CHANGES 2014 - Retirements, Trades and Delistings

[Whispering_Jack 29,245]

CHANGES 2014 - Retirements, Trades and Delistings by The Oracle

Melbourne played its last game for 2014 more than two months ago. It was the eighth consecutive season in which losses exceeded wins and its percentage was again low at 68.37.

Given that even after the best of years, AFL clubs are expected to change on field personnel, it was inevitable for a team that won only four matches and finished in a virtual tie for the bottom spot that heads would roll.

That was the case with the Demons although the number of departures from the primary list to date falls a little short of the 25% predicted in some quarters.

The club's playing list for 2014 was:-

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Dominic Barry Sam Blease Shannon Byrnes Mitch Clark Mitch Clisby Daniel Cross Chris Dawes Lynden Dunn Michael Evans Jack Fitzpatrick James Frawley Colin Garland Max Gawn Jack Grimes Jesse Hogan Jeremy Howe Jayden Hunt Mark Jamar Matt Jones Nathan Jones Jay Kennedy-Harris Dean Kent Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Viv Michie Dan Nicholson Cameron Pedersen Aidan Reilly Christian Salem Jake Spencer James Strauss Luke Tapscott Dean Terlich Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Dominic Tyson Bernie Vince Jack Viney Jack Watts

ROOKIE LIST:

Alexis Georgiou James Harmes Neville Jetta Max King

INTERNATIONAL ROOKIE LIST

Maia Westrupp

During the season, Shannon Byrnes announced his retirement after a modest contribution in his brief time at the club, for a career tally 131 games of which 23 were for Melbourne and 117 goals. The two time premiership player for the Cats was originally brought in to provide much-needed experience and to act as a mentor for the younger players at the club and partly succeeded in that role before succumbing to injury during his second year at the club.

Forward Mitch Clark also announced his retirement earlier in the season under different conditions when it was revealed he was suffering from depression after struggling with his attempts to come back from a serious foot injury. The man regarded among the club's top three players managed only 15 games in his three seasons at the club, most of these in his first year. Late in the season there were rumours of Clark's impending return from retirement which turned out to be true but his medical advice apparently was that for the sake of his health his comeback should be elsewhere and he sought and ultimately obtained a trade to Geelong. His career tally overall is 97 games for 97 goals.

Another late season announcement was that the club's New Zealand international rookie Maia Westrupp was returning home after spending two seasons learning the game and playing mostly for the Casey Development League team.

Two players, Mitch Clisby (8 games, 1 goal) and Dan Nicholson (32 games, 4 goals) were cut when the first delistings were announced last month. Clisby spent the entire year at Casey while Nicholson managed only one AFL game in 2014.

Sam Blease (33 games, 25 goals) and James Strauss (24 games, 1 goal) were delisted over a week ago and yesterday Luke Tapscott (48 games 12 goals) lost his place, bringing the number of departing primary lister's to eight. Alexis Georgiou was also delisted after playing seven matches early in the season when promoted temporarily off the rookie list to cover a long term injury.

The worst kept secret of the year was James Frawley's inevitable departure from the club as an unrestricted free agent on a significant contract with premiers Hawthorn after 139 games and 18 goals for the club. Certainly, few supporters expected the former All Australian (2010) key defender to remain after spending a good part of the season rotating between the forward line and defence where he was no longer seen as a vital cog and his contribution were generally underwhelming in the eyes of many and most of us breathed a sigh of relief when the AFL announced that the compensation for Frawley would be band one or, in Melbourne's case, third pick in the forthcoming national draft.

The Demons welcomed father-son selection Billy Stretch for a third round national draft selection. The club has also announced that it will uplift Neville Jetta permanently back to the primary list after a breakout season as a promoted rookie.

During the trade period, the club gained Carlton goal sneak Jeff Garlett, the colourful Magpie defender Heritier Lumumba and in a late trade gained GWS tall defender Sam Frost.

http://cht-cdn250-is-2.se.bponlinewoc2264.ngcdn.telstra.com/platform_release/715/371/EDT_MELB_STRETCH_WEB_S_834493785__845791.mp4

http://youtu.be/XBWyZuScC2o

http://youtu.be/HtqQc7zUS_g

http://m.melbournefc.com.au/video/2014-10-16/sam-frost-highlights

The playing lists for 2014 are now:-

PRIMARY LIST:

Rohan Bail Dominic Barry Daniel Cross Chris Dawes Lynden Dunn Michael Evans Jack Fitzpatrick Sam Frost Colin Garland Jeff Garlett Max Gawn Jack Grimes Jesse Hogan Jeremy Howe Jayden Hunt Mark Jamar Neville Jetta* Matt Jones Nathan Jones Jay Kennedy-Harris Dean Kent Heritier Lumumba Tom McDonald Jordie McKenzie Viv Michie Cameron Pedersen Aidan Reilly Christian Salem Jake Spencer Billy Stretch* Dean Terlich Jimmy Toumpas Jack Trengove Dominic Tyson Bernie Vince Jack Viney Jack Watts

ROOKIE LIST:

James Harmes Max King

* to be officially included at this month's AFL national draft.

