I'm happy so far:

Got a good deal for TJ. Once a player hits 28 the value drops big time. I reckon to trade TJ this time next year we would be looking at pick 35 or worse. NOW was the time. Well done CAC - sentiment is for losers.

The decision to pick up Meeson - time will tell. CA/Bailey must think he has upside. Could have got Wood for a straight swap but we would not be able to pick up a kid with the pick 14. So its a balancing act here. Hopefully the probabilities are that Meeson will be ok and we land a good kid with 14.

Hopefully we can add some quality with picks 4, 14 and 21 - to go with:

Brock, Col, Dunn, Bate, Newton, Jones, Frawley, Bartram, Pettard, Rivers, Bell, Davey, Miller, Moloney...etc. The future is looking great.

IMO a good result. The rest will be on draft days and hopefully we will do ok.

Again, Well done so far CAC.

I agree, his first half of the off season has been a success IMO.

Now for the hard part...

Syliva's not a win yet. In 5-7 years time this TJ business might all be repeated again.

Syliva's not a win yet. In 5-7 years time this TJ business might all be repeated again.

Correct! Sylvia's first four years have been particularly underwhelming! By the end of year 4 Trapper had achieved significantly more than Colin (despite an ordinary run with injury). The number 3 pick from 2001, whose name shall not be mentioned, had won a Brownlow and played in a GF, been an AA ad won a club BF. Sylvia has a long way to go and he'd make a handy start by getting out of the headlines for the off-field stuff.

Correct! Sylvia's first four years have been particularly underwhelming! By the end of year 4 Trapper had achieved significantly more than Colin (despite an ordinary run with injury). The number 3 pick from 2001, whose name shall not be mentioned, had won a Brownlow and played in a GF, been an AA ad won a club BF. Sylvia has a long way to go and he'd make a handy start by getting out of the headlines for the off-field stuff.

hes not too bad, been in the wrong places at the wrong time..in comparison to brock, chopper and trav......

hes not too bad, been in the wrong places at the wrong time..in comparison to brock, chopper and trav......

Now I'm happy to be corrected here, but I cannot ever remeber Trav bringing the name of the club into disrepute through off-field hijinks that was reported in the press. I have heard some whispers about his lifestyle but nothing that ever impacted negatively on the image of the club in the broader public. Now let me see - in 2003 our Captain was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons - no dramas though, he was "just frustrated" because we wern't having a good season. Sylvia has been mentioned in despatches on at least three occasions for behaving badly, including domestic violence - he's still here; our alleged "future leader" gets into not one, but two overseas punch ups, but he's ok, the club will talk to him when he returns and then send him to China with the other young leaders as a club ambassador. Double standards abound at the club, hence supporters frustration with many decisions that are made. I've heard people say it's similar to Tarrant - rubbish, Tarrant broke the law on a number of occasions. I don't believe Trav has done that. The reality is, someone high profile had to be a sacrifical lamb at the dawn of the Bailey era. Trav was the only one of the experienced brigade still worth a first-rounder so it's bye bye Trapper!

Now I'm happy to be corrected here, but I cannot ever remember Trav bringing the name of the club into disrepute through off-field hijinks that was reported in the press.

There were lots of reports about Travis Johnstone (and Daniel Ward) having gambling debts and owing a lot of money to Simon Beasley a few years ago. Caroline Wilson even won a Melbourne Press Club Quill Award for Best Sports Story in any Medium, for her story “Demons Trio in Betting Scandal” in 2004.

There were lots of reports about Travis Johnstone (and Daniel Ward) having gambling debts and owing a lot of money to Simon Beasley a few years ago. Caroline Wilson even won a Melbourne Press Club Quill Award for Best Sports Story in any Medium, for her story “Demons Trio in Betting Scandal” in 2004.

Cheers for that, Maurie! Yes it did tarnish the image a bit didn't it? Just wondering is having a gambling problem illegal though! My point would be that there have been far more poorly behaved players than Trav so that can't be a (justifiable) reason for his trade. It must have more to do with Bailey making a statement and it could have been anyone of the experienced brigade - White, Green, Bruce etc - but Travis just happened to have the most value so out he went. I loved Trav as a player, and I don't necessarily think the club has done the wrong thing by itself or him, I am concerned though that it could have made a statement with a few others, and I reckon Sylvia might have been a good place to start!

