for me the most IMPORTANT players for season 2015 are

Hogan

Frost

Watts

Jamar

Mcdonald

OK, so IYO 2015 QBW

Out: Hogan, Frost, Watts, Jamar, McDonald

would be more important than

Out: Jones, Tyson, Vince, Dunn, Lumumba?

For me it would be the following:

Garlett: Knows where the goals are

Watts: Potential will transfer into elite

Viney: Needs to step up after a few years in the system

Lumumba: Forget the royalty stuff and show us on the field and....

Fitzpatrick: An important forward line cog if he can get attitude right. Worth a few goals a game

Since supporting the Dees as a kid in the late 70s we have not had a superstar player with the exception of perhaps Robert Flower in the early 80s when Flower represented 80% of the talent on the entire Melbourne list. In all my years of supporting only two other players excited me to the point that I thought we had finally recruited a superstar. These players from the early 90s are Schwarz and Jackovich. Unfortunately neither went on, Jackovich partied too hard and Schwartz was never the same after 3 (back to back) knee reconstructions. Since this time there has been no Melbourne player that I have believed has the genuine capacity to be the best player in the league, to be a genuine superstar.

In 2013 circumstance allowed me to attend nearly all Casey games. From round 1 it was clear that we had recruited something very, very special, a young 17yo by the name of Hogan. Each week I went to watch Casey, each week I became more impressed at what I was seeing. Super fast, super big, amazing agility, fantastic kick, calm, cleaver and hungry this kid has the entire package. Watching him was something in-between Carey and Lockett. Yes he looked that good. Whether playing CHF or FF the guy is all class and skill. I believe he is only the 4th Melbourne player in my lifetime that I believe has the ability to develop into the best player in the league.

Now some here will say "stop, don't put any more pressure on this kid". However, from my conversations with him and from what appears to be his character, I don't think expectations are going to make any difference to the young man. Clearly the expectation horse has already bolted, he is on a $500,000pa contract which makes him the highest paid player in the history of AFL not to have played a game. Some random on Demonland saying he has the ability to be the superstar is not going to make any difference to expectations. In saying that I don't expect Hogan to be Carey next season, 30 goals from 20 games would be an excellent return and put him on track to become a superstar.

So for me the most important player for 2015 for the MFC is Hogan. I am so excited!!!!!!

Go the hulk.

Edited January 14, 201510 yr by Grand New Flag

Took the approach that all players do as well and slightly better than last year and looked for which players have greatest upside potential...

1. Hogan
2. Watts
3. Tyson
4. Petracca
5. Brayshaw
6. Garlett
7. Lumumba

If all these boys play to their potential talent (albiet undeveloped in some cases), we improve dramatically as a team, and as a spectacle.

Hogan is "over ready", as in he'll be physically more mature than his game stats (Zero) warrant, could hit 2015 like a second or third year player with heaps of talent and hunger.

Tyson and Watts are blooded and continued improvement and consistent quality now demonstrated.

Petracca and Brayshaw are x-factor and class, seemingly physically mature enough to match it from Day 1. If they are playing, they will hurt oppositions.

Garlett and Lamumba are bonus players who at their best would be in our top 5, if they bring it week in week out, well rise...

Ill be a little more brutal.

For us to jump up the ladder the five most important players are not the ones that shone last season.

My expectation is the likes of Jones, Tyson, Vince, Dunn will do the same again this season. I even include Jetta in this as his performance in games played was very good. I also include Lamumba in this list as he had a fine season with the Pies last season.

We need the players that started to show a bit without starring to step up to the next level.

Gartlett - was poor last season for Carlton but showed previously he can play - we need someone who can crumb and kick goals and he has a track record

Howe - I know some believe he is a one trick pony but I think he has the tools to take his game to the next level

McDonald - Shoot me but he does have some brain fades/disposal and decision issues at time - I want him to limit these and become an excellent key defender

Gawn - So far his body has let him down and because he has not a fair run without injury he also has looked like he runs out of puff pretty quickly. But he has also shown he can take a grab, tap a ball and is no slouch at ground level for a man 2,975 cm's tall.

Hogan - going against everything I have ever posted about not having expectations on players who are young and haven't played yet, what I have seen at VFL level I just feel he will "arrive" very quickly like Jeremy Cameron.

I'll add one more - Viney - he has all the hunger to succeed but just hasn't put the runs on the board yet. I think he can make big steps forward this season.

