WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BILLY STRETCH

[What 18,810]

Probably been mentioned already but Billy was named to the All Australian team for the Under 18 carnival

Great signs

[Machsy 2,858]

Anyone get to one of the U18 games to see Billy play? He was getting some harsh reviews from SA posters on bigfooty for his poor footskills early on. Seemed to go alright in the one SANFL game I saw him play, but most of his disposals were handballs.

His kicking was more than adequate in the 2 games I watched him play in at Simonds.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,013]

Probably been mentioned already but Billy was named to the All Australian team for the Under 18 carnival

Great signs

Great Signs? It's a terrible sign! At this rate we'll have to use our second round pick to get him.

[Ted Lasso 19,191]

Lucas cook was also all Australian just saying...

[daisycutter 29,600]

what's a " sanctimonious [censored] " ?

[Deemotivated 550]

Lucas cook was also all Australian just saying...

Shudder at the thought...

[Whispering_Jack 29,731]

AA CHF the year we drafted him.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

AA CHF the year we drafted him.

Tall's take time to develop, he should be ready by 2024. Edited July 4, 2014 by RobbieF

[Yossarian 1,820]

His kicking was more than adequate in the 2 games I watched him play in at Simonds.

Thanks.

[Slartibartfast 17,096]

Is everyone on this site a sanctimonious [censored] or is it only reserved for the special few.

There are some good posters on here but a majority seem to be sad wankers whose entire lives revolve around having petty semantic arguments with strangers online or trying to assert some kind of moral/intellectual superiority over others. Heres a tip, unless you're gonna share an opinion of your own and not just ridicule the opinions/thoughts/musings of others just shut the [censored] up you dont actually have to comment on every little thing.

Temper temper!! Sorry to offend. It was just an aside. Hope your weekend gets better.

[Roger Mellie 3,950]

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.

I dont advocate that it was all about poor recruitment at all. It was not the point of the post. Rather, was purely an objection of sorts to posters continually lumping recruiters together as if they were all the same and that further, that we have some perverse predisposition to drafting runts.

I think Taylor's done a great job so far but it will take a while to see results - so far so good. He should be judged on his successes and failures, not Cameron's or BP's. I also expect him (Taylor) to have the odd miss as well as all recruiters do. It's a great start and hopefully he'll have way more hits than misses.

[bing181 9,193]

Next time feel free to press the "Like" button.

You're a new Mod? Must have missed it. Congrats in any case.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Great Signs? It's a terrible sign! At this rate we'll have to use our second round pick to get him.

I think you're joking, but to all the posters that loathe the idea of potentially having to spend a second rounder on Billy: Wouldn't you rather see him play as well as he possibly can every game rather than deliberately under-performing (something we were fined $500k for allegedly doing) so that he slips to the third round?

I for one am thrilled that he is tearing it up, and can't wait to see him in action from 2015 and beyond.

[hulkhogan666 142]

"MELBOURNE -

BILLY STRETCH

Position: Midfielder/Forward
Height: 182cm, Weight: 71kg, DOB: 8/09/1996
Club: Glenelg
Plays Like: Steve Johnson
2014 Honours: All Australian, AFL-AIS Academy Member
Son Of: Steven

Strengths: Speed, elite disposal, goal kicker, vision and awareness, strong link-up player, takes the game on, elite endurance, sound hands, barometer-type player."

If strengths are all true (I haven't seen him play), then I am more than excited.

[Machsy 2,858]

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.

[Little Goffy 14,406]

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!

[all figures are average per game]

That Fyfe guy must be an absolute brick, to be leading the contested possessions count over at Freo...

Roughnut Shaun Burgoyne must be disappointed in a way, because now he is it Hawthorn he is only second in the contested possession count there.

Dyson Heppell, that ol' ball of muscle, must be the gruntiest grunt man from Gruntland to be ahead of the likes of Watson over at the bombers.

I haven't heard much about this Gibbs fella that the Blues have just signed for a squilllion dollars, but he must be a proper freight train, to lead their contested possessions.

And of course, we all know about Scott 'Brontosaurus' Pendlebury, and how he plays better in wet weather because it helps him float his massive body weight.

Because, as anyone with footy knowledge knows...

