Many of the posts around the draft seem to end up discussing Evans and delisting and placing him on the rookie list. I have no real opinion on him but wondered what is the point of him hanging around (except that he is contracted) if he isn't got any long term future. I know little of him except that he is young, injured a lot and played reasonably well on debut. Can anybody provide some insight into why he is still on the list beside being 'contracted' and any upside in keeping him?

Neeld re-signed him on the back of 3 junk time goals in that comeback win over GWS in 2013.

List management at its finest.

Believe it or not i'd have rather kept Tapscott and sacked Evans.

Revisionist^^

At the time Evans was showing very good signs and was a player that was actually tracking well increasing his possession count and hitting targets more often than others.

Revisionist^^

At the time Evans was showing very good signs and was a player that was actually tracking well increasing his possession count and hitting targets more often than others.

you are forgetting - anything poor that has ever happened blame Neeld ( fallback position - blame Watts)

you are forgetting - anything poor that has ever happened blame Neeld ( fallback position - blame Watts)

Secondary fallback position - blame Schwab

Many of the posts around the draft seem to end up discussing Evans and delisting and placing him on the rookie list. I have no real opinion on him but wondered what is the point of him hanging around (except that he is contracted) if he isn't got any long term future.

Totally agree. If we are going to de-list him (payout included), there's no point in re-rookieing him. We're better off selecting a kid who is still an unknown quantity, as opposed to re-selecting Evans who is a known quantity, of which there isn't much quality onfeld-wise.

He was an average player at best initially, who has regressed significantly over the past couple of years. Far better players have come and gone during his time at the club. I am more than comfortable with the idea of delisting him, paying his contract out in full and finding a replacement.

Revisionist^^

At the time Evans was showing very good signs and was a player that was actually tracking well increasing his possession count and hitting targets more often than others.

Also forgetting he was injured for most of that season. Why he was re-signed for 2 years was unbelievable.

If there was a semblance of some promise, a 1 year extension would have sufficed. Nothing shown subsequently to warrant his position.

Firstly Josh Mahoney recontracted him. He's my biggest fear at the club. Well him and Todd Viney actually. But that's for another thread.

Secondly Evans was our second best healthy young midfielder at the time behind Viney. It's a joke but it's true. I have no problem with a 2 year deal for him.

We beefed up our older midfield brigade. From Jones * 2 we added Cross, Vince and converted Watts to a midfielder. As well as Tyson as another young midfield gun.

Trengove went by the wayside. McKenzie went backwards.

A whole lot of guys - Toumpas, Michie, Riley, McKenzie, Barry (and now Newton) haven't shown that much more than Evans did in 2012.

I have little faith in Evans long term. I have some inside info that I've given to some and in some places involving what I think is happening behind the scenes. But that's enough for now. I'm not whinging about Evans getting 2 years at the time though. With how poor our list was I think he deserved it from some decent games and his 2013 was unexpectedly poor probably due to the change in coach. The expectation that Roos would improve all players equally is a myth but you couldn't expect Evans to drop off in the pecking order as far as he did. (Not blaming Roos or saying Evans is a good player or saying Roos is wrong to drop him down the pecking order, I just think the FD were right to expect him to still be around the mark last year and worth another shot in 2014).

Firstly Josh Mahoney recontracted him. He's my biggest fear at the club. Well him and Todd Viney actually. But that's for another thread.

Secondly Evans was our second best healthy young midfielder at the time behind Viney. It's a joke but it's true. I have no problem with a 2 year deal for him.

We beefed up our older midfield brigade. From Jones * 2 we added Cross, Vince and converted Watts to a midfielder. As well as Tyson as another young midfield gun.

Trengove went by the wayside. McKenzie went backwards.

A whole lot of guys - Toumpas, Michie, Riley, McKenzie, Barry (and now Newton) haven't shown that much more than Evans did in 2012.

I have little faith in Evans long term. I have some inside info that I've given to some and in some places involving what I think is happening behind the scenes. But that's enough for now. I'm not whinging about Evans getting 2 years at the time though. With how poor our list was I think he deserved it from some decent games and his 2013 was unexpectedly poor probably due to the change in coach. The expectation that Roos would improve all players equally is a myth but you couldn't expect Evans to drop off in the pecking order as far as he did. (Not blaming Roos or saying Evans is a good player or saying Roos is wrong to drop him down the pecking order, I just think the FD were right to expect him to still be around the mark last year and worth another shot in 2014).

It should also be added that at the time he was re-signed, Evans was getting his hands on the footy and showing a bit of pace. He had come off a wretched period recovering from a back injury and looking good. There was room for improvement and a return to the high possession football he had demonstrated when he made his debut (co-incidentally around the time Jack Trengove was suspended for that tackle on Dangerfield).

In 2014, Pickles went backwards. His form at Casey was just so so and when he came into the Melbourne team (for 3 games, 1 goal), he really struggled and on performances doesn't justify a place on the senior list. As alluded to elsewhere, he can take his contract payment and disappear into the sunset or, he has another option - to cop it on the chin and work his butt off like Nev Jetta did and resurrect his career. That's what football was all about once upon a time.

