Improvers and sliders

[tappysquads 618]

Interested to hear which melbourne players people are thinking will make a move in 2014, for good or bad.

Top 3 IMPROVERS: wether it be a return from injury, Roos factor, natural development, added list depth or just a new attitude

Top 3 sliders: falling out of favor with new coach, poor attitude, age, changed game plan or our depths pushing players out of best 22

Mine:

IMPROVERS: grimes, ready to make a statement in my opinion. Last year was his lowest year in his career for disposals and marks, and he's now fit, has more support and experience.

Toump, ready to go, body developed, injuries gone and has a new quality coach and new experienced mids around him to help educate

Spencer, developing well, skills have drastically improved, opportunities will be there this year, and with a developed more coordinated body I think he's ready to step up

Sliders: Matt jones, I just feel his opportunities will be significantly less this year, as our depth has improved, but I rated what he did last year

Jamar, if possible, will have a smaller impact than last year, as I'm hoping gawn and spencil have move passed him

Byrnes, hasn't kicked a footy yet this pre season, somehow played 17 games last year and hopefully now we have better options, in saying that I wish he could show us something resembling his Geelong form

[RalphiusMaximus 6,050]

Improvers:

Trengove - A full pre-season without the foot injury will do wonders for him. He was one of our best tacklers even with the stuffed foot, if he can get his run back he will be gold.

Toumpas - Similar to Trengove, he had a limited 2013 due to his prolonged recovery. He's really built up over the pre-season and looks like he now has a build that will stand up to AFL.

Jamar - Roos knows his rucks and knows how to get the best from them. This is Jamar's big chance to reaffirm his no. 1 ruck status at Melbourne.

I'll note that Dom Barry came pretty close to getting in the top three here. I think he's looking great on the track and has built up nicely. Could be a bit of a dark horse.

Sliders:

Bail - His lack of skill and game sense has caught up with him. Barring injuries will not play a senior game.

Clisby - As impressive as he was in his debut season he will struggle to get time. Fighting with Grimes, Terlich and Dunn for the mid-sized/small defender role, plus there could be temptation to play one of the new senior mids there to rotate through the middle.

Matt Jones - He is solid and limited. Will be passed by the more talented players this time. Can be brought in as depth if we have injuries, but not a preferred starter.

Edited January 4, 2014 by RalphiusMaximus

[Ouch! 2,262]

Improvers:

Watts - Has to improve, and has been given a confidence boost by Roos, time for him to deliver.

Trengove - Overcoming injuries and I think not having the captaincy might free him up a little.

Strauss - Not sure why, just think that it takes a good couple of years to get over a broken leg, coupled with the fact that he seems the type of player that Roos can get the best out of.

Sliders

Dunn - Few too many brainfades might prove costly.

Jamar - Don't think he can turn it around, and I certainly think he will struggle with two way running, and limited interchanges could see him being a liability.

N Jones - Not saying his form will drop, just think that the others that we have picked up could lessen his impact in games as he is no longer the only one that is relied upon in there... (if that makes sense?)

Edited January 4, 2014 by Oucher

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,175]

Improvers

Trengove (same reason as others)

Toumpas (same reason as others)

Spencer (will takeover number one mantle and build on his improvements in size and coordination last year with better endurance this year)

Sliders

Terlich (will struggle with transition as more of a lock down defender)

Kent (Pre-season has limited his ability to build what was already a very small tank. Interchange rule and inability to play midfield yet will hurt him)

McKenzie (will be replaced by influx of new and developing mids who have a more rounded game)

[furious d 464]

Improvers:

Dom Tyson- Wasn't sure if you meant players on our list last year but Tyson has exposed AFL form and I think he will improve considerably this season if he can get through the rest of the preseason. Some size and class on the inside to compliment the aggression and grunt of Jones and Viney.

Jack Viney- I get the feeling young Jack would've been disappointed with his debut year, missed 10 games through injury and was a bit inconsistent. Most normal young draftees would be pretty satisfied with 20+ disposals in half their games but I don't think anything about young Jack is normal. To make his year even more unbearable he had to watch his good mate have the year he would have envisaged for himself. I expect him to be breathing fire come round 1.

