I have just watched the first half of the Anzac Day match and Davey has 3 goals plus is assisting with others. He trained with us for a whole pre-season. How is it possible that we didn't even rookie him, given that we saw him close up for that long?

I saw a fair bit of the pre-season training when Alwyn was with us.

Not ever did he do anything in any of the sessions that I saw, that would warrant even a rookie spot. He was ( and probably still is slower than Flash ), didn't seem to have any enthusiasm about what he was doing, and not surprisingly was passed over.

Not only by us, but by 15 other sides as well...including Essendon!

He went back to the SANFL where he apparently excelled for the season, and Essendon took a big gamble in selecting him. He is an obvious standout in a side of sloths and oldies. Will he continue to shine, when other sides take notice of his performances...we'll see...

But even though he is doing well with the Dons, do we really need another small crumbing forward in our side? Better the selection used on a promising mid or a KPP, as we did last year.

  george_on_the_outer said:

do we really need another small crumbing forward in our side?

Yes.

could definetly use him. it is interesting because aaron was a risk that came off...his brother was also a risk. do you reckon that his brother was good precedent that he would come ogod, or is it more likely that we got lucky with aaron and wouldnt pull it off again. time will tell whether garland and petterd and frawley will be better but he looks the goods at the moment.

Alwyn needs to teach his brother how to tackle

He obviously didn't show anything if not one single club bothered to rookie him when they had the chance. Went off and played a solid season in the SANFL, and now look where he is; playing good consistent footy at the highest level.

I don't want to sound like a traitor or anything, but if Alwyn maintains his current form so far this year, he will be better than Aaron. Kicking 2-3 goals a match, laying a stack of tackles, and his pressure inside the forward 50 is incredible. It's like what Aaron was before his form slumped off late last year and this year. Alwyn is having a real big impact just as his brother did a few years back. Also, I think he's too old now, but if he is eligible I'd put money on him for the Rising Star.

I just hope Aaron can build on his match from last week and get back to playing good consistent football.

  Clint Bizkit said:

Yes.

Had lunch today with Beach Road Barry and he couldn't believe we rookied Hayes who has disappeared, instead of Shane Valenti from Sandy. Shane is in great form and Hayes was a kid with who had baggage.

This post is not a knock of our recruiting department but rather seeking an understanding of why some decisions were made.

  deanox said:

could definetly use him. it is interesting because aaron was a risk that came off...his brother was also a risk. do you reckon that his brother was good precedent that he would come ogod, or is it more likely that we got lucky with aaron and wouldnt pull it off again. time will tell whether garland and petterd and frawley will be better but he looks the goods at the moment.

I think the Davies are very similar the way they play & have glaring weaknesses, so we couldn't afford to have 2 players so alike in 1 team.

  Arem said:

Alwyn needs to teach his brother how to tackle

Aaron knows how to takle but daniher with his play ahead of the ball style doesn't require him to. SHEEDY requires are harder style of play, that's how he survived as a player & so knows it's true value. Daniher was an extremely gifted athlete who didn't have to bite & scrap for every kick...

  dee said:

I think the Davies are very similar the way they play & have glaring weaknesses, so we couldn't afford to have 2 players so alike in 1 team.

Agreed mate.

Why would Melbourne select a player like Weetra then? Is weetra not a running, crumbing type of player? Could the Dees have seen more in Weetra than Alwyn Davey?

I don't know enough of Weetra to judge, nor have i seen him play.

I'm quite sure Alwyn trained with the Dees for more than one Pre Season by the way. Not only that, but wasn't be being monitered by our recruiting staff when he was with his previous club for 2 seasons?

He must have showed SOMETHING over this time.

aaron also now plays more up the ground than alwyn and thats why he doesnt tackle as much nor kick goals because half the time he is getting by passed

Watching today's game I was convinced Aaron Davey had swapped jumpers(and clubs) and was playing for the Bombers! Isn't Alwyn's play almost identical to Aaron? The way he moves, kicks the ball, chases and tackles. Wouldn't it be a nightmare for the opposition if we had BOTH Daveys in our line up. They would be getting rid of the ball like a hot potato.

i went to ess v st k last week and i thought the same

it was like aaron was playing for essendon, it was quite strange

btw, i think weetra is taller (184cm, same as green, TJ, brock and so on) and was mainly used as halfback runner

  bobby mckenzie said:

Watching today's game I was convinced Aaron Davey had swapped jumpers(and clubs) and was playing for the Bombers! Isn't Alwyn's play almost identical to Aaron? The way he moves, kicks the ball, chases and tackles. Wouldn't it be a nightmare for the opposition if we had BOTH Daveys in our line up. They would be getting rid of the ball like a hot potato.

We have a major lack of physicality allready without recruiting more soft ass types.

Both Krakouers were pretty handy in the one team at North, it is a pity both Davey's aren't in the same team at Melbourne, but we did have a good look at him. I have a lot of faith in our recruitment, and George's OTO's words are instructive.

