Aaron Davey - the future?

[GIRO 63]

Needs to retire should have never got a large 3 year contract has been lazy ever since

[dee-luded 2,959]

Someone has to defend him as the vultures are circling!

Going on everybody's assumption that in season 2012 his body was shot and he is finished so you would assume this is as bad as it gets for Aaron Davey.

Some stats I found: In 2012 Aaron Davey averaged 4.6 tackles per game (his highest ever), 3rd most at the club, a figure that would of had him 5th highest at the premiers Sydney (as well as quite a bit of bench time).

The flavour of the month, Lewis Jetta, averaged 2.8.

Apparently, he used to be a good player, so the fact his average of 0.9 goals per game is his best since 2007, aswell as the 4th highest in 2012 at the club, must mean there is some life left in him.

So we have a small forward, in a team that got pumped, dealing with a stress fracture in the foot, injured knee and coming off a stressful preseason in which the coach admitted they rushed him back too early, getting little game time to settle in, and managed to be a leader at the club in tackles and goals.

He will continue to be an elite kick, good leader and offer guidance to our youth,apply defensive pressure and kick goals. And all this while injured last year.

I'm sure this will get smashed but just hoping he can prove everyone wrong.

Vultures? No. But people talking footy truths, yes.

I don't want flash to be burnt out physically, but i watched him at Casey & my freind suggested he could barely run, & after watching close for a couple of quarters. He was right. barely walk.

I heard down the track that flashes legs were not good at all.

And I heard he was going to retire, but has still 12 months to go. I heard he would retire & be our indigenous mentor.

Just saying, thats what I heard.

In saying that, I'll say Best of luck Aaron.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Close-minded, cynical flogs.

Fairly harsh here, mephis.

Look at the replays objectively and you'll see a player that is a shadow of his former self.

Has lost his pace, will not apply pressure and he gives away the chase, very, very quickly.

Unfortunately, his time is up.

[tappysquads 618]

Needs to retire should have never got a large 3 year contract has been lazy ever since

How insightful. You completely acknowledged the facts I started this thread with and responded intelligently and open minded. Or you repeated exactly what 1000 other people have said.

[Demon Disciple 12,274]

Needs to retire should have never got a large 3 year contract has been lazy ever since

Think it was a 4-year contract, but agree with you. Held us over a barrel and got his big contract he demanded, but has done stuff all since. Should bow out and return the favour to a very generous MFC.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I'm intrigued that anyone even finds Davey thread worthy. When I contemplate the future, or any best teams it would never occur to me to even consider him. I never rated him at his peak, so it's fair to say I don't rate the shell of a player he is now. He's never been hard enough at the footy.

Mark Neeld may be polar opposite to me, but somehow I doubt it. There was nothing compelling about his 8 games in 2012. There was nothing compelling about his average 10 disposals. There was nothing compelling about his 7 goals, two of which came against GWS' babies in their first game at the G. He didn't influence one game he played in, other than that sterling effort against Sheedy's powerhouse.

I'd put his best ever tackling average down to being second to the ball and the fact that there's more stoppages in the game than ever before. Whatever the reason, it's far from compelling case to give him a game in 2012 on the back of his previous tackling season.

Learn to trust your own eyes.

[McQueen 17,867]

I simply cannot see what on-field value he offers the team going forward.

Sadly, he is past it and I can't understand what type of role Neeld might think he can play.

OP and other Davey supporters are clutching at straws.

[Whispering_Jack 30,641]

I reckon if you want a defence of Flash then there's no better pointer than this article on the club's own website - Two spots to fill on Melbourne's list

In telling us that the club "will complete its 44-man squad, when it selects two players in the December 11 NAB AFL Rookie Draft", it's saying that no other list changes are contemplated. That means the club will be honouring all contracts including Davey's and I sense that it suggests the club doesn't want to be drawn into any adverse publicity or speculation on the subject.

Which makes good sense considering the publicity we've been subjected to in the media on a whole range of subjects in recent times, much of it unwarranted and some of it unquestionably mischievous.

