Just realised that we downgraded draft picks in the Gysberts Pederson trade, not the other way round. You're kidding!

Gysberts 2012: 1 game, 9 disposals.

Let's not kid ourselves. The only surprise here is that anyone was prepared to take him off our hands - he was certainly shopped around.

i am a beyond fanatic Melbourne fan.

What'd we just do.

Martin for pick 53 and 73.. two useless picks?

Gysberts for Pederson.. not good either. Gysberts has been unreliable but still 21 and a huge talent. surely we could have gotten more for gys.

Morton practically for free (pick 88), im not really disturbed by that, he terrible.

Rodan is a good pickup.

Someone convince me we did well?

Simply put, we have recruited brilliantly. Some older heads and hard bodies with proven ability to complement our existing kids on our list. A great blending of youth and experience. Panic not, we will be successful on the playing field. You 'doubting Thomas's' get behind the club instead of rubbishing it. Go Demons Go!

There is too much back and white in the arguments either side. On one side all those players we've got in will be stars. Those that have gone will never be any good. The other perpective is those that have come in are no good and that those that have left will make us pay. As always the truth will be somewhere in the middle.

4 wins last year. Drastic changes were needed and they have just begun. I have wanted the axe to be swung and it has. Morton,gys and martin were de listed in my view and it doesn't bother me at all. Swing away mark neeld.

We just built a War Chest for the heat of battle.

The thing is Gysberts may have some talent but he may not have a place once Viney comes in and especially if we draft Wines. We had to many inside ball winners. Unfortunately for Gys he dropped off the end.

It's a catch 22. We had a shocking season - so the value of our players was practically zip. No-one was interested in Petterd or Bate or Bennell, and yes it hurts when we get practically nothing for former high draft picks.

Yet that poor season gave us the early picks in this draft, and let us get Viney at 26 -the biggest coup of the year. If we'd finished 11th we would have been forced to use our first pick (pick 9) for Viney.

Let's hope the new guys bond well, and give us a lot more team spirit than was shown in 2012.

What we just did?

We gained 3 top 10 draft picks (pick 4, Viney & Hogan 2013)

Gained a top 20 player in Dom Barry

Got rid of soft players, Martin, Morton who didnt play a single good game in the worst team of 2012 and who most supporters constantly get frustrated with, especially in the case of Morton.

Got rid of soft minded players in Moloney

Got rid of Gysberts who hardly played in 2012, who the coach obviously doesnt like.

Got support up forward & in leadering for Mitch Clark who I doubt will be 100% next year in Moneyball players Dawes, Byrnes & Rodan

Got crap late draft picks that we will use to upgrade players like Magner, Couch & Nicholson and pass on the rest.

More to come this year and next year.....delisting players like Bate, Petterd, Jetta, Bennell, Lynden Dunn, Davey & probably trading out a talented but stupid player like Sylvia if he has currency

We started out with 3,4,13 and 26. We spent 3 and 13 (effectively the Scully comp) on Hogan and Barry as well as Dawes with the pick 20 (became 21) we had thrown in. So Scully got us Hogan, Barry and Dawes. We still kept 4, which I'm certain will be used on Wines. The biggest steal of the whole trade period was getting Viney in the second round. We traded out some guys who despite their lofty original draft positions were not in our best 22 (Morton, Martin, Gysberts). We added a bit of short term leadership in Byrnes and Rodan which cost us nothing and Pedersen who may or may not be any good, but couldn't be any less effective than most of the blokes wehave let go. I'd say we have done reasonably well, but time will tell. Our biggest loss was Rivers.

Good summary Warren

WE must trust the new FD and their judgement

Who culd put up with another year of Morton Gys didnt work hard enough Martin just not good enough

W e have bitten the bullet as you suggest

Lets just get on with 2013

At last some one is doing something to a definite strategy I for one will support the decisions 100%

Because they Know

Because in spite of what many here seem to believe, Gysberts is not a budding star. In his third season, he managed only one game for 9 disposals.

Both Gysberts and Pedersen spent most of the year in the VFL, and played around the same number of games. While Gysberts did nothing of note, Pedersen won Werribee's best and fairest. In the previous year, Gys managed one Rising Star nomination - while Pedersen won North's best first year player.

The exchange of picks reflects the reality that Pedersen is quite a way in front of Gysberts, at least at the moment.

My Kangas mate reckons that we won the Pedersen deal..you never see yourself how others see you!

What we have done...in simple terms.

