It will also be interesting to see how a forward line of Clark, Dawes, Hogan and Howe (and maybe Pederson) can function. It also means that there will probably be no room for Fitzy etc.

DC and CB covered the offer issue.

With team balance - you have got to be joking?

Rivers was playing forward for much of the year. Jared effing Rivers...

Dawes is our FF, Clark is our CHF, Martin/Pedersen is the 2nd ruck, Hogan is 17 and shouldn't be asked to hold down any of these positions for a few years yet, and Howe should be doing what Sylvia seems incapable of doing and that is becoming a goal scoring mid with toughness. Both Colin and Jeremy should watch tapes of Ryan O'Keefe if they want to reach their potential.

To sum up - we have finally got a structure in our forward line and I don't have to wait for a lanky draft pick to come on.

It's ready to go right now.

Bit harsh there - did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Wasnt like his 'judgement' was deeply offensive, outragiously wrong or that he was saying that the trade was a dud as a whole.

Just saying what we were all thinking - he will have to improve from last year, and raised a thought about the oppotunity cost of his salary

You call that harsh? Sheesh and you reckon i got up on the wrong side of the bed. thin-skinned?

The trade with Collingwood seems fair given it is a compromised but fairly strong draft.

The key issue IMO is the 4 x $500K contract. I understand that the salary cap has to be spent, but Dawes will need to improve on last year significantly to justify that kind of money and length of contract. I wonder if the money could have been better spent.

It will also be interesting to see how a forward line of Clark, Dawes, Hogan and Howe (and maybe Pederson) can function. It also means that there will probably be no room for Fitzy etc.

I guarantee you that being kept out of the ruck will result in him having a better year in 2013 than he had in 2012.

You call that harsh? Sheesh and you reckon i got up on the wrong side of the bed. thin-skinned?

Yes

Dawes is our FF, Clark is our CHF

My take is that it will be the other way around.

My take is that it will be the other way around.

Same here. As I understand it, part of Clark agreeing to come over to the Demons was that he was to get the spearhead role. Given his success in half a season, I doubt he'll want to change that.

My take is that it will be the other way around.

It may be, but personally I would like Clark to be more involved and I see him as more capable in the hardest position on the ground.

Dawes is more your repeated hard leading workhorse and Clark is more adept at standing under the long ball.

Most key forwards swap around a bit anyway, but I see Clark as more dangerous closer to goal. Anyway, time will tell.

Dawes is more your repeated hard leading workhorse and Clark is more adept at standing under the long ball.

Most key forwards swap around a bit anyway, but I see Clark as more dangerous closer to goal. Anyway, time will tell.

Your probably right. It'll probably be a wash some of the time.

One thing is for certain - one of them should always be 30m out straight in front.

Your probably right. It'll probably be a wash some of the time.

One thing is for certain - one of them should always be 30m out straight in front.

another certainty is that we should be able to keep posession more often as we transition from the midfield to the forward line!

Could not be happier with landing a player like Dawes. Neeld is tempering youth with experience, which in recent years where we have relied primarily on the ND to rebuild, is a breath of fresh air.

Slightly off topic but my old man works in the same industry as a close family member to Dawes. A few years ago he asked how much it would cost the dees to get him to Melbourne and he got laughed at. They bumped into eachother yesterday and he reminded this family member of the conversation. One of the things said was how genuinely happy Chris was to be coming to the Dees and how much he was looking forward to proving himself after a year down on form.

Another year into our existing group of mids + two ready to go talents in Viney and (hopefully) Wines, could be all the difference to provide some decent delivery to our forwards. I'm definitely biased but I can't wait to see Melbourne rd 1 next year!

^{Will Dawes save the Demons?}

^{http://www.bigpondsport.com/will-dawes-save-the-demons/tabid/91/newsid/96996/default.aspx}

^{Quite a good article.}

^{Will Dawes save the Demons?}

^{http://www.bigpondsp...96/default.aspx}

^{Quite a good article.}

Would be interesting to see what the for and against arguement was for the trading of Clark last year....

Played his best footy in the ruck and would never make it as a key forward as I remember it being said.....

Any word on Dawes knee injury from the finals??

Did he have surgery? Or was it simply a strain??

Haven't seen anything written about it.....

I've read that melb did a full medical check on his knee and are fully confident that there is absolutely nothing to worry about

What about his knuckle?

Has anyone seen Dawes in a MFC kit yet, of any sort (jumper, polo etc)?

Unusual. New gets are normally paraded at the first opportunity.

O/S

Still in the US I'd say.

Maybe there waiting till the trade period is over.

He's attending one of those fancy rehabilitation centres in the US at great cost

He has to be thoroughly de-contaminated of all the filth before he can rock up to aami stadium

He's attending one of those fancy rehabilitation centres in the US at great cost

He has to be thoroughly de-contaminated of all the filth before he can rock up to aami stadium

I hope Charlie Sheen is his sponsor!

"WINNING!!!"

The small paper has reported that he will start light running next week.

I wonder what he has been doing to keep his fitness up until now?

The small paper has reported that he will start light running next week.

I wonder what he has been doing to keep his fitness up until now?

I think you have Dawes and Clark mixed up??????

I think you have Dawes and Clark mixed up??????

Yep, Mitch starts running next week. Dawes was already in training before taking a trip to the US with his GF i believe.

If you look at our forward area on paper now with Clark and Dawes the twin towers, Byrnes as a crumber and allowing Fitzy and Hogan to be nurtured with the right hardbody protection around him I think Neeld has effectively sorted the basis for a power forward line for the next 6-8 years potentially. Crumbers are a problem but small forwards are generally easier to find that key position bigs.

Now the midfield needs a superstar. Toumpas? Viney? Wines? man i must say 2013 is just looking awesome really.