If we are going to recruits blokes go for people that are borderline players and actually show a bit of talent and also are the right age bracket. Look at who they have picked up Houli, Grigg, Maric, All going to be very solid players for Ricmond and plus they recruits kids who are physically ready like Martin, Conca, Ellis, Vlaustuin and Morris. They built there foundation and then topped it off with older blokes like Chaplin, Knights, Longergan, Edwards, Petterd who can come in and fill in a role when a player goes down or in an emergency circumstance... Most of those older blokes aren't plodders either atleast they have shown they can play and contribute to the game. You look at the Guys we brought like Pedersen, Byrnes, Rodan, who are all past it and nearing the bad side of footy and Gillies who is not even up to AFL standard plus also Sellar who just doesn't look like he will show much then I would have hoped for. And then giving Joel Mcdonald another year and Mark Jamar 3 more years is a joke. Neeld should have given Gysberts, Morton, Petterd, Martin atleast 2 years under his coaching system to try and see if he can bring the best out of them. If it doesn work then trade em off.. For decent draft picks!!!

You mean play [censored] football for 30 years and make the finals sparingly?

Yeah Melbourne's already taking a leaf out of their book.

Was based more on recruiting wise. They will be top 8 this year possibly top 6 then push top 4 next year. Mark my words.

The have recruited some average playes from other clubs too, without Cotchin, Martin, Delidio most of the others aren't as good.

The have recruited some average playes from other clubs too, without Cotchin, Martin, Delidio most of the others aren't as good.

like who?

The have recruited some average playes from other clubs too, without Cotchin, Martin, Delidio most of the others aren't as good.

Same like how Collingwood would be [censored] without Pendles, Swan, Beams, Thomas? Or Hawthorn without Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell.. Seriously come off it Condemned

The have recruited some average playes from other clubs too, without Cotchin, Martin, Delidio most of the others aren't as good.

Spot on

If we are going to recruits blokes go for people that are borderline players and actually show a bit of talent and also are the right age bracket. Look at who they have picked up Houli, Grigg, Maric, All going to be very solid players for Ricmond and plus they recruits kids who are physically ready like Martin, Conca, Ellis, Vlaustuin and Morris. They built there foundation and then topped it off with older blokes like Chaplin, Knights, Longergan, Edwards, Petterd who can come in and fill in a role when a player goes down or in an emergency circumstance... Most of those older blokes aren't plodders either atleast they have shown they can play and contribute to the game. You look at the Guys we brought like Pedersen, Byrnes, Rodan, who are all past it and nearing the bad side of footy and Gillies who is not even up to AFL standard plus also Sellar who just doesn't look like he will show much then I would have hoped for. And then giving Joel Mcdonald another year and Mark Jamar 3 more years is a joke. Neeld should have given Gysberts, Morton, Petterd, Martin atleast 2 years under his coaching system to try and see if he can bring the best out of them. If it doesn work then trade em off.. For decent draft picks!!!

your right dazzledavey36, they've recruited many players with built in aggression. not prima donnas who get ahead of themselves before they've even earnt a kick or put on a block.

The have recruited some average playes from other clubs too, without Cotchin, Martin, Delidio most of the others aren't as good.

Same like how Collingwood would be [censored] without Pendles, Swan, Beams, Thomas? Or Hawthorn without Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell.. Seriously come off it Condemned

...but that's the point we don't have a Cotchin, Martin, Delidio, Pendles, Swan, Thomas, MItchell, Hodge, Sewell. Not a one, and these players are the foundation that the other lesser players can build their game on. You are right with the age bracket though, no point recruiting players from other clubs past I would think 26-27 yo unless they are A graders and even then????

Houli butchers the ball like no other. Maric is insanely over-rated (people just love him because of his hair and attitude). Petterd was crap today, Knights is a nothing player, Grigg is no better.

Richmond's success is due to having a bevy of A-graders. Any team with Cotchin, Martin, Deledio, Riewoldt and Newman is going to do well.

