Steve Harris on next season

[sylvinator 96]

Steve Harris:

"I don't think the ladder is a representation of where we are at," he said.

"I think we can go into next year with all bar three players maybe under 28."

we currently have 9 players above 28

Neitz, Mcdonald and White are the obvious 3 that will be on the list next season. all 3 are pivotal to our team and are in our top 10 most important players.

so, i assume that the others come under the category of those unlikely to be with us next season.

Holland, Ward, Brown, Yze, Bizzel, Pickett

Nb: (robbo is 29 but i dont think Harris realized this so he isnt included)

While i know Harris was simply speaking off the cuff and that he didnt literally mean everybody bar 3 above 28 would be delisted/retired,

i think it is a good indication about where the club sees us going next season with our list.

So whether people like it or not, atleast 3-4 of that list of 6 are not going to be with us next season.

People have to start to be realistic. We need a younger list and that means developin the young guyz and culling the 30+s.

Of that group i see Holland, Yze and Brown kept as depth while Bizzel, Ward and Pickett gawn.

Pickett is the most certain to be delisted and ppls views shouldnt be changed since last week. you cannot keep a guy of the list purely bc Davey plays better when he's in the team.

lets get real people and think about which 3-4 of our older group are gawn next season, bc some of them WILL be forced retired.

Which of that group of 6 would ppl cull?

[Mousey 47]

Ward, Brown OUT

The others can stay for depth.

Biz can still play and i have no idea why he got cut in the first place this year. Id rather Biz than fergo thats for sure.

Pickett is great and needed on our side, he brings a hardness that our team severly lacks and does a 1 percenter that can lift the team at any given time.

Yze wont go anywhere, had rest for first time basically in his career, will come back next year after a pre-season looking like the freak we all know he can be sometimes.

Dutchy well i would of been getting rid of him easily before sat night , but i dont see how he isnt a great depth player, strong player and i just love the fact that he gives 100% effort all the time

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yze is contracted in 2008.

Holland will be with us next year.

Brown will retire at season's end.

Many of the delists will be below the age of 29.

[Jaded No More 68,599]

Yze is contracted in 2008.

Holland will be with us next year.

Brown will retire at season's end.

Many of the delists will be below the age of 29.

Brown and Ward are gone.

One of Bizzell or Holland will get a one year contract, and I hope it's Dutchy as he's more versatile.

Yze will stay, not a chance in hell he's letting go of that one year he's got left. That means Byron is gone, unless Sheedy is somehow involved with the club.

Those under 30 who are gone: one of Ferguson or Warnock, Neville, and possibly one of Miller/CJ/Jamar (traded, not delisted).

Bode will be officially elevated, and Neaves should be too.

That leaves us with at least 6 players gone, plus at least one rookie elevation, plus hopefully one trade.

All in all, if we can get 5 or 6 picks in the draft this year, that would be a good result.

[Demons 32 235]

Nathan Brown was given 5 votes for his game by the herald sun (I don't think he was best but still). He will retire or be given a lil push to retire.

Pickett was one of our best and proved that he will do the 1 percenters and wants to be there. He will survive, just.

Yze will finish his career when he wants to.

Holland is fighting for his career. 8 goals in 3 games says he's fighting well.

Ward got ommitted. Troubling for him.

Ferguson will get delisted ahead of Bizzel. We still have Rivers to come back so they will use Bizzel for depth.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Pickett was one of our best and proved that he will do the 1 percenters and wants to be there.

Yze will finish his career when he wants to.

He played in 2007 like he has already made up his mind.

He wont be extended beyond 2008.

[Guest bWell]

Ward will no doubt unfortunately go. Brown will most probably also - played very well but the dees with no injuries, will find it difficult to get a spot.

Pickett, Holland, Yze, Bizzell, Ferguson should be resigned.

Pickett, & Holland have showcased some very good football as of late & deserve to be at Melbourne next year (providing they're willing to take pay cuts). Both were sensational on Saturday night.

