Welcome to Demonland ... ROBERT CAMPBELL

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Again I applaud the efforts of BP and his band of merry head hunters. To have deftly grabbed him from the likes of those nasty Sqawkers whilst all the while they thought they were being the sneaky ones!!

Well we seem to have an embarassment of riches regarding the midlfield now. Some fo rnow and some for later as well as depth. We seem to have a more than capable defence which seems to find new personnel and effecctivelness with each year. Now we have two of the leagues beter rucks.

All thats left is to hammer the scoreboard.

Will be very interesting to see how the team of 2011 lines up. Many new faces will push exisitng for spots. That cant be bad.

Funny isnt it.. Kennett Country so busy playing with all their shiny new toys forgot what they already had !! Delicious !!

Looking forward to seeing how the FD make all this work !!

The really interesting thing about this years draft is that we have definitely drafted in order to cover a couple of the glaring deficiencies that we have shown despite our impressive and improving young list.

With a reasonably fit list and with natural development the list has none of those very evident deficiencies going forward.

It is a firm sign that the club believes that it has the nuts and bolts of a successful football team that needs finishing touches. Will be a very interesting season.

[H_T 2,941]

The really interesting thing about this years draft is that we have definitely drafted in order to cover a couple of the glaring deficiencies that we have shown despite our impressive and improving young list.

With a reasonably fit list and with natural development the list has none of those very evident deficiencies going forward.

It is a firm sign that the club believes that it has the nuts and bolts of a successful football team that needs finishing touches. Will be a very interesting season.

Hey dandee,

Here is another to add to your list...:

"It takes courage to pluck a mature age rookie at the age of 28 with the 5th of it's 6 picks in the rookie draft after he'd been thrown on the scrap heap by a rival club"

[daisycutter 28,782]

Hey dandee,

Here is another to add to your list...:

"It takes courage to pluck a mature age rookie at the age of 28 with the 5th of it's 6 picks in the rookie draft after he'd been thrown on the scrap heap by a rival club"

Now you are really streeeeetching it HT

Nearly all rookie picks are highly speculative one way or another

we were also desperate (rather than courageous) for a mature age ruckman

[beelzebub 22,886]

Just so I have this sqaured away in my mind. Is it that we dont have a full Vets list that we can automatically play a rookie from game 1 ?

This is where I was ( i think ) getting muddled and assumed a rookie would need to wait for mid season elevation or an LTI to appear .

[beelzebub 22,886]

Now you are really streeeeetching it HT

Nearly all rookie picks are highly speculative one way or another

we were also desperate (rather than courageous) for a mature age ruckman

Funny that in a way.. Youd look at many positins as being old at 28 but really hes in his prime. Jamar is 27 !!

[H_T 2,941]

Now you are really streeeeetching it HT

Nearly all rookie picks are highly speculative one way or another

we were also desperate (rather than courageous) for a mature age ruckman

I think it's a bold and decisive pick. You're hard to please DC.

[Red Sox 2]

Again I applaud the efforts of BP and his band of merry head hunters. To have deftly grabbed him from the likes of those nasty Sqawkers whilst all the while they thought they were being the sneaky ones!!

Well we seem to have an embarassment of riches regarding the midlfield now. Some fo rnow and some for later as well as depth. We seem to have a more than capable defence which seems to find new personnel and effecctivelness with each year. Now we have two of the leagues beter rucks.

All thats left is to hammer the scoreboard.

Will be very interesting to see how the team of 2011 lines up. Many new faces will push exisitng for spots. That cant be bad.

Funny isnt it.. Kennett Country so busy playing with all their shiny new toys forgot what they already had !! Delicious !!

Looking forward to seeing how the FD make all this work !!

Potentially, I agree. The reports on Spencer are glowing on the track also and if Campbell and his knees are all good, it allows Spence to continue to develop without being, potentially, thrown in when not ready.

I'll say it again, our potential ruck stocks seem brighter than even 3 mths ago.

[e25 5]

I'm not convinced Campbell was necessarily drafted based on his football ability, rather that he is well-credentialed as a mentor to our plethora of young ruckmen.

Gawn, Fitzpatrick, McDonald & Spencer could use someone with premiership experience and clear leadership ability (not to mention, young talls Davis, Watts, Howe, Cook, et al).

Meesen is now a development coach, but he is still relatively young (22? 23?) and I'm not sure if Loats is still about as a ruck coach.

Either way, I think Campbell has them covered.

[e25 5]

For those that can be bothered watching his retirement speech at the Hawks, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVlW-Q5vgz4

He's quite a good speaker. I think he'll really be an asset to the club in developing the kids.

He makes a point of thanking Todd Viney for improving him as a player and believing in him.

It is painful watching such emotionally-indulgent crap when it's for another club.

[beelzebub 22,886]

I'm not convinced Campbell was necessarily drafted based on his football ability, rather that he is well-credentialed as a mentor to our plethora of young ruckmen.

Gawn, Fitzpatrick, McDonald & Spencer could use someone with premiership experience and clear leadership ability (not to mention, young talls Davis, Watts, Howe, Cook, et al).

