A few years ago a well known former Melbourne supporter who wore #3 for West Coast walked out of the Eagles and was duly snapped up by Carlton.

Now comes the news that history might repeat itself. 

Is Gaff really homesick?

Would he take the money and run to Carlton or Essendon?

Would old allegiances and our two compensatory picks give us an edge if he wanted to come home?

Eagles move to grab Gaff

Yes, very interesting, would love to put another 20yo class midfielder into our guts next year instead of a 18yo kid.....

Would be dream like if the stars can align themselves for us

Josh Caddy is another rumoured to be keen on a move home.

I hope we have a good crack at both of them.

No idea if rumours are true but definitely have some good bargaining power, two compensation picks at hand, salary cap space means we are one of the best placed teams. Might depend on our year whether players want to come to us.

I try not to get too excited by these sorts of rumours/speculation because it is very rare that a player picks Melbourne as their choice team to play for. I think after securing Mitch Clark at the end of last season, though, this may have changed. I think Neeld & Co will be very aggressive in ensuring that we get the best available players that we can afford.

I try not to get too excited by these sorts of rumours/speculation because it is very rare that a player picks Melbourne as their choice team to play for. I think after securing Mitch Clark at the end of last season, though, this may have changed. I think Neeld & Co will be very aggressive in ensuring that we get the best available players that we can afford.

Agree but we nonetheless seem to be in a strong position to influence the bidding if he wants to come back to Victoria.

I may be mistaken but wasn't Gaff a Melbourne supporter as a kid? I know in the new world order of the AFL this means very little at all, I'm just highlighting something Gaff had in common with Judd.

Sorry if this has been mentioned above, I'm sleep deprived...

Unlike Judd, Gaff was actually a true Melbourne supporter, like Grimes was.

I know for a fact (personal knowledge) that he is a massive Melbourne supporter and that his family are members of both West Coast and Melbourne.

We would be a massive chance to get him.

I would absolutely love to see Gaff in the red and the blue. I'd be prepared to trade both compo picks for him (assuming we don't need one for Viney).

In short, Mitch Clark plus Gaff > Scully. And, in effect, that's essentially what the net result of Scully going would be on the basis of that deal.

As an aside, interesting to see that WCE has already locked Darling away until the end of 2014.

I would absolutely love to see Gaff in the red and the blue. I'd be prepared to trade both compo picks for him (assuming we don't need one for Viney).

In short, Mitch Clark plus Gaff > Scully. And, in effect, that's essentially what the net result of Scully going would be on the basis of that deal.

As an aside, interesting to see that WCE has already locked Darling away until the end of 2014.

I'm so glad your not in charge of our recruiting. If the Eagles gave us pick 12 back that we used on Clark yeah that sounds better.

I'd be fairly [censored] off if we used both our compo picks on Gaff. Something like our first compo and a 3rd round pick would be more like it. Will be an interesting trade week this year and I think the MFC will be in the thick of it.

Yeah. Not meaning to be pedantic but scully has nothing to do with clark.

Clark was for pick 12 in 2011 draft.

So if stars were to align it would be two compo picks for gaff (or gaff for scully) and Viney for first round f/s pick in 2012.

Carlton have already started to tank to best position themselves to scoop Gaff.

I'd be fairly [censored] off if we used both our compo picks on Gaff. Something like our first compo and a 3rd round pick would be more like it. Will be an interesting trade week this year and I think the MFC will be in the thick of it.

I'd be fairly [censored] off if we used both our compo picks on Gaff. Something like our first compo and a 3rd round pick would be more like it. Will be an interesting trade week this year and I think the MFC will be in the thick of it.

Absolutely. We have two very, very powerful bargaining chips in this upcoming draft (the strongest in many, many years), that no other club has close to at this stage. The key will be to get Gaff to commit to us, if he does the Eagles are in a pickle, if he wont we move on.

