Dawes 105kg, nice pick up.

Dawes 7-8kg lighter is where we need him round 1, leading up the ground.

2 points Ralph.

Dawes will not need to Ruck like he did at the Filth.

Mark Neeld coached him before. So i trust the coach.

He was treated atrociously on his exit from Collingwood.

A club that under Malthouse saw Dawes excel and become a genuine gun forward (coincidentally when Cloke was peaking too).

Buckley, in 12 months destroyed Malthouse's development of the kid. Playing him out of position, scrutinizing him in the Media and completely under rating his skill.

The tweets from Collingwood coming out really support the notion that there was genuinely a lack of respect for Dawes.

I really hope he takes all this as fuel to become the leagues best forward.

Neeld and Leigh Brown know exactly what he needs to be a star.

Really excited.

Edited October 16, 201212 yr by mephis

Big footy,Facebook, pies supporters I know all skeptical of the deal....

It makes me sick when the armchair critic says "you paid overs" ..such an ignorant and ill informed comment...

Melbourne needed a spine.... All of a sudden weare building one...

Pick 45 for pick 58? Merely an exchange of late picks...

It's effectively Dawes for pick 20... And if no one can see the positivity and ambition in getting a player that is 193cms, 105 kgs, has won a premiership, has proven he can play great football... For pick 20....seriously, you need your head examined...

How canyon pay overs for something you don't really know will eventuate? Morton was atop 10 pick for god's sake! There are No guarantees....but he'll, the footy club are going out and being aggressive and getting players that have had success...hopefully they can grow with our youngsters..instead of having a team of developing drafts picks..

Dawes 105kg, nice pick up.

Dawes 7-8kg lighter is where we need him round 1, leading up the ground.

Disagree.

I like the mix of the big truck in Dawes and the agile big man in Clark.

Add in Byrnes, Howe, Sylvia, and Blease, and we have at least a good variety.

So am I right in saying that our first "live" pick is 58 or thereabouts, in what has been described as a top draft especially for mids, which we need?

No, you'd be wrong. Our first live pick will be 4.

I believe we already had the tallest list in the AFL. We could now end up with 1/3 of our list over 193 cms.

Initially i thought - if we are so keen to get Dawes (and possibly Pederson) why give up picks 3 and 13 for another tall in Hogan?

However, it seems we deliberately swapped these two 1st round picks for Hogan and pick 20, so that we could secure Dawes as well.

We were happy to use pick 20 to get the man from the Woods. Would we have offered pick 13 for him?

I believe we already had the tallest list in the AFL. We could now end up with 1/3 of our list over 193 cms.

Initially i thought - if we are so keen to get Dawes (and possibly Pederson) why give up picks 3 and 13 for another tall in Hogan?

However, it seems we deliberately swapped these two 1st round picks for Hogan and pick 20, so that we could secure Dawes as well.

We were happy to use pick 20 to get the man from the Woods. Would we have offered pick 13 for him?

Not really sure if 1/3 of our list over 193 is a problem. For the record 11 of Sydney's 38 senior listed players ( http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/players/tabid/7920/default.aspx) are over 193 cms, with at least two others sitting at 192, also they are chasing Tippett, which will add more height. The Hawks also have 10 of their list over 193 with Brian Lake set to add to that no. next year.

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a large no. of tall players as long as they are fulfilling all the different required roles.

Also technically we gained Dom Barry for the slide from pick 13 to 20. So we got Hogan, Barry and Dawes for 3 and 13. Not Bad.

I dont mean to be pessimistic or anything but I do think many posters on DL overate some of our new recruits.

Their are 2 ways to look at every player

Byrnes = Speedy midfielder who will fill a gap and bring in some professionalism

Byrnes = Ageing small forward who could not break into the firsts in a team which struggled to make the 8 this year.

Barry = Classy outside left footer with great run and carry and oozing talent

Barry = Jamie Bennell

Dawes = Talented professional gorilla who will help our team massively structurally

Dawes = Big overrated player who couldn't kick more goals then Brad Miller in 2012 which was overpaid for

Viney = Best inside mid of the draft and exactly what our team needs

Viney = Kid who is yet to play an AFL game and jumps the gun when talking to the media

Hogan = Best Forward since Franklin

Hogan = kid who did not look extremely excited about being taken by the dees and cant play for a year.

I am not putting any of these players in either of these categories yet until we see them run out for the MFC next year (or the year after)

I am feeling good so far but I don't want a repeat of my excitement from last years administration/coaching turn over which turned into the worst season the MFC has probably experienced.