Got rid of blokes who are too lazy/sooks/no heart....Morton, Gysberts, Moloney, Martin

Bring some blokes in who have played in premierships/worked hard to get where they are/have heart...Byrnes, Dawes, Rodan, Pederson,Viney

PLUS a Top 5 pick in Hogan ( how many clubs can boast they have a 197cm 95kg 17yr old on there list who could still be growing?)

Plus Dom Barry who could potentially be the next Michael Long

PLUS a drat selection in top 5

FIRST AND FOREVER!!!!!

Why did we pick up Rodan when Steven Salopek is available for free? He is 2 years younger, has half decent stats and now lives in Victoria...

Plus Dom Barry who could potentially be the next Michael Long

Oh God.

This is why we get so disappointed when our draftees don't automatically become superstars.

Why did we pick up Rodan when Steven Salopek is available for free? He is 2 years younger, has half decent stats and now lives in Victoria...

We still can as a delisted free agent.

Oh God.

This is why we get so disappointed when our draftees don't automatically become superstars.

I said POTENTIALLY! For all we know he could be a smaller Cale Morton. Lighten up Chum

What did we just do?

Owned the trade period.

You might not realise it now though.

someone gets it !

Gysberts has huge talent?

When...

I wish people would stop saying/wishing this.

Without application it is nothing.

He's gone, & considering he is the type of player Mark Neeld likes that speaks volumes.

We did really well in the draft in terms of where we came from.

Getting Dawes could be a masterstroke if he gets that confidence back.

Up yours Damien Barrett you upper class twit.

As Real Demon says, it's too early to tell. Over the last few years I've often seen us given a very good rating by media "experts" and we know how most of those years have subsequently gone. On exposed form and with some knowledge of who has come in I'm over the moon.

If all we'd done this trade period was get Hogan and Viney while being able to retain a pick inside the top 5 I would have been delighted. Just doing those things would have been a massive win for me. I genuinely believe that Hogan and Viney are going to be "stars". Some will say, but we've thought that before, so there are no guarantees. In fact you'd be forgiven for saying it's unlikely. But when I analyse those early picks that fail to live up to expectations in the world of the AFL there's a common theme. They tend to be either young talls that have a weakness - usually either pace, size, or the required appetite for brutal contests, or they're mids that are too outside. For example, early picks that have been underwhelming such as Morton, Fiora, Tambling, Oakley-Nichols and even Gibbs, fall into that category. I'm not as rapt in Dustin Martin as some, but his aggression and strength serve him well in the AFL. Viney and Hogan's skill sets will also serve them very well at AFL level.

Dawes and Pedersen will really help our forward structure. I believe that Pedersen will prove to be an even better player than Dawes, but they'll be equally important in their roles. I'm less excited by Byrnes and Rodan, but Byrnes immediately becomes a best 22 player because he's the best small forward on the list. And the last time we traded for a NT zone selection we landed a young Jeff Farmer. We'll have to wait a while to see what we've got with Barry.

Best 22 additions for 2013 - Viney, Dawes, Pedersen, Byrnes and pick 4. The last addition will be contentious for some, but if it happens to be Wines he'll play far more footy at Melbourne than Casey. That's 5 additions, which is almost a quarter of your best 22. How many other clubs will have improved their best 22 by 20% in the off season ? That's enormous. Carlton improved theirs by 0%. Rivers is the only best 22 to walk out and he plays in the one area of the ground in which we're pretty well off.

As for the departures:

Martin - handy back-up ruck, but not a great tap ruckman and a worse forward. He's an athletic gumby with average to poor endurance. There's every likelihood that there will be two subs and less rotations from 2014 and this will hurt Martin as a footballer. Jimmy Stynes would have been a star in this era due to his elite endurance running, but a player like Martin will be exposed.

Morton - I'd given up on him a while ago, despite his talent, and clearly he would have been delisted if he wasn't contracted.

Gysberts for Pedersen is a win for me. Pedersen will play 22 games next year and Gysberts wasn't close to best 22. Pedersen will have an important role in our forward structure and the other player is some way off being a quality mid.

Moloney - ball-ups went from 11 seconds in 2011 to 4 seconds in 2012. This didn't help Moloney set up at the stoppages. With the new rule meaning that the ball is going to be thrown up around the ground it's only going to get quicker. He's probably a decent fit for Brisbane, but being so one dimensional wasn't great at a club with a poor midfield group.

Rivers - a loss, but we were [censored] with him in the one area of the ground where we should be OK. My care factor is either side of zero.

Green - slow and was done and dusted.