There are more changes to come of course as the delisted free agency begins today and of course, the drafts later in the month and early in December will see some exciting additions to the club.

[Whispering_Jack 29,245]

By way of adding to the above, here is a picture of where our list stands officially as of yesterday's list lodgement:-

2015 MELBOURNE LIST

Primary list

1. Bail, Rohan

2. Barry, Dominic

3. Cross, Daniel

4. Dawes, Chris

5. Dunn, Lynden

6. Evans, Michael

7. Fitzpatrick, Jack

8. Frost, Sam

9. Garland, Colin

10. Garlett, Jeff

11. Gawn, Max

12. Grimes, Jack

13. Hogan, Jesse

14. Howe, Jeremy

15. Hunt, Jayden

16. Jamar, Mark

17. Jetta, Neville

18. Jones, Matt

19. Jones, Nathan

20. Kennedy-Harris, Jay

21. Kent, Dean

22. Lumumba, Heritier

23. McDonald, Tom

24. McKenzie, Jordie

25. Michie, Viv

26. Pedersen, Cameron

27. Riley, Aidan

28. Salem, Christian

29. Spencer, Jake

30. Stretch, Billy

31. Terlich, Dean

32. Toumpas, Jimmy

33. Trengove, Jack

34. Tyson, Dom

35. Vince, Bernie

36. Viney, Jack

37. Watts, Jack

38. National Draft Pick 2

39. National Draft Pick 3

40. National Draft Pick 40

Rookie list

41. Harmes, James

42. King, Max

43. Rookie Draft Pick 2

44. Rookie Draft Pick 20

The list might change with further list lodgement before the National Draft and possible delisted free agency inclusions but any additional draft picks can only be gained by delisting or retirement of players but note all current players are contracted.

[old dee 23,505]

Thanks WJ.

When I look at that list it reinforces that we still have a lot of ordinary players.

Still along way to go before we have a power list capable of reaching the finals let alone the top four.

However it, does look a bit better than this year and still 3 - 4 to add.

[Demoneyes 562]

I reckon the list doesn't look to bad. Don't underestimate what a few new players can do to change the structure of a side!

[wattsjurrahdunne 88]

Whilst a list contains Evans, McKenzie & Spencer, it will be a list capable of no more than 5 wins.

Staggering that we may well be out of the Draft at Pick 40 and have those 3 spuds contracted.

[Coq au vin 755]

I reckon the list doesn't look to bad. Don't underestimate what a few new players can do to change the structure of a side!

Really?

[Tough Kent 2,118]

Whilst a list contains Evans, McKenzie & Spencer, it will be a list capable of no more than 5 wins.

Staggering that we may well be out of the Draft at Pick 40 and have those 3 spuds contracted.

Whilst having these blokes on our list is not ideal I'm not sure that they will be the determining factor in how many games we win. I'm pretty sure the other end of our list will have more bearing on that. I don't know many clubs that go 38 players deep.

[wattsjurrahdunne 88]

You're absolutely correct, however, having these players still on our list shows how far away we are from challenging for the eight.

I'm convinced it will be another year of bottom 2 and a reverse quinella of Dees & Saints is an absolute monty.

[Redleg 40,224]

You're absolutely correct, however, having these players still on our list shows how far away we are from challenging for the eight.

I'm convinced it will be another year of bottom 2 and a reverse quinella of Dees & Saints is an absolute monty.

All the more reason to turn over more players.

[Demoneyes 562]

Really?

Absolutely!

[RalphiusMaximus 6,012]

Don't forget we've been linked to the lad from Port Adelaide as well. We could go into the draft with only two live picks left.

[Whispering_Jack 29,245]

Don't forget we've been linked to the lad from Port Adelaide as well. We could go into the draft with only two live picks left.

Don't forget that two years ago, a lot of people including many Port supporters had a similar negative outlook about that club's list, it's players and coaches and were also predicting a dark future for Port Adelaide.

Any call about where we'll finish at the end of next season is way too premature.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,069]

I reckon the list doesn't look to bad. Don't underestimate what a few new players can do to change the structure of a side!

Every season, without fail I say "the list looks good on paper."

