I thought I might change this forum back onto the players that remain at Melbourne, below is my top 10 most important players to our club going into 2012

1) Watts

2) Trengove

3) Sylvia

4) Jamar

5) Frawley

6) Moloney

7) Grimes

8) Jurrah

9) Garland

10) Blease

I add Blease because we need someone that can run with the footy. If the above 10 players can stay fit and play to full to there potential we have the base of a good team.

In no particular order:

Watts

Trengove

Sylvia

Jamar

Garland

Jones

Bail

Moloney

Jurrah

Martin

That said, there's a few around the edges (Blease being the best example) who are close to that group. The thing with that group is that assuming they are fit and firing they are all instant selections.

Expectations for most important players for 2012 in no particular order:

Watts - Huge year where he continues to show why he will be elite.

Trengove - Will take further steps to being next captain

Green - We need some real experienced leadership next year. Put 2011 behind him.

Frawley - Defensive General. Continue to organize the back 6.

Grimes - Runner off half back - one of the most important roles in any team.

Jurra - More dominant forward target with less pressure (Howe and Petterd to step up)

Sylvia - 50+ goals (Edit: maybe a bit ambitious)

Jamar - All Australian

Moloney - As above.

Jones - Continued improvement. A strong body and big heart is essential to team dynamic.

In no particular order:

Watts

Trengove

Sylvia

Jamar

Garland

Jones

Bail

Moloney

Jurrah

Martin

That said, there's a few around the edges (Blease being the best example) who are close to that group. The thing with that group is that assuming they are fit and firing they are all instant selections.

No Frawley? In order of importance based on impact to team success if they missed next year.

1. Frawley

2. Garland

3. Jamar

4. Sylvia

5. Jurrah

6. Grimes

7. Watts

8. Moloney

9. Trengove

10. Blease

Blease over McKenzie?

1. Frawley

2. Garland

3. Jamar

4. Sylvia

5. Jurrah

6. McKenzie

7. Watts

8. Moloney

9. Trengove

10. Gawn

I also leave out Grimes because I don't rate him as highly as some, even during his on-field cameos.

I really think the development of Max Gawn is hugely important. He has the capacity to just dominate.

No Frawley? In order of importance based on impact to team success if they missed next year.

1. Frawley

2. Garland

3. Jamar

4. Sylvia

5. Jurrah

6. Grimes

7. Watts

8. Moloney

9. Trengove

10. Blease

No Jones? He is a very good chance to take out the Bluey and has been our most consistent performer this year. I omit Garland simply because Grimes (if he hits the ground running) will take up that spot in the top 10; so in no particular order:

1. Frawley

2. Jones

3. Jamar

4. Sylvia

5. Jurrah

6. Grimes

7. Watts

8. Moloney

9. Trengove

10. Blease

No Frawley? In order of importance based on impact to team success if they missed next year.

1. Frawley

2. Garland

3. Jamar

4. Sylvia

5. Jurrah

6. Grimes

7. Watts

8. Moloney

9. Trengove

10. Blease

Agree.

In regard to position no 10, I would also throw in runners like Morton, Bennell who will be knocking on the top 10 if it clicks what is required at AFL level.

I missed Chip? Damn, swapsies for Martin

Going through list alphabetically, putting certainties on one side and another list of those to make up the numbers if 10 not reached, found 10 exactly.

These to me are the future of the club and thus the most important players

Bail (23 yo)- Great attitude. Fills many spots. Breaks lines

Frawley (22*) - Clubs current best player

Garland (23) - With Frawley makes the basis for an outstanding defense

Grimes (22) - If he can actually play out next year may be the leader the following

Gysbert (20) - Needs another 2 preseasons and could be one of the games real ball magnets when he can last an entire season

Jones (23)- In many ways the heart of the team

McKenzie (21) - Every team needs one.

Sylvia (25) - The best of the "senior" footballers. Has an enormous amount to give

Trengove (20) - The real number 1 draft pick

Watts (20) - Will be the best of a good draft.

Except Sylvia all aged from 20 - 23 and will form the basis of a potentially top football team. A new coach can really build something around them with the considered list:

Cook (19)

Gawn (19)

Howe (21)

Jamar (28)

Jurrah (22*)

Martin (24)

McDonald (18*)

Moloney (27)

Petterd (23)

* - Have birthday in the next week.

Blease over McKenzie?

I klooked at it from the perspective of how I think they will be after another preseason and what the effect would be if they were out for the year. McKenzie is purely a tagger at this time in my eyes. No McKenzie I dont think will have a drastic affect on our success as Bartram and Bail and can play this role if required. I expect Blease will have a breakout year next year and offers speed and skill that I cannot see anywhere else in our list.

The reason I had Blease over McKenzie is we need a player that can carry the footy, you look at mosts posters top 10 besides Frawley and Sylvia the others don't have the ability to run away from contests with the footy. The top 10 is based on importance in 2012 and we need to find that HBF that can run with the footy and hit targets. McKenzie will be very important to us next year around the stoppages but we need to find the outside players for him to give the footy to.

Trengove

Moloney

Sylvia

Watts

Jamar

Martin

McKenzie

Frawley

Garland

Grimes

I thought I might change this forum back onto the players that remain at Melbourne, below is my top 10 most important players to our club going into 2012

1) Watts

2) Trengove

3) Sylvia

4) Jamar

5) Frawley

6) Moloney

7) Grimes

8) Jurrah

9) Garland

10) Blease

I add Blease because we need someone that can run with the footy. If the above 10 players can stay fit and play to full to there potential we have the base of a good team.