I think Gaff would be a good pick up for Scully, we would need to use our 2 compo picks to get him from the Eagles though. The question is are there 2 quality kids in the draft that will be available at our selection that we should take instead. Viney plus one real potential quality mid (Gaff) or Viney plus 2 unknown quantities.

I'd be fairly [censored] off if we used both our compo picks on Gaff. Something like our first compo and a 3rd round pick would be more like it. Will be an interesting trade week this year and I think the MFC will be in the thick of it.

Many here think we were ripped off with Scully compensation.

Gaff has shown his worth as a legitimate pick 4 with some years of development.

If you won't pay both picks for Gaff, there's inconsistency.

If the boy supported Melbourne, and he's what we need, and we can shove it up the other Melb clubs in getting him. Then all guns blazing I say. Gaff and Viney added to our midfield should mean a seriously exciting 2013.

A few years ago a well known former Melbourne supporter who wore #3 for West Coast walked out of the Eagles and was duly snapped up by Carlton.

Now comes the news that history might repeat itself.

Is Gaff really homesick?

Would he take the money and run to Carlton or Essendon?

Would old allegiances and our two compensatory picks give us an edge if he wanted to come home?

Eagles move to grab Gaff

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Sculls in 2 minds, mingles with new mates... 2 clubs after 2 shitort years...

I think it's time for a Melbourne boy to 'Fly' home !

He can Keep the shortz.

no doubting Gaff's ability and what he will probably become, but i think what we lack in the middle is real pace and class. Gaff in a lot of ways is similar to Scully, good engine (slightly less) and decent disposal (slightly better), but pace isn't 'fast' and disposal isn't 'outstanding'. Of course a player coupled with this would go close to being a #1 draft pick.

In Viney you've got a player who will be an absolute bulldozer. We need to couple that with a player that has explosive pace and great disposal with both hand and foot.

I know we have got Sam Blease, but is he able to play right in the guts, or is he more of a sweeper off a wing/flank? I reckon it's the latter.

remember judd turned us down due to poor facilitys. now we have state of the art and probably the best in the game! he would be mighty impressed and would fit in well. the dees MUST chase this bloke as hard as it has on anyone else. this bloke will be an absoloute gun!

no doubting Gaff's ability and what he will probably become, but i think what we lack in the middle is real pace and class. Gaff in a lot of ways is similar to Scully, good engine (slightly less) and decent disposal (slightly better), but pace isn't 'fast' and disposal isn't 'outstanding'. Of course a player coupled with this would go close to being a #1 draft pick.

In Viney you've got a player who will be an absolute bulldozer. We need to couple that with a player that has explosive pace and great disposal with both hand and foot.

I know we have got Sam Blease, but is he able to play right in the guts, or is he more of a sweeper off a wing/flank? I reckon it's the latter.

Extraction, Extraction, Extraction, we need ball winners. When we have the ball, they don't.

The polish we can add.

Many here think we were ripped off with Scully compensation.

Gaff has shown his worth as a legitimate pick 4 with some years of development.

If you won't pay both picks for Gaff, there's inconsistency.

Yes, a trade is the only garaunteed way to get proper value out of those picks.

Would I trade both for a 20 midfielder with a very bright future?

Yes, because that's what we lost when we got those picks...

Hopefully our "Pro Scout" is all over this one

Extraction, Extraction, Extraction, we need ball winners. When we have the ball, they don't.

The polish we can add.

Well when a player starts in the centre square, i naturally assume that this is part of his forte. You don't put a player into the guts, if he cannot extract the thing in the first place.

no doubting Gaff's ability and what he will probably become, but i think what we lack in the middle is real pace and class. We need to couple that with a player that has explosive pace and great disposal with both hand and foot.

The oldest team in the league won the flag last year and moved the ball as quickly as anyone. None of their top line mids had elite pace. Winning contested footy and ball use is first and foremost. Varcoe-like legspeed isn't as crucial and not as difficult to acquire.