Using all our players born post 1984 this is how i rate our young stocks;

# NAME AGE

1. Chook 21

2. Rivers 23

3. Bate 20

4. Sylvia 21

5. Bell 22

6. Jones 19

7. Frawley 18

8. Moloney 23

9. Pettard 18

10. P Johnson 23

11. Bartram 19

12. Newton 20

13. Buckley 20

14. Dunn 20

15. C Garland 19

16. C Johnson 21

17. Warnock 23

18. Weetra 18

Neville - Doesnt make the cut 19

Sylvia (wildcard) Potential to be our best player in years to come.

A good core of young kids there with some potential gun players, will watch their development with interest and hope

while that is a good core, we really need to add another 4 quality youngsters to that list at years end with top 20 picks and another 4 with speculative picks hopeing theyll turn good.

we simply have too many old players making our starting 22.

Neitz, Robbo, McDonald, White, Holland, Brown, Ward are all regulars who shouldnt be getting a game at afl level. other ones like miller and ferguson also get games regularly.

this wouldnt be happening if our recruiting had been better from 2000-2003. theres a huge gap there and we are now paying the price

Neitz, Robbo, McDonald, White, Holland, Brown, Ward are all regulars who shouldnt be getting a game at afl level.

Holland, Brown and Ward - fair enough.

Neitz, Robbo, McDonald, White - I've seen some silly things be written, but that takes the cake. Ridiculous comment.

Holland, Brown and Ward - fair enough.

Neitz, Robbo, McDonald, White - I've seen some silly things be written, but that takes the cake. Ridiculous comment.

reading back i made a mistake.

i meant to say that Neitz, Robbo, Mcdonal, White, Holland, Brown and WArd are all 30+yrold players who regularly week in week out make our team. thats too many +30s.

Holland, Brown and Ward are the ones i meant shouldnt be playing at afl level, and they shouldnt be playing regularly.

Of coach Neitz, Mcdonald, White and robbo are guns. Unfortunately all all 2-3 years away from retiring so we have to start looking to their succesors.

Sorry to readers for making myself look silly but that's what i meant.

9 players +30 is way too much on one list, especialy when most of them are average depth players. Geelong have one +30 in Milburn. being 30 years or older is a sign uv been able to make it through as a really succesful afl footballer. how ward, brown and holland have made it this far is beyond me

9 players +30 is way too much on one list, especialy when most of them are average depth players. Geelong have one +30 in Milburn. being 30 years or older is a sign uv been able to make it through as a really succesful afl footballer. how ward, brown and holland have made it this far is beyond me

Harsh on Brown-dog. He was close to all-Australian (in '04?) and was a very important part of our side. He has been one of the better performers this year.

There is nothing wrong with 30 yo's per se. If they are the best player, and better than a 20 yo while your team is in contention, you play them.

The fact is that the bulk of our 30 yo's are depth players that have become regulars this year through injury.

Even next year however if Bizzell is still on the list, and is better than Frawley, you play Bizzell. There is nothing wrong with young players doing an apprenticeship in the 2's, it may even be beneficial. Fundamentally the best player should be played.

To use a cricket analogy, I would have rathered Australia played their 35 yo's and won the Ashes and the World Cup than to re-build and not win. The challenge is ensuring there is sufficient youth coming through at the same time.

Melbourne has an excellent crop of under 23's which means there is absolutely no need to panic and start sacking 30 yo's other than through natural attrition, as long as they are the best player for a spot. The other fact is that only 3 of them are in our best 22, which is probably very comparable to the rest of the competition.

Not a bad spine Frawley, Rivers, Mclean, Bate/Dunn, Newton. Good midfield Mclean, Sylvia, Jones, Moloney, Buckley, Petterd, Bartram, Bell. Three of them also will make good defenders in Bell, Bartram and Petterd

We all know what we need A key Foward, Defender, Ruck and a fast highly skilled midfielder.

I don't think CJ or Warnock will be around when this group is at its peak in 3-4 years.

Based on this year, I'd have Jones in the top 2 or 3.

Would anyone be able to create the list of players pre 23 in 2000?

Harsh on Brown-dog. He was close to all-Australian (in '04?) and was a very important part of our side. He has been one of the better performers this year.

There is nothing wrong with 30 yo's per se. If they are the best player, and better than a 20 yo while your team is in contention, you play them.

The fact is that the bulk of our 30 yo's are depth players that have become regulars this year through injury.

Even next year however if Bizzell is still on the list, and is better than Frawley, you play Bizzell. There is nothing wrong with young players doing an apprenticeship in the 2's, it may even be beneficial. Fundamentally the best player should be played.

To use a cricket analogy, I would have rathered Australia played their 35 yo's and won the Ashes and the World Cup than to re-build and not win. The challenge is ensuring there is sufficient youth coming through at the same time.

Melbourne has an excellent crop of under 23's which means there is absolutely no need to panic and start sacking 30 yo's other than through natural attrition, as long as they are the best player for a spot. The other fact is that only 3 of them are in our best 22, which is probably very comparable to the rest of the competition.

Brown can't kick and his awareness and decision making are poor so he gets caught with the ball too often and is not damaging with his disposal. Yes he is as brave as the day is long but he is no longer an AFL standard player. Cannot possiby be retained on the list.

Teams that finish second last don't retain players like Bizzell or Brown or Ward to name a few. Teams that finish 2nd last aren't at the right time on the Premiersip clock to carry depth players, its not about winning maximum games next year, its about winning a Premiership as soon as possible. Spots on the list are precious. 30 year old depth players who are no chance to be in the next premiership are not worthy of one of em. Have to get the new talent in to develop behind our 23 n unders.