Is Dawes going in for arm surgery?

Was he smiling?

OMG he's going back to WA.......

i saw him today with his arm in a sling. Asked him how his finger was and he said "getting there brudda". Confirm he was smiling.

Terlich is contracted for another year I believe. Didn't he sign a 2 yr extension when Roos came on board?

Signed a 3 year contract when Neeld was still at the helm I believe.

The mind boggles.

Signed a 3 year contract when Neeld was still at the helm I believe.

The mind boggles.

Nope, Neeld can be blamed for most things, but he had no bearing on this one. Terlich signed a 2 year extension at the end of 2014.

Still not sold on our List Managing prowess, sure it's easy to be critical but these types of players (Terlich, M Jones, Evans) will never, ever have clubs chasing their signature so why do it? Surely 1 year would have sufficed.

Nope, Neeld can be blamed for most things, but he had no bearing on this one. Terlich signed a 2 year extension at the end of 2014.

Still not sold on our List Managing prowess, sure it's easy to be critical but these types of players (Terlich, M Jones, Evans) will never, ever have clubs chasing their signature so why do it? Surely 1 year would have sufficed.

I can only assume Terlich or his manager had incriminating photos of one of our list people, because it's one of the more baffling decisions during Roos' tenure.

Whilst I think it happened once Roos came on board, there is always the chance that the deal had been signed, but not yet announced under Neeld's reign of terror.

I can't really imagine

For instance, Mackie & Bartel had singed multi-year extensions months ago, but it was only announced in the last week or so.

And I hardly think Roos would come out and say "I didn't really want him, but Neeld signed him before I came on board... Dean Terlich ladies & gentlemen!"

Can someone with a herald sun or a subscription please summarize what jay Clark said about keeping hogan today? I don't have access. Thanks in advance

Can someone with a herald sun or a subscription please summarize what jay Clark said about keeping hogan today? I don't have access. Thanks in advance

THE next two months are critical in Melbourne’s fight to keep Jesse Hogan.

When it comes to Melbourne’s most important re-signing in a decade or more, money is unlikely to be much of a factor for Hogan.

Simply, the hulking spearhead will be worth the best part of $1 million a season wherever he plays.

And yes, Melbourne can absolutely afford it, in a re-sign-at-all-costs kind of a way.

But for the Demons, what will be even more important than the size of Hogan’s next house is finding the ace goal kicker a big-bodied, forward-line friend.

Over the next eight weeks, it is Melbourne’s top list management priority.

Hogan, 20, was one of the stories of the AFL season, kicking 44 goals after missing a year with injury.

He is a leader, an insatiable competitor and the bedrock for Melbourne’s plans to rise from a decade out of the finals. He has a great relationship with Demons’ coach-in-waiting Simon Goodwin.

But he desperately needs another marking target to help share the enormous burden he shoulders inside 50m.

Think Roughead-Franklin. Carey-McKernan. Lucas-Lloyd. Brereton-Dunstall. Brown and Lynch.

According to the talent experts, the 195cm Hogan can join that group. He is that special.

But the biggest threat to Hogan’s future at Melbourne, other than the obvious continuation of the Dees’ upward climb up the ladder, will be leaving him one-out in the goal square for the next 12 months.

And the potential departure of high-flyer Jeremy Howe in the next few weeks only makes the need for some immediate aerial support more urgent, after missing out on re-signed Adelaide mobile half forward Tom Lynch last month.

In his third season, Hogan was the clear No. 1 inside-50m target (27.7 per cent of the forward entries), followed by Cameron Pedersen (20.5), Chris Dawes (17.6), Jeff Garlett (13.5) and Howe (6.6), according to Champion Data.

Pedersen could be delisted, Howe sounds like he is out the door and Dawes finished 19th in the best and fairest, kicking 11 goals from 14 games. Jack Watts is more of utility, and not a spearhead.

Other than that, Melbourne’s remaining key forward option is Jack Fitzpatrick, who was shifted into defence in the VFL.

The Dees’ next generation midfield is rich with quality youngsters and we’ve still hardly seen No. 2 pick Christian Petracca in his comeback from a knee reconstruction.

Before hurting his knee, Petracca did things at Melbourne training that made the coaches giddy.

If the powerful midfielder is not already favourite for next year’s Rising Star award, he will be close, giving the Dees a genuine chance to go back-to-back in the coveted award.

Petracca to Hogan is a reason to keep the faith and from Melbourne fans’ perspective, it will be worth the price of admission to catch a glimpse of these two in action together in 2016.

But as much hype as there has been about this year’s Rising Star winner Hogan after his sensational third (but really first) season, Melbourne’s forward line needs a talent injection. Big-time.