Firstly Josh Mahoney recontracted him. He's my biggest fear at the club. Well him and Todd Viney actually. But that's for another thread.

Why do we have to get rid of everyone?

Jackson promoted Mahoney.

Is that not a sign that our chosen saviour thinks he has promise?

Is it his lack of experience that concerns you?

Paying him out and delisting Evans now makes sense especially if is he just going to make up numbers at Casey next year.

Paying him out and delisting Evans now makes sense especially if is he just going to make up numbers at Casey next year.

He will play Casey next year but he won't be delisted this year and re-rookied, will remain on the senior list next year.

Firstly Josh Mahoney recontracted him. He's my biggest fear at the club. Well him and Todd Viney actually. But that's for another thread.

1. I highly doubt Mahoney makes contract decisions alone.

2. Lets assume he was responsible. Is it really worth hanging him out to dry over offering a 2 year extension when in hindsight it should have only been 1 year?

Edited November 11, 201411 yr by UTAH

I think we could do much better then Evans with some of the free agents around like the guys from Adelaide.

Evans is not AFL standard

I'd have thought the List Manager at the time, Tim Harrington, would be responsible, not Mahoney.

Evans has proved to be a major disappointment.

His senior games were disgraceful, looked out of place and turned the ball over badly. As already stated the feedback he received from his Casey performances was very ordinary.

Very lucky to still be on the list

Why do we have to get rid of everyone?

Jackson promoted Mahoney.

Is that not a sign that our chosen saviour thinks he has promise?

Is it his lack of experience that concerns you?

His lack of experience. That he was trained as a coach by Bailey and Neeld and educated as an administrator by Schwab. That the initial plan was for an experienced head of football until Jackson (rightly or wrongly) settled with Mahoney.

That he was part of the group to so eagerly contract some ordinary players prior to trade week. That he seems keen to give out 2 year deals (Evans/Barry). That we seemed to be caught on the hop on the potential of the saints getting their hands on to Frost. And that in general he doesn't sound like the sharpest tool in the shed when interviewed.

Plus a delisted player straight out told me he's a bit of a battler.

Time will tell.

1. I highly doubt Mahoney makes contract decisions alone.

2. Lets assume he was responsible. Is it really worth hanging him out to dry over offering a 2 year extension when in hindsight it should have only been 1 year?

Someone above blamed Neeld. My point was only to say it was Mahoney (who does the contracts) combined with Viney (list manager at the time) who were involved in recontracting Evans, not Neeld.

I didn't blame Mahoney for the decision. As I said i too would've given Evans a 2nd year. I couldn't forsee him having such a poor year in 2014 that he was rated as he is now.

Evans has proved to be a major disappointment.

His senior games were disgraceful, looked out of place and turned the ball over badly. As already stated the feedback he received from his Casey performances was very ordinary.

Very lucky to still be on the list

The only thing more ordinary than his Casey performances were the rest of the team and the relationship between MFC and Casey and just as importantly the relationships between the Melbourne footy department and the players playing at Casey.

No doubt some of those players weren't up to it. Others were whingers who probably weren't ever going to have an attitude change. But I do believe there is enough blame for both sides and hence why I'm very pleased with the appointments of Plapp, Byrnes and McCartney.

The only thing more ordinary than his Casey performances were the rest of the team and the relationship between MFC and Casey and just as importantly the relationships between the Melbourne footy department and the players playing at Casey.

No doubt some of those players weren't up to it. Others were whingers who probably weren't ever going to have an attitude change. But I do believe there is enough blame for both sides and hence why I'm very pleased with the appointments of Plapp, Byrnes and McCartney.

Is Evans a mate of yours?

Is Evans a mate of yours?

No. This isn't about Evans. I have no problems with him being delisted. Nor anyone else who was delisted or traded in this trade period or in any others recently. With maybe a tinge of regret over Jamie Bennell.

I'm simply passing on some things I have heard.

No. This isn't about Evans. I have no problems with him being delisted. Nor anyone else who was delisted or traded in this trade period or in any others recently. With maybe a tinge of regret over Jamie Bennell.

I'm simply passing on some things I have heard.

Fair enough mate. Your points are valid.

Personally I don't think Evans will make it past Casey in 2015 but we can hope that he and others can beat the door down.

I would hope we now have the systems in place to pick up if Mahoney's no good.

I don't think a whole lot would get past Jackson.

It's hard to tell with Mahoney. He might have been an alright coach with a forward line to work with or he might have found his niche as a football administrator.

I think he's squeezed in an MBA as well and while that doesn't guarantee he has a clue, it shows he's committed to the cause and self-improvement, unless of course, he got it from Deakin.

Edit: Joke

I'd have thought the List Manager at the time, Tim Harrington, would be responsible, not Mahoney.

Correct.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-06/evans-signs-new-deal-with-dees