Colin had an injury riddled pre-season.  He came back from his break with a slight calf strain, and then took some time to overcome that.  I feel that this had an effect on the early part of Col’s season, which wasn’t great.  However, I felt that, after the mid-season break, we played Colin in the midfield a lot more, and his consistency of performance was far better than in the first half of the year.  Col’s challenge going forward is to firstly get a really good pre-season under his belt to get his body up to elite AFL standards, to continue to play in the midfield, and to have a presence for the Melbourne Football Club.- Brian Royal (midfield coach) melbournefc.com.au

Games MFC 2012 17 MFC Total 138 Goals MFC 2012 15 MFC Total 120

MFC 170 kicks 135 handballs 305 disposals 59 marks 64 tackles 59 inside fifty (4th)

Keith "Bluey" Truscott Memorial Trophy 233 votes

Significant that this bloke enters the final year of his current contract and the end of a decade at the club.

I hope for his sake that he accepts that he is running out of opportunities and that he might look back one day on his entire career and realise that in many ways it's been a failure. I know he had injuries this year but he has to do more than show glimpses of talent and nothing else. He can either adopt the approach Nathan Jones has taken in recent times and knuckle down and work his butt off to become elite or follow Beamer out the door at the end of the year.

One of our top 10 in my opinion. With a full pre season in 2013, he will be a valuable asset. Neeld MUST play Sylvia more in the midfield.

Unlike his mate Moloney, seemed to respond reasonably well to challenges laid down by Neeld in the second half of the season.

That said, still goes missing far too often in big games to be considered a prize player. Should be a walk up top 50 AFL player entering his ninth season. Instead, you'd struggle to make a case for him being in the top 200.

Unlike his mate Moloney, seemed to respond reasonably well to challenges laid down by Neeld in the second half of the season.

That said, still goes missing far too often in big games to be considered a prize player. Should be a walk up top 50 AFL player entering his ninth season. Instead, you'd struggle to make a case for him being in the top 200.

At last, a sensible post from you. Beautifully summed up.

It is sad that it's taken Col 138 games to turn from an 18yo with unlimited potential into a rising 27yo with limited potential.

It is sad that it's taken Col 138 games to turn from an 18yo with unlimited potential into a rising 27yo with limited potential.

Yep. With ya bruvver.

Cue - 'oh but he has been injured', 'Just wait til Col gets a full pre-season' 'he's the most talented player on our list'

Yep. With ya bruvver.

Cue - 'oh but he has been injured', 'Just wait til Col gets a full pre-season' 'he's the most talented player on our list'

I agree too Jnr

Talent is only talent when it is put on show every game.

Slow start to the season but really fired up around the middle of season and went back to his best.

Hasn't thrown together a consistent season yet but he is highly talented and it shouldn't be long before he does.