Ah Saty, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist.

I am obviously only including players who have, ya know, played a game.

I promise I'll only say nice rainbow flavoured things about every player for the next week,. They're all WINNERS!

No you weren't you said my bottom 3, but whatever, used to your wide ranging assessments of the playing list, it is a new season clean slate, already looking for this years Jetta, Dunn and Pedersen

Apologies I forgot Billy Stretch

No you weren't you said my bottom 3, but whatever, used to your wide ranging assessments of the playing list, it is a new season clean slate, already looking for this years Jetta, Dunn and Pedersen

Apologies I forgot Billy Stretch

It's amazing (but not surprising) that I can't even mention three names without you getting all fan boy offended and throw a few barbs. We don't all attend every single training session on our scooter and pester the players with questions about their injuries and ask them to pose for "gun pics". They are just player X, Y and Z to me.

I can't assess players who haven't played a game. It's not fair and it wouldn't be accurate to do so,so. They are excluded. With that in mind, those three are the ones near or at the bottom of the list. If someone like Riley steps it up I'll be thrilled, but I don't greatly fancy the chances of Terlich or McKenzie making me eat humble pie.

Can only name a clear bottom three for mine: Terlich, McKenzie, Riley.

Others who would've rounded out the clear bottom five are now gone.

Well the good news is two of the three are in the last year of their contract.

Edited January 8, 201510 yr by Al's Demons

Lumumba has got to be in the mix.

He's clearly important.

Most important players for MFC in 2015 I would have, in no particular order, as:

1. Tom McDonald - key pillar in defence, if he can keep is man quiet it would be a big impact for the team (both on the scoreboard and mentally).

2. Mark Jamar - with the reports on his fitness, a bigger impact around the ground in addition to his work at stoppages would be great.

3. Nathan Jones - clearly still the most influential midfielder, not to mention el capitan. Hopefully we'll see a few more captains goals!

4. Dom Tyson - Also super important in terms of clearances, like Jones, but links up well and geez we need goal scoring mids...

5. Jesse Hogan / Chris Dawes - not sure which, Dawes probably more effective due to experience and mature body, but Hogan with his talent alongside could be super important.

Honorable mentions to Dunn, Vince, Cross and Jetta, who all had big impacts on games last year. Also Lumumba, who's run and carry I'm hoping will translate into more forward entries and meters gained.

Swap Tyson for Dunn (I would have Tyson at 6) and you're on the money.

I think that it is important that these five players play the role required of them:

In no order:

Viney: Give Dom and Jones an extra to help out when the going gets tough.

TMac: Be the number one backman who takes the best forward each week

Harry O: Quick movement from HB, and an extra level head in the middle

Garlett: Crumb, create, and keep the ball in the forward line when it hits the ground

Dawes: I don't care how many he kicks if he can make opportunities for Garlett and let Hogan then he's going to be worth every cent.

Also Toump, Watts, Salem, JHK and Kent will make a huge difference if they can at least break even on their opponents through the year.

It's amazing (but not surprising) that I can't even mention three names without you getting all fan boy offended and throw a few barbs. We don't all attend every single training session on our scooter and pester the players with questions about their injuries and ask them to pose for "gun pics". They are just player X, Y and Z to me.

I can't assess players who haven't played a game. It's not fair and it wouldn't be accurate to do so,so. They are excluded. With that in mind, those three are the ones near or at the bottom of the list. If someone like Riley steps it up I'll be thrilled, but I don't greatly fancy the chances of Terlich or McKenzie making me eat humble pie.

It's you that's gets personal, you said 'my bottom 3', so rather than debate it, you just do your normal handbag throwing, I don't pester, I ask and surprisingly because I treat them with respect I get answers, perhaps you need to get to know the players and understand a bit better how injury can effect performance, all three of those had interrupted years, I am sure all three players would like to improve their skills but when the training sessions are spent rehabbing it is a bit hard

I most certainly do not want him anywhere near the team.

If you can't a kick a football, you can't be play AFL, and he certainly cannot.

Pig dog's kicking deteriorated late in the season which was likely fatigue related. Given he was still recovering from a broken leg when drafted for the 2014 season lets see how he performs this year. He has good awareness, poise and quick hands in traffic and is a sexual tyrannasourus.

58 posts and nobody has made mention of Grimes. As our recently retired co-captain, it is sad in a way that nobody seems to rate him as important going forward!

In no order, and based on the fact that these are the players that remain on our list and may still have some lingering 'issues' that prevent them playing to their best potential:

Garland: Need him to find the consistency that he had prior to injury. I think if he can, it releases Howe to play forward or wing

Grimes: Needs to take the 'no pressure' blunders out of his disposal to secure his role in the team, similarly enables Howe to go forward, or for Grimes to be valuable in the midfield rotations.

Watts: Another year of getting consistency under Roos, and needs to demand the ball more when in space (the number of times he works to space and is ignored)

Garlett: We need goal kickers that can kick 30-40+ in a year. Point to prove after being dumped

Howe: Another year to learn the craft, get more consistency but to get a defensive edge that will be valuable if we are able to push him forward.

Midfielders have got the depth of players in their rotation, I think that gives them the generic improvement as a unit. Also resisted putting Hogan in here as I think we need Gawn, Pedersen and Fitzpatrick to shoulder the load for the next couple of years to give him time to learn to play at the highest level, expectations still way too high on him.