Ferguson has been good in the past 2 games also & has showed to be a strong backman for Sandi all year. I don't think he will go. Rivers, & Bizzell will be the main 2 but Ferguson needs to be there for depth (injuries etc.) - he is a very skillful tall. Not to mention he is still developing.

Yze & Bizzell will play on. Yze will star next year & Bizzell will continue to be an extremely good player. There is no need to delist them. They are both great team players with a lot still to offer.

Furthermore, Jamar & Johnson will both stay. Johnson (hopefully) will play more of a forward roll next year as Neitz will unfortunately only get older (slower). Johnson also has a great pair of hands & has good skill for a tall. Watch out for him next year, he will prove his value.

Jamar will continue his progress to be the Melbourne FC number 1 ruckman. Unless we pick up someone new. He has been solid for Sandi & was dominant Saturday night. White will be good for perhaps the next 2 years with Jamar receiving more game time.

Thanks for reading.

[markc 975]

Holland, Ward, Brown, Yze, Bizzel, Pickett

Nb: (robbo is 29 but i dont think Harris realized this so he isnt included)

3 out of the 6 you have listed will go at least

Ward and Bizzel both are gawn

ward hasnt been upto it most of this year

Bizzel well everyone was calling for head last and going off who gave him a 3 year deal. to me he just doesnt cut it.

next 2

Holland at the moment he is playing like a man on fire but will it be enough to save himself ?

he can play both ends. I guess we wait and see on this one

Brown reading here says he will retire. I would say it will be left upto himself can his body take another year will a new coach give him fresh legs ??

last 2

Yze one last chance for him only because of his service. and he has a contract. Maybe a new coach will bring the best out of him. He seemed at times to be playing for himself and not the club. lets see how he goes.

Pickett I know a few wont agree here but when playing well he is the best of these 6 and we need some toughness. He made a mistake and he paid for it and now is playing, not upto standard yet but giving it ago. Yes Davey walks taller when Picket is in the side. If we are to be a force we need a Inforcer and Picket is a start

with a new coach we need to send a message no more ND favourites everyone starts off equal you need to earn your spot in the team. the Team is bigger than the person. Play with heart and play for the team and jumper.

mark

[mauriesy 7,179]

Ward will no doubt unfortunately go. Brown will most probably also ...

Pickett, Holland, Yze, Bizzell, Ferguson should be resigned.

Furthermore, Jamar & Johnson will both stay.

So you anticipate a lot of changes to our list?

[Guest bWell]

So you anticipate a lot of changes to our list?

Yes I do.

But there's a lot of guys that deserve to stay.

Miller, & Godfrey hopefully will be traded.

[sylvinator 96]

Yes I do.

But there's a lot of guys that deserve to stay.

Miller, & Godfrey hopefully will be traded.

Godfrey has no trade value.

Miller has very little value...mmaaayybbbeee someone will give us a 3rd rounder if we're lucky. i dont see why other clubs would be very interested in him.

[Guest bWell]

Godfrey has no trade value.

Miller has very little value...mmaaayybbbeee someone will give us a 3rd rounder if we're lucky. i dont see why other clubs would be very interested in him.

Yes - but a 2 for 1 deal could be on the cards.

[sylvinator 96]

Pickett, Holland, Yze, Bizzell, Ferguson should be resigned.

Yze & Bizzell will play on.

Furthermore, Jamar & Johnson will both stay.

Just untenable to keep so many old players on our list.

seeing as we have to cull atleast 8 spots (5-6 draftees+1PSD+1rookie elevation+1 trade i assume) ppl cannot simply say that pickett, holland, bizzel, yze, ferguson, yze, bizzel, jamar etc will all stay.

That is completely unrealistic and it means, i guess, that u assume the delistings will come from somewehere else.

bwell id like you to show me which 8 players you'd cull if all the players you mentioned played on.

