James Frawley bleeds red and blue

[What 18,810]

DEFENDER James Frawley says he still bleeds red and blue, despite conceding that the past seven seasons - in particular from 2011-13 - have been extremely trying.

Frawley, who was drafted at No. 12 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft (the year Melbourne last made the finals), said he was eager to help the Demons start the climb up the ladder next year under new coach Paul Roos.

“Me and Garlo (Colin Garland) came to the club at the same time, and we’ve had some pretty lean years, but I love this place,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“Jade Rawlings says the old line ‘if you cut the vein, it’ll bleed red and blue’, which they probably are [in my case].

“I love this place, but all I want to do is see improvement in the group … hopefully we can improve next year and get a few wins.”

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-02/frawley-still-a-true-demon-in-dark-times

Best full back in the game, and he loves the club. You can tell it kills him every time we lose. This guy deserves success more than any player on our list. Imagine being the full back in a team that has the worst midfield of all time. And yet he still smashes his direct opponent every single week.

Would love if we could tie him up to a contract extension in the next few months.

[Arrow 1,257]

You'd hope his blood is red and blue, he'd be dead otherwise. Seriously though, it's a good sign.

[dazzledavey36 55,912]

Its a good start but if we do not improve next year its bye bye Frawley..

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

He's possibly our most valuable player.

Top stuff Chip!

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

I don't think anyone would argue that Frawley is not critical to the success of the club over the next few years. After years of being under continued in the back line, imagine how good he will be if a little we can provide some pressure up field and the ball isn't gifted to opposition forwards lace out, on a silver platter with cream.

You also have to feel for him when he was asked to rate just how poor this year was compared to other recent poor years, "Overall, Frawley thought 2013 was equally as poor as 2011-12, although fewer wins came this year".

[Vanilla Gorilla 204]

He should probably see a haematologist about that

[old55 23,838]

Will get a massive FA offer from GWS next year

[puntkick 325]

Will get a massive FA offer from GWS next year

Will get a massive FA offer from GWS next year

Yeah but will get a bigger one from Sideney

[Guest]

Would like to see him reject it out of hand to show that little maggot,Tom Scully, that he is the exception and not the rule. And that the MFC of today is not the club Scully left.

I didn't like the 'bleed red and blue' line though. It was usually the line CS wheeled out when he was justifying some dud appointment.

I am happy though he is committed to the club!

[Adam The God 30,617]

Sign up, Chip and really show us.

[Chook 15,023]

Blue going in, red coming out. That's normal Frawls.

[Tatu 416]

If our development is as bad as they say, then how did chip become so good?

Probably our best player.... And easily in the top five best defenders in the game....

[Adam The God 30,617]

We haven't had trouble developing key defenders. It's a good point, tatu.

[monoccular 17,656]

OMG -- given our abysmal luck with injury the past few years I thought that he had cut something vital :-)

[whatwhat say what 23,484]

goodo, now sign up.

[Generation dee 1,336]

We haven't had trouble developing key defenders. It's a good point, tatu.

you tend to learn quicker "on the job". Our forwards and midfielders seem to only have done the "theory" work so far

[DemonFrog 1,359]

This is the type of player this Club needs.

Someone passionate for the jumper.

There is only a few players I would keep in the Club and this guy is one of them. Therefore I am not fussed if other go, but him and Viney need to stay.

Hogan is another that could be a great player but he had not played a AFL game as yet and is still very young so the jury is still out on him at this stage.

[Adam The God 30,617]

you tend to learn quicker "on the job". Our forwards and midfielders seem to only have done the "theory" work so far

It's difficult to judge the forwards, but we can judge them on defensive pressure and general work rate. I'll be fascinated to see how our midfield plays next year. Even if we fail to add any new B graders/A grade potentials through trading or FA. How will we structure up, how will we spread, how will we block etc? A much higher work rate will be expected in that area of the ground, but indeed right across the park.

With stability up the ground, we might find our defence finds its mojo too. Imagine Frawley and Garland defending limited forward 50 entries. If we can then limit our turn overs coming out of defensive 50, all of a sudden we become a really hard team to score against. If we can get some consistent AFL footballers, with good disposal to hit targets out of the backline, I'd expect our defence to turn into a weapon. They'd rebound strongly and set up attacks from back there.

Having a midfield resembling an AFL standard one is a salivating prospect, given our talent at either end of the ground.

[DemonFrog 1,359]

If our development is as bad as they say, then how did chip become so good?

Probably our best player.... And easily in the top five best defenders in the game....

He gets lots of practice as the ball is in his area 70% of the time!

[Dr. Gonzo 24,451]

If our development is as bad as they say, then how did chip become so good?

Probably our best player.... And easily in the top five best defenders in the game....

We haven't had trouble developing key defenders. It's a good point, tatu.

In most of my time watching MFC we've had a very good forward line, decent midfield but no KP defenders worth speaking of, the exceptions being Danny Hughes and Ingerson/Shanahan for a brief period. Now we have a gun FB, no midfield and a forward line who can't get on the park.

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

We haven't had trouble developing key defenders. It's a good point, tatu.

The get lots of practice on game day

[old55 23,838]

I'd put a lucrative extension offer to him right now - 5 years at $700K/year and try to get him signed up. GWS will be offering him $1M/year for 2015 right now. The only solace I get is that if he did leave as a FA we'd probably get band 1 which is still likley to be a top 5 pick next year which is about his trade value anyway.

[McQueen 17,867]

He's possibly our most valuable player.

Top stuff Chip!

Blue Chip.

[olisik 4,060]

Other clubs are probably already talking to him. Ala Buddy being spoken to end of 2012

[beelzebub 23,390]

Id certainly want to keep Chipper but we have to keep it real also.. Id offer 4 years including a rewrite of next year at around the 7HK mark and have him as a Dee to at least the end of 17. By then he'll want to stay with us anyway