I shudder to think how the list would look like if Neeld had another off-season in charge - don't we all?

Well, those that advocate the massive cleanout at the end of this season - that's what you leering toward even if you don't see it.

Excellent point rpfc and you have made me think about this issue a bit more.

I think there should be trades and there will be a list turnover at the end of the year. However, does it need to be ten people this preseason (keeping in mind that Clark and Byrnes are already gone)? I am not so sure. I do feel that Watts should move on but your point is an excellent one. He goes if we get something for him.

That being said, he still has SOME trade value now. We wait a few more years and he might have none at all and we end up with a Colin Sylvia/Travis Johnstone situation where the trigger was pulled too late (or in Col's case not at all and he walks away from us).

not what I'm referring to, a tall like a boyd type, around the 200cm mark... not a 6'-4" normal key tall like a pederson. they are small these days. as is hogan really, hogan could run thru the middle IMO.

I think we will target a player like boyd, but for the forward line.

I don't think there is too many giant defenders atm, most are just under 195 arnt they?

Point being, Pederson would be more than competitive as a full back.

Dunn is an elite 1 on 1 defender

Would be a waste having him as a floating 3rd man up

Dunny has found hos true calling this season, as a KPD on the oppositions big forwards

Of course, he's great one on one, but we really need his disposal out of the back line is what Im getting at. He's competitive with the bigger forwards, but I think he plays a lot better when they aren't his main opponent.

Tom mac has generally been taking the bigger guys, but I don't think he quite has enough bulk to him yet.

To be completely honest, outs back line requires the least attention.

they're pretty reasonable. Next season, fingers crossed everyones fit with a preseason under their belt, on paper it looks solid.

Dunn, howe, jetta, garland, tom mac with guys like pederson going back. We lack depth, bun the primary list looks good.

Excellent point rpfc and you have made me think about this issue a bit more.

I think there should be trades and there will be a list turnover at the end of the year. However, does it need to be ten people this preseason (keeping in mind that Clark and Byrnes are already gone)? I am not so sure. I do feel that Watts should move on but your point is an excellent one. He goes if we get something for him.

That being said, he still has SOME trade value now. We wait a few more years and he might have none at all and we end up with a Colin Sylvia/Travis Johnstone situation where the trigger was pulled too late (or in Col's case not at all and he walks away from us).

Johnstone got us Grimes and Sylvia got us Vince.

I am really glad someone else sees what I am saying - if we go to footy clubs in October and ask what can we get for Watts - we will be given a smirk and a bad deal.

Roos and co. have to make a decision based on the chances a draft pick can be better than Watts and the chances Roos can make a consistent player out of Watts.

If Roos has a 30% chance to get something out of Watts and the draft pick would have a 16% (1 in 6) of being a success - Roos should back himself.

This is incredibly unscientific and judgement based, but Roos has got to say to himself whether he can see something - and if he can - back himself and the club he is rebuilding.

Johnstone got us Grimes and Sylvia got us Vince.

I am really glad someone else sees what I am saying - if we go to footy clubs in October and ask what can we get for Watts - we will be given a smirk and a bad deal.

Roos and co. have to make a decision based on the chances a draft pick can be better than Watts and the chances Roos can make a consistent player out of Watts.

If Roos has a 30% chance to get something out of Watts and the draft pick would have a 16% (1 in 6) of being a success - Roos should back himself.

This is incredibly unscientific and judgement based, but Roos has got to say to himself whether he can see something - and if he can - back himself and the club he is rebuilding.

I'll play Dave Allen style devils advocate here.

if only 30% he can...thats 70% he cant.....or 233% more likely he wont.

Not good odds for mine

I think we will target a player like boyd, but for the forward line.

I don't think there is too many giant defenders atm, most are just under 195 arnt they?

Point being, Pederson would be more than competitive as a full back.

Giant defenders are creeping in at the same rate as giant forwards - Carlisle, Rory Thompson (GC), Roughead (WB version)

Almost forgot about Trengove.

What a godsend he would be

would be a godsend if we could cash him back in for a number 2 draft pick

shocking return so far

Am i the only one on this godforsaken 'Land who ISN'T worried about Trenners or Toumpas?
I think they will be absolutely fine.

Am i the only one on this godforsaken 'Land who ISN'T worried about Trenners or Toumpas?

I think they will be absolutely fine.

"fine" or A-grade midfielders? Because A-grade midfielders is what the other teams have, and it's what we have lacked for years, what we desperately need and what we hope to acquire when we use picks in the top5 of a draft. Screw "fine".

Edited August 12, 201411 yr by Curry & Beer

"fine" or A-grade midfielders? Because A-grade midfielders is what the other teams have, and it's what we have lacked for years, what we desperately need and what we hope to acquire when we use picks in the top5 of a draft. Screw "fine".