Can you imagine if this article was about Flash rather than Nicky Winmar who has been delisted by St. Kilda - AFL players' union to challenge league over St Kilda decision to axe Nick Winmar?

The "vultures" will continue to circle and the story won't go away for Davey because we simply won't know whether his body will stand up to the rigors of the game for some time yet and that is where it all becomes so problematic.

IMO, it would be a shame if he finished the season playing out at Casey and that sounds a strong likelihood based on the training reports from the early part of the pre season, but a contract's a contract.

The Flash has been too great a contributor to the club over the past decade for him to be treated in the way St. Kilda has just treated Nicky Winmar. The decision as to Aaron Davey's future in football has to remain in his own hands.

[mjt 640]

Flash dropped his head in a game against the Saints in 2011, he hasnt lifted it since.

[Jonesbag 487]

The Fernando Torres of the MFC

[jnrmac 20,185]

The fact that there is even a thread about this says it all. He certainly needs defending on his past two years efforts.

[poita 3,902]

Pretty sad when you have to use a bloke's tackle count to defend his performance. The best players don't have high tackle counts because they are the ones putting their heads over the ball and winning possession. Players like Davey are routinely secondly to the football so have no choice other than to tackle.

As an aside, does anyone care to list Davey's B&F results for the past two years?

Bailey lost me as a coach when he signed Davey to a four year deal. Davey had already lost me as player when he spent the 2009 season getting cheap handball receives from Jamar instead of winning his own football. Sadly that was a great deal better than anything he has contributed since. If he had any decency he would have retired at the end of this season and we could have funnelled part of his salary into an off field role.

[My TD 156]

Davey is done.

Then again.... It is a contract year.

[olisik 4,060]

Think you will find it is about $500k this year.

criminal

[jackaub 1,402]

Davey hasnt tried or been able to try since his 4 year contract was awarded

Many on here continued to support his serial underperforming Others were critisised for being critical

In my opinion another bad error by the list managers and Footy department

Bailey used to pat him on the bum after very poor games He was never ever put under the pump to lift his game so got in the habit of not producing just like some of his senior mates.

I dont believe he will play another game for MFC

Rewatch his games in 2012:It was simply pathetic for an alleged senior player

[stinga81 210]

By some training reports on here and 'olgy, his left foot still seems to be working on some occasions. He is nearing 30, for someone who came into the game as a pacy goalsneak, his pace as deteriorated somewhat.

I hope that he finishes off his career on the right note next year.

[Demon Stalwart 255]

I have been a Davy fan for a long time

I put down his last few seasons performance to injury and I thought many where being a bit rough on him

However I have reapraised how I feel about him and his continuation at Melbourne .

Unfortunately I also now believe that his best is behind him . However for what ever reason he is still on our list

So rather then be negative towards this, I am hoping that Aaron can put his best together for one last season and go out on at least a solid note and remind all of us why we valued him as a player. I think hes 29 years old now so this is most likely his last chance .

If he cant do that then unfortunately he will be just another bit player in the overall scheme of the clubs history .

Leaving no enduring memory of why we all loved to watch him play.

[Guest]

The Flash conundrum hey?

I will take this from two different angles. Firstly, I will look at it from the angle of our supporters. I find it pretty rich that Melbourne supporters get sh***y when blokes like Tom Scully (I dislike him for the way he left, not that he left), Scott Thompson, Cameron Bruce leave the club but aren't prepared to show the same kind of loyalty and give some players a chance. Yes, Flash has had an average 2011/12 but he has given nearly 10 years of service to the club. That is something a lot of the keyboard warriors here could only dream of. Before we begin mass condemnation in the harshest of terms, let's keep those facts in mind.

On the matter of his actual form, last year was very poor for Aaron. I agree with the earlier point. Flash's tackle count was most likely higher as he was mostly second to the ball. These weren't the days when he was that defensive forward who chased down defenders to force goals. It was a matter of him being second to the ball.

