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WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BALIC

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4 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Would much rather Ben Lennon who I think is not too dissimilar, but has been in the system for a while and can't crack a game in Richmond's small forwardline.

 

Reminds me a little of Ben Kennedy.  I'd have him if he came super cheap, though.

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    7 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

    Reminds me a little of Ben Kennedy.  I'd have him if he came super cheap, though.

    In playing style? Or just the fact that he is similarly a high pick who can't get a regular game at the club who drafted him?

     

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    History of wrist problems going back to 2014 has not helped him.

    Smart kid that showed plenty in draft year despite playing injured. Great spacial awareness but lacks a yard. Can run all day which Goodwin would like. Good size and decent mark. Change of scenery might pay dividends.

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    Without ever having seen him play, Balic has a bit of a Ben Newton/Viv Mitchie type feel about him.

    Edited by Tough Kent
    Grammatical error

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    3 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

    In playing style? Or just the fact that he is similarly a high pick who can't get a regular game at the club who drafted him?

     

    What about B Matera, do you have any thoughts on him?

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    2 hours ago, dee-tox said:

    History of wrist problems going back to 2014 has not helped him.

    Smart kid that showed plenty in draft year despite playing injured. Great spacial awareness but lacks a yard. Can run all day which Goodwin would like. Good size and decent mark. Change of scenery might pay dividends.

    We can't afford small players that are slow & lack X.

    They have to have weapons of some description.

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    So he's played a handful of games and wants to go home, yet his value has increased.

    Makes perfect sense to me!

    Good luck with that Freo!

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    15 minutes ago, DV8 said:

    What about B Matera, do you have any thoughts on him?

    Pretty sure he's keen to get home (WA).

    I'm not sure he is what we need. If Kent got serious about his footy and had a big summer/lost weight and played to his potential then he could fill that role just as well. Hopefully Dion Johnson comes on a bit over the summer too.

    Would rather give Motlop a shot as a FA. Is more versatile and dynamic and is a serious player when at the top of his game.

     

     

    Edited by stevethemanjordan

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    4 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

    Would much rather Ben Lennon who I think is not too dissimilar, but has been in the system for a while and can't crack a game in Richmond's small forwardline.

    1

    I disagree. From what I've seen Lennon is an inferior player to Balic.

    Lennon also appears out of contract this year and I suspect he'll be delisted. The only reason he'll be re-signed would be due to Richmond's initial investment of Pick No.12 in the 2013 National draft.

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    1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

    Pretty sure he's keen to get home (WA).

    I'm not sure he is what we need. If Kent got serious about his footy and had a big summer/lost weight and played to his potential then he could fill that role just as well. Hopefully Dion Johnson comes on a bit over the summer too.

    Would rather give Motlop a shot as a FA. Is more versatile and dynamic and is a serious player when at the top of his game.

     

     

    Big IF's Steve.

    If only watts would be Vanderhaar !

     

    It's time to put a full stop in our list, of players recruited from 2012 or prior to; who still don't cut the mustard.

    We need a page break from those attitudes & times, in our club.

    I get the feeling the club is trying to remove players of less commitment, from our tribe.

    So imo we don't want to bring in more like that, unless they are like a Stevie J scenario, whereby we could work with a proven consistent player. I don;'t trust motlop.

    And the Cats are proven to be good developers of players with issues.

    Motlop is a 'pass' for me.   As is Tippet.

    If Matera was wanting out of the Suns, as long as he doesn't have a lot of baggage, I hope we talk to him before he makes a commitment.

    We do need some quick mid/small forwards IMO. More than just Jeffy & Dion.

    If they can win they're own footy & defend strongly, I think we could run 3 in a team

    Edited by DV8

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    1 hour ago, DV8 said:

    We can't afford small players that are slow & lack X.

    They have to have weapons of some description.

     Melksham and ANB aren't fast and don't have a great amount of x factor and they thrived playing half forward this year. I'd see Balic as a similar player. 

    Getting numbers to the contest, winning the ball and linking up with team mates in congestion then spreading out of it seems to be our playing style.

    So whilst I'd love to only trade for guys who fill needs I don't think that's always going to happen and doubling down on the players who can play how you want to play isn't a bad idea. Especially if they're available at a cheap price.

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    20 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

    6PR over here reporting that Balic to Melbourne FC looks likely. Fremantle are chasing a second round pick. 

    I can't believe you listen to that station, Ethan.

    I used to like you.