Lets see how things go

I am with you olisik. Wary of all our new recruits being out an out guns to save the day and our losses al to be spuds. Hate to be negative just realistic.

OK there is an age difference, but it is funny how we are less tolerant of Moloney having an 'off' year' and coach disagreements than we are with Dawes having the same.

Clearly the neeld/leigh realtionship is the key here,

Just goes to show - perception is everything.

I am with you olisik. Wary of all our new recruits being out an out guns to save the day and our losses al to be spuds. Hate to be negative just realistic.

OK there is an age difference, but it is funny how we are less tolerant of Moloney having an 'off' year' and coach disagreements than we are with Dawes having the same.

Clearly the neeld/leigh realtionship is the key here,

I for one am very tolerant of Moloney having an off year, I think he will play well for the Lions but he did himself no favours by playing a terrible year appearing to spit the dummy and then having his manager shop him around in round 10.

Dawes on the other hand had a great start to the season, got injured and played an unfamiliar role, stuck at it with a terrific attitude towards training and the club had no intension of leaving until the post season and was still more useful than Moloney in a top side in pressure games.

They are apples and oranges in so many ways.

Edited October 16, 201212 yr by deejammin'

I dont mean to be pessimistic or anything but I do think many posters on DL overate some of our new recruits.

Their are 2 ways to look at every player

Byrnes = Speedy midfielder who will fill a gap and bring in some professionalism

Byrnes = Ageing small forward who could not break into the firsts in a team which struggled to make the 8 this year.

Barry = Classy outside left footer with great run and carry and oozing talent

Barry = Jamie Bennell

Dawes = Talented professional gorilla who will help our team massively structurally

Dawes = Big overrated player who couldn't kick more goals then Brad Miller in 2012 which was overpaid for

Viney = Best inside mid of the draft and exactly what our team needs

Viney = Kid who is yet to play an AFL game and jumps the gun when talking to the media

Hogan = Best Forward since Franklin

Hogan = kid who did not look extremely excited about being taken by the dees and cant play for a year.

I am not putting any of these players in either of these categories yet until we see them run out for the MFC next year (or the year after)

I am feeling good so far but I don't want a repeat of my excitement from last years administration/coaching turn over which turned into the worst season the MFC has probably experienced.

Lets see how things go

If I could find the ignore button I would.

I am with you olisik. Wary of all our new recruits being out an out guns to save the day and our losses al to be spuds. Hate to be negative just realistic.

OK there is an age difference, but it is funny how we are less tolerant of Moloney having an 'off' year' and coach disagreements than we are with Dawes having the same.

Clearly the neeld/leigh realtionship is the key here,

One acted like a professional and the other behaved like a 4 year old child who wasn't given a lollipop. Moloney didn't have an off year he had a year long dummy spit.

If I could find the ignore button I would.

I'm your name at top of screen, press it and the click on manage ignore preferences.

Yes, olisik - everything may not turn out as we intend.

But what if they do?

MFC supporters have just got to suck it up and say to themselves and any [censored] that asks - 'we are just trying to get better.'

You can't do everything with kids.

Edited October 16, 201212 yr by rpfc

I dont mean to be pessimistic or anything but I do think many posters on DL overate some of our new recruits.

Their are 2 ways to look at every player

Byrnes = Speedy midfielder who will fill a gap and bring in some professionalism

Byrnes = Ageing small forward who could not break into the firsts in a team which struggled to make the 8 this year.

Barry = Classy outside left footer with great run and carry and oozing talent

Barry = Jamie Bennell

Dawes = Talented professional gorilla who will help our team massively structurally

Dawes = Big overrated player who couldn't kick more goals then Brad Miller in 2012 which was overpaid for

Viney = Best inside mid of the draft and exactly what our team needs

Viney = Kid who is yet to play an AFL game and jumps the gun when talking to the media

Hogan = Best Forward since Franklin

Hogan = kid who did not look extremely excited about being taken by the dees and cant play for a year.

I am not putting any of these players in either of these categories yet until we see them run out for the MFC next year (or the year after)

I am feeling good so far but I don't want a repeat of my excitement from last years administration/coaching turn over which turned into the worst season the MFC has probably experienced.

Lets see how things go

With Hogan, you've answered your own observation - Hogan is disappointed that he can't play next year!