There were lots of reports about Travis Johnstone (and Daniel Ward) having gambling debts and owing a lot of money to Simon Beasley a few years ago. Caroline Wilson even won a Melbourne Press Club Quill Award for Best Sports Story in any Medium, for her story “Demons Trio in Betting Scandal” in 2004.

There were rumours about this for some time before it got in the media. Travis has struggled with the off field maturity aspects to make it as a top footballer.

Syliva's not a win yet. In 5-7 years time this TJ business might all be repeated again.

Sylvia injuries and the limitations they have caused him a well know. He has yet to tear a major game apart. Sylvia needs to prove he can achieve at the highest level like TJ did.

With due respect TJ has not had crippling and it was his 5th season 2002 where he finally showed something. He definitely had the ability but under delivered on it big time.

Colin hasn't had a full pre-season under his belt yet....judge him after this year. Because as much as i hate to say it...potentially some trade bait. But he has a lot of potential and shown glimpes of something special

Sylvia has been mentioned in despatches on at least three occasions for behaving badly, including domestic violence

Sylvia is a disgrace, their is nothing more dispicable than a man beating up his girlfriend, if the club had any integrity he would have been fired on the spot, high draft pick or not. I look forward to the day that this coward no longer represents the MFC and i doubt there would be any clubs who would want a moron like him on their list. Then again, he might fit in well with Leigh Matthews at Brisbane.

Sylvia is a disgrace, their is nothing more dispicable than a man beating up his girlfriend, if the club had any integrity he would have been fired on the spot, high draft pick or not. I look forward to the day that this coward no longer represents the MFC and i doubt there would be any clubs who would want a moron like him on their list. Then again, he might fit in well with Leigh Matthews at Brisbane.

his girlfiend actually denied that there was domestic violence didnt she???

Well back in about june 2003 i was at the oak hotel in cheltenham and i witnessed a certain travis sinking about 12 pots at least and he was there when i got there.

So how many did he have before i got there and this was before a big game by a day.

Ofcourse the media doesnt know about this but mfc does because i sent them an email in discust.

his girlfiend actually denied that there was domestic violence didnt she???

Of course she denied it, trying to help save his ass, witnesses who spoke to the police had a differant story and it wasn't pretty.

Of course she denied it, trying to help save his ass, witnesses who spoke to the police had a differant story and it wasn't pretty.

I'm a lapsed contribuor here under a new name and I just have to respond to this. The fact his girlfriend did not press charges did not force the cops to drop the case. They could have gone ahead anyway if they had court-worthy evidence.

Where Neitz has it wrong is that there were no "witnesses" there was A witness who was judged unreliable. The cops felt the witness exagerrated what happened and if what the witness described had happened there would have been physical evidence. The case did not go ahead because she pulled out AND because the witness was thought unreliable.

That is not to condone DV but the ominous tone of Neitz' entry is, apparently like the witness, gilding the lily.

Well back in about june 2003 i was at the oak hotel in cheltenham and i witnessed a certain travis sinking about 12 pots at least and he was there when i got there.

So how many did he have before i got there and this was before a big game by a day.

Ofcourse the media doesnt know about this but mfc does because i sent them an email in discust.

Well done lads you've finally sussed out the reason why he's gone. Nothing to do with playing ability

I'm a lapsed contribuor here under a new name and I just have to respond to this. The fact his girlfriend did not press charges did not force the cops to drop the case. They could have gone ahead anyway if they had court-worthy evidence.

Where Neitz has it wrong is that there were no "witnesses" there was A witness who was judged unreliable. The cops felt the witness exagerrated what happened and if what the witness described had happened there would have been physical evidence. The case did not go ahead because she pulled out AND because the witness was thought unreliable.

That is not to condone DV but the ominous tone of Neitz' entry is, apparently like the witness, gilding the lily.

I suggest it's difficult to prove when the alleged victim denies it happened.

marquis is right. its not like america where you need to 'press charges' if 5 people saw it and the girl denies it bad luck, if the court believs the witness.

but the evidence was poor. she had no injuries, and she denied it. what i am saying is that just because it was reported in the media doesnt mean its true. the matter was investigated by police and it was determined there was no case to answer. therefore he is innocent of any crime in the eyes of the law. you cant go around saying he beats up girls...