I feel flat, last year we recruited mature bodies in Magner and Couch which was part of the new strategy, Magner started off like a rocket but fell off as the year went on, Couch got one game but was shown to be too slow for AFL.

I don't have a problem with getting some experience in the side but I'm stuffed if I know what getting an ageing, injury prone, delisted player from Port will add to the side. I'm just not sure what sort of direction we are taking here.

Pederson is an unwanted player at North and they aren't exactly tearing the competition apart so why we went so hard after him mystifies me.

Byrnes is 28 and has maybe a couple of years left in him so he is really a stop gap and may add to the side but I'm not sure what that will be, I'm not unhappy, just not sure.

Our direction this year seems to be to get rid of players that the coach doesn't think will take us forward but they have been replaced by players that won't be there if we do.

I certainly hope we don't play these guys next year because we feel the need to justify selecting them.

Robbief I look at it this way.

We have been poor now for at min. 6 years.

in 2012 we were not even competitive.

we have won 30 games out of I think the last 130.

Our list was clearly poor.

We lacked experienced player of AFL standard and A lot of the kids we picked were clear not up to the required standard.

So big changes were needed.

Some things are good eg. Viney as second round pick, Hogan in 2014, etc

Others like Rodan time will tell but we need experienced players who can cut it at AFL level.

Can the changes make us worse?

I doubt it.

This is year one, it will take at least another year to undo a decade of poor drafting/ trading.

I am thinking positive, what else is there.

And what happened to 'no one wants to go to Melbourne'?

I won't include Byrnes because no one else would've wanted him, but Dawes, Pederson, Rodan and Ray all wanted to come to Melbourne. I was so sure the reports were 100% accurate and no one would come. Reporting gets an F.

The emotion of the Jack Viney situation saw us get bent over in the backroom deal for Hogan.

We paid full price in draft picks for Dawes and well over with regards to his contract.

I have a low value on Gysberts and Morton, but we gained little back from each trade.

The Martin trade was a shocker.

We lost Rivers and Moloney for below their full value.

I like Rodan as a player, but he is not the right demographic and his recruitment reflects Neeld’s desperation to keep his job. Ditto Byrnes.

Pederson might be a good pick up, but we now have a significant number of players of the same type and still have a bottom rung midfield.

Overall, it is hard to get too excited with our trading given our strong starting position of #3, #4, #14 and #26 and the advantage of Viney.

The alternative is this.

We stuff around and hold out for a better deal. It doesn't get done and we get forced into paying pick 3 for Viney and maybe do the Byrnes deal.

How is 2 or 3 minor deals change our fortunes next year. Natural improvement?

Or do you think a swag of draft picks is going to turn us around?? (I think we have been there before..)

Our club is in a dire position. Another year like 2012 and we would be really stuffed. We simply can't afford that and must start winning some games. Its mind numbingly clear we have young players but have few leaders and little experience. Now we have.

Enjoy 2013 worrying about how Morton is doing at WCE or martin at Brisbane.

Barrett the phucknuckle, is no different to Greg Denham, loves to lay the boots into our mob....!

Clearly he struggled filling in time on Trade Radio with relevant material, and found it easier to have a crack at us.

It will take some time, but sooner rather than later he will be knocking on the door @ Aami Park wanting to talk to Neeld about how he turned our club around.

Not happy about Gys, but if he is lazy, and doesn't comply, then off he goes.

Let's hope the other players learn from it.

And what happened to 'no one wants to go to Melbourne'?

I won't include Byrnes because no one else would've wanted him, but Dawes, Pederson, Rodan and Ray all wanted to come to Melbourne. I was so sure the reports were 100% accurate and no one would come. Reporting gets an F.

And Gerard Healy said our 'good young kids' wanted out.

He was right.

Except for the first two words...

Barrett makes his hysterical grandsatnding statements on the radio but when he interviews a representative of the MFC, Harrington or Neeld, he doesnt fire a shot, doesnt allude to his opinion and meekly pretends he understands their approach.

Eh, sports journalists.

They need to justify their salaries somehow; you never see a live cross to Damian Barrett huddling in a bombed out husk of an office building in Damascus, wearing a bullet-proof vest, dodging bullet fire.

Critique always seems more intelligent and more astute than saying, "They did what they needed for their club," which is what I believe they did. Their comments just sound like bad philosophy, like stoners talking about capitalism man, and how the man's keeping them down man, while sitting in front of their wall-to-wall television . . .

After winning 4 games last season you all knew a shakdown was coming. And i am thrilled with the current moves keep up the good work MFC!!!

I appreciate the inevitable pump-up of the incomings, but let's also take an objective/ devil's advocate look:

Pederson (can’t get a game at North), Rodan (WE GAVE UP DRAFT PICK FOR A GUY ABOUT TO BE DELISTED!!), Dawes (hmm, jury’s out – could be damaged goods!), Byrnes (couldn’t even beat out a damaged Wozi for a spot!)

Rodan = We gave up a pick we were not going to use as it was to make sure he didn't go to the Delisted Player draft...we still essentially gave nothing for him.

