How many decent players have left Melbourne in recent years??? none, we didn't have any.

Rucci has no idea about pretty much anything including his beloved Port, the club he has continually knifed.

Jarrad Rivers was a bad loss, he fitted beautifully at the Cats.

... there are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.
There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know.
But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know.

Then there is demonland. unknown knowns.

My God it is 5th February the first game 6+ weeks away.

Is this thread going to rabbit on till October?

I hope we have more to talk about in a couple of weeks time.

... there are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.

There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know.

But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know.

Then there is demonland. unknown knowns.

U r taking it to far now Franky!!

My God it is 5th February the first game 6+ weeks away.

Is this thread going to rabbit on till October?

I hope we have more to talk about in a couple of weeks time.

Yes it will od.

Jarrad Rivers was a bad loss, he fitted beautifully at the Cats.

You mustn't have watched the finals series 'mjt'.

Jarrad Rivers was a bad loss, he fitted beautifully at the Cats.

He has barely played, been average when he did, and has a degenerative knee condition.

He's also a poor leader & hasn't fitted in well there.

We lost nothing.

You mustn't have watched the finals series 'mjt'.

He still had a decent year and played in front of big crowds, I thought he done well.played in 3 finals and was 5 points off playing in GF, that's better than playing 20 games in a season at Melbourne .

Edited February 5, 201411 yr by mjt

He has barely played, been average when he did, and has a degenerative knee condition.

He's also a poor leader & hasn't fitted in well there.

We lost nothing.

I was told from an ex Cats player that they were very impressed with his leadership attributes since arriving. He is also very well liked there.

Not sure where you are getting that information from.

Also, we lost a player who was and still would be best 22 and was loved amongst the players group. One of the most damaging things Neeld did in regards to losing the group.

No world beater but he was good enough to be wanted by the cats so that says enough.

Edited February 5, 201411 yr by deeko

He still had a decent year and played in front of big crowds, I thought he done well.played in 3 finals as well .

Agree with 'Machsy' above. He really gave them nothing last season and struggled with their game plan. Was poor in the finals.

So far we have lost no one to free agency that we didn't want to lose. I hope Frawley stays because he is one we need to keep, we can't afford to lose good players just when they get a bit of experience behind them.

Agree with 'Machsy' above. He really gave them nothing last season and struggled with their game plan. Was poor in the finals.

So far we have lost no one to free agency that we didn't want to lose. I hope Frawley stays because he is one we need to keep, we can't afford to lose good players just when they get a bit of experience behind them.

They offered Sylvia a contract, Rivers was 5 points off playing in a GF, your a hard judge rjay.

He's an astute judge, obviously.

He's an astute judge, obviously.

Did you play in a Prelim in front of 100,000 people bigmouth.

I was told from an ex Cats player that they were very impressed with his leadership attributes since arriving. He is also very well liked there.

Not sure where you are getting that information from.

Also, we lost a player who was and still would be best 22 and was loved amongst the players group. One of the most damaging things Neeld did in regards to losing the group.

No world beater but he was good enough to be wanted by the cats so that says enough.

Better sources than yours, believe me.

Also wouldn't be best 22, but even if he were, he'd be barely playing due to his knees.

They offered Sylvia a contract, Rivers was 5 points off playing in a GF, your a hard judge rjay.

I think they were happy to lose Silvia, particularly when Vince became available.

I liked Rivers as a player and reckon he gave us good service but he has struggled with the Cats. He may not have made it to the GF team on form if they got through.

How many decent free agents have re-signed with Melbourne in recent years?

Melbourne players as "decent free agents" is surely an oxymoron? Frawley would just about be the first, so it'll be a good test for your hypothesis. I grant you Sylvia and Rivers as "decent", though both have injury/fitness concerns, and I don't know how hard the club really tried to keep them.

Why would you accept a role as leader if you weren't sure if you believe in the club?

Boak's signing was a big turning point in Port's resurgence, and Chip has a chance to do the same thing for MFC at a crucial time. I can understand his frustration etc, but a TRUE leader of the club would see this as an opportunity to show his leadership and not be just another player.

