Sam Edmund in the HUN is reporting that Dean Kent may look for more opportunities elsewhere next season as he wants more midfield minutes, something he is not guaranteed to get with us.  Here is a little bit of what he (Edmund) had to say about it:

DEAN Kent could leave Melbourne in search of greater opportunity.

Kent remains sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in the Round 5 loss to Richmond, but is understood to want more midfield responsibility ...

It's understood Kent would prefer to stay at Melbourne, but is unlikely to get a deal to his liking at the Demons and is assessing his options.

Thoughts?  I think he has something to offer, but he is far too injury prone and I don't think he will get the midfield minutes he desires with us.

He should just concentrate on getting minutes on the ground in any position before he starts demanding more time in the midfield (if true). I’d like to see him stay with us. 

Sorry, the bloke hasn't been able to get his body right to play extended periods of games let alone get fit enough to run through the midfield.  I like Dean Kent as he has two attributes that we are crying out for speed and a penetrating kick, he kicks the ball hard and fast over distance.

Would like to see him get his body right force his way into the senior side and stay fit and in form for the last 6-7 games.  We need him and Gartlett in our forward 50m with speed and pressure

I'm more than happy to see him go. There is no doubting his ability, but due to injury and lack of application (he never plays more than two decent games in a row. I can't see how he has any bargaining power at Melbourne given his past two seasons, and would happily take a top 50 draft pick for him. 

I'd be interested to know where this talk of midfield time has come from - he is not within a million miles of having the endurance to play in the midfield.

Thanks for giving the gist of the article, Wb.

Kent fails the NDH test and is not a team player.  There were no takers for him last year.  His manager (correctly) is canvassing the options early, this year.

Given how Freo and Eagles are playing he would struggle to get a trade to back 'home'.  But GCS might take him, maybe even Carlton or StKilda.  But I think he has limited options. 

When it comes down to other players who are OOC this year, I would rather we keep the likes of Bugg, Balic, Keilty, Harmes, Johnstone.

We may see more of these articles if players have had a 'mid-season review'.

Edit @poitaI'm guessing the 'midfield minutes' is the saving face pitch his manager is putting out there. 

Edited June 14, 20186 yr by Lucifer's Hero

We'll get peanuts for him but happy to back Taylor in. Shame as when he's on he's a good player, however too injured.

 

Considering that the last - and only - time he played more than about 15 games across a season was 2016, he’s not much value to any club if he can’t get on and stay on the park

When he’s fit, he’s best 22, but he’s fit so intermittently it’s a moot point 

Would have little value in a trade scenario for this reason 

Also, he has played just 33 games over the last 3 and a half seasons, indicating that form and his run with injuries have hampered his ability to stay in the side and make an impact.

As you say @Lucifer's Hero, a club in the bottom four might take a punt on him, but in the grand scheme of things I think we have more important players to retain and he may be squeezed out anyway.  It's a shame as the bloke does have some talent, but he hasn't harnessed it enough or consistently enough to keep his spot in the side.

Also interesting to note that his manager Ben Niall is back from overseas holidays and suddenly all his clients have news stories

Straight swap for Gaff.  

8 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Also, he has played just 33 games over the last 3 and a half seasons, indicating that form and his run with injuries have hampered his ability to stay in the side and make an impact.

As you say @Lucifer's Hero, a club in the bottom four might take a punt on him, but in the grand scheme of things I think we have more important players to retain and he may be squeezed out anyway.  It's a shame as the bloke does have some talent, but he hasn't harnessed it enough or consistently enough to keep his spot in the side.

Yes, check my post above - I named the more important OOC players to retain: Bugg, Balic, Keilty, Harmes, Johnstone. 

We shopped Kent around last year.  No takers so it isn't a matter of being 'squeezed' out this year as he is probably a better player than most of those I've named.  Simply, there is no place for DH's on our list or most AFL lists.

Dean Kent is a tease.  He has some strong attributes as a small forward, but we only see them spasmodically.  First, because his body has seems unable to hold together for sustained periods, but I also because he can be a lazy footballer, and not do the team things, especially when things aren't going his way.   I recon we would need to see marked improvements in these areas for him to become a regular 'best 22' in a Goodwin coached team.  I'm happy for him to look for opportunities elsewhere, but he might be looking for a long time if he sees himself as a midfielder.  We'd be lucky to get a 4th rounder for him, but Jason Taylor can work some magic with late picks.

does his string in the midfield

Would love to see him get himself right and have a good run at a block of games before he is considered a trade option.

One of only 2 or 3 that pushed back and stood up for us when we were getting bullied and pushed around by the Hawks earlier this year and was the main driver in our dominant 1st quarter prior to getting injured, kicking 3 goals.

Free to good home 

3 players need to be turned over each year....

 

A better option than Tom Bugg, but that's not saying much.

May make it in a new environment but have said for many years, he won't make it at Melbourne.

Best for both parties if he moves on. A bit like Howe, Dunn and Watts. He's run his course here.

 

Apart from improving his fitness levels, if he wants to be a midfielder he needs to have a reliable right foot. We already have two left footer midfielders with abominable right sides (Viney, Tyson).

I'm keen on putting together a package of trades (players and picks) to get us up the draft order. He seems a good prospect for this purpose and could be a useful addition to other teams, such as Carlton, Brisbane , Freo and the Gold Coast. I don't  like the disrespectful term "trade bait", but if he wants to move to enable better opportunities, I'm all for us assisting him to do so.

I do like Kent as a player... His career is summed up with his 2018 season so far. Plays 2 good games then injured... Disappointing he can’t get a free run at it as I think he has the attributes & talent to be best 18. Will have to see how the back half of the year pans out before I’d be shipping him out the door

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

Sam Edmund in the HUN is reporting that Dean Kent may look for more opportunities elsewhere next season as he wants more midfield minutes, something he is not guaranteed to get with us.  Here is a little bit of what he (Edmund) had to say about it:

DEAN Kent could leave Melbourne in search of greater opportunity.

Kent remains sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in the Round 5 loss to Richmond, but is understood to want more midfield responsibility.

...

It's understood Kent would prefer to stay at Melbourne, but is unlikely to get a deal to his liking at the Demons and is assessing his options.

Thoughts?  I think he has something to offer, but he is far too injury prone and I don't think he will get the midfield minutes he desires with us.

time: churn the list.

Lets trafe him to the crows for a first round pick... lol

7 minutes ago, A F said:

A better option than Tom Bugg, but that's not saying much.

May make it in a new environment but have said for many years, he won't make it at Melbourne.

Best for both parties if he moves on. A bit like Howe, Dunn and Watts. He's run his course here.

 

And all of them were here at a time, 'when',,, and now we need those memories, out of the building.

Jones aside, as he is not one to be lead astray; but is a leader. rarity.

A good example of the Peter principle in trying to rise above his sphere of competence. He is very much an outside player with not a great tank. Will have to work very hard to become a midfielder with us or elsewhere.

I'm sure Port will be keen after all it appears Ken Hinkley is trying to rebuild the power house 2011 demons led by the great Mark Neeld.

Bring in Kent, lure some gems like Jimmy Manger and Alex Georgio out of retirement and bring in Mark "twitch" Neeld as the head game plan coach. 

What could go wrong? 

I reckon he's a candidate for the 'Jetta maneuver'. Delist and rooke if available. Can't see anyone trading for him, but he's worth having around and if he can get his body right there's decent upside.