At the end of 2007 when Daniher sunk and Bailey came in, we started the 'slash and burn' rejuvenation of the list and installed a rotating door at MFC headquarters. In the seven years since, we have retained just five players from the '07 list, and added at total of 68 players, 29 of whom are already been and gone. Of the other 39 additions, I count (shown in bold type) 15 good, solid 'asset' players with possibly a bright future ahead (NB in some cases this is based on very little eg. Toumpas who is there because he was a high draft pick and is still young, 8 of the 15 are just kids). So, I would have to say the other 24 are dud picks/failures of development or with limited time left (Cross) that are still on the list. So, 29 been and gone plus 24 duds remaining equates to: at least 53 of the 68 players we have brought in to the club in the last seven years have not worked out for various reasons. Essentially, we bring in 10 players every year and 8 of them don't work out. In this time we have had a complete turnover in coaching staff and administration also, but it all has the same result. What in the name of God is wrong with us as a club that we have such a dismal conversion rate of drafting/recruiting and developing?

Of those in bold, 5 came this year (including Hogan) and most have only been at the club one or two years, how sad.

Thanks for the punch in an already red face.

C&B, it would be interesting to see the same list with a team such as Hawthorn.

I hope at the end of this season we do a decent cull, pick up some talent and can finally stabilise.

Of those in bold, 5 came this year (including Hogan) and most have only been at the club one or two years, how sad.

Exactly, as I said, 8 of the bolded players are newbies, there is no guarantee whatsoever any of them will become real players, especially when you consider that developing the real article is almost unprecedented at this club

C&B, it would be interesting to see the same list with a team such as Hawthorn.

I hope at the end of this season we do a decent cull, pick up some talent and can finally stabilise.

I suppose the thing we have to look at it the fact that the news Roos regime has only had one season at it.. because right at this moment we have about 12 genuine footballers on the list and some hopeful kids to come. Pretty dire stuff.

C&B, it would be interesting to see the same list with a team such as Hawthorn.

I hope at the end of this season we do a decent cull, pick up some talent and can finally stabilise.

Yes no doubt the hawks would have had significantly less than 68 imports and a far higher conversion rate than the 20% max. that we have

How does that compare against other clubs?

Our issues are about our rubbish rubbish drafting/development.

My opinions in life are mostly based on empirical data so thanks for all that data C&B. I feel ill contemplating the incompetence of it all since 2007 while paying out bloated salaries to all and sundry to those involved from assistant coaches, selectors, recruiters, managers of football and CEO's. $Millions forked out for Shyte output. The incompetence since 2007 is truly awesome to behold!

I guess the main questions going to be how many are going to be cut from the list this year and the likely candidates.

We have lost 1. Clark, 2. Brynes, likely to have lost 3. Chip

I think we should delist - 4. McKenzie, 5. Blease, 6. Tapscott, 7. Evans, 8. Nicholson, 9. Strauss. 10. Clisby 11. Matt Jones? 12. Terlich? (though not necessarily in that order).

Replacements:1. Rok, 2. Malceski, 3. first and 2nd picks to GWS for Cameron 4. Jaksch, 5. Shiel and/or Tomlinson 6. Strech 7. 8. and 9. use either our 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks or trades / out of contract players. picks 10, 11 and 12 take rookies. (note not sure what it would take to get ROK and Malceski but it should hopefully not be a lot given their age and the fact that Sydney would be looking to ease their salary cap woes).

this will give us in the main tried and tested players, we may only get a couple of years out of a couple of them but then we are trying to ensure that the next couple of years do not require any major list overhauls so that we can have aging players replaced to bring in new blood.

Fascinating but depressing OP C&B

I suspect many of the 'come and gone' category was since the CS / Bailey era where CS had the Melbourne "young generation" lets grow them together Red & Blue print happening ie., in with the babies and out with the bath water (eg., J Mac/ Robbo/ Miller).

In addition the top line draft players just don't want to come and play with the likes of us and other bottom dwellers like the doggies etc. They are going to arc up and make their play (via their Management team) to try and end up at the top clubs of preference.

Until, or unless, the AFL step in and ensure clubs at the bottom receive their fair share of the best talent, and don't lose them to the likes of the Pies/Bombers/Swans/Hawks/GCS/GWS etc who have more room in their football dept to spend on facilities/coaching staff/recruiting/staff etc....we will always wallow around like a skinny little runt stuck in the AFL pig swill and mud as bottom dwellers.

This isn't really a surprise to me as i feel that's just the way the AFL want it. They have managed the AFL to promote the stronger clubs get stronger. Those at the bottom they don't really give two hoots about as long as they don't drain too many $$ from the AFL coffers. Like Port and ourselves did recently. The Saints appear to be the next big strain this year if you believe some of the gossip.

In short i'm not surprised that the usual bottom dwellers like us, the doggies and toiges are still wallowing on the bottom as the AFL have pretty much thumbed their nose at the periferal Victorian clubs for decades now, instead preferring to focus their marketing dollars on the Swans, Pies, Bombers, Hawks, GWS and GCS. All we are seeing in the main is the outcome of an AFL manafactured product, with the usual bottom dwelling clubs in their usual "AFL acceptable".... place with the bigger/start up clubs of preference still chipping away at the top of the ladder year after year, decade after decade. It's no coincidence the AFL prefers a fixture over a draw and lock in the Bombers/Pies for Anzac day every year etc. Nothing is left to chance when it comes to the AFL.

Edited August 3, 201411 yr by Rusty Nails

Ha ha! Zomer.... Classic pick.

Ha ha! Zomer.... Classic pick.

so many blokes that played zero, or 1 or 2 games, mindblowing

Time to join the Amos?

I think we should delist - 4. McKenzie, 5. Blease, 6. Tapscott, 7. Evans, 8. Nicholson, 9. Strauss. 10. Clisby 11. Matt Jones? 12. Terlich? (though not necessarily in that order).

McKenzie and Evans are still contracted next year I believe, I pretty much have to agree with the rest. M Jones could be used as a depth player but nothing more.

is there any reason we cannot pay a players contract out early and get him off our list? obviously $$'s would still count to our salary cap.

is there any reason we cannot pay a players contract out early and get him off our list? obviously $$'s would still count to our salary cap.

none other the money in the cap for 2015.

However I doubt we need to fling any who have contracts for 2015.

We have plenty out of contract this year that will not be missed.

Now that is depressing.

We as members deserve an award for following this mob.