Let's look at "What we just did":

Two years ago we had the youngest list outside of the Suns. Before this draft period we had the most number of first round draft picks along with GWS. It's little wonder we recruited some seasoned bodies on the back of losing Green, Rivers and Moloney.

Neeld wants structure. This year at various times once Clark went down we had Rivers and Garland as forwards. With Dawes and Pedersen we now have a solid forward structure that makes Clark and Howe even more dangerous. As stated, Byrnes will immediately be better than any other small forward we have.

Melbourne are still very young and will be a hell of a lot better next year. Our 25 and unders will include Clark, Dawes, Jones, Grimes, Trengove, Frawley, Tom McDonald, Blease, Watts, Howe, Tapscott, Garland, McKenzie as well as Viney. That's 14, plus there's Strauss, Taggert, Tynan, Gawn, and pick 4 in this year's draft.

It works for me.

What did we just do?

We got rid of those that don't train or play to the standard that will push the club to the standard it is required to be at to win a premiership.

We got rid of those that do not possess the build or hunger for the contest required to win a premiership.

We gained experience of players that do know what is required of a premiership.

We gained mature bodies that can withstand the rigours and contests required of a premiership.

What he said.

We have three undisputed top 10 players (altho 1 won't start until next year). No other club aside from GWS has that. (Assumption: pick 4 is a jet - Cale, I know I know)

We have brought in hard bodied, experienced, competitive players - 3 with premiership experience.

We have a speculative (arent they all?) mid second round pick in Dom Barry

We have lost Moloney (meh), Rivers (could hurt), Green, Martin, Morton, Gysberts. Green has retired so doesnt count. Rivers might hurt but we have seen his best. The others we have lost nothing.

All in all we have re-shaped our list completely and there is still delisted player draft to come.

I dont care a hoot what the media and experts opined. I can tell we just grew some.

Proof of course on the field but we needed some footy players and we got some....f#*k all this potential sh!t

Why did we pick up Rodan when Steven Salopek is available for free? He is 2 years younger, has half decent stats and now lives in Victoria...

Still the PSD and the Delisted Rookies to come mate - might be more pick ups

I dont care a hoot what the media and experts opined. I can tell we just grew some.

Proof of course on the field but we needed some footy players and we got some....f#*k all this potential sh!t

Agree BB

The media are very short sighted - they praise Richmond's top up strategy but bag ours - pot kettle anyone???

Anyway if anyone can explain to me 'paying overs' I will be very happy - this seems to be a media buzz word to back up a non-factual argument...

And before i get the redundant pick 20 is too high for Dawes - try explaining how that pick 20 would be more advanced that a bloke who has been in the AFL system for 6 years and had 6 years of development adding to the fact he was contracted and HAD to pay for him

Someone explain to me how that was overs??

If Dawes turns out to be Brad Miller that will be overs!!

I am just hoping Dawes can take a couple of strong grabs in his first game.

How long have we been without a second key forward?

Pick 20 is not a problem to me.

We got what we NEEDED.

i am a beyond fanatic Melbourne fan.

What'd we just do.

Martin for pick 53 and 73.. two useless picks?

Gysberts for Pederson.. not good either. Gysberts has been unreliable but still 21 and a huge talent. surely we could have gotten more for gys.

Morton practically for free (pick 88), im not really disturbed by that, he terrible.

Rodan is a good pickup.

Someone convince me we did well?

With all due respect you cannot look at it like that. You cannot look at each individual trade and judge whether we paid "overs" on that trade. You need to look at the whole trading period and decide whether the club has achieved its objectives. If I was Tim Harrington/MN and I said to you 5 weeks ago that what we need for 2013 is

• some more big bodies in the forward line
  
• more experienced players that have tasted success and know what it takes to get to the top and to teach our kids what is required to realize their potential
  
• more talent in the midfield, both inside and outside.
  
• Better running mids that can run and spread and improve our uncontested possession count
  
• some crumbing forwards that can also play in the midfield
  
• some versatile big men that can play multiple roles
  
• to pick up young talent that will fill designated roles over the next 5-8 years
  
• to make hard decisions on our existing list and trade/delist players that we believe won't take us to the next level
  

then I feel you would not disagree with these objectives. I think overall the club has achieved what they wanted to achieve from the trade period. They obviously had a clear plan of the type of player they wanted and vigorously went out to get them from what was available. I think the only one they missed out on was Ray, hence the David Rodan pickup.

I think they did a brilliant job in achieving what they set out to do. Only time will tell as to whether the strategy was sound. Just my thoughts