They hired a coach who was a very good footballer and won flags at 2 clubs

[censored] footballers never make good coaches

Remind me again what Bailey and Neeld did in their playing careers? Nothing thats what

They hired a coach who was a very good footballer and won flags at 2 clubs

[censored] footballers never make good coaches

Remind me again what Bailey and Neeld did in their playing careers? Nothing thats what

What did Hafey and Jeans do in their playing careers?

They hired a coach who was a very good footballer and won flags at 2 clubs

[censored] footballers never make good coaches

Remind me again what Bailey and Neeld did in their playing careers? Nothing thats what

Tim Watson....no good as a coach.

Roger Merrett.....no good as coach.

Brett Ratten.....no good as a coach.

Ross Lyon....spud player, excellent coach.

Well thought out post, HH.

Tim Watson....no good as a coach.

Roger Merrett.....no good as coach.

Brett Ratten.....no good as a coach.

Ross Lyon....spud player, excellent coach.

Well thought out post, HH.

Ross was a pretty good player, but I agree with your point.

I'd rather look at Sydney. They demand consistent effort and endeavour. That's a club that has punched so far above its weight for so long that they are genuinely worth studying.

The Tiges will find a way to break hearts. They've been doing it for so long they don't know how not to.

Ross was a pretty good player, but I agree with your point.

Was he? Can't remember him much, so I was taking a punt

The only thing I take from Richmond is they selected a great coach.

Houli butchers the ball like no other. Maric is insanely over-rated (people just love him because of his hair and attitude). Petterd was crap today, Knights is a nothing player, Grigg is no better.

Richmond's success is due to having a bevy of A-graders. Any team with Cotchin, Martin, Deledio, Riewoldt and Newman is going to do well.

You clearly have idea about football. Houli is a very good kick and plays the qtr back role perfect. Maric is not overated you would love him atour club! Was in the all australian initial squard last year. Grigg is a great outside player something we lack desperate.. would be our top three onballer. We shouldnt have got rid of petterd will be a good half back flanker for them.

Cousins wasn't great for them, Miller less than great, Marric even worse, Tom Hislop, just to name a few. I'm sure there would be more.

Petterd is still a liability with the ball, but could come good, Houli is decent same as Grigg, but they are not stars.

After two game I think Matt Jones will be as good if not better.

I don't think I need to come on at all.

The only thing I take from Richmond is they selected a great coach.

Who played under Sheedy (Premiership) and Williams (Premiership) then learnt to coach under Clarkson (Premiership).

Simple isn't it.

Richmond's recruiting of kids has been good. After spending on talls in Rance, Riewoldt and Vickery to get a spine they have drafter gun midfielders and topped up along the way nicely.

Grigg was a clever trade. Houli was a reasonable price. Maric same. They are the important 3 who play consistently decent footy for them. But I'm not sure who was available for a trade at a decent price to come to us this year. Free agency means more players are signed up earlier. The secret to those 3 is they weren't getting games and left for opportunity then flourished when they got it. We took Gillies and Pedersen as similar types, both of who have plenty of years left in the game. They just haven't been up to scratch. Dawes is another example and we can't judge him yet.

Adding Byrnes and Rodan shouldn't be treated the same. They were brought in to replace experience otherwise we would have a ridiculously young list full of blokes who weren't going to get a game anyway. If we had 2 more picks in the draft or kept Morton and Bennell or Cook what difference would it make?

You look at the Guys we brought like Pedersen, Byrnes, Rodan, who are all past it and nearing the bad side of footy and Gillies who is not even up to AFL standard plus also Sellar who just doesn't look like he will show much then I would have hoped for. And then giving Joel Mcdonald another year and Mark Jamar 3 more years is a joke. Neeld should have given Gysberts, Morton, Petterd, Martin atleast 2 years under his coaching system to try and see if he can bring the best out of them. If it doesn work then trade em off.. For decent draft picks!!!