Can people start to get real and realize that we have to make significant changes at years end, and the first line of culling will come from our depth old players.

Dont people realize that the fact that they are 30 and are still depth (most were never strong starting 18 ever) shows that they are mediocre players.

If we want a premiership we have to get rid of our old depth and replace it with young developing up-n-comers.

If any of Bizzel, Ward or Pickett are given another contract i will be annoyed (Brown will retire). bc it means they are taken the spots of the C.Johnsons, Garlands, Dunns and Buckleys of our team.

This season we saw our list isnt up to scratch. We must be ruthless with our +30s

[Guest bWell]

This season we saw our list isnt up to scratch. We must be ruthless with our +30s

Fair enough & I agree. But we need players who can play.

I want Pickett to stay. Don't care so much about the others mentionable.

I want some pre-developed 22-23 yr olds though. Not some young 'kids'.

[Demons 32 235]

bwell id like you to show me which 8 players you'd cull if all the players you mentioned played on.

Tell you who id de-list if we had to get rid of 8.

Godfrey

Brown

Ward

Neville

Ferguson

Hughes

Warnock

Trade Miller plus a draft pick for quality.

I would rather any of them before Pickett, Bizzel or Yze. For god sake why settle for development. I don't want to loose. Do not get rid of good players just because they went from 29 to 30 or 30 to 31. Its a years difference and all 3 of these players are better than the above. We can be like the Hawks, re-build. But it took them YEARS. I do not want to be a low bottom side for years.

The aim of the game is to win. Now. You constantly here players say, im not worried about next week. Gotta win this week. Do you think they all care about development. PLayers want to win. Coaches want to win. We are the Melbourne Demons. Not Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn. If we re-build and loose games. We will loose fans which means in a few years we will be the team everyone is saying is going under. Send the dees to the Gold Coast.

The Kangas didn't rebuild. They are just like us, without injuries. Get over the fact that people are 30 for god sake im sick of it.

Every year teams get rid of young players like your Neville and Hughes because if they didn't really really prove it, why keep them when you need room for a top pick. Buckley was a low choice. But he proved it, he keeps it. As will Bode.

There is no need to kick everyone who is 30+ out if we want to win.

Pickett was good against the dogs. Holland has kicked 8 goals in 3 games. Brown was one of the best best against dogs. Bizzel is a terrific player who for some unbelievable reason gets bagged on here. The Bizz is Rivers but older. Is better than Fergie. Rivers is the number 1 guy. Fergie will never be.

To hear people say Yze is past it is crazy. He struggled at the beginning of year yes. He did. But what about when he came back. He got 38 possies in one game this year. He can still play outstanding football. He is better than a Garland. Will Garland ever be better than Yze?

Will he get anywhere near the respect of an Adem Yze? Clint Bizzel? Byron Pickett?

If you want a side that can afford to re-build then don't live for the Demons. We are a struggling Club. Not team, club. We have no money, no members. Oh yes, lets re-build..... lets loose for a few years because we will be good one day.

Lets be good now. Kangas are good now.

This is not about emotion, loyalty, brainstorming, planning..... They play to win! We go to win! Lets WIN. Win Now.

So stop with the 30+ bashing. There are some fors when it comes to playing kids yes.

But there will be big big losses for 1 to many Lost seasons. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE A LOSING SIDE!!

Thanks for reading everyone.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yes - but a 2 for 1 deal could be on the cards.

Two players who are NQR cant get a regular team and have no trade value would be of value to whom?

[mauriesy 7,179]

Tell you who id de-list if we had to get rid of 8.

... Hughes

... Every year teams get rid of young players like Hughes because if they didn't really really prove it, why keep them when you need room for a top pick.

Hughes is a rookie and him going won't give us an extra draft pick, only space for another rookie.

[Nasher 33,607]

Hughes is a rookie and him going won't give us an extra draft pick, only space for another rookie.

By the time you're down to your 7th or 8th pick it all amounts to the same thing IMO.

