I'd be surprised if 16 other clubs were not inquiring as well

AFL must be the last code in the world which hasn't embraced player movement and restriction of trade. AFL should be proud of it's loyalty from players but also needs to grow up in this sense.

Don't get me wrong Sylvia will be a massive loss if he leaves - but the MFC must be pro active and not sit on it's hands..... We should be preparing for him to leave behind the scenes while convincing him to stay in public. Your kidding yourself if you don't think this is normal AFL process

I heard this this morning on Facebook before the sen comments - assuming that is where it came from. Reputable??

Reputable was nit a question but rather sarcasm

Demonland myth? It's not a myth, he has constantly under performed and shown laziness, a lack of leadership and selfishness for as long as he has been here.

So far this year and last year he has been better and I'd have been all for getting rid of him a couple of years ago but I fear that if we lost him this year he would leave a large hole in the list. Not in terms of any kind of leadership or as a role model but he is a big body and to Neeld, 145 games experience...

I was referring to the myth that he only plays well against poor opposition. As I said, that is rubbish. I know full well that Colin has at various times in his career let himself down with his application.

Just a question for Demonlanders

Are people really surprised that other clubs inquire in players??

IMO the MFC needs to get in front of the game and be pro active signing players now or planning for their departures

If Col can stop destroying his teammates' good work by bombing the ball over the heads of our forwards or getting caught in tackles, he might become a useful player. Until then, he's one of the many reasons we can't seem to collect long chains of possessions; he turns the ball over far too often for someone with his skill level.

He's a pretty good player, but unfortunately he isn't as good as he thinks he is - and that is his downfall. We need to keep him if possible, but we have to learn how to use him better.

And kick the pill to who?? The endless amount of team mates who spread for him?

I'd rather him kick down the line 55m for a 5% chance of a mark then kick it sideways/backwards for a 5% chance to retain it.

No one has ever brought up his kicking ability before and he is easily still one of the best kicks in the team. It's just this year the options when he has the pill have dried up.

Col will do what is in his best interests. He's always done as he pleases and never actually pushed himself through his career, if he had he'd have won a few blueys and probably be captain of the club. If he goes he will get a lesser contract in terms of years and cash IMO.

I want him to stay but I don't hold much hope of it. Better go get a sleeve tatt Col......

And kick the pill to who?? The endless amount of team mates who spread for him?

I'd rather him kick down the line 55m for a 5% chance of a mark then kick it sideways/backwards for a 5% chance to retain it.

No one has ever brought up his kicking ability before and he is easily still one of the best kicks in the team. It's just this year the options when he has the pill have dried up.

If you kick the ball low and direct into the forward line instead of high and indiscriminately, you draw your forward to the ball. Two weeks ago in Dawes' first game, I reckon Col kicked the ball over his head about 5 times when a more precise kick would have changed those turnovers into shots at goal (or at the very least given our midfielders time to run into the forward line and lock the ball in there.

What should happen is we run the ball out of defence, give the ball to our best ball users and hit up a leading forward (Dawes, Howe, Tapscott, whoever is in there), who then wheels around and kicks it either to a marking contest where we have the numbers or to another leading foward.

Sylvia just gets the ball and either tries to break the lines unsuccessfully or kicks a high up-and-under rainmaker to no-one. The way he plays will usually see him kick a ripper goal once a week, but he could be far more valuable by exercising a little restraint.

I predicted before our Richmond game that our delivery into the forward-line would be much better with Sylvia out. Lo-and-behold it was; at one stage we were kicking a goal every time we went in there. Surely we have to ask ourselves why that was.

I want us to keep him, but we simply need to use him better. That's all.

Edited May 21, 201312 yr by Chook

Why wouldn't he want to go?

The way the MFC is they will extend Neelds contract for another 2 seasons to keep in line with his 5 yr development plan!!!!

According to SEN. In my opinion: great news, see you later Col, you could have been great if only you had self discipline, passion and the mindset of a leader.

Yeah great news, we lose a talented senior player for nothing.... Just what we need!

Yeah great news, we lose a talented senior player for nothing.... Just what we need!

Don't worry stuie we will get a good young draft pick to replace him (cause we will finish last) and we will develop him into a gun mid.

Don't worry stuie we will get a good young draft pick to replace him (cause we will finish last) and we will develop him into a gun mid.

New messiah every year....

If you kick the ball low and direct into the forward line instead of high and indiscriminately, you draw your forward to the ball. Two weeks ago in Dawes' first game, I reckon Col kicked the ball over his head about 5 times when a more precise kick would have changed those turnovers into shots at goal (or at the very least given our midfielders time to run into the forward line and lock the ball in there.

What should happen is we run the ball out of defence, give the ball to our best ball users and hit up a leading forward (Dawes, Howe, Tapscott, whoever is in there), who then wheels around and kicks it either to a marking contest where we have the numbers or to another leading foward.

Sylvia just gets the ball and either tries to break the lines unsuccessfully or kicks a high up-and-under rainmaker to no-one. The way he plays will usually see him kick a ripper goal once a week, but he could be far more valuable by exercising a little restraint.

