Melbourne FC to 'target an A+ midfielder'.

[Demon 16 176]

Who may we target, why would they suit us, and how would we achieve a deal for this A+ mid?

MELBOURNE will aggressively set its sights on targeting an A-grade midfielder as it looks to push into the same league as the competition's top-eight teams, coach Paul Roos says.

LINK

[Demon 16 176]

I'kk kick it off by suggesting we might have another crack at Josh Kennedy from the Swans.

He has 3 or 4 years left, and they have a big number of quality young mids coming through - and may be tempted if a high pick is offered up.

Adam Treloar would also be a great fit, you would think?

[Wiseblood 24,636]

We all thought it was going to be Dion Prestia, but HH only rates him as a B+ so it can't be him.

[Demon 16 176]

Is Harley Bennell and A grader?

[Fork 'em 6,558]

Sorry to disappoint you all but anyone any good will be picked off by the big cherry pickin' clubs up the pointy end of the ladder.
We'll be the ones getting picked over as usual.

[Demon 16 176]

Sorry to disappoint you all but anyone any good will be picked off by the big cherry pickin' clubs up the pointy end of the ladder.

We'll be the ones getting picked over as usual.

I wouldnt be so sure.

We are armed with pick 4 or 5, and I couldnt see any of the clubs below us trading their picks.

We will have some salary cap room and are currently a better option than say Carlton or Essendon.

We arent in a bad spot to chase a player at the moment, at all.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Is Harley Bennell and A grader?

On ability he's A+, not that it means much.

[praha 10,317]

Sorry to disappoint you all but anyone any good will be picked off by the big cherry pickin' clubs up the pointy end of the ladder.

We'll be the ones getting picked over as usual.

Our current squad is our bargaining chip. Playing alongside the likes of Brayshaw, VB, Petracca, Hogan, McDonald. We're in a much better position now to snag free agents than we were 12, 24 and 48 months ago. Getting young talent is easy. Attracting A-Grade talent, you need to show them there's hope, that their career will be worth something. I think we have that hope now. They can be the final piece of the puzzle.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

I wouldnt be so sure.

We are armed with pick 4 or 5, and I couldnt see any of the clubs below us trading their picks.

We will have some salary cap room and are currently a better option than say Carlton or Essendon.

We arent in a bad spot to chase a player at the moment, at all.

Jay "I'm often wrong" Clark from the HUN said that Carlton are the front runners for Aish. Unless there is minimal interest, why in the world would he want to go there? Us, the Saints, Dogs etc. are all young teams with a far brighter future than Carlton.

But then if you read the HUN enough you realise that players are only going to Collingwood, Richmond or Carlton these days so it doesn't surprise really.

[Fat Tony 4,470]

Jay "I'm often wrong" Clark from the HUN said that Carlton are the front runners for Aish. Unless there is minimal interest, why in the world would he want to go there? Us, the Saints, Dogs etc. are all young teams with a far brighter future than Carlton.

But then if you read the HUN enough you realise that players are only going to Collingwood, Richmond or Carlton these days so it doesn't surprise really.

I didn't see too much A+ in Aish yesterday. Outside mids without electric pace are really struggling in modern footy. Gaff and Ellis would be two of only a handful of exceptions. (Maybe also Hannebery, but he also wins a lot of his own ball.)

[Beats 190]

Jay "I'm often wrong" Clark from the HUN said that Carlton are the front runners for Aish. Unless there is minimal interest, why in the world would he want to go there? Us, the Saints, Dogs etc. are all young teams with a far brighter future than Carlton.

But then if you read the HUN enough you realise that players are only going to Collingwood, Richmond or Carlton these days so it doesn't surprise really.

Jay Clark's word isn't worth a pinch of salt. The Aish family name is up there with the Ebert's in terms of SA footy royalty, would expect him to go to Adelaide. If Dangerfield leaves Adelaide it's almost a guarantee.

[Ted Lasso 16,979]

Clearly it's josh bootsma

[Je Roos Salem 661]

Funny that no one's name is mentioned in this article. A-grade midfielders only exist in the mind of the pursuer

[Demon 16 176]

Jay "I'm often wrong" Clark from the HUN said that Carlton are the front runners for Aish. Unless there is minimal interest, why in the world would he want to go there? Us, the Saints, Dogs etc. are all young teams with a far brighter future than Carlton.