[Guest bWell]

Thanks for reading everyone.

Brilliant. I am 110% with you on this one.

I hate the fact that people want to keep young kids just for the sake of being young.

Young players may have more football life left but will they develop in to anything descent? 8.5 times out of 10. No!

Young players that show no improvement should be delisted. You can't have a team of young kids & string along wins.

Wins is what we need now. Players like Nathan Jones will keep their spot because they have PROVED they can play. Garland, Bode, Neaves (just to mention a few), haven't PROVED anything!

Pickett, Holland, Bizzell, Yze have PROVED they should be there!

These players, without an interrupted preseason, will PROVE to keep their positions next year.

Enough Bagging our loyal players!

I've had enough of the development talk! I'd like to see us in the eight or even in the top 4 next year.

Garland, Bode, Neaves won't even get us close!

Thanks for reading.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

This is not about emotion, loyalty, brainstorming, planning..... They play to win! We go to win! Lets WIN. Win Now.

I have no problem with your de lists.

But if you are playing to win how are we going to achieve it with...

1. A fat and overweight Garfield shaped midfielder that cant run out a game, cannot commit to basic pre season training and cheats his teammates by not fronting to a game because he is too hungover. Pathetic

2. A talented player who for years has compromised the delivery of that talent by being lazy, uncommitted to a contest and offers no defensive pressure on his direct opponent and is unaccountable.

3. A third up defender who lacks pace and is limited overhead and is perennially unaccountable for his opponent.

You cherish the mediocre and then wonder why we lose....

Pickett, Yze and Bizzell are well past their best. Its not 30+ bashing. I'm one of them. Its reality and recognition that if this club is going to succeed it must not only address the list issues but changing the soft and down hill skiing culture we have.

Yze has another year. Pickett should go. Bizz may stay as depth for next year. They are not our future and not the basis for rebounding this side.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

......

I have not seen the young for young sake argument put by anyone here.

I dont see how Neaves, Garland and Bode are competing for the position that Yze, Bizzell and Pickett play. So I dont see the relevance of the comparison as to why aging diminishing and one case completely unprofessional footballers should be maintained.

[Demons 32 235]

1. A fat and overweight Garfield shaped midfielder that cant run out a game, cannot commit to basic pre season training and cheats his teammates by not fronting to a game because he is too hungover. Pathetic

He ran out the game against the dogs fine. I admit he dodges pre-season training and he has paid his dues for the incident. He wasted away in sandy. He wasn't in the line up to play that game anyway. He knows it was wrong, got given the choice, play on or leave, thought about it, and has been head down ever since. He was in our best on sat night. He ruthlessy attacked the ball. Tackled hard and was an imposing force in every on field scuffle.

The opposite of the downhill skying. He is tough and we need someone other teams are worried about.... "footsteps put teams off".

[Guest bWell]

Pickett, Yze and Bizzell are well past their best. Its not 30+ bashing. I'm one of them. Its reality and recognition that if this club is going to succeed it must not only address the list issues but changing the soft and down hill skiing culture we have.

You couldn't be any more wrong.

Wait until next year. They are 100% better players than Bode, Garland, Hughes, Hayes, Neaves, Godfrey, Miller etc.

These three guys deserve to be there & I'm tipping they will.

Pickett did wrong with his incident earlier this year but I think have proved himself into the squad. You have to remember he played in the 2's for a while there. He was picked BEFOREanyone else. Needless to say, I hope Byron plays on.

Pickett is the true meaning of a demon

[Demons 32 235]

May I add that earlier this year a AFL player survey was done by the Herald sun.

Pickett was in the top 5 most intimidating players in the AFL by his peers. Along with the likes of Archer, Brown, Hall. You need enforcers who make the oppostion run scared.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Pickett is the true meaning of a demon

We're truly stuffed then.

With the exception of Hayes (who is still a rookie for next year), the others should probably go but they in no way strengthen the case for the other 3.