I'm inevitably always let down and will be reserving my judgment for the 2015 season.

[Tough Kent 2,118]

That list is carrying a 3-4 blokes but for the first time in a long time when I sit down to write out my best 22 I don't have 10 blokes under the heading 'Not up to it'.

[bing181 9,003]

All the more reason to turn over more players.

By my calculations, we've moved on/lost 11 players this year.

There's only so much you can do in a single season.

[Biffen 12,841]

Looking at the list the only guys with some history at the club are Watts,Jamar,Spencer,Jones,McKenzie,Jetta and Evans,Garland Gawn,Dunn and Bail.
The rest have no experience of losing week after week.The remaining are nothing if not resilient.

Evans must be a good clubman and I believe he can play but he has been in rehab more than on the field.

I hear that Watts is an excellent clubman also and does a lot of stuff the public do not hear about(visiting sick kids,nursing homes).

We have had the cleanout.

No need to slag off the guys who have been through the upheaval since the relative calm of the Bailey era.

I have a soft spot for these dudes.

[Redleg 40,224]

By my calculations, we've moved on/lost 11 players this year.

There's only so much you can do in a single season.

MC, Chip, Byrnes, Clisby, Nicho, Blease, Strauss and Tapscott. That is 8. Who are the 3, I have missed out?

[Biffen 12,841]

MC, Chip, Byrnes, Clisby, Nicho, Blease, Strauss and Tapscott. That is 8. Who are the 3, I have missed out?

Georgy boy,The Kiwi Kid Westrupp and Terlich.

[Tough Kent 2,118]

9 senior blokes, 1 rookie out.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,652]

Georgy boy,The Kiwi Kid Westrupp and Terlich.

Try again. Terlich is No 31 on the WJ Hit Parade, unfortunately without a bullet.

[bing181 9,003]

MC, Chip, Byrnes, Clisby, Nicho, Blease, Strauss and Tapscott. That is 8. Who are the 3, I have missed out?

Egg on face.

As above, add Georgiou, which makes 9. Not sure how I got to 11.

That's 7 gone from the main list, plus 2 rookies (Georgiou, Clisby), with which the outs, the ins, the Jetta upgrade leaves us 3 picks in the main draft, plus 2 rookie picks.

Talk around that we'll get/take Ben Newton (Port), which would leave us only 2 live picks in the ND. If that was the case, not sure why we were fussed getting 40 and 53 in the trade for Frost.

Maybe there's something brewing with Evans, contract or not.

DEPARTURES

Retired: Shannon Byrnes

Unrestricted free agent: Mitch Clark (Geelong Cats), James Frawley (Hawthorn)

Delisted: Sam Blease, Mitch Clisby, Alex Georgiou (rookie), Daniel Nicholson, James Strauss, Luke Tapscott

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Chip and some bloke Mick Clerk or something

[Whispering_Jack 29,245]

Maybe there's something brewing with Evans, contract or not.

Michael Evans is studying law so if that turns out to be the case then I would suggest that he's about to get some handy lessons in contract law (and Redleg can tell you what an interesting subject that happens to be).

I think the club President used to work in that area of the law too so whatever happens I'm sure "Pickles" will be looked after and his contract will be honoured in terms of payment of it comes to that.

With the changes that have occurred with recruiting, drafting, trading, free agency and mature age rookies it has to be understood that the rookie list is not what it was when first introduced. Perhaps "rookie list" is a bit of a misnomer these days and the AFL should find something different?

[Redleg 40,224]

Egg on face.

As above, add Georgiou, which makes 9. Not sure how I got to 11.

That's 7 gone from the main list, plus 2 rookies (Georgiou, Clisby), with which the outs, the ins, the Jetta upgrade leaves us 3 picks in the main draft, plus 2 rookie picks.

Talk around that we'll get/take Ben Newton (Port), which would leave us only 2 live picks in the ND. If that was the case, not sure why we were fussed getting 40 and 53 in the trade for Frost.

Maybe there's something brewing with Evans, contract or not.

DEPARTURES

Retired: Shannon Byrnes

Unrestricted free agent: Mitch Clark (Geelong Cats), James Frawley (Hawthorn)

Delisted: Sam Blease, Mitch Clisby, Alex Georgiou (rookie), Daniel Nicholson, James Strauss, Luke Tapscott

Clisby was on the senior list, so as I said 8 so far off the senior list. 5 on, leaving 3 picks and if we nab Newton 2 picks.

[Buffalo 203]

And imagine our position if we'd traded picks 2 and 3 for Dangerfield et al...NO picks in the ND - something I'm sure Roos would be happy with.