Meesen is now a development coach, but he is still relatively young (22? 23?) and I'm not sure if Loats is still about as a ruck coach.

Either way, I think Campbell has them covered.

Im thinking its BOTH. We are getting much cleverer as a club in realising in house talent for roles other than the obvious. where leadership and mentoring potentials exist they are now truly nurtured with a view to grow not only the teacher but the taught !! This all goes not just to the basic development of any's skills on filed but to the one-ness as a team and club. I feel we have not only taken the ideal of a family club to new realms but were creating a club that is a family in its own right.

People are flocking back to the MFC. Who'd have dare to dream our position and calibre as it now exists even 3-4 years ago.

There might well be the bonus of his personal demeanor and possible role in tuturing in years to come but I think its definitely as a player/ruck at present.. All else is bonus. Lucky us.

[e25 5]

the word "alone" should have been slotted in after the word "ability".

I think it is also both.

If he wasn't capable of playing, then we may have tried to sign him on to the coaching staff.

I think as a player he can be an important go-between.

Much like the Viney position is intended, but he is actually one of the players.

[beelzebub 22,886]

Certainly a player with more than one string to his bow. Strange really he was still there at our 5th pick. Must have been hiding in the open !!

[beelzebub 22,886]

Were certainly looking beyond the fence these days. Amazing , in a way this is early days. You can sort of feel the pulse of the waking beast.

[Sir Why You Little 35,669]

I heard Robbie Campbell interviewed by Daniel Harford on SEN this afternoon about his return to football.

I was very impressed by what i heard, sounded like a really top bloke, who wants to give his all to prove to himself he can still play at the top level.

He said the year off AFL had bought the passion back into him. We could have a real gem here, as he was very enthusiastic about playing with our list.

Good Luck Robert, Hope you get a second Premiership Medal. B)

[beelzebub 22,886]

The curiosity for mine is that the new rules one would have thought, precluded a team from utilisng two rucks in the old manner and yet we now seem to be forming a team with that. Either its an obvious fault in logic ( not beyond me...really !! ) or were looking to some very intersting setups and resting manouvres.

[beelzebub 22,886]

I heard Robbie Campbell interviewed by Daniel Harford on SEN this afternoon about his return to football.

I was very impressed by what i heard, sounded like a really top bloke, who wants to give his all to prove to himself he can still play at the top level.

He said the year off AFL had bought the passion back into him. We could have a real gem here, as he was very enthusiastic about playing with our list.

Good Luck Robert, Hope you get a second Premiership Medal. B)

why stop at two ??

[ox_5 163]

The curiosity for mine is that the new rules one would have thought, precluded a team from utilisng two rucks in the old manner and yet we now seem to be forming a team with that. Either its an obvious fault in logic ( not beyond me...really !! ) or were looking to some very intersting setups and resting manouvres.

As already pointed out above it gives the flexibility of Jamar resting as the stay at home forward we want, and Robbie resting most likely across half back due to his defensive experience.

Not that interesting.

[Sir Why You Little 35,669]

The curiosity for mine is that the new rules one would have thought, precluded a team from utilisng two rucks in the old manner and yet we now seem to be forming a team with that. Either its an obvious fault in logic ( not beyond me...really !! ) or were looking to some very intersting setups and resting manouvres.

We can now rest a ruckmen forward or back. Makes good sense to me (on paper at least)

[beelzebub 22,886]

We can now rest a ruckmen forward or back. Makes good sense to me (on paper at least)

It sounds simple ...until.... resting whom ?? and how ? only 3 on bench now !

Edited December 7, 2010 by belzebub59

[Sir Why You Little 35,669]

why stop at two ??

Oh i am not stopping BB!! If Robert is there for our 13th, 14th or 15th i will be stoked, and so would he going by what he said today on Radio.

He was Hoping to get back to Hawthorn, but when it came to Melbourne he was still really positive because of how the club had rebiult so far....

[beelzebub 22,886]

As already pointed out above it gives the flexibility of Jamar resting as the stay at home forward we want, and Robbie resting most likely across half back due to his defensive experience.

Not that interesting.

If jamar is resting in the square...whos he replaced and whered he go ? etc. Not so so straight forward as when we had 4 on bench

[Sir Why You Little 35,669]

It sounds simple ...until.... resting whom ?? and how ? only 3 on bench now !

Sure, a ruckman is not going to rest so much on the pine anymore-like the old days, we rest them forward or back. Rotate the midfield. That's how i would see it in simple terms.

[ox_5 163]

If jamar is resting in the square...whos he replaced and whered he go ? etc. Not so so straight forward as when we had 4 on bench

Its not really complex either. Not much different resting a ruckman forward really than when there was 4 on the bench. If there was 4 on the bench, and Jamar replaced someone up forward, who did he replace and where did he go? Same thing, just with 21 men instead of 22.

[e25 5]

I just think this is further proof the FD make their decisions based on what is said here on Demonland...

[daisycutter 28,782]

I think it's a bold and decisive pick. You're hard to please DC.

I don't mind the pick at all - esp if his fitness concerns are addressed

But there are no bold and decisive picks when you are talking of rookie picks especially at the rrrz end of the rookie list. Not being hard at all - just realistic