WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BEN NEWTON

[Dr. Gonzo 24,457]

Oh wow what a terrific post.

Picking up Blease just suggests Geelong don't think a lightning fast half forward flanker will be there with 47, 55 or 60.

They are very confident that in this draft they'll be able to find good players with those late picks. If they are confident a player will be worthy of a spot on the list with pick 60, I can't fathom why we would not use 40 and 53. We have a list that have won 40 games in 8 years and Evans and Terlich weren't even getting a kick at Casey in the back half of the year.

And it's not 3rd hand info. I just won't be naming the connection to Wells, but he has a lot to do with Stephen Wells.

Wells gets talked up immensely and the Cat drafts from 99-01 set them up for their dynasty but how have they gone recently? I haven't seen anything roo special come out of there for the last few drafts just a lot of Jordan Murdochs Horlin-Smiths Schroeders and Stringers.

[Demoneyes 562]

News on Ben Newton?

[DeeSpencer 26,446]

Wells gets talked up immensely and the Cat drafts from 99-01 set them up for their dynasty but how have they gone recently? I haven't seen anything roo special come out of there for the last few drafts just a lot of Jordan Murdochs Horlin-Smiths Schroeders and Stringers.

Just looking through his recent ones

2006 - Selwood and Hawkins as a father son gift

2007 - Harry Taylor, Dawson Simpson not much else

2008 - Mitch Brown, Gillies, Taylor Hunt but saved himself with Motlop in the 3rd round

2009:

17 - Menzel

28 - Duncan

40 - Christensen

42 - Vardy

56 - Cowan

3rd round rookie - Pods

2010: Smedts, Guthrie, Horlin-Smith, Schroder - not all that special

2011: Hamling, Kersten, Murdoch, McCarthy

2012: Thurlow, trade for Caddy and McIntosh

So they've been punished by going down the draft order and had a few misses.

But the 3 stars out of 06/07 were huge for their premierships in Hawkins, Taylor and Selwood. You don't need a high success rate per pick if you are getting multiple AA players.

08, 10 and 11 don't seem all that great in hindsight. Some good talented forwards and depth midfielders but lacking punch.

2009 was the draft that set Geelong up not only for the 2011 flag a possibility but for more and more success now. 3 of that class have long term injuries and a 4th just moved to Brisbane. The 5 player in Mitch Duncan is a gun.

Still we had 4 top 20 picks and I would've loved it to go Menzel, Duncan, Christensen, Vardy even with all the injuries that's better than Scully, Trengove, Gysberts and Tapscott!

[spirit of norm smith 16,650]

Hope for some news on Ben Newton tomorrow ...

[Deeman 1,546]

Hope for some news on Ben Newton tomorrow ...

And if not, a word or two about Bert wouldn't go astray either.

[rpfc 28,957]

Only because we offered substantial more $$$.

As opposed to the other reasons players change clubs - facilities, other BS, etc

And you don't know what the market for these players were. I had heard the Frost rumour weeks before the season had ended, he was keen from a long way out.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

News on Ben Newton?

Give your mates from golf a call.

[Biffen 12,949]

Hope for some news on Ben Newton tomorrow ...

Still in rehab.

[Red and Bluebeard 2,101]

Still in rehab.

I thought you said Bert Newton for a minute, and that he was still getting a hair job done ...

[Lord Travis 10,799]

No more news? Delisted Free Agency ends tomorrow afternoon from memory. I'm really hoping we sign this guy as he would add more depth to our midfield and goes hard at it. We need more ball winners!

[dazzledavey36 55,977]

No more news? Delisted Free Agency ends tomorrow afternoon from memory. I'm really hoping we sign this guy as he would add more depth to our midfield and goes hard at it. We need more ball winners!

Ends next Wednesday.

In saying that most likely hopefully expect to sign up tomorrow being public holiday today.

[Lord Travis 10,799]

Ends next Wednesday.

In saying that most likely hopefully expect to sign up tomorrow being public holiday today.

Ah righto my mistake then. Plenty of time for the deal to get done then. I started worrying thinking we had less than 24 hours left and hadn't heard anything.

[Lucifers Hero 40,531]

Now officially a Demon!!

Newton switches Power to join Melbourne

"General manager of player personnel Todd Viney said the club had kept a close watch on Newton throughout the season."

"He looms as a shrewd acquisition by the Demons."

Good to see we are getting players we target during the year (Frost included) and not just those NQR at other clubs (as in our 'moneyball' days).

Me thinks we may have had a word in his ear early on so he didn't take up the Port contract. We chose not to trade for him and Port were good enough to delist him to chose his own club rather than force him into the draft. Well done by all and welcome Ben.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

This guy could be a sensational pick up for us.

