CHANGES 2013 by The Oracle

The list of players who are now under the watchful eye of new Melbourne coach Paul Roos is a far different one to that which began two years ago under Mark Neeld in late 2011. The list had already been pared to make way for the new regime but since then, more than half of the list has been turned over - a testament to the necessity of changing a list that performed so poorly in a turbulent period for the Melbourne Football Club.

The following players have departed over the past two trade/free agency/draft periods:-

► End of 2012: Matthew Bate (delisted) Jamie Bennell (West Coast) Lucas Cook (delisted) Brad Green (retired) Jordan Gysberts (North Melbourne) Liam Jurrah (delisted) Kelvin Lawrence ® (delisted) Stefan Martin (Brisbane) Brent Moloney (Brisbane FA) Cale Morton (West Coast) Ricky Petterd (Richmond) Jared Rivers (Geelong FA) Jai Sheahan L® (delisted) Leigh Williams ® (delisted).

► End of 2013: Tom Couch ® (delisted) Aaron Davey (retired) Troy Davis (delisted) Tom Gillies (delisted) Joel Macdonald (retired) James Magner ® (delisted) David Rodan (retired) James Sellar (delisted) Nathan Stark ® (delisted) Colin Sylvia (Fremantle FA) Rory Taggert (delisted) Josh Tynan (delisted).

Twelve months ago, in CHANGES 2012 - EMINENTLY COACHABLE (pardon the headline), I described the frenetic period of trading and drafting at the end of 2012 that left many breathless in its scope but produced what was without doubt the most disappointing season in the memory of the majority of Demon fans. The club's playing lists for 2013 were:-

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Dominic Barry Sam Blease Shannon Byrnes Mitch Clark Aaron Davey Troy Davis Chris Dawes Lynden Dunn Michael Evans Jack Fitzpatrick James Frawley Colin Garland Max Gawn Tom Gillies Jack Grimes Jeremy Howe Mark Jamar Neville Jetta Matt Jones Nathan Jones Dean Kent Joel Macdonald Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Dan Nicholson Cameron Pedersen David Rodan James Sellar Jake Spencer James Strauss Colin Sylvia Rory Taggert Luke Tapscott Dean Terlich Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Josh Tynan Jack Viney Jack Watts

ROOKIE LIST:

Mitch Clisby Tom Couch James Magner Nathan Stark

The club also had Jesse Hogan in reserve from the GWS Minidraft but he could not play AFL during 2013 and was restricted to NAB Cup games and VFL at Casey where he was best and fairest winner.

It was always known that the task of replenishing the list was fraught with difficulty as the club jettisoned fifteen players from the previous year. The recruits included a blend of young, mature age and old and while the jury will remain out for some time, there are good signs for the future about many of the club's new breed of 2003. The disappointments may have been in some of the recycled players but when you turn over 14 players in one season, these things not only happen but are magnified when the team performs so poorly.

In September, the Demons were boosted by the appointment of senior coach Paul Roos and, together with the club's new national recruiting manager Jason Taylor and his team, they embarked on the task of rebuilding the club's midfield, acknowledged as the most ineffective in the competition and the source of much of its pain and suffering over the past seven years.

The trade and free agency period gave the club five new midfielders as covered here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Even before the recent national and rookie drafts the club's list had taken on a much improved look with Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince, Daniel Cross, Viv Michie and Aidan Reilly coming on board - adding size, strength, skill, depth and and a mix of experience.

The drafts introduced the following players and once again there was a preponderance of midfielders:-

Alexis Georgiou ® Norwood SA 1/1/90 H: 187cm W: 88kg

Widely considered the best shut down Fullback in the SANFL Georgiou was instrumental in leading the best defence the comp to the 2012 Premiership. Georgiou will again be the Vice Captain to Kieran McGuinness for the 2013 season NorwoodFC website

James Harmes ® Dandenong Stingrays 5/10/95 H: 185cm W: 78kg

James developed this year as an inside/outside midfielder who competes hard but his lack of speed might hold him up a little bit. He's got a good vertical leap, a good engine, neat skills but just has to sharpen up in a couple of areas to knock the rough edges off." - Dandenong coach Graeme Yeats [inside Football]

Jayden Hunt Brighton Grammar 3/4/95 H: 187cm W: 76kg

Hunt is from Brighton Grammar. He played in the APS v AGS representative match. Hunt is a quick midfielder/half-back. He is a good kick both sides - MFC bio

Jay Kennedy-Harris Oakleigh Chargers 21/3/95 H: 173cm W: 68kg

"He took on a joint-leadership role this year with Will Maginness and he's acquitted himself really well. He only played 12 games due to Vic Metro duties and came second in our best and fairest. Last year he was a genuine small toward close to goal but he pushed up as a high half-forward this year and sometimes as an extra midfielder and provide some good leg speed and run and carry. He's got a great skill set; he's brave and applies good defensive pressure, so there is a role for him at the next level." - Oakleigh Region manager Mart Smart [inside Football]

Max King ® Murray Bushrangers 24/9/85 H: 200cm W: 89kg

"We only saw Max post-Christmas as he was coming in from Wagga. He is really raw in terms of the time he has spent In a good system, but in terms of his skills - his hands, his ruckwork, the impact he can have as a tall forward, his skills, are all terrific. Where he needs to work is his body size, and his fitness and conditioning. He improved vastly throughout the season and at 200cm he's got some things to offer that others don't" - Murray region manager Andrew Carson [inside Football]

Christian Salem Sandringham Dragons 15/7/95 H: 183cm W: 81kg

"He's one of the excitement packets who can play just about anywhere and even showed that he can play as an inside midfielder after some time in a full-time program. He's been played predominantly outside as people have wanted to make full use of his elite kicking, but he seems to have handled the microscope pretty well he revels on playing on a big stage and when the chips are down he is the one to really lift. He should go pretty early, we would think" - Sandringham region manager Ryan OConnor [inside Football]

[Neville Jetta was delisted and later selected in the rookie draft]

Salem and Kennedy-Harris are highly rated, Hunt is the smokey plucked out of Brighton Grammar, Harmes a Melbourne supporting mid, King a tall project ruckman and Georgiou a mature, medium-sized defender who might be ugly in looks and kicking style by is regarded as a highly effective stopper. When you add Jesse Hogan the class of 18 year olds on the list is highly impressive.

Taylor was pleased with the overall outcome and told melbournefc.com.au -

We wanted to target the midfield area and weve been able to do that through the trade period, the trade and rookie draft.

We also wanted to add that small forward and we did that with Jay Kennedy-Harris coming through and we wanted to add a developing tall player to stiffen up our defence and weve done that through both [Max] King and [Alex] Georgiou.

So I think overall, as a collective, were happy with how weve gone and the result, but its always an ongoing process.

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Dominic Barry Sam Blease Shannon Byrnes Mitch Clark Mitch Clisby Daniel Cross Chris Dawes Lynden Dunn Michael Evans Jack Fitzpatrick James Frawley Colin Garland Max Gawn Jack Grimes Jesse Hogan Jeremy Howe Jayden Hunt Mark Jamar Matt Jones Nathan Jones Jay Kennedy-Harris Dean Kent Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Viv Michie Dan Nicholson Cameron Pedersen Aidan Reilly Christian Salem Jake Spencer James Strauss Luke Tapscott Dean Terlich Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Dominic Tyson Bernie Vince Jack Viney Jack Watts

ROOKIE LIST:

Alexis Georgiou James Harmes Neville Jetta Max King

INTERNATIONAL ROOKIE LIST

Maia Westrupp