I predicted before our Richmond game that our delivery into the forward-line would be much better with Sylvia out. Lo-and-behold it was; at one stage we were kicking a goal every time we went in there. Surely we have to ask ourselves why that was.

I want us to keep him, but we simply need to use him better. That's all.

I agree with where you say what 'should' happen out of the back line, that's where we need Watts & Strauss to really come along but I have my worries there.

Against Gold Coast I sat on the forward flank at the Punt Road end and I can remember him kicking the ball twice over Dawes head (noting he was battling two Suns) to big Maximus who also was continually out numbered. I thought Dawes was used as more of the decoy in his first outing then a CHF. Not sure if this was Col's random thinking or more of a team strategy. By this stage Howe was behind the pill and Tappy was just lumbering around.

I do remember once however he didn't lower the eyes and kicked it 50m to no one but I still think that's just panic footy with little other option.

The delivery was better against the Tiges as I am not sure they really turned up to play and we gave it everything... for once. Also the fact Flash got a few touches makes a massive difference.

But back on topic, although our Colin is a curious case, I really think we can't afford to lose him

New messiah every year....

Yep, and it's pretty [censored] boring

New messiah every year....

along with Neelds 2 yr contract extension everything is sweet.

Unrestricted.

Sorry for being naive, but does that we can't match the offer? Or trump it?

Mark Stevens ‏@Stevo7AFL17 May

Imagine Col Sylvia tearing it apart on a HFF for Pies? A gun .. But also for all his perceived weaknesses a loyalist grateful to Dees

Well I can't blame him if he does leave hearing all the abuse from some supporters. We can't win a game and haven't for 5 years and the bloke he's still supposedly loyal to us. Yet in return, we as a supporter base want him out because he hasn't performed regularly enough against good teams. HELLO, WE'VE BEATEN 1 GOOD TEAM IN 3 YEARS! NO-ONE'S PERFORMED!!!

All these posters harp on about how our culture problem is kicking out players before they're due.. Junior, Greeny etc. These guys were so cooked in their career they couldn't play anymore.. and we have a late 20's player who has so much talent and is finally beginning to sort himself out and play good footy.. He wants to stay at Melbourne and we want him out..

Guck me.

"Absolutely sick and tired of hearing this about Melbourne players. By the way, who was the last Demon to dominate in a good team?"

Chapman

Jarman

Wilson

Byrne

Elshaug

Parke

Brewer

Absolutely sick and tired of hearing this about Melbourne players. By the way, who was the last Demon to dominate in a good team?

Scott Thompson. In the best every week.

"Absolutely sick and tired of hearing this about Melbourne players. By the way, who was the last Demon to dominate in a good team?"

Chapman

Jarman

Wilson

Byrne

Elshaug

Parke

Brewer

Jeff Farmer

Absolutely sick and tired of hearing this about Melbourne players. By the way, who was the last Demon to dominate in a good team?

Mclean is making a fairly good job of it at Carlton.

"Absolutely sick and tired of hearing this about Melbourne players. By the way, who was the last Demon to dominate in a good team?"

Chapman

Jarman

Wilson

Byrne

Elshaug

Parke

Brewer

+

Scott Thompson

Darren Jolly ( premierships at two different teams )

Brock Mclean

Jared Rivers only a few games so far but was listed in their best ever game he played

Is that enough for you Soidee?

I must completely over rate some players after reading some of the comments in these threads for those people who think Daisy is soft and the Col is not needed.

I wonder what he really has to do to earn the respect of some people here, it sounds like anything under 30 touches and 5 goals is not good enough.

Let's all agree that he is never going to be that star player, he will never win a brownlow and he will probably never win a coaches award for being the king of 1 percenters like our Jordie continually does. Also, he is not a leaders boot lace but that's not his fault. Some people are born with it, others aren't. Why should be try turn him into one?? Memories of Brad Green flood back.

He is a genuine HFF who has stints on the ball, ala Chappy or Stevey J and no I am not putting him anywhere near the standards of those two but his position should be similar 75% in the forward line with a chop out on the ball. Maybe if the ball was forward a bit more we would see some more Col action.

Now from the half way mark last year (and after coming back from a big injury pre season) he averaged 22 touches and a goal a game which I don't think is to bad in a team that was complete filth.

This year, removing the Essendon disgrace and noting our team is even worse than last year he is still averaging 20 touches and a goal. This is his limit and I don't know why so many would be happy to see a player getting these numbers leave.

Most will say that he is continually kicking long to no one which watching, yes I agree, but also from being at the games he has stuff all options to kick to, we all agree there is no spread and without Clarke or Dawes I'd probably rather kick it to an opposition player than Sellar as well.

We continually cry out for decent grade mids and the one player we have with some talent people are happy to see the back of.

Give this man a medal. Thank you sir. Unfortunately there are many fools round these parts who don't care for logic... just misdirected emotion...

Is Sylvia a restriced or unrestriced free agent?

Unrestriced

we need Sylvia to stay.he wins plenty of the ball and he is a booming kick, and when we have Clark, Dawes and Hogan in the side, Col will be worth his weight in gold

That is correct but as an unrestricted player he has to want to stay.

If he chooses to go there is nothing the MFC can do about it.

end of story