MELBOURNE has indefinitely suspended rookie-listed player Daniel Hayes.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/com...5E19742,00.html

I am glad the Club are moving quickly to ensure team rules are obeyed by all and that they are doing all they can proactively to assist a young 17-18 year old adjust and deal with the pressures of AFL.

Well that explains his mysterious absence for Sandy games.

Hope the kid gets his head right. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for him, it would be a shame if he blew it.

Hayes has had an off field problem since his junior days at under 18s. It's a bit disappointing that the club didn't really make an effort to watch him closely.

Hayes has had an off field problem since his junior days at under 18s. It's a bit disappointing that the club didn't really make an effort to watch him closely.

We teach these kids to become elite footballers, we're not a babysitting service!

If he has to be told to come to training, he won't cut it at an AFL level.

Well I definitely didnt see this one coming!

Hayes has had an off field problem since his junior days at under 18s. It's a bit disappointing that the club didn't really make an effort to watch him closely.

How have you come to that conclusion???

The article says the AFLPA, Demons' player development manager Ross Monaghan and club psychologist Anthony Klarica have been working with him for some time.

MELBOURNE has indefinitely suspended rookie-listed player Daniel Hayes.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/com...5E19742,00.html

Well well, this is the fella that replaced Gianfagna. Geez, I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to look very silly for getting ridge of him(Andre Gianfagna)

Would the club have done the same thing if it were James McDonald, Trav Johnstone or one of our immediate 22 players? Possible but i would be supprised. The correct action has been taken however with the MFC having no choice.

How have you come to that conclusion???

The article says the AFLPA, Demons' player development manager Ross Monaghan and club psychologist Anthony Klarica have been working with him for some time.

It's no coincidence that rookie and risk both start with r.

Sounds like the club and the AFLPA has been doing their best and hopefully Daniel can sort out his issues for his own sake.

Hayes has had an off field problem since his junior days at under 18s. It's a bit disappointing that the club didn't really make an effort to watch him closely.

I don't think that's a particularly fair or true conclusion dd. The club would have weighed up his talent versus any issues he might have had. What if he'd made it and he had become a superstar? It'd be a huge recruiting coup and you'd be worshipping the ground CAC stood on.

The great thing about the rookie draft is that it's an extremely low risk investment. This is one that didn't come off. If he'd been on the senior list I'd agree with you, but that's not how it panned out.

Well well, this is the fella that replaced Gianfagna. Geez, I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to look very silly for getting rid of him (Andre Gianfagna)

I highly doubt it.

Well well, this is the fella that replaced Gianfagna. Geez, I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to look very silly for getting rid of him (Andre Gianfagna)

Check Old's post.

The only thing looking silly is....

Well put Nasher.

Hayes has had an off field problem since his junior days at under 18s. It's a bit bit disappointing that the club didn't really make an effort to watch him closely.

For those attacking dd36's above post...

To play devil's advocate; maybe he meant that the club should have been aware of this problem and the potential implications during the scouting process & overlooked Hayes at the recruitment table because of it?

For those attacking dd36's above post...

To play devil's advocate; maybe he meant that the club should have been aware of this problem and the potential implications during the scouting process & overlooked Hayes at the recruitment table because of it?

I know what he's saying, I just don't agree. I highly doubt the club was completely unaware of what this kid's headspace was like. From what I understand though, he's a very talented footballer, so the recruitment staff decided that the risk, when weighed up against his talent, was worth it. I don't really believe that the fact that this very low-risk investment came unstuck is worthy of any real criticism or disappointment towards to the club at all. It's just the way it works with the rookie draft; some picks come off, some don't, for a variety of different reasons.

Every club in the land would have been aware of Daniel Hayes' issues regarding training and commitment levels, had they been tracking him with a view to drafting him last year. His appearances for Eastern Ranges were sporadic last season for the same reason.

As others have said, he is an exceptionally talented individual who can have an AFL career if he wants it badly enough. Hayes was certainly a risk worth taking in the rookie draft. I hope he can resolve the problems that are affecting his football and display that talent.

Would this be the first time in history we have suspended a rookie list player?

Would the club have done the same thing if it were James McDonald, Trav Johnstone or one of our immediate 22 players? Possible but i would be supprised. The correct action has been taken however with the MFC having no choice.

You're not seriously suggesting that Junior, Trapper, Bruce , Green etc would just not show up to pre-season and not contact the club??? It's an absolutely irrelevant comparison.

For those attacking dd36's above post...

To play devil's advocate; maybe he meant that the club should have been aware of this problem and the potential implications during the scouting process & overlooked Hayes at the recruitment table because of it?

Ironically , our CEO , Steve Harris , was just interviewed on SEN and claimed that all clubs had a moral responsibility to help all their young talents to cope with the rigours and demanding pressures of AFL assimilation .

It's not going to cost us in 2007, as he probably wasn't going to play much anyway, or at all.

Now I don't mean to jump the gun, but let's just say his behaviour and dedication doesn't improve... Are we still duty-bound to retain him on the rookie list next year? If he chooses to quit footy, can we just drop him off and recruit someone else?

I don't mean to dismiss him immediately. For all we know he could come good.

You're not seriously suggesting that Junior, Trapper, Bruce , Green etc would just not show up to pre-season and not contact the club??? It's an absolutely irrelevant comparison.

I'm just saying (I know they wouldn't) but IF they had I think the club would be a little more lenient. Maybe not though.

ahhhhh Montrose boys...... a few have been at that club who bar dedication could have made AFL