Vince just replaced Sylvia. I'd still like Cross to come in to add experience to our midfield. Dom and Viv have only played 14 games between them so we are still an inexperienced midfield unit.

Even if he is only depth I'd much tether have Cross coming in than Bail or Nicholson if we need it. We really need to start winning games.

i think that cross still has alot to offer and as a delisted free agent is basically free.

in the pre season his professionalism and work rate will be an example to others thereby

raising the overall performance of the group

in the season he will add a big body to aid our developing mids and, whilst coming off

a season where he averaged 20+ touches, he will be contributing personally thereby

raising the overall performance of the group

in any hypothetical post season matches his maturity and experience (i think he played on those

preliminary finals) will assist in directing and focusing the intent of team mates thereby

raising the overall performance of the group

Competition for spots is never a bad thing, especially when it costs nothing.

Paul Roos uses the trade and draft to build a team rather than bring in individuals with exceptional skill. Vince is a very good footballer, while Michie and Tyson have shown skill and potential but it looks like they have been chosen to complete a group of midfielders of about 10 players. This will likely form the guts of Roos' game plan.

We have a lot of players who can move through the back line and forward line but I reckon we lack two things:

A small forward.

A line breaking backman (Birchall, Shaw, Grigg)

I can't see either of these types available in the PSD, so we might have to wait until 2014 to trade them in. Food for thought though:

Small forward: Barry, Jetta, Byrnes, Strauss, Tapscott

Line breaking backman: Blease, Evans

I'd be looking at Nahas for the small forward role. Or is he too similar to Byrnes?

Competition for spots is never a bad thing, especially when it costs nothing.

some people still believe any recruits over 28 are list cloggers, whereas imo they should be the leaders.

I dont think we need Cross now that Bernie Vince has come on board.

We still need Cross.

Cross is a must, And for people that regularly go down to training to watch you will see why.

In terms of creating a good culture and work ethic, Cross is in the mould of Cameron Ling.

It's an absolute no brainer for the MFC to get him.

Why? If he decides to retire after one year what would you say then? If we get 3 years out of him that would be a maximum of 60 games. How many games would you hope to get out of a pick 22, I would suggest a lot more.

I agree he will bring experience and talent and as I said I just put the price on him as too much but ok if Lyons was included. Anyway it is what it is and our list is getting better.

I'm sitting here reading this crap. I can't believe how many people do not understand the strategic approach the club has just been through in this trading. The most sophisticated in years, and I believe will set us up for the 8 in one to two years, and a grand final within three.

To do that we need to ensure we do not allow our list to be raided as it was with Sylvia. Bernie Vince is a better more consistent player than Colin ever was, and is the same age as Colin. His coming to the club is via Colin's pick. It is a no brainier.

I do wish these whingers would think more strategically on some of these issues.

I suspect we have ticked off our wish list. Interesting to see what happens in the last week. Can we improve our picks? Do we move someone out? Do we facilitate a deal for others?

Very happy with where we are at. Excited by what may be possible!

Tip: Lennon would be perfect for us at 9. Pacy, 6'3", booming accurate kick, great mark, specialist HFF, but wants to build his engine to play in the midfield, and very good defensively.

Emma Quayle says we will draft him at 9. Sounds perfect to me. A player profile we singularly lack.

Have faith in the team doing this. They have delivered outcomes no-one would ever have dreamt of three weeks ago.

Jones, Vince, Viney, Trengove, Tyson, Michie, McKenzie, Toumpas, Watts, Matt Jones, Evans

They are my genuine midfielders. Might not be stars and very young and inexperienced but they have the pedigree and/or preseasons and/or form to play midfield at AFL level. We need at least 10 of those playing every week and playing well to win games.

Then we've got a few more with big questions marks over them. Kent, Byrnes, Blease, Nicholson, Barry, Bail, Taggert, Magner plus all our draft picks. If we are lucky pick 9 is ready to go and Kent can show he can be effective doing spurts in the midfield as well. If we are super lucky we get surprised by Blease, Barry or Taggert. Even still we'd be relying on those guys for depth.

The bulldogs last year showed they got games out of Hrovat, Jack McRae and Lachie Hunter as first year draftees that pushed Cross out. This year we'd be bringing Cross in for depth and hoping he actually plays fewer games than more. Last year we brought Rodan in for depth but as early as the NAB Cup it was obvious the midfielders around him weren't even better than him.

