We do have a couple of kids we drafted as key forwards in Jeffo and JVR...I wonder at what point those guys just "click" and start becoming the key forward we're chasing...surely that's the idea behind drafting them? Is this why perhaps we haven't looked to bring in a senior ready made key forward? Is this idea going to work or have we now past it and realized it ain't working quick enough for what we need so we just need to go out and get our next Ben Brown?

19 minutes ago, Young Angus said:

We do have a couple of kids we drafted as key forwards in Jeffo and JVR...I wonder at what point those guys just "click" and start becoming the key forward we're chasing...surely that's the idea behind drafting them? Is this why perhaps we haven't looked to bring in a senior ready made key forward? Is this idea going to work or have we now past it and realized it ain't working quick enough for what we need so we just need to go out and get our next Ben Brown?

it's why we tried for tom lynch two years in a row - we were prepared to take on his salary and dodgy knees in order to get a genuine #1 tall forward

jvr is an ideal #2 and el jefe is... well, tbh, i don't really think he's good enough at vfl level let alone afl level at this point in time

On 03/04/2025 at 22:20, spirit of norm smith said:

New additions for 2026

Really we don’t offer much as a destination club right now. We’d like to be in conversation for Reid, Butters and Allen but I cannot see us being on any of their radars. Disappointing as Butters is the type of players that MFC desperately needs

So targets… realistically probably only perhaps Wade Derksen and Seamus Mitchell. Each are very strong VFL players who would fit into our team.

Add Kalani White & Toby Sinnema in the draft through father son and NGA respectively. White is a future ruck or tall back & Sinnema is a running left foot midfielder.

100% agree. Forget about Butters, LDU and Allen types for now. We’re no chance. We need to be looking at players that struggle to get a game elsewhere. Like Bedford and JJ when they left is.

Hawks failed to bring in the majority of players they targeted for years instead took whoever they could get and developed them.

Get that part right and then you can target quality free agents.

So LDU is now officially off the table. I have sneaky suspicion he will ending up fading into anonymity. Might be wrong, but a 7 year deal without shooting the lights out. Plays some excellent games, but is inconsistent.

Would have been a great asset at Melbourne, but at the 1.2M+ price tag, not worth it IMO, glad we ended up passing.

2 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

So LDU is now officially off the table. I have sneaky suspicion he will ending up fading into anonymity. Might be wrong, but a 7 year deal without shooting the lights out. Plays some excellent games, but is inconsistent.

Would have been a great asset at Melbourne, but at the 1.2M+ price tag, not worth it IMO, glad we ended up passing.

obviously a huge part of their future over the next, well, seven years

has played in 22 wins, 1 draw, and 89 losses

Anyone that can consistently hit a target like d'Ambrosio, Amo, Houston etc

No Butchers

We do probably need more Pep Guardiola. If you can't hit basic targets, you don't get a game. A few of our guys might be in trouble with that philosophy.

3 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

We do probably need more Pep Guardiola. If you can't hit basic targets, you don't get a game. A few of our guys might be in trouble with that philosophy.

Id just be happy with an Erling Haaland.

LDU was always a long shot to get.

We should of gone hard for his Norf team mate Nick Larkey a couple of seasons ago.

I know that it has been mentioned previously on numerous occasions But we desperately need a youngish Ruckman 200-206cm and a tallish forward who can mark and kick the ball accurately. I truely hope that we are scanning all states for a couple of talls that we can effectively develop And a specialist Fwd coach that can school all our forwards in basic fwd craft. I know that we may get a gooden in Kalani White but he may take a year or two.

1 hour ago, DeeZone said:

I know that it has been mentioned previously on numerous occasions But we desperately need a youngish Ruckman 200-206cm and a tallish forward who can mark and kick the ball accurately. I truely hope that we are scanning all states for a couple of talls that we can effectively develop And a specialist Fwd coach that can school all our forwards in basic fwd craft. I know that we may get a gooden in Kalani White but he may take a year or two.

I'm not really concerned about a ruckman. Most teams just trade in a random 25 year old who can do the job when they need one. Geelong have gotten away without having a proper ruckman since Ottens. Having a great ruckman is a bonus but not worth spending a lot of currency on. We're never going to find someone who can fill Gawn's shoes so we shouldn't get hung up chasing the dragon.

Our priorities should be Key forwards, small forwards and key backs. All far more important positions in modern footy than the ruck.

26 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

I'm not really concerned about a ruckman. Most teams just trade in a random 25 year old who can do the job when they need one. Geelong have gotten away without having a proper ruckman since Ottens. Having a great ruckman is a bonus but not worth spending a lot of currency on. We're never going to find someone who can fill Gawn's shoes so we shouldn't get hung up chasing the dragon.

Our priorities should be Key forwards, small forwards and key backs. All far more important positions in modern footy than the ruck.