We might not need much past 58 anyway. Given we've got Dom Barry (berry?), Viney and pick 4 as well as Dawes and Byrnes and a comp pick that may be about 35, we are adding 6 blokes before even getting to draft pick 58. Add that one and it is 7. Now to see if we can trade Martin, Petterd, Morton etc.

We will use picks post 58 to upgrade rookie nicholson and potentially rookie evans (if he is deemed fit)

Actually, I was quite happy with the Clark deal last year. I'd seen some of his good games and thought if he could produce that sort of form for us he'd be massive value. Dawes on teh other hand I consider to be a capable middle of the road forward, and not worthy of a first round pick.

I don't look for every player to win games off their own boot. I want team players who work hard together to get wins for our club. I think Dawes brings this in spades. Lets face it Beamer spat it last year as he was no longer a king pin. We won't have this from Dawes.

We will use picks post 58 to upgrade rookie nicholson and potentially rookie evans (if he is deemed fit)

Our Primary list will have 40 players this year not 38.

So Please explain your Math.

Does anyone know how long he sighed for?

Should have been for quite a while considering the pay rise he is getting. I would still be sighing if I was him!

I dont mean to be pessimistic or anything but I do think many posters on DL overate some of our new recruits.

Their are 2 ways to look at every player

Byrnes = Speedy midfielder who will fill a gap and bring in some professionalism

Byrnes = Ageing small forward who could not break into the firsts in a team which struggled to make the 8 this year.

Barry = Classy outside left footer with great run and carry and oozing talent

Barry = Jamie Bennell

Dawes = Talented professional gorilla who will help our team massively structurally

Dawes = Big overrated player who couldn't kick more goals then Brad Miller in 2012 which was overpaid for

Viney = Best inside mid of the draft and exactly what our team needs

Viney = Kid who is yet to play an AFL game and jumps the gun when talking to the media

Hogan = Best Forward since Franklin

Hogan = kid who did not look extremely excited about being taken by the dees and cant play for a year.

I am not putting any of these players in either of these categories yet until we see them run out for the MFC next year (or the year after)

I am feeling good so far but I don't want a repeat of my excitement from last years administration/coaching turn over which turned into the worst season the MFC has probably experienced.

Lets see how things go

The last 10 years of 20th draft picks

2002 will minson

2003 Sam butler

2004 dean polo

2005 Paul bower

2006 Tom hislop

2007 Tony notte

2008 Tom swift

2009 Nathan fyfe

2010 jaydon pitt

2011 haydon crozier

Except for fyfe Dawes has the other 9 players easily covered.

Great pickup for Melbourne.

Given the above Olisik, what have we actually lost?

Pure probability suggests unless we won tattslotto by jagging a Fyfe we will come out well in front on this. Further to this our record drafting anyone let alone tall forwards (Mark Bradley, Lucas Cook), first rounders (thank god we got this Scully compo!) is really average to poor.

So I'm really struggling to see the downside. I'm in the camp of a bird in the hand is worth 2 in that bush!

We will use picks post 58 to upgrade rookie nicholson and potentially rookie evans (if he is deemed fit)

Evans and Nicho have iron clad agreements to be upgraded to the senior list this year. Signed prior to Neeld arriving at the club.

Age saying 2 million over 4 years

Given the above Olisik, what have we actually lost?

Pure probability suggests unless we won tattslotto by jagging a Fyfe we will come out well in front on this. Further to this our record drafting anyone let alone tall forwards (Mark Bradley, Lucas Cook), first rounders (thank god we got this Scully compo!) is really average to poor.

So I'm really struggling to see the downside. I'm in the camp of a bird in the hand is worth 2 in that bush!

The assumption you are making is that our recruitment is and always will be sub-par.

Pick 20 can be valuable and that is why we had to fork it over for a ready made 193cm 105kg FF.

I am all for the trade but don't tell me we didn't trade something of decent value.

Given our needs, I think Dawes is an absolute bargain at pick 20.

For those not sharing this view, the bottom line has to be this - no longer can any opposition coach seek to triple team Clark to neutralise our entire forward line. It now has dimensionality - Clark, Dawes and Byrnes in addition to several other options (eg, Sylvia, Howe, Davey etc) rotating through now make our forward line difficult to match up on. Last season it was a rabble. On any construction, this is an unbelievable transformation, the likes of which I've never seen before for this club during a draft period.

I don't expect there's anyone happier in Australia than our number 11 at the moment - he could win AA selection next year on the back of this draft period.

Fingers crossed that we now land Wines with pick 4, Pederson and one of Ray or Broughton.

If we do, the football department has just delivered us a perfect 10.