WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - JAMES SELLAR

[Strawbs 1]

It reminds me of the decision to recruit Anthony Ingerson from Adelaide. We all know that Ingo turned out to be an excellent pick up. I have faith that James Sellar can do equally well.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

H wanted him? Well jeez... High praise.

The more I think about it the more I think it's sensible, especially in the light of the Clarke thing. I reckon all year we were screaming out for a decent bustling KP forward. We had dribs and drabs from Jamar. And for a few fleeting moments, Watts. But neither of those two, or Green, or Jurrah have become a big contest causing forward. In truth, we weren't missing one big forward, we were missing 2, probably 3. One guy in Clarke may not cut it. So get a few. Nothing wrong with that.

Some years you look at your needs and you think, whatever happens, at least we have that small forward problem licked... and then they go and draft 4 small forwards. You wonder about the reasoning, then you see them develop into a predetermined gameplan that you weren't privvy to, and voila. In that sense, I think if they were so keen to get this guy, there must be some big plan involving a buckload of height. And that's exciting... I reckon.

[Lutz 76]

Bizarrely yesterday I was going to post that I thought he was the most likely to get recycled out of anyone, but didn't know where to put it and didn't bother... Never thought for a second it would be us though!

Not exactly a vote of confidence for Lynden Dunn, either.

[Rogue 585]

It reminds me of the decision to recruit Anthony Ingerson from Adelaide. We all know that Ingo turned out to be an excellent pick up. I have faith that James Sellar can do equally well.

Ingerson was a great pickup for us.

[DeeSpencer 26,080]

Not exactly a vote of confidence for Lynden Dunn, either.

In a lot of ways now maybe the club and Dunn (and Green and Bate for that matter) can both focus on becoming the type of players they should be, which is 3rd tall at best and probably 4th tall (Watts, Jurrah and Howe are more our 3rd tall types) and therefore must be able to play with forward pressure in their game and with stints in the midfield. Dunn has been toward the better of our runners before so I hope he can do it. We've seen he's got the ability to go into the midfield and lock players down and he should now embrace his flexibility not bemoan it.

So no more bulking up and trying to out muscle true key defenders and time to become super fit and play with as much speed as possible.

[Striker475 696]

A far better pickup than the Setant for a big bustling prospect. I was wondering why the name rang a bell, and the Gibbs stuff would be why.

Tell you what, he is a unit. Haven't seen him play, but by god, that photo...

Judging by all the 50/50 talk, I'm okay with that. I mean, it's pick 54. Go and look at the history of 54 on here, we really do not have much to lose, particularly in a draft like this.

[Redleg 41,426]

I have been trying to remember his games and I now recall that I thought he was pathetic when he played. He looked clumsy and was often out of position. Obviously others thought the same and he was delisted early for a high pick and a big bloke. Craig has obviously seen something and has influenced us taking him, even though he rarely played him when Coach at the Crows.

I also wonder if with the amount of ruckmen we now have, we may be looking to trade a less agile, but in form, often injured, former Adelaide born ruckman back home at the end of next season, before he loses value.

PS. We have become a very tall list in the last couple of years.

[alpha33 325]

A selection that tells us something about where the new coach perceives we are at and the direction he wants us to take. No more skinny immature bodies with a four or five year wait for it all to come to fruition. I suspect that the idea is that whenever a Melbourne team runs out next year it will be a confronting unit.

No excuses any more.

That said, it will be interesting to see how many games Sellar plays.

[monoccular 17,573]

It is interesting that the Craig factor is mentioned so much in the context of Seller's selection -- now I know nothing about him, but he could hardly get a game under Craig at Adelaide yet presumably NC is confident, at least reasonably confident, that he can do so here.

Does it say something about Seller, about NC as head coach, or about Adelaide?

[Fat Tony 5,262]

Does Seller get a two year contract? I ask given he is a recycled player.

[Lutz 76]

It is interesting that the Craig factor is mentioned so much in the context of Seller's selection -- now I know nothing about him, but he could hardly get a game under Craig at Adelaide yet presumably NC is confident, at least reasonably confident, that he can do so here.

Does it say something about Seller, about NC as head coach, or about Adelaide?

It says to me that Craig thought Sellar might have it in him to make it, but he just needed a bit more time to develop than most.

Some are late bloomers.

I could see him being the type to be delisted, spend a year or 2 in the SANFL, then be a valuable addition to an AFL team.

Nick Lower style.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Looking forward to seeing what he can do. Low risk, high reward it seems.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Thanks Redman for update- gee it is truly an unbelievable pick up.Very risky but the team must have thought he was a better risk than another young one.

Good update. JCB Every pick past 40 is risky. Hope the Club chose correctly.

I think this pick speaks volumes for the quality of this years draft.

Does it???

Craig obviously knows him well and sees something. Maybe he is the Leigh Brown that I have been screaming for. Also he has the real Leigh Brown to coach him.