I see your point.

I don't doubt both will become solid players for the MFC. I do feel at this point in time Trenners only has the potential to become "A-grade".

Our backline is starting to take shape with Howey and Jetta showing they can tackle, have speed, have aerial ability and the vision necessary to be really strong contributors.

Dunn and McDonald are the tall rocks and Grimes, for all his critics on his occasional turnovers, is a smart, courageous player who reads the play well.

Our seven-man rotation down there still needs a left-foot small defender with great kicking skills (solved if we get Malceski) and one more tall (Frawley if he stays).

Garland does not have the confidence to provide run as a tall but is a handy back-up tall, but I'd prefer to see him sent forward in a defensive role similar to Goldsack and if Malceski doesn't come, then Salem is the ideal player to fill the left-foot small defender. Pedersen is also a back-up tall but if we lose Frawley then we will need to make one of our high picks a potential tall.

Our midfield has improved heaps but it is still our top priority and our first pick should, and will, go on either Petracca or Brayshaw. We also should get Billy Strech with our second rounder and given his latest form with Glenelg, there's a high chance he will be ready to replace Matt Jones on the wing by Round 1. He will provide run and he's pretty quick as well.

I wouldn't be adverse to us drafting Jarrod Pickett as well should we get a Frawley compo pick, that way we will no longer be the slowest team in the comp.

We have three fairly useful rucks and we are in an era when there are no really dominant ruckman (Nic Nat is one of the few who can hurt when he's on song), so there's no need to waste a pick on another ruck.

We have enough tall forwards - just got unlucky with Hogan and Clark this year. We should however draft a tall forward prospect with a late selection and if Frawley does go, then our extra high pick should go on one or on Pickett if we want to gamble.

We also have added small forwards in recent times with JKH and Kent, so this is no longer an area we need to panic with - as we did when we picked up Shannon Byrnes.

But ultimately the No.1 thing we need is a star (ideally two or three of them).

Unfortunately luck, or poor drafting, has dealt us a poor hand when it comes to this and we haven't really had a gun player since Garry Lyon, it's now 27 years since he made his debut.

The Bulldogs by contrast have drafted three players in the past two years who look like they could be genuine stars of the future - The Bon, Stringer and Macrae.

As a result their club is on the rise.

We just have to hope that Petracca or Brayshaw or Stretch has that character that will take them to greatness.

But at least in Viney, Tyson and Jones we now have three real quality guys in the middle and they are getting good support from Crossy and Vince.

We are not miles away from being competitive, we just need a star or two.

That last Line probably says it all about us Deespicable

"We are not miles away from being competitive, we just need a star or two."

Giant defenders are creeping in at the same rate as giant forwards - Carlisle, Rory Thompson (GC), Roughead (WB version)

yeh your right.

I wouldn't mind giving sam day a look in, he's 196, but his reach is massive. can play forward or back.

That last Line probably says it all about us Deespicable

"We are not miles away from being competitive, we just need a star or two."

We see that every week. We get it in to the fwd line a reasonable amount, and we just lack that polish and confidence to take the shot, everyones looking for the hand pass.

Two more high class midfielders, or 3 if possible, and a quick running half back with good decision making. The common denominator with all of them must be very good delivery by hand and foot. Another ruck to offset the loss of Jamar (retire) and Spencer (delist) in a year or two would also be handy. Not too much to ask for, is it?

Half backs: someone like a Malceski (for now) to allow Stretch time to develop

Mids: Shiel + 1

Rucks: Back up for Jamar & Gawn (because I care) - maybe trading with the likes of Hawthorn who seem to have a surplus of them.

We do need a back flanker/sweeper type player in the Malcheski mould.

Be good if we could snag NM, but I'd be disappointed if Salem of Toumpas couldn't fill that role in 2015.

NM would be a great teacher though.

I see Salem is the perfect midfielder down the line, but his outside game would only benefit under the tutelage of Malcheski.

Salem has sublime skills, but because he is so inside -he doesn't utilize his outside game as much as he could.

We haven't really seen Salem be used as a mid thus far, but when he is ready, he'll be a jet, IMO Salem will be our best player within 3 years.

We need players who can play in the back half of the ground (i.e. defend) and can kick. To me that's number one. We won't go anywhere whilst we keep turning it over as we try to generate scoring chains from the back half of the ground.

We also need more midfielders. A core of 5, one of whom is over 30, is not enough. We have Trengove, Toumpas, Michie, Salem and JKH to inject in there, but we still need more depth.

I'm not too fussed by the tall forward situation. We have Hogan to add to Dawes, and we're starting to see Gawn develop his forward play. Resting Gawn there when he's not rucking, along with Hogan, Dawes and Pedersen, doesn't have me anywhere near as concerned as our midfield or half-back line.