Have you got a quote Stuie where Chip clearly says he was not sure he believed in the club? Don't get me wrong, I too would like to see him re- sign, but I don't get your premise that he's not a leader of the club if he doesn't sign now, that he's just another player if he waits until his contract is closer to completion. Sounds like hyperbole to me. If I recall correctly, Boak waited until the end of the season before putting pen to paper. Why can't Chip be given the same opportunity? His manager might be just trying to drive his price up, or he might actually leave. It's all speculation now. Face it, would you wait and see and also hopefully increase your price before recommitting? I sure as hell would. Chip is also taking the gamble that he has a good enough season, without major injury, to make his value increase. I guess we were burnt by $cully's false promises, we're wary of the same happening here.

Edit, spell in'

Edited February 5, 201411 yr by Moonshadow

Have you got a quote Stuie where Chip clearly says he was not sure he believed in the club? Don't get me wrong, I too would like to see him re- sign, but I don't get your premise that he's not a leader of the club if he doesn't sign now, that he's just another player if he waits until his contract is closer to completion. Sounds like hyperbole to me. If I recall correctly, Boak waited until the end of the season before putting pen to paper. Why can't Chip be given the same opportunity? His manager might be just trying to drive his price up, or he might actually leave. It's all speculation now. Face it, would you wait and see and also hopefully increase your price before recommitting? I sure as hell would. Chip is also taking the gamble that he has a good enough season, without major injury, to makes his value increase. I guess we were burnt by $cully's false promises, we're wary of the same happening here.

You're missing my point. I have no problem with a player waiting to see what the direction of the club is before re-signing.

What I DO have a problem with is someone accepting a role as a leader of a team and then saying he's not committing until he sees the direction of the club.

Oh and just for you...

"At this stage we are comfortable that James wants to see the direction of the footy club, Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said. ''We presented to James prior to Christmas and we are in talks with his management and are ready to talk to him, but James has indicated he wants to focus on training and playing at the moment and get a better idea of the direction of the club."

"Frawley's manager Alex McDonald said Melbourne had been in constant dialogue with him but Frawley wanted to wait to make a decision. ''James is keen to let the season take shape before we start focusing on contract discussions,'' McDonald said. ''The club has been in constant contact and updating James on where the club is at and their direction.''

You're missing my point. I have no problem with a player waiting to see what the direction of the club is before re-signing.

What I DO have a problem with is someone accepting a role as a leader of a team and then saying he's not committing until he sees the direction of the club.

...

Would you feel better if, having been offered a leadership position (by Roos, presumably), he then turned it down??

Or should he have declared himself unavailable for any leadership position beforehand??

I get your point, but I think you're making waaaaaaay too much of it.

Would you feel better if, having been offered a leadership position (by Roos, presumably), he then turned it down??

Or should he have declared himself unavailable for any leadership position beforehand??

I get your point, but I think you're making waaaaaaay too much of it.

How can you lead something when you don't know what "direction" it's going?

It is hardly a secret dc

As I am sure you know!

Secret nasturtions? Sounds intriguing ...

it's the unknown unknowns that you need to worry about

Are there unknown unknown nasturtions?

My God it is 5th February the first game 6+ weeks away.

Is this thread going to rabbit on till October?

I hope we have more to talk about in a couple of weeks time.

You know the answer to that, OD ... Of course it will!

My God it is 5th February the first game 6+ weeks away.

Is this thread going to rabbit on till October?

I hope we have more to talk about in a couple of weeks time.

Its the Melbourne way OD

We value talk more highly then actual performance.

So come join us as resistance is futile!

How can you lead something when you don't know what "direction" it's going?

Well, no, not really. Do the other 5 leaders "know" how this year is going to pan out? Roos, who should have the best idea of anybody, is being extremely cautious & trying to stop our expectations getting too high. If "knowing what direction it's going" was a criterion of leadership, who would have put their hands up?