It will be written all over Todd Viney’s recruiting clipboard.

Coach Paul Roos flagged the club would be aggressive next month, with almost every player on the Demons’ list tradeable if it can help Melbourne achieve its stated mission to play finals next year.

Yes, that includes Jack Watts, but Melbourne won’t sell him for cheap, especially considering he has probably had his best season.

The good thing for Melbourne is, even if the club cannot latch on to another mature-age goal kicker in the exchange period (and the genuine options are limited) this is not a bad draft to be looking for a key forward at the top end.

Geelong Falcon Charlie Curnow (brother of Blues’ Ed) will be around the mark, along with 196cm Eastern forward Sam Weideman (grandson of Collingwood great Murray) 191cm South Australian Ryan Burton and 200cm Gippsland goal kicker Harry McKay.

All will be talked about as quality forward 50m options in the lead-up to the draft over the next two months.

Hogan doesn’t come out of contract until the end of 2017 and all indications are that he loves the environment, telling the Herald Sun in May he believed the club was headed for sustained success.

“With the list and resources we have around us, we can develop into a team that’s a juggernaut,” Hogan said.

“If we can (do it) from where we are now, then, you can look back at this and say ‘look at that’.

“We can be one of those (success) stories that everyone wants to be.”

Hogan is central to that plan. And with Fremantle already making a $700,000 a year play for Greater Western Sydney forward Cameron McCarthy, rivals will also swoon for WA-born Hogan.

Clubs are on the lookout for trade targets 18 months in advance, these days.

For Melbourne, the foundation work for Hogan’s contract extension is already well under way, as the club works to beef-up the marking options around him.

As exciting as he is, Hogan can’t be the only forward line hero in red and blue.

Thanks mate!

Great read thanks. Max Gawn was with Jesse at one stage, and we all saw how that went..... I say put a paddock around him and let him go....he can outmark 3 defenders at at time anyway!!...............yeah well i know, i know but......he is that good i reckon. Guess he could use some help.

If what Jay Clarke said is correct, that we are looking for a forward partner for Hogan, would we look at Tomlinson from GWS? Good size, 22 and a Melbourne boy. I understand they have made some sort of a pact but if you are not getting game time then the pact would not be all that strong. With the players on our existing list I still think Pedersen and Fitzpatrick can fill a hole for a while. Dawes needs to have more impact on the scoreboard for the amount of games and time he gets.

Patracca in the forward line for the next couple of years rotating into the middle and then after that reverse it with most time spent in the middle.

Hogan to get a long term big bucks contract and then build around him.



I'm not sure the modern game requires 2 gorilla forwards.

It seems to me it is the era of the small/medium forward with a ruckman that can go forward as necessary.

I tend to agree after the Franklin Tippet experiment. Looked great on paper. With Patracca and Pedo resting up forward and we have a guy called Garlett whos not bad either.

If what Jay Clarke said is correct, that we are looking for a forward partner for Hogan, would we look at Tomlinson from GWS? Good size, 22 and a Melbourne boy. I understand they have made some sort of a pact but if you are not getting game time then the pact would not be all that strong. With the players on our existing list I still think Pedersen and Fitzpatrick can fill a hole for a while. Dawes needs to have more impact on the scoreboard for the amount of games and time he gets.

Patracca in the forward line for the next couple of years rotating into the middle and then after that reverse it with most time spent in the middle.

Hogan to get a long term big bucks contract and then build around him.



And he's one of Dom Tyson's best mates.

It annoyed me that Clark continually referred to Hogan's "third season". I'll cop second, but not third considering he was ineligible to play for the club when he was selected as a 17 year old via the mini draft.

Very early days still, but I've been impressed with the improvement of King at Casey. He's developing in the right direction and if he comes on further next year could be heading towards being that 2nd forward target. Maybe for season 2017??? Much water to go under the bridge yet though.

Very early days still, but I've been impressed with the improvement of King at Casey. He's developing in the right direction and if he comes on further next year could be heading towards being that 2nd forward target. Maybe for season 2017??? Much water to go under the bridge yet though.

only 19, but CAN take a grab. just needs to gain some muscle. Has some go about him though.

Actually a pretty decent article from Jay Clark.

You tend to notice the decent ones. They stick out.

8 weeks without the use of his digits? Come on Jesse, you'll just have to improvise.

8 weeks without the use of his digits? Come on Jesse, you'll just have to improvise.

You must be kidding yourself if you think he needs to use his hands.

You must be kidding yourself if you think he needs to use his hands.

I doubt Jesse needs to do much of anything in those situations.