Good news. Aside from Spencer, our ruck depth is incredibly thin if Max were to go down.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2016-05-12/spencer-secures-new-deal

Would have liked to see them sign him through till 2018/19 to stregthen the ruck stocks longer term but either way thats good news

The more Demons sign on during the season the better. it creates a culture of confidence and commitment to a club going places. At the same time, it creates anxiety over players who choose not to sign on. C'est la vie.

This should keep those circling opposition clubs at bay.

Great News. Reckon Betty is massively under rated and essential insurance if we're to push higher into finals this year or years to come.

 

2 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

Would have liked to see them sign him through till 2018/19 to stregthen the ruck stocks longer term but either way thats good news

Next season is Spencer's 10th at Melbourne and he's only played 36 games, no way should he have been given more than a year extension

Just now, PaulRB said:

Great News. Reckon Betty is massively under rated and essential insurance if we're to push higher into finals this year or years to come.

 

I wouldn't go that far, but I agree that he is essential insurance.  He is decent in the ruck and he has that big body that the two King boys don't have.  Happy for him to sign on.

6 minutes ago, DavidNeitz9 said:

Next season is Spencer's 10th at Melbourne and he's only played 36 games, no way should he have been given more than a year extension

oh i dont think he will play many games but he is a developed ruckman who can play if we need him. I think he is a very good backup who we should keep around the club longer term, but i get your point.

Very good news.

Would cost us next to nothing and he is a serviceable, big bodied, competitive insurance policy until our ruck stocks develop.

What happened to the contracts thread?

I want to congratulate Spencer on re-signing. He is prepared to stick with the club despite the fact that he is now behind Gawn as the main ruck, and he will most likely only get an opportunity due to any injury Gawn will (hopefully not) sustain. His loyalty is unquestioned and he is great back up insurance. We need to keep players like that and show some faith .

Good to see him back playing and even better news that he's signed on again. 

'Betty'..... thats funny. I like it

Probably need to explain it to anyone under 40 though

 

I reckon that even if he's not getting a game, he's one of the most important players we currently have on our list. There's really no one else capable of coming in and replacing Max if needed.

Very decent re-signing. And why would you want to be anywhere else? 

I would imagine the likes of Richmond, Fremantle would have been circling. I think it's very prudent of the club and Jake for another year contract. It reassures our ruck stocks as he would be a direct replacement for an injured Gawn (touch wood that never happens in the next 8 years!)

Congrats to Jake for remaining loyal. Who better to learn with than Maxy Gawn.

I don't get the rush. 

I would've waited to see if anyone else was keen on a cheap trade or a state league bolter started looking the goods.

But anyway, it is what it is. He was always more likely than not to be kept for 2017. 

Max King needs to pull his finger out, although he will always be more of a forward than a ruck IMO. Mitch King is injured and will take a few more years at least.

At some stage I think we will have to trade or use free agency to find a better version of Spencer. It looks like that won't be this year and it's probably to keep the cash and picks for more important priorities than a depth ruckman.

As a FA I wondered if he would try his luck elsewhere to get more games. Glad he's staying for the next year. Now for the remaining FAs and others OOC....

astute insurance, nothing more , nothing less

I really liked the way he and Maxy stepped up in the Geelong game last year, when Hogan was out. So him getting into form in the reserves may be insurance for more than one position.

 

On the cusp of his Life Membership! Congrats big Spencil...

Great result!

Great to see so many Demonlanders in agreement that keeping Spencil is a good move with only the one smarty-pants remark from Clint Bizkit.

Some of you with long memories will know how he stubbed his toe on his first shot at goal in his debut at the MCG (2010?) and most of us felt then that he would never, ever make it - too uncordinated.

But my view on him changed the game about four years ago when he played against St Kilda at the MCG and was towelling McEvoy up and then decided to make dead certain of his ruck win - sending him off on a stretcher which I think cost him two weeks.

His decision to stay is a huge bonus, because it means we don't have to worry about a ruck back-up for Gawny for at least another year and can continue to develop the Kings - although I suspect Max will be under pressure as the year goes on to show that he's developing enough to warrant a fourth year.

Spencil is a huge bonus for our VFL side - those of you who saw how bad our ruckmen were against Mason Cox in the VFL earlier this year would know exactly what I mean.

I hope he gets a bit more reward down the track - ideally a VFL flag with Casey - assuming we don't do our usual closing up shop for surgery two weeks out from the finals.

He's battled injuries - even playing on for a few extra games last year when we needed him despite his foot stress injury.

He's been incredibly loyal and who knows he may even get to play a bit more AFL if Gawny goes down (touch wood).

And don't forget he was a key part of last year's memorable win down at Geelong and given the Cats size may be needed to work in tandem with Gawny again down there in Round 23.

 

 

I don't think it's out of the question that Gawn and Spencer play together sometime this year.  I'm on record saying this is not on, but if Pedersen is missing ...

Let's hope that Spencil gets rewarded with a Casey VFL Premiership (along with Terlich, JKH and other foot soldiers who we may not see again in the Ones)!

1 hour ago, Clint Bizkit said:

This should keep those circling opposition clubs at bay.

Under some decent tutelage for once, Gawn has improved out of sight so I'm hoping/trusting that the likes of Stafford and Macca can do similar with Spencer. He played a strong game against the Cats last year in our win at KP and he's got the mongrel to go with the team ethos.

I reckon Max would be over the moon with this news and he'd be hoping Spencer can begin to really impact consistently so the poor bastard can get a decent chop-out for once.