Viney's comments make him sound really promising.

[InVINCEable 358]

Now officially a Demon!!

Newton switches Power to join Melbourne

"General manager of player personnel Todd Viney said the club had kept a close watch on Newton throughout the season."

"He looms as a shrewd acquisition by the Demons."

Good to see we are getting players we target during the year (Frost included) and not just those NQR at other clubs (as in our 'moneyball' days).

Me thinks we may have had a word in his ear early on so he didn't take up the Port contract. We chose not to trade for him and Port were good enough to delist him to chose his own club rather than force him into the draft. Well done by all and welcome Ben.

Welcome Ben!

[Wormburner 674]

YES! Very happy with this.

Great work team!

[BIG JIM 508]

Great work by the recruitment team.

[Dee tention 618]

Great pick up!

[DemonTux 97]

good get! probably means we will go tall with pick 3 now.

[Lucifers Hero 40,531]

For all our collective DL angst about losing players to Free Agency, the Delisted FA's aspect of the policy is working well for us: Cross and now Newton. Perhaps this is where clubs like us (and Saints with Membrey) can make FA work for them.

It does require their club delisting them and both Sydney and Port have done the right thing by delisting good players to let them choose their own club. Nonetheless, great opportunity for lower clubs.

Edit: Can't imagine those 'impossible to deal with clubs' like Essendon or Collingwood ever treating their players so well...they would demand 1st round picks instead.

[Josh 1,420]

He looks big and strong. Strong overhead

[beelzebub 23,390]

In an odd way I feel happier about what ever we will do with in the draft now as the club has distinctly changed tracks on how it views it. Where as once this was the font of all our solutions it's now just a part of the 'stocking' process, as it ought to be.

The getting of Ben shows we are taking long and deliberate steps in re-jigging our list. The way of the Roos is to find those players hidden away and bring them into a new fold and develop them.

We were never going to see much in the first year as yo can only do so much in 5 mins so to speak. This year the FD has obviously spent a considerable more time and efforts in researching the under-utilised players out there.

I must confess I wasnt overwhelmed by Bens highlights but they are only snippets at best. Im hoping hes taught to kick harder and lower when passing as AFL is NOT a game about 'hang" time but possibly I'm quibbling.

Ive always worried over our pre occupations with the draft....or AF-Lotto as it is. it struck me we we going about it wrong. It smacked of desperation. Now I see a far calmer and cooler approach and I suspect one that will garner far better results.

The aspect of Ben game I did like was he seems to play it purposefully. He seems to have footy nous , something we've lacked a lot of over recent years.

You'd expect Newton with another solid preseason to step right into 22 contention.

[DemonTux 97]

In an odd way I feel happier about what ever we will do with in the draft now as the club has distinctly changed tracks on how it views it. Where as once this was the font of all our solutions it's now just a part of the 'stocking' process, as it ought to be.

The getting of Ben shows we are taking long and deliberate steps in re-jigging our list. The way of the Roos is to find those players hidden away and bring them into a new fold and develop them.

We were never going to see much in the first year as yo can only do so much in 5 mins so to speak. This year the FD has obviously spent a considerable more time and efforts in researching the under-utilised players out there.

I must confess I wasnt overwhelmed by Bens highlights but they are only snippets at best. Im hoping hes taught to kick harder and lower when passing as AFL is NOT a game about 'hang" time but possibly I'm quibbling.

Ive always worried over our pre occupations with the draft....or AF-Lotto as it is. it struck me we we going about it wrong. It smacked of desperation. Now I see a far calmer and cooler approach and I suspect one that will garner far better results.

The aspect of Ben game I did like was he seems to play it purposefully. He seems to have footy nous , something we've lacked a lot of over recent years.

You'd expect Newton with another solid preseason to step right into 22 contention.

Agreed. but is this more Viney being allowed to do what he wants as opposed to Roos direction? Remembering Vineys involvement in Hawthorns list rebuild...

[Goodvibes 3,596]

The question for me is whether he'll offer midfield depth in the same way Michie, Riley and M Jones have or is he going to be a step up from them. Anyone seen enough of him to know or at least guess?

[Nasher 33,617]

The question for me is whether he'll offer midfield depth in the same way Michie, Riley and M Jones have or is he going to be a step up from them. Anyone seen enough of him to know or at least guess?

Same question for me. I hope we're picking up a best 22 mid, but honestly I have no idea whatsoever. I'm pleased as the club seems to be happy and Port fans seem miffed, but I'll keep the cartwheels on hold for now.