Gysbert, Morton, Petterd and Martin were not finding regular spots in our side, so how good were they, how many years do they need before you say it isnt working. Two years, why not 3. somewhere you need to draw the line, he gave them a year to fall into line or fit in they didnt. Pettard and martin seem to be the only two getting a regular game so far.

As for the guys we drafted, not an auspicious start, but they just got here and need to fit in to our game plan, which at the moment confuses everyone. Brynes is a crumbing forward having to go into the backline to get the ball. 11 other players had more touches then he did (12 had less), but many of these players that had more possessions were on the ball or in the backline. Garland, Frawley and Sellers all had less, Byrnes also had 2 clearances in that the same number as Trengrove. Our new players are trying, they need more time to get used to how we play as opposed to how we should play. We have more than enough established players who have not pulled their weight, maybe its time to cut these new guys some slack, they are still melbourne players and we want them and anyone else in our list doing the best they can so that we can get the best team we can onto the field.

I think the physicality and aggression (in a couple of them) are actually requirements of Neeld already, recruiting blokes like Magner, Clark, M.Jones, Terlich and so on. He is already trying to do it and was vocal about using Richmond as a blueprint last year.

The only issue is that Neeld inherited a list that resembled a pile of stinking [censored], he's doing what he can. Game day however is a completely different issue, Hardwick is obviously a much better coach.

If we are going to recruits blokes go for people that are borderline players and actually show a bit of talent and also are the right age bracket. Look at who they have picked up Houli, Grigg, Maric, All going to be very solid players for Ricmond and plus they recruits kids who are physically ready like Martin, Conca, Ellis, Vlaustuin and Morris. They built there foundation and then topped it off with older blokes like Chaplin, Knights, Longergan, Edwards, Petterd who can come in and fill in a role when a player goes down or in an emergency circumstance... Most of those older blokes aren't plodders either atleast they have shown they can play and contribute to the game. You look at the Guys we brought like Pedersen, Byrnes, Rodan, who are all past it and nearing the bad side of footy and Gillies who is not even up to AFL standard plus also Sellar who just doesn't look like he will show much then I would have hoped for. And then giving Joel Mcdonald another year and Mark Jamar 3 more years is a joke. Neeld should have given Gysberts, Morton, Petterd, Martin atleast 2 years under his coaching system to try and see if he can bring the best out of them. If it doesn work then trade em off.. For decent draft picks!!!

Lol this is a joke right?

Give Morton another 2 years?! <--- he had since 2008 to show something

If it doesnt work out then trade them off for a decent draft pick?! <--- we did, for example Morton we got pick 88... lucky to get anything

Also Im glad you skipped over some of their worse drafting moments... Ie picking Tambling over Franklin

We are following Richmond model, completely stuff up our drafting and trading for 3 years, then stay in the bottom four for another 3 years and draft trade well. Remember Richmonds rebuild started in the early 2000's along with Hawthorn and Collingwood they were set back 10 years by poor drafting

If we are going to recruits blokes go for people that are borderline players and actually show a bit of talent and also are the right age bracket. Look at who they have picked up Houli, Grigg, Maric, All going to be very solid players for Ricmond and plus they recruits kids who are physically ready like Martin, Conca, Ellis, Vlaustuin and Morris. They built there foundation and then topped it off with older blokes like Chaplin, Knights, Longergan, Edwards, Petterd who can come in and fill in a role when a player goes down or in an emergency circumstance... Most of those older blokes aren't plodders either atleast they have shown they can play and contribute to the game. You look at the Guys we brought like Pedersen, Byrnes, Rodan, who are all past it and nearing the bad side of footy and Gillies who is not even up to AFL standard plus also Sellar who just doesn't look like he will show much then I would have hoped for. And then giving Joel Mcdonald another year and Mark Jamar 3 more years is a joke. Neeld should have given Gysberts, Morton, Petterd, Martin atleast 2 years under his coaching system to try and see if he can bring the best out of them. If it doesn work then trade em off.. For decent draft picks!!!

Explain how you trade players off for decent picks when no one wants them?