Big body...ready to go...at pick 54 why not?

There are a few things to note about Sellar:

.........

With him and Clark, we now have two players up forward that can provide contests and bring the ball to ground against multiple defenders. His selection certainly makes the style of game we are playing clearer. And Watts, Jurrah and Howe are going to love it!

Good assessment Bob.

[jayceebee31 761]

Gee that's intuitive. I like it.

Isn't everything the club does to pump up demonland?

Speaking of quiet. Where did you go? I haven't seen your name in ages.

I thought it was you that went walk about.Good to see you back but the amount of posts you have made since return has made up for it.

[rpfc 28,768]

Good update. JCB Every pick past 40 is risky. Hope the Club chose correctly.

Not to 'nitpick' but every pick past 40 is speculative, not risky.

Risk implies high investment in the speculative pick but 54 is hardly that.

From Pick 30ish to the end of the Rookie Draft - it's a lottery.

[Red and Blue Flame 191]

you won't see him down back. we drafted him for immediate purposes with the idea of playing round 1. CHF, Clark FF with Jurrah, Howe, Watts. Fitz and Cook still another year or two away. Competition for places and squad depth is what Neeld wants. Watts is and always has been developed for the lead up forward nick riewoldt style. Clark/Sellar willbe the big blokes you sit the ball at the top of the dquare for.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

As much as I like Frawley, Rivers and Garland, none is really able to play on the gorilla's like Cloke and Dawes. Neeld would, of course, have noticed how we were unable to stop Cloke last time we played the Pies. I had thought perhaps Sellar was recruited to play as a big bodied defender, but Neeld's comments suggest otherwise.

I like a few astute comments on this board:

• that any pick over 40 is not really a 'risk'
  
• that if he gets a two year contract we can re-assess in 2 years time and if he's made it, great, and if he hasn't not a lot of damage
  
• that it allows Watts, Dunn and Bate to play a different role - that of the 4th tall or running players
  

[Axis of Bob 11,841]

We could have stopped Cloke .... by putting Frawley on him. Just like Geelong can stop Buddy by putting Scarlett on him. But Scarlett rarely plays on a good player because of his damaging run. Same sometimes happens with Frawley, and did happen on that day.

[Brayshaw Self 847]

Why did Neil Craig play Tippett, Walker, Gunston and Mckernan in front of Sellar?

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Tweet from the man himself:-

Just landed in Melbourne... On my way to Aami park... Nervous and excited... @melbournefc

[Bigdeeal 40]

Obviously I hope I'm terribly wrong about this, but does the name Nick 426 Smith ring any bells? Big unit, sounded good, promised much, delivered little. And I'm not referring to his 426 injury problems. Or maybe Ben Holland in his later years with us? James has been playing in the SANFL on and off, for Glenelg, and although I haven't seen much of him, what I have seen suggests someone who should be smashing the opposition, but isn't. I could't even tell you what position he plays, because he seems to play everywhere and nowhere (baby!). He doesn't throw his weight around, and doesn't seem to use his height to advantage, and he's not a big goal scorer in a competition where he might be expected to dominate. He doesn't seem to play with any confidence, and maybe that's his major problem. Craig and Todd obviously know a lot more about him than all of us, and must think that they can get him up to speed. I guess we just have to trust that they know what they're doing. I suppose that on balance we don't have much to lose, and potentially a lot to gain, so maybe there's a silver lining (see the subtle connection there, for all you/us old guys!).

[Axis of Bob 11,841]

Big difference between Sellar and Smith - athleticism.

[Bigdeeal 40]

Big difference between Sellar and Smith - athleticism.

Theoretically, yes, but he hasn't shown a lot of practical evidence of it. And as Goethe said, roughly translated, the theory is all grey, my friend. I haven't got a clue what he meant, but by golly, he was Goethe, so it must have meant something important!

[Viney Vidi Vici 148]

No wonder Bate is gunning for a midfield position. Our myriad of medium forwards seem to be fighting for a couple less places in the forward line to last year.

But otherwise, this messes with my mind when I try to predict our starting team in 2012. Obviously Neeld wants him to play straight away, but forward or back? instead of martin? martin plays permanent defence? one of our 'tall' defenders go forward?

I JUST DON'T KNOW ANYMORE.

[Axis of Bob 11,841]

I see him more as a player who doesn't know exactly what he should be doing. A bit of a lost player on the footy field, so he didn't naturally find the footy. At Glenelg he was thrown around a lot to help the team (as often happens with SANFL clubs). He has athleticism, he has ability, so he may well show a bit when he is given a very set role to perform. That may be as a contesting tall forward (with strict parameters) or as a purely defensive tall defender. He could well thrive being told that he is to run here when the ball is there and just bring the ball to ground. A simple game may be the making of him.

..... maybe.

Smith's problem was different. He was a plodder. He was a big body, but when he played against other big bodied players he just didn't have the athletic power to do anything.