Out Blease In McKenzie

Howe will be in everyones top 10's next year i feel. Showed amazing promise in his first year at the club. Give him a full pre-season and improved size and strength and he will be a serious weapon.

1. Frawley

2. Watts

3. Sylvia

4. Trengove

5. Jamar

6. Moloney

7. Howe

8. Garland

9. Jones

10. Jurrah

Very rough go at it.

The key to marked improvement next year, will be the return to consistent form of our current leadership group (still very much open to a reshuffle)

1. Green Current Leader

2. Moloney Current Leader

3. Davey Current Leader

4. Rivers Current Leader

5. Jamar Absolutely crucial for us

6. Frawley No.1 backman

7. Garland No.2 backman

8. Watts Big year needed

9. Trengove Future captain. Stamp your authority.

10.Sylvia This is your big chance to step up and lead your club through onfield brilliance!

Apologies: Grimes, McKenzie and Jurrah.

This was very difficult to keep it to ten necause we need more players than that to improve, a bit of luck on the injury side and the old cliches of another pre season and more games into the kids I believe will see us get better. I just put in who I believe needs to play well for us to be a side that is competative every week and does not ever get trounced regularly like we did this season

1)Defence

Frawley - interupted preseason this year but still showed class. He is a gun and will stop sides scoring big margins against us

Garland - as above but shows promise and we need our two talls to stay healthy

Grimes - just needs to play regular footy, we have seen what he can do but needs to get out there

Blease - definatley need his line breaking runs from half back

2)Ruck

Jamar - if he can stay fit and return to AA form of 2010 massive difference straight away

Martin- keep improving take some load of Jamar and both can rotate through the forward line like Natanui/Cox

Gawn - Just get a few more games into him for experience

3)Midfield

Maloney - started well in 2011 but needs to continue over the season

Jones - continue as he did this year better disposal would be a plus but can't fault his heart

Trengove - sky is the limit for this kid shows class on and off the field with his marking ability you cold see him and Sylvia rotate roles through games from midfield to half forward flank

Bail - I really liked what I saw from him before he went down and his game back against port was good

Gysberts - Needs to add some size knows how to find the ball and how to use itbut lacks strength at this stage

Bartram - Yes I can hear the groans already but liked what I saw at the end of season when he kept Kerr, Cotchin & Ablett quiet three weeks in a row. Not good with disposal so use his strength and if we get Ross LYON or Malthouse that is what they bring to a team players who aren't gifted just fit in with the structure

4)Forwards

Green - Had a bad year but if he can return to 2010 where he was an AA 40 man squad player big load off the other players

Sylvia - Needs to be consistant capable of a 50+ season

Watts - Has all the tools and took a big step last season so just keep continuing

Howe - Can be another Robbo but unlike Robbo needs to lock the ball in when it goes to ground

Cook/Fitzpatrick need one of our big forwards to step up or find an older one through draft for 1/2 years

Jurrah - A big forward coming in will take pressure off him and he like Sylvia should be a 50+ forward

Davey - just needs to improve and shake the tag or get back to what he was before harassing in the forward line if he can't it's th end for him

Morton - the new coach needs to find a role for him, has talent but

Jetta - I like this kid and having seen him play with Swan District Colts I know he has a hardness about him I expect him to step up

Tapscott - Was very good early on and the club needs to decide forward of back

Add to this players we pick up in the draft and some others will step up (like Martin this season) I would love a Boak in our midfield

Watts

Trengove

Jones

McKenzie

Frawley

Moloney

Martin

Jamar

Jurrah

Howe

It took me about 10 seconds to choose the first 8, and about 10 minutes to decide on the last two. I had to think hard on Jurrah v Sylvia, Howe v Blease and I'm sure there's others I overlooked, but I feel that Jurrah after a non injury interrupted preseason, and with a new coach could be a massive weapon, and the same for Howe. Blease was very close, and will surely be there next year, but didn't get enough games to quite make it just yet.

Most important is too subjective. What are the criteria for importance? Team structure/ability level/x factor / leadership/experience/position played.

Which is why peanut said it best when he just said it all.

In no particular order:

Frawley, Rivers, Grimes

Watts, Cook

Trengove, Gysberts, McKenzie, Moloney

Sylvia

A strong backline is key and a strong backline starts with the talls and the players who can win the ball back. That's where Grimes comes in. Strong half back flankers are vital in modern footy.

The next step for us as a side is to develop strong marking forward targets. Hence Watts and Cook. Everyone is very excited about Watts but I still see him as a flanker. He needs a few break out games as a CHF next year - ie. 10 marks or 5 goals. The top 4 sides all have players capable of taking a contested mark at CHF.

The midfield is still the key to modern footy. In particular clearances which is where the 4 listed come in. We need another player besides Moloney capable of winning clearance and another player besides McKenzie sticking tackles.

Lastly you need a star. Someone capable of going forward or going into the midfield and being dangerous. Hence Sylvia. If he can't become a game changer then he needs at least to be a consistent midfielder or half forward.

Most important:

Davey

Green

Moloney

Jamar

Frawley

Watts

Trengove

Jurrah

Mckenzie

Gysbert

Davey and Green MUST fire a shot. Davey is our most devastating player and needs to pull his finger out.

Moloney, Jamar, Frawley all must continue to lead from the front.

Watts, Trengove, Jurrah, Mckenzie and Gysberts must take the next step.

In no particular order

McKenzie

Sylvia

Jones

Trengove

Moloney

Frawley

Garland

Grimes (when fit)

Watts

Jamar

On the fringe: Bail, Gysberts, Green, Martin, Jurrah

And a smokey: Bennell, if he can win more contested ball he will be a real weapon of half back