If we get similar output from the first group mentioned this upcoming season as we did in 2014 and my list of 6 make significant contributions we will move up the ladder.

When I saw him at training he looked like a 5 year pro, and he looked bored too, like he just wanted to play some football.

I think he will struggle a few times in 2015 but he does have star talent, I hope his body lets him play the way he wants to play.

I

Gawn - So far his body has let him down and because he has not a fair run without injury he also has looked like he runs out of puff pretty quickly. But he has also shown he can take a grab, tap a ball and is no slouch at ground level for a man 2,975 cm's tall.

Funny, he doesn't look a cm over 28 metres tall.

In relation to Nutbean's post in relation to Gawn (below):

"Gawn - So far his body has let him down and because he has not a fair run without injury he also has looked like he runs out of puff pretty quickly. But he has also shown he can take a grab, tap a ball and is no slouch at ground level for a man 2,975 cm's tall."

This comes as quite a revelation to realise that it is Melbourne, rather than Fremantle who boasts the league's all-time tallest player and that we are never likely to be challenged.

Until I read this post I didn't realise that Gawn was the height of a ten storey building. I am not sure how he can take a grab, tap a ball or operate at ground level when he is so far up that most people would have trouble even seeing the ball without powerful binoculars, nevertheless the whole football public will be impressed. I suspect that the umpire may need to use a rocket launcher to project the ball up to him at least eye level so that he gets a fair chance at the centre bounces and I hope that they legalise rocket packs for our team so that we can pass it to him to lean over and place through the goals. Finally, I hope that he doesn't accidentally step,on Sandilands however and get rubbed out for the season!

There will be certain problems playing interstate as no commercial airlines, buses or trains can accommodate e player of this size however maybe we can utilise a supertanker as all the interstate teams play at grounds in close proximity to a major port and it would only be a few giant strides to get to the ground, probably with a team bus under each arm.

Edited January 14, 201510 yr by CBDees

Since supporting the Dees as a kid in the late 70s we have not had a superstar player with the exception of perhaps Robert Flower in the early 80s when Flower represented 80% of the talent on the entire Melbourne list. In all my years of supporting only two other players excited me to the point that I thought we had finally recruited a superstar. These players from the early 90s are Schwarz and Jackovich. Unfortunately neither went on, Jackovich partied too hard and Schwartz was never the same after 3 (back to back) knee reconstructions. Since this time there has been no Melbourne player that I have believed has the genuine capacity to be the best player in the league, to be a genuine superstar.

In 2013 circumstance allowed me to attend nearly all Casey games. From round 1 it was clear that we had recruited something very, very special, a young 17yo by the name of Hogan. Each week I went to watch Casey, each week I became more impressed at what I was seeing. Super fast, super big, amazing agility, fantastic kick, calm, cleaver and hungry this kid has the entire package. Watching him was something in-between Carey and Lockett. Yes he looked that good. Whether playing CHF or FF the guy is all class and skill. I believe he is only the 4th Melbourne player in my lifetime that I believe has the ability to develop into the best player in the league.

Now some here will say "stop, don't put any more pressure on this kid". However, from my conversations with him and from what appears to be his character, I don't think expectations are going to make any difference to the young man. Clearly the expectation horse has already bolted, he is on a $500,000pa contract which makes him the highest paid player in the history of AFL not to have played a game. Some random on Demonland saying he has the ability to be the superstar is not going to make any difference to expectations. In saying that I don't expect Hogan to be Carey next season, 30 goals from 20 games would be an excellent return and put him on track to become a superstar.

So for me the most important player for 2015 for the MFC is Hogan. I am so excited!!!!!!

Go the hulk.

Oh I hope you are correct GNF but in the modern world our biggest concern may be to not just to uncover a superstar but how do we keep these guys?

Oh I hope you are correct GNF but in the modern world our biggest concern may be to not just to uncover a superstar but how do we keep these guys?

First things first.

Let's uncover one.

( for the record - I am more confident than I have ever been that we may have one on the list. Firstly because I see players that I believe have a lot of talent but more importantly, for the first time in a long time I believe we have the personnel in place to help bring out and maximise the talents these boys have)

Oh I hope you are correct GNF but in the modern world our biggest concern may be to not just to uncover a superstar but how do we keep these guys?

Lets worry about achieving Part "A"

Part "B" seems to me easy by comparison.

My five are: Jack Watts, Jeff Garlett, Max Gawn, Viv Michie and Rohan Bail. Bail has filled out physically and he is still a very fast mover. Let's see how my five go.