I'd be all for Cross but I'd want him to take the spot of Magner or Nicholson on this list. No point having those 2 and Cross. That's 3 spots for guys we hope never play. When you saw the value of PSD last year when we missed out on Hannath who looks a handy prospect then that's the counter argument for bringing Cross in. Let's see where we are by the end of the trade period.

Jones, Vince, Viney, Trengove, Tyson, Michie, McKenzie, Toumpas, Watts, Matt Jones, Evans

They are my genuine midfielders. Might not be stars and very young and inexperienced but they have the pedigree and/or preseasons and/or form to play midfield at AFL level. We need at least 10 of those playing every week and playing well to win games.

Then we've got a few more with big questions marks over them. Kent, Byrnes, Blease, Nicholson, Barry, Bail, Taggert, Magner plus all our draft picks. If we are lucky pick 9 is ready to go and Kent can show he can be effective doing spurts in the midfield as well. If we are super lucky we get surprised by Blease, Barry or Taggert. Even still we'd be relying on those guys for depth.

The bulldogs last year showed they got games out of Hrovat, Jack McRae and Lachie Hunter as first year draftees that pushed Cross out. This year we'd be bringing Cross in for depth and hoping he actually plays fewer games than more. Last year we brought Rodan in for depth but as early as the NAB Cup it was obvious the midfielders around him weren't even better than him.

I'd be all for Cross but I'd want him to take the spot of Magner or Nicholson on this list. No point having those 2 and Cross. That's 3 spots for guys we hope never play. When you saw the value of PSD last year when we missed out on Hannath who looks a handy prospect then that's the counter argument for bringing Cross in. Let's see where we are by the end of the trade period.

I would take cross over Magner in an absolute heartbeat!.

Tip: Lennon would be perfect for us at 9. Pacy, 6'3", booming accurate kick, great mark, specialist HFF, but wants to build his engine to play in the midfield, and very good defensively.

Emma Quayle says we will draft him at 9. Sounds perfect to me. A player profile we singularly lack.

Have faith in the team doing this. They have delivered outcomes no-one would ever have dreamt of three weeks ago.

Different players I know but pacy, good height, good marking or kicking half forwards looking to get into the midfield - we have Howe and Watts already. In some ways I'd rather see what they can do in the midfield for a year before we get a guy who ends up competing for games at half forward with them.

I'll trust our recruiters if they go for Lennon but I would've preferred him to do more in the midfield against the best in his age before he got drafted and tries to do it at AFL. That said we all know how good Rockliff was as a forward in juniors and now as a midfielder.

Vince just replaced Sylvia. I'd still like Cross to come in to add experience to our midfield. Dom and Viv have only played 14 games between them so we are still an inexperienced midfield unit.

Even if he is only depth I'd much tether have Cross coming in than Bail or Nicholson if we need it. We really need to start winning games.

Disagree. Mahony was quote as saying once Sylvia left a position opened up for an older midfielder to be recruited and that is when the looked at Vince. It sounds to me like there is not 2 places on list for older players. BUt time will tell who is right ha

I would take cross over Magner in an absolute heartbeat!.

So would I but at the moment Magner is on our list and Cross isn't.

Sorry not trade related

What grates my goat is that we have to endure another preseason of how good training is etc etc etc.

I will be relieved/exited come round 1 if we are competitive or heaven for bid we win.

Until rd1 I am excited but very very wary of what will happen next season.

I suppose that's what the last 7 seasons have done to me.

Jones, Vince, Viney, Trengove, Tyson, Michie, McKenzie, Toumpas, Watts, Matt Jones, Evans

They are my genuine midfielders. Might not be stars and very young and inexperienced but they have the pedigree and/or preseasons and/or form to play midfield at AFL level. We need at least 10 of those playing every week and playing well to win games.

Then we've got a few more with big questions marks over them. Kent, Byrnes, Blease, Nicholson, Barry, Bail, Taggert, Magner plus all our draft picks. If we are lucky pick 9 is ready to go and Kent can show he can be effective doing spurts in the midfield as well. If we are super lucky we get surprised by Blease, Barry or Taggert. Even still we'd be relying on those guys for depth.

The bulldogs last year showed they got games out of Hrovat, Jack McRae and Lachie Hunter as first year draftees that pushed Cross out. This year we'd be bringing Cross in for depth and hoping he actually plays fewer games than more. Last year we brought Rodan in for depth but as early as the NAB Cup it was obvious the midfielders around him weren't even better than him.