Sam Blease- This is more hope than anything else, if comments regarding Trengove regaining his zip are true he'd be a monty to be a big improver but he's been mentioned a few times already so I'll go with Sam. He has all the attributes needed to fill the small forward role except either the will or fitness necessary to run both ways. He's quick, can rove a pack, knows where the goals are and has that selfish streak that many of the games great small forwards have. If Roos can get him to use his speed defensively and fit enough for short bursts in the midfield, he could be the answer to our small forward needs.

Sliders:

Matt Jones- This is grossly unfair of me, I was away all last season and have never seen him play live. Like others I think the players injected into our midfield will see Matt struggle to get game time. He may need to find another role to keep his AFL dream alive. As I said I haven't seen him play, do others think he could find a role in the back line? Roos will want flankers and pockets who can rotate through the midfield.

Dean Terlich- Again, unfair of me. I don't want to be disrespectful but if these 2 blokes finish top 5 in our B&F again we've got massive problems. He's a possibility to be pushed out of the 22. With all the additions to our midfield some of last years mids will be looking to move forward or back. Grimes will be a walk up start on one back flank, there'll be plenty of competition for the other.

Jordie McKenzie- I can't see Jordie finding a role anywhere but the midfield and he's going to be up against it to retain his spot.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Improvers

1. Watts- I think this year we will begin to see the rise of Watts. I think having a coach that plays him in the same position every week will really help him to develop into one of our best players.

2. Gawn- Will be our standout #1 ruckman by mid-season.

3. Trengove- New coach, less responsibility, healthy. He will regain his pre-captaincy form and then some.

Sliders

1. McKenzie- With our bolstered midfield, I think he may struggle to get a game.

2. Fitzpatrick- Came on in leaps and bounds in 2013, but is there room for him in a fully fit forward line? Would not be surprised to see him traded in the offseason.

3. M. Jones- I predict he will spend much of 2014 at Casey, a far fall from his top 5 B&F finish.

[Grimes is Great 183]

Matt Jones will play off the back flank, which is where he played the last 5 or 6 games of last year.

Roosy has been really impressed with him this pre season and look for him to be in the starting 18.

[Little Goffy 14,534]

Up -

Trengove, Watts, Gawn

Down -

Dunn, and choose two from the set of players who are all at that special crossroads of doom; Bail, Nicholson, Strauss, Blease, Evans.

[george_on_the_outer 7,590]

Improvers:

Simple......if they don't have their season blighted by injury like last year

Clark

Dawes

Gawn

Sliders:

Again simple: Jamar....can't get on the park any more, and can't jump off the ground when he does.

Take your pick out of Bail, Nicholson, Byrnes.

[DemonTux 97]

Ever the optimist and with the understanding that improvement is in the eye of the beholder,

Improves:

ALL

sliders:

NONE

[dpositive 1,665]

IMPROVES

The coach

The team

The hopes of supporters

SLIDERS

The despair of supporters

The Pies

Malthouse

[DemonTux 97]

IMPROVES

The coach

The team

The hopes of supporters

SLIDERS

The despair of supporters

The Pies

Malthouse

^--- this

[Biffen 12,943]

Up -

Trengove, Watts, Gawn

Down -

Dunn, and choose two from the set of players who are all at that special crossroads of doom; Bail, Nicholson, Strauss, Blease, Evans.

Didn't hurt Robert Johnsons career.

[rjay 24,919]

Didn't hurt Robert Johnsons career.

Short but sweet...

[Maldonboy38 6,402]

IMPROVERS

Trengove

T McDonald

Toumpas

SLIDERS

Bail

Byrnes

M Jones

[TheoX 1,222]

Matt Jones will play off the back flank, which is where he played the last 5 or 6 games of last year.

Hopefully he's playing on a HBF at Casey. M. Jones shouldn't be getting a game if we're to be anything resembling competitive.

I'd like to see Blease and Strauss for improvers.

[jane02 3,748]

IMPROVESThe coachThe teamThe hopes of supportersSLIDERSThe despair of supportersThe PiesMalthouse

I agree

[ignition. 1,466]

Nice thread tappysquads - a few good reads and a bit of fun

I was just looking at a few MFC vids and noticed this fast/dashing run from Trengove alongside Lewis Jetta* (~1:35). So I really hope he gets this pace back and is one of my improvers.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c3t1eoO8yfA

* Edit: Apologies for the phone auto correction typo.

Edited January 5, 2014 by ignition.