Howe: Another year to learn the craft, get more consistency but to get a defensive edge that will be valuable if we are able to push him forward.

Am I the only one that thinks Howe is good for us down back? I think his intercept marks in our backline is something the team needs. There aren't any other talls that are going to mark it, Dunn does from time to time but more often that not it is a spoil. Then once its spoiled, it lets the opposition crumbing forwards have a second chance at scoring.

Am I the only one that thinks Howe is good for us down back? I think his intercept marks in our backline is something the team needs. There aren't any other talls that are going to mark it, Dunn does from time to time but more often that not it is a spoil. Then once its spoiled, it lets the opposition crumbing forwards have a second chance at scoring.

Nope.

Howe is a very important player for us, going forward.

Agree with your sentiments - backline for mine...

Nope.

Howe is a very important player for us, going forward.

Agree with your sentiments - backline for mine...

Agreed as well. Look at Hawthorn with Lake, Gibson and now Frawley. Geelong with Taylor, Rivers and Lonergan. All great markers of the footy in the back line - short kick sideways and the ball is catapulted forward.

With the assumption that our most reliable and consistent performers keep on the same level (Jones / Viney / TMac / Tyson / Dunn - and Lumumba.

In no particular order;

1. Grimes: With the increase of quality at the club, he will be playing out of his skin to remain in the side. I really hope he can improve his disposal and make a big contribution.

2. Jamar / Gawn: We need a ruckman to tap to advantage and offer something / anything around the ground both in contested and uncontested situations.

3. Dawes: If he plays his role we will benefit two fold. He will alleviate the pressure and expectation on Hogan who will have and opportunity to focus on his own game with less external pressure.

4. Watts / Toumpas / Howe: Watts and Toumpas can offer elite disposal and I'd like to see much more run. Howe, with the inclusion of Lamumba may have an opportunity to push forward, tough to beat one of one so I'd push him deep.

5. Garlett / Kent: Run and create, I rate them both forward of centre, if we can kick a few more goals given our defensive capabilities, we should be in many more games at the finish.

4. Watts / Toumpas / Howe: Watts and Toumpas can offer elite disposal and I'd like to see much more run. Howe, with the inclusion of Lamumba may have an opportunity to push forward, tough to beat one of one so I'd push him deep.

Very easy to beat if you push him deep forward, been proven time and again.

Continued good performance from the top 5 in last year's B&F is a pretty good indicator of who's most important:

1. Jones
2. Tyson
3. Vince
4. Dunn
5. Cross

I love Daniel Cross but I hope he gets replaced in this list next year and the prime candidates are HL (top 5 in the Pies B&F), Howe (#6), McDonald (#7), Watts (#10), Viney in year 3. Runners-up in recent years Grimes and Garland could get back to top form. It would be great to see a forward in there - Dawes or even Hogan!

for me the most IMPORTANT players for season 2015 are

Hogan

Frost

Watts

Jamar

Mcdonald

Everyone has over looked Garlett.

We could hardly kick a goal last season and when we did get it into our forward 50 we were to slow.

This guys brings speed to out forward line and has the ability to kick 30+ goals this season which could be the difference to winning more game.

Edited January 11, 201510 yr by ILLDieADemon

It's you that's gets personal, you said 'my bottom 3', so rather than debate it, you just do your normal handbag throwing, I don't pester, I ask and surprisingly because I treat them with respect I get answers, perhaps you need to get to know the players and understand a bit better how injury can effect performance, all three of those had interrupted years, I am sure all three players would like to improve their skills but when the training sessions are spent rehabbing it is a bit hard

Perhaps he should have started the "3 least important players" thread.

1. Dom Tyson

2. Max Gawn

3. Jesse Hogan

4. Nathan Jones

5. Tom McDonald

It has to be the best 5 midfielders we can put out on the ground.

If they excell, the rest will look after themselves.

So who are the ball winners.

Tyson

Viney

Jones

Vince

Cross

Good to see Gawny being rated so well among us..I love him!

My top 5 however..

Jones

Tyson

Vince

Dunny

Howe

Dunny was in all aus calculations for a while in 2014 & Howey just takes so many backline saving marks which I see as very valuable.

Special Mention for Dawesy & his work rate off the ball which is exceptional & always noted..chases hard!!

Comfortably rate Dunny above that hack Rance, yet the latter got the nod for All Australian.

Can't imagine why.

Perhaps he should have started the "3 least important players" thread.[/ Most important 1 Hogan 2 Howe (if played forward) 3 Garlett 4 Lamumba 5 Dawes Now 3 least important 1 Toumpas 2 Stretch 3 Grimes

Edited January 13, 201510 yr by picket fence

Good to see Gawny being rated so well among us..I love him!

My top 5 however..

Jones

Tyson

Vince

Dunny

Howe

Dunny was in all aus calculations for a while in 2014 & Howey just takes so many backline saving marks which I see as very valuable.

Special Mention for Dawesy & his work rate off the ball which is exceptional & always noted..chases hard!!

I agree with that, although I'd probably swap Howe for Jamar.

Jones, Tyson, Viney, Dunny and Jamar.

Howe is underrated for mine, but I think when Jamar is up and running - he gives our mids confidence.