Pederson = Can't get a game at North, who are better than us, doesn't mean he doesn't improve our side

Dawes = Don't think he's damaged goods, more that he just might not be the player we need him to be, my feeling is that he is more a product of a good structure rather than the reason behind the success.

Byrnes = Plays as a forward, Wojo (who I'm assuming you meant) plays as a running back, different possies. Byrnes was kept out by the likes of Duncan and Motlop. He hasn't necesarily been picked up for his on field stuff too remember.

And Gerard Healy said our 'good young kids' wanted out.

He was right.

Except for the first two words...

Healy hates us more than anyone else in the media, worse than Denham or Barrett, no need to pay attention to him when it comes to the MFC

We got three top 5 talents due to that 'awful' deal with one of them being 194cm/97kgs 17 year old forward.

How that is being spun so effectively that Melbourne supporters are turning on the kid's recruitment is disheartening.

Not surprising though, we are Melbourne supporters after all.

I don't like the view of "these movements smack of desperation for Neeld to keep his job", it's as if people don't want wins.....

The nucleus or core if you like, is still there people....

I don't like the view of "these movements smack of desperation for Neeld to keep his job", it's as if people don't want wins.....

Yes, we have enough 'potential' to play without Morton and Gysberts.

Who do people think would have been further away from the 22 when Wines and Viney get here?

Clue: 10 and 5.

Yes, we have enough 'potential' to play without Morton and Gysberts.

Who do people think would have been further away from the 22 when Wines and Viney get here?

Clue: 10 and 5.

Viney will look good in 5.

Viney will look good in 5.

No. Give Hogan 5.

My childhood called.

It wants Schwarta back.

Some of you need to calm down.

We have a culture of losing and of thinking that it's ok because we'll be good in 3 years when we get enough games into everyone. Well guess what b*tches? Not anymore.

We've shown we will be ruthless. We've shown that we know we made mistakes in the passed. What did we lose? 2 experienced FA's that were always going to leave, and some skinny guys that couldn't get in our best 22 when we had 12 injuries and were losing by 10 goals plus each week. What did we gain? Bigger bodies, forward speed, and folks who have been there and done that.

I'm so tired of Melbourne supporters bagging the club because they haven't recruited properly yet wringing their hands when we dare do something about it.

The times they are a changin.

Viney will look good in 5.

Hogan should get 5 IMO, pick 4 can have 10, and J Viney can have RDB's 31

Hogan should get 5 IMO, pick 4 can have 10, and J Viney can have RDB's 31

If we get Wines we should put him in 23 but the rest was spot on.

No. Give Hogan 5.

My childhood called.

It wants Schwarta back.

So did mine, Viney and Schwarta ran around together. Jack wearing 5 (unless Sylvia does the team thing and takes one for the family) and a headband would have me all warm and fuzzy.

So did mine, Viney and Schwarta ran around together. Jack wearing 5 (unless Sylvia does the team thing and takes one for the family) and a headband would have me all warm and fuzzy.

I'm afraid mine is threatening me with long lost memories of awkward moments with girls if Hogan isn't given 5...

Not much I can do here.

5 for Hogan.

If we get Wines we should put him in 23 but the rest was spot on.

Jeez theres some good numbers to be handed out arent there?

Dom Barry #33 or if Old Dee allows it, maybe #7?!

Don't care what numbers Pick 4, Hogan, Dawes Viney, Pederson, Barry, Rodan, Byrnes and new draftees get just be good to see some bigger bodies and some nastiness out there in red & blue.

I do however want to see someone make me proud of a Dee wearing RDB'S number

I don't listen to trade radio or to SEN and I don't read the Oz or the Hun. As such I couldn't give a fat rats clacker what some numb nut called Damo thinks of my football club. As for Terry I feel sorry for the poor bugger, once he coached Football teams and played in Premierships, now he does something called trade radio. There is a lesson to be learn't there kids, too many solarium sessions will fry your brains. I love it that these media maggots hate us. From now on its US AGAINST THE THEM.

Barrett makes his hysterical grandsatnding statements on the radio but when he interviews a representative of the MFC, Harrington or Neeld, he doesnt fire a shot, doesnt allude to his opinion and meekly pretends he understands their approach.

Totally agree with your observation 46. I listened to David King one morning on SEN calling for the club to sack Neeld and cut our losses. A few weeks later they had MN on the program and DK asked just some lame questions about how tough it must be to be an AFL coach. Not one probing question. It was quite pathetic.

Totally agree with your observation 46. I listened to David King one morning on SEN calling for the club to sack Neeld and cut our losses. A few weeks later they had MN on the program and DK asked just some lame questions about how tough it must be to be an AFL coach. Not one probing question. It was quite pathetic.

That's hilarious. King is such a numpty. If you're going to mouth off to the extent he did (which was frankly disgusting), at least have the balls to raise your concerns to the man's face.

Dawes = 1

Hogan = 5

Pederson = 10

Pick 4 = 18

Viney = 21

Boourns = 27

Rodan = 29

Barry = 34

Other numbers potentially ... 6, 7, 15, (22 and 23 currently vacant)