39 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Clearly if Tom McDonald chooses to leave, we'll get someone in to take his spot.

But no, just like Frawley, I don't believe losing one player with serious limitations to their game at this point in time will decide whether or not we are able to win a final.

He can be a quality defender and he can also be an awful defender.

If he plays high quality football consistently for a couple of years then yes, I'll change my mind.

Interestingly his DE on the weekend was 91%. The highest in the team. The second highest at 90% was his brother.

Would be interesting to know what Frawley got paid to leave and go to Hawks.  You can be sure it isn't $700k. Frawley's faster and can play on the gorillas that T Mac can't play on. Sydney aren't stupid enough to pay overs like that for him either. If they do good luck. 

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Yes, because Tom McDonald himself will be the determining factor as to whether or not we can win a final over the next 10 years.

Brilliant.

Miiiiiiiidfield.

27 minutes ago, It's Time said:

Interestingly his DE on the weekend was 91%. The highest in the team. The second highest at 90% was his brother.

Would be interesting to know what Frawley got paid to leave and go to Hawks.  You can be sure it isn't $700k. Frawley's faster and can play on the gorillas that T Mac can't play on. Sydney aren't stupid enough to pay overs like that for him either. If they do good luck. 

DE is a rubbish stat, but his kicking over the last fortnight has actually been really good. He set up a number of forays forward yesterday with his attacking kicking. When he hits his targets, it opens the ground up big time. There's just not the greatest margin for error, which is probably why the ground opens up so much when he does make them.

3 hours ago, Roger Mellie said:

We could start a book:

John Ralph $2.50

Purple   $2.75

Jay Clark  $3.00

Slobbo  $3.50

 

Can't be Slobbo, oh, I guess somebody could read it for him.....

https://mobile.twitter.com/7AFL/status/755185158144208897

Interestingly when the question was asked between Richmond and Melbourne he smiled and said he hasn't decided.

As good as gone. Maybe we are still in the hunt?

Jon Ralph about a month ago said if tmac fixed his kicking would be worth 700k. So maybe truth to this rumour. 

15 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

Jon Ralph about a month ago said if tmac fixed his kicking would be worth 700k. So maybe truth to this rumour. 

you mean truth in the rumour that john ralph is w@nker? definitely true.

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

https://mobile.twitter.com/7AFL/status/755185158144208897

Interestingly when the question was asked between Richmond and Melbourne he smiled and said he hasn't decided.

As good as gone. Maybe we are still in the hunt?

If the choice came down to 2 mediocre playing lists, I would choose the mediocre playing list that would pay me more.

Richmond would have more cash to spend, and seem desperate enough to throw it away just to say they landed someone. They are stupid that way.

 

1 minute ago, Jaded said:

If the choice came down to 2 mediocre playing lists, I would choose the mediocre playing list that would pay me more.

Richmond would have more cash to spend, and seem desperate enough to throw it away just to say they landed someone. They are stupid that way.

 

So we have a mediocre list now do we? Righto. I'd choose Melbourne over Richmond every day of the week and take a $100k less to play in a team on the rise.

Just now, AdamFphlebeb said:

So we have a mediocre list now do we? Righto. I'd choose Melbourne over Richmond every day of the week and take a $100k less to play in a team on the rise.

I don't think we have a mediocre list necessarily, but we are still a very ordinary middle of the road team. We have plenty of potential, but I'm not sure that potential is better than an extra $200k in the pocket (reportedly Richmond are offering him $700k?!).

If Prestia feels a sentimental pull to the club, that is great and I would welcome him with open arms. I think he is a good player, and we need as many of those as we can get. Whether he picks us, I'm not convinced. 

8 minutes ago, Jaded said:

If the choice came down to 2 mediocre playing lists, I would choose the mediocre playing list that would pay me more.

Richmond would have more cash to spend, and seem desperate enough to throw it away just to say they landed someone. They are stupid that way.

 

Not sure Richmond have more cash to spend than we do, jaded. I am sure we have just as much to spend as them.

Just now, Petraccattack said:

Not sure Richmond have more cash to spend than we do, jaded. I am sure we have just as much to spend as them.

Disagree. We have Hogan and TMac out of contract, and a very young list that we need to balance to ensure we can keep the group together. I can't imagine the contract Gawn will demand next time around, or Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw... etc

 

Just now, Jaded said:

Disagree. We have Hogan and TMac out of contract, and a very young list that we need to balance to ensure we can keep the group together. I can't imagine the contract Gawn will demand next time around, or Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw... etc

 

True but they would have Cotchin, Deledio, Riewoldt, Martin and Rance on a lot of coin

I reckon Prestia will choose us and I think he'll take less. I don't think we'll overpay for him. The club is run professionally these days, despite the St Kilda result.