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

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.

I think the closest comparison is Sharrod Wellingham.

Will take a lot of luck for us to get him third round.

Lower first round talent in my opinion.

[Machsy 2,858]

Better comparison.

In time, he could end up a bit like Steele Sidebottom too.

Has talent and skill, but is a hard worker/ runner.

[whatwhat say what 22,587]

And as seen by his mark and goal against Vic country I think it was, he can compete in the air.

Looks taller than he is said to be.

[jacey 333]

I think you're joking, but to all the posters that loathe the idea of potentially having to spend a second rounder on Billy: Wouldn't you rather see him play as well as he possibly can every game rather than deliberately under-performing (something we were fined $500k for allegedly doing) so that he slips to the third round?

I for one am thrilled that he is tearing it up, and can't wait to see him in action from 2015 and beyond.

Absolutely. Billy should be doing everything he can to get drafted as high as possible.

He should be seeking to improve himself every time he is on field.

If a team bids a late first round, so be it. That means he's worthy of a early 2nd round. No one wastes their first rounder to spite other clubs.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,013]

I think you're joking, but to all the posters that loathe the idea of potentially having to spend a second rounder on Billy: Wouldn't you rather see him play as well as he possibly can every game rather than deliberately under-performing (something we were fined $500k for allegedly doing) so that he slips to the third round?

I for one am thrilled that he is tearing it up, and can't wait to see him in action from 2015 and beyond.

If I'm honest, I always thought we'd wind up paying a second round pick for Stretch, but it's fun go the other way. I think it's brilliant that he's made the AA side. If he keeps working this hard to improve once he's at Melbourne we'll be damn lucky to have him.

[JackVineyForPresident 310]

I think he looks very very promising. He has played very well in the champs and i from the matches ive watched has all the making to replace Terlich. Run and carry, something we have struggled with.

The best comparison is Nick Malceski in my opinion.

Can find an opponent, runs the ball out, solid kick.

Love his work so far.. cant wait for him to be a demon next year..

[picket fence 16,999]

[all figures are average per game]

That Fyfe guy must be an absolute brick, to be leading the contested possessions count over at Freo...

Roughnut Shaun Burgoyne must be disappointed in a way, because now he is it Hawthorn he is only second in the contested possession count there.

Dyson Heppell, that ol' ball of muscle, must be the gruntiest grunt man from Gruntland to be ahead of the likes of Watson over at the bombers.

I haven't heard much about this Gibbs fella that the Blues have just signed for a squilllion dollars, but he must be a proper freight train, to lead their contested possessions.

And of course, we all know about Scott 'Brontosaurus' Pendlebury, and how he plays better in wet weather because it helps him float his massive body weight.

Because, as anyone with footy knowledge knows...

.......... that to get an almost once in a lifetime player like these that you mention requires insight, foresight and a modicum of luck!!

Ah something our recruiting people seem to have, ah not a lot of luck with

THIRD ROUNDER NO MORE!!

Gospel of the fence!

[Ted Lasso 19,191]

.......... that to get an almost once in a lifetime player like these that you mention requires insight, foresight and a modicum of luck!!

Ah something our recruiting people seem to have, ah not a lot of luck with

THIRD ROUNDER NO MORE!!

Gospel of the fence!

Can I ask picket, is there a reason you don't rate Stretch apart from his build?

he has pace, skill, smarts, passion for the mfc, breaks lines, makes good decisions, can win his own ball, does the team thing

he is exactly what the doctor ordered in my opinion but you seem to dismiss his strengths because he isn't a solid inside midfield, I understand your view that a team needs to win the ball on the frontlines, but they also need a bloke for the inside mid to get the ball out to who can run, create, do damage.

[Deemotivated 550]

Can I ask picket, is there a reason you don't rate Stretch apart from his build?

he has pace, skill, smarts, passion for the mfc, breaks lines, makes good decisions, can win his own ball, does the team thing

he is exactly what the doctor ordered in my opinion but you seem to dismiss his strengths because he isn't a solid inside midfield, I understand your view that a team needs to win the ball on the frontlines, but they also need a bloke for the inside mid to get the ball out to who can run, create, do damage.

And importantly wants to play for the dees!!