Good to get another Big body and I hope we get the Dawes from 2011 and not 2012 otherwise we have probably paid overs for him

Still it's exciting times to be a Dees fan.

Well done Dees!

Added structure, enormous potential, pace and 2 premiership players in the last 2 weeks. We are getting the October we had to have.

We have done well this off season to date... lets hope we get wines, or if grundy falls through some how

Got a feeling we'll trade Martin for Ray, just a feeling, nothing more.

really getting slayed for this elsewhere online, which i find strange.

he might not be a superstar, but he's clearly talented, strong, fit, and capable of playing another 6-8 years.

i fail to see the issue of swapping #20 and exchanging later picks for him.

Yep, general consensus is we've been shafted.

I'm pretty happy with it personally, and I think a bit of expectation on his shoulders won't do him any harm at all. He's proven he is capable of producing. Under Neeld and coupled with Clark, I think he will.

I've always been a proud Melbourne man, but the 'proud' bit has been sorely tested over the last few years. My pride has been fully restored in part of one Free Agency / Trade period. Well done Neeldy & Co. I know we are in good hands!!

Well done Dees!

Added structure, enormous potential, pace and 2 premiership players in the last 2 weeks. We are getting the October we had to have.

.......... and hopefully steps towards the September we have to have!

So does this trade show that its more likely that Rivers will leave now?

What happens in a few years time when these guys recruited on war-chest big coin want their contracts renewed?

Well obviously they'll stay for less coin to play with a flag favourite!

Only way to find out if we paid overs or unders is on the field next year.

pick 20 might be overs for most clubs, but he is a big key forward, which are hard to get and something we badly need. He has physical presence which is something we also lack. He also has valuable experience which is something we also lack. He is obviously ready to go without years of development, so should help us WIN GAMES NOW which is really important for the club. That is not to say he is a short term solution as he probably has a good 6 years left in him, he is the perfect age for us. The only relevant thing is what we could have got with pick 20, and you know for certain that player would not have ticked ANY of the above boxes. Worth every bit of pick 20 FOR US

I remember seeing Dawes interviewed and always liked the way he spoke, far more intelligent than your average footballer.

Couldnt give a stuff what some are saying we ARE starting to get somewhere. Just the idea that others from outside are buying into us and wanting to be part of it is testament to this.

We're on our way

Anyone lese concerned about our mids??

I assume that we will tale a mid with pick 4 and Howe will spend more time in the midfield but geez we need some quality clearance players otherwise Clark and Dawes will get frostbite......

Best case: 50-60 goal forward who stretches opposition backlines when combined with Clark

Worst-case:

Anyone lese concerned about our mids??

I assume that we will tale a mid with pick 4 and Howe will spend more time in the midfield but geez we need some quality clearance players otherwise Clark and Dawes will get frostbite......

I am concerned to.

I admit we did need to bolster our forward line however I think that we could have settled on just Dawes and used picks 3 and 4 on both mids.

Thats my 2c anyway, see how things play out. Wines and Viney could turn into our Martin and Cotchin.

Remember next year we can still draft another solid mid in an uncompromised draft

Best case: 50-60 goal forward who stretches opposition backlines when combined with Clark

Worst-case: Great step ledder for Howe

Well done Neeldy.

Yep, general consensus is we've been shafted.

Probably only from people who don't understand how grim things have been. The key for me here though is what he'll bring to the club OFF the field as well (along with Byrnes). It's not just troops we've been lacking, it's experience and leadership, and the benefit of a solid citizen like Dawes around the club for players like Hogan, Watts and even the backs (Tommy Mac etc.) is invaluable. It'll also help players like Howe, Blease, Tapscott etc. stand tall with Clark and Dawes alongside them.

BTW, there were very very few who rated the Hale to Hawthorn trade either.

To Neeldy and MFC staff, you have done some great work in the off season... I couldnt be happier!!!

I think Pedersen would top it right off, but i would be happy anyway.

Im a bit surprised there is still a few of you concerned about mids. Looks like we are going to come away with two top ten pick mids from the draft, most clubs would kill for that...

bloody beauty ., been hanging for this to get done , congrrats all involved , carn the dees !

Is Dawes worth pick 20...Porobably not

Is Dawes worth pick 20 to us...absolutely

From the twitter response it seems Pie fans are pleased to reveive pick 20, I can speak for a Dees fan, and I am very pleased to have Dawes, so it is an old fashioned win/win.

For those out there who are still concerned about our midfeild, key position players dont peak until they are 24-25, we now have Clarke and Dawes in the perfect age bracket. Mids can have an impact from day dot (if they are elite), we already have,

Jones, Grimes, Trengove, Watts (who i now consider a mid in the making), Makenzie, Sylvia, Viney, pick 4 (Wines, probably), Blease, Barry (remains to be seen).

What we can do now with our Defence and Forwardline in order, is to focus all our attention on bolstering our mids.

The rest of this trade/free agency period, the draft, the pre season draft, the rookie draft, and the the next few seasons drafts will see us in good stead with midfeild stocks.

Very pleased.

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?

All of a sudden we have 2 premiership players at the club in Dawes and Byrnes. By all reports both are incredibly professional in their approach to the game, and that is probably the bit that gives me the most hope about their acquisitions. I don't expect Dawes to kick 40+ goals, but if he and Byrnes can provide the senior leadership that this club has sorely missed over the last few years, and help show a few on the list what it takes, then that can be more important than individual on-field contributions.

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?

Our first live pick is pick 4. And we've got Jack in the back pocket at pick 26. Two of the best 5 midfielders in this draft.

It has been described as a top draft for midfielders, and also has been described as a Superdraft by some quarters although as the season has panned out that has been retracted by experts as a draft not as super as first thought, but with quality at the pointy end - of which we've got 3 picks (including Hogan) overall.

Our first live pick is pick 4. And we've got Jack in the back pocket at pick 26. Two of the best 5 midfielders in this draft.

It has been described as a top draft for midfielders, and also has been described as a Superdraft by some quarters although as the season has panned out that has been retracted by experts as a draft not as super as first thought, but with quality at the pointy end - of which we've got 3 picks (including Hogan) overall.

we also managed to weasel this Barry kid who is another highly-rated mid. Only a true MFCSS could complain we have neglected the midfield when we have poached three quality ones in addition to Hogan, Dawes and Byrnes