WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - MICHAEL HIBBERD

[Ethan Tremblay 31,388]

9 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Essendon offloaded him to us so that we could pay his super payment. Did nothing whilst here, only fit for retirement.

Essendon drafted him again after we delisted him. Not sure how he went when he went back to them. 

[John Crow Batty 8,892]

3 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Essendon drafted him again after we delisted him. Not sure how he went when he went back to them. 

You are right, forgot about that. I don't think he did much. A symptom of the stagnating Sheedy era. 

[Robbie57 2,042]

I have no idea about his talent but I am wary of any Essendon player who has been on the sideline.

First I am not sure a year off is either mentally or physically a good thing for a player but their routine changes (the holiday pics only confirm this in my mind) and they start the off-season a long way behind everyone else. Second they must carry some mental baggage from the whole saga and there is no reliable precedent to judge how they will perform/react. The fact he doesn't want to go back suggests at least some baggage and having seen some ex Essendon players talk in the media its clear they still have real issues about the whole saga. Third we dont really know if the baseline of their previous performance was affected by the program at Essendon. Finally Goodwin maintaining a connection to his Essendon days just seems to me to be a bad idea. He needs to build something new with his team at Melbourne and find other players with the qualities he requires (and admired in some players at Essendon).

So I would not like to be giving up a pick to get someone with all those issues. Its hard enough being an AFL player. If we get him gratis so be it. We have taken a risk with Melksham and I see no need to double down now.

 

[jackaub 1,402]

22 hours ago, A F said:

You're probably right by insinuating we wouldn't be looking at Essendon players if we didn't have Goodwin, but the fact remains that we are. Why is this? Because Goodwin knows them intimately and understands what they will bring to his team in 2017 and beyond.

Well I hope he is a good judge of quality AF would hate to see two busts.

[Cards13 9,117]

2 hours ago, Robbie57 said:

I have no idea about his talent but I am wary of any Essendon player who has been on the sideline.

First I am not sure a year off is either mentally or physically a good thing for a player but their routine changes (the holiday pics only confirm this in my mind) and they start the off-season a long way behind everyone else. Second they must carry some mental baggage from the whole saga and there is no reliable precedent to judge how they will perform/react. The fact he doesn't want to go back suggests at least some baggage and having seen some ex Essendon players talk in the media its clear they still have real issues about the whole saga. Third we dont really know if the baseline of their previous performance was affected by the program at Essendon. Finally Goodwin maintaining a connection to his Essendon days just seems to me to be a bad idea. He needs to build something new with his team at Melbourne and find other players with the qualities he requires (and admired in some players at Essendon).

So I would not like to be giving up a pick to get someone with all those issues. Its hard enough being an AFL player. If we get him gratis so be it. We have taken a risk with Melksham and I see no need to double down now.

 

A year to recharge and refresh, a year with no bumps and bruises... Hope it is a winner.

[daisycutter 30,021]

On 22/08/2016 at 1:22 PM, Mach5 said:

Just like we "overpaid" slightly for Melksham last year, we may end up "underpaying" slightly for Hibberd this year (although not in my opinion).
And in spite of all that, you have to look at the net result at the end of the trade period, these days more than ever.
"Overpaying" for Melksham was largely irrelevant when we (the supporters) realised we would have moved that pick anyway to achieve the fantastic result we did, of getting 2 top 10 picks to select Weideman and Oliver..

given he didn't play for a year (at his prime playing age) i would say it was more than "overpaid slightly"

i would say that essendon owe us one, despite the obvious caveat emptor risk we took. we should play hardball and not pay more than our 2nd rounder. Of course this would require hibberd agreeing we are his preferred destination

[Willmoy1947 4,261]

4 hours ago, Biffen said:

Didn't think he was that good.

Pure Squib.

That 'll get a bite.

on another tack,i can remember going up to that bloody bog  hole in the sixties standing in the members and the rain(not under cover then) and abusing sheet out of anything TWSNBN wearing a South footy jumper over or under my Dee one and having a wonderful day. They were nothing then and they're nothing now. 

[The Sailing Demon 379]

6 hours ago, faultydet said:

Heffernan was bog average when he played for us. Get your memory serviced......

Sorry mate, i'll do my best to get my memory serviced...I was about 10-12 when I remember him playing for us so please forgive my faulty memory

[faultydet 7,623]

59 minutes ago, The Sailing Demon said:

Sorry mate, i'll do my best to get my memory serviced...I was about 10-12 when I remember him playing for us so please forgive my faulty memory

I wasn't being too serious Sailing Dee. Please don't take offence.

[old55 23,861]

7 hours ago, faultydet said:

That essedon chose to clear out the likes of Heffernan/Blumfield/Caracella around the same time as they started to feel the salary cap squeeze, says enough for me.

