You hit the nail right on top.

He didn't sign a 3 or so Yr contract this year. He signed for only one year.

Does this say anything to you? Maybe he's open to offers for 2013 +...

It doesn't say anything to me - it SCREAMS to me G.W.S.

( what a wonderful negotiating ploy- Milk the Pies for both years that GWS is able to take uncontracted players - his managers are genius's)

The obvious implication is that we have compo picks which could be used this year for Dawes or next year for Pendles when his contract expires, on the assumption that Collingwood were willing to do either deal.

Pendlebury didnt sign a one year contract to play the $$$$ game this year. This house in Toorak will go on the auction block at the end of next year.

It doesn't say anything to me - it SCREAMS to me G.W.S.

( what a wonderful negotiating ploy- Milk the Pies for both years that GWS is able to take uncontracted players - his managers are genius's)

Imagine nutbean, if he won the Brownlow.....

Chris Dawes would have played with Jack Watts at Brighton Grammar.

A somewhat inappropriate comment I fear .

If i remember back to Queens birthday Dawes was good enough to touch up Rivers. Had a dominant midfield on his side and only kicked 1 goal 3 behinds from his 18 disposals but i do remember thinking he played really well. 8 marks and 6 tackles that day do suggest a strong work ethic.

He would no doubt be in our best 21 also, I wouldn't give too much up for him in a trade but dangle a nice looking contract in front of him and if he wants to come to us the pies can't demand too much for him.

Please no, not this over rated fat man.... I watch a lot of pies games as my GF is a pies fan, all i can say is he is the new Hansen (thinks the eagle not the 90's boy band)... People think he can play cause he plays some half decent games in the best side in the comp against average teams... He has never stood up and won a game off his own boot against a top 4 team, in fact he has never even got the better of his direct opponent against a Top 4 team. If he can't do that in a team that pumps the ball inside 50 more times then any other how will he be any good for us.

Jesse White would be like Dawes if he was in the Collingwood forward line playing alongside Cloke and getting the service off that midfield. My point being White will offer the same and will cost less in trade and less in salary.

Would not break the bank for either of them but White could be a good fix while we wait for our young KPP'S to develop

A somewhat inappropriate comment I fear .

Oh yes it was, thanks for the editorial!!!!

Jesse White would be like Dawes if he was in the Collingwood forward line playing alongside Cloke and getting the service off that midfield. My point being White will offer the same and will cost less in trade and less in salary.

Would not break the bank for either of them but White could be a good fix while we wait for our young KPP'S to develop

I dont know what Neeld would "add" to a footballer but as it stands now Dawes ( except recently when he has come back from injury) has been a sensational , present and present again footballer with excellent defensive skills and loved by coaches for his 2nd and 3rd efforts. Jessie White has lots of talent but is bone lazy.

It aint about the service - compare both of them when they don't have the ball - thats the making of Dawes.

I don't rate Dawes, as others seemingly do in high regard. Looks good occassionally in a power outfit at the Pies IMO. But that IMO has much to do with the quality midfield and team, as well as a handy KP player in Cloke.

I'd prefer as more of a priority to build a power midfield to supply our forwards. Strong midfields with good leadership win premierships. We don't have either atm.

This ^ 100%.

It's quite concerning that every time I hear someone say "we need a big bodied forward", that I taste vomit in my mouth.

Can someone please answer this question "what would Dawes bring to the side that Stef Martin can't"? We all juiced up (not of the Newton variety) over the improvement of Stef this year, I wonder what he could do if played as an 80% full forward/20% ruckman?

For all the Dawes fans (not the Jim Morrison ones), what would you be willing to give up to get him? For a start, Collingwood's asking price would have to be a Top 40 pick at the very least, so, maybe we offer a 2nd-round pick (considering we have the $cully-compo picks). If that could do the deal, maybe we consider him, but if we had to pay more than that, we'd have rocks in our head if we chased him.

Agree. We should take the corporate open door policy to a new level and have a no Dawes policy.

Do I make the smartarse comment and ask...If Dawes wasnt any good, or of use, why are we (MFC) going after him ?

Do I make the smartarse comment and ask...If Dawes wasnt any good, or of use, why are we (MFC) going after him ?

Who says we are? Even the article doesn't go that far:

It's believed that Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are firmly in the mix.

So far, it's simply scuttlebutt because it's accepted knowledge we don't have a big-bodied forward right now.

Who's to say Neeld will even be chasing one?

Just to be mischevious, did you know that Jack Watts went to school with Chris Dawes at Brighton Grammar.

We can always hope!

Hope for what?

Hope that we don't end up with as many Chris Dawes posts as we did Tom Scully.

Not a required player at Melbourne in my view.

Of course he's not required because we have so many big bodied forwards

Already a Chris Dawes thread in the Finding another Jack Trengove Board (Trading Forum). thread closed/

People are looking at this topic so one dimensionally, its not just a matter of having someone big to kick to. We have excellent MEDIUM sized forwards Jurrah, Petterd, Dunn, Sylvia, Howe, etc. but none of them have developed as much as we would have hoped. Why? Because too often they are asked to fill in to a position that they are not suited to (the go to man ).How much better would they be with a bigger guy to take the pressure off and play from the flank or pocket which they are much better suited to. Question: we have cooke & fitzpatrick coming through but who can guatantee how good they will become?

People are looking at this topic so one dimensionally, its not just a matter of having someone big to kick to. We have excellent MEDIUM sized forwards Jurrah, Petterd, Dunn, Sylvia, Howe, etc. but none of them have developed as much as we would have hoped. Why? Because too often they are asked to fill in to a position that they are not suited to (the go to man ).How much better would they be with a bigger guy to take the pressure off and play from the flank or pocket which they are much better suited to. Question: we have cooke & fitzpatrick coming through but who can guatantee how good they will become?

There is no guarantee. Can you guarantee Dawes can do as well as a mature Fitzpatrick and/or Stef Martin ?

And what do you make of our midfield unit ? You're ok with the current standard ?

Again people on here needing to decide between midfield & forward line. The fact is we need to beef up & improve both. I also think the question should be will a mature Fitzpatrick become as good as Dawes and can Martin develope into a key forward

No from me

I don't rate Dawes, as others seemingly do in high regard. Looks good occassionally in a power outfit at the Pies IMO. But that IMO has much to do with the quality midfield and team, as well as a handy KP player in Cloke.

I'd prefer as more of a priority to build a power midfield to supply our forwards. Strong midfields with good leadership win premierships. We don't have either atm.

I agree - a quality Jack Gunston may be worth a punt.

Again people on here needing to decide between midfield & forward line. The fact is we need to beef up & improve both. I also think the question should be will a mature Fitzpatrick become as good as Dawes and can Martin develope into a key forward

I've already posted my thoughts. Midfield.

In relation to key forwards, it's not just Fitzpatrick and Martin. There's also Cook, Watts, McDonald there as options, who probably don't want to be held back either and all mentioned should be bigger, stronger, more advanced by March looking to improve.

Getting Dawes would come at a cost - I don't know what cost.

To supply the forwards we need to improve our C-grade midfield (now minus Scully). So we need talent and dare I say it, star(s).

We have pick 12 and two compo picks.

Now, what is your top priority ?

If it's Dawes, it will come at a cost and potentially take away from recruiting or trading for something greater.

I agree that we can beef up both areas if we want to. My point is what takes the higher priority. First things first...

Midfield for me, all the way. We lost Scully, we're one down on an already inferior midfield, we need a replacement. We've been compensated for him, lets use them wisely.

There's also the component of leadership I haven't touched on here.

I think you also need to identify how good Dawes really is.