    You're dead to me now.

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    Just now, McQueen said:

    I can't believe you listen to that station, Ethan.

    I used to like you.

    You're dead to me now.

     I was scanning through the stations and just came across it, I swear. 

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    Freo must think a lot of him, he is not even listed on their site as a player at the club.

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    55 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

     I was scanning through the stations and just came across it, I swear. 

    Yeah, see nobody believes you now Ethan............

     

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    You guys are really selling him :rolleyes:

    BK ver 2.01. Mmmm mmm mmm

    Where do we sign :mellow:

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    Trust the FD on this, especially as he trained with us as a junior. At the very least they must have all the inside info they need re fitness.

    Always a tricky one these kinds of trades. Is it a case of unrealised potential - for any number of reasons - or is it a case of what you see is what you get? He'd be a third rounder at max (I hope!), so are the risks high/lower than an equivalent pick in the draft on an untried 18 year old?

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    4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

     Melksham and ANB aren't fast and don't have a great amount of x factor and they thrived playing half forward this year. I'd see Balic as a similar player. 

    Getting numbers to the contest, winning the ball and linking up with team mates in congestion then spreading out of it seems to be our playing style.

    So whilst I'd love to only trade for guys who fill needs I don't think that's always going to happen and doubling down on the players who can play how you want to play isn't a bad idea. Especially if they're available at a cheap price.

    Melksham & ANB are not what I mean by smallforward-mids.

    I mean the Cyril's, the Garlett types.  The LeCras; more your specialist old fashioned rover/forward pocket. Dare I say Bartlett?

    Those players who are quick, can turn on a sixpence, & kick off a step with accuracy. But must be able to run thru the midfield rotations.

    I think Melksham is more half-forward wing type. Can run,  but I think he'd be lost starting deep forward.

    ANB is another midfielder type who can be a defensive half-forwward. But I don't think he's quick.

    We need to pick a small with speed who would be able to use that & his evasiveness to break open a play up forward. And then be able to go into the centre square setup and win footy.

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    55 minutes ago, DV8 said:

    Melksham & ANB are not what I mean by smallforward-mids.

    I mean the Cyril's, the Garlett types.  The LeCras; more your specialist old fashioned rover/forward pocket. Dare I say Bartlett

    I swear I've seen Gaff handball !!

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    On 20/09/2017 at 12:46 PM, ignition. said:

    I disagree. From what I've seen Lennon is an inferior player to Balic.

    Lennon also appears out of contract this year and I suspect he'll be delisted. The only reason he'll be re-signed would be due to Richmond's initial investment of Pick No.12 in the 2013 National draft.

    He'll be picked up. I imagine he'll seek a trade.

    I'm not sure how Lennon is inferior to Balic given their similarities as players, their form at the lower levels and their wildly different draft positions.

    Frankly I think that Lennon has found himself at a club who have opted to go with a different setup in the forward-line. I thought he showed a bit against Casey in the semi a few weeks ago. 

    Regardless, I'm not saying we need him. Only that I'd rather him to Balic given their positions/playing styles.

    Edited by stevethemanjordan

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    Recall seeing Balic star in an Under 18's Championship game. Thought he'd be a top 20 pick at the least. Just went back and looked at some of his highlights packages from 2015. There's nothing about his game that stands out in a positive way other than being an accumulator of the ball. But on the downside, either his problems with wrist injuries prevent him from tackling, or he is the worst tackler I have seen. Take at look at his highlights package for The Academy against the Allies:

     

    Edited by mo64

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    - 0:05 clean take and dish off at pace
    - 1:03 nice lead up and extension to the ball, double grabs the mark. Weights the kick in to the corridor
    - 1:30 keeps his feet whilst gathering
    - 1:58 nice finish for a goal
    - 2:12 nice gather and slips a tackle to dish the handball
    - 3:20 good run to receive and hit up
    - 4:12 excellent smother and left foot finish 

    After that I'd seen enough.

    His tackling is bad, his kicking technique is a little funky. I'd want to see more to know if he's going to have the physicality required to be a regular player but promising WAFL stats are a decent sign he can mix it with men. But he's got really nice movement in tight, decent vision and seems solid over head.

    If he's a strong runner and got some physicality I'd be happy with him as a depth half forward/midfielder with some upside. 

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    On 20/09/2017 at 8:01 AM, Deemented Are Go! said:

    Image result for bag of chips

    Prefer sailt and vinnie myself. 

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