[Deeoldfart 8,030]

Improvers:

• a fit Clark will reach 'folk hero' status (at least around here), and be competitive in the race for the Coleman;
• Toumpas will convert his recent track form to match days, and show enough to convince the 'Demonland doubters' that he will one day be a star;
• Howe, regularly matched by the opposition's 4th best defender, will show that he has a lot more more than just 'party tricks' to keep the MFC faithful on their toes.

Sliders:

• no names, but a few who have found their way into our 'best 22' over the last couple of years will be found out and traded or delisted at seasons end. Having said that, I also expect Roos to unearth a couple of unlikely gems from the slag heap.

[Guest]

Improvers:
Jack Trengove: Something must have been wrong the last few years. I don't see any signs of him dogging it but injuries, the role he was asked to play or the captaincy must have been dogging him. Now the monkey is off the back and hopefully a full preseason is in the tank, I'm hoping Jack will become the player we all wanted him to be.

Max Gawn/Jack Fitzpatrick: I'm hoping one of these two puts their hand up this year and starts to claim the number one ruck spot. Both had their patches last year and the hungrier one will be the one who one day will ascend to the position of number one ruckman.

Jimmy Toumpas: Now that he has some muscle to back him up in the midfield and a second preseason under the belt, hopefully we will start to hear the voices of those who doubted our decision to pick him quieten down. The kid has skill, something that has been in short supply at the MFC for many years. The last two silky skilled players that we had were Trapper and the Ooze (and I don't want Jimmy to have TJ's work ethic).

Sliders:

Mark Jamar: I'm thinking the Russian is running out of currency. Sure, he had a sensation 2010 but one good season can only take you so far. If I were him, I would be psyching myself for a huge year for if it doesn't come, he might be hard pressed to get a game. The jungle drums are beating Russian. Prove us wrong!

Shannyn Byrnes: When lined up against his fellow ex Geelong teammate Gillies, Shagger came out looking half way decent. However, had D-Rod not shagged his knee again and Gillies and Sellar had not been given their marching orders, Byrnes might have been moved on as well. May get the first crumbing forward position to start the year but I would suggest the club would want to give the next ready (and ready is the key word there) youngster a crack at that spot.

Jake Spencer: Some have listed him as an improver but he has been on the list a bloody long time and still barely cracks it for a senior appearance. We are up to year five now. A decent amount of senior games this year is a must or it's probably time to say this experiment hasn't worked out.

[Demon 16 213]

Improvers:

Trengove

Spencer

Michie or Tyson

Sliders

Jamar

M Jones

Strauss

[drdrake 3,163]

Improvers

Clark: he just needs to stay fit and on the park. Hopefully we can get 18 games this year with Clark, Dawes, Hogan and Howe are four of our starting forward line. If that happens we have the fire power to kick goals

Toumpas: We need guys that can carry the football. This guy is all class and if he gets his confidence up early he will have a very good year. The key is his confidence, he will have the base and he has the ability he just needs to have a couple of very good games early.

Frawley: We need Chip back at his all Australian Best. He has been well below this over the past 3 years but Chip needs to improve back to that level.

Sliders

This is based on if these 3 are getting regular games we are in trouble, Nicholson, Bail and McKenzie. Bit hard on McKenzie but you want to see N Jones, Vince, Tyson, Michie, Watts, Toumpas, Trengove, Viney and Evans playing through our midfield.

[dpositive 1,665]

Didn't hurt Robert Johnsons career.

V clever

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,754]

Doesn't seem right having a thread about 'Improvers' and not being able to name Colin Sylvia. It's his natural habitat.

[jacey 333]

Improvers

Jack Trengove.

I think Trengove rediscovering his game and excelling is just as vital to our midfield as the injection of Tyson, Vince, Cross etc brings.

Jack Viney.

As mentioned earlier, I think he would be disappointed with his first year. His half a dozen games were solid/pretty good for a first year player but you can tell he wants it.

Max Gawn

I think he will be a great ruck. Great hands and movement from a 208cm. I would like to see him coached more 1-1 as he should dominate the ruck at 208cm. Some more strength and tank and we've got a goodie.

Don't want these players to fail but sliders are

Jack Fitzpatrick. Just can't see him passing Hogan, Dawes and Clark.

Sam Blease. His lack of tank might finally draw a close.

Matt Jones. He doesn't impact games enough with his disposals.