Can't believe people are falling for this chasing success crap. Chip is chasing the dollars - made that perfectly clear when his manager floated the $700,000 for 7 years price tag.

The Cats are in trouble and no more likely to get a flag than us in the next few years.

Very happy to see him go for pick 3, as is the club I believe.

Why can't he be chasing both ? Money and success

To suggest the cats are in trouble and no more likely to get a flag than us in the next few years is a ludicrous suggestion. ( someone earlier in this thread also suggested that the Hawks were on the slide too)

Fairly difficult to win a premiership when you don't make the eight - which Geelong constantly do and we constantly don't. Are Geelong looking as strong as their halcyon days ? Absolutely not but the way to regenerate your list and get back on top is to recruit well and bring players in from other clubs which they are trying to do. Rivers left for success and whilst he hasn't got the ultimate prize he has had two years of finals. Going to Hawthorn, Geelong, Port, Freo or Swans is possibly about money but also about success.

Machsy. I see it a little differently to your goodself

I would put it thats its very much a case of mediocrity breeding mediocrity. I dont blame Frawley for our mediocrity but hes very much a part of it. Hes every bit a part of it as he is a product.

Teams become great and successful when individuals look to themselves and not others to become great. You create your success , you dont bludge off anothers..

It strikes me that he , and a number of his team mates, are waiting for the 'winning" bus instead of building it themselves. They seem to think its about others building their career for them.

They clearly dont get it.

I agree.

The problem I see is that success breeds success. It is easier to have self belief when you see where self belief gets you. The Hawthorns and Swans of the league have visible proof of what pure will to win gets you.

We as a club have no self belief whatsoever We as a club have no reference points. We have very few players who have the self belief necessary or the view that winning is the only acceptable outcome - Jones has it in abundance - Daniel Cross has it ( The Essendon game was living proof in the last quarter - comprehensively beaten in two contests and bounced back to hit up Salem with "that"" pass - Cross didnt drop his head). I see it in Viney. When Clark played I saw it. So Roos has three tasks. Try and instil in into existing players, recruit players both from the draft and other clubs who have it and weed out players from the group who will never have it.

I am on record as saying that Frawley has not been as bad this season as many make out . I will say that as an All Australian footballer in 2010 he has gone backwards whereas Nathan Jones has willed himself to get better and better. I am ambivalent about Frawley leaving as I have not seen what Roos can make of him. However to improve as a club we do need more footballers who crave success and do everything in their power to push us up the ladder - this season proved that Nathan Jones is one of those footballers but Frawley isn't.

Big clubs staying big, this is not the way it is suppose to be, this makes me mad and must be addressed by the AFL!!

AFL Trade Rumours, Draft & Offseason News

11 mins ·

After winning the premiership yesterday, Hawthorn are the new front-runners to secure the services of Melbourne defender James Frawley in the upcoming free agency period.

As if this comes as a surprise. His silence about what he's doing was because of the Grand Final.

Cynical fl0g.

I just dont really care where he goes or what his plans are as such. They are to all intents irrelevant to Melbourne's future

Someone mentions his name the only thing that comes to mind is

PICK 3 > trade > A really Deecent player

I'd prefer to keep Frawley if we were simply taking the pick to the draft, but I'm almost certain that won't be Roos' plan and neither should it be. His comp pick has to earn us an A grade mid.

The earlier mooted trade of pick 2 for Dangerfield and pick 3 for Shiel is the stuff of wet dreams. If it came off (pun not intended), I'd be expecting between 8-10 wins next year - that is if we can get Hogan on the park and maybe [censored] a Reid or Jaksch.

EDIT. Lol, s-n-a-t-c-h is censored. Sorry about that.

Roos isnt a fan of relying on kiddies from the draft. That wont be his plan. MFC are open for business

Exactly, BB.

Why anyone would have a problem with trading draft picks for established players, after seeing the sustained success Roos gave Sydney using the same strategy, is a mystery to me. Bring on the trades.

We'll recruit this year's draftees in five years time via trades, once we're a powerhouse club and players are knocking on our door

Frawley has done his time at melbourne, we have not delivered the success he like all footballers crave and we are not prepared to pay him what others are prepared to pay him. So good on him for leaving in a time that will at least see us compensated. in another year or two there may not be compensation for players leaving. I think frawley has played reasonably well in the forward line, but i also think he has not extended or pushed himself, though i think that can be said about quite a few of our players. I hope it goes well for him, he has looked reasonably good in a dysfunctional team though often has turned the ball over with lazy passes or getting caught holding the ball. He will feel a very different pressure at which ever club he goes into as he will be one of the top money earners and their members will be looking to get their moneys worth or they will let him know if he does not deliver.

Once you hang up the Red and Blue it really is of no real interest to me how a player goes. Wear a Melbourne jumper I am. Don't, I'm not.

Again would love to know the breakdown of our salary cap......anyone.......

