys were important. Its all part of the BALANCE. You need both. We have a couple of inside mids but no outsiders. A midfield should not be made up of just inside on ballers. Every tom dick and harry know that except you simpleton.

I

And last all clubs make recruiting blunders. Go ask Hawthorn Sydney Collingwood etc.

You have this complete fantasy of just going after inside mids and nothing else. This shows you are clearly clueless and very out dated.

We get it picket you like inside mids, I'm sure roosy is smart enough to see what we clearly lack is pace and line breaking and good skills and Billy has all three

He's worth our second rounder imo

and i thought he liked clueless tall chf's who list clog for 7 years

Ok first of all you were referring to Toumpas. You have made it know to the whole of demonland your hatred towards him and the footy club for picking him. Dont act like a little 4 year old and pretend your weren't referring to him because you were captain obvious.

Second. Of course those guys were important. Its all part of the BALANCE. You need both. We have a couple of inside mids but no outsiders. A midfield should not be made up of just inside on ballers. Every tom [censored] and harry know that except you simpleton.

I

And last all clubs make recruiting blunders. Go ask Hawthorn Sydney Collingwood etc.

You have this complete fantasy of just going after inside mids and nothing else. This shows you are clearly clueless and very out dated.

Right lets put this to bed!

I categorically state I was NOT Referring to Toumpas! Period!

It might serve your apostolate and ego to think I was but I was not!

Those that know my posts on this site will know If I go out on a limb... So be it and if I was referring to Toumpas I would say it!

Secondly

I do not hate Jimmy Toumpas. PERIOD!

Yes I was and still am peeved we did not draft others commensurate to need, but the word Hate is wrongly used in this context!

Ok I'll say it once and for all I don't think Jimmy Toumpas will turn out to be the player we hope him to be!

That is my opinion!

FACT, I HOPE I AM WRONG!

I base my experience of playing and coaching and watching senior footy!

This is my opinion, Like it or not!

Yes fantasy or not first use in todays game is vital, contested footy is vital!

This is the Gospel of the FENCE!!

hey picket, you been taking lessons from dee-luded?

Stretch seems to have everything you want in an outside runner, he's geniounley quick & breaks lines, makes good decisions & is good by foot. Also he'll put his head over it when it's his turn to go, he's definitely know clearance king but he's willing to fight for it. The downside is he's going to take some time to develop a body for AFL footy, Patience will be required.

Stretch seems to have everything you want in an outside runner, he's geniounley quick & breaks lines, makes good decisions & is good by foot. Also he'll put his head over it when it's his turn to go, he's definitely know clearance king but he's willing to fight for it. The downside is he's going to take some time to develop a body for AFL footy, Patience will be required.

patience......

hmmmm

patience.....

its not really about patience. its (to me) about appropriateness. ......relevance

Whence comes the time can we ask a simple question.. can he play footy well ? No cuteness about outside inside , skills, eliteness or such.

I want footy players at Melb, Its an old time ideal i imagine but its about inherent smarts on the filed. not about body, about beep, its about a guy understanding the game and playing as such.

Billy Stretch represents more hope ...

Watching Stretch at he Championships he has that "silkiness" about him that Bob Murphy and Robbie Flower have/had. He may be small but he keeps his feet and doesn't shirk a contest. His dad was great to watch and given time his son may be even better.

With 2 more "quality" inside mids, Stretch, JKH, Toumpas, Kent and possibly Blease could provide the outside run we need.

Stephen Hill was one of the skinniest players I can remember being drafted. As it turns out, an argument could be made that he should have been drafted at number 1.

The point is, teams need a combination of outside class and inside grunt. We currently don't have that as we lack both class and grunt.

Everyone complains about the turnovers, but then want to overlook classy ball users and draft nothing but grunt. It's strange.

The definition you are looking for is "short term vision"

Ah dazzling one you are interesting in comments as usual!

So.. I have friends who ah well can I say have siblings playing in ah um similar environment!

Opinions are varied about players and so

I remember a movie a while back called "Romancing the Stone"

Ah the romance of getting a former players son into prominence for the MFC !

Hhnmm well, we might draft him we may not, lets just wait and see eh?

Sad maybe and realistic as well!

What the [censored] are you talking about?

Luck is starting to turn our way and we have 3 father son picks after next year that will hopefully lead us toward the exclusive 13th.

I know Lovett is one, who are the other two?

I know Lovett is one, who are the other two?

i think he means we WILL have (after next year i.e. lovett)

What the [censored] are you talking about?

Mate im still trying to work that out.

Our current recruiting manager is Jason Taylor. His fingerprints are all over Salem, Tyson, JKH, Riley, Georgiou and the other rookies.

I find it surprising (even astounding) that posters find it difficult to separate one recruiter from the next. Taylor didn't recruit Morton, nor for that matter Hogan. Why are you (Fence and others) so quick to lump him in the same basket as our former questionable recruiters - as though he's on some mission to assemble soft runts!

I don't get it. I'm pretty happy with the return so far and it's only year one. Let him make his mark!

Our current recruiting manager is Jason Taylor. His fingerprints are all over Salem, Tyson, JKH, Riley, Georgiou and the other rookies.

I find it surprising (even astounding) that posters find it difficult to separate one recruiter from the next. Taylor didn't recruit Morton, nor for that matter Hogan. Why are you (Fence and others) so quick to lump him in the same basket as our former questionable recruiters - as though he's on some mission to assemble soft runts!

I don't get it. I'm pretty happy with the return so far and it's only year one. Let him make his mark!

I steadfastly refuse to believe it is all about previously recruiting poor talent. Jetta was a poor recruit, pederson a bad pick up - wait a second - one preseason with a decent coachng team who know how to coach and develop and a few previous poor choices are looking not so poor and this is after 8 months.

Paul Roos has had a constant theme -" I need to teach these players to be AFL footballers". We are seeing the early fruits of his labour and it leaves me in no doubt that this education and development has been sadly missing in previous years. I will now exit myself from the debate on whether we recruited poorly previously as I don't know if Roos would have recruited them in the first place and more importantly whether he could have turned them into footballers.

Billy has had an ok first half. A couple of brilliant pick ups, at pace in the middle of packs was great to see. Defensively has been good. His man not getting away from him. Almost took a pack mark of 5 or 6. Kicked a point from a set shot from about 45m. It is a bit windy. Scores are level and he is showing some talent. Has pace to burn. Kicked a bullet 25m pass to a teammate on the lead. It was brought back by the umpire to go over his mark then kicked it long to the top of the goal square from about 60m from the boundary.

I was previously confident he'd slip to our 3rd round pick, but I think Stretch has now earnt our 2nd rounder.

And that's ok.

yeah, his ability to use his balance and poise in traffic is pretty impressive.

vic metro getting well on top now. 6 goals in a row and they're a goal ahead, need to win by two to win the champs.

wright has been very good in the ruck.

Stretch is very deserving of a third round. If we take Durdin at pick 3 or 4 I will explode. Championships have uncovered a serious lack of ball playing ability.

Reminiscent of a Wakelin or Alipate Carlisle.

Stretch impresses me with his ability to create a contest even when he looks to be almost unable to influence the play.

Something Roos is big on. He has pace and skill, but defensively he is much further along than most other kids.

He played a very good game. His skills to pick up the ball are great. Received a poor pass in the middle and picked it up no problem with a good handball to a player running past when SA were under real pressure. Good 4 quarter effort. Runs up and down the ground to help out at both ends. Took a nice mark standing under it. Stats for this game not high for any of the Name players. I'll be happy if he slips to the 3rd round.