But then if you read the HUN enough you realise that players are only going to Collingwood, Richmond or Carlton these days so it doesn't surprise really.

Not that Id complain if we were able to lure James Aish, but when Roos said A+, I would hope he was referring to a bigger fish than that.

[Scipio 5,868]

Sorry to disappoint you all but anyone any good will be picked off by the big cherry pickin' clubs up the pointy end of the ladder.

We'll be the ones getting picked over as usual.

I think this is normally the case, but with Prestia the fact that he was a Dees supporter and that his family has strong ties with the club I wouldn't be surprised if we have the upper hand.

Add to that a high draft pick and the ability to offer a rather lucrative deal, and I'm quite confident.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Django

[ChaserJ 3,979]

Outside mids can take time to adjust to AFL footy with reduced space. Gaff is going very well now, but had struggled to shake tags for a couple of years.

I think Aish will come good once he settles in to a team and gets another year or two under his belt.

Don't know about A graders being available, but Prestia seems a likely target. O'Meara had A+ potential pre-knee issues. I still think he has a very bright future and may want out of GC17.

Motlop would be a terrific complement to our midfield, but wonder whether he'd seriously consider us. I suppose knocking off Geelong in Geelong wouldn't hurt our case.

[What 18,810]

Aish is the Brisbane version of Toumpas

No thanks

[DeeZee 6,805]

I don't think Roos would say anything like that unless we were already in serious talks with one or two A+ graders.

I agree that Aish and Prestia are more B+

Two A+ who we know are out of contract are Treloar and Dangerfield.

We have been amassing a war chest for a few years now and are primed to pick up someone big.

Dangerfield has connections to Goodwin and Vince and Treloar to old mates Tyson and Frost.

Despite media speculation linking them to Geelong and Collingwood, we just may make a huge offer that can't be trumped.

The only other option is that we are talking to someone who is not in the trading speculation and out of left field like a Josh Kennedy.

[3Dee 1,153]

Is Harley Bennell and A grader?

I believe the term is Class A

[olisik 4,060]

Any player linked to Collingwood I take with a grain of salt. Every trade period they are apparently into 'every' player thinking of moving. Media just think by dropping the word Collingwood that more people will read their articles when their is probably Jack [censored] truth to it

[The Chazz 4,077]

Cale? I read he's having another crack at the big league...

[olisik 4,060]

Posted on bigfooty

Not sure of your source but that is not what I have heard at all. I'm hearing Aish will end up playing football in Melbourne next year with Carlton and Melbourne the front runners with Collingwood also very keen (although it will be hard if they land Treloar).

[Lucifers Hero 37,232]

In the article in the op post, Roos is quoted as saying: We can't have enough good players full stop – I'm happy to get a tall and a midfielder. "To take the next step, we'll evolve naturally as a group, but it would still be great to add an A+ midfielder."

Roos does not say he is going after an A+ midfielder this year.

My interpretation of the quote is that if an A+ midfielder falls in our lap this year, great but we target a tall and a midfielder this year (Prestia??) and then the A+ midfielder in a few years. I reckon by then we will have one or two of our own A/A+ midfielders but they will be just 21 to 23 years old. That will be the time to get the then 25 to 26 year old A+ midfielder, when we are in finals contention. So would be surprised to see us recruit someone that is already an A/A+, player this year.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Lucifer's Hero

[olisik 4,060]

In the article in the op post, Roos is quoted as saying: We can't have enough good players full stop – I'm happy to get a tall and a midfielder. "To take the next step, we'll evolve naturally as a group, but it would still be great to add an A+ midfielder."

Roos does not say he is going after an A+ midfielder this year.

My interpretation of the quote is that if an A+ midfielder falls in our lap this year, great but we target a tall and a midfielder this year (Prestia??) and then the A+ midfielder in a few years. I reckon by then we will have one or two of our own A/A+ midfielders but they will be just 21 to 23 years old. That will be the time to get the then 25 to 26 year old A+ midfielder, when we are in finals contention. So would be surprised to see us recruit someone that is already an A/A+, player this year.

Think ur over reading a spur of the moment response to a question. His basically saying we need more bloody mids (and maybe a tall if Howe leaves)

[Bombay Airconditioning 5,946]

Luke Parker anyone?