Just now, Jaded said:

Disagree. We have Hogan and TMac out of contract, and a very young list that we need to balance to ensure we can keep the group together. I can't imagine the contract Gawn will demand next time around, or Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw... etc

 

That trio have yet to show they deserve big money Jaded.

Promise is the best at this point.

I am not convinced all three will be in a position to demand large salaries this side of 2019.

1 minute ago, old dee said:

That trio have yet to show they deserve big money Jaded.

Promise is the best at this point.

I am not convinced all three will be in a position to demand large salaries this side of 2019.

I reckon they'll all be as good as Jack Viney by then. Imagine 4 Jack Vineys running around!

2 minutes ago, Ricky P said:

I reckon they'll all be as good as Jack Viney by then. Imagine 4 Jack Vineys running around!

Expecting three from three is pushing the odds IMO Ricky

I can hear the press conference at the end of this year.

Prestia: "Melbourne have a really good young list and I want to be apart of that. I grew up barracking for Melbourne and I want to make sure they're back up the top where they should be."

During December, Weitering decides he too wants to go to Melbourne, the club he supported as a kid and does a handshake deal with Mahoney to come over at the end of 2017.

Who says romance in footy is dead? 

10 minutes ago, old dee said:

Expecting three from three is pushing the odds IMO Ricky

I agree that potential is just potential and that there are a lot of if, buts and maybes with regards to whether a player with potential becomes elite. But I think that we develop young players pretty well these days and I reckon these three have shown a hell of a lot more than most young players. If Brayshaw and Oliver don't improve for the rest of their careers, they would still be bloody good players.

5 minutes ago, Ricky P said:

I agree that potential is just potential and that there are a lot of if, buts and maybes with regards to whether a player with potential becomes elite. But I think that we develop young players pretty well these days and I reckon these three have shown a hell of a lot more than most young players. If Brayshaw and Oliver don't improve for the rest of their careers, they would still be bloody good players.

No they wouldn't.

 

If they didn't improve on what they have achieved already then we would have Brayshaw, averaging under 13 possessions per game, and Clayton Oliver averaging 18.

Please show a list of "bloody good players" (midfield) who average this over a career? It would be a disaster for us.

We continually rate our blokes as fantastic players, based on the fact that they are young, and will obviously improve.

 

They need to improve a heap, to become the elite midfielders that we are crying out for. same with Petracca.

16 minutes ago, faultydet said:

No they wouldn't.

 

If they didn't improve on what they have achieved already then we would have Brayshaw, averaging under 13 possessions per game, and Clayton Oliver averaging 18.

Please show a list of "bloody good players" (midfield) who average this over a career? It would be a disaster for us.

We continually rate our blokes as fantastic players, based on the fact that they are young, and will obviously improve.

 

They need to improve a heap, to become the elite midfielders that we are crying out for. same with Petracca.

Just out of interest, how many of Brayshaw's games are effected by being sub? 

14 minutes ago, Generation dee said:

Just out of interest, how many of Brayshaw's games are effected by being sub? 

His Time on Ground last season was 69%. If you take out Rounds 2 and 3 when he was sub and played only 30%, and the game he was injured early and played 2%, he would be closer to 80% for the year which seems pretty high for a first year mid, not sure of the league averages though.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-melbourne-demons--angus-brayshaw?advv=Y

2 hours ago, Jaded said:

I don't think we have a mediocre list necessarily, but we are still a very ordinary middle of the road team. We have plenty of potential, but I'm not sure that potential is better than an extra $200k in the pocket (reportedly Richmond are offering him $700k?!).

If Prestia feels a sentimental pull to the club, that is great and I would welcome him with open arms. I think he is a good player, and we need as many of those as we can get. Whether he picks us, I'm not convinced. 

I think we're viewed very differently within AFL circles than supporter commentary and the majority of journalists would suggest. You only have to read a few articles or listen to a few media pundits talk about our players/list. I don't rate Terry Wallace, but he is clearly a fan. As is Wayne Carey. The majority of the media and opposition supporters (and some of our own) won't give us any credit until it's earned (fair enough), but our list has dramatically improved and the only other young list in the competition I'd take over ours at this stage is GWS'.

As McCartney has said before, we're 18 months behind the Bulldogs, but what must be factored into this, is the base we're coming off. The Bulldogs had a bunch of leaders who had played in multiple prelims, who led the way for their young talent coming through over the past 2-3 years. We had pretty much nought, without being too unkind to Jonesy. 

It may take another season or two before we're taken really seriously, but I DGAF. As long as we see progress and continue to strengthen our list. Which we will.

Prestia out for the rest of the year with a knee injury requiring surgery. He has been carrying the injury all year. Either his price just went down or it is a no from me.

Brett Anderson who generally gets pretty good mail tweeted earlier that Carlton & Richmond lead the race to obtain Prestia...