Clever trading by the dons.

Looked like it didn't it.  I'm pleased to say they've done nothing since then.  Long may it continue.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Fifty-5

[Nasher 33,686]

19 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

Looked like it didn't it.  I'm pleased to say they've done nothing since then.  Long may it continue.

If I remember rightly, Heffernan didn't want to leave Essendon and came begrudgingly.  This was reinforced by the way he played.

[demoniac 1,337]

7 hours ago, The Sailing Demon said:

Sorry mate, i'll do my best to get my memory serviced...I was about 10-12 when I remember him playing for us so please forgive my faulty memory

A Dees fan as a kid. Came to the Dees after being forced out when the Bombers mucked up their salary cap planning. One of the more insipid recruits ever to pull on the jumper. 

[MadAsHell 4,217]

29 minutes ago, demoniac said:

A Dees fan as a kid. Came to the Dees after being forced out when the Bombers mucked up their salary cap planning. One of the more insipid recruits ever to pull on the jumper. 

I thought his 2004 was ok.

2003 & 2005 he was horrendous!

[old55 23,861]

I'm willing to accept that Hibberd makes us better but I continue to believe HB is not our area of greatest need.

We've got Salem, Melksham, Hunt, Harmes, Wagner and Vince (who increasingly out of the centre square equation as he ages) - together with Hibberd that's 7 into a maximum of 3 HB/bench slots.  Posters say that Hibberd will free players like Salem and Hunt for other midfield roles but there is probably only "wing" roles currently occupied by Stretch and Bugg - maybe Bugg will be pushed out but that only frees one slot

I've left out White, Lumumba and Michie who don't offer enough and will probably be gone.

I think we should be factoring a trade of HBs into the Hibberd deal - maybe Wagner or even Harmes.  Essendon get a younger like-for-like replacement which may appeal.

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

7 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

I'm willing to accept that Hibberd makes us better but I continue to believe HB is not our area of greatest need.

We've got Salem, Melksham, Hunt, Harmes, Wagner and Vince (who increasingly out of the centre square equation as he ages) - together with Hibberd that's 7 into a maximum of 3 HB/bench slots.  Posters say that Hibberd will free players like Salem and Hunt for other midfield roles but there is probably only "wing" roles currently occupied by Stretch and Bugg - maybe Bugg will be pushed out but that only frees one slot

I've left out White, Lumumba and Michie who don't offer enough and will probably be gone.

I think we should be factoring a trade of HBs into the Hibberd deal - maybe Wagner or even Harmes.  Essendon get a younger like-for-like replacement which may appeal.

I like you're line of thinking 55.

Is there a chance though that some of those players would find other positions.

VandenBerg comes to mind as one who is a mid but is forced to play hff. I wonder if others like harmes and salem as an example would be forced to.move positions.

I think Roos and Goody are massive on players who can play multiple positions.

But in saying that it might be a reality that we have to trade some.of our young brigade  (which i dont like.at first glance) to bring in experience to be able to tke the next step

[Moonshadow 17,678]

On Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at 1:10 AM, The Sailing Demon said:

I loved Heffernan when he played for us, he was a very servicable player

He was crappola for us. Pure retirement fund trade. 

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Here's an idea.

Everyone shut the fark up about Heffernan on the Hibberd thread.

Best.

Edited August 25, 2016 by stevethemanjordan

[samcantstandya 1,080]

19 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

I'm willing to accept that Hibberd makes us better but I continue to believe HB is not our area of greatest need.

We've got Salem, Melksham, Hunt, Harmes, Wagner and Vince (who increasingly out of the centre square equation as he ages) - together with Hibberd that's 7 into a maximum of 3 HB/bench slots.  Posters say that Hibberd will free players like Salem and Hunt for other midfield roles but there is probably only "wing" roles currently occupied by Stretch and Bugg - maybe Bugg will be pushed out but that only frees one slot

I've left out White, Lumumba and Michie who don't offer enough and will probably be gone.

I think we should be factoring a trade of HBs into the Hibberd deal - maybe Wagner or even Harmes.  Essendon get a younger like-for-like replacement which may appeal.

Like your rationale.

[MadAsHell 4,217]

8 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Here's an idea.

Everyone shut the fark up about Heffernan on the Hibberd thread.

Best.

What's this about Chris Heffernan?

[whatwhat say what 23,858]

I still don't see the massive appeal of Hibberd.

 

He's a 27 year old one sided half back flanker who has never been able to be part of the midfield rotation. In modern football more often than not yr back 7 consists of a genuine small (Jetta), three talls (Mac x2, Frost) then a rotation of ostensible midfield runners who rotate back.

