Consistently bad. The only consistently good player has been Nathan Jones.

..er Col Garland says hi....you do actually watch the games?...

I thought he was... but several of the articles coming out since Frawley decided to hold off on his contract for the time being have stated he is unrestricted.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-07/roos-ok-with-frawley-delay

Is the unrestricted status based upon the earnings in the given year of a contract? as in if a contract is front loaded does it hurt you at the end in cases like this because Frawley is earning less in his final year? or is it based upon the total contract value?

It is an AFL rule so it probably means both or neither.....

I had this thought too BUT it is tough to find 10 players paid more than the kind of contract Frawley would have got after his near-AA 2010.

Think you'll find he got his contract during 2009 well before his AA year and when he was little more than a promising back.

The TPP was 7.7M in 2009 and is close to 10M now. I'm not at all confident.

Jones, Watts, Dawes, Trengove, Clark, Tyson, Garland, Vince, McDonald, Grimes, Howe and Jamar would all be well above or round about the mark. There may be others.

I reckon he's unrestricted.

No, I'm wrong, 4 years in 2010. I thought it was 5 years.

All I've seen Frawley do for the past 3 years is: hesitate until every option is covered by the opposition, kick it out from an opposition behinds straight to the opposition, turn it over in every way possible, sulk. He's supposed to be all Australian level. He hasn't been showing it.

You do stupid so well.

This is the nature of free agency, weaker sides are going to lose players chasing wins or money or both, what matters for us is that we put in 110% in trying to retain chip, if we can't we make sure our compo which i imagine would be a top 10 pick is used well, Tom Mcdonald imo will be a better player in time, but chip will be a big loss if he leaves

Think you'll find he got his contract during 2009 well before his AA year and when he was little more than a promising back.

The TPP was 7.7M in 2009 and is close to 10M now. I'm not at all confident.

Jones, Watts, Dawes, Trengove, Clark, Tyson, Garland, Vince, McDonald, Grimes, Howe and Jamar would all be well above or round about the mark. There may be others.

I reckon he's unrestricted.

No, I'm wrong, 4 years in 2010. I thought it was 5 years.

You probably want to edit the above but there is some chance he is UFA.

However, with that said - Viney, Mahoney, and Roos would have known the situation before trade week last year, so we, surely, would not have maneouvered ourselves into an UFA position with Frawley.

I also seem to recall that Sylvia's status last year got changed from Restricted to Unrestricted... can't recall why, but I did remember that it was a pretty late change.

I also seem to recall that Sylvia's status last year got changed from Restricted to Unrestricted... can't recall why, but I did remember that it was a pretty late change.

No it didn't change. People were wrong.

He was re-signed for two years after the 2011 season and 8 years of 'service' - people that thought he was a Restricted FA did so because they either thought he hadn't been around for 10 years or thought his last contract was for three years (which would have meant he went past the 8 year threshold for the first time and leave him a RFA).

He was always an UFA.

All I've seen Frawley do for the past 3 years is: hesitate until every option is covered by the opposition, kick it out from an opposition behinds straight to the opposition, turn it over in every way possible, sulk. He's supposed to be all Australian level. He hasn't been showing it.

It would have been a breeze playing in one of the worst teams in history with the worst midfield in history. Imagine all of the support that midfield has been supplying the backs.

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by Hannibal

Obviously the spotlights on the midfield toninght.

Looking forward to seeing if our players run both ways - attack and make space (long time since that has happened) and when the ball turns over I hope to see them get back on their man.

For too long the oppostion has always been on our heel and we have made it easy for them by popping the ball up nice and high. I would like to see a couple of our mids with a few metres on their men and running into open space.

Look forward to seeing Strauss play after a good preseason.

All I am hoping for is a competitive side that doesnt drop their head when they Richmond score three consecutive goals. I don't expect a decent score with our forward line/with midfield that has never played together.

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by Young Dee

I can't get over how much better our midfield looks on paper, i understand the war is won during games but we have so much more depth, and some real superstar potential

what sort of crowd (numbers) will show up ? also does the club make few $$$ out of this ?

Any late changes predicted? Maybe fitzy comes in if he is feel up to it

All I've seen Frawley do for the past 3 years is: hesitate until every option is covered by the opposition, kick it out from an opposition behinds straight to the opposition, turn it over in every way possible, sulk. He's supposed to be all Australian level. He hasn't been showing it.

Yeah I would have done so much better than Frawley with the pill coming in my area for 98% of the time.

Geez.

...

Is it just me or are the trolls particularly lively today?

Must be a Valentine's Day thing.

While i'm not expecting a win tonight.. Im hoping for a really good showing with plenty of positives & no injuries..

What's a realistic final scoreline expectation tonight?

Im gonna go Rich: 110 & Melb: 85

Im just so damn excited though!

Have worn my Melbourne badge today, first time in years, hope its an omen. ( of the good variety ) Years ago I wore a Melbourne bow tie to work after every victory, the boss got sick off it, but I kept doing it. Yes it was a long time ago.

While i'm not expecting a win tonight.. Im hoping for a really good showing with plenty of positives & no injuries..

What's a realistic final scoreline expectation tonight?

Im gonna go Rich: 110 & Melb: 85

Im just so damn excited though!

Richmond 83 def Melbourne 66

is my guess, i reckon we will be keen to showcase our defensive game, neither side has any real forward targets with jack out for them

Have worn my Melbourne badge today, first time in years, hope its an omen. ( of the good variety ) Years ago I wore a Melbourne bow tie to work after every victory, the boss got sick off it, but I kept doing it. Yes it was a long time ago.

I cannot imagine how your boss got sick of it? Lucky you are not a Hawthorn supporter!

Tigers by 35 points.

I cannot imagine how your boss got sick of it? Lucky you are not a Hawthorn supporter!

1998 he was a Carlton supporter. We finished 4th and Carlton 11th or 12th I think, ah the good old days.

I don't know. It's not unreasonable to suggest at any stage during the season to be missing 1 key forward (Hogan), 1 ruck (Gawn), 1 midfielder (Viney), 1 best 22 defender (Garland) plus a surplus midfielder or flanker like Kent and Riley.

It is pretty bad to be missing all your back up rucks, ruck/forwards and key forwards so I suggest that will have some impact on the game but the backline and midfield are entitled to fall apart just because Garland and Viney are missing.

MIssing personnel will not be an excuse if we get blasted off the park like Brisbane. Mainly we should expect a lower than achievable forward 50 scoring rate and a few extra turnovers across half forward. But clearances (when Spencer is in), defensive structures and moving the ball from the backline can't be blamed on missing mainly big forwards and rucks.

Missing key personnel is no excuse for us to lose to Richmond. We will have close to a full strength midfield and defence and an undermanned fwd line. A competitive Melbourne outfit will have to be able to manufacture wins in this situation during the season proper. I'm looking fwd to tonights game and seeing the team play with renewed confidence and freedom. Im sure we will make a few mistakes, given the team have to learn the game plan and get used to playing together, but I think we will put in a competitive performance and be in the game with the chance to produce a win.

Go Melbourne!

I cannot imagine how your boss got sick of it? Lucky you are not a Hawthorn supporter!

I see you race windsurfers, have you ever beaten one?

1-13 - 9 -96 us 2 -11 - 8 - 92 them