Rodan is another similar type of player overlooked by most clubs and seemingly relishing a second chance. I think clubs do tread warily with small forwards. Every club needs one these days, but probably not two. But then again, given the defensive pressure both the Davey bots put on, it could have been worth a punt.

  Demonster said:

Every club needs one these days, but probably not two.

Last season we had Nathan Brown playing down forward because we didn't have any other small forwards. I think two in a list of 40-odd wouldn't go astray.

  bobby mckenzie said:

Watching today's game I was convinced Aaron Davey had swapped jumpers(and clubs) and was playing for the Bombers! Isn't Alwyn's play almost identical to Aaron? The way he moves, kicks the ball, chases and tackles. Wouldn't it be a nightmare for the opposition if we had BOTH Daveys in our line up. They would be getting rid of the ball like a hot potato.

Great comment Bobby, especially you last line. Lets play hot potato footy :D

  george_on_the_outer said:

I saw a fair bit of the pre-season training when Alwyn was with us.

Not ever did he do anything in any of the sessions that I saw, that would warrant even a rookie spot. He was ( and probably still is slower than Flash ), didn't seem to have any enthusiasm about what he was doing, and not surprisingly was passed over.

Not only by us, but by 15 other sides as well...including Essendon!

Who knows, maybe his stint at SANFL made him focused and more hungry. Like George said, if he didn't show anything in the trials, there's no reason 4 MFC to pick him up.

Think, we picked him up as a rookie, he thinks how easy is this n becomes lazy at MFC. Unlikely but possible.

I just hope Aaron regains form soon. How good will it be in Round 13 on the big stage of friday night footy if both brothers are in full flight playing against each other.

I have feared this for a while, that Alwin will be better than Aaron but time will tell. He seems to have a lot more speed and is able to dodge better than aaron. We do need another small crumming forward howver alwin is out of reach so im not going to cry over something we cant get

  Redleg said:

Had lunch today with Beach Road Barry and he couldn't believe we rookied Hayes who has disappeared, instead of Shane Valenti from Sandy. Shane is in great form and Hayes was a kid with who had baggage.

Well let me have a go Redleg.

Daniel Hayes is/was a talented footballer who had all the attributes to play AFL other than his mental application. He was a high risk high reward player. As a result taking him as a late in the Rookie draft was appropriate.

Valenti is already an accomplished VFL footballer, and at VFL level has done particularly well. But the good performances in VFL don't necessarily translate to AFL. David Gallagher, Adam Fisher and David Robbins show that. With Valenti I think that what you see is what you get. There won't be a lot of upside.

I don't pretend to have the ability to judge which players can make it at AFL level. I've got it wrong many times. But I do think that Valenti fits the mould of the three I have mentioned. Good VFL footballers. I think he is just a little bit small and a little bit slow. Before BRB, who is obviously passionate about his favourite Zebra's, damns the club for not picking Valenti he needs to remember that no club did. So the sum total of AFL talent scouts and recruiting managers were unanimous in their verdict.

Perhaps they are wrong. But our blokes are hardly unique in their view.

  Rogue said:

Last season we had Nathan Brown playing down forward because we didn't have any other small forwards. I think two in a list of 40-odd wouldn't go astray.

Yes, we got Isaac Weetra, he sounds allright. & we rookied Hayes, you don't win them all. I would rather rookie a stronger bodied small to compliment our other smalls, someone like velenti goes allright, wins his own ball & gets inside the thick of the action.

  Phoenix said:

Well let me have a go Redleg.

Daniel Hayes is/was a talented footballer who had all the attributes to play AFL other than his mental application. He was a high risk high reward player. As a result taking him as a late in the Rookie draft was appropriate.

Valenti is already an accomplished VFL footballer, and at VFL level has done particularly well. But the good performances in VFL don't necessarily translate to AFL. David Gallagher, Adam Fisher and David Robbins show that. With Valenti I think that what you see is what you get. There won't be a lot of upside.

I don't pretend to have the ability to judge which players can make it at AFL level. I've got it wrong many times. But I do think that Valenti fits the mould of the three I have mentioned. Good VFL footballers. I think he is just a little bit small and a little bit slow. Before BRB, who is obviously passionate about his favourite Zebra's, damns the club for not picking Valenti he needs to remember that no club did. So the sum total of AFL talent scouts and recruiting managers were unanimous in their verdict.

Perhaps they are wrong. But our blokes are hardly unique in their view.

Your right, he is a little slow but so is armstrong. No one picked up diesel Williams for some time til he proved everyone wrong bigtime, the risk taker gets the rewards...

  dee said:

Your right, he is a little slow but so is armstrong. No one picked up diesel Williams for some time til he proved everyone wrong bigtime, the risk taker gets the rewards...

Yes, the risk takers get some rewards, but they can also pay a high price.

We took a risk on Hayes and now everyone is saying "why".

For every "risk" there are many more losers than winners.

  Phoenix said:

Yes, the risk takers get some rewards, but they can also pay a high price.

We took a risk on Hayes and now everyone is saying "why".

For every "risk" there are many more losers than winners.

That's why Melbourne have been so successful over the past 40 odd years.

You have got to love the conservative Melbourne thinking.