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-09-28/hawks-may-tempt-frawley

Article that says nothing really. I would expect him to go to Hawthorn. I wish him well (be funny if he cant get a spot with Lake saying he want sto play on (in the Hun today). But the year after he would get in. - Could he even have a Sylvia to Freo sort of year if

Hope the AFL is happy.... This will no doubt see the top clubs dominate the competition by raiding the bottom clubs.... Let's enjoy watching the same clubs winning the flag each year! I guess that's equalisation!

On one hand some posters whinge about losing Chip and how it's unfair but in another thread talk about picking up Danger.

On one hand some posters whinge about losing Chip and how it's unfair but in another thread talk about picking up Danger.

Absolutely this goes for all teams... I think free agency will damage the game & give top clubs a powerful tool to get talent & maintain their success ... Do we all want to see the same teams compete for a flag each year?

Remember there are18 teams in this so called competition ... Someone has to finish last.... So the system the afl implement to save the competition in the mid 80s appears to be coming apart ?

You either have an equalisation system or you don't

Absolutely this goes for all teams... I think free agency will damage the game & give top clubs a powerful tool to get talent & maintain their success ... Do we all want to see the same teams compete for a flag each year?

Remember there are18 teams in this so called competition ... Someone has to finish last.... So the system the afl implement to save the competition in the mid 80s appears to be coming apart ?

You either have an equalisation system or you don't

Maybe, but we just have to be smarter to be one of the top clubs. I think Roos and Jackson are getting us there. The rest will follow naturally. Look at Hawks 18 years ago......

On one hand some posters whinge about losing Chip and how it's unfair but in another thread talk about picking up Danger.

But one you get free and the other you pay heavily for.

Maybe, but we just have to be smarter to be one of the top clubs. I think Roos and Jackson are getting us there. The rest will follow naturally. Look at Hawks 18 years ago......

I live & hope & think the club has the right people in place both on/off the field.... However the Hawks 18 yrs ago did not compete with free agency & less teams, capitalised on good drafting & development....

Interesting photo from AFL journo Matt Thompson:

Ross Lyon methinks?

https://www.facebook.com/melbournefcsupporterspage/photos/a.487447641353193.1073741829.487049664726324/639819366116019/?type=1&theater

Bit of a creepy, invasive photo. Paparazzi Thompson.

But one you get free and the other you pay heavily for.

Yes but if you are us getting chip costs us 3rd pick in the ND. Plus a significant portion of our cap and seriously hampers our ability to snare the midfielder/s that we desperately need.

That is costly.

I'd prefer to keep Frawley if we were simply taking the pick to the draft, but I'm almost certain that won't be Roos' plan and neither should it be. His comp pick has to earn us an A grade mid.

The earlier mooted trade of pick 2 for Dangerfield and pick 3 for Shiel is the stuff of wet dreams. If it came off (pun not intended), I'd be expecting between 8-10 wins next year - that is if we can get Hogan on the park and maybe [censored] a Reid or Jaksch.

EDIT. Lol, s-n-a-t-c-h is censored. Sorry about that.

Jaksch would be the one for our longterm health IMO. big enough to play key roles at either end as we require. Floats in from the side to take big marks, or straight ahead marks.

nice foot skills, great mark, 196/7 cms, quick. will fill out well.

IMO we have to Trump all comers wanting him, he is as important to Us as the mid we need, such as Shiel.

# perfect fit for our list to work alongside Hogan & Dawes, or with Garland & McDonald.

....... please Melbourne, PJ: Roosy; Todd Viney; please Get Jaksch into a Red&Blue fitting.

Maybe, but we just have to be smarter to be one of the top clubs. I think Roos and Jackson are getting us there. The rest will follow naturally. Look at Hawks 18 years ago......

no!

lets look at the Hawks, late 50's thru the 1960's to become the Power Club that they remain now. Kennedy did a 'Checker Hughes' on that club. & they kept on the hunger to remain a power that John Kennedy Snr inspired.

# we had a culture change under 'Checker' in the early 30's, turning from Fuscia's into Demons... that lasted for approx' 35 Years. then it was back to being Fuschia's, in a cultural sense & we have become even prettier petals since then.

Now, we must have that cultural conversation yet again. all of us. what sort of club do we want this Org' to be?

Jaksch would be the one for our longterm health IMO. big enough to play key roles at either end as we require. Floats in from the side to take big marks, or straight ahead marks.

nice foot skills, great mark, 196/7 cms, quick. will fill out well.

IMO we have to Trump all comers wanting him, he is as important to Us as the mid we need, such as Shiel.

# perfect fit for our list to work alongside Hogan & Dawes, or with Garland & McDonald.

....... please Melbourne, PJ: Roosy; Todd Viney; please Get Jaksch into a Red&Blue fitting.

Sounds good what about Tomlinson???

EDIT. Lol, s-n-a-t-c-h is censored. Sorry about that.

Removed snatch from the filter.

Let me know if you find other silly ones, by the way. I've been meaning to comb the list but haven't had time.