Trouble is KC we have Fullarton who is more a fwd, we picked up AJ who at 193cm is a bitsa, Tom Campbell for 1 year in case Max is injured, who is currently injured and Will Verrall who is still a way off.

Just now, DeeZone said:

Trouble is KC we have Fullarton who is more a fwd, we picked up AJ who at 193cm is a bitsa, Tom Campbell for 1 year in case Max is injured, who is currently injured and Will Verrall who is still a way off.

Yeah well that's kind of my point. All these guys cost us absolutely nothing. So don't worry about it and just keep an eye on the rucks who are playing well in the VFL and pick one up for like pick 40 or something. Most rucks are just tall limited workhorses who do the gruntwork and that's really all you need.

15 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Yeah well that's kind of my point. All these guys cost us absolutely nothing. So don't worry about it and just keep an eye on the rucks who are playing well in the VFL and pick one up for like pick 40 or something. Most rucks are just tall limited workhorses who do the gruntwork and that's really all you need.

we've been spoiled by having the greatest ruckman of all time preceded by all oztrayan rucks in jamar (who joined as a rookie), white, and of course stynes

perhaps kalani will be our next

Just now, whatwhat say what said:

we've been spoiled by having the greatest ruckman of all time preceded by all oztrayan rucks in jamar (who joined as a rookie), white, and of course stynes

perhaps kalani will be our next

Agree, we've been very lucky. It almost happened again with Jackson too.

Unfortunately, we haven't had a proper key forward since Neitz. (Not including having a baby Hogan for two and a half years.)

7 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Agree, we've been very lucky. It almost happened again with Jackson too.

Unfortunately, we haven't had a proper key forward since Neitz. (Not including having a baby Hogan for two and a half years.)

proper key forwards are so, so hard to find

Key forwards are hard to find. Never a truer statement for the Melbourne footy club.

In recent memory, we have had Ben Brown before his knees crippled him, a glimpse of the talent from Jesse Hogan, and prior to that we had Neitz, Schwartz, Lyon and a cameo from Jakovich.

But there have been some failures and unfortunate outcomes. Weideman. Dawes. Mitch Clark. Lucas Cook. James Cook. Liam Hulett. Jack Fitzpatrick. Whilst not a key forward, the brief but exciting Liam Jurrah gave us at least 2 years of joy. Cameron Pedersen tried his best. Mitch Brown offerred a plug in service.

We have put our faith now in youngsters JVR and Jefferson. Both are yet to show the forward craft and ability but have raw talent to persist. Turner is a backman that we are trying to turn into a quasi forward. He’s not a key forward. Johnson is a crasher. Kentfield is a big battler. Petty is better as a key back. Currently it’s a mixed bag.

Edited April 11, 2025Apr 11 by spirit of norm smith
Cvc

18 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Key forwards are hard to find. Never a truer statement for the Melbourne footy club.

In recent memory, we have had Ben Brown before his knees crippled him, a glimpse of the talent from Jesse Hogan, and prior to that we had Neitz, Schwartz, Lyon and a cameo from Jakovich.

But there have been some failures and unfortunate outcomes. Weideman. Dawes. Mitch Clark. Lucas Cook. James Cook. Liam Hulett. Jack Fitzpatrick. Whilst not a key forward, the brief but exciting Liam Jurrah gave us at least 2 years of joy. Cameron Pedersen tried his best. Mitch Brown offerred a plug in service.

We have put our faith now in youngsters JVR and Jefferson. Both are yet to show the forward craft and ability but have raw talent to persist. Turner is a backman that we are trying to turn into a quasi forward. He’s not a key forward. Johnson is a crasher. Kentfield is a big battler. Petty is better as a key back. Currently it’s a mixed bag.

Don’t think we should categorize Kentfield yet, as he hasn’t been AFL match fit since he arrived.

This year may not be enough either, as he started so far behind.

He is a big boy and if he can play enough VFL and gets match fit, we will be able to evaluate him then.

Adams, Sesto and Jeffo are starting to look ok now in their 3rd year with us.

Edited April 11, 2025Apr 11 by Redleg

I hope we are right into Max Gruzewski of the Giants. Stuck behind Hogan and Cadman. A few years in the system now and putting up some good numbers in the VFL. Strong mark, strong on lead and a good kick for goal. Not sure Giants would let him go, I mean they wouldn’t let Derkson go but I would absolutely be asking the question.

.

Edited April 12, 2025Apr 12 by Redleg

7 minutes ago, Redleg said:

.

putting a full stop on trade targets?

28 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

putting a full stop on trade targets?

or just making a point

Trying to delete a post, but not knowing how to do it, without an edit leaving only one letter or character.

8 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Trying to delete a post, but not knowing how to do it, without an edit leaving only one letter or character.

can only assume it was a juicy scurrilous rumour then

30 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

can only assume it was a juicy scurrilous rumour then

Wish it was.