I'd be all for Cross but I'd want him to take the spot of Magner or Nicholson on this list. No point having those 2 and Cross. That's 3 spots for guys we hope never play. When you saw the value of PSD last year when we missed out on Hannath who looks a handy prospect then that's the counter argument for bringing Cross in. Let's see where we are by the end of the trade period.

If Roos can get Nico to kick to a team mate and straight he will be a huge weapon as he has the tank and size.

Here's hoping.

Tip: Lennon would be perfect for us at 9. Pacy, 6'3", booming accurate kick, great mark, specialist HFF, but wants to build his engine to play in the midfield, and very good defensively.

Emma Quayle says we will draft him at 9. Sounds perfect to me. A player profile we singularly lack.

Have faith in the team doing this. They have delivered outcomes no-one would ever have dreamt of three weeks ago.

I was surprised to see that Emma Quayle says we will take Lennon.

She might well be right, I respect her articles and her detailed knowledge of the draftees.

However, I would think that another tough, solid on-baller would be more the preferred target. Our forward line looks good, with the exception of a skilled 'small', and Lennon is not small.

Freeman, Crouch, etc could still be available at pick 9 and would be a great get. They could also go at 2 or 3, of course.

If Roos can get Nico to kick to a team mate and straight he will be a huge weapon as he has the tank and size.

Here's hoping.

Even if he fixes his kicking he's still soft and mentally slow. The legs are fast but the footy brain isn't up to AFL standard I dont think. If he was skilled and hard you'd put up with bad decision making but right now he can't kick, doesn't go hard enough and doesn't make good decisions. That's the 3/4 of a bad player. He does have the athleticism to make up the other 1/4 though.

I was surprised to see that Emma Quayle says we will take Lennon.

She might well be right, I respect her articles and her detailed knowledge of the draftees.

However, I would think that another tough, solid on-baller would be more the preferred target. Our forward line looks good, with the exception of a skilled 'small', and Lennon is not small.

Freeman, Crouch, etc could still be available at pick 9 and would be a great get. They could also go at 2 or 3, of course.

If we draft Lennon it will be as a mid. He has played some midfield towards the end of the season and he might start forward (or even back) but the hope will be midfield. In which case I understand the need for a tall big body and skilled mid.

It's just a gutsy call to use pick 9 on a guy who might be a midfielder when you have those other options available. Then again Dyson Heppell was a defender for most of his junior career. North have used pick 8 on McDonald who will start as a defender.

I wouldn't back our old coaches to make forwards into mids. They've failed to make Tapscott and Blease into those type of players. But Roos might be up to it.

I'd like to try to get a trade with swans, re Lamb. maybe Tapscott for Lamb, thoughts?

I think Tappy could do well under the existing Swans style, & maybe lamb would like to return to Melbourne.

Even if he fixes his kicking he's still soft and mentally slow. The legs are fast but the footy brain isn't up to AFL standard I dont think. If he was skilled and hard you'd put up with bad decision making but right now he can't kick, doesn't go hard enough and doesn't make good decisions. That's the 3/4 of a bad player. He does have the athleticism to make up the other 1/4 though.

I think that may actually be the reason why he is such a poor kick (well part of it anyway) If you are mentally slow as a footballer you are rushed with disposal more often that not because you try to kick too/handball quickly because of perceived pressure

If we draft Lennon it will be as a mid. He has played some midfield towards the end of the season and he might start forward (or even back) but the hope will be midfield. In which case I understand the need for a tall big body and skilled mid.

It's just a gutsy call to use pick 9 on a guy who might be a midfielder when you have those other options available. Then again Dyson Heppell was a defender for most of his junior career. North have used pick 8 on McDonald who will start as a defender.

I wouldn't back our old coaches to make forwards into mids. They've failed to make Tapscott and Blease into those type of players. But Roos might be up to it.

I think we'll draft a player who can play well between the Arcs. has some pace & toughness & uses the footy very well.

Nicho did ok in a negative tagging role. Might see him do more of that because he can run all day like a kelpie but has poor disposal.

I'd like to try to get a trade with swans, re Lamb. maybe Tapscott for Lamb, thoughts?

I think Tappy could do well under the existing Swans style, & maybe lamb would like to return to Melbourne.

Existing Swans style? The same one that Roos created and Longmire built upon?

Tappy will flourish under Roos. Just the king of long kicking, hard nut style player he likes. No need to give him away. Plus Lamb has all but re-signed with the Swans.