These two guys deserve a shot in our midfield (if possible). Both are honest triers, and couldn't do any worse than our current blokes.

Don't have the information in front of me, but what's the go for us with nominated rookies? I know we can have up to two that can be available depending on the veterans, so are these guys able to be played or can they only play if someone's on the LTI?

We already look like a VFL team trying to compete against AFL teams.

Why not give 2 established VFL players more of a go?

Agree on magner, not on couch

Magner has done really well for us when played in the middle (not defensive forward)

Magner's grunt and honesty would be most welcomed. They need to find a way to promote him because his approach and attitude is one of the many qualities we're missing in the senior group.

Get 'em in. What have we got to lose!?

Not sold on Couch but put Magner in the middle all day, it's where he belongs. Can't do any worse than anyone else

Magner will go hard all day, if not it's probably because he's come off bleeding after head butting someone - get him in there, what's to lose?

Mistakes don't matter, right...???

No one answered Stuie's initial question here.

The rules are that you can have up to two veterans on the list. If you don't have two, you can have rookies in their place ('nominated' to the senior list for the year).

I've checked, and I can't find anywhere any word of us having any veterans. At the worst, we'd only have the one (Jamar).

Does this not mean we have room to 'nominate' at least one rookie? And this could be Magner/Couch? And they could play?

Should've drafted Magner with the pick we used for Rodan.

No one answered Stuie's initial question here.

The rules are that you can have up to two veterans on the list. If you don't have two, you can have rookies in their place ('nominated' to the senior list for the year).

I've checked, and I can't find anywhere any word of us having any veterans. At the worst, we'd only have the one (Jamar).

Does this not mean we have room to 'nominate' at least one rookie? And this could be Magner/Couch? And they could play?

Davey?

Davey?

I don't think he qualifies; to be a veteran you have to have played for 10 years or more. Davey debuted in 2004, making 2013 his 10th year.

As far as I can tell, Jamar, who debuted in 2013, is the only player on our list who qualifies as a veteran, which means at the very least we should have one spot open for us to nominate a rookie.

I don't think he qualifies; to be a veteran you have to have played for 10 years or more. Davey debuted in 2004, making 2013 his 10th year.

As far as I can tell, Jamar, who debuted in 2013, is the only player on our list who qualifies as a veteran, which means at the very least we should have one spot open for us to nominate a rookie.

Wow feels like Davey has been around for ever

Anyway I would definitely go Magner ahead of Couch.

To me Couch is a waste of space on the list - should have been used on a young rookie with greater potential to improve. (Stark and Clisby)

Couch and Magner.

Slow and slower.

Does anyone really, truly think that these two would have kept up with Priddus, Shuey, Kerr, Ham, Gaff, Masten, Embley or Waters??

Anyway I would definitely go Magner ahead of Couch.

To me Couch is a waste of space on the list - should have been used on a young rookie with greater potential to improve. (Stark and Clisby)

I wouldn't go for either.

We already look like a VFL team trying to compete against AFL teams.

Why not give 2 established VFL players more of a go?

We need maturity inside. I'd have magner in asap.

A pity we didn't get Tuck from Richmond a couple of seasons back.

& don't mention Travis Boak.

& don't mention Travis Boak.

Mate you really think Boak would've come to us, when an offer was on the table from Geelong? Never. If he was coming back to Melbourne, it wasn't too our club.

Don't understand why people think every player is driven by money. Not everyone is like Clark.

Vets list has been abolished TMK.

Just a straight list now.

Couch and Magner.

Slow and slower.

Does anyone really, truly think that these two would have kept up with Priddus, Shuey, Kerr, Ham, Gaff, Masten, Embley or Waters??

Do you think we would have been much worse?!

Our lack of midfield structure already exposes the likes Trengove and Jones for pace. We don't need even slower mids. Magner tries hard, but shouldn't be AFL standard, while Couch certainly isn't AFL standard.

Our lack of midfield structure already exposes the likes Trengove and Jones for pace. We don't need even slower mids. Magner tries hard, but shouldn't be AFL standard, while Couch certainly isn't AFL standard.

They may not be quick, but I'd back both of those guys to stick with their man, and we need that desperately.

I'm not sure why we kept Couch on if we weren't going to promote Magner to the senior list.

I'm not sure why we kept Couch on if we weren't going to promote Magner to the senior list.

I'm not sure why we kept Couch on full stop.

Do you think we would have been much worse?!

Yep.

OK, the answer seems to be as follows (from http://www.aflpa.com.au/images/uploads/AFL_Rules_-_Feb_2013_FINAL.pdf):

The total primary list size is now 40 (potentially some exceptions for the new clubs). If you have 39 senior players, you can nominate one rookie to fill the gap; if you have 38, you can nominate two rookies. Our list having 40, we didn't have room for a rookie prior to Round 1.

The only other ways to get a rookie onto the senior list, then, are the Long Term Injury rule (promote a rookie in place of someone on the LTI), or, it seems, to nominate a rookie mid-season. The rules say that you can nominate a rookie after Round 11 of the season, and they are then eligible to play for the remainder of the year, provided you can fit their payment under the salary cap (Player Rule 21.11).

So, it seems that, unless and until we get a long term injury, neither Magner nor Couch, nor any other rookie, can get a game until Round 12 at the earliest.

Vets list has been abolished TMK.

Just a straight list now.

Indeed, thanks HFF.