 

He strikes me as a classic 'good, ordinary' player and I cannot understand what massive benefit he would bring to our side.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

18 minutes ago, DemonAndrew said:

I still don't see the massive appeal of Hibberd.

 

He's a 27 year old one sided half back flanker who has never been able to be part of the midfield rotation. In modern football more often than not yr back 7 consists of a genuine small (Jetta), three talls (Mac x2, Frost) then a rotation of ostensible midfield runners who rotate back.

 

He strikes me as a classic 'good, ordinary' player and I cannot understand what massive benefit he would bring to our side.

I can see plenty of appeal.  He's a beautiful user of the footy.  He is strong in a one on one contest.  While he is not lightning quick, he has plenty of pace.  He will bring some further experience to our backline and he is calm under pressure.  

With our club pushing for a finals place in 2017, we need experienced players coming in, not more kids.  After trading away our first rounder for this year already, we can't land a big fish.  So we need to add further quality to our side, and Hibberd is just that.  Quality.  You can never have enough of it.  With the addition of Melksham our side is starting to look much more settled on paper.

[Ouch! 2,276]

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

I can see plenty of appeal.  He's a beautiful user of the footy.  He is strong in a one on one contest.  While he is not lightning quick, he has plenty of pace.  He will bring some further experience to our backline and he is calm under pressure.  

With our club pushing for a finals place in 2017, we need experienced players coming in, not more kids.  After trading away our first rounder for this year already, we can't land a big fish.  So we need to add further quality to our side, and Hibberd is just that.  Quality.  You can never have enough of it.  With the addition of Melksham our side is starting to look much more settled on paper.

Tend to agree, and what else it provides is depth.

I don't recall to many times in the last 5-6 years where we can say that we had 3-5 players that could be considered unlucky not to get a game for the seniors. This year ANB, Grimes and latter in the year Trengove... possibly Michie, White, Newton, Garland, Dunn and the like that were getting games although NOT knocking the door down to be selected who can't get a game now even when in form.

I see the role that Hibberd can play, Melksham too, but we are accumulating a lot of half back flankers that can run and take on the game. In the past though, we haven't had a lot that delivered the ball well...

[Red and Blue realist 2,063]

I think with the way the game is played now, with a lot of attack coming from movement from defense rather than set up in the middle a player like Hibberd fits pretty well. Traditionally teams are thought of as having a back 6, middle 6 and forward 6 on the ground however realistically I see us as operating a back 5 -2xmac, jetta and frost - or their replacements and Hibberd then floating 1,2 or 3 players through their depending on where the ball and play is at the time. Guys like Vince, Jones, Salem, Hunt, Bugg etc. Whereas up forward, I see us operating 4 players - Hogan, Watts, Garlett and Weid, then having Petracca, Kent, Harmes, Brayshaw, Vanders etc. Of course the forwards should be given more scope to roam. Mids are Gawn, Viney and maybe Tyson and stretch, but again they roam all over the place. 

[grey wolf 226]

2 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

I can see plenty of appeal.  He's a beautiful user of the footy.  He is strong in a one on one contest.  While he is not lightning quick, he has plenty of pace.  He will bring some further experience to our backline and he is calm under pressure.  

With our club pushing for a finals place in 2017, we need experienced players coming in, not more kids.  After trading away our first rounder for this year already, we can't land a big fish.  So we need to add further quality to our side, and Hibberd is just that.  Quality.  You can never have enough of it.  With the addition of Melksham our side is starting to look much more settled on paper.

I am smoking the same cheroot as you WB of our experienced leaders we have only Bernie and Nat who can get a game the rest chase scorpions and if we want to increase our consistency and be able to crank up the pressure in the last quarters we have to get some cool heads in the 26 - 28 age group with 100+ games and preferably a defender a mid and a forward add one class ball user in the midfield like Omeara and finals are coming...

but not a 33 or 38 year old...

Edited August 26, 2016 by grey wolf

[Wiseblood 24,637]

11 minutes ago, grey wolf said:

I am smoking the same cheroot as you WB of our experienced leaders we have only Bernie and Nat who can get a game the rest chase scorpions and if we want to increase our consistency and be able to crank up the pressure in the last quarters we have to get some cool heads in the 26 - 28 age group with 100+ games and preferably a defender a mid and a forward add one class ball user in the midfield like Omeara and finals are coming...

but not a 33 or 38 year old...

This is where I think we're at in the recruitment stage.  We don't need more kids.  I know some want us to go out and try and find the next 'Jayden Hunt', but we also need to realise that finals are a real possibility next season.  We need more experience in our side going forward and if we can flip a few picks to get these players then I'm all for it.