Shane Neaves

Jace Bode

Daniel Hayes

Daniel Hughes

out of that list id prefer Shane Neaves or Daniel Hayes. neaves deserves to be given a taste and surely that wouldn't hurt the club. has been the number 1 ruckman for sandy and has been really impressive. Hayes is an intresting one, when he came for for sandy he got three BOG in a row and has really been impressive and i have been surprised he has been overlooked for the ones this week, yes he has attitude problems but from what i have heard from other sources he is busting his gut out and really wants to show that he can play footy. if he can string a couple of sandy 1st games then theres nothing wrong with giving him a taste.

jace bode has just started to string together a couple of senior games and well with an impressive under 18 career he hasn't set the world on fire. probably wont be on the list next year.

Danny Hughes has just vanished from the face of the earth??

Few weeks ago I would have said Neaves. Now leaning towards Hayes. Would like to see another quick forward/midfielder introduced.

Hayes still hasn't played a senior game for Sandringham yet though has he?

No chance to be uplifted this year - see how he goes next year. Sounds like Neaves must be close though - purely on what I've heard as I've never seen him play.

Shane Neaves

Jace Bode

Daniel Hayes

Daniel Hughes

out of that list id prefer Shane Neaves or Daniel Hayes. neaves deserves to be given a taste and surely that wouldn't hurt the club. has been the number 1 ruckman for sandy and has been really impressive. Hayes is an intresting one, when he came for for sandy he got three BOG in a row and has really been impressive and i have been surprised he has been overlooked for the ones this week, yes he has attitude problems but from what i have heard from other sources he is busting his gut out and really wants to show that he can play footy. if he can string a couple of sandy 1st games then theres nothing wrong with giving him a taste.

jace bode has just started to string together a couple of senior games and well with an impressive under 18 career he hasn't set the world on fire. probably wont be on the list next year.

Danny Hughes has just vanished from the face of the earth??

DD36, I've been mulling over just such a thread myself for a while.

There really isn't an easy answer to this.

Neaves: Probably the most likely candidate. His form was ahead of schedule last season, and solid this season (don't think he's missed a game for the Sandy seniors yet). He's a ruckman, and with Jamar's injury and terrible form, Neaves really has had a hole to step into. The fact that he needs to fulfill such a specific role is both a help and a hinderance to him. As a young ruckman, he'll be looked at VERY cosely, and may be promoted simply because of the type of player he is. However, we now have our starting ruckman coming off a 44 hit-out game, our backup ruckman getting steadily better and more exciting as the weeks go by, and our 1st backup (at round 1 this year) returning from injury. If promoted, chances are Neaves won't get a game.

Hughes: He's injured at the moment DD36. Relatively seriously too. He's been out a couple of weeks, and will be out for a few more I hear. If not for this, I think there'd be a place for him to come in to in the 22. He can play a few different positions, and while we have a strong forward line with options galore and ok rotations (Neitz returning, Robbo, Bate, Sylvia, Davey, Dunn, Newton, Bruce, CJ, PJ) it's ANYTHING but settled. Petterd was being used forward regularly, some of those tall, mid and small height forwards are spending whole games up the ground (Bruce, Davey, Dunn). We love our forwards at MFC, but some of them really are learning where to run to. Maybe it would be a good time to introduce Hughes in a few rounds. Make sure he doesn't miss the steep learning curve his mates are on. But then perhaps he'll just get in the way. In the end, I reckon over a month out, and with only 6 or so weeks remaining by the time he heals, it's going to be too late to give the guy a chance. If he's retained, he has to be promoted, and he's going to have to rely on his reputation he gained LAST year, as this one has not been as good.

Bode: Exactly how much hope do we have for him? Personally I don't have a lot. I understand he lives with a couple of the listed players, and is a mate of a few of them, like Belly I think. There is, however, something else to consider. Brown and Ward are two guys who've been mainstays of the MFC defence for years now. If both are let go after round 22 (unlikely), or maybe let go in 12 months (likely), there'll be two GAPING holes that need to be filled by fast, hard at it, running defenders. Bode is this type of player. If he shows dedication, which from all accounts he has, then maybe the football gods will shine on him. The other rookies are, for one reason or another, unlikely to be promoted (Neaves - specific type of player, Hayes - Attitude, Hughes - Injured). Bode is the only defender in the group of rookies. Maybe with CJ, Buckley, Brown and Ward getting games he may not get his go.

Hayes: You're kidding aren't you DD36? Just because he generated a little bit of excitement in the last few weeks doesn't mean he's right to just be upgraded straight away. First he has to play for Sandy seniors and dominate there. THEN he has to squeeze into a forward line that's rotating players like they're disposable. And what kind of message does it send when a guy who doesn't even turn up for half a season gets to play senior AFL footy when others have been waiting patiently, working hard and playing well for nearly 2 years? No. He can earn his spot for next year. Maybe with a good last 8 rounds, maybe with a good pre-season he can get a crack at the NAB cup early next year. But if he plays before then, it'll be criminal.

So for me...

Neaves first, then Hughes if he's proven fit and in form. This is unlikely to be the case, so we have nothing to lose by giving Bode a crack in his place. Hayes only gets a go if an unmitigated disaster strikes.

As a matter of interest, can a player be retained on the rookie list beyond two years? If so how long for?

good post, my mistake i agree everything on what u said there

Neaves and Hayes are the two I'd keep.

Neaves is already our second best ruckman (his ruckwork is already better than PJ and Jamar) and Hayes is a talent, he just needs time.

Danny Hughes!!!

Long have i been on this guy's bandwagon. I always wanted to see him across the HF line with CJ across the HB line. I had a vision that these 2 would rule the flanks.

CJ is letting me down a bit, but Danny has a lovely long kick, and is deceptively taller than what he looks. He can jump too!

I wouldn't mind seeing him as our crumber in the forward line. He's quick doesn't mind getting in there, and he also provides another legitimate target in the forward line.

Of all the rookies i would keep Neaves and Hughes.