Look if Flash can get himself right for the season coming then I am for giving him one last chance. The way we have handled other retirements/delistings should have shown that we shouldn't immediately burn bridges with long term servants of the club as it 1) deprives us of leadership that they can provide as their own skills fade 2) causes ill feeling among the team as their team mates don't particularly appreciate the way a bloke they admire has been treated by the club. I will put the caveat in that he needs to increase his output from 2012 by quite a bit. No one is expecting a return to his 2004-2006 form but I wouldn't mind some solid, consistent football.

[nutbean 8,838]

_{Mixed feelings on flash.}

_{I have never thought he is hard enough at the ball but he compensated for that to a degree by being lightening quick and disposing beautifully. He didnt accumulate possession because he was a smart footballer and knew to go where the footy is - it was all about pace. The question for me is can he get over injuries that have slowed him. If he doesnt have pace then I fear he doesn't have much to offer.}

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Fairly harsh here, mephis.

Look at the replays objectively and you'll see a player that is a shadow of his former self.

Has lost his pace, will not apply pressure and he gives away the chase, very, very quickly.

Unfortunately, his time is up.

No he isnt. You have missed mephis's point.

Think it was a 4-year contract, but agree with you. Held us over a barrel and got his big contract he demanded, but has done stuff all since. Should bow out and return the favour to a very generous MFC.

MFC were happy to give the contract to Davey. Lets cut the mindless "club was a victim" routine.

[7-UP 107]

must admit .. didnt know that...curious... what about his other stats for 2012?

He was ranked 29th in the team on average per game dream team points

Averaged 10.5 disposals a game (which may include kickouts)

had about a 75% ED... which isnt too bad

hope he does well next season

Now we judge players based on dream team points?

[Juicebox 628]

We sure are a ruthless bunch. I think we're entitled to be frustrated by Davey being paid overs, and clogging the list etc, etc.

But Aaron surely could have walked out on this club years ago, chasing success. He has been a loyal servant for almost ten years, a BnF winner. Sure any criticism is far from unwarranted at the moment, but criticise respectfully.

[Hannibal 5,814]

He's on the list, so I support him. I've just never rated him.

Trained OK today in the simulation drills.

[Bossdog 2,002]

Why would you want your 30 year olds training the house down in November????

Aaron did not have the best of years but he had so many friends,it is unfair to single him out..

How many times did the ball get turned over in the midfield??/ ....Very hard for a small forward to shine in our team in 2012

The club signed him on a four year contract......He is honoring that contract...as he should...and as the club should...

I hope he gets over these injuries and works up to match fitness in MARCH 2013...and can be a useful member of our side....

I hate the way people stick the knifes in when a player heads into retirement ...

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Someone has to do it as the vultures are circling!

Going on everybody's assumption that in season 2012 his body was shot and he is finished so you would assume this is as bad as it gets for Aaron Davey.

Some stats I found: In 2012 Aaron Davey averaged 4.6 tackles per game (his highest ever), 3rd most at the club, a figure that would of had him 5th highest at the premiers Sydney (as well as quite a bit of bench time).

The flavour of the month, Lewis Jetta, averaged 2.8.

Apparently, he used to be a good player, so the fact his average of 0.9 goals per game is his best since 2007, aswell as the 4th highest in 2012 at the club, must mean there is some life left in him.

So we have a small forward, in a team that got pumped, dealing with a stress fracture in the foot, injured knee and coming off a stressful preseason in which the coach admitted they rushed him back too early, getting little game time to settle in, and managed to be a leader at the club in tackles and goals.

He will continue to be an elite kick, good leader and offer guidance to our youth,apply defensive pressure and kick goals. And all this while injured last year.

I'm sure this will get smashed but just hoping he can prove everyone wrong.

Ill admit I have a crack at him every now and then, but Flash is one of my favourite players at the MFC.

In terms of attitude he is one of the most modest and all round good blokes I have met and had a chat to - absolute leader and role model.

But he needs to lift his game. In terms of the stats you've listed he looks good on paper but off the play he always seems like the last one out of the pack and his sprints somehow seem to be always delayed and lacks the earlier pressure he used to make.

Hopefully a new Flash in 2013